Oxford eagle., 1918-04-04
"Over the Top"
by An Anerican Sel1l9
Whs Went
ARTHUR GUY EHPEY
Msehfss Gunner SsrpTas in France

Msekfns Gunner SsrpIas In France

az8SS0 hohA Nnths aAa Ax&&&A ~ WV
relieved BY the - brigade.
Going down the communication
trench we were in q merry mood. al
though We were cold and vet. and
every bone In our bodies ached II
makes q lot Of difference whsthsr you
are -going In" or going out
AZ the end Of the communicates
trench. nmbers were waiting on the
road for N. ! thought We were going
b ride back to rest billets, but soon
found out that the only dine IN In
fAnfryman rides is when he =
.Nounded and Is bound for the hess OK
Bhghfy. These flmben carFso1 eur
reserve ammunition and rasionA Our
march TO rest billets was thoroughly
enjoysd by me. II seemed ~ II I
were on furiough. and was leaving b.
hind everything that was disagree
able and horrible. Every recruit feels
this way after being relieved from the
trenches.
! We marched eight hlos and then
halted In front Of a French estaminst-
The captain gave the order to turn
out On each side Of the road and wait
his return Pretty soon hs came hack
and told B company TO occuW h6Ilsts
III. lis and lie. Billet III vas IN
old stable which had previously ben
occupied by cows About -four fest In
front Of the entrance was q huge M
nure pile. and the odor from II was
anything but pleasant Using my
hashlight stumbled through ths door.
Just before entering I observed Q
white sign reading: sitting 50. lying
%" but. at the time. its signincancs
did not strike me. Next morning I
asked the sergeant major what it
meant He nonchalanfly answered:
That's some Of the work Of the r
A n O. (Royel Army Medical corps).
IL simply means that In case Of IN At
tack. this billet will accommedAto
ffU wounded who are able to stt -
and take notice. or twenty sers6EA1R
cases"
II was not long after this that I vAs
enc Of the 10 lying"
soon hit the hay and Vas fnst
asleep. even my friends the -coo1A-
failed 90 disturb me-
The next morning at about N
O'clock I was awakened BY the lance
corporal Of our section. informing me
that ! had been detailed a. mess or
derry. and 20 report To the cook and
give him a hand. helped him make
the IRE. carry water from an old well.
and fry the bacon. LIDS Of dixies are
used TO cook the bacon In After
breakfast was cooked. carried q dixie
Of hot tea and the Id fun Of bacon to
our section. and told the corporal that
breakfast was ready. He looked at me
In contempt. and thsn shouted. -Brsah-
fast MP. come and get III" ] tmmsdi-
ately got wise 10 the trench pariancs,
and never again informed that ..Brsak-
fast was served"
II didn't take long for the Tsmmiss
b answer this cali Half drsassd
they lined up with their canteens su1
] diahed out the tea Each Tommy
carried In his hand q thick slice OF
bread which had been issued with the
rations the night before. Theu I haA
the pleasure Of seeing them d1g into
the bacon with their dirty nneera. Tns
allowance was one slice per man TAs
late ones received very snail silcea
A. each Tommy got his share hs In
mediateiy disappeared into the bifist
Pretty soon about fifteen Of them made
. rush 30 the cookhouse. each Carrying
= huge slice Of bread. Theas dice
they dipped into the bacon grease
which was stewtng over the frA Tns
last man invariably Lost out vas
the last man
J Amer breakfast our section e,r.1ed
their equipment into q f,eld adjoining
the billet and got busy removing the
trench mud therefrom. became a 3 .1B
u m. they had 10 fall In for INSPECTION
and parade. and woe bstide the man
who was unshaveu. o. had mud On his
uniform Cleanliness n nsxf % sodl,-
aess IN the British army. and ol6 PU-
Per must have been personaIiy e
aua1nted With ST.. Peter.
Our arm connsted Of closs-ordr
formation. which lasted urril noon.
During this time we had two ten-uin-
ute breaks for rest. and no sooner TIE
word. Fall out for ten minutsA- was
given than each Tommy got out q fas
and lighted IT.
Fags are issued every Sunday mnrn-
inG and you generally ret bsewsen
twenty and forty. The brand ssn-
orally Issued is the ''woodbine" some
ftmes We are lucky and get Gold
dakss%" -Players" or Red Husuars-
Occasionally an issue OF Life Rays-
comes along Then the older Tommiss
Immediately get busy on the recruits
and trade these for -woodblnes- Or
~0oldnakes-- A recruit only has to
Be stuck once In this manner, ana a.
- csasss to Be q recruit. TAsrs = Z
reason Tommy is q grsat ciarstts
smoker. He smokes under an coud,-
lions. except when unconscious or
when he Is reconnoitering In No Mans
Land at night. Then. for obvious rea.
so4-~. ~ does l,-f csa4e 10 a..
sd ciss-F.ffs IN his IacETh.
.S't.iviscF hs-.t.s carGy fazs r
Nounsicd 1"aMies. whrn s.r.r.a...
bearer arrives aisaS>idc Of a Ton.:s,