Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1911-01-13
SOLDIERS NEW EQUIPMENT.
Infantryman Will Garry Thirty Pounds
Instead of Eifty

his soldiers LIE. his load Is TO De
lessened almost by half. The regula
tion Sc pounds is cut to 46 pounds with
everything on; and stripped for real
work in the field the foot soldier will
carry but 80 pounds now, thus fitting
him the better for marching and fight
ing.
Ever carried a fifty-siX pound pack
for 20 miles in a broiling sun? Those
who haven't couldn't possibly realize
what cutting down the weight means.
Cavalrymen can't do it, for their horses
carry the loads. Nor can those who
man the red artillery-their dunnage
goes on the caissons. But the infan-
tryman-he knows.
For a year past the war department
has been working over the problem Of
Tightening the foot soldiers load which
perforce he has to carry on his back
Suggestions were invited of all officers,
and samples of equipment used in for
eign armies were procured as pre-
liminary. Right at the beginning, says
the report OF the equipment board,
"The board was much impressed with
the great superiority in material, work.
manship, finish and promise of durabil-
ity of the articles manufactured by our
own ordnance department as compared
with those from every other source"
But, what to carry and what to leave
behind? How should the load be car
ried? What would be the easiest way
of distributing the weight? How
could marching with the load be made
the easiest? These were the problems
that presented themselves. Six feat
ures were considered Objectionable
excessive weight, complicated con-
struction, components not segregated,
marching and fighting equipment not
separable, improper suspension of the
load. faulty distribution Of the ammu-
milton.
Demanded was; Reduction of weight
ease and comfort, facility of putting on
and taking off, ease of adjustment.
simplicity of construction and repair,
sanitation, general efficiency. And so
the new equipment was gradually
evolved from the heavy, cumbersome,
back breaking knapsack and load or
the civil war, though the more up-to-
date but still fatiguing equipment Of
Spanish war days, to the smart, light,
more effective load which the infan-
try will now carry.
When a soldier goes into a fight
there are certain things which he must
carry If he is going to be of any use
to his country. These are, first of ALL
his weapons-rifle or revolver-and the
proper ammunition; the first-aid pack
ct; one intrenching tool; water
thirsty soldier can't hit flock Of
barns-a mess kit, and then more am
munition. Nowadays 210 rounds Is not
considered any too much for the first
dole Of ammunition. What he doesn't
need in a fight are his shelter-the dog
tent" overcoat, blanket and pOncho.
Today the intrenching tool is regard
ed as next in Importance to the wea-
pom. Each man carries either a pick
mattock, a shovel or an ak. Certain
men also have wire clippers. With
these a whole regiment can hide itself
in little holes in 80 seconds. And dead
soldiers are no use to the government
The old days of standing up in the face
of the bullets are gone now. The only
time a soldier shows himself to the
enemy, if he can help it, is in the final
rush. Advances are not permitted un-
til superiority of fire" is assured
But there are a score of marches to
every skirmish, and this is everything
that each infantryman must lug along.
One rifle, one gun sling, one bayonet,
one bayonet scabbard, one cartridge
belt 100 round of ammunition, one
first laid package, one first-aid pouch,
one canteen, one canteen cover, one
cup, one intrenching tool, one in
trenching tool carrier, one haversack
one bacon can, one condiment can,
one meat can, one knife, one fork,
one spoon, toilet articles, one pair socks
(woolen), one haversack rations, one
emergency ration, and the pack, which
consists Of: one pack carrier, one
blanket, one poncho, one shelter half,
five shelter ten pins.
Omitting the fractions of pound,
the full load will now weigh 46 pounds.
Without the pack, which Is to be car
ried on the wagons wherever possi-
BILE, it will come down to 81 pounds.
And stripped of everything but the alb
solute essentials, it weighs just 30
pounds and one-third ounce.
The foot soldiers little tent has
been made much lighter. Nowadays
each man lugs half a shelter tent, with
five pins and one pointed pole. His
"bunkie" lugs the other half. Now the
poles are abolished. The rifle acts as
a front pole and rope takes the place
of the rear pole. In case of a sur
prise the rifle is even handler to get
at.
But even better, the lessened weight
will be carried in much easier fashion.
Hitherto the mans chest has been
bound in by straps and suspenders.
Some of the weight Topped against the
back on the kidneys and upper ridge
of the pelvis, thus unduly and too
quickly fatiguing the soldier Now ev-
erything is in a small, compact pack on
the back, with no straps across the
chest and nothing dangling about the
legs Even the bayonet, now sharp as
a razor, is carried on the back at the
side of the pack. Best of all, the fight
ing equipment has been wholly sepa-
rated from the comfort equipment, so
that the latter may be instantly un-
slung to be left behind under guard or
piled on the wagons, leaving the SOL
dier with nothing on his back except
what he needs in the impending bat
tie.
Scores of other recommendations are
now before boards of officers further
to make the soldiers better able to
fight. An ambulant kitchen-a range