In their stead he bore a rifle,
Just a rifle and a bayonet,
Learnt to slope his arms by numbers
Learnt to order arms by numbers,
Learnt the rite of fixing bayonets,
Harkening to the Sergeant-Major,
Very gruff and fierce and warlike.
Then came P.T. with its press-ups,
Stretching slowly (on the hands down),
Slowly, slowly bending downwards;