OCR Text |
Show Origin of "Tommy." The Fnglish Tommy Is no stranger. The custom was in England at one lime to supply every ili'itish soldier with a v 1 1 1 : 1 1 1 pocket manual. In it were entered the mime, age, date of enlist meat, llie length of service, tbe wounds and the medals of lienor of ihe individual soldier. The war olic-e in sending out forms for itifoi eiaiion usoil the hypothetical iianie "Tommy Atkins," just as we mi::h' have said "John Smith" in America. Amer-ica. In Ihis way "Tommy Atkins" 'ame to lic.ignate Ihe Ehgli:-h soldier. II Itcjip'iMil in the same way that Mack T;,r" came to desiguute any I'.i-iii-h ;,ilor. |