"CARRY ON SERGEANT!"

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2712, 6 March 1916, Page 3

"CARRY ON SERGEANT!"

4 — HINTS FOR YOUNG OFFICERS. " In a series of amusing "Hints to young officers," "Senior Subaltern" in the "Daily Mail" thus points tho way for the tyro in respect to his first day with the battalionßespect your sergeant. He is your best friend. He may be a rough diamond; in the privacy of his soul he may be a villain; lie may be a.murderer. But if you value your youthful life, keep sweet with him. Your first day with the battalion you go on parade. You are given a platoon. You have not the vaguest idea what to do, nor what is expected of you. Here is a plan which I hand you gratis. It only needs a little memory. Learn off the words, "Carry on, sergeant," and your future is assured. ■ Watch their.magic effect! The adjutant puts you, in command of No. 3 platoon. Very well. Apply the formula. Shout, "Carry on, sergeant," at "the top of your voice, even though you do not see anybody that looks vaguely like a sergeant. But do net worry. Someone will detach himself from the rear, hurry round beside you, cough out, " 'Toon, tschun!" and salute. Return his salute and repeat, "Carry on, sergeant." "Very good, sir," agrees the sergeant. "Will you inspect the rifles, sir?" Take liim at his word. "Oh, yes,_ the rifles. Of course, the rifles. Good idea, Tho rifles." . ' . But let him set the pace. He will bawl the magic formula, " 'Toon, f'r 'specshun,por-r-rt a'msl" and will trot away to the right of the line. Follow him.. You cannot go wrong. Suddenly he will stop in front of a man and rap out: "Rifle rusty, belt squint, buttons dirty, pockets open, boots muddy, and grease on your tunic." You .may not see any of these faults yourself—nevertheless; fix the man with a glassy eye and alsk him what the blaukety-blank ho means by it. Tho sergeant will back you up. And even though you make a slight mistake and'start ticking off the wrong man, the sergeant will suddenly find faults in the fellow sufficient to land him before a district court-martial, and so your face is saved. AYhat do you do after the rifle inspection ? It is' certainly '-rather a problem to the' tyro. But not to you who know. You will reiterate the enchanted words. The sergeant will do the rest. He will salute. "Yes, 6ir, s'geant-major says hay'net-fighting this morning, sir; will I'march theni-off, sir?" - ■ "March • off ? Yes, yes.' J larch off. Certainly. Good idea. Carry on, sergeant."' And you will find yourself being eyed with approval by tho "C.0.," for while your platoon is legging away for work, the others are being footled about by pubaltems who have not grasped the intrinsic value of an obliging 6ergeant.