The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-05-30

| On my feet were heavy-soled boots,
| studded with hobnails, the toes and
/ heels of which were REINFORCED by
/ steel half-moons. Ny legs were in
cased in wooden puttees, olive drab in
| color, with my trousers overlapping
| them at the top. Then a wooden khaki
! tunic. under which was a blush gray
wooden shirt, minus a collar; beneath
this shirt q wooden belly band about
six inches wide. held In place by tie
strings of white tape. On my head
was heavy wooden trench cap, with
huge eariaps buttoned over the top.
, Then the equipment: A canvas belt,
with ammunition pockets, and two
wide canvas straps like suspenders,
called I'D" straps, fastened to the belt
in front, passing over ea ch shoulder.
crossing in the middle of my ba k, and
attached by buckles to the rear Of the
belt. On the right side of the belt
hung water bottle, covered with felt;
on the left side was my bayonet and
scabbar and intrenching tool handle,
this hah e strapped to the bayonet
scabbard. In the rear was my I'm
trenching tool, carried in a canvas case.
This tool was a combination pick and
spade. A canvas haversack was
strapped to the left side OF the belt,
while on my back was the pack, also
of canvas. held In place by two canvas
straps over the shoulders; suspended
ON the bottom of the pack was my
mess tin Or canteen IN a neat little
canvas case. Ny waterproof sheet,
looking like a Jelly roll. was strapped
on top of the pack, with wooden stick
for cleaning the breach Of the rifle pro-
jecting from each end. On a lanyard
around my waist hung a huge jack
knife with a can-opener attachment.
The pack contained my overcoat, an
extra pair of socks, change of under
wear, hold all Containing knife, fork,
spoon. comb, toothbrush, lather brush,
shaving soap, and q razor made of tin.
with made In England" stamped on
the blade; when trying to shave with
this it made you wish that you were
at war with Patagonia. SO that you
could have a ''hollow ground" stamped
made in Germany; then your house
wife, button-cleaning outfit, consisting
Of a brass button stick. two stiff
brushes, and a box Of Soldiers
Friend" paste; then a shoe brush and
a box Of dublin, writing pad, indel-
ible pencil, envelopes, and pay book,
and personal belongings, such as a
small mirror, a decent razor and a
sheaf of unanswered letters, and flags.
In your haversack you carry your iron
rations, meaning a tin Of bully beef,
four biscuits and can containing tea,
sugar and Oxo cubes; a couple of
pipes and pack Of shag, tin of rifle
Oil, and a pull-through. Tommy gen.
orally carries the oil with his rations;
IL gives the cheese sort of sardine
taste.
Add to this a frst-aid pouch and a
long, ungainly rifle patterned after the
Daniel Boone period. and you have an
idea of a British soldier in Blighty.
Before leaving for France. this rifle
is taken from him and he Is issued
with Lee-Enfield short trench rife
and a ration bag.
In France he receives two gas he'll
NETS, a sheepskin coat, rubber mack
intosh, steel helmet, two blankets, tear
shell goggles, a balaclava helmet.
gloves and tin of antifrostbite grease
which is excellent for greasing the
boots. Add to this the weight of his
rations, and can you blame Tommy for
growing at a twenty-kilo route march
Having served as sergeant major in
the United States cavalry, ] tried to
tell the English drill sergeants their
business, but it did not work. They
Immediately put me as batman in their
mess. Many greasy dish of stew was
accidentally spilled over them.
would sooner fight than be a waiter,
O xrhor "a Ordar oh
headquarters calling for a draft of
$50 re-enforcements for France, vol
unteered.
Then we went before the M. o.
(medical oficer) for another physical
examination. This was very brief. He
asked our names and numbers and
said Fit" and we went out to fight.
We were put into troop trains and
sent TO Southampton, where we de-
trained. and had our trench rifles is
sued to US. Then in columns of twos
we went up the gangplank of little
steamer lying alongside the dock.
At the head OF the gangplank there
was an old sergeant, who directed that
we line ourselves along both rails OF
the ship. Then he ordered us to take
life belts from the racks overhead and |
put them on. have crossed the ocean |
several times and knew I was not sea-
sick. but when I buckled on that life |
belt / had a sensation of sickness.
After we got out into the stream all |
I could think of was that there were a |
million German submarines with a tor |
pedo on EACH across the warhead of |
which was inscribed my name and ad- |
dress.
After five hours we came alongside |