"Over the Top," by an American Soldier Who Went: Together with Tommy's Dictionary of the TrenchesEmpey, Arthur Guy
History
"Over the Top," by an American Soldier Who Went: Together with Tommy's Dictionary of the Trenches
Empey, Arthur Guy
English language -- Slang -- Dictionaries; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
S.W. Shell wound. What the doctor marks on your hospital chart when a
shell has removed your leg.
Swamping. Putting on airs; showing off. Generally accredited to
Yankees.
"Swinging the lead." Throwing the bull.
"Sweating on leave." Impatiently waiting for your name to appear in
orders for leave. If Tommy sweats very long he generally catches cold
and when leave comes he is too sick to go.
T
"Taking over." Going into a trench. Tommy "takes over," is "taken out"
and sometimes is "put under."
Taube. A type of German aeroplane whose special ambition is beating
the altitude record. It occasionally loses its way and flies over the
British lines and then stops flying.
Tea. A dark brown drug, which Tommy has to have at certain periods of
the day. Battles have been known to have been stopped to enable Tommy
to get his tea, or "char" as it is commonly called.
"Tear Shell." Trench name for the German lachrymose chemical shell
which makes the eyes smart. The only time Tommy is outwardly
sentimental.
Telephone. A little instrument with a wire attached to it. An
artillery observer whispers something into this instrument and
immediately one of your batteries behind the line opens up and drops a
few shells into your front trench. This keeps up until the observer
whispers, "Your range is too short." Then the shells drop nearer the
German lines.
"Terrier." Tommy's nickname for a Territorial or "Saturday-night
soldier." A regular despises a Territorial while a Territorial looks
down on "Kitchener's Mob." Kitchener's Mob has the utmost contempt for
both of them.
Territorial. A peace-time soldier with the same status as the American
militiaman. Before the war they were called "Saturday-Night Soldiers,"
but they soon proved themselves "every-night soldiers."
"The Old Man." Captain of a company. He is called "the old man,"
because generally his age is about twenty-eight.
"The Best o' Luck." The Jonah phrase of the trenches. Every time Tommy
goes over the top or on a trench raid his mates wish him the best o'
luck. It means that if you are lucky enough to come back, you
generally have an arm or leg missing.
"Thumbs up." Tommy's expression which means "everything is fine with
me." Very seldom used during an intense bombardment.
"Time ex." Expiration of term of enlistment. The only time Tommy is a
civilian in the trenches; but about ten minutes after he is a soldier
for duration of war.
"Tin Hat." Tommy's name for his steel helmet which is made out of a
metal about as hard as mush. The only advantage is that it is heavy
and greatly adds to the weight of Tommy's equipment. Its most popular
use is for carrying eggs.
T.N.T. A high explosive which the Army Ordnance Corps prescribes for
Fritz. Fritz prefers a No. 9 pill.
"Tommy Atkins." The name England gives to an English soldier, even if
his name is Willie Jones.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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