The essence of Addison’s humour is irony.

a fundamental truth; a fundamental axiom

Rather undashingly he was captured in June 1940 as a sergeant in the Maginot Line, but escaped the following year to join a colonial infantry unit.

Kid Curry dismounted. “Stay put whilst I shed some light on the subject. The clay footing around here is sort of treachersome when it's this wet. …”