CAMP HUMOUR

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3100, 2 June 1917, Page 7

CAMP HUMOUR

WHAT HE AND THEY WERE DOING.

A platoon of troops, exercising on tho parade grounds in common with other squads and platoons, caught the eye oi an. instructor. They appeared to be a little out in their work, and he rode over aud spoke to tho platoon commander.. • ■ ■ "What are you doing ?•' he asked. "I'm doing some exercise in extended order," began the Bubaltern. "Ah! And what are they dome? was the next question.

Steadiness in the ranks is a soldierly virtue; that is appreciated by instructors, more especially when the trooue they have trained are being reviewed by one in high command. In a body of troops was one man who could not keep still. All the reprimands he received merely-made him steady for a few moments. Then his hand shifted on his rifle, he moved his eyes or shifted liis weight on to ono foot. On the eve of a review tho instrnctor told the men to stand steady and see how 6teady they could be. Then ho walked down the lino, and examined each man with fierce intentness. Hβ found them rigid as statues till he camo to the wobbly one. This man moved a little, flickered his eyelashes, twiddled his fingers, and 6wayed ever bo slightly. The instructor fixed him with his eye, and said in intense tones: . "You—you—you bloomin' Wane mange!" A class of n.c.o.'s had been taken out to do trench work. An old trench was to. bo enlarged and squads of men were allotted to each bay,of trench to'begin widening it from the' top. Most of them worked-with their nicks in a line withthe trench. \ But one. more enthusiastic and original, began -picking with his back to the trench, moving a few inches backward with each stroke. Suddenly he disappeared into the trench, leaving his pick on the top. He was- not hurt, and while he 6orted himself out below ho heard his neighbour say: '"■Where's Bill?" . And the renly: "Oh, he's just gone down fo see how the spuds are zrowins!' .