The Mena weekly star., 1918-03-21
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 O AN AMERICAN SOIDITR WHO WENT < AQT1IUl GUY YEfIpEY
GUNNER ,JERYNGN FRANce-
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 "kaisins, ounces, eight"
 By this time the corporars nerves lad gone west and in despair he said hat the ralsins were to be turned over Q the cook for "du1r'' (plum pudding). This decision eicited little "grous- ng'" but quiet was finally restored.
 Biscuits, tins, one"
 With his borrowed iackknife, the corporal opened the tin of biscuits, and old everyone to help themselves-no body responded to this invitation. Tommy is "fed up" with biscuits.
 Butter, tins, two"
 Nine in one, ten in the other"
 Another rumpus.
 Pickles, mustard, bottles, one"
 Nineteen names were put in steel helmet, the last one out winning the pickles. On the next issue there were )nly IS names, as the winner is elimi- aated until every man in the section las won bottle.
 The raffle is closely watched, because Tommy Is suspicious when it comes to gambling with his rations.
 When the Issue is finished the cor poral sits down and writes letter home, asking them If they cannot get some NJ. F. (member of parlIament) to have him transferred to the Royal Fly Ing corps where he won't have to issue rations.
 At the different French estaminets In the village and at the canteens Tom my buys fresh eggs, milk, bread and pastry. Occasionally when he Is flush, he invests in a tin of pears or april rOts. His pay is only a shilling a day, 24 cents, or cent an hour. Just imag- he, cent an hour for being under dre-not much chance of getting rich out there.
 When he goes into the fire trench (front line), Tommy's menu takes a tumble. He carries in his haversack what the government calls emergency pr iron rations. Jrhey are not supposed to be opened until Tommy dies of star vation. They consist of one tin of bully beef, four biscuits, a little tin which contains tea, sugar and Oxo cubes Concentrated beef tablets). These are only to be used when the enemy establishes a curtain of shell fire on the communication trenches, thus preventing the carrying in" of rations, or when in an attack body If troops has been cut off from it's base of supplies.
 The rations are brought up at night oy the company transport. This is section of the company in charge of he quartermaster sergeant. composed If men, mules and limbers (two- sheeled wagons), which supplies Tom my's wants while in the front line. They are constantly under shell fire. The ratlons are unloaded at the en trance to the communication trenches and are "carried In" by men detailed for that purpose The quartermaster sergeant never goes into the front-line trench. He dOesn ve to, and have never heard of o volunteering to lo so.
 The company sergeant major sorts the raaions and sends them in.
 Tommy's trench ratiops consist of all the bully beef he can eat. biscuirs ,heese timed butter {sometimes l7 men to a tln), jam or marmalade, and occasionally fresh bread (ten to n oaf) When if is possible he gets tea and stew.
 When things are quiet, and Fritz is xtybiah -al- lom happens, Tommy has the opportu- nifty of making dessert. This i trench pudding" Ii Is made from broken biscuits, condensed milk, iani-- a little water added, slightly favored with mud-put into canteen and cooked over little spirit stove known as '"Tommy's cooker"
 GA firm in Bllghty widely advertises these cookers as a necessity for the men sn the trenches. Gullible people buy tbsm-ship them to the Tommies, who, immediately upon receipt of same throw them over. the parapet. Some times Tommy falls for the ad, and uses the cooker In dugout to the dis- gust and discomfort of the other oc- cupants.) C0t
 This mess Is stirred up in tin and allowed to simmer over the flames from the cooker until Tommy decides that it has reached sufficient (gluelike) consistency. He takes his bayonet and by means of the handle carries the mess up in the front trench to cool After 1t has cooled off he tries to eat 1t. Generally one or two Tommtes in section have cast-iron stomachs and the tin Is soon emptled. Once l tasted trench pudding, but only once.
 In addition to the regular ration is- sue Tommy uses another channel to enlarge his menu.
 In the English papers a Lonely Soldier column Is run. This Is for the soldiers at the front who are sup posed to be without friends or rela- lives. They write to the papers and their names are published. Girls and women in England answer them, and send out parcels of foodstuffs, ciga- rettes, candy, etc. have known ssloneIy" soldier to receive as many as five parcels and eleven letters in one week.