Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-03-29
CHAPTER VI.


| Our tour in the front-line trench
lasted four days. and then we were
relieved by the - brigade.
Going down the Communication
trench we were in q merry mood. al
though We We're cold and wet, and
every bone in our bodies ached. It
! makes a lot Of difference whether you
are going in" Or "going out" ..
At the end Of the Communication
trench, limbens were waiting on the
road for us. I thought we were going
to ride back to rest billets, but soon
found out that the only time an in.
fantryman rides Is when he .
wounded and is bound for the base or
Bllghty. These limbers carried our
reserve ammunition and rations. Our
march to rest billets was thoroughly
enjoyed by me. 1t seemed as If I
were on furlough, and 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 kilos and then
halted in front Of French estaminet.
The captain gave the order to turn
out on each side of the road and wait
his return. Pretty soon he came back
and told B company to occupy billets
III, 11S and 119. Billet III was an
old stable which had previously been
occupied by COWS. About four feet in
front of the entrance was a huge ma
nure pile, and the odor from it was
anything but pleasant. Using my
dashlight stumbled through the door.
Just before entering observed
white sign reading: "sit1ng so. lying
90" but, at the time, its significance
did not strike me. Next morning
asked the sergeant major what It
meant. he nonchalantly answered:
'That's some Of the work of the r.
A NJ c. (Royal Army Medical coRps).
1t simply means that in case of an at
tack, this billet will accommodate
6fty wounded who are able to sit up
and take notice. or twenty stretcher
, 1t was not long after this that was
one of the 100 lying"
I soon hit the hay and was fast
asleep. even my friends the "coOties"
failed to disturb me.
The next morning at about SIX
o'clock was awakened by the lance
Of our section, informing me
hat I had been detailed as mess Or
1erly, and to report to the cook and
give him hand. I helped him make
he fire, carry water from an old well,
md fry the bacon. Lids Of dixies are
lsed to cook the bacon in. After
breakfast was cooked, carried dixie
If hot tea and the lid full Of bacon to
,ur section, and told the corporal that |
breakfast was ready. He looked at me
n contempt, and then shouted, Break
asst up, come and get It'll" immedi-
ltely got wise to the trench parlance, |
md never again informed that Break
asst was served"
It didn't take long for the Tommies
o answer this call. Half dressed,
hey lined up with their canteens and
dished out the tea. Each Tommy
arried In his hand thick slice of
read which had been issued with the
atoms the night before. Then I had
he pleasure Of seeing them dig into
he bacon with their dirty fingers. The
llowance was one slice per man. The
ate ones received very small slices.
Is each Tommy got his share he i'm
1ediately disappeared into the billet.
'retty soon about fifteen Of them made
rush to the cookhouse, each carrying
huge slice of bread. These slices
hey dipped into the bacon grease
'hich was stewing over the fire. The
ast man invariably lost out. was
he last man.
After breakfast our section carried
heir equipment into a field adjoining
he billet and got busy removing the
rench mud therefrom, because at 8 AS
H., they had to fall in for inspection
nd parade, and woe betide the man
'ho was unshaven, or had mud on his
inform. Cleanliness is next to godli-
ess in the British army, and Old Pep
er must have been personally &C
tainted with st. Peter.
Our drill consisted of close-order
which lasted until noon.
'uring this time we had two ten-min-
te breaks for rest, and no sooner the
ord, Fall out for ten minates," was
wen than each Tommy got out fag !
nd lighted 1t.
Fags are issued every Sunday morn
lg, and you generally get between
venty and forty. The brand gen
ally issued Is the "Woodbine." Some
mes We are lucky and get 'Gold-
akes," players" or "Red Hussars."
an issue of Life Rays" ]
'mes along. Then the older Tommies
get busy on the recruits
nd trade these for "Woodbines" or
5oldflakes." A recruit only has, to
: stuck once in this manner. and then
: ceases to be recruit. There is
JASON. Tommy is gree: e.. -ctte j