Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1918-12-27

Nf''~@F~f
B.
There we're six OF u.s.
Curly Wallace was called "curly
because he had the cutest little DELL
Fox. or spit curl, as the gnm-cheweri
call II, you ever saw. Wallace wa.
proud Of that curl. and gave 1t the
best OF attention and care. He wa.
Scotch
Happy" Iioughtoa earned his nick
name by his constant smile aud happy
disposition. lie was English, a Lon
dDoef.
Hungry Foxcroft really earned his
tile. lie took special pains that our
rnfions would not become widowed by
Tying around too long ia the dampness
Of our dugout lie was English: also
frcm London.
"fkey" Honey. dubbed "Ikey" be-
cause IN one OF our theatrical Mt
tcmpfs he took the part Of "Ikey Co
henstesn. and made quite hit. Eng
lish. via London.
fDlck" Turpin. called 'Dick" In
memory Of the notorious highwayman.
lie used 70 help the qnariermaster ser.
geans. so the name was very approprl-
ate. He was Irish, from Dublin.
was the sixth. The boys put the
prefix "Yank" 10 my name, because I
was american and hailed from the
rig Town" behind the statue OF lib
erty.
The six Of ns composed the crew OF
gun No. Of the til brigade ma.
chine company. We were maallna
gunners and our gun was the ylckcrs.
light, 500, wnter-cooied.
II was rainy afternoon In June.
and we were sitting IN our dugout In
the front-lIne trench. about 800 yards
from the German lines.
n You should ask Tommy Atkins
"What Is dngoutf" he would look Mt
you 10 establishment. and. plying you
for your apparent lack OF education.
would answer. whats dugout7
Why dugout * a--weIl. dugout's
dueouf." Only being Tommy pro
iem-pro TEN In my case meaning ''for
duration of war; will try 10 de-
scribe 20 the best Of my ability this
particular dugout
A dugout Is hole In the ground.
Gets lis name because II Is dug out
by the Royal Engineers. or r. Els as
we eall them. II Is used TO shelter the
men In the trenches from shell fire.
They also sleep ia il. or try TO. From
eur point OF view. Its main use Is 10
drain the trenches OF muddy water
and give rs rheumatism. II also
makes . good hotel for rats. These
guests look upon us AS intruders and
that we overcrowd the place. |
Occasionally we give In 10 them. and
take turn In the trench % rest our
selves.
our dugont was about twenty feet |
deep. or. az least. there were twenty |
wooden steps leading down 10 II. The
-eillns and walls were braccd by |
aeasy. square-cut tlmbers over the |
imbers IN the ceiling sheets OF cor
'uEated iron were spread TO keep the
vet earth from falling In on us. The
'ntrnnce was heavily snndbagged and /
'ery narrow: there WAS only room for
me person 20 leave or enter ne time. /
The ceiling was six feet high and tho
'ope space was ten feet by six feet.
tho ceiling six-inch square
Iirs'iaft was cut. We used 10 take
u1-ss sleeping under this Ia wet
sr.liher
The timbers bracing the walls were
iriscn full OF nails 20 hang our equip
nent on. After our ammunition. belt.
Hing machine, equipment. rifles. etc.
lnd been stored nwny. there was not
auth Space for six men TO live. not
crgestinx the rats
IL WAS very dark ia the dugout, and
y we were only issued candle and a
laif every fwcnty-four hours we had
0 econonixe on light Woe betide the
asst NAB who left the candle burning I
In this hotei OF ours we would sit
round he lonely candle and through
thick haze OF tobacco smoke would
scount our different experiences at
srious points OF the llne where we
'sd been. or spin Yarns about home.
bpnssimss VIC would write letter.
shso NE were fortunate enough TO be
'e4r the candle. Al other times we'd
Il for an hous without saying word.
I<*enieg TO German over In the en-
my's fronf trench playing a cornet.
". hSx that Boche could play! Just I
> make ~ hate ths war he'd play ~Su-
'nnee River" Home. Sweet Home" !
r ~f1rcr the Waves The latter ,xna I