Found in Herbert Kynaston. A Memoir. (Macmillan, 1912) an acrostic for a bazaar to raise money for a home for ‘Friendless Girls’ (below). The book has the ownership signature of F.E. Balfour (1922). This is almost certainly Ronald Edmond Balfour , who among other things, wrote a bibliography for E.M Forster’s 1934 book on Goldsworthy Lowes Dickinson. In World War 2 he was something of a hero and there is much on him at the Monuments Men site. He had a huge book collection and went to Eton and King’s College Cambridge (hence the Forster connection.) Possibly inspired by Canon Kynaston’s acrostics (and double acrostics) he wrote out an alphabet at the end of the book. It is headlined ‘Camp Alphabet from the ECC of October 10th 1872.’ This is probably the Eton Cadet Corps, who are still in existence (David Cameron was a member- hence his fondness for The Jam’s Eton Rifles.)
A was an adjutant booted and spurred,
B was a bugle incessantly heard
C was the Colonel commanding the lot
D was the dog he would fain have shot
E is for earwigs esconced in one’s shirt
F the fleas, field- mice and frogs all alert.
G was the beard who so firmly behaved
H was H. Hobbs without mirror who shaved
I was inspection of blankets and store
J the smart jackets our officers wore