The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1918-03-14
CHAPTER VI.
Back of the Line"

Our TOUR III tIe lIout-lut tiChNh
lasted four days, and then we were
relieved by the - brigade.
Going down the communication
trench we were In merry mood, al
though we were cold and wet. and
every bone In our bodies ached. II
makes lot of difference whether you
are "going In or "going out"
At the end of the communication
trench, limbers were waiting on the
road for us. l thought we We're going
found out that the only time an in-
fantryman rides is when he Is
wounded and is bound for the base or
Blighty. These limbers carried our
reserve ammunition and rations. Our
march to rest billets was thoroughly
enjoyed by me. 1t seemed as If l
were on furlough, and was seaving be-
hind everything that was disagree
able and horrible. Every recruit feels
this way after being relieved from the
trenches
We marched eight kilos and then
The captain gave the order to turn
out on each side of the road and walt
his return. Pretty soon he came back
and told Il company to occupy billets
1T, us and 10. Billet Ut was an
old stnble which had previously been
occupied by cows. About four feet in
front of the entrance was Il huge ma
nure pile, and the odor from it was
anything but pleasant Using my
1ashlieht stumbled through the door.
just before entering | observed
white sign reading: Sitting So lying
20" but, at the time, its significance
did not strike me. Next morning |
asked the sergeant major what ii
meant. He nonchalantly answered.:
THAT'S some of the work of the K.
A. M. C. (Royal Army Medical CORPSE.
1t simply means that In case of an at
tack. this billet will accommodate
fifty wounded who are able to sit up
and take notice. or twenty stretcher
cases."
II was not long after this that was
one of the 400 lying"
soon hit the hay and was fast
asleep, even my friends the "cooties"
failed to disturb me.
The next morning at about six
o'clock | was awakened by the lance
corporal of our section, informing me
that | had been detailed as mess or
derby, and to report to the cook and
II 10
the fire, carry water from an old well,
and fry the bacon. Lids of dixies are
used to cook the bacon In. After
breakfast was cooked, carried dixie
of hot tea and the lid full of bacon to
our section, md told the corporal that
breakfast was ready. He looked at me
In contempt, and then shouted. Break
fast up, come and get 1t | immedi-
ately got wise to the trench parlance,
and never again informed that Break
fast was served"
1t didn't take long for the Tommies
to answer this call. Half dressed,
they lined up with their canteens and
dished out the tea. Each Tommy
carried In his hand thick slice of
bread which had been issued with the
rations the night before. Then ! had
the pleasure Of seeing them dig into
the bacon with their dirty fingers. The
allowance was one slice per man. The
late ones received very small slices.
As each Tommy got his share he inn
mediately disappeared into the billet.
Pretty soon about fifteen of them made
a rush to the cookhouse, each carrying
q huge slice of bread. These slices
they dipped into the bacon grease
which was stewlng over the fire. The
last man invariably lost out was
the last man.
After breakfast our section carried
their equipment into a field adjoining
the billet and got busy removing the
trench mud therefrom. because at s :45
d. m., they had to fall In for inspection
and parade, and woe betide the man
who was unshaven, or had mud on his
uniform. Cleanliness is next to godli-
ness In the British army, and Old Pep
per must have been personally &C
Quainted with ST. Peter.
Our drill consisted of close-order
formation, which lasted until noon.
During this time we had two ten-min-
ute breaks for rest. and no sooner the
word, Fail out for ten minutes" was