Ramblings In Reverie

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 226, 24 September 1938, Page 8 (Supplement)

Ramblings In Reverie

THE MOUNTED COOK Uniformed John Gilpin

COOK

COOK, belonging to a 2sew .Zealand "*■ resriment at Jsmailia. a Scotsman by tli" way. was very fond of trying to ride a horse. I write "trying." for there were many spills. He used to ride when the transport horses had to be watered at a canal some one and a half miles away, end .lack Bilby was fond of giving the novice a fiery mount.

Well, the cook in question became proficient, and the late Colonel Stewart's groom, along with the late Major 1). Grant's groom (the former's name was

Clark, the latter Head) decided to exercise the horses at Lake Timsah on Saturday afternoons. Clark had a horse of hi« own in the "lines." Head rode the major's horse, and they contrived to get the cook mounted" on the noble animal belonging to the colonel.

Clark and Head, both good ridere, decided to have a race. The cook agreed to act a« starter, and a fair send-off was given. The colonel's horse had quite ft lot of racing blood in its veins and. to the amazement of it« rider, the cook, decided to take part in the Lake Timash Stake*. The other two were 00 yards ahead, ami the loud clatter of hoofs attracted the attention of the In<li«n regiments in camp quarters nearby.

By this time the colonel'* horse gained the lead, with the rider clinging round his neck. John (Jilpin style. The Indians were clapping loudly, and encouraging with shouts of "Go on, Johnny"; "Good Johnny." The spirited beast had the bit between his teeth and won, rather easily, depositing it* rider on a sandljank. on the shores of the lake. It, is not on record who finished second and third, or what prize "Scottie" received. COMPANY COOK.

♦ ♦ ♦ ♦ A CHARMED LIFE Corporal Saved the Ram

The twenty-first anniversary of the Polderhoek Chateau i» nearly with us, and as I sit by the fireside to-night, my thoughts go back to that day in 1917. Zero hour was noon, and down fell our barrage, and also the Hun barrage on to the Otago Battalion. Those of us who survived those first few moments quicker went over the top to the attack and -were held up in front of the chateau.

Only a handful of ue were left and we dug in then and there, Sergeant W on my left, Corporal F on my right. In my post there were only four Of U6.

After holding the position all night. Corporal F \i'a» seen at break of day making for our post, with the rum jar tucked under his arm. German bullets were churning up the ground all around the corporal, but still he came

One mail with me was heard to say. '•'I hope to they don't hit the jar." However, they didn't hit the jar or the corporal. We got our rum. and the corporal got the Military Medal.— H. L, InvercargilL

THE WRONG "MEDICINE"

Art of Cargo Broaching

This little affair happened at Mersa Matruk in 1915, while the Ist Bat.. N.Z.R.B. were engaged in the operations against the Senussi 011 the Egyptian Western Frontier. One of our tent mates said he was going down to our supply'ship named the Missir to get some whisky, and when it got dark he sallied forth. We all waited anxiously for his return, when all of a sudden he burst into the tent and said, "I've landed the v mustard."

Of course, one of the bottles was opened and shared round, and when "Toddy" went to drink his, he exclaimed, "It's —- —y methylated spirits," and when the other bottle was duly opened that also contained methylated spirits. "Toddy" said he would murder the chief steward if he could get hold of him.

One thin<r we could not understand was that neither the seal nor the cork had l>een tampered with, but on examining the bottom of the bottle, we could see where a hole had been bored and then sealed up after the whisky had been taken out. That was the dearest whisky "Toddy"' had ever bought, and we never had our drink. —A.J., Belfast.

" THE DIGGERS JN addition to being able to use a rifle in those war days, it became necessary to be expert with the spade and pickaxe. The Xew Zealand troops so excelled in this particular respect that they earned for themselves the soubriquet "The Diggers''—which has stuck to us ever since—and we're proud of it.

And what a job this same digging was! The ground was hard, soft, wet or dry, or non-existent, and had to be placed where required in sand-bags. It all meant digging. And, having dug, one w-ay or another, the required trench, tunnel or hole, they experienced the irksomeness —to put it mildly—of living there, often for long periods, as at Gallipoli, suffering the discomforts caused by wet, heat, mud. dust, flies, stench, shells, bombs, bullets, jxas, lice and so forth, with the prim Keaper ever present. Altogether an unpleasant life, but one to be lived for four years by the armies of 1914-18; an experience not easily imagined' and l»g easily described.—"Trooper."