The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1917-07-23
CAMP Of TANKS
IS RARE SIGHT
MEN AROUND HUGE MACHINES
APPEAR AS PYGMIES ABOUT
LIVE MONSTER.
CLIMB STEEP SLOPES
The Giants OF Destruction GrOwl and
Grumble, But Grind Their Way Over
Rough Country Into Enemy Lines,
Regardless of distractions.

British Headquarters in France, July
1.-tBy MaiD.-Under the shelter of a
green ridge Of shell.pocked farm land.
about Is miles behind the front line
trenches, one may come upon the en-.
campment of the tanks, The parade
ground is like a distorted page from
Gulliver, as lilliputlan men play with
Brobdignagian toys.
A dozen of the monsters are lying
stretched out in the warm afternoon
sun being combed, oiled and secured by
their industrious attendants. who are
like meddling pygmies by the side OF
the great steel steeds.
Over at the edge of the parade ground
where the level grounds break up into
ridges and hillocks, two or three Of the
big iron horses are put through their
PAGES. Grunting and putting, creaking
and complaining, they move all along
not with the easy stride of the story
book giants, but with the cumbersome
gait OF a huge musclebound turtle.
Grind Over Rough Ground.
But nothing discompOses them in
their grumbling advance. They noun.
terrain five feet high with the same
clumsy complaining nonchalance that
they negotiate a mole hill, and tho
steady pace of their caterpillars is un-
changed whether climbing up a steep
slope or clamoring along the level.
The job Of a tankman is no sinecure.
The interior is not built for comfort.
1t is crowded with machinery and guns
and armor, and while in motion the
deck sways and bucks like that q a
little torpedo boat in a storm.
Nor is the roof high enough TO pre-
vent danger Of receiving a sound
humping If one is too tall. Men for
tanks are picked for small stature and
slender bulk. They must be tough as
nails, but occupy no unnecessary space.
A fat man would stick in the manhole.
which is the entrance and exit; tall
man would have to spend his time IN
a half erect position which would inter
fere not only with his own efficiency,
bpt with that Of everybody else on
board.
II you would spend a few minutes
on board a tank you must have your
steel tank with you and your gas mask
carefully encased in its waterproof bag
ready for emergency.
Legs First Through ManhOle.
Climbing through the manhole re-
qulres little knack OF its own. Legs
first is the approved technique, although
10 the novice there appear good grounds
for believing that the reverse process
might be Just as satisfactory. Legs
first. one is in danger Of placing a
foot or a leather-clad ankle against
the hot engine case with disastrous re-
suits. But with care, this can be avoid
ed. and a landing made just beside the
starboard gun.
Everything is spic and span, shining
with abundance OF oil, but no super.
fuous brass or nickel TO take awaY
the businesslike baroness and grim
ness Of gray black armor plate, which
obtrudes everywhere. AS in a battle
ship. the preferential position, from the
point Of view Of safety, is given TO the
engines They lie just above the floor
stretching in longitudinal position
through the center Of the craft. while
shafts and cranks run under a special
armor casing at the back Of the cams
which operate the caterpillars and biz
push wheel at the rear
The painting Of the tanks Is a great
pastime in tank encampment Modern
protective colorlng Of battlefield weap
ons offers a wide field for the develop
ment Of the cubist art, and the decorn
tive appearance OF a tank going into
battle suggests that some painter who
an his life had specialized in barber
poles had suddenly gone amuck with
paint brush and color pot.