CHEERS AND JEERS

Arawa Guerilla, Issue 1, 1 April 1942, Page 3

CHEERS AND JEERS

In the columns of our more staid contemporaries this particular column would be headed, “Letters to the Editor.” This column is open to you all to jeer and cheer as much as you like, providing of course, that certain parade ground language is not used in the texts. Such words are deemed secret and confidential within the meaning of the act, etc. Therefore while you may want to groan and moan, your letters . must be of the more “refrained” type. We print below an example of how a letter has had to be censored. , It was a pity to cut it down so, for it had its merits.

Disgruntled—??!! !!?? — Colonel .... ??!! .... 9? —!! Major —?'? —!! —xx? Lieutenant — ??!! — x??!— Sergeant Major —9? — !! —xx? Sergeant — ?? — !! •— ? Corporal ?? —????!!!— ?! — Army. (Teh! Teh! “Disgruntled,” such language. We agree, however, with the complaint that Reveille is certainly too darned consistent and early each day. Maybe the bugler can tell us.—Ed.)

Sai Louie-Humble Sir, I write to you in this first issue of yours to make a. complaint. I belong to A Company and ever since the first day I arrived, nothing but fatigue. First day in camp, it is “Sai Louie you go on guard.’’ Then some coal want to be shift. Sai Louie shovels coal Exhausted am I. I lie down under welcome shade of pine tree when a Sergeant Major with head of fire bellow, “Sai Louie what the hell are you doing? Go and help those men build those huts.’’ Another thing too. I bring down numer-; ous things such as tennis racquets,'golf clubs, footballs and other weapons of sport, as I see picture in paper which gives impression of much sport. Instead of using same, it is Sai Louie you stop cluttering up hut and remove same to storeroom. It is same with my wardroom which included magnificent dressinggown and slippers, a present from my ancestors. Sadly I have to send home. But it is these fatigues. Sai Louie in kitchen, Sai Louie in Sergeants’ Mess, Sal Louie in Y.M. and Everymans, Sai Louie on sanitary, Sai Louie here, Sai Louie there, Sai Louie every damn where. In fac.’ every time a man has to be replaced oh anything it is Sai Louie. Sai Louie all same damn time. When it stop, I ask you? . (Ed. —Sai Louie of A Company is a descendant of the great 400 millions of the Chinese Empire. We have investigated his case and find that all he says is correct and extend to him our deepest sympathy, there are only (censored) others doing the same). • , i

Dodger. —May I suggest that since re. cent nights have been very dark and the winter will , make conditions even worse, that the barbs be taken from the fences around our camp. I have torn my trousers at least a half dozen times lately and my uniform will soon be in shreds. (Dodger, old boy, if you persevere with the barbed fences you will probably get promotion, for the latest Army notice gives considerable space to the necessity of negotiating barbed wire entanglements. —Ed.)