The Shadow of War by Jack Murray (latest ebook reader txt) 📗

was also fear. The reality of the war descended on him like a cloud. Momentslater he was handed a broomstick.

‘What’s this?’ asked Danny,bemused.

‘What does it look like?’

‘A broomstick?’

‘You’re a genius, move along.’

Danny stood where he was,looking dumbly at the broomstick. Then he looked at the quartermaster.

‘No Lee Enfield?’

‘All in good time. We’re a bitlow. Now move along.’

After the visit to the quartermaster,the group marched across the parade ground, fully-laden, to the brick buildingat the other side. All around they could see other recruits dressed in PT gearjogging in groups and doing other physical exercises. Barked orders echoedaround the square.

The corporal directed themtowards their barrack room. It was a long room with two dozen iron beds in tworows. The boys selected beds near one another. There were already half a dozenmen in the room lying on the beds.

‘I don’t want to be nearsomeone who snores,’ announced Bob. Half a dozen pillows were thrown at him inresponse, even from folk who didn’t know him.

‘What time do they servebreakfast in bed?’ asked Danny to no one in particular.

This brought a few laughs fromsome of the others. A few of the others came and introduced themselves andbefore long a group of strangers were laughing and joking as if they’d beenfriends for a long time. Only Carruthers and Harn were out of sorts with theirnew accommodation. Most of the others, like Danny and his friends, were young,all in their early twenties.

‘My God, there are no sheets,’said a shocked Carruthers. The others laughed until they realised, he wasn’t joking.‘I’m going to speak to the commanding officer.’

Danny turned away and rolledhis eyes to the rest of the group. The other grouser added his thoughts also.

‘I agree. Complete shambles, ifyou ask me.’

‘No one did,’ said Arthur, astocky Londoner, managing to speak while maintaining a cigarette stickingresolutely to his bottom lip. He was probably the oldest in the group alongwith Carruthers. Harn looked at him darkly but added nothing else.

‘You been here long?’ askedDanny.

‘Arrived a couple of days ago.Haven’t really done much, only just had my uniform. You arrived just in timefor that. Like a bloody tent, it is.’

‘Who’s the tailor?’ laughedDanny looking at the ill-fitting costume sported by the Londoner.

‘A chap in Saville Row,’replied Arthur, quick as a flash. ‘I can get you his address, if you like?’

‘Thanks,’ replied Danny, ‘Doyou think he can do it blue? I’m not sure green works with my hair.’

‘I’m not sure any bleedin’colour would work with your hair. Now, take mine,’ replied Arthur, removing hiscap to reveal a bald pate. The rest of the barracks collapsed laughing,including Carruthers and the exchange quickly established the pair as thejokers in the platoon. They were still laughing when there was a new arrival.

Arthur was the first to stoplaughing. His face changed in a moment. Danny saw the change and looked round.The new entrant to the barracks was a sergeant. Danny immediately leapt to hisfeet followed by his companions.

The sergeant looked withundisguised contempt at the new intake. His hair was close-cropped. He wasshort but his wiry frame made him seem taller. His most prominent features werehis eyes which were small and contained an air of menace. Slowly he picked hisway along the centre aisle, eyes straight ahead. There was no other sound inthe room aside from his footsteps on the wooden boards.

Once the sergeant reached theend of the barracks, his back to Danny, Arthur glanced at him and rolled hiseyes. A quick shake of the head followed and told Danny all he needed to know. Thesergeant turned around again and resumed his silent inspection. When he wasback at the entrance, he spoke.

‘My name is O’Dowd. You’ll seeby my stripes that I am a sergeant,’ said O’Dowd with something approaching asneer. ‘This means it is my job to turn a bunch of duds like you into…’ Therest was left unsaid as another man entered the room. O’Dowd immediately stoodup straight and barked ‘Ten shun.’

Although none of the newrecruits had experienced the military, whether it was nature, or exposure tofilms, the recruits leapt to their feet and stood to attention. They wereunsure of who had just entered but it was certainly clear that it was someoneof rank.

The captain entered the Barrackroom and followed the same route down the aisle of beds. He said nothing. Hestopped halfway and then returned to stand beside O’Dowd.

‘New recruits, sir,’ barked O’Dowd.Danny wondered if communication in his new place of work was conducted entirelyalong these lines. It seemed ludicrous. Thankfully the new arrival also foundit a chore.

‘Stand at ease, men.’

The new recruits took thatquite literally and adopted postures that would not have been out of place in apub at closing times. This seemed to enrage O’Dowd but amuse the captain. Heturned to O’Dowd and asked, ‘Can you show them what I mean?’

O’Dowd strode forward angrilyand said, ‘When you hear the order “Stand at Ease”, you stand as follows. Feettwelve inches apart and arms straight.’ He demonstrated the position and therest of the barrack room followed suit.

Finally standing at ease in thearmy sense, the new captain introduced himself.

‘I’m Captain Budd. I won’t tryto get names now. Get changed and then at six make your way over to the dininghall.’

Indicating Arthur, he added,‘Perry will show you where to go. All I can say about the food is that you’llget used to it.’

The men laughed at this andstood to attention on O’Dowd’s order as both he and the captain left thebarrack room. When they had gone, Danny turned to Arthur and asked, ‘What arethey like?’

‘Well you’ve seen SergeantO’Dowd. Trust me,he doesn’t improve on acquaintance. We call him “Sod” because that’s exactlywhat he is. The other sergeants are all pretty tough; he’s just plain nasty, ifyou ask me. Captain Budd seems all right. Typical upper class mind you.Definitely not one of us.’ Danny and the others nodded, grateful to have someadvance intelligence on their situation.

The uniform proved to be everybit as ill-fitting as he supposed it would be but at least the boots seemed tofit. A few of the others were already grumbling about this.

‘Don’t worry,’ advised