Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-08-30
SHAM BATTLE PLANNED
AS LABOR DAY EVENT
State Fair Grounds to Be Scene OF
Brilliant Wartime
Demonstration.
OUTLINE OF SPECTACLE GIVEN
officer Tells Of Preparation for Mod
crn Warfare-Another CeIcbratio,
to BE Held by Trades Unionists a
Forest Hill Park.

Sham battles involving battleplanos.
armored cars; motorcycles. bridge
q part OF the Labor Day program at
the State Fair Grounds. where some
hundreds of Uncle Sans military me-
chanics are being trained for service
overseas. This was announced yes
terday afternoon. Other opservances
of tho day will be held by labor union
lists. who arc to parade through the
principal streets. with speech making
at Forest Hill. and by the West Ches-
terfeld Auxiliary of the Red Cross.
which is to stage n spectacle at Mid
While the activities at the Fair
Grounds will. of course. be the center
Of interest for the day by reason or
its military features. the other obser-
vances will be no less popular. The
labor unionistS have pranncd an i'm
pressive parade, In which thousands
will march to the music or many pands.
and the Red Cross workers are trying
hard to make UP program that will
be timely and impressive. For several
days the West Chesterfield folks have
to send two aeroplanes to Midlothian
to take part in tho ceremonies. but as
yet nothing definite has been settled.
SHAM BATTLE PLANNED
AT STATE FAIR GROUNDS
According to q statement made yes
terday by an officer at the Fair Grounds
training station, the celebration there
will be the most impressive ever staged
in Richmond. His statement follows:
"A glimpse at preparation for modern
war, cross section of modern war IL
on the aftermath of war as conducted
by the United States, Will be combined
in the Labor Day demonstration staged
ut the Fair Grounds by the United
States Army Training Detachment.
The deta chment takes raw civilians
and two months later turns out SOL
der mechanics; In the gruelling i'm
those who fall out, either FOR vocational
or military deficiency. The caliber or
those left was demonstrated once IN
played again on Labor Day.
The Labor Day program is mucn
more more, preten t.i1, than than mat OF the
battieplane in action; attack on motor
convoy; armored car. tank, and motor
cycles in action; destruction of bridge.
exhibition of the silent manual; ply
steal drill exhibition; sharpslGootinE
exhibition; exhibition drill by truck
train: army games. ana many utner
feaurcs.
The action in the sham battle In
which the tank, armored car. ETC.. will
be used, will be as follows:
The Blue army has broken, through
continuity and Red forces are founu
in rear of points Of the Blue advance
"A patrol OF one of these Red forces
supplies from behind the stables AT
the north end OF the race track oval
The Red commander prepares an am
bush at the south end. He intends TO
stack the train when a river running
from the Grandstand to north of the
ADMINISTRATION Building has been
crossed.
The Blue advance guard halts at
the bridge over this stream and sends
forward Il motorcycle scout to explore
the hill beyond, He is fred upon
When he wheels TO escape, q Red
motorcycle rider. leaps over the thirty:
loot stream, In an attempt TO cut him
! of. and is killed on the other sIae
while riding at top speed.
RE-ENF0RCED ny USE OF
ARMORED MOTOR CAR
The. Blue commander decides the
need for delivery OF the supplies
carried by his. eight trucks is sum
GENTLY imperative TO justify an attcmpe
to force crossing. The Red com
mander accepts the fight In the hope OF
still capturing and destroying the train
The Blue train is parked at the
northeastern corner OF the racetracK
TO cross. and themselves advance. The
| Blues, rc-cnforccd, are about to force
the crossing when the Reds arc re-cn-
! forced by an arinorcd motor car. AS
the disorganizcd Blue forces a Blue
tank, coming UP along the road the
| Blues had travelled. turns the tide in
the Blues favor. and destroys the
| armorcd car.
When 1T is apparent the Reds can
not prevent the crossing. n Red motor
| cycle rider is sent out from the re-
treating line, and plants q charge
| which destroys the bridge. When a
Blue patrol has established that the
mechanics begin the repair Of the
bridge. while the truck train turns OF
down stream to effect a crossing.
| ttt,., @>I@ts,@