TheCompleteMemoirsOfGeorgeSherston

We passed into another "Army Area"; the realm of
Rawlinson was left behind us and our self-sacrificing
exertions were now to be directed by Allenby. Soon
after entering the Allenby Area we sighted a group of
mounted officers who had stationed themselves under
the trees by the roadside. Word was passed back that
it was the Corps Commander. Since there were only
three Corps Commanders in each Army they were
seldom seen, so it was with quite a lively interest that
we put ourselves on the alert to eyes-left this one.
While we were trudging stolidly nearer to the great
man, Colonel Easby detached himself from the head
of the column, rode up to the General, and saluted
hopefully. The Corps Commander (who was nothing
much to look at, for his interesting accumulation of
medal-ribbons was concealed by a waterproof coat)
ignored our eyes-lefting of him; he was too busy bel-
lowing at poor Colonel Easby, whom he welcomed
thus. C.C. "Are you stuck to that bloody horse?"
Col. E. "No, sir." (Dismounts hastily and salutes
again.) As Leake's Company went by, the General
was yelling something about why the hell hadn't the
men got the muzzles of their rifles covered (this being
one of his "special ideas"). "Pity he don't keep his
own muzzle covered," remarked someone in the ranks,
thereby voicing a prevalent feeling. The Corps Com-
mander was equally abusive because the "Cookers"
were carrying brooms and other utilitarian objects.
Also the Companies were marching with fifty yard in-
tervals between them (by a special order of the late
Rawlinson). In Allenby's Army the intervals between
Companies had to be considerably less, as our Colonel
was now finding out. However, the episode was soon
behind us and the "Cookers" rumbled peacefully on
their way, brooms and all, emitting smoke and stew-