Strategy—For The Use Of ...

Auckland Star, Volume LXXII, Issue 205, 30 August 1941, Page 14

Strategy —For The Use Of ...

A TRUE story of New Zealand military camp life, which may be entitled "Strategy—For the Ijsc . . . Troops!" Once upon a time there was a raw Auckland recruit who stuttered. He was so raw. in fact, that when he demanded to see the adjutant on important private business, divers underlings whose business in life it is to protect adjutants from impoitunate seekers of interviews, took him on his face value and believed him. The following conversation resulted: Recruit (with difficulty): D-do you k-keep b-b-budgerigars. s-sir? Adjutant (taken unawares), -no. W'hv? Recruit: They're awfully interesting p-pets. s-sir. Intelligent, t-too. Adjutant (wavering between indignation and alarm): Hmm. . Recruit (chattily): M-my g-g"' friend k-keeps a b-b-budgie. Adjutant (definitely alarmed): \\ ell. well' Recruit: We b-both love that b-b-budgie. s-sir. Adjutant (soothingly): I m sure you do. Recruit (sadly): But it f-flew awa\. The Adjutant Breaks Down

Adjutant 'entering into the spirit of the thing): Tut. tut. Recruit (with remorseless persistence): And didn't c-eome back. Adjutant 'shaking head in ironical remorse): Sad. . , % Recruit (more brightly): Lntilj vesterday. Adjutant: Cheers! Recruit (happily): So t-to-niglit she is g-going t-to throw a p-party. Adjutant: Naturally. Recruit (beaming): To celeb-brate you know. . Adjutant 'a great light breaking": Ah! Recruit (with a sudden diffidence): S-so p-plcasc may I have 1-leave. s-sir? There was a lonp. tense minute of deliberation while the adjutant tried in vain to catch the recruit's eye. Finally the former sighed. "Leave granted." he remarked without further comment—and eyed the retreating form of the recruit with something that almost amounted to respect. —Noel Holmes.