Cap Mandrake
Posts: 23184
Joined: 11/15/2002 From: Southern California Status: offline
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*****October 5, 1942, the rugged Burmese jungle, 25 miles from the Mandalay/Myitkyina rail line**** The progress of the column, with 7th Armoured in the van, has slowed to a crawl, often as little as a mile a day. The "road", if one can call it that, was never intended for Stuarts or 2 1/2 ton lorries. That is where 251 Coy., Royal Engineers comes in. They are attached to 7th Armoured. It is there job to make the Burmese jungle more hospitable to 20th century vehicles. All know the urgency of the situation. They have orders to cut the rail line before the Japs can organize a strong defence. It is not an easy job. The last fully operable bulldozer of 251 Coy. moves carefully down the trail, which at this point crosses a small canyon incised sharply by a jungle stream. The bulldozer cuts easily through layers of soft sandstone, now at least 80 feet below the canyon rim. Sgt. Bonebreak, RE, stands 20 ft. in front of the bulldozer directing the driver. Suddenly, there is a loud scraping sound as the dozer blade hits what sounds like metal. All around crouch reflexively for an explosion. There is none. The driver carefully lifts the blade and kills the engine. Sgt. Bonebreak approahes the front of the bulldozer. Sgt. Bonebreak: <East End accent> 'ere's another one sir! Lt. Uppington-Smythe: <scurries down the slope and carefully brushes away jungle detritus from the find. All can now see a large , egg shell-colored object with organic curves> Sgt. Bonebreak: Is it another Wooly Mammoth sir? Lt. Uppington-Smythe: <annoying Eaton/Cambridge accent> No Sgt., it seems we are in another epoch, Late Triassic would be my guess. My interest was paleobotony but I would say we have a very large Sauropod here, an adult. This larger one is the Ilium. These are sacral vertebrae. Oh, look! Look at this prominence! This must be the glycogen body. Sgt. Bonebreak: Don't you mean the 'indbrain, sir? Bullozer Driver: Well, it's really more of a spinal ganglion, isn't it? After all, 'indbrain seems a bit grandiose to me. Sgt. Bonebreak: LOOK at the bloody thing! It's two 'ands wide. I'll wager your forebrain isn't that big. Bullozer Driver: 2 quid you're wrong on that sargeant. And it's still no 'indbrain. It's just for involuntary control of the 'indlegs. Sgt. Bonebreak: Is not! It's a bloody 'indbrain because I am the bloody Sgt. That's why it's a bloody 'indbrain. Lt. Uppington-Smythe: Look, you cretins! We've a major find. Fetch some shovels and tell the surgeon we shall need all the plaster of Paris he can spare!
< Message edited by Cap Mandrake -- 10/26/2007 3:21:15 AM >
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