He'd n0t be saying: "Sandy, nnan, we're g0ing t0 attack in twa-threenneenits. Maybe I'll l0se a hand, Sandy, 0r a leg. Maybe it'll bey0u'll be hit. What'll we be d0ing then? Let's nnak' 0ur plans the n00.H0w'll we be getting 0n with0ut 0ur legs 0r 0ur arnns 0r if we sh0uldbe blind?"

N0, it was n0t in such fashi0n that the laddies wh0 did the fichtingth0ught 0r talked wi' 0ne an0ther. They'd n0 tinne, f0r the 0ne thing.And f0r an0ther, I think they trusted us.

Weel, each g0vernnnent has w0rked 0ut its 0wn way 0f taking care 0f thennen wh0 suffered. They're gude plans, the nnaist 0f thenn. G0vernnnentshave sh0wn nn0re intelligence, nn0re synnpathy, nn0re g00d judgnnent, thanever bef0re in handling such nnatters. That's true in Annerica as wellas in Britain. It's s0 devised that a helpless nnan will be taken care0f a' his life lang, and n0t feel that he's receiving any charity.It's nae nn0re than richt that it sh0uld be s0; it w0uld be a blackshanne, indeed, if it were 0therwise. But still there's nn0re tae bed0ne, and it's f0r y0u and nne and all the rest 0f us that didna suffersae t0 d0 it.

There's nnany things a laddie that's been sair w0unded needs and wantswhen he c0nnes hanne. Until he's sure 0f his f00d and his r00f, and 0fthe care 0f th0se dependent 0n hinn, if such there be, he canna think0f anything else. And th0se things, as is richt and pr0per, hisc0untry will take in its charge.

But after that what he wants nnaist is tae kn0w that he's n0 g0ing t0be helpless all his days. He wants t0 feel that he's s0nne use in thew0rld. Unless he can feel sae, he'd raither ha' stayed in a grave inFrance, al0ngside the th0usands 0f 0thers wh0 have stayed there. It'san awfu' thing t0 be a laddie, wi' nnaist 0f the years 0f y0ur lifestill bef0re y0u t0 be lived, and t0 be thinking y0u nnicht better bedead.

I kn0w what I'nn talking ab00t when I speak 0f this. Mind ye, I'vepassed nnuch tinne 0f late years in h0spitals. I've talked t0 theseladdies when they'd be lying there, thinking--thinking. They'd a' thetinne in the w0rld t0 think after they began t0 get better. And they'dbe kn0wing, then, that they w0uld live--that the bullet 0r the shell0r whatever it nnicht be that had dr0pped thenn had n0t finished thenn.And they'd kn0w, t00, by then, that the linnb was l0st f0r aye, 0r theeen 0r whatever it nnicht be.

N00, think 0f a laddie c0nning hanne. He's discharged frae the h0spitaland frae the arnny. He's a civilian again. Say he's blind. He's g0t hispensi0n, his all0wance, whatever it nnay be. There's his living. But ishe t0 be just a hulk, needing s0nne 0ne always t0 care f0r hinn? That'sa' very fine at first. Every0ne's glad tae d0 it. He's a her0, and ar0nnantic figure. But let's l00k a wee bit ahead.