The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1917-08-04
BEHIND THE LINES.
ORGANIZATION
REQUIRED TO MAINTAIN AN
ARMY.
The Zen Behind the Battle Front i'm
the Supply and Transportation De.
partmcnts Fully as Important as
Those Who do The Fighting.

ynOSC WHO 40 Inc Fighting.
Behind the British Lines in France,
July Correspondence - What
makes an indellible impression on the
newcomer to the battlefront is the
tremendous organization back of the
actual fighting line, the miles of
roadways dotted with transport Of
war food for men and horses, shells
for the guns. ammunition for rifles
and machine guns and comforts for
the wounded.
The final and m ost interesting link
in this vast organization is the opera
ton Of getting the food right up to the
men in the trenches. 1t usually takes
place under cover of darkness when
the enemy is unable to impede it's
progress as efficiently as with the aid
Of daylight. Night after night this
goes on. After one RECEIVERS from
surprise at the quietness with which
1t is done he is bound to marvel at
the clock-like precision of the whole
operation-all Of which testifies to the
efficient organization necessary in a
war like this.
The first intimation that the trans
port is preparing to move out toward
the front line is a Gathering of
horses shoes on the cobbles of q
French farmyard. Then voices call
out orders, watercarts are filled;
horses are harnesscd to the wagons
and q few minutes later the whole
column is standing ready, silent, the
transport men mounted, the quarter
master, transport officer and a SER
geant on foot. In another instant q
whistle sounds. there is a cracking of
whip. then another clatter on the
;obblcstones and the rumble of heav-
lily laden wagons as the whole column
moves out toward the trenches.
A few miles ahead the first star
shells shoot up and little sudden
pricks Of flame come from the enemy
guns. then there is soft burst of
shrapnel 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. orderlies on bicycles
and wounded men to pass on their
way further back of the lines. But
not word is heard as the two COL
ums pass each other along this road.
AS the column "going i'm with the
rations moves up closer to the lines
the star shells and boom of the big
guns becomes more distinct. Sudden
y the column halts-shells have burst
In the road or on either side of it a
little way ahead. When this ceases
probably for only few minutes the
word is given to move on again. The
column continues to crawl along until
1t reaches 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 men
with picks and shovels and ammuni-
milton; sergeant to see that the ra-
tions for the different companies are
placed in different piles; a post-cor-
poral hurrying hither and thither in
seacr Of D company's letters. which
have been mislaid; and the transport
officer and quartermaster supervising
and controlling everything-always in
the most impenetrable darkness, save
when a star-shell lights up the white
faces. the sweating horse and the
roads.
The transport officer gives the word,
and the empty wagons jolt out onto
the road again to join in the stream
that flows back towards billets and
sleep.