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Authors: John Reynolds
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officer. This man is responsible for the whole bloody mess!”
Turning Stuart confronted the sight of a belligerent Hamish, who had lurched to his feet, and stood swaying slightly and bleeding from a cut above his right eyebrow.
“What do you mean?” asked the sergeant, stepping forward.
“His mate down there,” Hamish gestured scornfully, “had his call up papers this morning. Stood in the corner shouting that he wasn’t going to join up, that he hated the King, and that he hoped the Germans would win. And Johnson here,” another scornful gesture, “joined in, egging him on and also shouting seditious comments.”
“You bloody liar!” responded Stuart, furious at the man’s wild accusations. “You and your army mates started swinging punches and set off the whole thing. And now you’re trying to blame somebody else.”
“Just hold it, both of you,” interposed the sergeant. “Now,” he continued, turning to Stuart, “what’s this about your mate there being called up and refusing to go?”
Stuart chose his words with care. “Apparently he got his call up papers in the post today. When I came in he had obviously been drinking for a while-----.”
“Because he’s yellow!” interrupted Hamish
“As I said, he’d been drinking for a while,” insisted Stuart, trying to keep his temper, “as had most of the men in the pub, including soldier boy here.”
His final phrase was ill chosen as the sergeant narrowed his eyes and said slowly, “Do you have something against the King’s officers?”
Hamish, sensing the shift in attitude, cut in rapidly. “He certainly does, sergeant. And what’s more he’s a supporter of the Germans. I’ve heard him say so up at that university of his.”
“That’s a serious accusation, lieutenant,” said the sergeant. He turned to Stuart. “Have you anything to say, young man?”
“Plenty, but you’d probably arrest me for obscene language in a public place. The lieutenant’s accusations are totally without foundation. I support the war effort just as everyone else does. He’s just pissed off because his girlfriend and I are particularly friendly.”
“Why, you----.”
“Take it easy, lieutenant,” cautioned the sergeant. “Now then,” he continued addressing Stuart, I’m not interested in private squabbles about sheilas, but,” he continued a little pompously, “anything that undermines national security is my concern. Now, you said that you supported the war effort like everyone else?”
Not sure where it was leading, Stuart merely nodded.
“Fine. That’s your word against the lieutenant’s. But, what about your mate here?” He nudged Brendan with the toe of his boot and elicited an inaudible mumble.
“He’s OK. Unlike me he was pretty drunk. I’ll look after him when he comes round.”
“I think it’s your duty to investigate further, sergeant.” Hamish was clearly determined not to let the opportunity to discredit both men slip by.
“Investigate what?” demanded Stuart. “If he’s been called up, so what? No crime’s been committed. He doesn’t even have to report for several days.”
“True enough.” The sergeant nodded in agreement. “We’ll leave it at that.” Turning away he was about to order his men to leave when Brendan chose that moment to wake up. Propping himself unsteadily on one elbow he gesticulated towards the sergeant.
“Don’t have to report for several days, eh, mate? Huh. I’ll tell you again. I’m not going to bloody well report at all. I’m not going to join their bloody army, navy or air force - or anything else for that matter. They can fight their fucking war without me!”
“See, sergeant! The man’s a subversive. Do your duty!”
“Don’t be stupid. He’s still drunk. Anyone can see that. Let him sleep it off.”
Stuart was clutching at straws. The group of constables had clearly taken exception to Brendan’s outburst and began muttering angrily. Unwilling to lose credibility
Turning Stuart confronted the sight of a belligerent Hamish, who had lurched to his feet, and stood swaying slightly and bleeding from a cut above his right eyebrow.
“What do you mean?” asked the sergeant, stepping forward.
“His mate down there,” Hamish gestured scornfully, “had his call up papers this morning. Stood in the corner shouting that he wasn’t going to join up, that he hated the King, and that he hoped the Germans would win. And Johnson here,” another scornful gesture, “joined in, egging him on and also shouting seditious comments.”
“You bloody liar!” responded Stuart, furious at the man’s wild accusations. “You and your army mates started swinging punches and set off the whole thing. And now you’re trying to blame somebody else.”
“Just hold it, both of you,” interposed the sergeant. “Now,” he continued, turning to Stuart, “what’s this about your mate there being called up and refusing to go?”
Stuart chose his words with care. “Apparently he got his call up papers in the post today. When I came in he had obviously been drinking for a while-----.”
“Because he’s yellow!” interrupted Hamish
“As I said, he’d been drinking for a while,” insisted Stuart, trying to keep his temper, “as had most of the men in the pub, including soldier boy here.”
His final phrase was ill chosen as the sergeant narrowed his eyes and said slowly, “Do you have something against the King’s officers?”
Hamish, sensing the shift in attitude, cut in rapidly. “He certainly does, sergeant. And what’s more he’s a supporter of the Germans. I’ve heard him say so up at that university of his.”
“That’s a serious accusation, lieutenant,” said the sergeant. He turned to Stuart. “Have you anything to say, young man?”
“Plenty, but you’d probably arrest me for obscene language in a public place. The lieutenant’s accusations are totally without foundation. I support the war effort just as everyone else does. He’s just pissed off because his girlfriend and I are particularly friendly.”
“Why, you----.”
“Take it easy, lieutenant,” cautioned the sergeant. “Now then,” he continued addressing Stuart, I’m not interested in private squabbles about sheilas, but,” he continued a little pompously, “anything that undermines national security is my concern. Now, you said that you supported the war effort like everyone else?”
Not sure where it was leading, Stuart merely nodded.
“Fine. That’s your word against the lieutenant’s. But, what about your mate here?” He nudged Brendan with the toe of his boot and elicited an inaudible mumble.
“He’s OK. Unlike me he was pretty drunk. I’ll look after him when he comes round.”
“I think it’s your duty to investigate further, sergeant.” Hamish was clearly determined not to let the opportunity to discredit both men slip by.
“Investigate what?” demanded Stuart. “If he’s been called up, so what? No crime’s been committed. He doesn’t even have to report for several days.”
“True enough.” The sergeant nodded in agreement. “We’ll leave it at that.” Turning away he was about to order his men to leave when Brendan chose that moment to wake up. Propping himself unsteadily on one elbow he gesticulated towards the sergeant.
“Don’t have to report for several days, eh, mate? Huh. I’ll tell you again. I’m not going to bloody well report at all. I’m not going to join their bloody army, navy or air force - or anything else for that matter. They can fight their fucking war without me!”
“See, sergeant! The man’s a subversive. Do your duty!”
“Don’t be stupid. He’s still drunk. Anyone can see that. Let him sleep it off.”
Stuart was clutching at straws. The group of constables had clearly taken exception to Brendan’s outburst and began muttering angrily. Unwilling to lose credibility
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