HYMNS—LE GUERRE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 147, 22 June 1940, Page 5 (Supplement)

HYMNS—LE GUERRE

I read a letter in the "Star" recently regarding the singing of hymns by the troops on activo service, and. it brought to my mind 0110 or two incidents whicli occurred during the Great War. We were holdin" a drum-head service in the vicinity of Neuve Eglise in the spring of 1917. Tho opening hymn of the service was the well-known favourite "Onward Christian Soldiers," and we had just got to the line "Marching as to war when a 5.9 came screaming overhead too close to be pleasant. The order "Dismiss," was quickly given, and ] may add that we "marched away" fron that particular part of the war "at tl« double." .. In tho "rest camps" behind the line we used to have hymn sing-songs in the Y.M.C.A. tent. On this occasion, Salva tion Army chaplain B1 —n was song leader, and he invited the. Diggers tc choose their favourites. Sitting next tc me mi Private B , who had mad< several abortive attempts to get his par ticular hymn selected and _ after on< further try he got up in disgust, ant flung himself out of the tent, mutter inn- as he did so, "Aw, to h— with this That parson doesn't know his — — job. He'll have anybody's — — liymns but mine." Outside he indulged 11 a little "hymn of hate" on his mvrn. And there was the case of Private McC—> who, when in his cups usuallj gave evidence of some early religious training. When opportunity offered lit made his way down to the local estami net, and when nicely "soused" woulc return and deliver himself of some verses of his favourite hymn, one of whicli was the following, given with an exaggerated Scotch burr, thus: Boys! Lishen tae me! (hie). "Time like an ever-r-r-r r-r-rollins str-r-ream, Bear-r-rs a' its sons awa' (hie) Tliey flee for-r-r-gotten as a dr-r-ream Dees at the opening; day (hie). That's a'. Guidnicht." Then we resumed our slumbers. 31617. J.E. (Glen Eden). + + + +