title: The Psychology of Military Humour
author: Brig J. Nazareth
description: <DIV>Brigadier<B> J. Nazareth</b> graduated in arts and law, and was commissioned into the Grenadiers in 1943. He served predominantly in command appointments in all the frontiers of India. He was an instructor at the Defense Services Staff College, and his last appointment was to head the pamphlet-writing team at army headquarters. He has been a regular contributor to <I>Combat Journal</i> and is the author of <I>Dynamic Thinking for Effective Military Command </i>and<I> Creative Thinking in Warfare.</i></div>
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  # How the Brigadier Played for a Kingdom
  
  
  ### A. Conan Doyle
  
  
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  It has sometimes struck me that some of you, when you have heard me tell these
  little adventures of mine, may have gone away with the impression that I was
  conceited. There could not be a greater mistake than this, for I have always
  observed that really fine soldiers are free from this failing. It is true that
  I have had to depict myself sometimes as brave, sometimes as full of resource,
  always as interesting; but, then, it really was so, and I had to take the
  facts as I found them. It would be an unworthy affectation if I were to
  pretend that my career has been anything but a fine one. The incident which I
  will tell you to-night, however, is one which you will understand that only a
  modest man would describe. After all, when one has attained such a position as
  mine, one can afford to spea