New Britain herald., 1918-03-11
WARTIME LEXICON
IN THE TRENCHES
Words aud Phrases Used by
Tommy" at Daily Tasks
THE Lingo of No Mans Land"

Needle-The. point Of the bayonet,
Entrenching Tool-A trowel- shaped
tool for dgging-in, With which every
soldier is supplied along with his
musket and ammunition. Opinion
among soldiers varies as to it's use-
fitness, some claiming it is the most
satisfactory tool devised for scoopinG
out, a shelter quickly under fire
others regarding it as an entirely
useless cross between a tack hammer
and q biologists pick-aX"
Vishility-The condition Of the at
nosphere, by which the terrain and
Bthe enemy positions are easily seen or
not. The heavy gun-fire and the low
8undrained ground cause mists. smoke
! hand other atmospheric conditions
Safeqing observation posts or by aero
@plane scouts, so that visibility or the
Scondition of the atmosphere is a very
8important factor. y foGGy day-loW
yisibility--whilc unfavorable to- OH
kerVation, is favorable to Il surprise
Rattack
Il Strafing-From the German "hate,"
FUSED ITO refer to heavy bomhardment
#by the Germans. Thus, a rain of
Shells from the enemy is spoken Of us
Fritz is strafng"
~ ck Johnson-Thc German A.
en- timetor or 1G-inch hoWitzcr high
Explosive shell. which liberatcs u
I cioud of dense black smoke when it
Sexplodes.
8 Coal BoX--Another German shell |
#imil3r to the Jack Johnson, also |
%siyinE off dense black smoke on eN-
&olosion, which rises from the ground !
a cry slowly. Also known as 80 shell. !
Kissing Jcnnic----A Al high velocity |
German shell fired from field gun. |
M may contain either shrupncl high !
Sxplosive, poisonous gas or 'crying |
has" It has a velocity Of about 2,400 |
#eet per second and makes a Kissing |
&ound as it goes. whence its name. It !
II used chiefly to smash troops, its |
Hclocity making it especially deadly.
Pip Squeak-The British shell cor !
4 responding to the Germans "tIissing
6ennie.' 1t is smaller than the
8fernlan shell and makes A different !
Hound like its anne followed by a |
q witch kr-runp, 1t is usual to reply |
10 a. BON bardment with shells in kind. |
Nc that duols of the front are some |
Zines staged between Kissing Jennies |
Nnd Pip Squeaks. The velocity of the |
English shell is about 1900 feet per |
#econd
Trench Mortars-Large heavy guns
8ring torpedO-likc shells. These arc !
Effective at only short distances, be- /
Nde the big guns miles back of the |
8nes' and are therefore stationed |
@Ght in the trenches. The shells are |
@ gh explosive ones Of different sizes, |
8@N heavy. and very effective. A |
@ 8-fb torpedo from trench mortar |
~ II go 0 to 6 feet into the ground |
& fore exploding. if the ground is soft, |
kd lighting in the trench, it will !
&pe. out a whole section. The shell |
Thrown in a high arc, coming down |
# most perpendicular!y.
i BFlying Tig--A name for ono of tho |
= aViest trench mortar torpedocs. IT !
IL about feet long. weighs 29S /
unds and is shaped like a pig It |
rrfcs a light in the tail which |
Is out IS soon as the shell begins |
III descend. This is the signal for
ldiers watching where if is to land, |
III get out of the way. This same shell |
& yaliously known among the soldiers |