WAR-TIME “BANQUET”

Evening Star, Issue 20150, 15 April 1929, Page 9

WAR-TIME “BANQUET”

OLD SCENES RE-ENACTED IN LONDON HOTEL Three hundred business men dined together in London, England, lately as they used to do cloven years ago, but circumstances were a little changed in ihat rest billets had given place to tho banqueting hall of tho Royal Hotel, Bloomsbury, and thev did not wear khaki. Ranks were forgotten for the evening except for a. brief moment when a dapper, but fierce “ orderly officer,'’ accompanied by a fiercer “ orderly sergeant,” and a doubtful-looking quartermastersergeant, made his rounds of thc “ messroom ” to receive, any “ complaints ” concerning a meal, which brought back memories.

The menu was as follows; — “Roast” (if lucky); spuds and greens; Spotted dog; Rice and Plum and apple; Fromage; Biscuits do chicn; Ser-geant-mafor’s tea. All calls were sounded by bugle and by cavalrv trumpet, and tho musical programme ‘'ranged from ‘Tipperary’ to ‘Colonel Bogey’ (troops’ version), i.ach table was appropriately marked with such familiar names as “ Hell Fire Corner,” “ Wipers Lane,” “ Sanctuary Wood,” “Piccadilly,” “ Reatcure,” and “Windy Comer.” . Operation orders were issued for the evening, it being stated that the attack would take place at 18.30 hours, “ the outer defence known as ‘cocktails,’ to be taken at all costs. All ranks were asked to co-operate in thc duty of ‘ mop-pers-up,’” and, ‘ with regard to “casualties,” it was ordered that they should be evacuated as follows: Walking wounded will support each other so far as tho first clearing station, Kabrank (map reference . X-in taxi). Those incapable of moving will be operated upon immediately and removed by motor ambulance to Vine Street Rest Station (IPolico Station),