Trench and camp. [volume] (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, 1917-12-19
SOLDIERS CAMOUFLACE
WHEN THEY MARCH
General Clement Gives Inter
esting Details of Observations
While in France.

Before leaving Augusta Major General
Charles M. Clement, former commander
Of the Twenty eighth Division, gave some
vivid Impressions of his trip to France
when he, with number of other Amer
lean major generals, toured the western
front from the fighting in Belgium to the
extreme end Of the Franco British line.
General Clement was impressed with the
absolute care and precision of both the
British and French in the preparation for
and execution of attacks.
Every officer down to the leader of a
platoon knows exactly what he must do
at the zero hour. " said General Glenn
ent, land they are schooled so that they
can perform their work we'll even in abb
solute darkness. The geography of the
section upon which an attack is to be
made has been studied out so that there
viii be no possibility of a miscarriage of
plans. When the zero hour arrives word
is flashed either by telephone or wireless.
Telephone wires are laid five feet deep in
the ground. Some times the commanders
have reason to believe that German spies
in their own ranks have flashed a signal
to the enemy of the time of the attack and
in such cases the zero hour Is imme-
dlately changed. One instance is record
ed whore the zero hour was changed
from five to four O'Clock in the morning.
When the British attacked they found
many Germans asleep and those taken
prisoner declared that they were to have
been awakened at 4:30 o'clock, showing
that some spy inside the British lines had
tipped the Boches off to the exact hour
planned.
The development of aerial photography
is playing great part in the war and
splendid photos can be taken from an al
titude of G00G feet. When allied troops
are marching, their he.meSs are covered
with cloth OF a color which harmonizeS
with the red clay roads and the sur
rounding countryside. Only one company
goes i'll 81 body. No soldier is expected to
look even though he hears a half dozen
hostile flying machines, for the instant
that l,e does his white face contrasted
with the colors around him shows the en-
envy that men are on the march The de-
Neiopm@nt Of cam0uflage, those optical
illusions which makes one think he sees
something he does not see and causes him
to fail to see that which he ordinarily
would see, is wonderful
france is not through, not by any
means. Her people are confident that
though three women in four are in black.
confidence is strong in the outcome
or course, the French and the British
soldiers welcome the Americans with the
brother.
Il found the American troops billeted in
farm, IN villages, and others in the camps
prepared for their use somewhat similar
TO our National Guard camps. The elm
ate OF France is very bad and the men
need plenty of warm clothing, clothing in
addition TO THAI which the government
furnishes TO them. so [ repeat what I said
recently that the most essential articles
Tor soldiers are wooden socks and other
warm clothlng. The life of soldier in
the trenches in mid-Winter is not a picnic
on q June day, not by any means
The sending of American troops to
France will allow thousands of Frenchmen
between the ages of 45 and 50 to leave the
firing line and go home and till crops for
next year American help came Just at
the right time"
General Clement wac asked about the
winning of the war, whether If wouId he
won as Howard Coffin says. by some huge
fleet OF aeroplanes, that would destroy the
krupp works and demoIish the war in
dustry Of Germany whether it would be
won by infantry and artillery, or by a CO.
ordination of these. The general said that
ne would repeat what General Forrest
gets there fustest with the mostest men
OF course General Clement is confident
that the allies viii win, but it is evident |
that he thinks they have real job on
hand.-Augusta Herald