The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1918-03-01
CHAPTER XIV.
Preparing for the Bio Push.

Rcjoining AtWell after the execution
/ had a hard time trying to keep my
secret from him. | think | must have
lost at least ten pounds worrying over
the affair
Beginning at seven in the evening it
was our duty to patrol all commmica-
tion and front-linc trenches, making
note of unusual occurrences, and an
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 nc
tiyitN supplies and ammunition pour
ing in, and long columns of troops con
Stantly passing. We were preparing
for the big offensive the forerunncr
of the battle Of the Somme or big
Push"
The neYcr-ending stream of men,
supplies. ammunition and guns pour
Ing into the front lines made a mighty
spectacle, one that cannot he de-
Scribed. 1t has to he witnessed with
your own eyes to appreciate its vast
ness.
At our part of the line the influx Of
supplies never ended II looked like
e huge snake slowly crawling forward
lncyer hitch or break, a wonderful
tribute to the system and efficiency of
Great Brtalns "contemptible little
army of five millions of men.
Huge lfteen-inch guns snaked along,
foot by foot by powerful steam tract
tors. Then long line of -four polur
five batteries, each gun drawn by six
horses. then a couple of "nine point
two hoWitzers pulled by immense
caterpillar engines.
When one of these caterpllars would
pass me with its mighty monster in
tow, a flush of pride would mount to
my face, because | could plainly read
on the name plate, made in L. $. A."
and | would remember that if wore a
name plate it would also read "t'rom
the u. s. A. Then | would stop to
think how thin and straggly that
mighty stream would be if all the
"AIade in U. 5. A" parts of it were
withdrawn.
/ Then would come hundreds of linn
bers and &c. s." wagons drawn by
sleek, well-fed mules, ridden by sleek,
wcll fed men, ever smiling, although
grlmy with sweat and covered with the
fine, white dust Of the mawelouSly
Well-made French roads.
What a diScouraging report the Gels
man airmen must have taken back to
their division commanders, and this
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 cailed-started, exact duplicates
of the German trenches We're dug
about thirty kilos behind our lines.
Hhe layout of the trenches was taken
fltlli an liNiN llilONbSl NIliN Nuullll ttAi
by the Royal flying corps The trench
es were correct to the foot; they
showed dugoutS, saps, barbed wire de-
fenSeS and danger spots.
Battalions that were to 60 over in
the first waves were sent back for
three days to study these trenches, en-
gage in practice attacks and have night
maneuyers. Each man was required to
make map OF the trenches and fa-
miliarze 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
of map making or road skctching, and
during my six years service in the
United States cavalry | had plenty of
practice in this work, therefore map
ping these trenches was IL compara-
tiyely. easy task for me-. Each man
|