- A Company – Kirkcaldy
- B Company – Cowie
- C Company – Tayport
- D Company – Forfar
- E Company – Dunfermline
- F Company – New Scone
- G Company – East Wemyss
- H Company – Bannockburn
More than one of these companies spent time stationed at Lundin Links, training and performing coastal guard duty. One of the HCB that spent time at Lundin Links was Private Douglas J. Thomson of Kirkcaldy. Having joined the HCB in May 1914, Douglas was called to report to the Drill Hall no later than 10:00 on 5 August 1914, the day after war was declared. Part of 'A' Company, after a spell in St Andrews, Douglas was based in Lundin Links and he can be seen on the right in the photograph below practising his camping cooking skills in the front garden of 'Fir Park' (5 Crescent Road). Neighbouring property 'Braddan' (7 Crescent Road) is identifiable in the background. Douglas was eventually posted to the Machine Gun Corps and went to the Western Front while still in his teens. You can read more about his wartime experiences and later life here.
'B' Company of the HCB also spent time at Lundin Links. The photograph of them below accompanied an article in The Stirling Observer of 15 June 1915. The report said of the HCB that "the different companies of which it consists are scattered all along the East Coast of Scotland, where they have proved to be very serviceable". The group pictured below are No. 1 Platoon of 'B' company, who were stationed at Lundin Links - where, according to the article they were "having a pleasant experience".
As well as their training and duties, the men stationed at Lundin Links enjoyed some leisure time. The club house of the Lundin Ladies Golf Club was used by the HCB as a recreation and reading room. They reputedly also played football on the course. The HCB's time in Lundin Links was not without incident though - more of that in the next post.
www.donald-adamson.co.uk/family-history/the-great-war/