Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-03-03

may mean the loss Of many lives. and
the spelling Of some important enter
prise in mo mans land
! CHAPTER vi.
"IIac< OF the Line"
I Our tour in the front-line trench
/ lasted four days. and then we were re-
licved By the --- Brigade
! Going down the communication
trench We were in merry mood, al
though we were cold and wet. and
every bone in our bodies ached. II
makes lot OF difference whether you
are going in" or going out"
/ AT the end OF the Communication
trench. limbcrs were waiting on tho
! road for us thought we were going
/ TO ride back to rest billcts. but soon
! found out that the only time an infan-
/ tryinan rides is when he l.. wounded
and is bound for the base o. Big hty
/ These limbers carried our reserve am
/ 1nunition and rations. our march to
rest billcts was thoroughly enjoyed by
, me. II seemed If were on fur
| Tough. and was leaving behind every
! thing that was disagrccable ana hor-
riblc. Every recruit feels this way
after being relieved from the trenches
We marched eight kiloS and then
! halted in front OF French cstamimct
! 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 Il Company 10 occupy biIlcts III.
lis and 1l2. Billet III was an old
stable which had previously been oc-
/ cupied by cows. About four feet in
/ front OF the entrance was q huge ma
nurA pile. and the odor from il was
anything but plea SAINT. Using my Hash
light stumbled through the door
Just before entering observed white
sign reading: Sitting so. lying 90" but
Al 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.. y. NJ G. tRoyal Army Medical
corpsl. II simply means that in case
Of an attack. this billet will accommo-
date iifty wounded who arc able 10 sit
up and take notice. or twenty stretchcr
cases.
1t WAS no, long after this that was
ono o: the 30 lying
soon hit tho hay and was fast
asleep; even my friends the coolies"
| failed TO disturb me
The next morning at about 6 o'clock
Was awakened by the lance corporal
OF our section. informing mo that
had been detailed as mess orderly. and
/ 10 report Ia the cooi; TO give him a
! hand. hclp,d him make the FIRE
/ carry water from Am old well. and fry
the bacon. Lids OF diyies arc used to
cook the bacon in After brcakfas.
was cooked, carried dixie OF no.
tea and tho lii fun OF bacon to our
section and told the corporal that
breakfast was read He looked at
me in contempt. and then shouted.
"BrclkfaS; up, come ana get it. i'm
modiaiciy got wise TO the trench par
lance and never again Informed that
breakfast was served"
/ 1t didn't take long for the Tommios
/ l" answer this call. Half dressed they
lined UP with their caniccns and I
diShod out the tea. Each Tommy car
ricd in his hand n thick slice of bread
which he'd been issued with the rations
I the nigh; before. Then ] had the
pleasure OF seeing them dig into the
bacon with their dirty fingers The
| allowance Was ono slice per man. The
late ones received very small slices
| As each Tommy got his share he i'm
medintely disappeared into the billet,
| frcJty soon about fifteen OF them made
| rush to the Cookhousc. each carrying
a huge slice OF bread. These slices
! they dipped into the bacon grease
| which was stcwinE over tho fire The
last man invariably lost out. was
the last man.
After breakfast our section carried
| their equipment into a held adjoining
! the billet, and got busy removing the
| trench mud thcrefrom. because at S:45
| y. NJ. they had 10 fall in for inspection
who was unshaven or had mud on his
| uniform. Cleanliness is next to godl-
ness in tho British army. and Old
| Pepper must have been personality ac-
quninted with st. Peter.
our drill consisted OF closc-order
formation which lasted until noon.
| During this time VIC had two ten minute
breaks for rest. and no sooner the
| word. Fall out for ten minutes" was
| given. than each Tommy got out flag
| and lighted it.
| Fags are issued every Sunday morn
| ing. and you generally get between
! twenty and forty The brand general
times VIC arc lucky. and get Gold
flakes" players" or Red Hrssars."
| Occasionally an issue OF Life Rays"
comes along. Then the Older Tommies
| immediately get busy OIL the recruits.
and trade these for Woodbines or Gold
| flakes. a recruit only has to DO stuck
| once in this manner. and then he ceases
to be recruit. There is a reason.
| Tommy is n great cigarette smoker
He smokes under all conditions. except
| when unconscious or when he is
| accommodating in mo mans land" al
| night. Then, for obvious reasons he
! does not care TO have "A lighted ciga-
| rcttc in his mouth.
| Strctcher bearers carry Tags for
wounded Tommics. When strctcher
| ptdici arrives alOnsSluc OF Il IOnlmy
who has been hit the following con-
rcrsation usually takes placc-Strctch-
Ter bearer. Want a faE? Where are
iyou hit?' Tommy looks up and an
swers. Yes. In the leg"
| After dismissal from parade. VIC re-
] turned to our hillcts. and had to get
busy Immediately with the dinner issue.
Dinner consisted of stew made from
fresh beef couple of spuds, bully
beef. Maconochic rations and water
I plenty Of water. There is great com
lpctition among the men TO spear with
their forks the two lonely potatoes.
After dinner tried to wash ont the
, dixie with cold water and Il rag, and
I learned another maxim of the trenches
1t can't he done" I SIyIy watched
one OF the older men from another sec
ton. and was horriicd TO sec him
throw into his dixie four or five double
handfulS of mud. Then he poured in
some water, and with his hands secured
tho dixie inside and out. thought he