Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-06-18
TRENCH FIREWORKS
BY Lieutenant Leon archibald
British Royal Engineers

N/OU are all to a certain degree familiar
l. with the few simple operations involved
in the ringing in" of a fire alarm. When
YOU want the fire department to perform
the duties of it's offices in your attic where
the son and heir has just been performing
some highly interesting experiments with
a few matches you avail yourself imme-
diately of one OF civilizations latest and
sometimes highly efficient means of COM
nunication You telephone to the nearest
fire brigade that the presence of their COM
pany is urgently requested at a little func-
ton in Smiths Garret. or words TO that
effect and you usually get results. In the
trenches emergencies demanding !mme-
date attention very frequently arise, es-
pecialy at night; but the method OF sum-
moning this very essential attention or
support is very rarely intrusted to the
telephone.
THE latter is all right in its place that
L is. If it has not had several important
yards of its wiring removed by enemy
shells; but in cases Of real emergency frac-
tions of seconds very frequently mean
valuable mems lives, not to mention sec
tions Of front line. Consequently, when
those in the trenches are suddenly con-
fronted with a profoundly undesirable visit
from Heinie and his band of cutthroats
from . over the way they find themselves
very much in the same position as you
with a fire in your attic. Forthwith II not
sooner. is sent out an appeal for assist
ance; but in the case of the trenches 1t
is that ever-watchful and wonderfully
efficient fellow, the gunner, who is sum
moned.
AS AN IS o s" call to batteries light
"A of certain hue shot high into the air
had been rendering us very effective service
for some months when suddenly the Ger
mans in our vicinity adopted an almost
identical course of action This likeness
between signals opened up avenues to
eminently dangerous possibilities and as a
consequence our color scheme had to be
Immediately changed
TN THIS alteration exhaustive tests were
made with various colored rockets TO
determine which was best suited TO our
needs Our brigade headquarters stan was
to a large degree interested in these trials
and had called upon us to supply some
material. as we'll as a man or two to assist
in staging the exhibition. A night par
ticularly selected on account of its dark
ness was chosen upon which to make the
demonstration, and on this night, in COM
pany with two sappers, together with our
paraphernalia. proceeded to the yard
adjacent TO headquarters. One or two
members OF the staff had been stationed
at distant points whence the rockets could
be seen. to judge of their merit, while the
brigadier and one or two others remained
to direct proceedings.
THREE luminous proJectiles Of different
i tints had been fired and each had scared
to the heavens in dazzling parabola OF
splendor One of these It was considered
would meet the requirements admirably;
but in the interests of impartiality II was
only fair that the fourth and last. an affair
labeled green, should be given a chance
to prove its worth, even though II stood
little chance of making good
Upon its being brought forth slight
- irregularity was noticed in it's tail or
steering apparatus. which had probNhlx
nQap due q defecsiye pacIxine With