Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-11-10
.v|RG|N|AKs PROFICIENT
IN GRENADE THROWING
Ahesd Of All Others at Camp Lee
In Placing Missiles In OPP e
posing Trenches.
MAIL FACILITIES lNADEQuATE
Appeals Made to Cofsressmen to Re.
iieve C0ngesteti Condition OF Camp
Post-Ofiice - War and Post.Officc
Departments Promise No Aid.
fBy a stan correspondents

fBy STAFF Correspondent.l.
CAMP LEE. VA. November s-The
Hichmoitders and other members Of
Company o, Of the Three Hundred and
Eighteenth Regiment. arc distinguish
ing themselves In their training in
grenade throwing AND sighting drills.
THIS morning Captain John Crum, COM
ihhndne the company. had his mon out
III the trenches throwing the bombs.
This being the third day in which this
instruction has been under way, and
the troops would have scored big
Victory had the scene been on the
other side of the ocean and Germans
had been in the trenches which the
men pounded with the bombs.
IT was nothing short OF remarkable.
the showing made BY the men after
their short period OF training Cap
tain Crum finds them unusually apt,
and IL does not take them long to fail
into the way of doing things up 10
scratch. When comparing the prellm-
mary training OF the British army with
the National Army of the United gtates
captain Cruin finds the latter the much
superior and he IL expecting big
th'hss OF his company when II gets on
'hs other side and goes up against tho
shemF. Captain Crum liz well prepared
10 Judge the men here ana compare
them with the other allied armies. esue.
ciHiiy the British. because he fought
three years with them before he en-
tered Fort Myer and received 81 com.
mission as captain
Fart Of the trenches which arc bcjnv
ouE under the direction of Major
Charics Sweeney are being used Nv
TIE men Of Company T. for their xro
hhde throwing. Ono of tho trayerses
ha3 been dug to the depth or six foo,
ana u is' from this that the men place
we bombs In the opposing trench, some
twenty yards distant, which represen,a
the nrst lihe or the enemy. The on
position trench Is entirely hidden fron,
view or the troops. and to throw Tho
grenade with sufficient strength behina
u ana with the proper elevation IN
assure the missile dropping sttoicbt
INTO the trench in the exact time OF
HNe seconds when Il would cNulode. ,s
quite feat. The Rronades used by tho
men mere are merely concrete iniia.
tions OF the same size and weigh, ,a
the actual weapon.
THROWING GRENADE
SPORT FOR MT3N
Sothetines the men would place the
grenade several feet OH one side or Tho
other or the trench which wnuJd hrt,,n
from Captain Crum remarks suoh a.,
oet little more pep behind th,,",
"hen the bomb would fail shor, NJ ~.
trench. IF there was a German tha,s
you wouldn't have chance for yo.r
NE. There Is no better sport for III.
men man grenade throwing. and .be,r
progress is largely due to the fact Tim,
we WORK ID OF such great interest.
10 hiace the bombs successfully. The
hhe'nod used Is much that employed In
S"ot Put. The grenade is grasnad
the right hand. ana with arm e,
eo 10 the rear. full length, IL IA
NJ forward over the head. One
~ ~ ''t" was caught to-day throw.
ing the bomb similar to q basebnli
Az. ~ Sdp'ai" Crhm told him to leave
the trench and practice throwing nm
tho surface. Before the man hso.n
using the trenches they were placed
behind bushes In order ina, ,bev cola
not see where they were ,browinr
ana In this way they were able TO learn
to judge distances well.
John l.. Jennings, of Rjchmo,d {.
one or the men who did good work tn
uAy IN the trenches. Tho younr soiJier
WIS apie 10 put i've out OF six on tho
enemy. II. RI. Wright. OF Bedford. also
scored MT AFTER hit. and is one of tho
pest shots I'm the company. Tho ma.
Jority OF the men showed up unusualI,
well
III This work, Company is far ahead
OIL other commands in the regiment
and, In fact, OF all the Infantry reri'
mehts In tho camp. as none Of than
nave progressed to this extent I'm their
instruction. many OF them Just Begin
n'ns TO get field practice in grenade
throwing. This afternoon the compsny
was engaged In sighting drill with tho
ne" Ehheld rifles which have just been
ISSUED. Tripods were riseed I'm. on
which the rifles were placed. and IN.
men sighted bull's-eyes on the side
OF the company barracks. Sighting
drills are most important preliminary
training for the men, as il eduips them
Tor actual rifle practice. which they
VIII take up now In short time.
While off duty and at night, when
thoughts OF drill and soldier life ara
put aside, the men Of Company are
entertained by Private j. K. Ancarrow
or Richmond. who pulls Oft vaudeville
stunts and somo oratorx. which keeps
the men shaking with laughter There
is plenty of life and spirit in tho ae
fregation Seraennt FLOYD, also Of
Richmond. has recently completed the