"WILLING"

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 192, 3 May 1918, Page 3

"WILLING"

OVER-AGE MEN WHO ARE DOING THEIR BIT BIG MEN IN SMALL JOBS (By H.E. H-B.) (Published by authority of the War Office, per favour Royal Colonial institute.) It is not clearly understood, even in Eoglnnd, what sacrifices ,vo being silently mudo by countless men who are beyond the ago of usefulness in the field but are willingly giving nil 'they have to assist the great cause in which the nation is now engaged. Many of: thcae have cast away the labour of years, at a time when they had made great progress in building a promising edifice as architects of their own fortunes, without chance of reward, without tho faintest hopo of glory, well knowing that the only recompense will lie in the satisfaction of having done what they could for their country.

I was travelling in the train recently with a friend, with whom I had not spoken since the outbreak of war. Wo were both in khaki, and both captains. Ho wns about fifteen yoars my senior in age, and was over forty when the war began. Hn had listened with apparent interest to my account of such experiences come my way. "Now," said I, "tell mo about yourself and what you have been doing" "Very little," he said. "After a stifnsh years \eofk I was just beginning a summer holiday when the war broke out. I went back to the offico immediately, and set myself to the task of putting things on to lines on which they could keep going for some considerable tune if U should be necessary. This took me about two months, and by the beginning of October I felt that I could leavo affairs to look after themselves so far as I myself was concerned. I explained all the arrangements to my chairman, and asked if I could push up At that time .iJiey were rather keen on finding people to tench, as men were pouring into the new battalions at a terrific pace. I had done a bit of military work in a volunteer way, us you know, in my earlier years, and hud always taken it seriously, counting it us the duty of every man to learn something of the art of war in case anything of this sort might happen. Tbo niMicos vetoed me, and told me frankly that the probabilities were against my beiug strong enough for the strain of modern campaigning, but that I was fit tor service as an instructor. Accordingly I got a new commission (temporary), and joined np. I (hen had vague hopes that perhaps some day, if they became very bard up, I might possibly get a eliow at leading a platoon or even a company in the field, but they have not got to the pitch of wanting me there yet. Well, !t cannot be helped. Fij-ht--IU gJ t i all, IS ? • VOUn S man ' s Siuio, and I do not believe in those fellows with full knowledge that they can't be gOO V? r , man F wecks - Each fellow ought to do what ho can do beat, and not be jealous of luckier fellows, who can do best the part which most appeals to a man So that to all about it. n During the three years I have served in many parts of England on soveral jobs, but I always am, and I suppose always shall be, in this war at all ovents, an instructor." •

'Did you not find it rather strange at first to be a subaltern officer?" I ask ed- I Know that in his civil life he had controlled an organisation with a pereonnel at least as large as an infantry brigade. J "Yes and no," was the answer. "In somo ways it was odd. After all, the vast majority of superior officers I have come across have ?jeen kindly, consider-" ate gentlemen, nnd never tnicmeiit, except in I'aro cases through 6hyness of a peculiar type which shows itself that way. British officer? almost all havo good manner, and they ire an-cry keen and encrj;etic lot. I should. not have liked to be a second lieutenant in my own profession; but in a job which is not one's life work, simply done with the idea of helping in a time of difficulty, there' is no reason to feel ajiy humiliation in holding a subordinate position. After all, the, professional soldier ought to be the beet man at his particular work." "And what about your home?" was my last question. "Gone West," he said cheerfully. "Along with everything else. Furniture stored; it won't lie up to much, if it ever comes out, I should say. My wife and the babies get as near to mobs they can. At present they occupy a tiny cottngo in which my wife does all the work with her own hands. Wo don't think we ought to have a maid; they aro wanted for munitions and iaxi-driving, and keeping the home fires burning till the boys oome home. We manage very well, and it is one of our ways of doing what we can. Perhaps some day we shall get a house of our own again, and if so; we shall live our honeymoon day? over again, making it into a homo wifli the remnants nf our goods, if any. Well, I get out here. So long.- Awfully pleased to have met you. The best of luck."