<h3>REST AND DISCIPLINE<span class="totoc"><SPAN href="#toc">ToC</SPAN></span></h3>
<br/>
<p>We stayed in that region of the Front for a few more weeks, preparing
for any other task that might be demanded of us. One day the Battalion
received its orders to pack up, to load the tanks that were left over,
and to be ready for its return to the district in which we had spent
the winter.</p>
<p>We entrained on a Saturday evening at A——, and arrived at St.-P——
at about ten o'clock on Sunday night. From there a twelve-mile march
lay before us to our old billets in B——. As may well be imagined,
the men, though tired, were in high spirits. We simply ate up the
distance, and the troops disguised their fatigue by singing songs.
There were two which appeared to be favorites on this occasion.</p>
<p>One, to the tune of "The Church's One Foundation," ran as follows:—</p>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">"We are Fred Karno's<SPAN name="FNanchor_1_1" id="FNanchor_1_1"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_1_1" class="fnanchor">[1]</SPAN> Army,<br/></span><span class='pn'><SPAN name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</SPAN></span>
<span class="i0">The ragtime A.S.C.,<SPAN name="FNanchor_2_2" id="FNanchor_2_2"></SPAN><SPAN href="#Footnote_2_2" class="fnanchor">[2]</SPAN><br/></span>
<span class="i0">We cannot work, we do not fight,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">So what ruddy use are we?<br/></span>
<span class="i0">And when we get to Berlin,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">The Kaiser he will say,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Hoch, hoch, mein Gott!<br/></span>
<span class="i0">What a ruddy rotten lot,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Is the ragtime A.S.C."<br/></span></div>
</div>
<p>The other was a refrain to the tune of a Salvation Army hymn, "When
the Roll is called up Yonder":—</p>
<div class="poem"><div class="stanza">
<span class="i0">"When you wash us in the water,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">That you washed your dirty daughter,<br/></span>
<span class="i0">Oh! then we will be much whiter!<br/></span>
<span class="i0">We'll be whiter than the whitewash on the wall."<br/></span></div>
</div>
<p>Eventually the companies arrived in the village at all hours of the
morning. No one was up. We saw that the men received their meals,
which had been prepared by the cooks who had gone ahead in motor
lorries. They did not spend much time over the food, for in less than
half an hour "K" billets—the same Hospice de Ste. Berthe—were
perfectly quiet. <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</SPAN></span>We then wandered away with our servants, to be met
at each of our houses by hastily clad landladies, with sleep in their
eyes and smoking lamps or guttering candles in their hands.</p>
<p>The next morning the Company paraded at half-past nine, and the day
was spent in reforming sections, in issuing new kits to the men, and
in working the rosters for the various courses. On Tuesday, just as
breakfast was starting, an orderly brought a couple of memorandums
from Battalion Orderly Room for McKnutt and Borwick.</p>
<p>No one watched them read the chits, but Talbot, glancing up from his
plate, saw a look on Borwick's face. It was a look of the purest joy.</p>
<p>"What is it?" he said.</p>
<p>"Leave, my God!" replied Borwick; "and McKnutt's got it too."</p>
<p>"When are you going? To-day?" shouted the Old Bird.</p>
<p>"Yes; there's a car to take us to the station in a quarter of an
hour."</p>
<p>They both left their unfinished breakfasts <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</SPAN></span>and tore off to their
billets. There it was but a matter of moments to throw a few things
into their packs. No one ever takes any luggage when going on leave.
They tore back to the mess to leave instructions for their servants,
and we strolled out <i>en masse</i> to see the lucky fellows off.</p>
<p>The box-body drew away from where we were standing. We watched it grow
smaller and smaller down the long white road, and turned back with
regrets and pleasure in our hearts. With regrets, that we ourselves
were not the lucky ones, and knowing that for some of us leave would
never come; with pleasure, because one is always glad that a few of
the deserving reap a small share of their reward.</p>
<p>Then, strolling over to the Parade Ground, we heard the "Five Minutes"
sounding. Some dashed off to get their Sam Brownes, others called for
their servants to wipe a few flecks of dust from their boots and
puttees.</p>
<p>When the "Fall In" began, the entire Company was standing "At Ease" on
the Parade Ground. As the last note of the call sounded, <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</SPAN></span>the whole
parade sprang to "Attention," and the Major, who had been standing on
the edge of the field, walked forward to inspect.</p>
<p>Every morning was spent in this manner, except for those who had
special courses to follow. We devoted all our time and attention to
"Forming Fours" in as perfect a manner as possible; to saluting with
the greatest accuracy and fierceness; and to unwearying repetition of
every movement and detail, until machinelike precision was attained.</p>
<p>All that we were doing then is the very foundation and essence of good
discipline. Discipline is the state to which a man is trained, in
order that under all circumstances he shall carry out without
secondary reasoning any order that may be given him by a superior.
