We came out of the line on the night of June 14-15, 1917, to "bivvies"
at Mory, after a hot time from both Fritz and weather at Bullecourt.
When dawn broke we were astonished and delighted to see a "bath."
Whilst we were in the line our Pioneers had a brain wave, dug a hole in
the ground, lined it with a tarpaulin sheet, and filled it with water.
As our last bath was at Achiet-le-Petit six weeks before, there was a
tremendous crowd waiting "mit nodings on," because there was "standing
room only" for about twenty in the bath.
Whilst ablutions were in progress an aeroplane was heard, but no
notice was taken because it was flying so low--"one of ours" everybody
thought. When it came nearer there was a shout, "Strewth, it's a Jerry
plane."
Baths were "off" for the moment and there was a stampede to the
"bivvies" for rifles. It was the funniest thing in the world to see
fellows running about in their "birthday suits" plus only tin hats,
taking pot shots at the aeroplane.
Even Fritz seemed surprised, because it was some moments before he
replied with his machine gun.
We watched him fly away back to his own lines and a voice broke the
silence with, "Blinkin' fools to put on our tin 'ats. Uvverwise 'ole
Fritz wouldn't a known but what we might be Germans."
I often wonder if any other battalion had the "honour" of "attacking
the enemy" clad only in tin hats.--_G. M. Rampton (late 12th London
Regt., "Rangers"), 43 Cromwell Road, Winchester._
His Good-bye to the Q.M.
Scene, Ypres, May 1915. The battalion to which I belonged had been
heavily shelled for many hours, and among the casualties was "Topper"
Brown, a Cockney, who was always in trouble for losing items of his
kit. Taken to the dressing station to have a badly shattered foot
amputated, he recovered consciousness to find the C.Q.M.S. standing by
the stretcher on which he lay.
The C.Q.M.S., not knowing the extent of Brown's injury, inquired,
"What's the trouble, Brown?"
In a weak voice the Cockney replied, "Lost one boot and one sock again,
Quarter."--_E. E. Daniels (late K.R.R.), 178 Caledonian Road, N.1._