Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-01-18

coming towards YOU, so caked over WITH
mud are the soldiers who are coming out
Their good spirits are with them, as thes
hail the new corners with such remarks
as Plenty of mud in there if you like H.
Don't be afraid of the mud" Then the
fresh troops enter the trenches. A walk
along the bottom of the trench is MADE
with a duck foot arrangement of boards.
But this is not sufficient footing and
man sinks down deep into the ''molasses,"
which we here in L. S. call mud With
the aid of some empty bully beef ems
platforms were made which were some
help. On these they could sit down, but
their feet were still in the mud SO thick
and deep. Rubber boots. in the opinion of
Mr.. Van Leer. are not practical foot gear
for trench warfare A soldier can step
into the mud with his nice new shiny
rubber boots, but when he goes to pull
his foot out. he leaves Mr. Rubber Boot
behind. Usually he Is in such hurry to
get ahead that he can not so back and dig
il out. For rubber boot inserted into
that kind of mud is just like putting It
into pot of glue.
Rats Are Pets
Trench rats are nice harmless pets.
They will not bite. for they are we'll
fed on bully beef and hard tack.
Some of the trench rats whose bed
fellows are generous soldiers, are slick
and fat as a puppy and fully as big
Then there are the insects which also
keep the soldiers company. These are
bugs little and big and all colors and
descriptions. Every one gets his share
OF bugs. Van Leer chuckled when he
said that he had seen the captain and
other officers sitting down and picking
over their clothes for these insects.
Eight days is the time allotted for a
continuous stay in the trenches. In
that time they have no chance to
change their clothes, maybe because
they haven't the clothes. but more
often because the time is lacking. If
they do have the time and not the
Clothes maybe those of dead COM
panion may be better than the ones
they would discard. The natural re-
suit IS easily seen. The wearing an
parel and the guns and ammunition of
their dead comrades they try to take
along with them, that is. if Fritz will
let them. Fritz is fellow who is al
ways on the job. Night and day he
keeps at the opponents The machine
gun fire the English soldiers call
"typewriter'; there is another shot
they call star shelf. which rises up
Ike rocket and spread out over a
large area. The machine gun fire gets
It's name from the sound of the dis
charge which strongly resembles the
operating OF a harmless enough in
warfare typewriter.
Gases and Shocks
There are two kinds of gases One
kind is that which is contained in a
time bomb and the effects Of which
are fatal. Then there is the gas which
Is shot out of a gun. Gas poison puts
the victim in Stupor. he is sick to
his stomach and suffers chills. Shell
shock comes from the constant boom.
boom of the guns. 1t is nervous
disorder as the name might imply and
physicians say the only cure from il
Is quletudc and rest ana strong de
termination TO get the better of it,
Trench feet. which comes from stand
ing in the trenches day after dav in
the mud AID water and lack of change
of foot gear is like the earliest stages
Of Gangrene. The feet turn black and
the rotting sets in. which soon proves
fatal Tho pack which a British sol
Gler carries weighs about IS pounds
He carries two gas masks, the extra
one in case The other one proves bad
lis trench tool which is half spade and
half pick. extra change of underclothes
providing he is lucky enough to have
them. Then there is his emergency
food Kit which contains can OF bully
beef hard tack and a package of tea
ana sugar, This kit cannot be dis
TURNED under any circumstances. IN
less ne is isolated. In the lining of his
coat he has field pack, which con-
sists of bandage and vial Of iodine
The British soldier gets about "a cents
u day. Each soldier has his dajlv ',
tion of rum. which is about one litor
OF niue over quart in our measure.
The English soldier also has his smoke
ration. which consists of tobacco and
cigarettes
Children Beg
AS the soldiers pass throuch tho
French villages. on their way to and
from the firing lire. they are greeted
and tagged through the streets liz
hordcs Of French children. "Rullv
beef. bully beef" cry the children h
chorus and they are many times FED
by the soldiers. The French children
nave also conquered another English
word. biscuit" which they add ia
thelr cry as the appetite dictates. The
underfed children Of France regard
the foreign soldier as more or less Of !,
meal ticket for from they they eynect
1000 and they are very seldom disap
pointed
Are women 4 nuisance in connection
with the war work near the firing lines .,
10 tins question Van Lper proirDtIv re-
phed that they Were far from = mis-
ance and appeared indignant at such !
question H" said the women ara ~,
greatest help. They 80 into the hoe
pltals, write letters home for tl,e eol
dlers VINO are unable To- do 50 serva
sooo things to cat and cheer them nv,
IN many ways Women Ambulance
drivers in the war section ara ~ NM
slght and women are supplantire MAJ
in all trades.
london Air Raids
During his stay IN Londo, af.l..
turning from the Battlefield. the ,i,.
a'o on tharing Cross bospital tnrI.
i'"1e' II was at that time that .oo 49,,