Early in 1916 we were on outpost duty at a place called Ayun Musa,
about four miles east of Suez.
One day a British monitor arrived in the Gulf of Suez, and we were
invited to spend an hour on board as the sailors' guests. The next day
the sailors came ashore and were our guests.
[Illustration: "Don't ask me--ask the blinkin' 'oss."]
After seeing the canteen most of them were anxious for a ride on a
horse. So we saddled a few horses and helped our guests to mount. Every
horse chose a different direction in the desert.
One of the sailors was a Cockney. He picked a fairly fresh mount, which
soon "got away" with him. He lost his reins and hung round the animal's
neck for dear life as it went at full gallop right through the Camp
Commandant's quarters.
Hearing the commotion, the Commandant put his head out of his bivouac
and shouted, "What the dickens do you mean galloping through here?"
Back came the retort, "Don't ask me--ask the blinkin' 'oss."--_H. F.
Montgomery (late H.A.C.), 33 Cavenham Gardens, Ilford._