Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-07-26
CHAPTER X.
1.-THE DAYS Work.

THE Days Work."
/ was fast learning that there is a
regular routine about the work Of the
trenches, although 1t is badly upset at
times by the Germans.
The real work in the fire trench
commences Mt shutdown. Tommy Is
like burglar, he works at night.
Jus: as 1t begins to get dark the
word stand to" Is passed from trav-
erse to traverse, and the men get busy.
The first relief. consisting Of two men
to traverse. mount the FIRE step. one
man looking over the top. while the
other sits at his feet. ready to carry
messages or to inform the platoon off,
Ger Of any report made by the sentry
as to his observations In No Mans
Land. The sentry Is not allowed to
relax his watch for a second. n he is
questioned from the trench or asked
his orders, he replies without turning
around or taking his eyes from the ex-
panse Of dirt In front of him. The re-
mainder Of the occupants Of his trav-
erse either sit on the fire step. with
bayonets fxed. ready for any emer-
gency. or II lucky. and a dugout hap
pens to be In the near vicinity Of the
traverse. and II the night Is quiet. they
are permitted to 20 to same and try.
ard snatch few winks Of sleep. Little
sleeping Is done; generally the men sit
around. smoking Tags and seeing who
can tell the biggest lie. Some Of them.
perhaps with their feet in water, would
write home sympathizing with the
governor" because he was laid I'D
with a cold. contracted by getting his
feet wet on his way to work In Wool
witch arsenal. II a man should manage
to dOze of. likely as not he would wake
with start as the clammy. cold feet
OF rat passed over his face, or the
next relief stepped on his stomach
while stumbling ON their way to relieve
the sentries in the trench.
Just try to sleep with belt full Of
around you. your rife bolt
biting into your ribs. intrenching tool
handle sticking into the small of your
back. with a tin hat for a pillow and
feeling very damp and cold, with
Coolies" boring for Oil In your arm
pits, the air foul from the stencil Of |
grimy human bodies and smoke from a
juicy pipe being whitfield into your nos
frils. then you will not wonder why
Tommy occasionally takes q turn in
the trench for q rest.
While In q frOnt-line trench orders
forbid Tommy from removing his
boots. puttees. clothing or equipment.
The 'cOoties" take advantage of this
order and mobilize their forces, and
Tommy swears vengeance on them and
nutters to himself. "Just wait until l
nit rest billets and am able to get my
,wn back"
Just before daylight the men turn
o" and tumble out Of the dugouts, man
he fire step until ii gets light, or the
Welcome order stand down" is given.
Sometimes before "stand down" is or
Tered, the command five rounds rap-
d" is passed along the trench. This
means that each man must rest his
life on the top and fire as rupidly as
'Ossible five shots aimed toward the
ierman trenches. and then duck with
he emphasis on the 'duck"). There Is
great rivalry between the opposing
Orces to get their rapid fire all off
rst. because the early bird. in this in
lance, catches the worm-sort of gets
he jump on the other fellow, catching
i'm unawares.