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Fags in short supply
by
Pte. Albert Ronald Williams 5338119

 

.....I have been looking at your website and there were two memories of persons that came slowly back to mind - I don't know the actual names of either but the first was a chap we called 'Gish' - he was a heavy smoker and whenever he was out of cigarettes he would try to cadge one off anyone he met. His favorite line of approach was simple. "Gish a fag, mate."

.....The second character was also a smoker and a beggar of cigarettes. He was a Platoon Sergeant Major, a rank that had been dropped by the army much earlier than '39 but those who held the rank were either promoted or permitted to keep it until they had served their time. This chap was reputed to be the last P.S.M. in the British Army. I don't know about that but I do know that his favored approach was something like "Would you like to offer your warrant officer class 2 a cigarette, private?"

 

 

 

Pte. Albert Ronald Williams