"Red Cap." Tommy's nickname for a Staff Officer because he wears a red band around his cap. Red Tape. A useless sort of procedure. The main object of this is to prolong the war and give a lot of fat jobs to Army politicians. Regimental Number. Each soldier has a number whether or not he was a convict in civil life. Tommy never forgets his number when he sees it on "orders for leave." R.P. Regimental Police. Men detailed in a Battalion to annoy Tommy and to prevent him from doing what he most desires. Reinforcements. A lot of new men sent out from England who think that the war will be over a week after they enter the trenches. Relaying. A term used by the artillery. After a gun is fired it is "relayed" or aimed at something out of sight. Respirator. A cloth helmet, chemically treated, with glass eye-holes, which Tommy puts over his head as a protection against, poison gas. This helmet never leaves Tommy's person, he even sleeps with it. Rest. A period of time for rest allotted to Tommy upon being relieved from the trenches. He uses this "rest" to mend roads, dig trenches, and make himself generally useful while behind the lines. Rest Billets. Shell shattered houses, generally barns, in which Tommy "rests," when relieved from the firing line. "Ricco." Term for a ricochet bullet. It makes a whining noise and Tommy always ducks when a "ricco" passes him. Rifle. A part of Tommy's armament. Its main use is to be cleaned. Sometimes it is fired, when you are not using a pick or shovel. You also "present arms by numbers" with it. This is a very fascinating exercise to Tommy. Ask him. Rifle Grenade. A bomb on the end of a rod. This rod is inserted into the barrel of a specially designed rifle. "R.I.P." In monk's highbrow, "Requiscat in pace," put on little wooden crosses over soldier's graves. It means "Rest in peace," but Tommy says like as not it means "Rest in pieces," especially if the man under the cross has been sent West by a bomb or shell explosion. "Road Dangerous, Use Trench." A familiar sign on roads immediately in rear of the firing line. It is to warn soldiers that it is within sight of Fritz. Tommy never believes these signs and swanks up the road. Later on he tells the Red Cross nurse that the sign told the truth. "Roll of Honor." The name given to the published casualty lists of the war. Tommy has no ambition for his name to appear on the "Roll of Honor" unless it comes under the heading "Slightly Wounded." R. C. Roman Catholic. One of the advantages of being a R.C. is that "Church Parade" is not compulsory. "Rooty." Tommy's nickname for bread. Route March. A useless expenditure of leather and energy. These marches teach Tommy to be kind to overloaded beasts of burden. R.A.M.C. Royal Army Medical Corps. Tommy says it means "Rob All My Comrades." R.E.'s. Royal Engineers. R.F.A.'s. Royal Field Artillery men. R.F.C.'s. Royal Plying Corps. Rum. A nectar of the gods issued in the early morning to Tommy.