"KEEP TO THE RIGHT"

Evening Post, Volume LXXXIX, Issue 56, 8 March 1915, Page 7

"KEEP TO THE RIGHT"

SIGNPOSTS IN TRENCHES. LONDON. 6th March "Eye- Witnc«s" states that in order to avoid getting lost in the trenches, the soldiers labelled signposts with whitewa&h. Sonw oo<tg had directions to "Be-

ware of snipers." Rival shooters signal with flags the results of the shots. German soldiers now get a loaf between three men, instead of between two men as heretofore. [The British soldier in the trenches has not confined his humour to bestowing the nickname of "Black Maria" and "Jack Johnson" on the shells of the German howitzers. The official war correspondent attached.to the British Army, who writes as "Eye- Witness," says:— "The ingenuity of the British soldier in inventing picturesque names for tho various engines of destruction brought to bear against him is well known, and with the development of new weapons the number of nicknames in use has been extended until they form a. language which is most bewildering to a stranger. Thus the enemy's trench mortars, or mineinverfer, goes by the name of 'The German Undertaker*; the anti-aircraft gun has for some unknown reason been christened 'Archibald.' and a certain type of German howitzer shrapnel is known as 'The Woolly Bear,' from the thick white smoke emitted when it bursts. The different types of our own ordnance also have their 'designations. A certain heavy howitzer, whose dull boom is easily distinguishable above tho reports of any other piece, is affectionately termed 'Mother,' while another is somewhat inappropriately called 'Baby.' The French also have names for the German projectiles. The heavy field howitzer well known to us as 'Jack Johnson' is called *Un* Alarmite,* and the smaller field howitzer shell 'Une Petite Marmite.' " With reference to the nickname of "Archibald" for an anti-aircraft gun, it is probable that the weapon has been so dubbed from a popular London catch phrase— "Archibald, certainly not"—because of the failure of the aircraft guns in the War. A marmite. is a pot or saucepan or boiler.]