This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ... COLONEL CROWDERS DIARY, 1852-1885, With Annotations By Lieut.-col. Willan. 1852. It was in the autumn of this year that the first annual training of the regiment took place at Woodstock. An amusing account of that training has been given by one who took part in it. One Austin was Serjt.-Major and Meadows Quartermaster Serjeant, the rest of the Permanent Staff consisting of a few worn out old men quite unfit for duty. The one attached to No. 4 Company vent on the sick list immediately on arriving at Woodstock, and did 110 duty during the whole training of twenty-one days. The officer commanding this company had no one to assist him but Militia Serjeants (recruits, of course, like the rest of the men), who, if possible, knew less about military duty than he did. He had to make out his own pay sheet, call the roll, and in fact do the work of a Pay-Serjeant. Six non-commissioned officers of the Guards were sent down to drill the companies, and did very good service, confined mostly to setting up and company drill. Some officers of the Bedfordshire Militia, who had just finished their training, came to criticize the Oxfordshire, and told Capt. Cuming, the adjutant, what their men could do. His reply was to the effect that his men would be able to do all that some day, but that at present he wished to teach them to walk before they attempted to run. The clothing did not arrive for some days, and when it did it turned out to be of the old coatee pattern. Most of the suits were evidently intended for men of six feet in height, and as the Oxfordshire men averaged about five feet six inches, and had no master tailor to make alteration, it may be imagined that they did not present a very smart appearance. The strength of the regiment was 481 men, ..