Let’s say the case was in Bradenburg, in the artillery part of the western group of troops. A lieutenant from the other side calls the lieutenant and tells him that by lunch the Germans will bring the elephants out of the local zoo. Before arrival, all the new secret machines must be wiped, regulators displayed, and elephants washed. And turned up.
Our lieutenant calls the warehouse with a request to hand out the masking grid. and receives rejection. Call the commander of the company, say the Germans will come, you need to give a masking net. He says, I’ll handle the warehouse, get it.
All the cars were covered and disguised. The call in the row of regulators, and now they are standing at the crossroads in white helmets waiting.
There are no elephants. Then our lieutenant recruits the chief of the unit, so and so, everything is ready, where are the elephants? The Elephants? The boss asks, “Are you all drunk?” I will come now.
Upon arrival, listening to the report and realizing that this is a joke, the boss says: - What a washing machine, -5° on the street, the water has frozen. Call the neighbors, they have warm hangars, let them wash there.
Another year one of my favorite toasts was "for clean elephants".