Wednesday 9 July 2014

No names, no pack drill

One of the most beautiful potager gardens in the area, lots of things here to exhibit at the Salon du Jardin. A bit of sun needed to ripen off tomatoes, but that is being forecast next week. I am not saying who the garden belongs to but this lady with 8 donkeys stands a good chance of winning at least one categorie. I wonder if all the manure helped?
The heading, where did it come from?

Pack-drill was a punishment given to soldiers in the British Army, requiring them to undertake drill (exercise) in full uniform and carrying a heavy pack.

'No names, no pack-drill' is used to indicate that the names of those who have committed a misdemeanour will not be mentioned in order to spare them punishment.
The 'pack-drill' punishment is known from at least 1845, when it was referred to in William Maxwell's Hints to a soldier on service: