Also sometimes billed as 'The Raw Recruit', this musical sketch was based in part on Jim Gerald's own wartime experiences. 'Originality and cleverness mark the sketch' writes a Theatre critic in July 1919. 'Mr Gerald's account of how he lost his pal in the war is very pathetic. High art indeed is his work in this monologue. Later on Miss Jennings as a handsome military principal boy and Mr Gerald as the raw recruit have the house in roars. Their business over the canteen is exceptionally funny' (July 1919, p23).
Charles Norman recalls that Gerald devised the sketch shortly after his return from active duty in late 1918. Its first known staging was in May 1919 when it was presented as a first part attraction prior to Paul Stanhope's Revue Company at the Theatre Royal (Brisbane). Norman also provides a description of the sketch: 'Essie, with her beautifully turned out figure was an officer, replete with slouch hat and ostrich plume, jacket with brass buttons and regimental colours, tights of a brown hue and brown lace-up boots... but with high heels. Jim was a rookie soldier and dressed in his blue dungaree sloppy suit (today blue denim or jeans) and wearing a nondescript white washing hat. He had a song, right up to the minute : "They May Break the Heart of My Old Dear Mother but They'll Never Break Mine!" After some standover business from Officer Essie, and to the last step in his acrobatic dance with the neck reel at the finish, they were a riot. On the first night with this marvellous routine the audience were so carried away that they were forced to play the whole sketch over again. They just had to in order to quieten the audience" (When Vaudeville was King, q.v., pp226-7).
Gerald later expanded 'The New Recruit' into the one act musical comedy 1914-1918; Or, For the Duration.
