Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1918-03-28

what he did this Tor, ana ne Woult
explain that when the bomb exploded
these bits would fly about and kill ol
J wound any German hit by same; the
questloner would Immediately pull q
button of his tunlc and hand It "a
the bomb maker with, "Well, blame
me, send this over as a souvenir" OF
another Tommy would volunteer an
old rusty and broken jackknife both
would be accepted and inserted.
Then the professor would take an
other handful of mud and ill the tin,
after which he would punch hole In
the lid Of the tin and put II over the
top Of the bomb, the fuse sticking out.
Then perhaps he would tightly wrap
wire around the outside OF the tin. and
the bomb was ready TO send over to
Fritz with Tommy's compliments.
A piece OF wood about four inches
wide had been issued. This was to be
strapped on the left forearm by means
Of two leather straps and was like the
side of a match box; II was called
STRIKER" There was a tip like the
head of n match on the fuse Of the
bomb. To ignite the fuse, you had to
rub II on the STRIKER" just the same
as striking a match. The fuse was
timed to five seconds or longer. Some
OF the fuses Issued In those days would
burn down In a second or two, while
others would "sizz" for a week before
exploding. Back I'm Bllghty the muni-
ton workers weren't quite up to snuff,
the way they are now. If the fuse took
notion to burn too quickly they gen.
orally buried the bomb maker next
day. So making bombs could not be
called "cushy' or safe job.
After making several bombs the pro-
fessor instructs the platoon In throw
ing them. He takes a liam tin" from
the fire step. trembling a little, be-
cause 1t is nervous work, especially
when new at 1t, lights the fuse on his
striker. The fuse begins to "sizz" and
sputter and a spiral of smoke, like
that from smoldering flag, rises from
1t. The platoon splits In two and
ducks around the traverse nearest to
them. They don't like the looks and
sound Of the burning fuse. When that
fuse begins to smoke and "sizz" you
want to say good-by to 1t as soon as
possible, so Tommy with all his might |
chucks 1t over the top and crouches /
against the parapet, waiting for the
explosion.
nto nP tlx,ao In hornhIrU tho ufoY1 |
tin" would be picked up by the Ger
mans, before 1t exploded, and thrown |
back at Tommy with dire results.
After a lot of men went West in this
manner an order was issued reading
something like this:
"To all ranks In the British army:
After igniting the fuse and before
throwing the jam-tin bomb, count
slowly one two three |"
This in order to give the fuse time
enough to burn down, so that the bomb
would explode before the Germans
could throw 1t back.
Tommy read the order-he reads
them all, but after he lgnited the fuse
and 1t began to smoke-orders were
and away she went in record
time and back she came to the further
discomfort of the thrower.
Then another order was issued to
count, tone hundred two hundred !
three hundred !" But Tommy didn't
care If the order read to count up to
a thousand by quarters, he was going
to get rid of that "jam tln," because
from experience he had learned not
TO trust 1t.
When the powers that be realized
that they could not change Tommy
hey decided to change the type Of
bomb and did substituting the {
hair BRUSH" the Cricket ball." and I
alter the Mills bomb. {
The standard bomb used In the Brit 7
sh army is the mills" 1t is about the ,
shape and size of large lemon. Al .
.hough not actually lemon, Fritz in
'ists that 1t is; perhaps he judges it
~ the havoc caused by its explosion. |
The Mills bomb Is made of steel, the |
outside of which is corrugated into 48 /
mall squares, which, upon the explo- '
lion of the bomb, scatter in a wide '
lrea, wounding or killing any Fritz
Who is unfortunate enough to be hit
" one of the flying fragments.
Although very destructive and eff
icient bomb the mills" has the con- I
idence Of the thrower, in that he 9
Knows 1t will not explode until re- \
eased from his grip. b
1t is a mechanical device, with a n
ever, fitted into a slot at the top, !
which extends half way around the ;,
and is held In place at
he bottom by fixing pin. In this pin
here is small metal ring, for the
purpose of extracting the pin when
'eady to throw.
You do not throw a bomb the way a
baseball Is thrown, because, when In {
/ narrow trench, your hand is liable
o strike against the parados, traverse
,r parapet, and then down goes the
'omb, and, in a couple Of seconds or
20, up goes Tommy. s.
In throwing, the bomb and lever are h
yrasped IN the right hand, the left foot il
c advanced Lpaa ctfff about o,,o o~d n