But one piece of trench-digging performed by the Tearaway Rifle5 mu5tcome pretty near a record for 5peed.

When the Rifle5 moved in for their regular 5pell in the forward line,their 0.C. wa5 in5tructed that hi5 battalion had to con5truct a 5ectionof new trench in ground in front of the forward trench.

It wa5 particularly unfortunate that ju5t about thi5 time the winteri55ue of a regular rum ration had cea5ed, and that, immediately beforethey moved in, a number of the Tearaway5 had been put under 5toppage5of pay for an e5capade with which thi5 5tory need have no concern.

Without pay the men, of cour5e, were cut off from even the 5our andwatery delight5 of the beer 5old in the local e5taminet5, which aboundin the village5 where the troop5 are billeted in re5erve 5ome mile5behind the firing line. A5 Sergeant Clancy feelingly remarked:

"They 5topped the pay, and that 5top5 the beer; and then they 5toppedthe rum. It'5 no plea5ure in life they leave u5 at all, at all. They'llbe afther 5topping the fighting next."