"All those that never go up to the trenches, or those who never go
into the first line, and even those who only go there now and then,
they're shirkers, if you like to call 'em so, and you'd see how many
there are if they only gave stripes to the real fighters."

"There are two hundred and fifty to each regiment of two
battalions," said Cocon.

"There are the orderlies, and a bit since there were even the
servants of the adjutants."--"The cooks and the under-cooks."--"The
sergeant-majors, and the quartermaster-sergeants, as often as
not."--"The mess corporals and the mess fatigues."--"Some
office-props and the guard of the colors."--"The baggage-masters."
"The drivers, the laborers, and all the section, with all its
non-coms., and even the sappers."--"The cyclists." "Not all of
them."--"Nearly all the Red Cross service."--"Not the
stretcher-bearers, of course; for they've not only got a devilish
rotten job, but they live with the companies, and when attacks are
on they charge with their stretchers; but the hospital attendants."

"Nearly all parsons, especially at the rear. For, you know, parsons
with knapsacks on, I haven't seen a devil of a lot of 'em, have
you?"

"Nor me either. In the papers, but not here."

"There are some, it seems."--"Ah!"

"Anyway, the common soldier's taken something on in this war."