The soldiers were on parade rehearsing and all had gone well
Then the command to advance in review order was yelled
The long line marched 15 paces and without any orders, halted
It was to demonstrate discipline and that no one had bolted
The ultimate example of military good order and cohesion
Alas, Private Dodger Brown kept walking without apparent
reason
The powers to be scratched their heads on what was to be
done
Such a clumsy soldier whom it seemed no one claimed as a
son
He had to be on the official parade for he was to be given a
gong
To change such an important event would be very wrong
Moffitt, an old warrior in the ranks, recently demoted for strife
Stepped forward and offered a solution at the risk of his life
“Give him 15 pebbles and with each step, one he will discard
When the last one drops he will not walk a further yard”
After much huffing and puffing the RSM tried it out
It worked and there was no need for further angry shouts
The big day came and went without a hitch
Moff was a hero and Dodger was no longer in that well known
ditch
And so the legend was born of Dodger with 15 stones in the
hand
Soon he was the talk in all the military land
Better still, Moff had been promoted to lead his band
However the story doesn’t end there
Moff lost his stripes and swore revenge with sleeves so bare
Then came a day involving another important parade
At 15 paces the advance came to a halt but Dodger marched
on
The investigation showed that Moff had done wrong
He had given Dodger an extra two pebbles to carry that day
The RSM was far from pleased and Moff lost liberty and pay
I swear its true cos I was there and Moff remains a great mate
Besides the bastard made it known that I too, often halted too
late
George Mansford ©June 2011
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