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[Page 20]
confidence and respect from their men. If we ever get the firing line, we are going to hell incarnate, yet there is no apparent realisation of this amongst the majority. Some of the N. C. O's have been held commissions amongst the trainees in the Citizen forces, and do not quite realise that they are not while their knowledge of the drill book may be excellent, they do not yet quite realise, that they are not now dealing with a lot of boys still at or just leaving school, but with adult men of mixed and often very definite personality, the handling of whom is a matter of great difficulty.
Or else like myself, they are too inexperienced in this matter of soldiering, and how f expensive the purchase of this will be God only knows. The best of Fortunately there is a percentage of old soldiers amongst them, men who have already fought in one or more campaigns, and these give a stiffening to what would otherwise be a very mediocre lot.
To particularise types - one Sergeant, a bank clerk - had up to the time of his enlistment spent his whole life - days in the bank- evenings in