During the latter stages of the war, with the enemy in full retreat,
supply columns and stores were in most cases left far behind. Those in
the advance columns, when marching through occupied villages, often
"won" articles of underclothing to make up for deficiencies.
Camberwell Alf had a couple of striped "civvy" shirts, and had lent
a less fortunate battery chum one of these on the understanding that
it would be returned in due course. The same evening the battery
was crossing a pontoon bridge when a mule became frightened at the
oscillation of the wooden structure, reared wildly, and pitched its
rider over the canvas screen into the river.
Camberwell Alf immediately plunged into the water and rescued his
unfortunate chum after a great struggle.