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 636
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[Page 636]
reported to have been a school-teacher before enlisting.
This sort of thing is all very well at a Show or in a theatre, but the men realise only too well, the tremendous power placed in the hands of officers, however inexperienced, by the Kings Regulations. If a man dare to insult an officer let alone strike him, the penalties are out of all keeping with reason, and the man can never obtain redress, the "Kings Regs" notwithstanding, if the insult emanates from the officer, in the first place.
Besides if any man was mad enough or foolish enough to offer to stand up & fight an officer when challenged even if permitted & promised protection from prosecution, just imagine the life the man would lead in the future, through being a "marked man" to every officer, high or low.
How men, even if officers, can expect other men, even if troops, to remain quiet & think that light plainly seen from the deck coming from officers cabins, could not possibly be seen by an enemy, & yet be put to quite unnecessary inconvenience in the dark, in quarters where even if quite brilliantly lighted, not a single ray of light could be seen by an enemy as every port hole has a heavy iron protector tightly screwed over it from the inside is marvellously rediculous.
For although the escorting man of war had reported being able to see lights on board the Convoy, the men resented being put to trouble when they knew the source of the complaints did not arise in their quarters.
If the officer (O/C) thought he would gain the respect of the men by his Swashbuckler method he failed miserably, the only harvest he reaped was a good crop very appropriate remarks, ridicule & "straight out" laughter, free from secrecy or subterfuge.
When next that officer had to address the men below deck he received a much better hearing