Norwich bulletin., 1915-09-18

the white dropping moustache with the pictures they had seen in the pa pers- There was no need for call to attention. The effect was like an electric shock which sent every man to his place and made his backbone steel rod.
 Does John French often slip up on you that way7" gasped one of the battery lieutenants who was all of 13 years of age. Nineteen Is the limit or youth for officers in the New Army; and there are scores no older. From the one chocolate drop on that boy | lieutenants sleeve to the crossed bat ons represented a dizzy altitude The battery had just confe out from England. It took the command CT in chief about five minutes to form his judgment of the results of their nine months' preparatory drill: He asked a few questions as he looked over each gun and its crew.
 ''very goodl". he said. and returned to his car, which was to take him on to inspect some other formation
 Any idea that the commander In chief spends all his time over a map with a telephone at his elbow" as the staff officer explained. "is quite err roneous. He is always on the go"
 The automobile enables him to get over a 'lot of ground in a day. Some times the inspections are quite for nal. Different battalions of a brigade
 drawn up in fields await his coming. Commanding officers know of his ap-
 proach when they see the flag of his
 car fiuttering along the road. On
 these occasions he usually makes a
 little speech. Once when a platform
 had been arranged for him to address
 a battalion he passed it by and went
 closer to the men standing in the field
 with their rigid columns around him.
 After that platforms went out of
 fashion.
 "One might think that he could
 learn very little by a brief inspection
 or watching troops march past on pa rade," said the stan officer but a sOl-
 dier's eye takes in more than a civil
 ian can guess. He not only sees that
 uniform and equipment are in good
 condition. but he is able to judge both the spirit and the physical condition of the man. If they have been hav-
 ing a hard time of it in the trenches
 he can tell how much fight is left fin
 them. He may judge the character of the reserves who have filled the va
 cant places. And the men see him
 He is no longer a distant figure. They feel the effect of his personality ! The new army contingents as they arrive receive particular attention. ! Every general in the army seems . to be taking his turn at inspecting us.1 said one of the new army officers , We had plenty of inspection at home 5 We came out here to fight"
 When tfhs was repeated to a stafi 2 officer who belongs to CLIO. as they . call general headquarters, he said: , 'They need not worry about that They will be getting fighting enough when the time comes. But they have . the right spirit. All the armies ir this war have found that the mer
 who have been in the trenches know I from experience how to hold the trenches. They can dig and they car Ag.r- -k..
 fire. But fresh troops when properly Q drilled are the best for the offensive England has a far larger army whicf e has never heard the crack of a bullet y than has ever been under fire. The s new army men learned a good deal ir r England. They are to be taught more { at the front"
 h A battalion of new army men drawT !, up on the pavement of a French vii ,, lage in front of their billets with theil Il transport and their packs on theil g backs waiting for a general to inspec a them is a common sight. The sub $ ordinate inspectors have more time t' e spare for the task than the command e CT in chief. Down the front of thu . line of each company and then alonl
 the rear they move slowly as they talk = in every detail.
 s They say that when an army O [. millions has to be made by a countr. IT that had only small regular army C
 start with and there is a years ex
 perience of warfare, revolutionary il
 its methods, to inculcate along witt I the old principles, too much pains cal
 not be taken in any direction. Ney
 army men may be digging reserv
 trenches or at morning muster and al
 automobile stops, and here is anothe
 general to inspect them Everybod
 at the British front not in the trench ,r es seems either occupied in maxim 70 inspections or looking out for an in d spection.
 m If it isn't somebody bent on in h spection." said one of the new arm l. men. Tt is some army medical corn IS sharp engaged in disinfection."