“For instance, to prevent waste of petrol in ‘joy-riding,’ a French
barrier at one place near us had guards set upon it under a British
officer. One day a young northern subaltern, entirely fresh to military
work, was in charge; and the tale goes that he stopped Sir Douglas
Haig’s car, asking him to show his permit and declare his business.
When the general did tell who he was, the boy was so taken aback that
he is said to have stammered, ‘So pleased to meet you!’
“Again, a young officer told me that he was leading a well-known
general around some trenches in the dark. They came to a traverse.
‘We’ll go round here,’ said the general, and the young fellow led the
way. But a watchful Gordon leaped up suddenly with fixed bayonet,
and, ‘Who goes there?’ The youth replied, ‘General Blank.’ ‘Ay, lad,’
whimsically replied the Scot, ‘ye’d better try again. That cock ’ll no
fecht wi’ the Cock o’ the North.’
“Another, a verdantly green soldier of the King, almost freshly off the
ploughed haughs of home, met an officer of high rank. He was carrying
his rifle, but he huddled it under his arm, and awkwardly saluted with
the open hand as though he had it not. The officer said, very kindly,
‘Here, my man, is the way to salute your superior with your rifle’; and
he went through the proper regulation field-officer’s salute. But Jock,
after coolly watching him, as coolly replied, ‘Ay, ay; maybe that’s
your way o’t; but I hae my ain way, and I’m no jist sure yet whilk’s
the richt gait o’t.’
“It would be worth while seeing this man after a few months’ training
has brought him into the ‘richt gait o’t.’ In fact, the way in which
the men have fallen into the habit of discipline is as wonderful as
the way they leaped into the line of service for their country’s sake
when they were not forced to go. I recall one, who was only a type of
many. Up in the mouth of a West Highland glen is a little cottage on a
croft. And the man there was the last of his race. When others passed
out to the world-wide conflict, his mother, who was very old, opposed
his going. But she died. And then he drew his door to, locked it, and
went to share the battle for liberty which to-day is shaking the earth.
There are far more men of peace than men of quarrel fighting for the
soul-compelling things that are of value beyond this dying world, and
these are made of the true victory stuff.