Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1918-03-26

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. recruiting sergeant you are wash
out" and sent me 10 training depot.
After arriving at this place, was
hustled TO the qunrfermnster stores
and received an awful shock. The
quartermaster sergeant spread wa
terproof sheet on the ground and com
menced throwing miscellaneous an.
sortment Of straps. buckles and other
parnphernaIia Into II. ! thought he
would never stop. but when the pile
reached to my knees he paused long
enough 10 sny. "Next. No. 52i7. 'Arris,
b company" gaxed In bewildermeni
~ the pile Of junk In front Of me. and
then my eyes wandered around looking
for the wagon which was to carry II
to barracks. was rudely brought to
earth by the quarter" excIaiming,
"'Ere, you. 'op II; tyke II aw'y; blind
my eyes. 'e's looking for rs batman TO
'eIp I'm cnrry H."
Struggling under the load. with fire.
quent pauses for rest. reached our
barrncks (lnrge car barns). and my
platoon leader came TO the rescue. II
was marvel to me how quickly he
assembled the equipment. After he
had completed the task. he showed me
how to adjust II on my person. Pretty
soon stood before him a proper Tom.
my Atkins In heavy marching order,
feeling like nm overloaded camel.
On my feet were heavy-soled boots,
studded with hobnaIls, the toes and
heels OF which were re-enforced BY
steel hnlf-moons. Ny legs were In.
cnsed In woolen puttees. olive drab In
color, with my trousers overlapping
them az the top. Then wooden khaki
tunic, under which was a blush gray
woolen shirt. minus a collar; beneath
this shirt a wooden belly band about
sIx inches wide. held in place by tie
strings Of white tape. On my head
was n heavy woolen trench cnp. with
huge earIaps buttoned over the top.
Then the equipment: A canvas belt,
with ammunition pockets, and two
wide canvas strnps 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 winter bottle. covered with felt
on the left side was my bayonet and
scabbard, and intrenching tool handle,
this handle strapped to the bayonet
scabbard. In the rear was my in.
trenchlng tool, carried In canvas case.
This tool was combination pick and
spade. A canvas haversack wal
strapped to the left side Of the belt,
while on my back was the pack. also
Of canvas, heldin place by two canvas
straps oyer the shoulders: suspended
on the bottom Of the pack was my
mess tin or canteen In 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 rife pro-
jecting from each end. On Lanyard
around my waist hung a huge jack.
knife with a can-opener attachment.
The pack contained my overcoat. IN
extrn pair OF socks. change OF under
wear, hold all (contaInlng knife. fork,
spoon, comb, toothbrush, lather brush,
shaving soap, and razor made Of tin,
with "Afade In England" stamped, on
the blnde; when trying to shave with
this II made you wish that you were
at war with Patagonia. so that you
could have hollow ground" stamped
'Made In Germany") then your house
wife. button-cleaning outfit, consisting
of a brass button stick. two stiff
brushes, and box Of Soldiers
Friend" paste; then a shoe brush and
a box OF dublin. writing pad, Indel-
lble pencil. envelopes, and pay book,
and personal belongings, such as q
small mirror, decent razor and a
sheuf Of unanswered letters, and fags.
In your haversack you carry your iron
rations, meaning a tin Of bully beef.
four biscuits and a can containing tea,
sugar and Oxo cubes: couple Of
pipes and pack Of shag. a tin Of rife
oil, and a puIl.through. Tommy gen.
orally carries the oil with his rations; !;
II gives the cheese a sort Of sardine
taste.
Add to this a flrst.aid pouch and a
long, ungainly rife patterned after the
Daniel Boone period. and you have an
Idea Of a British soldier In Bllghty.
Before leaving for France, this rife
is taken from him and he is issued
with a Lee-Enfeld short trench rife
and a ration bag.
In France he receives two gas he'll
NETS, q sheepskin coat, rubber mack
intosh. steel helmet. two blankets, tear
shell goggles, balaclava helmet.
gloves and tin Of antifrosthite grease
which 10 excellent for greasIng the
bootA Add to this the weight Of his
ratIons. and can you blame Tommy for
growing at twenty-kilo route marchi
Ito Be Continued)