The Washington herald., 1918-02-14
CHAPTER vi.
SBaek of the Line.5

Cur tour in the front-line trench
lasted four days. and then we were
relieved by the - Brigade.
Going down the communication
trench we were in a merry mood, al
though We were cold and wet, and
every bone in our bodies ached. IL
makes a lot of difference whether you
are going in" or going OUT
At the end of the communication
trench, limbers were waiting on the
road for us. / thought we were going
to ride back to rest billets, but soon
found out that the only time an in
fantryman rides is when he is wound
ed and is bound for the base or
Blighty. These limbers carried our
reserve ammunition and rations. Our
march to the rest biIIets was thor
Oughly enjoyed by me. 1t seemed as
il 1 were on furlough, and was leav-
ing behind everything that was dis
agreeable and and horrible. Every
recruit feels this way after being re-
lieved from the trenches.
We marched eight kiIos and then
halted in front of a French estaminet.
The captain gave the or6sr to turn
out on each side of the road and wait
and told B Company to occupy billets
LII. lis, and 119. Billet III was an old
stable which had previously been oc-
cupied by cows. About four feet in
front of the entrance was a huge
manure pile. and the odor from it was
anything but pleasant. Using my
flashlight I stumbled through the
door. Just before entering 1 observed
a white sign reading: Sitting 80, ly-
ing 90" but, at the time, its signifi-
cance did not strike me. Next morn
ing I asked the sergeant major what
it meant. He nonchalantly answered:
That's some Of the work of the r.
A. NJ. c. Royal Army Medical Corps).
1t simply means that in case of an at
tack this billet will accommodate fifty
wounded who are able to sit up and
take notice, or twenty stretcher
cases"
1t was not long after this that 1
was one of the 40 lying
soon hit the hay and was fast
asleep. even my friends the "cooties"
failed to disturb me.
The next morning at about 6 o'clock
I was awakened by the lance corporal
of our section, informing me that 1
had been detailed as mess orderly,
and to report to the cook to give him
a hand. 1 helped him make the fire,
carry water from an old well. and fry
the bacon. Lids of dixies are used to
cook the aeon in. After breakfast
was cooked, I carried a dixie of hot
tea and the lid full of bacon to our
section. and told the corporal that
breakfast was ready. He looked AT
me in contempt, and then shouted,
breakfast up, come 'and get it," /
Immediately got wise to the trench
parlance, and never again informed
that Breakfast was served"
1t didn't take long for the Tommies
to answer this cdll. Half dressed.
they lined up with their canteens and
1 dished out the tea. Each Tommy
carried in his hand a thick slice of
bread which had been issued with
the rations the night before. Then I
had the pleasure of seeing them dig
into the bacon with their dirty fin
gers. The allowance was one slice
per man. The late ones received very
small slices As each Tommy got his i
share, he Immediately disappeared
into the billet. Pretty soon about
fifteen Of them made a rush to the
cookhouse, each carrying a huge slice
of bread. These slices they dipped
int the bacon grease which was
stewing over the fire. The last man
invariably lost out. was the last man.
After breakfast, our section carried
their equipment into a field adjoining
the billet and got busy removing the
trench mud therefrom, because at S:45
a. m. they had to fall in for inspec-
ton and parade, and woe betide the
man who was unshaven. or had mud
on his uniform. Cleanliness is next
to Goodness in the British army. and
Old Pepper must have been person
ally acquainted with st. Peter.
Our drill consisted OF close order
formation which lasted until noon,
During this time we had two 10-min-
ute breaks for rest, and no sooner the
word. Fall out for ten minutes"
was given, then each Tommy got out
a fag and lighted II.
Fags are issued every Sunday morn
ing, and you generally get between
twenty and forty. The brand gener-