Norwich bulletin., 1918-01-31
CHAPTER III
 What Has Gone Before

Upon enlistment we had identifica- tion disks issued to us.- These were small disks of red fiber worn around the neck by means of a string. Most of the Tonmies also used a little metal disk which they wore tround the left wrist by means of a chain They had previously figured it out that if their heads were blown off the disk on the left wrist would identify them If they lost their left arm the disk would serve the purpose, but if their head and left arm were blown off no one would care who they were so it did not matter. On one sEle of the disk was inscribed your rank, name num- Der and battalion, while on the other was stamped your religion. C. of E., meaning Churchd of Eng land; R. C., Roman Catholic; w.. Wes- leyan; F., Presbyterian; but if you happened to be an atheist they left it blank and just handed you pick and shovel. On my%disk was stamped C. of E., This is how I got it: The lieu tenant who enlisted ne asked my re- ligion. I was not sure of the religion of the British army, so l answered, "Oh, any old thing and he promptly put down c of E.
 Now, just imagine my hard luck Out of five religions I was unlucky enough to pick the only one where church parade was compulsory! The next morning was Sunday I was sitting in the billett writing home to my sister telling her of my wonder ful eXplots while under fire-all re- cfuits do this. The sergeant major put his head in the door of the billet and shouted: e. of E. outside for church parade"
 I kept on writing. Turning to me in l a loud voice, he asked, 'Empey, aren't you c. of E." l answered, Yep"
 In an angry tone, he commanded, Don't you yep me. Say Yes, ser geant-major.'
 I did so. Somewhat modified, he 1 ordered. Outside for church parade" !" | 1 looked up and answered q am not going to church this morning" ! He said, "Oh, yes you are.' i l answered, Oh no I'm not,'-But l went.
 1 We lined up outside with rifles and 1 bayonets, 120 rounds of ammunition, wearing our tin hats and the march
 to church began. After marching l about five kilos, we turned off the road into an open field. At one end ] of this field the chaplain was stand l ing in a Timber. We formed semi 1 circle around him. Overhead there
 was a black speck circling round and
 round in the sky. This was Ger man Fokker. The chaplain had a
 book in his left hand-left eye on the
 book-right eye on the aeroplane. We l Tommies were lucky, we had no books, so had both eyes on the aero plane
 l After church parade we were
 marched back to our billets, and played football all afternoon
 CHAPTER "
 nto the Trench"
 The next morning the draft was in- spected by our general, and we were
 assigned to different companies. The boys in the brigade had nicknamec
 this general Old Pepper, and he cer-
 tainly earned the sobriquet. I wal assigned to B company with another 1 American named Stewart For the next ten days we rested, repairing roads for the Trenches drilling, and digging bombing trench es. f,
 One morning we were informed thai we were going up the line, and oul march began.
 It took us three days to reach re- serve billets-each days march bring ing the sound of the guns nearer an6
 nearer. At night way off in the dis
 tance we could see their flashes. which lighted up the sky with a red glare Against the horizon we could set numerous observation balloons ol
 "sausages," as they are called. Or
 the afternoon of the third days marcf