Mexico weekly ledger., 1917-07-26

FORT RILEY, Kansas, July %. -
4 few lessons in the expert handling
Of 3 pick and a spade could be picked
Up here by any mar who makes his
living with those tools.
You might not believe that doctors,
lawyers, clerks and merchants could
be experts in that line, but they are.
Students in the Officers Reserve
training camp here first were givea
theoretical lectures on handling the
implements and then set TO work.
Now they make the dirt fly. They
are told they are digging trenches
while bullets are whizzing about their
ears, and there is nothing TO make
men work like a raee with death.
The first line trench, called the
skirmishers' trench, must be dug by
the soldiers lying flat on the ground.
One or two men out Of every four
works his intrenehing spade while the
others keep on firing. Each man must
burrow in the ground and throw the
dirt up in front of him for a para
pet TO protect his head and shoulders
and give him cover from which to fire.
The first line trench is shallow and
wide, 50 the men can lie prone on the
ground while shooting.
For a Rest They Dig Deeper
The second trench, known as the
kneeling trench, is deep enough for
the soldiers to kneel while shooting.
1t is built by deepening the first
trench where the men are lying down.
Every time the rifles stop for a little
rest, the spades and picks that the
soldiers carry on their backs are
brought into play to dig the trench a
little deeper.
Trenches in the next line are for
soldiers to fire from in a standing po-
sition. The parapet is usually about
six inches from the edge Of the trench
so that the soldiers can rest elbows on
the top while shooting, the parapet
protecting their head and shoulders.
The skirmishers' trench is started
wide enough so that a little digging
it can be mad. into a trench for kneel-
ing. A little more time and it is
down far enough so the soldiers can
stand up. Then it is lowered again
on the far side, so the soldiers shooting
can stand on a ledge, and those pass
ing by will not interfere with them.
A Guard Against Shell Splinters
On the back of the trenches, CORE
spending to a parapet, is a parados.
This is built just like a parapet. 1t
is used to prevent shell splinters from
coming into trench, and should the
enemy go over a trench, the parados
can be used to shoot over.
Every few yards in a trench a
traverse is built. This consists of a
block of earth left in the line of trench
es, and trenches constructed around
it. Each section of trench between
the t%raverses affords room for four to
eight men. The heavy t~raverses are
built to afford the men protection from
oblique and flank fire. If there should
be no traverses, a machine gun on a
flank could sweep the entire trench.
The longer the soldiers remain in
the trenches the more comfortable
they can be made. In loose or sandy
soil revetments are put up to keep the
ground from caving I'M. Should a
soldier remain in a trench for a week
he would have it fixed up like a
home"
Shelter Houses in the Trenches
A shelter house is built that usually
accommodates four men, and some
times eight. They are made bomb
proof and the soldiers sleep there Just
as securely as at home. Shelters are
also built for dressing stations, where
first aid is given the wounded.
Each line of trenches is connected
by a zig-zag communicating trench,
or a straight trench with t~raverses ev-
cry few yards.
Each student here has to learn not
only how to dig trenches, but how to
lay them out and to teach others how
to do the same thing.