THE DRUMS OF THE FORE AND AFT

In the Army List they still stand as "The Fore and Fit Princess
Hohenzollern-Sigmaringen-Anspach's Merther-Tydfilshire Own Royal
Loyal Light Infantry, Regimental District 329A," but the Army
through all its barracks and canteens knows them now as the "Fore
and Aft." They may in time do something that shall make their new
title honourable, but at present they are bitterly ashamed, and
the man who calls them "Fore and Aft" does so at the risk of the
head which is on his shoulders.

Two words breathed into the stables of a certain Cavalry Regiment
will bring the men out into the streets with belts and mops and
bad language; but a whisper of "Fore and Aft" will bring out this
regiment with rifles.

Their one excuse is that they came again and did their best to
finish the job in style. But for a time all their world knows that
they were openly beaten, whipped, dumb-cowed, shaking and afraid.
The men know it; their officers know it; the Horse Guards know it,
and when the next war comes the enemy will know it also. There are
two or three regiments of the Line that have a black mark against
their names which they will then wipe out; and it will be
excessively inconvenient for the troops upon whom they do their
wiping.

The courage of the British soldier is officially supposed to be
above proof, and, as a general rule, it is so. The exceptions are