Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-10-12
FIRST MAINE HEAv|ES
Get Practical Training
from a French Officer
Brig. Gen. Sweetser
Sees the Demonstra-
ton

. n Flheld. STAFF correspondent, of the
Springfield Union, has the following IN
ierssting account under date of Oct. 10
of the instruction OF Maine artillerymen
camp Bartlett in going over the
top.
carr. ing his courses OF instruction Of
the officers at lamp Bartlett in the
French methods ~ trench lighting still
further today. Lieut.. Bose Of the French
army. ty combination Of practical field
lessons and blackboard lectures, showed
the w. amer In which an offensive is car
rcd out on the western front.
Ills concentrations were given before
Bris Gsn. r. Leroy Sweetser. command
ins tho Depot Brigade Of the 18th Di-
vision Who reached camp early this
morning and remained until tonight in
spccti1g mInuiely the quarters and
equipment Of the men. The general was
much pleased. both At the cleanliness Of
the site and with the quarters which the
men nave prepared He found a stove
IN ever tent an adequate supply of blan-
ke,s and nearly enough wooden clothing.
Omissions in equipment were noted. and
these will be rushed 10 Westfeld imme-
lacking are heavy underclothins and a
few Mirror articles.
Soldiers ~ the Firet Maine Heavy
Artillerv were were used by Lieut..
Bose IN M. demonstration this morn
ing They vent over the top from an
imaginary tent Then. in flexible,
open formation. they paced across No
Mans Land" az a crawl. with sup
posed harrsge TO protect them. The
objective vas the edge Of the woods
and n fanking operation was carried
out by the reinforcing wave OF troops
against the enemy center Of resistance.
Al each stage OF the attack, Lieut..
Bose pointed out the steps which he
illustrated to the officers in his lee
tur. TUESDAY afternoon.
The talk this afternoon was on meth
DDS ~ communication. FIRST from pla.
toon 20 company. then company to
battalion. and then to the larger units.
Artillery communication and action In
connection with infantry bodies was
also shown and the exactness by which
attacks are timed and carried out was
illustrated Special lines OF communi-
cation between the different branches
Of the service were explained and to
illustrate his points. Lieut.. Bose told
~ the struggle about Verdun. and
battles on the Somme and in Cham
payne and the Arsonne forest. He
told ~ cooperation between attacking
forces and airplanes. and explained the
systems NJ signals which have been
devolved In these wears Of war
Tho stan correspondents report con-
tinues
Tomorrow morning he will give add
tionsl practical illustrations to present
many ~ the ideas brought out this
afternoon. and will lecture tomorrow
afternoon again. officers of the First
Maine Heavy Artillery have invited
Lieut. Bose to accompany them on
their trip 10 Portland with the Maine
Heavy Artillery football team
The game will be PLAYED Saturday. but
the team will leave Friday afternoon at
soelock
Columbus day will be observed largely
~ \ holiday by the troops OF the Depot
Brigade There will he band concerts and
soodly numbers OF the men will be all
lowed leaves NJ absence More than 3G1
~ the Maine artilerymen will go with
the football team to Portland and return
~ special train so that the exodus over
sunday will he general Brig. Gen. Sweet
ser and Mai Cahill. his adjutant, will
toin the party AZ some point along the
way
More troops are expected soon on
Hampton rlains. hut the details Of their
coming uill not he divulged until they
have arrived.
camp Bartlett will have a visitor Of
note tomorrow. az col Balentine. camp
comma ndsnt. received word today from
Thomas Mott Osborne 81 Sing Sing pris-
On fame that he would arrive during the
do Warden Osborne is now working
for th- government on prison reform
methods in naval prisons. and is station
- al the rorthmouth ~. III ward. He
10 coming 20 Westfeld 70 visit his son.
ssrst Ma osborne. who enlisted recent
" IN the First Maine Heavy Artillery and
who IL ~ amp headquarters.