An "Orderly Room" is the court which the Commanding Officer holds, usually in the morning when men are brought before him, charged with any offences they may have committed, with which the company commanders cannot deal.
It is a very solemn affair, and is a parade which all the officers of the battalion, especially those who have men charged with offences, are supposed to attend. They stand on either side of the Officer Commanding at "Attention." The Adjutant stands rigid on the right hand. The Officer Commanding alone is seated.
The Sergeant-Major handed the "Crime Sheet," that is the document in which the nature of the crime and the names of the witnesses are stated, to Adjutant Darling, who read:—
"That on December 10th, at 2 p.m., Private John B—— of the 48th Highlanders was found loitering in the Park at Bournemouth without a pass. That he became violently abusive on being taken into custody. Witnesses, Police constables 'J——' and 'D——' of Bournemouth." Then followed the evidence of the constables taken down in the presence of an officer at Bournemouth, to the effect "That on Dec. 10th, at 2 p.m., I, Police Constable 'J——,' together with Constable 'D——,' was patrolling the Park at Bournemouth when I saw Private B—— of the 15th Battalion sitting on a park seat with two young ladies. As was customary in such cases I asked him if he had a pass. He produced a pass signed by the Commanding Officer of the 15th Battalion, which had expired the day before. When we pointed out that Private B—— was 'absent without leave,' he said he expected an extension by wire that day, from his Commanding Officer. When we told him that it was our duty to take him into custody, he became very abusive, calling us 'Thick-headed John Bulls,' 'Fat-headed Englishmen,' 'Mutton heads,' 'Blasted Britishers,' etc. He had also abused the English people in very violent terms." The constables had taken charge of him and handed him over to the customary escort sent after him from camp.
When the Adjutant had finished reading the "crime sheet," I asked Private B—— if he had anything to say, and if the charge was true.
He had nothing to say. "It is true."
"How long were you out from England before you joined this Battalion," I asked.
"Three years, Sir."
"Do you think that three years' residence in Canada entitles you to abuse your countrymen, and call them 'fat-headed Englishmen'?" I asked.
The humor of the situation seemed to strike him.