Soldiers' stories, 1914-1917 - Page 12

[Page 12]

calling them by name. The names varied from Monarch to Strawberry, & when you consider that there were 16 bullocks in the team you will get some idea of the row he created.
The poor unfortunate bullocks had only gone about 50 yards when the waggon became bogged.
Up till then all had been going fairly smoothly & he was only speaking in an ordinary tone
When they got bogged, he started to raise his voice & varied the method of addressing them
Poor Monarch & Strawberry & Pluto & Demosthenes & the rest of them, if they could only have understood the meanings of the oaths that were hurled at them, I'm sure they would never get bogged again. This went on for about 20 minutes, he cursed & swore & waved his arms & never repeated an adjective twice. Of course the boys enjoyed the fun immensely especially as he became more excited in his endeavors to get the team on the move which he eventually did & at last quietened down
I might state I never enjoyed anything better in my life & his oration was better than all the medicine the A.M.C. ever dished out
[Signed] H.A. Britten