The Outpost Vol 1 - The Royal Highland Fusiliers

THE OUTPOST.
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No. 5.
UR first Wednesday at Prees Heath Camp
O will long live in the memory of the
Battalion, not so much on account of the
sensatlon we created in the district bv our
turn-out in scant attire for the usual sports'
parade, but for the more scantily clad parade
which disturbed our slumber later in the
evening. Amid the nightly din to be heard in
the Mad Musicians' hut, the Egyptian mummy
was asked what he would do in case of fire
breaking out, and he facetiously remarked,
" Call out the Guard, of course." The mummy,
we might explain, rolls himself up in his three
blankets, and then securelv fastens the ends
with a host of pins. '" Lights out" had,
as it seemed to our sleepy heads, just sounded,
when an awful uproar brought us partially to
our senses. At first it looked as if the eleven
o'clock pass contingent had just arrived, but no:
something unusual had occurred, and the word
flew round that fire had broken out. The flare
which lit up our hut windows lent colour to the
rumour, and this was confirmed by the ensuing
bugle calls and whistle blasts. So we woke up.
It was evidently a case of every man for himself,
and we scrambled into the nearest articles of
apparel we could feel in the confusing darkness.
One man, who appeared in nothing but pyjamas,
and evidently thought shaving for parade was of
first importance, clung tenaciously to his safety
razor, and it was said aftenvards that quite a
JUNE.
The Fire Alarm.
number had made their way to the parade
ground with nothing on but a look and-­
their money belts.
We were a motley crew, probably very like
the survivors of a wrecked liner, but assurance
was soon given when we heard the commanding
voice of our Sergeant-::Vrajor call for" lESS noise
on parade," just as if we were on parade.
Squads were flying past by this time, and we
were sure the Company on duty would get
V.C.'s galore by the shape they were making.
What if the fire spread to Whitchurch and the
ladies of the League of Honour were imperilled ?
What a p:cnic. It would give us a chance to
take some of them in our strong arms for once
at least. But the phantom stretchers were only
the fire-screens, and the picquet must have been
successful in their labours, as not even the glare
of a lighted match was now to be seen.
'Tallion-'Shun-Dis-miss t
We could scarcelv believe our ears when we
heard the clear, metallic ring of the Adjutant's
voice scattering the parade and shattering our
hopes of some midnight fun. We had at least
expected half-an-hour's " Swedish" to complete
the last hour's work of the fast-closing day, but
that was reserved for our usual seven a.m.
parade next day. Snores greeted our entrance
to the hut and we asked ourselves, "was it
possible?" Yes. The Egyptian mummy had
blissfully slept through it all. DECOY.