GENERAL WAR NEWS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1891, 17 October 1918, Page 4

GENERAL WAR NEWS.

BOOT QUEUES. Boot queues, which begin to assemble at midnight, are among the latest signs of the distressful times in Germany. According to the Tageblalt it is a common sight nowadays in Berlin and other large towns to see a queue of as many as twenty people, mostly women, v\ho have stood (or slept) for eight hours waiting their turn to buy new ur second-hand boots and shoes at extortionate prices. Holding places in boot queues has become a regular livelihood for people, the price fur such service being £1 or a pound of butter! TANK OFF THE MAP. Mr J. F. B. Livesay, the Canadian correspondent at the front, in a despatch, says: — A lank was standing at the limit of its objective. “Why the devil don’t you go on? Aon arc badl.N needed ahead," cried an excited Mali’ officer, as lie galloped up. “Xu petrol and no paper, sir,” was the reply. “What on earth do vou need paper for?” -‘‘We have run right through our map and want a new one.” In the course of the week’s lighting the Canadian forces captured nvo divisional headquarters intact am! several brigade and battalion headquarters. Boche regulation held glasses may he bought in our ranks for a song or traded tor a supply of that much scarcer commodity cigartes. The market for Iron Crosses has had a terrible slump.

THE COVETED WOUND STRIPE

An H.A.M.C. eaptain tells many interesting van's of bis work in France. The chief anxiety of the “walking wounded,” it appears, is not whetlu." they will get well ouicklv or wl ether they w i: .l be sent to “Blighty.” Nearly every one, after their hurts have been examined and dressed, ask—“ Sim d I get a wound-stripe, sir?” “The eagerness of these hoys to wear the honourable insignia of wounds received in action is almost pathetic, said the M.O. “They cheer up wonderfulh when I say, ‘Yes, you’ll get a woundstripe alright. I’ll see to it that vour name’s on the casualty list.’ '

THE JESTER OF THE R.A.K

Captain Gordon Bell, who lost his life whilo testin''' an aeroplane in France, was a great character and a. source of Joy to every one who knew him. He was the licensed Jester of the H.A.F., and the originator of half the quaint phrases in the language of aviation. Most of the wild jests perpetrated by Hying men were credited to him. It was Gordon Bell who was popularly supposed to have landed in a tree in France, and to have said, when a sympathetic general came up and remarked that he feared there had been an accident: “Mo, you old fool; 1 always land like that." Then, when the general asked for his name and squadron, he is alleged to have replied; “If you want to he a comic policeman, climb up the tree and lake down my number off the tail of my machine.” “STKAXOE.” The drafted individual volubly explained that there was no need in his case for a medical examination. “Fm Jit and I want to light. I want to go over on the first boat. I want to go rigid into the front trendies, but 1 want jo have a hospital right (dose, so that if 1 get hit no time will be wasted in taking me where 1 can gel mended right away, so that 1 can gel back to lighting without losing a minute. Bass me in, doe. Don't waste any lime on me. 1 want to light, and keep lighting!" The doctor, however, insisted, and when he got through, reported a perfect physical specimen. "You don't lind nothing wrong with me. due.'" ' “Nothing.” ‘■But, doc, don’t you think I’m a bit craze/”