There is nothing of a servile nature in this form of obedience. Each
man realizes that it is for the good of the whole. By placing his
implicit confidence in the commands of one of a higher rank than his
own, he gives an earnest of his ability to himself command at some
future time. It is but another proof of the old adage, <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</SPAN></span>that the man
who obeys least is the least fitted to command.</p>
<div class="fig">><SPAN name="imagep124" id="imagep124"></SPAN> <SPAN href="images/imagep124.jpg"> <ANTIMG border="0" src="images/imagep124.jpg" width-obs="85%" alt="Liberty Loan Parade in New York" /></SPAN><br/> <p class="right" style="margin-top: .2em; font-size: 90%;"><i>Copyright by Underwood & Underwood, N.Y.</i></p> <p class="cen" style="margin-top: .2em;">A BRITISH TANK IN THE LIBERTY LOAN PARADE IN NEW YORK<span class="totoi"><SPAN href="#toi">ToList</SPAN></span></p>
</div>
<p>When this war started, certain large formations, with the sheer lust
for fighting in their blood, did not, while being formed, realize the
absolute necessity of unending drill and inspection. Their first cry
was, "Give us a rifle, a bayonet, and a bomb, show us how to use them,
and we will do the rest." Acting upon this idea, they flung themselves
into battle, disregarding the iron rules of a preliminary training. At
first their very impetus and courage carried them over incredible
obstacles. But after a time, and as their best were killed off, the
original blaze died down, and the steady flame of ingrained discipline
was not there to take the place of burning enthusiasm. The terrible
waste and useless sacrifice that ensued showed only too plainly that
even the greatest individual bravery is not enough.</p>
<p>In this modern warfare there are many trials and experiences
unimagined before, which wear down the actual will-power of the men
who undergo them. When troops are forced <span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</SPAN></span>to sit in a trench under the
most terrific shell-fire, the nerve-racking noise, the sight of their
comrades and their defences being blown to atoms, and the constant
fear that they themselves will be the next to go, all deprive the
ordinary mind of vital initiative. Having lost the active mental
powers that a human being possesses, they are reduced to the level of
machines. The officers and non-commissioned officers, on whom the
responsibility of leadership rests, have that spur to maintain their
equilibrium, but the private soldiers, who have themselves only to
think of, are the most open to this devastating influence. If these
machines are to be controlled, as they must be, by an exterior
intelligence, they must obey automatically, and if in the past
automatic obedience has not been implanted, there is nothing to take
its place.</p>
<p>The only means by which to obtain inherent response to a given order
is so to train a man in minute details, by constant, inflexible
insistence on perfection, that it becomes part of his being to obey
without thinking.</p>
<p><span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_127" id="Page_127">[127]</SPAN></span>It must not be presumed that, in obtaining this almost inhuman
reaction, all independent qualities are obliterated. For, though a
man's mind is adjusted to carrying out, without questioning, any task
that is demanded of him, yet in the execution of this duty he is
allowed the full scope of his invention and initiative.</p>
<p>Thus, by this dull and unending routine, we laid the foundation of
that inevitable success toward which we were slowly working.</p>
<p>When the Company dismissed, the Major, Talbot, and the Old Bird walked
over to lunch together.</p>
<p>"Well, it's a great war, isn't it?" said the Major, turning to the
other two.</p>
<p>"It's very nice to have got through a couple of shows, sir," replied
Talbot. "What do you think about it, Old Bird?"</p>
<p>"Well, of course, war is all very well for those who like it. But give
me the Base every time," answered the Old Bird, true to his
reputation. Then, turning to the Major with his most ingratiating
smile, he said, "By the way, sir, what about a few days in Boulogne?"</p>
<br/>
<hr />
<br/>
<h4>FOOTNOTES:</h4>
<div class="footnote"><p class="noin"><SPAN name="Footnote_1_1" id="Footnote_1_1"></SPAN><SPAN href="#FNanchor_1_1"><span class="label">[1]</span></SPAN> A late, third-rate English pantomime producer.</p>
</div>
<div class="footnote"><p class="noin"><SPAN name="Footnote_2_2" id="Footnote_2_2"></SPAN><SPAN href="#FNanchor_2_2"><span class="label">[2]</span></SPAN> Stands for Army Service Corps, and its equivalent in the
American Army is the Quartermaster's Corps.</p>
</div>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<br/>
<SPAN name="IX" id="IX"></SPAN><hr />
<span class="pagenum"><SPAN name="Page_128" id="Page_128">[128]</SPAN></span><br/>
<h2>IX</h2>
<div style="break-after:column;"></div><br />