HIGH JINKS

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 4, Issue 307, 19 May 1941, Page 8

HIGH JINKS

"AUSSIES" GIVE EVERYONE THE "JITTERS" "From Singapore where thej' showered pennies on the welcoming delegates, to Edinburgh, the Aussies have reduced local authorities to a state of jitters," says the magazine "Life." "Among the soldiers of the present war the Australians are unique for high spirits," it continues. "The Germans fight with grim efficiency, the British with quiet courage, the Italians are frightened and easily despair, but the Aussies love it 1 . They are ideal shock troops. "The Aussies, for fighting prowess and high jinks, are true sons of their fathers—a little more fatalistic about their chances than their fath-. ersi—but no less light-hearted. "The A.I.F. is the most democratic army. Many consider it bad form to accept promotion., "Discipline is. real but informal, and officers find it wise to explain Uie reason for orders. "High jinks" overseas, says "Life" included:— A "Digger pool" which cornered all the whisky in a camp in England, much to the rage of the Scots camped nearby. Presentation of a silver-plated boomerang to a toAvn on their departure. (Two days later the boomerang was/ claimed as museum property by the curator of the local museum). Most famous Aussie trio, says "Life," are Goklie, Mac and d'Arcy from Queensland. T'hc.v drove cars up the steps of the Capetown Post Office.