The War Stories of Private Thomas AtkinsMilne, James
History
The War Stories of Private Thomas Atkins
Milne, James
World War, 1914-1918 -- Anecdotes
I have spoken to several prisoners who could speak English, and with no
exception they all thought or were told that the British troops were no
good at fighting--that it was only niggers we could face. They have got
a different view by now: _Sergt. Dickson, Coldstream Guards_.
“Mister Bull!”
The Germans seem to have gone mad entirely, and are running about like
bulls in a china-shop, playing havoc with everything that comes their
way. Our business is to wait around until Mister Bull gets properly
tired, and then we will lead him off by the nose in proper style:
_Lance-Corporal E. Twomey_.
Not Suited to It
The Germans aren’t really cut out for this sort of work. They are
proper bullies, who get on finely when everybody’s lying bleeding at
their feet, but they can’t manage at all when they have to stand up
to men who can give them more than they bargain for: _Corporal J.
Hammersley_.
Christian
Not all Germans are cruel. On the Aisne I was lying for hours wounded.
A German came along and bound up my wound under heavy fire. When he had
made me ship-shape he was going to clear off, but a stray bullet caught
him, and he fell dead close beside me: _A Private of the Black Watch_.
A Doubting Doctor
A big German surgeon came to me and said, “You don’t like to fight
against us, do you?” I replied we did not care whom we fought so long
as it was for the good of our country. “But you would rather not fight
with us?” he said. “No fear,” I replied, and then he left me saying
“Bravo”: _A Captured Corporal_.
X-Rayed
The Germans are bad fighters. They rely on their big guns to do their
work. They won’t come out to fight you with their rifles.... I have
seen three big battles, and got hit in the fourth one. Hard lines,
isn’t it? I have the bullet in my foot yet, but I must wait for my
turn, as there are a lot waiting to be X-rayed: _Lance-Corporal G.
Percy_.
Took the “Bully”
We got caught in a wood, where I was wounded. When the fire stopped the
Germans came to us and pinched everything we had. We drew five francs
the day before, the only pay-day we had had out here, and the beggars
stole the lot. They even sat down in front of us and tucked into the
“bully” they had done us down for: _Pte. Blissenden, Grenadier Guards_.
“Roll on, London!”
One German prisoner says, “I don’t want to fight. Roll on, London.” I
suppose he was a waiter in some of the London hotels. Some of them look
pitiful sights. They are starved, and when they come here they are all
well looked after. They say they are glad it is the British who have
taken them. They know the French would not give them much. They have
good reason too: _An Aberdeen Reservist of the Royal Field Artillery_.
Captured Uhlans
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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