Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1918-06-13

means of communication for week between Pe-
king and the rest of the world.
But the tasks that confronted our signal men
in these wars We're play compared to the WORK
that is being done every day the western front.
Our signal men there have area to- cover about
the size of Pennsylvania and they have gone at 1t
with a vigor and efficiency that spell volumes Tor
the superiority of Americans in this particular line
of work.
The hardy linemen who have strung lines and
repaired breaks on the Western plains or Dattled
with great floods and storms in the Rocky noun
tains have taken to this new work with zest
which is inspiring. On the foundation OF the
French system they are building signal system
that will be model OF its kind.
Up to within four miles of the front construc-
ton is not different from what it is here at home
The wires are strung on poles and most Of the
poles have been planted by the French. But when
gets inside the sheltorn section that stretches
at least four miles from the front wires have to
be protected by being buried from six to eight feet
deep, that only direct hit by a large shell will
disturb them.
Within half mile of the front not even this
protection is sufficient, the shells churn and re-
churn the ground Therefore ali wires in this zone
duplicated and are strung along both sides Of
the trenches. Sometimes trench wall is covered
with wires.
In the battalion headquarters signal Office where
the hundreds of wires from the trenches and OBJ
servation posts center and where the receivers
hum with the constant tremors Of world under
fire, plain Bill Smith lounges in corner rolling
cigarette and occupied in his particular
thoughts. 1t is dugout, this headquarters and
the air is vile but Bill got used to that long ago.
"The wire to battery is down." Smiths SUI
perior officer says, turning to him.
Cali right, sir" is the answer. And Bill climbs
out Of the dugout, repair kit over his arm and tin
hat on his head.
Tn thp he he wi Is
and begins to follow it along. 1t is hot work in
the trench, shells dropping thickly, but Smith
doesn't mind-much. He follows the wire down
a communication trench and then after long time
out into the open, where he has to crawl along
looking for the hole that will mark the place where
the line has been broken
He gets nearly there when shell lands near
him and Bill Smith, his face toward the break,
goes west. After time, back in the dugout, an
other repairman is sent out and perhaps he is
uckier than Bill and finds the break.
Then he has to sit down in the shell crater, the
smash of bursting shells SO close that sometimes
he is half buried in dirt, calmly making the con-
nection that will enable the observation officer up
front to get in touch with his battery again If he
gets back to the dugout he will be sent out again
and yet again if the bombardment is heavy and
often for days and nights at time these men are
under fire, snatching a nap now and then in the
dugout between breaks. But they keep the lines
open.
In attack the signal men go over the top with
the infantry generally with the second wave in
charge of the observing officer. They make for
poDl where they establish an observation
post. and as they pass on and through the enemy's
barrage they unroll their line and one of them car
res field telephone, through which they somehow
manage in the din of battle to make themselves
heard.
That telephone is like battle flag, and many a
man goes down with it, only to have it picked IN
and carried forward by another of these nonconl-
Blatant troops. Their business is only to serve not
to fight, and they do it with cool daring which
is not surpassed in any branch of the service
They are in the forefront of every advance and
in the retreat sometimes the last to leave the