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Updated: June 14, 2025
It was slang originally for beef on the hoof, because in the Military Areas two-thirds of your meat-rations at least are handed over to you on the hoof, and you make your own arrangements. The word 'heef' became a parable for camping in the Military Areas and all its miseries.
At the end of the first month October when things were looking rather blue, one of those clever Labour leaders got hold of the Militia Act and discovered that any Militia regiment could, by a two-thirds vote, go on 'heef' in a Military Area in addition to its usual biennial camp.
I don't think there are more than eight I.G. battalions in England now. We're a hundred battalions all told. Mostly on the 'heef' in India, Africa and so forth." "A hundred thousand. Isn't that small allowance?" I suggested. "You think so? One hundred thousand men, without a single case of venereal, and an average sick list of two per cent, permanently on a war footing?
There's nothing to prevent any man who has the gift working his way up to the experimental command of the battalion on 'heef. Purvis, my colour-sergeant, commanded the battalion for three months at the back of Coolgardie, an' very well he did it. Bayley 'verted to company officer for the time being an' took Harrison's company, and Harrison came over to me as my colour-sergeant. D'you see?
"I haven't the knack of handling men. Purvis let me have a half-company for a month in Rhodesia over towards Lake N'Garni. I couldn't work 'em properly. It's a gift." "Do colour-sergeants handle half-companies with you?" "They can command 'em on the 'heef. We've only four company officers Burgard, Luttrell, Kyd, and Harrison. Pigeon's our swop, and he's in charge of the ponies.
I'd sooner 'heef' in the middle of Australia myself or Athabasca, with all respect to the Dove he's a native of those parts. "Why horses for a foot regiment?" "I.G.'s don't foot it unless they're obliged to. No have gee-gee how can move? I'll show you later.
All our companies are R.C.'s, and as the battalion is making up a few vacancies ere starting once more on the wild and trackless 'heef' into the Areas, the Linesman is here in force to-day sucking up to our non-coms." "Would some one mind explaining to me the meaning of every other word you've used," I said. "What's a trackless 'heef'? What's an Area? What's everything generally?" I asked.
Still, in the long run, it's like whist on a P. & O. It comes out fairly level if you play long enough. Now and again, though, one gets a present say, when a Line regiment's out on the 'heef, and signifies that it's ready to abide by the rules of the game.
"Horrid aggressive, ain't we?" said Pigeon with a chuckle when we moved on again and overtook the main body. Here I caught the strains of the band, which Pigeon told me did not accompany the battalion on 'heef, but lived in barracks and made much money by playing at parties in town. "If we want anything more than drums and fifes on 'heef' we sing," said Pigeon. "Singin' helps the wind."
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