We asked you to come up with something appropriately witty for this image from our article on Imperial Germany’s Great War allies from the December 2025/ January 2026 issue of Military History Matters? Here are the winners:
WINNER:
‘I wish the Colonel would hurry up… I’m busting’ – Valérie
RUNNERS-UP:
‘Well, I say we’ve dug deep enough to bury the Major’s pet snake’ – Rob Falconer
‘Turn round lads it doesn’t go any further.’ – Paul Bennett




I bought a coat specifically for this sort of warfare
The Black Friday queues are building up already …
“Just checking everyone’s got the memo about the ‘no whistling’ rule. Sergeant Major gets very cross.”
The police are looking for a very short man … I reckon this identity parade is rigged
It says you are 21st in the queue.
My wife was promiscuous before she met me, these are some of the ex-boyfriends she ditched.
Stubbornly the men refused to move. Entrenched some might say.
Enfilading fire? Never heard of it…
I can’t say trench warfare is something I dig.
Well, I say we’ve dug deep enough to bury the Major’s pet snake
With a man power shortage the British resort to hiring the Terracotta Warriors.
I wish the Colonel would hurry up … I’m busting
A queue was forming for the best hat competition, but the man at the front believed he had a head start
Lads… I think we’re going the wrong way!
“Heigh ho, heigh ho, it’s off to work we go….”
Bayonets ready for when the giant wakes up!
Turn round lads it doesn’t go any further.
Can you dig it? Yes you can!
This mission is the pits!
Nobody told us the runway was being resurfaced