sodger

But a sodger's life has both shade and sunshine in it; and the Major is now a little in the shade.

Now, as Major Butler is a good man and a brave sodger—God bless him!

He was a brave sodger, but he wasna long fechtin' in France till he got a bullet in his breist.

As in solder, the l has been re-introduced by learned influence, but the vulgar sodger is nearer the original pronunciation.

Maybe I'm to 'list and be a sodger; faix, it wouldn't be much worse than going back to your grandfather.