From The Luton News, September 10th, 1914

Every one of the officers and about 650 men of the 1,000 in the 5th Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment have volunteered for foreign service unconditionally. That means that they can be sent anywhere, and are as likely to go to France as to Egypt or any of the other foreign countries that one hears so frequently mentioned as the destination of the Territorials who have offered themselves for foreign work.

When they will leave is at present unknown. Meanwhile they are daily getting more "fit" and quite seasoned by their work. They do about eight hours training every day.

In the morning from 6.30 to 8 they have such physical exercise as running, hopping and other muscle-developing and wind-improving work. Breakfast is at 8, and from 9.30 to 2 pm they have field training.

In the afternoon there is an hour's lecture. The subject is chosen by the company officer and may be on the morning's work or on sanitation or on points about the war. The NCOs also get an extra hour's work in the afternoon.

The health of the men is very good. There is one case of pneumonia in the hospital at Bury St Edmunds but the patient had "turned the corner" and is on the road to recovery. There is also one case of hemorrhage, which possibly may have arisen out of conditions existing prior to the commencement of active service. The Battalion has also been free from bad accidents except a sad and fatal one to a young Dunstable Territorial who was killed by a train when guarding the line.

A good deal of marching has been done and the men's boots have suffered severely as a consequence. The County Association is making arrangements to replenish the stock. It was the 60-mile march on change of station that played havoc with the leather and that then caused a good deal of trouble with sore feet, but recovery from that has now been made.

When on the march the total weight carried by the men including everything - clothes, rifle, pack, ammunition, etc - is over 65 lbs, but they swing along through the dust quite cheerily singing and whistling, for their throat and lips have to provide the music. There is no Band with the 5th Beds. It is quite like active service with them. The Band have left their instruments behind and have become stretcher bearers. There is not even a bugle call!

The F and C Companies are spoken of by a military critic as the best-looking Companies in the Battalion. They contain a good many of the more seasoned men. It will interest Luton also to know that G Company, which is made up of the recent recruits with the exception of a few NCOs, is doing very well. Some of the youngsters have done astonishingly well. A large proportion of them have volunteered for foreign service.

The best percentage of volunteers for foreign service is probably held by F Company from Luton, commanded by Captain Cumberland. The other Luton Company (C), under Major Clutton, also makes a good show.

At present, Major Brighten is in Luton with the view of getting recruits to fill up the ranks for foreign service. About 400 are wanted. The sooner the ranks are filled up the sooner the regiment will be able to go, and those who have volunteered are very keen on that time being soon.

In recruiting for foreign service, preference will be given to men who have seen some sort of training previously, even if it only rifle practice at a club range.

One hundred per cent of the officers of the 5th Beds have volunteered, so a new set of officers (28) is wanted for the reserve battalion, and applications are coming in quickly. Officers and men of the reserve battalion would first undergo training at Bedford, and then as soon as the 5th Battalion left for foreign service, the reserve would move up and take the place of the 5th. The 350 men of the 5th who have not volunteered for foreign service would form the nucleus for the reserve and would have the new 600 added to it. At present 1,000 men are wanted for the 5th Beds, about 450 for the Engineers, about 120 for the Yeomanry and some for the Field Ambulance. Men joining these are becoming members of Kitchener's Army, the scheme being to fit men to send them abroad and at the same time to train up reserves to fill the places in the home Army.

In some quarters there have been complaints about the Territorials' food. It will interest those people who have friends in the 5th Beds to know that they have ample food. Of course, it is not so good as at camp because there one shilling extra per head per day was allowed for messing, and with that the meals could be considerably improved. They are now on field rations and, among other things, they get 1 lb of meat, one-and-a-quarter pound of bread, tea, sugar, butter, jam, cheese and vegetables. The officers draw exactly the same rations as the men and eat it. Of course, they make their own little private additions, such as fruit, but the ordinary allowance is spoken as ample.