The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1918-05-16
x-continued.

Vt5A0 eH A-Co0eln0eo.
We had a sergeant in our battalion
named Warren. He was on duty with
his platoon In the fire trench one after.
noon when orders came up from the
rear that he had been granted seven
days leave for Blighty. and would be
relieved at five o'clock to proceed to
England.
He vas tickled to death at these
welcome tidings and RECALLED his more
or less envious mates beside him on
the fire step with the good times in
store for him. He figured it out that
in two days time he would arrive at
Waterloo station, London, and then
seveo days bliss!
AZ about five minutes to five he
startod to fdget with his rife, and
thea suddenly springing up on the fire
step with a muttered, "Ill send over
a couple Of souvenirs to Fritz so that
he'll miss me when I leave" he stuck
his rifle over the top and fred two shots
when "crack" went a bullet and he
tum0led of the step. fell into the mud
at the bottom Of the trench, and lay
still in a huddled heap with a bullet
hole in his forehead.
At about the time he expected to al
rive at Waterloo station he was laid
to rest in a little cemetery behind the
tines. he had gone to Blighty.
In the trenches one can never tell
1t is not safe to plan very far ahead.
After "stand down" the men sit on
the fire step or repair to their respec-
tive dugouts and wait for the rum is
sue" to materialize. Immediately fol-
lowing the rum comes breakfast,
brought up from the rear. Sleeping is
then in order unless some special work
turns up.
Around 1880 dinner shows up.
When this is eaten the men. try to
amuse themselves until "tea" appears
at about four o'clock, then "stand to"
and they carry on as before.
While in rest billets Tommy gets up
about six In the morning, washes up,
answers roll call, is inspected by his
platoon officer, and has breakfast. At
8:45 he parades (drills) with his COM
pany or goes on fatigue according to
the orders which have been read out
by the orderly sergeant the night pre-
vious.
Between II 80 and noon he is dis.
missed, has his dinner and is ION his
own" for the remainder Of the day,
unless he has clicked for a digging OF
working party, and so 1t goes OF from
day to day, always "looping the loop
and looking forward to peace and
Blighty.
Sometimes, while engaged In. q
"cootie" hunt. you think. Strange to
say, but it is a fact, while Tommy is
searching his shirt serious thoughts
come to him. Many a time, when per.
forming this operation, I have tried
60 figure out the outcome Of the wal
and what will happen to me.
Ny thoughts generally ran in thi.
channel:
Will I emerge safely from the next
attack? II I do will I skin through thu
following one, and 50 on? While you
mind is wandering into the future Il
Is likely to be rudely brought to eartf
by a Tommy interrupting with, "What''
good for rheumatism"
Then you have something else tt
think Of. viii you come out Of thi.
val crippled and tied into knots will
sheumatism, caused by the wet ant
mud Of trenches and dugouts3 Yot
give it up as a bad Job and general,
saunter over to the nearest estamineN
to drown your moody fo%rebodings in
glass Of sickening French beer or tt
try your luck at the always presen'
game of "house." You can hear thu
sing-song voice Of a Tommy dronint
out the numbers as he extracts thu
little squares Of cardboard from tn
bag between his feet.