Stretcher Bearers at the Double - ElectricCanadian.com

206 BIENVILLERS-AU-BOIS, WAILLY & AMIENS
At the halt on the left form platoon -
Oh we ve tried it the whole afternoon!
If the odd numbers don t mark, time two paces
-
How the hell can the rest form platoon?
It is the only fair to explain that the position of our new
sergeant-major was far from enviable. There he was, dropped
into the middle of a unit which had been in France since 1915.
He was expected to create harmony in the ranks of men who
were openly resentful of an outsider being placed over them; he
was persuaded to carry out a routine of barrack-square discipline
by one or two of his immediate superiors; he had the unveiled
hostility of most of the senior noncoms.-- almost every one of
whom considered himself capable of making a better fist of the
sergeant-major s job; he had had no experience with a battle
unit previously. Small wonder that his position was almost un
after the first
tenable. He must have spent many unhappy hours,
few days, when he realized what a tdugh spot he was in! Per
sonally, he was a very decent, likeable sort of fellow and made
many friends before the end of the trip to Germany. Whoever
was responsible for his being put in charge of the Fifth played him
a dirty trick, undermined the Fifth s esprit dc corps
unit a grave injustice.
and did the
Dominion Day Sports at Tinqucs
The one welcome break in the two weeks of "rest" came on
July 1st, Dominion Day, when Corps Sports were held at Tinques,
a tiny village on the St. Pol road and about eight miles
from our camp. Two motor lorries were provided to transport
so it will be
our two hundred and more men to the games,
appreciated that most of the fellows had to ride "Shank s Mare"
and do some lorry-hopping
if they wanted to get to Tinques for
the celebration.
The Corps Sports will long remain in the memories of those
who witnessed them. The whole afternoon and evening were
given up to games and merrymaking. Lacrosse, baseball, foot
ball, sprints, walking races, distance races, wrestling, boxing, and
almost every other sort of athletic contest took place.
In the
early evening some of our best aviators flew over the crowd and
put on an exhibition of aerial acrobatics which, for daring and
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