WW1 expressions
Mar 1, 2014 23:08:54 GMT
Post by shred on Mar 1, 2014 23:08:54 GMT
An Eccles Pal writing home in 1916 explains that certain words which are perfectly understood between serving men are proving puzzling to those at home gives the following examples:
1. To get the wind up. – To be nervy.
2. A “strafe.” – A bombardment or attack.
3. “Cushy” – An easy attack place. Etc. “A cushy trench” or “A cushy officer”
4. A “sausage” – An oblong cylinder filled with high explosive, fired from a trench mortar.
5. “Minnie” – An extremely objectionable young lad. A “minniwerfer” or German trench mortar.
6. Oil Can – The projectiles favoured by “Minnie” shaped like an oil can about 2ft by 1ft and exceedingly full of “bust.”
7. “Torps” – Ariel torpedoes, another of “Minnie’s” objectionable companions.
8. Whiz-Bang – A small high explosive shell which comes at lightning speed and explodes immediately.
9. Rufus – The shell that comes whistling over when we are in billets to get the range, it usually does not explode.
10. Dud – Anything that does not perform its normal functions, i.e., a shell, etc., which fails to explode.
11. Archibald – The anti-aircraft gun.
12. Woolly Bears, Crumpets, Jack Johnsons, Black Marias – High explosive shells.
13. Pip Squeak – A variety of whizz-bang.
14. Hows and Baby Hows – Different types of Howitzers.
15. H.E. – High explosive.
16. Dug-outs – A hole in which rats live and occasionally ourselves.
17. Billets – Places where we briefly stay in when out of the trenches between fatigues.
18. Blightie [Blighty] – The Indian word for “home” and where our hearts and longings are always, either in or out of the trenches.
1. To get the wind up. – To be nervy.
2. A “strafe.” – A bombardment or attack.
3. “Cushy” – An easy attack place. Etc. “A cushy trench” or “A cushy officer”
4. A “sausage” – An oblong cylinder filled with high explosive, fired from a trench mortar.
5. “Minnie” – An extremely objectionable young lad. A “minniwerfer” or German trench mortar.
6. Oil Can – The projectiles favoured by “Minnie” shaped like an oil can about 2ft by 1ft and exceedingly full of “bust.”
7. “Torps” – Ariel torpedoes, another of “Minnie’s” objectionable companions.
8. Whiz-Bang – A small high explosive shell which comes at lightning speed and explodes immediately.
9. Rufus – The shell that comes whistling over when we are in billets to get the range, it usually does not explode.
10. Dud – Anything that does not perform its normal functions, i.e., a shell, etc., which fails to explode.
11. Archibald – The anti-aircraft gun.
12. Woolly Bears, Crumpets, Jack Johnsons, Black Marias – High explosive shells.
13. Pip Squeak – A variety of whizz-bang.
14. Hows and Baby Hows – Different types of Howitzers.
15. H.E. – High explosive.
16. Dug-outs – A hole in which rats live and occasionally ourselves.
17. Billets – Places where we briefly stay in when out of the trenches between fatigues.
18. Blightie [Blighty] – The Indian word for “home” and where our hearts and longings are always, either in or out of the trenches.