Carrizozo news., 1918-05-31
CHAPTER XII.
aomhlna.

Bombing.
The boys IN the section welcomed me
back, but there were many strange
fnces. Several Of our men had gone
West In that charge, and were lying
"somewhore In France" with n little
wooden cross at their heads. We were
IA rest billcts. The next day our cap
tain asked for volunteers for bombers
school. gave my name and was ac-
ccptcd. | hnd Joined the Suicide club
and my troubles commenced. Thirty
two men Of the battalion. including my
self. were sent to L.. where we
went through course in bombing
Here we were instructed In the uses
methods Of throwing and manufacture
OF va. us kinds OF hand grenades
from the old "jnm tin," now obsolete
TO the present Mills bomb, the standard
Of the British army.
II all depends where you are ms to
what you nre' cnlled. In France they
call you "bombcr" and give you med
ais, while In neutral countries they
call you an anarchist and give you
"life."
From the very start the Germans
were well equipped with effective
bombs and trained bomb throwers but
the English army wns as little pre-
pnred In this important department OF
fighting as In many others. At bomb
ing school nm old sergeant Of the Gren-
adler guards, whom I had the good
fortune 10 meet, told me of the discour-
agements this branch OF the service
suffered before they could meet the
Germans on an equal footing. (Paci-
flats and small army people In the
u. \. please read with cnre.) The first
English expedtlonnry forces had no
bombs at all, but had clicked n lot of
casualties from those thrown by the
Boches. One bright morning someone
higher up had an Idea and issued an
order detailing two men from each
platoon TO go 20 bombing school to
learn the duties OF bomber and how
20 manufacture bombs. NoncOmmls-
stoned officers were generally selected
for this course. After about two
weeks at school they returned TO their
units In rest blllets or In the FIRE
trench, as the case might be, and got
busy tenching their platoons how to
make "jam tins"
Previously an order had been Issued
for all ranks TO save empty jam tins
for the manufacture OF bombs. A pro-
fessor OF bombing would sit on the
flre step In the front trench with the
reminder OF his section crowdlng
around to see him work
On his left would be pile OF empty
and rusty jam tins. while beside him
on the Ore step would be mlscella-
neous assortment Of material used In
the manufacture OF the "jnm tins"
Tommy would stoop down, get an
empty siam tin," take handful OF
clayey mud from the parapet, and line
the inside OF the tin with this sub
stance. Then he would reach over,
pick up his detonator and explosive,
and insert them In the tin. fuse pro-
trudlng On the fire step would be n
pile OF fragments OF shell, shrapnel
balls, bits OF iron. nails, etc.-anythinR
that was hard enough to send over Ia
Fritz he would scoop up handful OF
this junk and put II In the bomb. Per
haps one OF the platoon would ask him
what he did this for and he would |
explain that when the bomb exploded |
these bits would ny about and XIII or
wound any German hit by same the |
questioner would Immediately pun "A
tuition on his tunlc and hand Il to |
the bomb maker with. "Well, blame |
me, send this over ms n souvenir" or
another Tommy would volunteer an
old rusty and broken iackknlfe; both |
would be accepted and inserted.
Then the prof, .sor would take an-
other handful OF mud and fill the tin.
after which he would punch n hole In |
the Nd OF tho tin and put Il 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
FrltS with Tommys 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 match box II was called a
-strlker." There was TIP like the
head of match on the fuse OF the