The Dolores star., 1917-09-07
RUSHING SHELLS TO BATTLE
[ FRONT NO *SLACKER'S JOB
When Word Comes Men Behind
Lines Work With Desperate
Speed.
MAY MEAN 6EFEA1
Road Builders Who Follow Fighting
Ranks Taxed to the Utmost-Mo-
tor Lorries Play an important
Part In the Work.
BY r. W. WARD.

BY 2. W. WARD.
Qn the New York Tribune)
LOndon.-TO render an advance pos-
sible and to insure that everything
shall be kept up to date behind the line
Is no small order. There is no time for
sitting down and thinking things over.
II anything has to be done it has to be
done at once. few hours delay
might be very convenient to the organ
! izer. but such delay would probably
vitiate any plans he might make. That
Is why. when anything has to be done
In the matter Of repairs and rearrange-
ments behind the line 1t has to be done
at top speed. There are no hours" in
the army. II a job has to be rushed,
then everybody buckles to the task and
keeps on slogging until the job Is fin
ished. Tommy may grouse-he wouldn't
gets away with the job when he knows
1t is important.
Once job had to be done at a spot
where the Huns had been Smelling for
three solid days. 1t was just the re-
moval of stores, and all the spare r. A.
NJ. G. and A. s. C. men had been
pressed into the service on this pnr-
ticular occasion. 1t was carried through
ut night. naturally, and there were no
lights to be shown. The party would
have been blown out Of the earth II
there had been any indication of their
presence.
1t wasn't an easy job. In fact. 1t
was real hard work, the loading up Of
lorries, wagons, anything that could
be got in the way Of wheeled transport.
Nov. then, you chaps" said the OIL
Ger in charge, Il don't know who you
are or where you come from. But
we've got to get this job done in about
three hours. II we don't we shall be
shelled to b Mt daylight" There
was some cheerful growing, but the
job was done well under the time, and
dixie of tea at the finish put every
one in thoroughly good humor.
Motor Lorries Used.
This was only a small job. some
where in France" but 1t was typical
of an infinite number. As things are
now, there are plenty of stores and
material to do practically any job. but
Of necessity they are not as a rule on
the spot, where they are actually re-
quired. Rail heads and engineer
dumps cannot be carried forward on
the very heels Of the advance. That
can be easily understood. But when
something has to be done in a hurry,
these materials can be brought up by
| means of motor forries, with an A. s.
| G. driver at the wheel and an engineer
officer in charge.
Ammunition dumps, with their mil
lions of shells, have to be built so as
to be within easy reach of the trans
port. But other roads have to be
made, leading through the dump from
| the main route. This is necessary In
order that lOrry may be brought In
and loaded or unloaded from either
side. These roads are of the corduroy
variety. floor Of pit props being laid
and made secure, for the time being.
But when it does rain in France-well,
you know all about-it. 1t isn't long
before the logs begin to sag. as the
water gets into the ground beneath,
and the first thing you know is thae a
lorry dips down at an awkward angle,
one of the wheels disappears up to the
axle, and the logs splay out in all
| directions.
That's where the rush begins. A
strong pull and a long pull gets the
lorry out Of the way, up come the
loose logs, the ground beneath is made
up with brushwood Oh short lengths of
timber. well pegged down, the surface
Is relaid, and a couple Of hours later
things are going on well again.
Perhaps, though, there are not
enough pit props available. Round
rushes an officer, gets chit from the
Office Of the chief engineer of the army
/ corps operating there, hops on a lorry,
and away he pelts to the nearest rail
head or dump. The chit Is handed in
to the officer in charge there, the nee
! essary material Is issued and loaded,
back goes the lorry again, and the Job
Is done.
Perhaps road is under water.
Well, iron pipes are necessary to take
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