Enthusiastic scenes masked the departure from the town this morning of 100 members of the Bournemouth Battalion of the “National Reserve”. The men, who were looking very fit, assembled at the Artillery Drill Hall at the Lansdowne at nine o’clock for the purpose of signing attestation papers and attending to other preliminaries.

Later in the morning, the men formed up, and headed by the National Reserve Band, and also the Bugle Band of the 16th Boy Scouts (by permission of the Rev. C. L. Burrows) the procession marched to the Central Station there to depart by special train.

The men were under Colonel R. F. Godfrey and two officers.

The Mayor (Dr. H. S. McCalmont Hill J.P.) was also present to give the men a send off, and a feature of the departure was the surprise gift by an invalid Bournemouth lady of a small present to each man – an action which was much appreciated.

A large crowd assembled in the vicinity of the station.

The Bournemouth Battalion has been well to the fire in its contribution to the country’s defence.

Up-to-date it has supplied 52 men under 42 years of age who have joined their old units.

The Battalion has also provided about 50 men for the Territorial units of the country, while as the departure was being made this morning, an intimation was received that 25 more men would be called upon on Saturday.

The men this morning were of Class II (up to 50 years of age), the same as are expected to leave on Saturday.

The following telegram was afterwards despatched to the “Echo” Office – “The men of the National Reserves thank the people of Bournemouth for their gift and hearty send-off.”

Taken from Bournemouth Daily Echo, Thursday September 3, 1914