Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-03-23
SPECTACULAR WAR
DEMONSTRATION
Camp Dix Troops Engage in
Exciting Trench War
fare.

Camp Dix, y. j.. March 23-Under
cover of smoke blanket and in the
wake of creeping harrage, dough
boys captured n sector of Notifications
on "Marnc Hill yesterday afternoon in
the most spectacular and successful prac-
ticC maneuyrc Camp Dix has witnessed
The attacking party was composed of
two companies of infantry students of
the reserve officers training school.
commanded by their own student OIL
ccrs, while the barrage, technical for
the heavy field artillery, actual for the
trench mortars and machine guns, was
lalh down under direction Of student
ariIllcrists.
Major-Gcneral Scott, oommandant of
Camp DIX. BrieadierG General Dean, COM
mander of the 18th Division, mem
bers of their staffs and French and Eng
lish officers observed the battle from
. nearby hilltop. Among the observers
Was Colonel Azan, commander of all
French officers on duty III American
camps. lie praised the attack as one Of
the most technically perfect he ever
had witnessed in practice.
The attacking parties went over the
top at las, following a barragc Ivy the
trench mortars that demolished the en-
envy wire entanglements Bombs ex-
ploded electrically were substituted for
the actual creeping barrago of the heavy
field guns q mile or more in the rear.
The actual barrage of the machine guns
swept ahead of the FIRST attacking linc
by nearly 300 yardst Nickers, Lewis
guns and the new Browning light gun
added their bit The attack. directed hv
Major Green and Major McRea, assist
ell by Lieutenant Banues and Iicuten-
L
made in the form of three waves, ap-
rroximately 30 yards apart. Captain
lhernon Strong, q former assistant
district attorney of New York. and
Captain Rousellcs. Of the French ar
tllcrv, directed the work of the bat
tCries.
TIN DEEBIEs AND GAS MASKS.
MANY Of the men of the attacking
parties wore their "tin derbies. or
trench helmets They were at lrcd in
brown denim fatigue uniforms, nearly
matching the color of the ground over
which they charged Each soldier had
hs gas mask at "alert" when the or
der came 10 20 over, and adjusted
when nearing the enemy trenches. Two
different sections Of the trenches were
the obiectives of the attack. Immedi-
atelv after their capture, the infantry
had 20 consolidate and prepare tn hold
the line Every detail Of the attack
was planned by Major McRae, az in
actual warfare Even the zero, or
hour OF attack, was unknown until or
ders were flashed from headquarters
Among the most enthusiastic observ-
crs of the attack were the New York
society girls composing the Junior book
committee, formed by noted authors to
aid in providing reading matter for the
men IN the training camps and at the
front They arrived Just before the
opening guns were fired At first ap-
parently terrified by the terrific din. the
Young women later became intensely
enthused when the various maneuvers
were explained to them by officers.
Several Of the fair guests had relatives
or close friends among the instructors
and students from which the troops
were picked.
The entertainment of the fair visit
ors while IN camp was under the di-
rection of Colonel Stokes, Of the 3llth
Infantry. who recently addressed the
organization at us initial meeting in
New York. After witnessing the at
tack on Aiarne Hill, the young women
inspected some of the barracks of the
South Jersey regiment and saw tho
various field activities, including dis
tant view Of review Of the l53d Field
Artillery Brigade. Later they were
entertained al tea-dansant in ~
Hut No 3, arranged by officers Of the
3lltb Infantry
HEALTH OF MANY MADE SATEB
\ sewage-disposal plant capable Of
meeting the needs of cantonment
twice the present size of Camp Dix has
been completed under direction of Major
Warner, of the Quarternaster Corps,
and IS nov IN successful operation. The
plant was rushed To completion to meet
the demands of the State Board Of
Health. following the overflow of the
original gravity sedimentation beds, with
a consequent pollution of the headwaters
of CrOsswlcks Greek Inc new plant
entirely eliminates this danger ! he raw
sewage passes through a bed Of stone
and gravel six feet deep and then is
treated >in chlorine tanks with tho re-
suit that tho elfiuen, passing into the
creek is absolutely free from germs and
impurities.