t St. Paul's Churchyard, and had drawn their
service money when they signed their papers. Other beds in this hut
were occupied by a mechanical engineer, an old Blundell School boy,
planters, a mine overseer from Scotland, a man in possession of a
flying pilot's certificate secured in France, a photographer, a
poultry farmer, an old sea dog who had rounded Cape Horn on no fewer
than nine occasions, a man who had hunted seals, "with more patches on
his trousers than he could count," as he described it himself, a bank
clerk, and so on.

It must not be thought that this hut was an exceptional one. Every hut
was practically the same, and every hut was jealous of its reputation.
Scrubbing day was on Saturdays as a rule, and it was then that the
"un-char-lady" side of various men came out. They were handling
brooms, scrubbing-brushes, and squeegees for the first time in their
lives, but they stuck it, and, with practice making perfect, it was
surprising to what a pitch of cleanliness things eventually got.

Even church parade has been dodged on a Sunday morning in order that
three pals might unite in an effort to get the stoves blacked, the
knives and forks polished, and a sheen put on the tea-pails.

One may smile about these things now when in civilian life again, but
it was all very real at the time. The First Sportsman's were not
coddled; no man thought twice about getting in a terrible mess when
domestic duties had to be performed. The only kick came when the hut
windows had to be cleaned with old newspapers. The man who had
forgotten to wash the old cloths or buy new ones came in for a
terrible time.

Rivalry, perfectly friendly in character, was great in the earlier
days before chums began to be split up as the result of taking
commissions. If we were digging trenches "somewhere in Essex," our
particular sector had to be completed quicker and be more finished in
character than any other. Jobs were done at the double if it were
thought to be necessary; if any man developed a tendency to take a
rest at too frequent intervals--well, he was ticked off in the most
approved fashion. It all made for the good of the whole. The N.C.O. in
charge had an easy time, he hadn't to drive a man. All he had to do
was to see that in over-eagerness his working party did not take
risks.

But the time came when the calculations upon securing a commission
began to make their appearance. It may be some men were approached on
the matter,