Williams news., 1918-05-17
CHAPTER II.
Biiqhty to Rest BilletA

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 eiiqhty to Rest Biilets-
 The next morning the captain sent for me and informed me: "Empey, as Q recruiting sergeant you are wash put," and sent me to a training depot.
 After arriving at this place. I was hustled to the quartermaster stores and received an awful shock. The Quartermaster sergeant spread a wa terproof sheet on the ground and com menced throwing a miscellaneous as- sortment of straps, buckles and other paraphernalia into it. I thought he would never stop, but when the pile reached to my knees he paused long enough to say, "Next, No. 5217, 'Arris, B company" I gazed in bewilderment at the pile of junk in front of me, and then my eyes wandered around looking for the wagon which was to carry it to barracks. I was rudely brought to earth by the Quarter" exclaiming, Ere. you, 'op it; tyke it aw'y; blind my eyes, 'e's looking for is batman to 'elp i'm carry it."
 Struggling under the load, with ire Quent pauses for rest, reached our barracks (large car barns), and my platoon leader came to the rescue. It was a marvel to me how quickly he assembled the equipment. After he had completed the task, he showed me how to adjust it on my person. Pretty soon stood before him proper Tom- my Atkins in heavy marching order, feeling like an overloaded camel.
 On my feet were heavy-so1ed boots, studded with hobnails,' the toes and heels of which were re-enforced by steel half-moons. My legs were in- cased in woolen puttees, olive drab in color, with my trousers overlapping them at the top. Then a woolen khaki tunic, under which was a bluish gray woolen shirt, minus collar; beneath this shirt a woolen belly band about six inches wide, held in place by tie strings of white tape. On my head was a heavy woolen trench cap, with huge earlaps buttoned over the top. Then the equipment: A canvas belt, with ammunition pockets, and two wide canvas straps like suspenders, called ID" straps. fastened to the belt in front, passing over each shoulder, crossing in the middle of my back, and attached by buckles to the rear of the belt. On the right side of the belt hung a water bottle. covered with felt 1; on the left side was my bayonet and scabbard, and fntrenching tool handle, this handle strapped to the bayonet scabbard. In the rear was my in- trenching tool, carried in canvas case. This tool was a combination pick and spade. A canvas haversack was strapped to the left side of the belt, while on my back was the pack, also of canvas. held in place by two canvas straps over the shoulders; suspended on the bottom of the pack was my mess tin or canteen in a neat little canvas case. My waterproof sheet, looking like jelly roll, was strapped on top of the pack, with a wooden stick for cleaning the breach of the rifle pro- 5eeting from each end. On a lanyard around my waist hung a huge jack knife with can-opener attachment. The pack contained my overcoat, an extra pair of socks, change of under wear, hold all (containing knife, fork, spoon, comb, toothbrush, father brush, shaving soap, and a razor made of tin, with Made in England" stamped on sAAO OAe~NS3 "ASA tAJAhS tO oAdNC WILL this it made you wish that you were at war with Patagonia, so that you could have a hollow ground" stamped Made in Germany') then your house wife, buttOn-cleaning outfit, consisting of a brass button stick, two stiff brushes, and a box of Soldiers Friend" paste; then a shoe brush and a box of dublin, writing pad, indel- 5 ib1e pencil, envelopes, and pay book and personal belongings, such as @ small mirror, a decent razor and 8 sheaf of unanswered letters, and flags dn your haversack you carry your iron rations, meaning a tin of bully beef four biscuits and a can containing tea sugar and Oxo cubes; a couple of pipes and pack of shag, tin of rifle ,il, and a pull-through. Tommy gen. srally carries the oil with his rations t gives the cheese a sort of. sardine aste.
 Add to this a f1rst-aid pouch and 9 ong, ungainly rife patterned after the Daniel Boone period, and you have an dea of a British soldier in Blighty
 Before leaving for France, this rifle g taken from him and he is issued with a Lee-Enf1eld short trench rifle md a ration bag.
 In France he receives two gas hel