The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-08-07
BANTERING AMONG
BRITISH TROOPS
Territorials Thought They Were Made
Soldiers When the War Broke Out,
But British Regulars Did the
Work at First.

The 'Keecheenaires," as the French peas
ants call the new army, have joine
"Tommee Atkeens," the regular and th
"Tereetoreeals" at the front TONNE
begins to feel like the Oldest inhabitan'
BY the way, he does not like to be Gale
Tommy" though the world persists il
word which is as Objectionable to hin
as "Jacky" is to the American blue
jacket.
The British regulsr did all the fight
ing for the first five months of the war
He had his joke at the expense of tn
! territorials, who are about the same a.
the American National Guard, when the,
arrived. The territorials thought tina
they were made soldiers when the wal
broke out; but they We're drilled fol
months at home before they were sent
to France, where they were drilled some
more and set to digging reserve trench'
behind the live. In the spring they hac
their turn, and the Canadians, too
Don't be down hearted! There arc
still some Boches left!" the territorials
join the regulars in saying to the new
army Beside the new army the terri.
torials feel like G. A. r. men.
| III KIM Vi you! we Knew IudI YOU
could have killed them all off, if you had
wanted to-" the Kitcheners reply.
Don't charge too fast! Wait for us
to catch up!" call the regulars.
well wait on the Rhine" answer the
new army.
| Well named is the new army. 1t has
brought new element into life at the
front. They bear the stamp of long
route marches over English roads and of
the merciless formal training of the drill
ground.
On seeing three or four hundred sol
diers bathing in a canal, their broad
chests and the fine play of their muscles
told that they were of the first 100000
which answered the call to arms last Au-
gust.
If the average oldtimer of the
trenches had to run five miles against
the average new army man he would be
blown half way and the new army man
would trot past the goal an easy winner.
Sitting in dugout under shell fire is
not exercise. When men come out of
the trenches, they want to sleep and eat
The tendency is to grow fat.
The veterans are fight hardened and
trench haruened, but not muscle hard
ened. That is the reason why the Off
GERS encourage cricket and football and
other sports. 1t saves the men from
drudgery of compulsory exercises to keep
them in condition.
The other night when one heard some
soldiers billeted : barn singing one
was certain without asking that they |
were new army men. The British regu |
lar rarely sings in camp or on the march. |
Neither elated or depressed he plugs |
along doing his days work. As the new
army flows in he will be outnumbered |
but unchanged.
Those new army men are singing God |
Save the King" before they lay down in
the straw for the night in the land of /
France, which was all so new and strange |
to them and so commonplace to the vet
Grams. Their fresh young voices were
pleasant to the ear.
Everyone hopes they will keep on org
ng. A mere layman did not know but
hat they might bring their bands. At
one asks himself what is miss
ng in this British army, anyway? Then
,e answers, music, of course.
II n uhIiu Nttt W Flhtb pidNilG III
he trenches there would be a shrapnel
,ullet through the drum and a high ex-
'losive in the mouth of the horn in short
rider. Bands may have no place at the
ront. but that does not rule out the
scotch bagpipe. When you hear "The
'ampbells Are Coming" at the head OF
company marching back from the
renches well, for want of other music.
he bagpipe becomes sweet to other than
'cotch ears. No modernization OF war
ill separate Scotch regiment from its
ipes.
"The bands were left at home TO aid
ncruiting." say the new army men.
"We did not know but your officers
hight bring along their swords" re-
larked the old timers.
There the veterans were having a dog I
{ expense Of the young junior officers.
ANY Of whom we're at school when the
ar began. II there is any ornament Z
hich is obsolete al the front il is the
word.
The sword is the officers symbol Of
lthorityi the sign that he is on duty
! place OF II the officer al the front
ears his sword belt. Only one fresh 10 {
W. front would see anything odd in 2
untlcss officers with empty frogs for a
,lding their swords at their hips How J
.er, II ell wore their caps with band r
"a visors and no tops Il would soon
en- commonplace. O
The young sfiicer Of the new army who a
wear ago had no idea Of ever being an !,
beer also has the empty frog and car. :,
p a walking SICK. His sword along !
in countless other swords. has been
ecked outside The cloak-room Of war .
ong with biz umbrella. which no one =
inks Of carrying az the front. You Z
mot tel him from the other officers
cept by his eagerness and bis battalion q
sigma.
\ had studied trenches and dug prac. q
y trenches and witnessed trench dem. =,
STATIONS" said one Of them. abut !.
zen ] came 70 20 into 4 trench for in- !.
-ncti0n under Gre. ] found that Il vas !.
{ IKE vhst ] had imagined won =
; why nobody has yet been able 20 de-
.ibe q trench 80 vou ran really 80 ~ -
On the photographs deceive Won. They a
, always taken 81 Some show trench.- a
For Do moutht The rev army had uait 81
for its Necca. It's soldiers have read a,
about the eHects 81 modern shell Gre | q,
~ know what theF are IN for. Learn =,
they cane asuatg experts. expecting :.
- rsered e great deal g. uOtiess ~
Cd han8s. aud escsFt far the tet =.
IN rsrulaf's little foles - ther "a