There was a certain Australian sar’major during World War I who gave his commands in a most unorthodox manner.

“Slope arms — you, too!”

“Present arms — you, too!”

“Forward march — you, too!”

After the parade one day, a young lieutenant approached the sar’major and asked him the reason for his unusual commands.

“Well, sir,” he replied, “it’s like this. Those men are a tough mob. Every time I give an order I know they’re going to tell me (under their breath) to go to hell — and I prefer to beat them to it.”

— Bill Wannan’s Come in Spinner

Categories: Jokes

Tags: australia, bill wannan, come in spinner, humour, jokes, military, World War I