New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-08-19
Rushing Up Shells
To Battle Front
No Slacker's Job
When Word Comes Men
Behind Lines Work With
Desperate Speed
Bv F. w. Ward

LONDON, Aug 17.-To render an ad-
vance possible and to insure that every
thing shall be kept up to date behind
the line is no small order. There is no
time for sitting down and thinking
things over. If anything has to be
done it has to be done at once. A few
hours delay might be very convenient
to the organizer, but such delay would
probably vitiate any plans he might
make. That is why, when anything has
to be done in the matter of repairs and
rearrangements behind the line it has
to be done at top speed. There are no
"hours" in the army. If a job has to
be rushed, then everybody buckles to
the task and keeps on slogging until
the job is finished. Tommy may grouse
he wouldn't be much good if he didn't
but he gets away with the job when
he knows 10 is important.
Once a job had to be done at spot
where the Huns mad been shelling for
three solid days. 1t was just the re-
moval of stores, and all the spare
r. A. NJ. c. and A. s. c. men had been
pressed into the service on this par
ticular occasion. II was carried through
at night, naturally, and there were no
lights to be shown. The party would
have been blown out of the earth If
there had been any indication Of their
presence
1t wasn't an easy job. In fact, 1t
was real hard work. the loading up 81
lorries. wagons, anything that could
be got in the way Of wheeled transport.
Now. then. you chaps" said the officer
in charge. ~ don't know who you sre
'or where YOU come from. But we've
cot to get this job done in about three
hours. N we don't we shall be shelled
to hell at daylight" There was some
cheerful growing, but the job was
done we'll under the time, and dixie
of tea at the finish put every one IN
thoroughly good humor.
Motor Lorries Used
This was only small job, some.
where in France but it was typical
Of an infinite number. As things are
now. there are plenty Of stores and
material 10 do practically any job, but
of necessity they are not "a a rule on
the spot. where they are actually re-
quirpd Rail heads and engineer
dpmps cannot be carried forward on
the very heels Of the advance. That
can be easily understood. But when
something has 70 be done in hurry,
those materials can be brought up by
means Of motor lorries, with an A. ;. {.
driver at the wheel and an engineer
officer in charge.
Ammunition dumps, with their mill
ions of shells, have to be built so rs
20 be within easy reach Of the trans
port. But other roads have 20 be
made, leading through the dump from
the main route. This is necessary IN
order that "a lorry may be brought IN
and loaded or unloaded from either
side These roads are Of the corduroy
variety, a floor Of PIT props being laid
and made secure, for the time beng.
But when IL docs rain in France-weil,
Won know all shout it, II isn't long
before the logs begin 10 sag, as the
water gets into the ground beneath,
and the first thing you know is that
Iorry dips down at an awkward angle,
one OF the wheels disappears up TO the
nxIe, and the logs splsy out IN all
directions.
That's where the rush begins A
strong pull and a long pull gets the
Iorry out OF the way, up come the
loose logs, the ground beneath is
made up with brushwood or short
Lengths Of timber, wei pegged down,
the surface is relaid, and couple of
hours batter things are going on well
again.
enough pit props available. Round
PUSHES an officer. gets chit from
the office Of the chief engineer Of the
army corps operating there, hops on
lorry, and away he pelts to the
nearest rail head or dump. The chit
is handed In to tAs sfasA1 N charge