Page:Notes and Queries - Series 12 - Volume 9.djvu/423

 12 s. ix. OCT. 29, i92i.] NOTES AND QUERIES. 345 POTATO-MASHER. A German bomb which is stuck on the end of a stick like a hammer. RUBBER GUN. Long-range gun. BUM JAR. Trench -mortar bomb. RUPERT. A kite balloon. SAUSAGE. Observation balloon. S.O.S. Rockets. STAND-TO. On the alert ; the period just before dawn when a surprise attack might be expected. STEP (THE). A ledge in the trench enabling troops to stand in necessary position for firing. STRAAFE. A bombardment. (See C.) TATER-MASHER. A German hand-grenade. 303's. The ordinary rifle bullets served to British troops the size being -303. TIN KAT. Steel helmet. TOFFEE-APPLES. Trench mortars. A circular- shaped trench-mortar missile used by British about the size of a football (cf. Football). TOOTHPICK. Entrenching tool. TOUTE-SUITER. Long-range gun. (Canadian equivalent of English " rubber gun.") WHIZZ-BANG. A very high velocity shell. A German light shell, the whizz and the ex- plosion occurring almost simultaneously. (See C.) ZERO. The exact time of attack. C. MISCELLANEOUS. Ac DUM. At once ; be quick. Hindustani. AFTERS. A second dinner-course, as rice or stewed figs, following " skilly." ALLY! "Go away; "clear out." " Ally toot sweet " ( Allez lout de suite). ANGEL'S WHISPER. Defaulter's bugle-call. ANY MORE FOR ANY MORE ? An intimation, shouted by an orderly in charge of serving meals, that more was to be had if any wished for it. APPLE-AND-PEARS. Stairs an old Army expres- sion. APREE LER GARE FINES. Expression used com- monly in France (aprts la guerre finie). AUNT MARY ANN. Variation on " Sanfaryan " (cela ne fait rien). BAG. Sufficiency. " A bag of beer." Bags = plenty. BALL 'o LEAD. One's head. BARBED WIRE (ON THE). Present location un- known ; not necessarily indicative of a casualty. BATTER (TO GO ON THE). To indulge in a drinking bout. BELLYBANDS. Cholera belts issued to British troops. BERGOO (BURGOO). Porridge. Spelling various. BILLY-CAN. Mess-tin., BINGE. Social gathering. As verb to imbibe alcohol. BIRD-LIME. Time. " What's the bird-lime ? " BIVY (BIVVY). Make-do shelter ; bivouac. BLIGHTY. England, home and hospital ; anywhere this side of the Channel. From Hindustani, belati. BLIGHTY-ONE. A wound severe enough to cause a man to be sent to England for treatment. BLIND-O. Very drunk. BLOB. A glass of beer. BLOTTO. Drink; also drunk. BLOW THE GAFF. Give away secrets. BONDHOOK (BoNDOCK). Rifle. " The soldier's best friend." From Hindustani (cf. Swahili Bunduki). BOOKS (THE). Playing-cards. BOOZER. An estaminet. BOSKY. Tipsy. BOX OPEN AND BOX SHUT. offer closed. BREEZY. Term for fright; Offer of cigarette"; also to indicate instructions rigid adherence to letter of (cf. " windy "). BRIEF. A soldier's discharge from the service. BROODY. Lethargic. Sergeant (reprovingly) r " Are you going broody ? " BUCKSHEE. Extras ; a gift ; something for nothing. (Corruption of baksheesh.) BULLY THE TROOPS (DON'T). Used to a man getting angry and inclined to shout. BUNCE. Something for nothing. BUSHEL AN' PECK. One's neck. CAIN AN' ABEL. Table. CANNED. Intoxicated. CANTEEN MEDALS. Drippings of beer on tunic. CAP-BADGE. A bone. After distributing the meat ration the orderly might say, " Does anyone want a cap-badge ? " CAPE OF GOOD HOPE. Soap. CARRY ON. Continue. CHAR, (CHAH). Tea. Hindustani. CHAT. A louse. CHATTY. Lousy. CHALK-FARM. One's arm. CHARLIE. A soldier's valise, carried on the back ; pack. CHEQUE. Discharge. CHOKED OFF. Reprimanded ; successfully re- torted upon. CHOW-UP. Controversy. CHUCK rr. To stop talking. CIVVY KIP. A feather-bed, a comfortable billet) vous un ciwy-kip ? " CLICK (TO). To be chosen. CLICKED. Caught ; also said to mean lucky ; in receipt of something. CLINK. Guard-room, detention. CLODS. Money (usually copper coins). COB. To stud, frost or nail the shoes of horses to prevent slipping. COFFIN-NAILS. Woodbines. COGGIDGE. Paper either newspaper or writing- paper. COLD FEET. Term for fright. COLUMN (TO DODGE THE). To shirk a duty ; dodge the front line ; to be absent from parade. COMIC CUTS. Divisional orders. COOTY. Lousy; dirty. COUGH AND SNEEZE. Cheese. Cow- JUICE. Milk. CRABS. Lice. CRACKERS. Going mad. CROWN AND ANCHOR. One of the most popular gambling games in the Army. Played clandestinely in estaminets, billets, and out- of-the-way places by the troops, with the aid of dice and a coloured cloth bearing the four aces and two signs a crown and an anchor. CRUMBY. Verminous. Tommy (looking for " Madame, avez-