The Sixth Day in June Quotes

“Corporal?’ Jack turned as Ham grabbed him by the shoulder. ‘What is it?’ Jack asked, as he turned to face the large soldier. ‘Is the tin meant to look like that?’ Ham asked, before pointing to the self heating soup, the sides bulging as it shook violently on the ground. ‘Jesus Christ, you’re supposed to put a hole in it,’ Jack said, before reaching for the tin, the metal hot between his fingers. He lifted it up as bubbles started to spit from the seams, a thin whistling noise filling his ears before it burst in his hands, sending a shower of hot tomato soup spilling over his uniform. ‘Yow are supposed to eat it, not wear it,’ Fred said, as the men broke into laughter. ‘For fuck’s sake,’ Jack cursed, as he wiped the soup off his body. ‘What am I going to eat now?’ Ham asked. Jack turned to the large soldier and wagged his finger at him, his mouth opening to speak, when he saw Shorthouse approaching. ‘What’s happened to you?’ The sergeant major asked, as he looked at Jack’s stained clothes. ‘He got in a fight with a can of soup,’ Fred replied. ‘Nasty things those,”
― Stuart Minor, The Sixth Day in June

“Bloody show offs,’ Reg commented, as the three men pulled ahead, their arms swinging energetically by their sides. ‘Come on, we can’t let the new lads see that we’re struggling,’ Jack said, as two more soldiers pushed in front of him. ‘Who bloody can’t?’ Reg grumbled. Jack glanced to his right and saw the company’s captain motioning the men forward, his lean frame wrapped in an oversized Battledress tunic. ‘There will be passes tonight for the first platoon to the top,’ the captain shouted. ‘Oh, Christ, come on you lot,’ Reg yelled, before leaping forward with a burst of speed, his arms pushing past the young soldiers who stared after him with expressions of amazement on their faces. Jack forced himself forward, his lungs burning within his chest as he ran to the front of the section, before drawing level with Reg who was staring at the crest of the hill with a burning look of concentration on his sweat glazed face.”
― Stuart Minor, The Sixth Day in June

“Jesus,’ Stan groaned, as Fred swung his boot at his arse, making him jump forward. Jack broke into a tired run as the men jostled forward, the soldiers chased by Fred’s voice as he yelled incessantly after them.”
― Stuart Minor, The Sixth Day in June

“Shorthouse darted an angry look at Reg, before turning to Fred. ‘Captain Connor thinks the men are looking a little sluggish, see that they pick up the pace.’ Fred nodded, before turning to the men, ‘alright yow lazy buggers, get your knees up, last one to the top will get a fucking hiding.”
― Stuart Minor, The Sixth Day in June