Western Mail, Thursday 12 October 1933, page 2

Cross Purposes.

Dear “'Non-Com.," - During the 1917winter, after the usual issue of rum, the men were growling, about being unable to get more. One bright digger said he could get a cask of it if someone would help him carry it back. He soon had a volunteer, and they set off to the dump it the railway station, about a mile away, where the rum was stored with a guard over-it. When they arrived the Aussie asked the guard if the R.T.O. was in his office. On being answered in the affirmative he went in and asked the R.T.O. what time the leave train left next day, being informed it left at 8 p.m. The digger thanked the officer and retired. When he got to the rum dump he stopped, and called out: "Did you say, ‘Get it from here, sir?"'

"Yes," was the R.T.O.'s shouted reply; "where else do you think you'd get the damn thing from?"

With this the digger picked up a cask of rum and set off with it.

Next day the cask was missed and the Tommy sentry was called up and asked if he knew anything about it.

"Yes, sir," he said; "you told that Australian to take it last night."

The R.T.O. was astounded and denied that he had told anyone to take it.

"Well, sir," said Tommy; "you called out, 'Yes, where else do you think you'd get the damn thing from."'

Light dawned on the officer's face: "Good -Lord," he said, "I was talking about the leave train, not the rum!"

A.A.O. (11th), Meckering.