Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1915-08-08
ALLIED TROOPS At FRONT
TRAINED IN USE OF BOMB
Chosen Soldiers From Trenches Are
Taught How to Handle Anar-
chist's Weapon.
RESPECTABLE AS RIFLE, NOW
Visit to School on French Farm,
Where Instructors Take Charges
in Hand and Fit Them as Special
lists In This Form OF Warfare.


BRITISH HEADQUARTERS FRANCE.
July co.-It was at n bombing school
on French farm where chosen SOL
diers brought back from the trenches
were heinr trained in the use Of the
anarchists weapon, which has now be-
come as respectable as the rinc Spc
c.alisin develops as the war goes OH.
There arc no NJ. r. degrees for master
bonlbers yet. but that may come any
day
Present was the chief instructor, a
young Scotch subaltern with blue eyes.
pleasant smile and a cock of-the-
north spirit. He might have been
twenty years old. though he did not
and white ribbon OF the new Order of
the Military Cross. which YOU get for
doing something III this war which
would have won YOU Victoria Cross
il, one Of the little wars
Also present was the assistant in
structor, n sergeant of rcgulars-and
very much Of n regular-who had three
ribbons which he had won in previous
campaigns. He. TOO. had blue eyes,
bland blue eyes. These two understood
each other
IF you don't drop It, why. it's all
right said the sergeant. "Of course.
II you do
We did not drop It.
And when you throw 1t. sir. you
must look out and not hit the man be-
hand That has happened before now
10 an absent-minded fellow when YOU
throw bombs"
They say that YOU sometimes pick
up the German bombs and chuck them
back before they explode" 1t was sug-
Eested.
Yes, sir. I've read things like that
in some of the accounts of the reporters
who write from Somewhere in France.
You don't happen to know where that
is, sir? All can say is that If you
are going to do it. YOU must he quick
about 1t. l shouldn't advise delaying
your decision. sir, perhaps when you
reach down TO pick it up neither your
hand nor the bomb would be there
They'd have gone off together, sir"
Have you ever been hurt in your
handling OF bombs?" one asked tSur-
prise in the bland, blue eyes)
"Oh. no. sir! Bombs are we'll beha we'd
II you treat them right. It's all in
being thoughtful and considerate of
them"
Meanwhile he jerking at some
kind OF n patent fuse set in shell
OF high explosive.
This is a poor kind. sir It's been
discarded, but thought that you might
like TO see II. Never did like It! AL
ways making trouble"
More distance between the audience
and the performer.
Now I've got it. sir-get down. sir"
DISCARD Is THROWN
BEHIND ANOTHER WALL
The audience carried out instructions
10 the letter army regulations re-
qui-e. We got behind the protection of
one OF the practice trench traverses.
He threw the discard beyond another
wall OF earth. There was a sharp re-
port, a burst OF smoke and some frag-
ments OF earth were tossed into the
air.
In small AFFAIR of 200 yards of
trench the ?!her day. II was estimated
that the Briilsh and Germans together
threw about 5000 bombs in this fashion.
IT was enough 10 sadden any Minister
OF Mutations. However, the British
@'''
DO the men like TO become bomb
ersH' one asked the subnltern
Il should say so. II puts them up in
front II gives them a chance TO throw
something-and they don't yet much
cricket IN France, YOU see We had a
Pupil here last week who broke the
throwing record for distance He was
pleased as Punch with himself. a
hrs,-class bombing detachment has a
lot of pride of corus."
IT, h
verb w,,h ~. n j."
w. ho,,had ~, .. ~ gay ON
no, ., ,-o,cb ,oLa,
,rerob &c ar, and ,,,,,. ,,.,,n i"
- 80 $500 ''N'tN WIN Saiii y