We had survived the landing operations at Murmansk, in North Russia,
and each company had received a number of sets of skis, which are very
awkward things to manage until you get used to them.
On one occasion when we were practising, a "son of London," after
repeated tumbles, remarked to his pals, who were also getting some "ups
and downs": "Fancy seein' me dahn Poplar way wiv these fings on; my
little old bunch of trouble would say, 'What's 'e trying ter do nah?
Cut aht Little Tich in the long-boot dance?'"--_C. H. Mitchell (late
Staff-Sergt. A.S.C.), 7 Kingsholm Gardens, Eltham, S.E.9._
[Illustration: "Trying to cut aht Little Tich in the long-boot dance."]