The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-05-23
Three volunteers-Edw,rd Bouligny New Orleans), Charles
Sweeney (spokans) md Edward Lhnossier (WinnipeE.

stop and fee, ncne the worss for n At
the end.
Our life during the six daW In ne
rear Is OF a nature designed 70 counter
act tho Eject Of the six days Of enforced
inRct!on a. tho front. II means chiefly
work and held exercises. There IL al
ways one afternoon OF target practice
when. after many . period IN ths
trenches without seeing Q MARI. II 10 Q
pleasure 20 hsa tho Lebel speak and 20
get q iine on ones marksmsnship, In
a big abandoned SUGAR refinery some
eight or ten kilomrters down tho valley
some fine hot showers hsve beer ar
ranged for ali the troops in this section
and a march down here with soap and
towel comes on every visit 20 tho rear
and 10 greatly enjoyed by all.
village In Range of Fire.
Though these weekly returns 70 m.
rear are q relief after enc strain OF out
post work the element OF danger Is not
really any further removed. for tho VII
lage is we'll within the range OF artillery
Are. though hid by an intervening ridge.
and shells came whistiinR into Il oooa-
sionally. especially In r~eprisal for some
missdventure on tho airing line. Thus
the depot Of the regiment on our right.
who had wiped out a German post a few
days before. was bonfbarded the other
evening. and the pretty village whose
old Gothto church peeks over the green
ridge . mile east o. US was yelled for
half or hour in cloud Of black smoN
and tho dust OF tho explosions In tho
narrow streets. A ohanos shell that
came through tho roof Of the artillery
regimen. cantoned IN our village one
night cost moro lives than were lost
during their whole retreat from Bel
GUM
The third period-that IN the ressrw
trenches a milo back IN the forest from
the iron; llne-is the SIX days that are
looked forward 20 generally with least
pleasure. THIS IA because Il ts tho duty
Of the companies IN reserve to work en-
the defences and the labor 10 INFINITE.
Here We live IN earthen duEouts, like ail
the res. OF tho trenches. the bottom
covered with straw brought from c.
and the roof made % bags heaped over
with branches and dir
Though the week IN the second line Is
the period OF hardest work T. also brings
opportunities for the most excitement.
for the companies IN reserve are also
u ose Wilton furnish the nigh patrols OF
reconnaissance. Patrou!lle (patrol) |
How tho hear. beats 20 hoar the word
&c round in the afternoon and 10 learn
that one has been chosen TO take par.
IN Il. To escape from the eternal con
fnement OF the trenches. 20 stalk out
into the p~erilous zone between tho lines
and there where death may Turk In
every th,cket and uncertainty encom-
passes one close ne tho night. 70 oour
danger for several hours under a nne
S'arlit sky. this Is tho one breath OF
true romance that We get in the monot-
ouous routine OF trench warfare.
stimulation In Company.
have always thought tina IN a sense
this night patrol work was the most
eyact,ng on the nerves OF all soldiers
duties. In great actions where com
radcs fight elbow 60 elbow there are all
sorts Of external stimulants and sup
ports. Each man ia mis- neighbours prop,
there IL the spoken and the unspoken
encouragement and borne up on a wave
Of contagious enthusiasm. individuals
act no longer as such but in mass
ana every one In as brave al the bravest,
Besides one sees clearly. knows from
which direction the danger will come
and pretty much what to expect. and
usually has ample time 20 prepare him
self and muster up all his forces for
the shock.
TO the member OF the little
creeping out over n battlefield In cold
blood IN the dead OF night, all this IL
lacking, From every side the menace
points. behind every turn the ambush
may be hidden, lie has nothing TO
rely on but his own sanGfroid. Ad-
vancing over the ground strewn with
bodies he faces In every shadow the
possibility OF the sudden volley AZ point
blank that will lay him cold among
them. 1t IL Il kind Of adventure that
the true sportsman win appreciate.
We Went out, fifteen men, a few
nights ago to reconnoltre a new ditch
that mad appeared on the face Of the
hillside high up under the German lines.
The moon In its first quarter, highly
vrilcd by clouds. made the conditions
good, We left anuut . o'clock, Tarching
by twos down thu wood road TO c..
Once more the familiar passage through
It's barricaded streets, between Its