The citizen., 1918-01-03
Academy Column
CORPORAL HENRY A. RITTER
WRITES To YOU

sions OF those phases OF army lie
not directly connected with that
work. To a few of you was able
10 relate a little and would like no
thing better than TO be able to SIT
down on my bunk now and write q
good long letter to every one Of You
However. numbers and time forbid;
but ! hope you will take this rs
none the less personal, for coming
as il does thru the the avenue Of
THE CITIZEN.
| iotted down a few things while
out digging trenches the other day.
They often refer TO us her as "pick-
ed" men, and at this time we are.
in the truest sense Of the word. Do
ing work that does more for a man
than simply putting a zig-zag hole
in the ground. For one thing, il
makes one to have more respect for
a foreign day laborer who can do il
ali day long, day after day, whereas
we had to work in two short shifts.
one Of work and one of rest. We
worked when we did work,
though. and at the end of-hardly 4
perfect day-we We're able to see
what the subsoil looked like at a
depth of seven feet for a consider
able length. Every company must
take their turn for the experience
there is in it. They are laying OF
a replica Of a European battlefield,
covering several square miles, for
purposes of training this division
in the peculiar contingencies Of
trench warfare. When they are
completed. our company shall re-
turn for training in n different ca
pacity.
On first coming up here. ! was
placed in a provisional training bat
TALON, learning the fundamentals 81
infantry drill and the school Of the
soldier. was getting along very
nicely when one day, out Of clear
sky. came a transfer to the engineer
regiment. remaining there until I
was able TO bring about my transfer
to the Signal Corps Drains Of the
army the branch Of the service
have wanted To he in ever since my
arrival, for | feel my experience
of the past can he utilized TO best
advantage here and the work is
along lines ! have always been in
terested in.
The battalion is made mp Of three
companies and ours is known as an
outpost company. the particular
work Of which is to keep brigade
headquarters in touch with the COM
manders Of the units in the field.
We are learning how TO establish,
maintain and operate all kinds OF
lines Of communications in order
t. be able to efficiently do this. We
have our telegraphy school. sema-
phpit anu Wit-Wdt vi iiis i''thi - ii
all the different phases Of the work,
all Of which is very interesting. |
Just at present. we are getting active
practice in the field. The different
platoons Of the company go out into
the country and each one establishes
their respective stations in order
to get a message thru over pre-
scribed course in the most accurate |
and speedy way. Competition is
keen and gives good opportunity for
the use of initiative and ingenuity |
in the means employed at present |
though il seems so far removed |
from the ultimate purpose, that ii
IL all for. | can hardly go into the |
details Of all the diversified things
to camp life-that we
must do here. started this in the
trenches and am finishing ii in the |
guard house, Christmas Day. ! am
corporal Of the guard, just back from
posting my relief and am on duty /
in the guard house. like to be ap-
pealed TO from the positive side
but the plight Of the unfortunates
confined here is an incentive TO /
good behavior from the opposite
side. Several days ago we came
with much rejoicing and relief
out Of an alright quarantine for
spinal meningitis-nOte even allowed /
10 write letters. Some things are
hard 10 understand.
The world situation that places
me here at this time seems so in
consistent with the principles and
ideals Of Him, whose birth we this
day commemorate. And yet who
can say? The Lord works in mys-
terious way, and at this time II Is
not for us 10 doubt.
However, as the fellows are wont
10 say, "it is a great life-if you
don't weaken" There Is much 10
contend with just at present,
awaiting Xmas furloughs
A 4 4