Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-07-25
THE NO-MAN,S LAND NAVY
By Lieut.. Leon Archibald
British Royal Engineers

AFTER four days of pushing and being
"A pushed in the great Allied offensive at
Loos in the autumn of 1915 certain British
regiment was withdrawn while there still
remained a core of sufficient magnitude about
which to reconstruct fighting unit bearing
the same name. During this process of re-
Mobilization it found itself in charge of a
sector which. when compared with scenes
trat lay Immediately behind, might almost
be looked upon by this battered and blood
stained unit as a health resort. In fact,
there were those in the regiment whose SEEM
ing indestructible sense of humor would have
1t that they had been sent here to take
the waters. There really was sufficient
ground, or lack of it, to justify the allega-
tion
MOT many days following their arrival in
~ this new area saw the beginning OF
weeks and weeks of torrential 'downpours
which, account of the topographical fea-
lures of the country. or, rather, the total
absence of them, began at once TO create
foods. All that could possibly be done 10
keep the water out of the trenches was
done; but in n land where the dinerehces
in elevation were slight there was no
drainage, which simply meant that atter all
existing dykes, bitches and canals hao pc
come choked the trenches had to hll up a!so'
forcing the gsrrisons on both sides-1or tne
water was strictly neutral-to take up posi-
tions on the higher ground to their rear,
This forced retirement in some instances
placed as much AS a mile ana nan OF
water anywhere from six inches to SIX Ieet'
between the British and German froht-hnie
trenches and, as consequence, WARFARE III
this sector was reduced to condltion poruer-
ing almost on stagnation. All Iront.ii,'e
weapons even deadly as they mlsEt oe
under normal conditions, suddenly were pe.
reft of their abilities to create discomfort
and simply lay impotently idle. FROM mere
on or until the waters receded rev Hloh.Is
later the was handed over 10 the gun
,.-it nj
Tbev must on no account provoke the boche
into retaliation on the inonending iro"t me
The front line emphatically refused 10 pe
made the recipient OF punishment ioi ing
sins of others But, unfortunately, such
delightful condition was not to last LOT lohs'
YT,HERE exist in the army beings whose
i apparent aim in life it Is to be forever
concocting ways and means for the annoy
ance of all and sundry beneath then, enemy
included, and these persons decided presently
that the vast expanse of water between the
l. two lines must be patrolled in order that "a
complete contact might be maintained win
| the enemy by might as wen as DAY onS Inns
patrolIing was to be done by means OF pom.
| toon boats borrowed from the engineers ana
manned by the infantry.
| -Four pontoons were in due course sup
| plied Each was to carry two machine guns
| one fore and one aft together with a crew
| of ten men, and all that remained 10 conf
| plete their warlike bearing was 20 aniN aim
| 10 each the name of some snip OF tne iiHe'
| This was almost Immediately done, such
| ships of war as the Lion. Tiger lnvincible
| and Indestructible being called upon TO snare
| their awe-inspiring titles with this latest
| addition to the grand fleet. The Lion ny
| virtue of the Importance she had become
| heir to on account of her name, was mace
| the flagship i'm which went the senior
| N. C. o.. who in turn Immediately became
| Jellicoe, willie the Tiger, as was her wohted
| CUSTOM carried a Beatty.
MIGHT after night these four valiant ships
| IN Of war left our shores in sections OF
| two each section under the direction OF its
| leading ship, the Lion or the Tiger. with the
| whole or supreme command vested in the
| Lion One section went to the east TO the
edge of a road which ran directly across to
| the German trenches and along which ran
| a hedge that served TO screen their presence,
| while the other went directly across, having
| its approach hidden by the Orchard Island
| or in other words an elevation upon which
were growing several fruit trees. In the
| bow of each pontoon were the lookouts,
whose duties. in addition to keeping sharp
| watch for any signs of the enemy. were 10
direct the courses of their ships, keeping
them off shoals. fences. trees and other OBJ
jects which existed to obstruct their passage
Here again the unfsthomable and irresistible
fund of humor came to the surface. and tbs
lookout was continually ordering the hSlmt'
man 10 70 "hnr1 appft ~ e