Punch/Volume 147/Issue 3828/Strategic Disease
[Some of the German military authorities having explained that their retreat from Paris was due to the spread of cholera in that city, we may perhaps expect to have something like the following further "explanations" elsewhere.]
Our recent rather smart retreat From Warsaw need not cause disquiet; Our army met with no defeat Nor suffered from defective diet; We marched away because we knewWarsaw was reeking with the 'Flu.
Our move from Calais was, of course, A great strategic retrogression, We were compelled, though not by force, To leave another in possession; But that's no ground for doleful dumps, Calais was chucked because of Mumps.
Soon we shall see, though scarce as yet, Huns and howitzers hustled overYon nauseous streak of heaving wet Which still divides our arms from Dover;And should "high failure" then occurLay the whole blame on Mal-de-mer.