The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1918-04-18
CHAPTER XIII.
MY First Official Bath.

Right behind our rest billet was a
slhrge creek about ten feet deep and
twenty feet across, and it was a habit
hof the company to avail themselves Of
Ian opportunity to take swim and at
ehe same time thoroughly wash them
5selves and their underwear when on
eheir own. We were having spell Of
thot weather, and these baths to us
lwere q luxury. The Tommies would
splash around in the water and then
scome out and sit in the sun and have
what they termed ''shirt hunt" At
first we tried to drown the 'cooties,"
hut they also seemed to enjoy the bath.
! One Sunday morning the whole sec
Eion was In the creek and we we're hav-
ling gay time, when the sergeant ma
sjor appeared on the scene. He came
Ho the edge of the creek and ordered:
ss'Come out of it. Get your equipment
Ion, drill ORDER and fall in for bath
parade. Look lively, my hearties. You
have only got fifteen minutes" A howl
lot indignation from the creek greeted
this order, but out we. came. Disci-
pline is discipline. Z lined up in
front Of our billet with rifles and bay
tonets (why you need rifles and bayo-
nets to take bath gets me), full
quota Of ammunition, and our tin hats.
Each man had q piece Of soap and q
towel. After an eight-kilo march along
IN dusty road, with an occasional shell
fwhistlins overhead, we arrived at
little squat frame building upon the
bank of creek. Nailed over the door
of this building was large sign which
read divisional Baths" In wooden
shed in the rear we could hear
wheezy old engine pumping water.
We lined up in front Of the baths,
soaked with perspiration, and piled
our rites into stacks. A sergeant Of
the r. A. M. G. with q yellow band
around his left arm on which was
IS. P" (sanitary police) in black let
tiers, took charge, ordering US to take
off our equipment, unroll our puttees
and unlace boots. Then, starting from
the right of the line, he divided US
into squads Of fifteen. I happened to
be in the first squad.
We entered a small room, where we
were given five minutes to undress,
then filed into the bathroom. In here
there were fifteen tubs (barrels sawed
In two) half full Of water. Each tub
contained piece Of laundry soap. The
sergeant Informed us that we had just
twelve minutes in which to take our
baths. Soaping ourselves all over, we
took turns in rubbing each others
backs, then by means Of a garden hose,
washed the soap off. The water was
lice cold, but felt fine.
Pretty soon bell rang and the wa
fer was turned off. Some Of the slower
.ones were covered with soap, but this
imade no difference to the sergeant,
who chased US into another room,
where we lined up in front Of little
window, resembling the box office in
theater, and received clean underwear
jand towels. From here we went into
the room where we had first undressed.
Ten minutes were allowed In which to
sget into our "clabber."
My pair of drawers came up to my
chin and the shirt barely reached my
diaphragm, but they were clean-no
strangers on them, so was satisfied.
At the expiration Of the time allot-
tied we were turned out and finished
lour dressing on the grass.
When all Of the company had bathed
ut was q case Of march back to billets.
THAT march was the most uncOngenial
zone imagined, just cussing and blind
ling all the way. We were covered with
white dust and felt greasy from sweat.
The woolen underwear issued was
Htching like the mischief.
After eating our dinner of stew,
which had been kept for us-it was
iDnu four n'clock-wa went info the