“Amid the sorrows and the weariness of the times out there it was
remarkable how closely laughter followed at the heels of tears. We had
great fun over a colonel—not in our division—who was very unpopular. He
did not know the depths of his unpopularity, but, deeming himself the
best-beloved among his contemporaries, he was perfectly happy. One day,
while he was sitting in front of his dugout reading an old newspaper,
a sniper’s bullet passed quite close, and went ‘pip’ into the parados.
He paid no attention, of course, for that was only a bit of the day’s
work. But when another came, he thought it was an attention which
carried civility a little too far. So he called a Scotsman to him, and
said, ‘Go out, Jock, and nail that beggar.’ Jock crawled out, glad of
the diversion, stalked the enemy, ‘winged’ him, and was running up to
‘feenish’ him, when the German held up his hands and cried, ‘Mercy,
Englishman!’ But Jock replied, ‘Mercy? Ye dinna deserve nae mercy.
Ye’ve missed oor colonel twice!’ I often wonder if Jock told the
colonel how he had put it! Or is he still as happy as ever?
“It is told of Jock that, on another occasion, when a German held up
his hands, after a good deal of dirty work with them, and said, ‘Mercy,
Englishman. I’ll go to England with you!’ Jock replied, grimly and
coolly, ‘Ay, maybe. But, ye see, that’s no exactly whaur I was gaun to
send ye.’
“I was always much impressed by the Wesleyans, whom I often met in
painful circumstances. I had never had anything to do with them till I
came in contact with them wounded and suffering, but always most brave,
patient, and truly religious. They bore their distresses without a
murmur, and they died without fear. For they knew what they believed
in. They had the gift of religion and the secret of a faith stronger
than death. They were true mystics. I remember one day standing
beside one of them who had been very dangerously stricken. His eyes
were closed, and he was whispering continuously. I stooped down and
listened. He was saying, over and over again, ‘Oh, God, remember me,
and help me to get well, for the sake of those I love at home.’