Norwich bulletin., 1918-02-01
OVER THE T0P eUY EMPEY 1,.:1
 Fst IN
Copyright by ARTHUR GUY EMPDY

try and he confded to me that since being cruciffed" he had never failed to pass the word down the trench when so ordered. In view of the of fense, the above punishment was very light in that failing to pass the word down a. trench may mean the loss of many lives. and the spelling of some important enterprise in No Mans, Land.
 Back of the Line"
 Our tour in the front-line trench
 lasted 4 days and then we were re-
 heved by the = brigade.
 Going down the communication
 trench we were in merry mood. al-
 though we were cold and wet, and
 every bone in our bodies ached. It
 makes a lot of difference whether you
 are going inp or going out
 At the end of the communication trench. limbers were awaiting on the road for us. I thought we were going to ride back to rest biliets, but soon
 found out that the only time an in
 fantry man rides is when he is wound ed and is bound for the base or Eighty. These limbers carried our reserve ammunition and rations. Our march to rest billets was thoroughly enjoyed by me. It seemed as if I were on furlough. and was leaving behind everything that was disa greeable and horrible Every recruit feels this way after being relieved from the trenches. We marched eight kilos and then halted in front of a French estaminet. 1 The captain gave the order to turn out on each side of the road and wait his return. Pretty soon he came back | and told B Company to occupy billets | IF. 118 and 119. Billet IF was
 and old stable which had previously l been occupied by COWS. About four 1 feet in front of the entrance was a ! huge manure pile, and the odor from i 1t was anything but pleasant. Using my flashlight' l stumbled through the door. Just before. entering I observed i a white sign reading: Sitting 30 1 lying 72G,'' but, at the time. it's sig
 nificance did not strike me. Next
 morning I asked the sergeant major what it meant. He nonchalantly an | swered: That's, some of the work of the R 1 A. M. c. (Royal Army Medical Corps) 1 It simply means that in case of ar 1 attack, this billet will accommodate 5( wounded who are able to sit up and
 take notice, or 20 stretcher cases"
 It was not long after this that
 was one of the 20 lying
 I soon hit the hay and was fast ' asleep, even my friends the 'cooties' failed to disturb me
 The next morning at about o'clocl was awakened by the lance corpora
 of. our 'Stction informing me that
 had. been detailed as mess orderly, ant
 to report to the cook to give him Y:
 hand. I helped him make the fire
 carry water from an old we'll ant T fry the bacon. Lids of diXies are uset
 to cook the bacon in. After breakfas
 was cooked, I carried dixie of ho
 tea and the lid full of bacon to ou section, and told the corporal tha breakfast was ready. He looked at m in contempt, and then shouted ! Breakfast up, come and get it.'
 Immediately ot wise to the trench par lance, and never again informed tha l Breakfast was served" . It didn't take long for the Tommie to answer this call, Half dressed, the 5 lined up with their canteens and l dished out the tea Each Tommy car ried in his hand a thick slice of brea which had been issued with the "a 5 tions the night before. Then I had tn 5 pleasure of seeing them dig into tn bacon with their dirty fingers. Tn l allowance was one slice per man. Tn : late ones received very small slice As each Tommy got his share, he i'm mediately disappeared into the billie
 Pretty soon about fifteen of ther l made a rush to the cookhouse, eac ) carrying a huge slice of bread. Thes
 slices they dipped into the baco , grease which was stewing over tn 7 fire The last man invariably los g out I was the last man.
 l After breakfast. our section carrie r their equipment into a field adjoinin 3 the billet and got busy removing tn strench mud therefrom, btcause at S.4 a. I'll. they had to fall in for inspectio , and parade. and woe betide the ma t who was unshaven or had mud on hi y uniform. Cleanliness is next to Goo
 Illness in the British army, and Ol ] Pepper must havt been personally aG a quainted with St. Peter.
 e Our drill consisted of close ordt = formation, which lasted until nool ] Durin this time we had two ten-mir
 ute breaks for rest, and no sooner tt = word, Fall out for ten minutts," wa