The sun., 1917-08-25
OUR BOYS TRY
TRENCH TACTICS
With Grenades and Bayonets
They Clear Practice Lines
in France.


WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN FRANCE,
Aug. e4.-The American troops in the
field had some modern trench warfare
to-day. Out on the training grounds this
afternoon they practised with hand
grenades and were shown how to use the
automatic rifles and machine guns. A
picked squad Of Americans. trained in
cleaning out trenches, demonstrated how
at some day not very remote our boys
will secure the positions they capture
from the Germans
1t was a workmaniike lot who in
khaki colored steel helmets descended
into the trench and at a signal from
their officer began to mop up hypo-
thetical enemy. working down the trench
from traverse to traverse. First two
men with bayonets fixed crouched at the
corner OF the traverse. At a signal the
bombers behind them hurled their blue
bombs. which remind one strongly Of
Christmas tree ornaments.
BayOnet Men Rush On.
AS the wicked trail Of blue smoke
curves through the air all crouch. await
enemy" Is lurking.
The instant the crash Of the bombs Ia
heard the men with the bayonet dash
around the corner OF the traverse
through the smoke. followed by the
bombers, who c-ive the Germans out
into the next traverse. Each explosion
threw out not only fragments of the
bombs but also stones and clods of
earth. which whistled sometimes over
the heads Of the stan officers and the
correspondents who were following the
Representative Mediii Mccormick was
with the correspondents. He. with the
others. was shown how q dugout II
cleared, the husky American bombers
entering into the spirit Of the game and
rushing In with shouts Of "hsraus :"
(Out Of ny to the Hypothetical Ger
mans hiding within. Then. when the
"Gernians'' failed to come out. bombs
were hurled in while the bayonet men
any action. Mr.. Mccormick was greatly
interested. and declared other members
of Congress should come and see the
work being done to At our boys for the
task ahead Of them.
Perhaps the most difficult. as It GER
tainly Is the most important. Of the
tasks confronting the officers in the
American camp is to teach the men how
to take cover and dig themselves IN
quickly. Like the French and Cana
dians. our boys do not take readily TO
trench digging. I'VE came here to
hght." they say. mot to dig bitches and
hide in them" They are ready and
eager to make a dash into the enemy's
trenches at any time. but they cannot
see anything attractive in trenches Of
their own.
Must Learn hy Experience.
Yet the ability to dig in quickly Ia
the explanation Of many Of the successes
of the Germans up to this time. The
French were slow to realise the vital
necessity Of this kind Of cover and un.
til they did learn It their losses we're
enormous. They have had their lesson
and are doing their best to impart II to
the boys in khaki, but II Is feared our
troops will not fully grasp 1t until they
have had some bitter lessons from ex-
perience.
II is against the American spirit to
remain in a trench and watch the enemy
through a periscope, but they will have
TO do 1t, and do It instinctively. unless
methods OF warfare change radically
before they 20 on the firing line.
The hrst mishap at the American
camp occurred at midnight. when nre
destroyed the mule shed at one Of the
depots, resulting In the death of seven
mules. The cause Of the blaze Is not
known, but a board OF inquiry is sitting
10 investigate II. 1t is the general belief
that the fire was An accident.
During the hre there WAS much con-
fusion in camp, and this was Increased
BY the squeals Of the frightened animals
and the excitement Of the people from
the countryside who hocked to the scene.
The Americans rallied promptly to at
tack the flames and only one mule was
actually burned the others were injured
and had to be shot
The blaze had to be fought after the
fashion of our grandfathers. The archaic
French hrs engine was like vat. into
which water was poured by a bucket
brigade and pumped out by hand. The
Americans made good vamps. although
lamentins that none Of the American nrs
engines that had been brought over were
near enough TO be used.