TO BATTLE IN PICNIC MOOD.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 3, Issue 253, 4 December 1914, Page 2 (Supplement)

TO BATTLE IN PICNIC MOOD.

TALKS Or BRITISH CALM AM) LOCKAGE. CHOCOLATE PRIZES lOK .MARKSMANSHII*. A Frenchman, who seeuvs to have ken attached to a Scottish regiment .is interpreter s>inoc the beginning of hoti'ities, fIU the following stones of hi(omradeship in arms nith the British:- - •Their courage" ho writes, "is admiiahle. These follows go into action in if they were going to a picnic, with Lughing t'v«, and, wltcnoer possible. «itii a cigarette (between their lip.-. I hvir courage is a mixture of imperturbability and tenacity. One niUJt have seen this immovable calm, their heroic sung-lroid under a rain of billets to do it justice. "At tlio Germans in crushing numbers were about to enter the town, h was necessary to hold them back long enough to enable the British troops to retire in good order. A handtul of Scots were stJected lor this duty. Sheltered in one of the first hou-e.s of the village, they kept up a well-sustained lire on the enemy, hut had to endure themselvis a perfect storm of bullets. Hie shattered windows flew m all directions. The wads nvre riddled with bu»-let-holes. Already several ol our men had dropped. Suddenly the- German hre ceased; the enemy was evidently slutting ground to a hotter |>asition, and one of those silent moments ot waiting ensiled, the worst of all to endure.

PRIZES FOR MARKSMANSHIP. "While the pause lasted a Scottish sergeant noticed that our frail fortress was a grocer's shop. On a shelf In found a tew packets of chocolate. An idea occurred to him. Turning to hi* men. he lield up the packets, saying: 'Whoever bowls his man over gets a piece!' "Th e German fusillade 1> gan anew. Tlie Scots, rearing with laughter at the sergeant's marksmanship prize, fired hack as coolly as if at tarpet practice. The sergeant, while keeping his own rifle busy, watched the effect of the tir 0 on the advancing enemy. He tccorded each successful shot with 'Got him, 'and handed over a cake of chocolate to the winning marksman. Alasl There were few prizewinners who lived to taste their reward.

"The next day the same regiment lay in trenches under a mixed rifle and shrapnel fire. Suddenly a couple of privates noticed that the French inier|"'cter was awkwardly placed at a spot where th.» trench was not wide enough to enable him to make proper use of his ritte. " 'The Frenchman isn't comfortable,' said one. and both left the trench, spade in hand, knowing well that they were serving the enemy as targets, dug out the trench in front of their French comrade, and returned with unbroken calm to their own places and thoir rifles. "Our British allies have, as everyone knows, t'lo main preoccupations—to be able to shave and to have tea. No danger deters them from their allegiance to the razor and the teapot.

"At . in the Department of the Nord. ■ heard a British officer of high rank dcclaie with delicious calm between two attacks on the town, 'Gentlemen, it waa nothing. Let's go and tin re tea.' ''Meanwhile his men took advantage of the brief re.-pite to crowd around the pump, where, producing soap and strop, they proceeded to shave minutely and conscientiously with little bits of broken glass serving as mirrors." The writer was profoundly amused by the new British war-cry. "Are we downhearted?" and the 'resounding "No" which follows it. After a volley has swept the ranks there is always some joker to shout the question, nnd all the rest roar out in the midst «>f general laughter "No."

GETTING THE BEST OF IT." H<j was associated with tlio British troops in Belgium, when, lie says, "God knows the shock was terrible, and the defence, one to ten, admirable. I hnvo seen a crack cavalry regiment almost annihilated in a desperate ohnige ngain.st the German artillery. I have .seen the heroic Scots mown down. These are visions which will take long to fade Vet the British have already forgotten those tragic days when they alone bore the weight of the German onslaught. "When in my presence those British soldiers were told of tho disasters to their best -regiments tiny never flinched. 'Never mind. We'll have the 'test of it one day.' was the invariable flnswir aftoi' a moment's silence.

•'And that imperturbable conviction that they will get the best of it is ihe chief support of their courage, is tho secret which with fatal certainty will give them the victory."