We were attacking Messines Ridge. The ground was a mass of flooded
shell-holes. Hearing a splash and some cursing in a familiar voice, I
called out, "Are you all right, Tubby?"
The reply came, as he crawled out of a miniature mine crater, "Yus, but
I've lorst me 'ipe (rifle)."
I asked what he was going to do, and he replied, "You dig them German
sausages out with yer baynit and I'll eat 'em."
So saying, he pulled out his knife and fork and proceeded towards the
enemy trenches.--_"Pip Don" (London Regt.), 22 Ingram Road, Thornton
Heath._
"The Best Man--Goes Fust"
In the second battle of Arras, 1917, our regiment was held up near
Gavrelle and was occupying a line of shell-holes. The earth was heaving
all around us with the heavy barrage. Peeping over the top of my
shell-hole I found my neighbours, "Shorty" (of Barnes) and "Tiny" (of
Kent) arguing about who was the best man.
All of a sudden over came one of Jerry's five-nines. It burst too close
to "Shorty," who got the worst of it, and was nearly done for. But he
finished his argument, for he said to "Tiny" in a weak voice, "That
shows you who's the best man. My ole muvver always says as the best
goes fust."--_J. Saxby, Paddington, W.2._