The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-09-16
FIRST CALL
By
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
Author OF
over THE TOP"
CHAPTER XIV.
periseopes and "Sen,ry Co.

yVJHEN the American soldier On
w tiers a trench for the first time
w he feels lonely and lost lie can
see only walls OF earth with a Strip
OF sky for roof. But this lonelines,
soon passes away and is replaced by a
feeling OF security. lie Immediately
becomes convinced that he is safe be
cause he cannot be seen by the enemy
This, to certain extent, IS true. but II
the enemy cannot see you, the fact re-
mains that you cannot see the enemy.
Soon the soldiers sense OF security
melts away and is replaced by a nervous
wonder. What are the enemy doing
Are they crawling up on his trench, Hs
has an irresistible desire to get up on
the fire step and look over the top in
the direction Of the enemy lines
PerlseopeS.
Al night this curiosity may be sat
isiied with little danger 10 the person
exposing himself, but in the daytime
it is suicide 10 look over the top OF
The trench, because enemy snipers are
saiting for just such an opportunity
to'Nfnd YOU TO Bhghty Early in the
war there were devised, means by which
soldier could see what was going on
in No Mans Land during the day with
out exposing himself 10 fire. The per
iscope was used Now there are many
types Of periscopes. The old box per
iseope. at the best a clumsy affair, was,
first tried, This presented an admir-
able target for enemy snipers and they
were not slow in shattering them with
bullets. The ordinary life OF such
perisogpe was about twenty TO thirty
minutes, so the soldiers got busy and
made their own.
This was very easy matter, because
a periscope consists simply OF two mir
rors placed at certain angles, one OF
them sticking over the top while the
other is below in the trench. The ar.
rangement Of these mirrors enables the
garer 20 look into the lower mirror
and see there the reflection OF the up
per mirror which reveals the ground in
front OF the trench.
To make one OF these periscopes, take
an ordinary stake or stick (as per H.
lustration), cut two slots in same and
insert the mirrors Before exposing the
upper mirror above the trench, see that
Il Is screened, so that the sun rays
will not reflect on il and thus betray
its position to the enemy. II the enemy
spot periscope they will not only turn
rifle fife on Il, bat will open up with
their trench mortars and make il very
uncomfortable for the men stationed
near, One disadvantage, in the use of
the periscope is that i makes distance
seem greater than il really is. To
make the image in the periscope clearer.
attach binoculars to the lower mirror.
at the proper angle. This will help
greatly, No doubt the American sol.
dier's natural ingenuity and inventive
ness will in time discover methods far
superior TO the above.
"Scntry Co."
After entering the fire trench keen
your wits about you. II you are placed
on guard be sure that the sentry whom
you relieve turns over all orders, warn
irgs,. instructions, etc, TO you. Do not
be afraid to ask questions. Do not
take your post until YOU are perfectly
familiar. with II, the terrain in frout,
and modes and lanes OF communication
TO your officer or hon-commissioned of.
fieer. See that your footing is secure
when standing on the fire step, that
your head Is sufficiently 'over the top"
to allow an unobstrueted view OF No
Mans Land and that your rifle rests
on the parapet. BE sure that you arc
able to cover with a quick aim every
object seen in the section you guard.