Sidney D. Light's WWI Diary, Postcards & Letters, 329th Battery Book Accounts

Barrage– Technically a sort o’ curtain of shells–but in this case something you never lay down without careful study.

F.A.–Field Artillery when we are–Fatigue Association when we’ve got Custer all policed up and are looking for new worlds to conquer–with shovel, broom or currycomb.

Police Duty –Something far removed from the ordinary bluecoat’s duties. Men used to it might come nearer to landing a job on a metropolitan "Clean-Up Squad." For, while on it, you’re liable to have to clean up anything. Usually associated with the old gag, "How’s business? Picking up?" Policing up around camp is one of the 329th’s neatest accomplishments.

K.P.– Kitchen police (usually falls on the same Sunday your pass does). As a K.P. you police up, clean up and eat up what the other boys leave.

S.P.–Stable police (used to last for a week in Custer; or longer than most city men will ever stay on a farm again). Admits you without fee to membership in the Humane Society and increases your love of the genus equus.

Mess-Old Army term. Inspired, no doubt, by the sight of some.

Slum–Cross between stew, a futurist landscape painting and utter culinary disgust.

Brig–The Cooler (you’re bound to cool down there)–the Old Cooties’ Home–the Guardhouse. Tuition free, ordinarily, though some prefer to contribute to The Fund For Fatigued Bankrolls upon entering. Note to Home Folks: Many of the letters you got from there were written by the Guard, not the Guarded.

Cootie–The Ford among troublesome insects. Frequently goes Over The Top–of our head–without Preparation, as we say in Artillery. Officially recognized by the U.S. Government to the extent of several Mobile Bath Units. Application is quite moving, at that.

O.D.–The color of the blouses and pants we read about. Also the Officer of the Day–the man who keeps the Sergeant of the Guard awake all night looking for an inspection.

Shavetail–Term originally applied to our friend the mule. Latterly used to denote a Second Lieutenant.

Dovetail–Misapplied term, because he is a peculiar species left hanging between a commission and an enlisted man’s rank. Some call them Third Lieutenants. Anyway, they went to officer’s school and qualified only to have that mean Kaiser quit.

B.C.–Battery Commander. Sometimes known privately as the Old Man, but generally saluted when you’re looking for a favor.

B.C. Detail –Composed of men who are too wise to work.

Goldbrick–May be used as an adjective or a noun. When applied to a job it means one void of any exertion except signing the pay-roll. Applied to individuals it is a little more harsh and means a camouflaged loafer. Derivation is obvious.

(So Many) Rounds Sweeping– Has nothing to do with the common and garden variety of broom. You do it to keep your shells from lighting all in one place, according to the papers.

Dud–A shell that fails to explode. A false alarm. Also the name of the 328 F.A. Year Book.

Up (So Much)—Down (So Much)– Not misplaced barroom language. Has to do with the -------

Corrector–The instrument you set fuses with so they won’t be instrumental in a --------..

Premature Burst –When a shell explodes before you want it to–going or coming. Also when the eggs you’ve paid steven francs a dozen for crack open in the water you’re soft-boiling them in.

Stripes–Rank insignias that make noncoms cocky. Two and you’re in a class with Napoleon (Wasn’t he once the Little Corporal?"). Three and you can butt into the mess in any place. Some places. The fatal rags that turn some good fellows into ugly bosses.

Noncom–Short for the goats between given authority and assumed. Corp. Davis of Battery A defines the species as Non-concerned Officers. He’s right when it comes to manual labor.

Top Kick –Top because he’s boss (straw variety) and kick because we frequently long to kick him as First Sergeant.

Oui! Oui!– Answer to all remarks directed to you in French. Warning! Don’t use it, however, when confronted with the statement "Tout Americans–millionaires!"

Fineesh– Answer given by all French storekeepers in response to a request for anything–to eat. Never appropriate at a banquet.

"Bull"–Used to mean idle language. Now "The Makin’s" as doled out by Uncle Sam in the name of smoking tobacco. No use carrying it home for Uncle Bill’s pipe–you won’t even get a draw.

Chow–Eats, regular or National Army. The edibles (?) prepared or merely canned., that taught us how to cultivate mess kit dexterity.

Sick Call –Many call but few get the desired answer. When we know we ought to get "Quarters" and get marked "Duty," with pills every three hours.

Plaster–Not what fall as on you from the ceiling of a shelled French billet–but the fine that knocks your (prospective) bankroll flat.

Buck Private –The tough and pack-hardened foundation upon which our army is built. Common but by no means ordinary soldier. The man who can never be convinced that a Noncom’s lot isn’t happier than his.

A.W.O.L. – Translated literally means Absent Without Leave. But translated into court martial terms it means a "plaster" at least.

S.O.L. – Two chaplains once got to arguing what this meant and when they asked a Buck Private to decide for them he got arrested for indecent disclosure. So we’ll say that it might mean Sweet On Lizzie or something indefinite like that.

Reading – Used to mean what it says. Now, refers to the exciting and sometimes not futile indoor sport of looking over your undershirt for cooties. You start at the bottom of a seam and read up and vice versa, etc., etc., punctuating with appropriate remarks.