The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1918-03-03


We got into our packs and started
up the line imm ediateiy. AS we
neared the lines we were extended
. into artillery formation, that is
Ispread out so that a shell bursting in
the road would inflict fewer casualties
At Bully-0renay. the point where
we tered the communication
. trenches, guides met us and looked us
lover commenting most frankly and
, freely on our appearance. They
didn't seem to think we would amount
TO muchf1 and said so. They agreed
THAT the ''bloomin' Yank' must be
la bloody foor' to come out there.
lT~here were times later when I agreed
with them.
II began 10 rain "a we entered the
communication trench and I had my
first taste OF mud. That is literal, for
with mud knee deep In q trench just
wide enough for two men to pass you
get sr1eared from head 10 foot. Incl
dertally as we approached nearer the
front, got my first view Of the dead.
Ut ia something you never get away
from In the trenches. SO many dead
have been buried 80 hastily that they
are all the time being uncovered by
shell bursts.
This communication trench was
over two miles long. and it seemed like
twenty. We finally landed into a. sup
port trench called "Mechanics' '(every
trench has a name, like a street). and
from there into the first line trench.
| I have TO admit a feeling of dis
appointment in that first trench.
don't know what i expected TO see,
but what I did see was Just n long
CROOKED ditch with a low step running
Ialong one side. and with standings
on top. Here and there was a muddy
Ibetiraggled Tommy half asleep. nurs-
/ ing dirty and muddy rifle on sen
TRY 60" Everything WIS very quiet
at the moment---no rifles popping. as
I had half expected; no bullets flying
and as it happened, absolutely no
Smelling in the whole sector.
! 7 forgot to say that we had come
up by daylight Ordinarily troops are
moved at night, but the communica-
ton trench from Bully -Grenay was
very deep and was protected at points
by hills and II was possible 20 move
linen in the daytime.
Arrived in the front trench the ser
geant major arrived crawling out of
his dug-outv-the usual place for
serReant-maj or-aud greeted us with
Keep your nappers down. You
rocks, Don't look over the top. IT
|eycu't ''ealthy."
1t is the regular warning TO new
men. For some reason the first emo
ton of ahe rookie is an overpowering
curiosity. He wants to take a peep
into no mans land, II feels safe
there's always a Fritzie over yonder
Eenoueh when things are quiet But
there's always Il FNritzie over yonder
with telescope rife, and it's about
ter to one he'll get you IL you stick
lthe old "napper" up in daylight.
| was assigned in Platoon 10 and
found they were a. good live bunch.
corporal Wells was tho best OF the lot
land we became fast friends. He
helped me learn lot of my new du-
ties and the trench lingo" which is
Hike a new language, especially to a
iYank
Wells started right in TO make me
feel at home and took me along with
two others OF the new men down to our
departments" a dugout built for about
flour, and housing ten.
+ DUGOTpr ANOTHER SURPRISE
MY previous idea OF a dugout had
been a fairly roomy sort of cave
somewhat damp, but comparatively
comfortable. Well. this hole was
about four and a-hah feet high-you
had to get in doubled up on your
hands and knees-about five by six
feet on the sides, and there was nc
floor, Just muck. There was some
sodden. dirty stray and a lot of old
nnouldy and bags. Seven men and
their equipment were packed In here
and we made tire.
There was chacoai braxier going
In the middle with tv~o or three mess
tins of char-bofling away. Every.
body was smoking. and the place
istunk TO high heaven or it woult
have If there hasn't been bit OF bur
lap over the door.
I crowded up into corner with my
back against the muir wall and m,
knees under my chin. The men didn"
seem overglad to see US and
groused a good deal about the extrt
orowding They regarded me Will
extra disfavor because ! was at dance
corporal, and they disapproved of an,
young whipper- snapper just out from
Blighty with no trench experience,
pitchforked In with even a slight su
iporior rank. I had thought up TO ther
that a lance corporal was pretty neaI
as important as brigadier.
We'll soon tyke that stripe off we
mo bold lad" said one big cookney.
| @iicN WNIV II dSSNilL lot HIt@T ali
Since we were just out from Blight,
they showered US with questions az t,
how things - ONE" And thei
somebody asked what was the lates
song. Right here was where I r.Sad
my hit and got in right, sing hi
and I piped up with the neweft thin,
from the music halls, ''TylSe Me Bacl
TO Blighty." Here II is:
Tyke mo back TO dear old Bnghty.
Put me on the tryane for London town
Just tyke me over there
And drop me anywhere
Manchester. Leeds or Birmingham,
7 don't care.
want to go see my best gal;
lCuddlin' up soon wen be.
Hytey iddle de eyety
lTyke me back to Blighty
That's the piyce for me
II doesn't look like much and Tn
AFRAID my rendition OF cockney dia
lect into print Isn't quite up to Kip
iings But the song had a pretty lit
tie lifting melody and 1t went big
They made me sing 1t about dozel
times and were all jolnifsg in at tn,
end.
Then they got sentimental-an