The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-08-15

a guide for a long time, because with
out one you are apt to walk through
an embrasure In a fire trench and
right out into the open. between the
German front line and your own.
Which Is hardly worth whilei
II any part OF the line is under fire.
the guide at the head Of the line Is on
the lookout for shells. and when he
hears one coming he gives the signal
and you drop TO the ground and wait
until II bursts. You never get all the
time you want. but at that you have
plenty OF time 20 think about things
while you are lying there with your
face in the mud, waiting to hear the
sound OF the explosion. When you
hear II, you know you have got at least
one more TO dodge. II you do not hear
lt-well. most likely you are worrying
more about tuning your thousand
string harp than anything else.
In the communication trench you
have 10 keep your distance from the
man ahead Of you. This is done SO
that you will have plenty Of room to
TALL down In. and because II a shell
should find the trench. there would be
'ewer casualties In an open formation
than In a closed. The German artil-
cry Is keen on communication
trenches, and whenever they spot one
they stay with II a long time. Most
II them are camoufiaged along the top
and sides. so that enemy aviators can
aot see anything but the earth or
bushes. when they throw an eye down
On our lines.
We took over our section Of the
'front.' line trenches from a French line
regiment that had been on the job for
"a days That was the longest time
{ have heard Of any troops remaining
IN the firing line.
Conditions at the front and ways Of
lighting are changing all the time, as
each side invents new methods of
,utchering, so when l try to describe
he Dixmude trenches, you must real
lie that II Is probably Just history by
now. II they are still using trenches
there they probably look entirely DIFF
ferent-
But when I was at Dixmude they
were something like this:
Behind the series Of front-line
trenches are the reserve trenches; Ia
this case Ave TO seven miles away. and
still farther back are the billets. These
may be houses OF barns or ruined
churches-any place that can possibly
be used for quartering troops when
OF duty.
Troops were usually In the front
line trenches six TO eight days, and
fourteen 20 sixteen days In the reserve
trenches. Then back to the billets for
six or eight days.
We were not allowed to change our
clothing In the front-line trenches
not even TO remove socks unless for
I inspection. Nor would they let you
as much as unbutton your shirt. unless
there was an inspection OF identified
tion disks. We wore disk at the
wrist and another around the neck.
You know the gag about the disks. Of
course: II your arm Is blown OF they
can tell who you are by the neck disk ;
n your head is blown on. they do not
care who you are.
In the reserve trenches you can
make yourself more comfortable. but
you cannot 20 10 such extreme lengths
Of luxury as changing your clothes en-
tirely. That is for billets. where you
spend most Of your time bathing
changing clothes. sleeping and eating.
Believe me. a billet is great stun; II
Is ikea sort Of temporary heaven.
OF course you know what the word
"cooties" means. Let US hope you
will never know what the coolies
themselves mean. When you get IN
or near the trenches, you take course