One summer in Thailand we held a Fourth of July Luau ( we had some Hawaiian troops with us) for all hands, including a small detachment of the New Zealand Special Air Service men. They beat all comers with something like this, untill one of our lads cheated and tied the anchor end of his side to a large truck. Even they they started the truck moving before the fraud was discovered.

   They arrayed themselves along the rope, alternting sides of the rops, and counted off from one to about ten if memory serves. When the signal to begin was given one of their number started off, "Evens pull, Odds hold, Unnnnhhh!, Odds pull, Evens hold, Unnnhhh!" In less than a minute they pulled each team opposing them through the mud pit, in one to two foot increments.

Spirits being rather high, and noticing that they hadn't gotten a bit muddy, they all dived into the mud pit, beers and all. After everyone was full of beere and roast pig they decided that this was a good way to celebrate thins regardless of the occasion.

   "If you need a real song, though, try "The Song of the Volga Boatmen", which goes something like this:

   Yo Heave Ho, Unh!

   Yo Heave Ho, Unh!

   Uhhhhhhhaaaaaunh!

   Yo Heave Ho, Unh!

Yonder birches on the shore

We must reach them, pull men more

I dah dah, I dah, I dah dah, I dah,

All together now, Pull men more!   

    Dave