The central record. (Lancaster, Ky.) 18??-current, 1918-06-06

n get rid Of that SIAM tn" because
from experience he had learned not
10 trust II.
When the powers that be realized
that they could not change Tommy
they decided 10 change the type Of
bomb and did so--substituting the
hair brush" the cricket ball" and
later the Mills bomb.
The standard bomb used In the Brit
ish army Is the mills" II IL about the
shape and size Of large lemon. Al
though not actually lemon, Fritz In
sists that II Is: perhaps he Judges II
by the havoc caused by Its explosion.
The Mills bomb Is made ~ steel, the
outside Of which Is corrugated into IS
small squares. which, upon the cxplo-
sion Of the bomb. scatter IN a wide
area, woundng or killing any FRITZ
who IL unfortunate enough 10 be hit
by one Of the flying fragments.
Although very destructive and II.
ficient bomb the Mills" has the con
fidence OF the thrower In that he
knows II will not explode until re-
leased from his grip.
II Is n mechanical device. with n
lever. fitted into slot nj the top,
which extends half way around the
circumference and Is held In place at
the bottom by fixing pin In this pin
there Is small metal ring. for the
purpose Of extracting the pin when
ready To throw.
You do not throw bomb the way a
baseball Is thrown, because. when In
n narrow trench. your hand II liable
to strike against the parados, traverse
or parapet. and then down goes the
bomb, and. In couple OF seconds or
81. up goes Tommy.
In throwing. the bomb and lever are
graspcd m the right hand. the left foot
Is advanced, knee Stlff. about one and
half its length to the front. while
the right leg. knee bent. Is carried
slightly to the right. The left arm II
extended NJ an angle OF a. degrees.
pointing m the direction the bomb is to
he thrown. This position Is similar
to that ~ shot putting. only that the
right arm Is extended downward. Then
you hurl the bomb from you with an
overhead bowling motion. the same rs
In cricket, throwing Il fairly high In
the air, this In order TO give the fuse
n chance 20 burn down 50 that when
the bomb lands. IL Immediately sx-
plodes and gives the Germans no time
to scamper out Of its range or to re-
turn Il.
As the bomb leaves your hand. the
lever. by means Of a spring. is projected
into the air and falls harmlessly TO
the ground few feet In front of the
bomber.
When the lever flies OF II releases
a strong spring. which forces the firing
pin into n percussion cap. This ignltcs
the fuse, which burns down aud sets
on the detonator, charged With fulmi-
nate Of mercury, which explodes the
main charge OF ammonia.
The average British soldier Is not nm
expert at throwing: II Is new game
To him. therefore the Canadians and
Americans. who have played baseball
from the kindergarten up. take nntu.
rally 10 bomb throwing and excel In
this act. A siN-foot English bomber
will stand in awed silence when he
sees little five-foot nothing Canadian
outdistaRce his throw by several yards.
| have read a few war stories OF bomb
Ing, where baseball pitchers curved
their bombs when throwing them. but
a pitcher who can do this would make
'Christy" Mathewson look like a piker.
and Is losing valuable time playing in
the European War bush league, when
he would be able TO set the "big
league" on fire.
We had cushy time while at this
school. In fact, 10 us II was n regular
and we were very sorry when
one morning the adjutnnt ordered us
10 report at headquarters for trans
portation and rations TO return TO our
units up the line.
Arriving at our section, the boys
once again rendered us the glad mitt,
but looked askance at us out Of the
corners Of their eyes. They could not
as they expressed II. how a
man could be such a blinking idiot as
10 join the Suicide club. ! was begin
ming TO feel sorry that | had become
a member Of said club. and my life to
ne appeared doubly precious.
Now that ! was sure-enOugh
bomber | was praying for peace and