Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-07-31
ACTIVITY BEHIND
TRENCHES GIVES
us. MEN SURPRISE

BEHIND THE BRITISH LINES IN
FRANCE, July 30.-What makes an in
delible impression on the newcomer
to the battlefront is the tremendous
organization back of the actual fight
ing line, the miles of roadways dotted
with transport of war-food for men and
horses, shells for the guns, ammuni-
ton for rifles and machine-guns and
comforts for the wounded.
The final and most interesting link
in this vast organization is the opera
ton of getting the food right up to
tie men in the trenches. 1t usually
takes place under cover of darkness
when the enemy is unable to impede
its progress as efficiently as with the
aid of daylight. Night after night this
goes on. After one RECEIVERS from sur
prise at the quietness with which it is
done he is bound to marvel at the
clocklike precision with which it is
done-all of the operations being tes-
tilted to by the organization necessary
in war like this.
The first intimation that the trans
port is preparing to move out toward
the front line is gathering OF
horses shoes on the cobbles of a
French farm yard. Then voices call
out orders, water carts are filled.
horses are harnessed to the wagons
and a few minutes later the Will col
umn is standing ready, silent, the
transport men mounted, the quarter
master, transport officer and a ser
gcant on foot. In another instant a
whistle sounds, there is a cracking OF
whip, then another clatter on the cob
blestones and the rumble of heavily la
den wagons as the whole column
moves out toward the trenches.
A few miles thead the first star
shells shoot up and little sudden
pricks of flame come from the enemys
guns, then there is soft burst of shrap-
mel followed by the deep boom of the
heavy guns
The road is narrow but wide enough
for the limbers of other regiments
cookers, ambulances, army service
corps lorries laden with tools and
trench stores, orderless on bicycles
and wounded men to pass on their way
further back on the lines. But moi
word is heard as the two columns
pass each other along this road
AS the column going in" with this
rations moves up closer to the lines
the star shells and boom of the big
guns becomes more distinct. Sudden
ly the column halts shells have burst
in the road on either side of it lit
tie way ahead. When this ceases pro
badly for a few minutes the word is
given to move on again. The column
continues to crawl along until il
reached battered old building be
side the road and within a stones
throw of the support trenches. Here
are left the supplies brought up by
this column.
The next sight is a stream of mer
with picks and shoyels and ammuni
ton; a sergeant to see that the ra
tons for the different companies are
placed in different piles; post corpor
al hurrying hither and thither il
search of D Company's filters, which
have been mislaid; and the transports
officer and juartermaster supervising
and controlling everything always il
the most impenetrable darkness, save
when a star-shell lights up the white
faces, the sweating horses and tn,
roads
The transport gives the the word
and the empty wagons jolt out onto
the road again to join in the stream
that flows back towards billets ant
sleep.