Many ex-soldiers must remember the famous Major Campbell, who
(supported by the late Jimmy Driscoll), toured behind the lines in
France giving realistic demonstrations of bayonet fighting.
I was a spectator on one occasion when the Major was demonstrating
"defence with the naked hands." "Now," he shouted as Jimmy Driscoll
(who acted the German) rushed upon him with rifle and bayonet pointed
for a thrust, "I side-step" (grasping his rifle at butt and upper band
simultaneously); "I twist it to the horizontal and fetch my knee up
into the pit of his stomach, so! And then, as his head comes down, I
release my right hand, point my fore and third fingers, so! and stab at
his eyes."
"Lor'!" gasped a little Cockney platoon chum squatting beside me, "did
yer see that lot? Wot a nice kind of bloke he is! Wot a blinkin' stroke
of luck he was born on our side!"--_S. J. Wilson (late 1/20th County
London Regt.), 27 Cressingham Road, Lewisham._