Transferred from their comfortable billets in the town to the beautiful surroundings of the Stockwood desmesne, the first experiences of camp life by the men of the Lincoln and Leicester Brigade on Friday and Saturday last week were not the most agreeable.

Taking possession of the tents on Thursday, the 4,000 troops or thereabouts found wind and storm prevailing for 36 hours. But it is gratifying to place on record that the men philosophically and stoically went through it all, regarding it as an incident - unpleasing though it was - in their campaigning experience, and grousing was generally conspicuous by its absence. With the advent of Sunday and its skies of blue, radiant sun and refreshing summer breezes, a new and brighter outlook emerged.

Stockwood camp is situated north-east of the mansion, high and dry, and no healthier or more salubrious spot could be wished for. Entering by the London Road lodge gate, the visitor finds the camp kitchens disposed on either hand near the boundary hedge - the Leicesters to the right and the Lincolns to the left.

The camp proper is arranged in streets or lines from east to west - the respective units being divided in the same manner as the kitchens. There is ample space allowed for dividing the thoroughfare and also between the canvas tents. Here the men, a dozen to a tent, appear as happy as sandboys.

The time of our visit happened to synchronise with that of the serving of the midday meal to the men of the 2/4th and 2/5th Lincolns. Just previously they had returned from a march-out. The fare was plentiful and of appetising colour, and every man put on the "double quick" as he made his way to the convenient serving centre for a group of tents, and each one took away his fill.

After meat and vegetables a sustaining currant roll, brought round by the yard, was cut up into adequate portions, and put away with a will which dispelled all suspicion of digestive troubles.

The officers' quarters are on the extreme edge, somewhere to the rear of each unit they represent. Thus the official staff of the Leicesters are located on the south-west verge near the Lawn Path and not far from the boundary of the kitchen garden of the mansion. The Lincoln staff tents are in a south-easterly direction, nearer to the mansion itself.

The kitchens are arranged on the usual recognised Army camp pattern, some having a smarter and more workmanlike appearance than others. As a capital specimen of the whole, we may instance the culinary arrangements of the 2/5th Leicesters, under the supervision of Sgt J. H. Mee as Master Cook. The sergeant is an old service man, having put in eight years with the 1st Battalion of the Leicester Regiment, seven of them being spent in Egypt.

The trenches, or oblong ovens, surmounted by a compost of clay and mud, are about nine feet in length, and shallow dug-outs on top afford space for the boilers for tea or soup, of which 81 can be kept going at one time. The trenches are flanked on either side by large Soya stoves, for the cooking of joints etc, and the crowning pinnacle in this connection is an Aldershot field over, in appearance representing a huge boiler topped with a vast crust of baked mud.

As was to be expected, there was some little difficulty during the storms of Friday and Saturday in making and keeping this over hot, and about three tons of coal were consumed in the 36 hours. But now things work more smoothly and the chief fuel is from the branches of the greenwood tree with which the stokers assiduously feed the trench fires and the Soya stoves, with an admix of coal for the field oven.

A visitor to Stockwood well verse in the routine of Aldershot camp life warmly complimented Sgt Mee on the admirable way in which he had arranged his kitchen enclosure, and stated that for smartness and efficiency it could not be excelled in the Hamshire military centre.

There was plenty of activity manifest at the time of our visit. The Master Cook and his numerous assistants were busy in the preparation of the midday meal, which was served a little later than usual to this particular unit as they had marched out to Putteridge Park early in the morning with sustenance rations against the time of their return.

A group of men were sitting round busy in the peeling of potatoes, and fresh greens were to be seen soaking in large baths under the lee of the hedge. Nimble privates were flitting quickly down the rows of boilers, adding mysterious and presumably appetising components to their steaming contents.

The half battalion of Leicesters at home were engaged in numerous ways about the camp, and every one appeared contented and comfortable. Most of the men with whom we held converse expressed satisfaction with their lot, and preferred the free and open life in camp to the town billets. We were assured that the storm of the weekend occasioned them nothing more than trifling inconvenience. The rain did not penetrate the tents, and only one could be heard of as having been blown away.

The daily itinerary of the camp is as follows. Reveille sounds at 5.30 am, and the Battalion parades at 6.30. Breakfast is served at 7.15, and dinner, which is governed by the duration of the mroning march our or drill, is usually at 12.45. Tea is partaken of at 4.45, and the men are then generally free for the evening. The bugle and drum sound the retreat every night to sunset, and this affords a musical treat to townsfolk walking along Lawn Path or on the London Road.

The food provided appears excellent in quality, and there is no stint. Add to this that the men are uniformly well behaved, full of spirit and life, and that content and satisfaction seem to be prevailing features, what more can be desired?

Cricket, boxing and sports afford recreation and enjoyment, and for those who desire a quiet smoke or convivial company, the well furnished canteens of the Luton Brewery (J. W. Green and Co Ltd) provide them.

Our artist was successful in taking several pictures during the course of our stroll round, which was not concluded without an amusing but delaying experience of red tape. Happily, however, we emerged from the ordeal safely, and armed at length with the written permits of the Brigadier Major, were free to wander about at will.

Wending our way towards the park gates, the half-battalion of the Leicesters was returning to camp, headed by the Battalion and bugle bands. An inspiriting march tune changed as the men tramped blithely into the Park to the familiar strains of 'The Old Folks At Home'.

With the sweet cadences of the haunting refrain wafted to us by the south-westerly breeze, we bade good day to the Leicester and Lincoln lads and, well pleased and satisfied, made for Luton town.

[Bedfordshire Advertiser: Friday, July 23rd, 1915]