I GO TO CHURCH
Upon enlistment we had identity disks issued to us. These were small
disks of red fiber worn around the neck by means of a string. Most of
the Tommies also used a little metal disk which they wore around the
left wrist by means of a chain. They had previously figured it out
that if their heads were blown off, the disk on the left wrist would
identify them. If they lost their left arm the disk around the neck
would serve the purpose, but if their head and left arm were blown
off, no one would care who they were, so it did not matter. On one
side of the disk was inscribed your rank, name, number, and battalion,
while on the other was stamped your religion.
C. of E., meaning Church of England; R. C., Roman Catholic; W.,
Wesleyan; P., Presbyterian; but if you happened to be an atheist they
left it blank, and just handed you a pick and shovel.
{Photo: The Author's Identification Disk.}
On my disk was stamped C. of E. This is how I got it: The Lieutenant
who enlisted me asked my religion. I was not sure of the religion of
the British Army, so I answered, "Oh, any old thing," and he promptly
put down C. of E.
Now, just imagine my hard luck. Out of five religions I was unlucky
enough to pick the only one where church parade was compulsory!
The next morning was Sunday. I was sitting in the billet writing home
to my sister telling her of my wonderful exploits while under fire-all
recruits do this. The Sergeant-Major put his head in the door of the
billet and shouted: "C. of E. outside for church parade!"
I kept on writing. Turning to me, in a loud voice, he asked, "Empey,
aren't you C. of E.?"
I answered, "Yep."
In an angry tone, he commanded, "Don't you 'yep' me. Say, 'Yes,
Sergeant-Major!'"
I did so. Somewhat mollified, he ordered, "Outside for church parade."
I looked up and answered, "I am not going to church this morning."
He said, "Oh, yes, you are!"
I answered. "Oh, no, I'm not!"--But I went.
We lined up outside with rifles and bayonets, 120 rounds of
ammunition, wearing our tin hats, and the march to church began. After
marching about five kilos, we turned off the road into an open field.
At one end of this field the Chaplain was standing in a limber. We
formed a semi-circle around him. Over head there was a black speck
circling round and round in the sky. This was a German Fokker. The
Chaplain had a book in his left hand-left eye on the book-right eye on
the aeroplane. We Tommies were lucky, we had no books, so had both
eyes on the aeroplane.
After church parade we were marched back to our billets, and played
football all afternoon.