to look
forward with misgiving to that day. It seemed probable that one night in
the trenches would suffice for a wholesale slaughtering of officers. Old
scores were to be paid off, old grudges wiped out with our first issue of
ball ammunition. Many a fist-banged board at the wet canteen gave proof
of Tommy's earnestness.

"Shoot 'im?" he would say, rattling the beer glasses the whole length of
the table with a mighty blow of his fist. "Blimy! Wite! That's all you
got to do! Just wite till we get on the other side!"

But all these threats were forgotten months before the time came for
carrying them out. Once Tommy understood the reasonableness of severe
discipline, he took his punishment for his offenses without complaint. He
realized, too, the futility of kicking against the pricks. In the army he
belonged to the Government body and soul. He might resent its treatment
of him. He might behave like a sulky school-boy, disobey order after
order, and break rule after rule. In that case he found himself
check-mated at every turn. Punishment became more and more severe. No one
was at all concerned about his grievances. He might become an habitual
offender from sheer stupidity, but in doing so, he injured no one but
himself.

A few of these incorrigibles were discharged in disgrace. A few followed
the lead of the Boer warrior. After many threats which we despaired of
his ever carrying out, he finally "greased off." He was immediately
posted as a deserter, but to our great joy was never captured. With the
disappearance of the malcontents and incorrigibles the battalion soon
reached a high grade of efficiency. The physical incompetents were
likewise ruthlessly weeded out. All of us had passed a fairly thorough
examination at the recruiting offices; but many had physical defects
which were discovered only by the test of actual training. In the early
days of the war, requirements were much more severe than later, when
England learned how great would be the need for men. Many, who later
reenlisted in other regiments, were discharged as "physically unfit for
further military service."

If the standard of conduct in my battalion is any criterion, then I can
say truthfully that there is very little crime in Lord Kitchener's armies
either in England or abroad. The "jankers" or defaulters' squad was
always rather large; but the "jankers men" were offenders against minor
points in discipline. Their crimes were untidy appearance on