The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-03-21
CHAPTER VII.
Rations.

In Tommy's eyes a lance corporal is
one degree below a private. In the
corporal's eyes he is one degree above
general
He ordered me to go with him and
help him draw the next days raions
also told me to take my waterproof.
Every evening, from each platoon or
maehine-gun section. a lance corporal
and private 90 to the quartermaster
sergeant at the company stores and
draw rations for the following day.
The quarter" as the quartermaster
sergeant is called, receives daily from
the orderly room Captains ofiice)
slip showing the number of men en-
titled to rations, so there is no chance
of putting anything over on him. Many
arguments take place between the
quarter" and the platoon noncom, but
the former always wins out Tommy
says the quarter" got his job because
he was burglar in civil life.
Then l spread the waterproof sheet
on the ground. while the quartermas-
ter's batman dumped the rations on It.
The corporal was smoking a flag.
carried the ratlons back to the billet,
The corporal was still smoking Il flag.
How l envied him. But when the issue
commenced my envy died, and ! real
lied that the first requisite of nom
commissioned officer on active service
is diplomacy. There were 10 men in
our section, and they soon formed
semicirclc around us after the corporal
had called out. "Rations up"
The quartermaSter sergeant had
given Il slip to the corporal on which
was written Il list of the rations. Sit
ting on the floor using n wooden box
as n table the issue commenced. On
the left of the corporal the rations
were piled. They consisted of the fol
lowing:
Six luaves of fresh bread, each loaf
of different size, perhaps one out OF
the six being rs fiat rs II pancake, the
result of nm army service corps man
placing box Of bully beef on it dur
Ing transportation.
Three tins of jam, one apple and the
other two plum.
Seventeen Bermuda onions, all diff
ferent sizes.
A piece Of cheese in the shape of 4
wedge.
Two one-pound tins of butter.
4 handful of raisins.
A tin of biscuits. or as Tommy calls
them Jaw breakers"
4 bottle Of mustard pickles.
The "bully beef spuds, condensed
milk, fresh meat bacon and "Macono-
chic ratiuns" q can filled with meat,
vegetables and greasy water), had been
turned over Ia the company cook TO
make stew for next days dinner. lie
also received the tea, sugar, salt, rep
per and flour.
Scratching his head, the corporal
studied the slip issued to him by the
quarter. Then in slow mySiified
voice he read out, "No. section, ~
men. Bread. loaves, six" He looked
puzzled and soliloquized in a musing
voice:
"Six loaves, nineteen men. LcS's see
that's three in loaf for fifteen men
we'll to make It even, four of you'll
have to muck in on one loaf"
The four that got stuck made II howl.
but to no avail. The bread was diShcd
out. Pretty soon from far corner Of
the billet, three indignant Tomm!es az
costed the corporal with:
'What do you call this, loaf Of
bread2 Looks more like a f57ipne
plate"
The corporal answered:
"Well don't blame me, didn't bake
It; somebody's got to get it, SO shut
up until / dish out these blinkiR ra-
tons"
Then the corporal started on the
Jam.
Jam, three tIns-apple one plum
two. Nineteen men, three tins. Six
in lin makes twelve men for two tins,
seven in the remaining tin
He passed around the jam and
there was another riot. Some didn't
like apple, while others who received
plum were partial to apple After
while differences were adjusted and
the issue went on.
bermuda onions. seventeen"
The corporal avoided q row by say
Ing that he did not want an onion, and
] said they make your breath smell, so
| guessed / would do without one too.
The corporal looked his gratitude.
Cheese, pounds, two
The corporal borrowed jackknife
(c0rporals are always borro8ing), and
sliced the cheese-each slicing bring
Ing forth a pert remark from the on
lockers as to the corporal's eyeSight
"Ralsins, ounces, eight
By this time the corporals nerves
had gone west, and In despair he said
that the raisins were to be turned over
to the cook for DUR (plum pudding).
This decision ELECTED little 'grous.
Ing" but quiet was finally restored.
biscuits, tins, one"
With his borrowed jackknife, the
corporal opened the tin of biscuits, and
told everyone to help themselves-no-
body responded to this invitation.
Tommy is fed up" with biscuits,
Butter, tins, two"
mine in one, ten In the other"
Another rumpus.
"pickles, mustard, bottles, one"
Nineteen names were put In a steel
helmet. the last one out winning the