That was our corporal’s favourite game. Löhne is a railway junction. In order that our fellows going on shouldn’t get lost there, Himmelstoss used to practise the change in the barrack-room. We had to learn that at Löhne, to reach the branch-line, we must pass through a subway. The beds represented the subway and each man stood at attention on the left side of his bed. Then came the command: “Change at Löhne!” and like lightning everyone scrambled under the bed to the opposite side. We practised this for hours on end.

Meanwhile the German aeroplane has been shot down. Like a comet it bursts into a streamer of smoke and falls headlong. Kropp has lost the bottle of beer. Disgruntled he counts out the money from his wallet.

“Surely Himmelstoss was a very different fellow as a postman,” say I, after Albert’s disappointment has subsided. “Then how does it come that he’s such a bully as a drill-sergeant?”