Rhymes of the Rookies Part 14

Youngster--a young officer (a first or second lieutenant).

Wagon-soldier--light or field artilleryman.

Wind-jammer--a trumpeter or bandsman.

Wood-butcher--company artificer.

ENGLISH ARMY SLANG

Gravel Crushers--infantry soldiers.

Poultice Wallahs--Royal Army Medical Corps men.

Doolally Tap--when a soldier becomes mentally unbalanced he is said to have received the "Doolally Tap." "Doolally" is a corruption of the name of an Indian town, Deolali.

Bun Wallah--a soldier who drinks nothing stronger than tea, and is in consequence supposed to eat voraciously of buns.

Chips--the regimental pioneer sergeant, who is usually a sergeant.

Lance Jack--a lance-corporal.

Quarter Bloke--the quartermaster.

Rookey--a recruit.

Scrounger--a man with plenty of resource in getting what he wants.

Yob--one who is easily fooled.

Bobygee--a soldier cook. In India a native one.

Baggies--sailors in the Navy.

Badgy--an enlisted boy.

Long-faced Chum--a cavalryman's term for his horse.

Rooty--bread.

Slingers--a meal of bread and tea.

Muckin--b.u.t.ter.

Bully Beef--the tinned meat ration.

Lamping--eating heartily.

C. B.--confined to barracks.

Chucking a Dummy--when a man faints on parade he is said to "have chucked a dummy."

Clink or Mush--the guard room.

Brief, Cheque or Ticket--discharge doc.u.ments.

Dock--a military hospital.

Swinging the Lead--the equivalent of "telling the tale."

Weighed off--when a soldier has been awarded punishment for an offense he is said to have been "Weighed off."

High Jump--an appearance before the C.O. to answer a charge of breaking regulations.

Lost His Number--a man is said to have "lost his (regimental) number"

when he is reported for any offense. It is "lost" because it is placed on the report sheet.

Stir--imprisonment in a detention barracks.

Chancing His Arm--committing an offence in expectation that it will not be discovered. A N.C.O. is said to be "chancing his arm" because he may be deprived of his stripes.

Jankers--defaulter's drill.

Dog's Leg--the first stripe received on promotion.

Bundook--a rifle.

Bobtack--powder mixed into a paste to clean b.u.t.tons and bra.s.s work on equipment.

Muck-in--share in.

Square-Pus.h.i.+ng--courting. Your best boots, cap, etc., are called square-pus.h.i.+ng boots, etc.

Square-bit--your best girl.

Atcha--all right.

Blighty--home.

WORDS TO THE ARMY TRUMPET CALLS

REVEILLE:

I can't get 'em up, I can't get 'em up, I can't get 'em up in the morning; I can't get 'em up, I can't get 'em up, I can't get 'em up at all; Corp'rals worse than the privates; Sergeants worse than the corporals; Lieutenants worse than the sergeants, And the capt'n's the worst of all.