Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 19??-1918, 1918-03-29
I.!QIsz 90


trench. lImbers were waiting ON the
road for US. thought we were going
10 ride back TO rest bIlIets. but soon
found out that the only time an In
fnntryman rides Il when he In
wounded and Is bound for the base or
BlIghty. These lImbers carried our
reserve ammunition and ntions. Our
march TO rest bIIlets was thoroughly
enjoyed by me. II seemed as II !
were on furlough. aud was leaving be-
hind everything that was Disagree
able and horrible. Every recruit feels
this way after being relieved from the
trenches.
We marched eight kiIos and then
halted In front OF a French estaminet
The captain gave the order to turn
out on each side Of the road and walt
his return. Pretty soon he came back
and told b company 10 occupy billets
III. 11S and 1l0. Billet III was an
old stable which had previously been
occupied by cows. About four feet In
front OF the entrance was a huge mn.
nure pile. and the odor from II was
anything but pleasant. Using my
ilashlIght stumbled through the door.
Just before entering observed a
white sign reading: "sItting 90. lying
20" but. ut the time. Its significance
did not strike me. Next morning l
asked the sergeant major what II
meant He nonchalantly answered:
"That's some Of the work Of the R.
A. NJ. c. Roynl Army Medical corps).
II simply means that In case Of an at
tack. this billet will accommodate
flfty wounded who are able to sit up
aud take notice. or twenty stretchez
cases."
II was not long after this that ] wal
one Of the 40 lying"
soon hit the hay and was fast
asleep. even my friends the "cooties'
failed to disturb me.
The next morning at about siz
o'clock was awakened BY the lance
corporal Of our section. informing M
that had been detailed a. mess or
derly, and to report TO the cook ant
give him a hand. I helped him make
the fire. carry water from an old well
and fry the bacon. Lids Of dixies arr
used TO cook the bacon In. AfteI
breakfast was cooked. ! carried dixie
Of hot tea and the I'D full Of bacon Il
our section, and told the corporal tha
breakfast was ready. He looked at M
In contempt. and then shouted, "Break
fast up. come and get n" ! ImmedI
ntely got wise TO the trench parlance
and never again informed that ABreak
fast was served"
II didn't take long for the Tommlei
| to answer this call. Half dressed
they lined up with their canteens ant
II dIshed out the ten. Each Tomm,
carried In his hand a thick slice Of
bread which had been issued with thu
ratIons the night before. Then l hat
the pleasure Of seeing them dig int
the bacon with their dirty fingers. Tit
allowance was one slice per man. Th'
late ones received very small slices
Az each Tommy got his share he i'm
mediately disappeared into the billet
Pretty soon about fifteen Of them made
rush to the cookhouse, each carrying
a huge slice Of bread. These sllcei
they dipped Into the bacon grease
which was stewing over the IRE. Th'
last man invariably lost out. l wal
the last man. +p safr
After breakfast our section carried
their equipment into a field adjoinlnl
the billet and got busy removing ths
trench mud therefrom, because at IA
q. IN, they had to fall In for inspection
and parade, and woe betide the mar
who was unshaven. or had mud on hi,
uniform. Cleanliness Is next to godli
ness In the British army, and Old Pep
per must have been personally &C
Qualnted with st. Peter.
Our drill consisted Of closeaordel
formation, which lasted until noon
During this time we had two ten-min
ute breaks for rest. and no sooner tn,
word, "Fall out for ten minutes" wal
given than each Tommy got out fal
and lighted It.
Fags are issued every Sunday morn
Ing and you generally get between
twenty and forty. The brand gen
orally issued Is the "woodbine." Some
times we are lucky and get "Gold
fakes" "Players" or "Red Hussars.
Occasionally an issue Of Life Rays
comes along. Then the older Tommle'
Immediately get busy on the recruits
and trade these for "Woodblnes'' O
'Goldflakes." A recruit only has I,
be stuck once In this manner. and thel
he ceases to be a recruit. There Is ,
reason. Tommy is q great cigarette
smoker. He smokes under all condl
tlons, except when unconscious o
when he is reconnoitering In No Man
Land at night. Then. for obvious rea
sons, he does not care to have ligh
ed cigarette In his mouth.
Stretcher bearers carry fags "a