Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-03
LIFE IN TRENCHES
IS ROUND OF WORK
Officers, Especially, Have Lit
tie Time Even to Sleep While
on Front-Line Duty.
DUG0UTS ARE MERE HOLES
BY JUNIUs b. WOOD.

Cabiegram to The Sunday Star and
Chicago Daily News. Copyright. 1913.
WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE. March TT am just wait
ing for the men to come, SO as to start
out on a patrol to Fritz's wire,'' said a
young lieutenant as a captain and
showed aside the gasproof blanket over
the door and edged into the dugout.
las the sector reports a sniper out
tonight, watch out for him. cautioned
the captain. "Have all the posts been
notified that you are starting and at
what time you expect to return?"
WORD is being sent along now
said the lieutenant. and a solemn
faced sergeant. sitting in little bunk
at the side of the lieutenant, nodded
confederation.
Twelve hours earlier l had seen the
same sergeant herding a squad of men
sheltered in a dugout, where they were
having a meal. The average soldier in
the trenches is on duty sixteen hours
day. Some. however. seem never to
sleep. and this applies especially to
the officers.
Ticklish and Serious Work.
Starting on a patrol is a tickllsh and
serious proposition. A little group
slips silently away. A messenger whis-
pers to every sentry along the line
how many are going. when they are
starting. the spot in the wire picked
for the return and the time Of the re-
turn.
Through the entire night there is
constant worry and strain until the last
patrol has returned safely the captain
said as he left.
For a captains life seems constant
patrol of the maze of trenches which
his men occupy. The night is con-
| tinuous circuit of talking with lieu
tenants Commanding platoons and eau.
tioning and encouraging the men, The
day there is the same tiresome tramp
watching working parties and sug-
costing changes to strengthen the
line If there are no extra reports
to prepare he is permitted to sleep be-
tween and o'clock in the afternoon
This sort of strain is the chief reason
why the same outfit is not often in the
trenches more than a week before it Is
relieved. There is neither hot nor
cold water for baths, and basin OF
muddy water for shaving is the near
est a man usually gets to keeping his
face clean. Undressing consists of re-
moving rubber boots and steel helmet
for the few minutes he is able to sleep
The Sam Browne belts. the pride OF
every officer, are now worn in the
trenches. Most of the officers furthe,
add to their appearance by clipping
their hair so close that their heads re-
semble overgrown English walnuts.
How Command Works.
A majors post battalion command is
usually located in a ruined village
from which communicating trenches
extend to his four company sectors
like the fingers of hand. A captains
post company command is a dugout in
about the second line of trenches until
a shell knocks it down. The four lieu
tenants, who are platoon commanders
have dugouts in the first line trenches
Most of the dugouts would throw q
sanitary or housing expert into hys-
terics. The captains dugout was SC
low that only his helmet prevented him
from fracturing his skull when he stood
up Rats splashed through the stag
nant water under the rough Slated
floor In honor of his visitors he had
two candles instead of the usual one
giving feeble light. The room was SO
narrow that only one person was able
to stand between the shelf table and
the tier of two hunks. When one want
ed to pass it was necessary for the
others to perch in the bunk. The low
err bunk was full of water and four
of US had to take turns sleeping in the
upper bunk. AS none had more than
two hours for sleep. the bunk was not
overcrowded.
I'VE put a pump in the dugout each
day and are able to keep the water be-
low the floor until 1t rains" said the
captain I'VE do not bother about the
, dirt or being crowded. Three of us
live here all the time"