The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-11-10
IN THE TRENCHES
The 314th Engineers Hard at
Ground Work.
Many Yards Are Constructed
by the Men.
SIMULATE REAL CONDITIONS
Reverted Basket Work, GabiOns,
Hurdles and FascineS.
Sod and Added CamOuflage
Make Trenches Invisible.
SIMULATE REAL CONDITIONS
BY J. G. DAGGY.

Construction of the system of
trenches on Carpenter hill, west of
camp, to be used for tactical purposes
by battalions and regiments of the en-
tire division turnout the winter and
spring, was begun last week by units
of the 314th engineers regiment under
the personal direction of Col. w. B.
Ladue. After stalking out the firing
trenches, occupying frontage of 500
yards, and practically completing the
digging of the southern firing
trenches, the engineers were Joined by
detachments of infantry and artillery
regiments from the main camp which
worried in all-day shifts, bringing their
dinners with them. Although the
engineers, will continue to busy them
selves with special work in connection
with the construction of the system,
the majority of the digging will be
done done by reliefs from other de-
partments.
The completed system will consist Of
four rows of trenches, one behind the
other, with a frontage of nearly half
mile The system faces east, and the
first, or firing trench, is just below
the crest of Carpenter hill, toward the
east. The second series, or cover
trenches, are located about a hundred
wards to the rear of the first-llne
| trenches, and lie slightly to the west Of
! the hill crest. Details for the other
two rows of trenches. the supporting
| trenches and the reserve trenches,
have not been completed, but are
being worked out by Colonel Lauoe
and Lieutenant Steiner
The entire system, when completed,
| will be as complete in every detail as
| it is possible to make it. Every effort
/ will be made to simulate actual con-
| ditions along the battle lines across
| the water. Exercises and battle PROB
! lens will be undertaken in which the
! trenches will be occupied for perhaps
/ several days at a time, thus giving the
men actual experience in living in the
| trenches. Dugouts, bomb-proofs,
latrines, listening posts, kitchens, ma
chine-gun emplacements-ever Tea
| ture of actual trench warfare WIZ De
! built The. trenches will be thorely
reverted with "basket-work," gabions,
hurdles, fascines and sandbags. Re
| placed sod, covering the parapets, and
! added camouflage will make the sys-
| tenn practically invisible to aircraft
! from any considerable height
| Six companies of infantry and ar
tfllery, besides the engineers, work
| each day on the system. The engineers
/ being slightly less than two miles
| from the site, return each noon for
their dinners at the front" Each
morning about o'clock, long col
umns of soldiers from the main camp
can be seen vending their way over
the hills to the scene of their daily
task, followed by supply wagons car
rying picks, shovels, axes, sledges and
| wire. Stakes to which wires are
fastened that are later to hold the
revetment pieces in place, are driven
in front of each firing trench and
traverse. The wires and stakes are
covered by the dirt forming the para
pet when the trench is completed.
Each company is customarily di-
vided into three shifts, two of which
work while the other is off duty. The
men work for half hour periods. with
! ffteen-minute play periods interven-
/ ing. The ground was sounded before
the trenches were started in order to
avoid encountering bed rock. How
ever the men find the clay to be hard
and tough and many stiff backs re-
suited from the "dough-boys =" first
trench work last Monday. The engf-
neers, hardened thru the construc.
ton of a practice system built nearer
camp, chuckled to themselves at the
dough boys discontinue.
No definite time can be set for thu
completion of the work. The prog
ress made is dependent largely upoI
working conditions, which may be Sc
riously impaired at any time by in
clems nt weather. Thus far, the worl
has fairly hummed along, the cleai
fall days instilling energy and enthu
siasm into the officers and men.