Moaning, Mud and Slush, Blood and Sand

Observation Post, Volume 1, Issue 1, 22 May 1942, Page 4

Moaning, Mud and Slush, Blood and Sand

I What . the hell is the good of moaning? Is it really worth while making other people discontented by complaining that you had to , “stand easy’’ for five minutes on mess parade because the adjectival truck had got bogged again coming over from the cookhouse? Does it really matter that your ruddy boots won’t hold going down the bank? Need you tell the world because a few gallons of water leaked through the roof on to your blankets? It was probably only a quart and even if you did go to Hospital, you had comfy . nurses and sick leave. Is there ' any need to make the position J worse by exaggerating the crook ' side of things? Exaggerate the I good things. Thank ' your lucky . stars you were not in the last war, ' up to your waist in slush and mud, ' the stink of dead stock, both , human and animal, in your nose . for days and weeks at a time; thank your lucky stars you were , not in Libya, in Greece, in Crete, ' in Egypt, in Russia, in sub- , marines, on transports. Young One Pips. How often have we growled, “It wouldn’t be so bad if we had older men as officers; it is pretty 1 bloody having a youngster of 20 ordering about a man old enough to be his father.” Come on, be fair, put aside personal' feeliifg and analyse the young one pipper or the young N.C.O. and you will find he has earned his rank, he is a better man than you, Gunga Din. He has got guts, brains, energy, and what is morePERSONALITY. It was. not easy for him to go on parade ,or to a lecture for the first time. Remember, he worked for his rank. Forget your bias and get on with the 1 job; you may be a one pipper yourself one day. 1 Chin Up.,, . i sth. Battery sing- “Old King' Cole Was a Merry Old Soul,” let' us be merry. Camp life is the' goods, no wives to nag us, no mothers to spoil us, no girls to lead us astray (PERHAPS), no booze, no clothes to buy in short, camp life is kushy (unless you are the editor). Let us parody the old song, “Knees Up, Mother Brown,” into “Chin Up, Soldier Brown.”