Oxford eagle., 1918-05-02


ton workers weren't quite up TO snuff.
the way they are now. II the fuse took
a notion to burn too quickly they gem
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 insfrncts the platoon In throw
! ing them. He takes 'jam tin from
the fire step. trembling q little. be-
cause IL Is nervous work. especially
when new at IL. lights the fuse on his
striker The fuse begins TO ~sizz" and
sputter and a spiral OF smoke. Ike
that from q srDoldering fag. rises from
II The platoon splits in TWO and
+ ducks around the traverse nearest 10
them. They don't Ike the looks and
sound Of the burning fuse When that
fuse begins 10 smoke and -'s1xz" you
want TO say good-by TO II as soon IS
possible. 90 Tommy with al his might
chncks II over the top and crouches
against the parapet,- waiting for tie
explosion.
Lots of fines in bombing the lam
A@@ NtAaA " f1NH%A Va ~ lie Nrrr-
mans, before II exploded, and thrown
back at Tommy with dire results.
After 2 lot Of meR went West in this
manner an order was issued, reading
something Ike this:
To al ranks In the British army.
After igniiing the fuse and before
throwing the jam-tin bomb. count
slowly one two, fhreeF"
This in order n give the fuse time
/ enough to hurn down. so that the bomb
would explode before the Germans
could throw IL heck
Tommy read tia order-he reads
them all. but after he ignifed the fuse
and II began 70 saaFe-erders were
4 forgotten. and away she went in record
sAs1e and back she came 10 the further
uiscoinTurT of she thrower.
Then another order was issued 10
tounr- zone hundred. two hundred !.
/ three hundred - RHf Tommy disn :
care If tha order rad tn count M Z,
theusaud hv quarters. NJ WAS gaig Z
10 ret rid o. that lam TN" becaue
from experience be had learned nj
10 trust il.
When the powers that he realizs q
that they could not change Tomn r
they decided 10 change zhe rgpe :
bomb and did so-sslis1ifufius 4 +.
hair brush fhe cricket hail. ara
later the Mills harnh.
The standard hornh used in the PrI.-
ish army is the --sIins" II is about Il e
/ shape ard size of large lemon. A.
though not actually lemon. Fritz IN
sists that il Is; perhaps he judges 4
by the havoc cansed by its explosion.
/ The Mills bomb s. made OF Steel. n 2
outside Of wisch Is corrugated into IS
small squares. which. upon the expla-
son o1 the sonah. scatter In a vice
area wonnding or killing any Fr1fz
who is unfortunate enough TO be hit
by one Of the flying fragments.
Although 3 very Destructive and ef-
flcienf bomb the -Mi1s" has the con
+ 1dence Of the fhrower. In that lie
knows il VIII not explode until r.
leased from his grin
IL j. q mechanical device. with &
lever. fitted into q slot al the ton.
which extends half way around Il 2
Circumference and ls held il place AZ
the bottom by q fixing pin In this =, 4
there Is q sIaall metal ring. for tie
purpose ~ extracting the Tin when
ready u throw
You do not throw 8 lpoInh the wav q
baseball Is thrown. because. when IN
narrow trench. vnur hand is liable
70 strike aEninss the Varados. traverse
or paraPe1- and then down goes tie
bomb. and. IN a couple Of seconds or
50. uTS goes Tommy
In throwing. the bomb and lever are
grasl.ed n the right hand. the left foot
IA advanced. knee s1ln. about one and
half its length 70 the front. while
the right leg. knee h-nt. is carried
slightly 70 the right The left arm is
extended al an angle of 45 degrees.
pointing n the direction the bomb is 10
be thrown This position Is similar
70 that of shot putting. only that the
right arm is extended downward Then
you hurl the bomb from you with an
overhead bowling motion. the same as
IN cricket throwing II fairly high in
the air. this IN order 10 give the fuse
chance 20 burn down so that when
the bomb lands. il Immediately ex-
plodes and gives the Germans no time
10 scAmper ont a its range OF 10 re-
turn t.
As the i,asnb leaves yUar hand. the
lever. hy means Of a spring. Is projected
into the Hir and falls hnrmlessly 10
. the ground a few feet In front OF the
bomber
When the lever flies OF Il releases
a strong spring. which forces the firing
pin into a percussion cap This lgniies
The fuse. which burns down and SETS
OF the detonaf0r. charged with fulmi-
nate q mercury. which explodes the
main charge of ammOnal
The average British soldier Is not an
expert at throwing; IL Is new game
10 him. therefore the Canadians and
Americans. who have PLAYED baseball