The Washington herald., 1918-02-28
CHAPTER xIx-CoNTINUED.

But the average English officer is a
good sport, he will sit on fire step
and listen respectfully to Private
Jones' theory of the way the war
should be conducted. This war fs
gradually crmblIng the once insur-
mountable wall of caste.
You would be convinced of this IL
you could see King George go among
his men on an inspection tour under
fire, or pause before a little wooden
cross in some shell-tossed field with
tears in his eyes as he reads the in
scription. And a little later perhaps
bend over. a wounded man on a
stretcher, patting him on the head.
More than once in a hospital have
seen a titled Red Cross nurse fetch
ing and carrying for a wounded SOL
der, perhaps the one who in civil life
delivered the coal at her back door.
Today she does not shrink from light
ing his fag or even washing his grimy
body.
Tommy admires Albert of Belgium
because he is not a pusher of men, he
leads them. With him it's not a case
Of take the TRENCH" it is come on
and We will take it."
1t Is amusing to notice the different
characteristics of the Irish. Scotch.
and English soldiers. The Irish and
Scotch are very impetuous, especially
when 1t comes to bayonet fighting.
while the Englishmen, though a trffie
slower. thoroughly does his bit; he
is more methodical and has the grip
of a bulldog on a captured position.
He is slower to think; that is the
reason why he never knows when
he is licked.
Twenty minutes before going over
the top the English Tommy will sit
on the fire step and thoroughly ex-
anime the mechanism of his rifle to
see that it is in working order and
will fire properly. After this exam
ination he is satisfied and ready to
meet the Boches.
But the Irishman or Scotchman sits
on the fire step, his ride with bayonet
fixed between his knees, the butt of
which perhaps is sinking into-the
mud-the bolt couldn't be opened with
team of horses 1t is so rusty-but
he spits on his sleeve and slowly pol
ishes his bayonet: when this is done
he also is ready to argue with Fritz.
= 1t is not necessary to mention the
ColQnials (the Canadians, Australians
and New Zealanders). the whole
world knows what they have done
for England.
The Australian and New Zealander
is termed the "Anzac." taking the
name from the first letters of their
official designation, Australian and
New Zealand Army Corps.
Tommy divides the German army
into three classes according to their
fighting abilities. They rank as fol-
lows: Prussians, Bavarians and Sax
ons.
When up against a Prussian regi-
ment 1t is a case of keep your napper
below the parapet and duck. A bang
bang all the time and a war is on.
The Bavarians are little better, but
the Saxons are fairly good sports and
are willing occasionally to behave as
gentlemen and take it easy, but you
cannot trust any Of them overlong.
At one point of Vhe line the trenches
were about thirty-two yards apart.
This sounds horrible. but in fact is is
easy, because neither side could shell
the enemy's front-line trench for fear
the shells would drop into their own.
This eliminated artillery fire.
In these trenches when up against
the Prussians and Bavarians, Tommy
had a hot time of II, but when the
Saxons took over" 1t was a picnic;
they would yell across that they were
Saxons and would not fire. Both
sides would sit on the parapet and
carry on a conversation. This gener-
ally consisted of Tommy telling them
how much he loved the Kaiser while
the Saxons informed Tommy that
King George was a particular friend
of theirs and hoped that he was do
ing nicely.
When the Saxons were to be re-
lleved by Prussians or Bayarians,
they would yell this information
across No Mans Land and Tommy
would tumble into his trench and
keep his head down.
II an English regiment was to be
relieved by the wild Irish, Tommy
would tell the Saxons, and immedi-
atelp a volley of "Donner und Bit
zens" could be heard. and II was
Fritz's turn to get criclx in his back
from STOPPING, and the people in Ber-
lin would close their windows.
Usually when an Irishman takes
over q. trench, lust before stand
down" h the morning, he sticks his
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