Anticipation

To those readers of the Suffolk Regimental Gazette, the July 1914 edition gave no indication that there was trouble in the air. 
The impending doom that was to follow Austria’s declaration of war on Serbia, was not mentioned anywhere in it's 19 pages. The news was instead, far more jolly. 
The 1st Battalion had recently returned from Khartoum and currently had a detachment in Cyprus; where they were winning several boxing matches against rival regiments. The 2nd Battalion still remained at the Curragh in Ireland and the 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion were recovering after an exhausting march through the county in June. From Bury, they had proceeded to Landguard Fort at Felixstowe on a specially chartered train for musketry training. From here they marched back to Bury via Ipswich and Stowmarket, attending several events on the way.
The 4th Battalion were preparing for their annual camp - due to take place at South Denes, Great Yarmouth. Special trains had been arranged to get the different Company’s there from across the county and local Drill Halls were getting the men’s equipment out, checking and re-checking their rifles, making ready for the three-week camp. 
It would be the last annual camp of the 4th Battalion for ten years.

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