The Mena weekly star., 1918-07-04
CHAPTER XIV.
Preparing for the Bio Push

Preparing for the Big Push.
 Rejoining Atwell after the execution l had hard time trying to keep my secret from him. think I must have lost at least ten pounds worrying over the affair.
 Beginning at seven in the evening 1t was our duty to patrol all communica- ton and front-line trenches, making note of unusual occurrences, and ar- resting anyone who should, to us, ap- pear to be acting in a suspicious man. ner. We slept during the day.
 Behind the lines there was great ac- tivity, supplies and ammunition pour ing in, and long columns of troops con stantly passing. We were preparing for the big offensive, the forerunner of the battle of the Somme or Big Push."
 The never-ending stream of men, supplies, ammunition and guns pour Ing into the front lines made a mighty spectacle, one that cannot be de- scribed. It has to be witnessed with your own eyes to appreciate It's vast ness.
 At our part of the line the influx of supplies never ended. It looked like huge snake slowly crawling forward, never a hitch or break, wonderful tribute to the system and efficiency of Great Britain's "contemptible little army" of five millions of men.
 Huge fifteen-inch guns snaked along. foot by foot, by powerful steam tract tors. Then long line Of -four point five" batteries, each gun drawn by six horses, then a couple of mine point two" howitzers pulled by immense caterpillar engines.
 When one of these caterpillars would pass me with It's mighty monster in tow. flush of pride would mount to my face. because I could plainly read on the name plate, Made in U. S. A." and I would remember that if 1 wore q name plate 1t would also read, .'From the U. s. A." Then I would stop to think how thin and straggly that mighty stream would be if all the Made in U. S. A." parts Of It were withdrawn.
 Then would come hundreds of Him. bers and "G. S." wagons drawn by ,leek, well-fed mules, ridden by sleek, well-fed men, ever smiling. although grimy with sweat and covered with the ine, white dust of the marvelously well-made French roads.
 What discouraging report the Ger man airmen must have taken back to their division commanders. and thi s stream is slowly but surely getting big ger and bigger every day, and the pace Is always the same. No slower, no faster. but ever onward. ever forward.
 Three weeks before the big push of July las the battle of the Somme has been called-started, exact duplicates about thirty kilos behind our lines. Fhe layout of the trenches was taken from airplane photographs submitted y the Royal flying corps. The trench es were correct to the foot; they showed dugouts, saps, barbed wire de lenses and danger spots.
 Battalions that were to go over in the first waves were sent back for hree days to study these trenches, er- gage in practice attacks and have night maneuvers. Each man was required to make a map of the trenches and fa- uhliarize himself with the names and location of the parts his battalion was to attack.
 In the American army noncommis- stoned officers are put through course If map making or road sketching, and during my six years service in the United States cavalry had plenty of practice in this work. therefore map ping these trenches was compara- lively easy task for me. Each man had to submit his map to the company commander to be passed upon. and I was lucky enough to have mine select ed as being sufficiently authenticate use in the attack.
 tContinued in Next rssue.1