New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1914-12-26
"DIGGING IN" ON THE
FIRING LINE.

Lying Hat on the ground, al
ternately digging with his bay
onet blade and scooping out the
loosened earth with the top OF HIS
meat can, a soldier hastily makes
at his side a shallow trench that
extends from the head to the
knees, placing each little scoop
full, as he digs it, in pile at his
head. Every movement is made
with the utmost caution, for bui
lets are whistling past only a few
inches above his head and the
raising of any part Of his body
would mean almost certain death.
When this shallow trench is fin
ished the soldier cautiously rolls
into it. Under this sli!ht cover
he then begins to dig another and
deeper trench at his side, but on"
that is long enough this time to
take his entire body. If he lives
to complete the task, he has made
what is known rs a "lylng-dow -
trench. He las made i cove,
shells.
This is not an individual ill.,
stance but typical case. 1t is
one phase of the 'digging-in'
process that comprises one of the
biggest features of the biggest
war the world has ever known.
When column of soldiers has adj
vanced until it can advance NO
farther, and the men are ordered
to hold their exposed position,
"dig themselves in" in this fash
ion. Perhaps they are compelled
to remain where they are, for a
retreat over exposed ground is
often as dangerous as an ad-
vance. AS soon as night Comes.
intrenching tools are brought
forward, and the little trenches
made under fire are enlarged,
connected, and deepened until
they are continuous, and furnish
cover in which men. may stand
and move about safe from rifle
fire. but always in danger from
shell fire and shrapnel. In this
shelter that the soldier has dug
for himself he may remain for
weeks, or the trench may be
abandoned in few minutes or a
few hours of an advance or a re-
treat. In the face of modern
weapons, infantry troops, fighting
long in the open, simply get them
selves slaughtered, and the first
thing an army does after it's pre-
liminsry advance has been
stopped is to dig itself in.
. .
This war is therefore primarily
one of field intrenchments. Much
had been written before the war
about field intrenchments and
their Importance in modern war
fare. But battle line 300 miles
long, extending from the North
Sea through northern France into
Alsace. consisting Of practically
continuous lines of intrenchments
so securely held that neither side
could make any material advance
in weeks, is a thing so big that
it had apparently never been
dreamed of. Along this battle
field the country is cut up, not
by two parallel lines Of intrench-
ments alone. but by numerous
trenches. some Of which have
been occupied repeatedly by first
one army and then the other as
the fortune of battle wavered
along the battle line. There are
new and half-fnished trenches.
trenches with shrapnel-proof
shelters and with zig-zag exca-
waited approaches from the rear,
abandoned trenches and trenches
that have been wrecked by artil-
lery fire. So carefully are the
trenches and their occupants con-
cealed that the battle field would
have. much Of the time, the ap-
pearance Of a deserted country,
It it were not for the bursting
shells and shrapnel. Back Of the
firing line, on both sides Of the
great conflict. men have been
busy for weeks constructing
trenches for the army to fall back
on in case Of retreat. Since this
work Is not done under fire, these
trenches are carefully made on
selected ground. often motor
drawn p1ows being used to break
ground Tor them.
. &c
Since men not only fight in the
trenches. but must often eat AMI
sleep in them. the cave ahe1tere