Brewster 'A Glimpse of War through a Private's Eyes', a retrospective account of experiences in World War I, 1915-1917 / John James Brewster - Page 571
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[Page 571]
[dash] silly idiot warned you men for Guard?
The very next morning the same Corporal went out of his way to discover & select the Sentry again for Guard duty. Again the Sentry protested & demanded a Doctors parade the second man, also picked out again, did likewise. The Corporal then said You two men will parade to the Doctor for certain this time! & calling to a L/Corporal said, Parade these two men straight to the Doctor & dont go near the orderly room!
Accordingly both men were taken before the Doctor, to whom it was explained the two men having been warned for Guard protested & damanded being paraded!
After a very careful examination the Doctor called in the L/Corporal & said Who sent these men to me? On being told the Doctor gave the L/Corporal a message to take back to the Artillery Corporal to the effect that an NCO who cannot do better than select men such as these for Guard duty should not hold his position for a single day!
The next morning the Corporal was superseded by a Sergeant but this Artillery Corporal was not to be beaten so easily for he passed general remarks about "malingerers", having it made pretty hot for them.
The Sentry gradually began to find out how things were being worked in this Camp by two or three well hated bullies & immediately applied for furlough & had the good fortune to be notified it would be granted upon a certain day.
Whether by design or just a coincidence the day before the Sentry's furlough fell due, an application was made for a number of Military Police & just before the Military Police Sergeant completed his list he had a whispered conversation with the Artillery Corporal the result of which the Sentry was picked as the last man.
On protesting to the Company Sergeant about the Police Sergt's nomination he was informed it would not & could not in any stop the Sentry going on furlough & on return it would be time to make a protest