A Story of War

A beano in the Corporal’s Club on 8th, and Munday confides to me that he was a cracksman before he joined the army. My 21st on the 9th and I managed to get hold of a few beers in the Club before lunch. I do a bit of Pashti then a moon about and finally go down to the skating rink, where there is a party in, as Harry Rickets is going in his leave the day after. I join him and a few sergeants, and then do a bit of alcoholic skating about 9pm. And so to bed- a letter and Rs30 from Uncle George. A bomb bounces off Riflemans Town the next night and they put a couple of bursts into some fleeting figures on the 30′ range. The Court Martial is pretty bloody awful, but we are off it for Bde Day tomorrow.

The 2/7 give us lunch and a few beers, the Munshi reminds me very forcibly of a dog and I’m sure old Chico Romilly must surely be the ‘technical advisor.’

A ‘daring holdup’ on MS.60 yesterday just below the Narai, and to all intents and purposes unprotected. A Parsot lorry held up by having it’s tires shot, 4 Hindus wounded, shot and stabbed, and about 7 kidnapped. At first I thought  Attam Khan was on it, as he comes back today, but he rolls in on the Dak Lorry, having his wife die on him. 2 coys 1/8 G.R. then did a surprise gasht from Alexandria piquet back along the top. They surprised about 30 enemy on Bare Patch, and I believe gave them a volley at about 30 yards. The enemy made off, apparently more the worse, and one B.O. got hit in the arm. That I fear will keep them quiet tomorrow.

Col Ellin replied to Lindsey Young that I shouldn’t spend £25 going to Madras, and he is writing to Freeland. I write to Niven and say sorry C.O. thinks I will be too long away (3 weeks). My application form goes in in sextuplet, 2/13, 5/13 and 12th so I hope I come out of that alive and with something worth while. Wrote to Stephen King Hall for £1 of letters, so I hope it improves my knowledge. Everyone else’s essay except mine seems to have come in, so think it must be so bloody awful, it’s gone up.

Lindsey Young wants to sprinkle Wooded Ridge Tower with pepper, as an anti-sniping measure. The ridicule would be sufficient. He also proposed those old wicker tubes in toy conjuring sets which you put on your finger, and the harder you pull the tighter they become. You have to push in to release I think. He would join all Khassadars up in pairs “finger to finger” and have the whole country laughing.