From the newspapers It just made me smile :-) Chelmsford Chronicle September 14, 1917 Signs of the Times In the war communique we seem to be hearing considerable mention again of Ypres, which reminds me of the wounded soldier in hospital who, in the course of describing to a lady visitor a previous battle in that region, spoke repeatedly of "Wipers". Each time he mentioned the town the lady gently corrected his pronunciation by giving, under her breath, the French rendering - and by that I do not mean the Anglo-French compromise "Eepray". Afterwards he whispered to a nurse, "what was the matter with that old girl? every time I mentioned Wipers she went and hiccoughed" -- Nivard Ovington in Cornwall (UK)