Cresco plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1913-1945, 1918-04-05
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1AdHINE GUNNER SERVING N FRANCE

per and flour.
Scratching his head, the corporal
studied the slip issued to him by the
quarter. Then in slow, myst1f1ed
voice he read out, mo. 1 section, 10
men. Bread, loaves, six" He looked
puzzled and soliloquized in musing
voice:
"Six loaves, nineteen men. Let's see,
that's three in loaf for fifteen men
we'll, to make it even, four Of you'll
have to muck in on one loaf"
The four that got stuck made howl,
but to no avail. The bread was dished
out. Pretty soon from a far corner OF
the billet, three indignant Tommies &C
costed the corporal with:
"What do you call this, loaf Of
bread? Looks more like a sniping
plate"
The corporal answered:
swell, don't blame me, didn't bake
it; somebody's got to get it. so shut
up until I dish out these blinkin' "a
tions."
Then the corporal started on the
jam.
"Jam, three tins-apple one, plum
two. Nineteen men, three tins. SIX
in tin makes twelve men for two tins,
seven In the remaining tin"
he passed around the jam, and
there was another riot. Some didn't
like apple, while others who received
plum were partial to apple. After a
the issue went on.
bermuda. onions. seventeen"
The corporal avoided a row by say
ing that he did not want an onion, and
I said they make your breath smell. 80
I guessed would do without one too.
The corporal looked his gratitude.
'Cheese, pounds, two" a. b. .. .....
The corporal borrowed a jackknife
(corporals are always borrowing), and
sliced the cheese-each slidng bring
ing forth a pert remark from the on
lockers as to the corporaTs eyeAght
"sRaisins, ounces, eight"
By this time the corpOraTs nerves
had gone west, and in despair he said
that the raisins were to be turned over
to the cook for "dutf' opium pudding).
This decision elected little "grous-
Ing" but quiet was finally restored
biscuits, tins, one"
With his borrowed jackknife, the
corporal opened the tin Of biscuits, and
told everyone to help themselves
body responded to this invitation
Tommy is fed up" with biscuits.
Butter, tins, two"
'Nine in one. ten in the other"
Another rumpus.
"Pickles, mustard, bottles, one"
Nineteen names were put In steel
helmet, the last one out winning the
pickles. On the next issue there were
only 10 names, as the winner Is elimi-
mated until every man in the section
has won a bottle.
The rattle is closely watched, because
Tommy is suspicious when it comes to
gambling with his rations.
When the issue is finished the cor
poral sits down and writes a letter
home, asking them if they cannot get
some NJ. P. (member of parliament) to
have him transferred to the Royal Fly
ing corps where he won't have to issue
ratiOns.
At the different French estaminets
in the village and at the canteens Tom
my buys fresh eggs, milk. bread and
pastry. Occasionally when he is flush,
he invests in tin Of pears or april
COTS, His pay is only shilling day.
"a cents, or q cent an hour. Just mag
fire-not much chance of getting rich
out there.
When he goes into the fire trench
(front line), Tommy's menu takes
tumble. He carries in his haversack
what the government calls emergency
or iron rations. They are not supposed
to- be opened until Tommy dies of star
walton. They consist of one tin Of
bully beef, four biscuits, a little tin
which contains tea, sugar and Oxo
cubes (concentrated beef tablets).
These are only to be used when the
enemy establishes a curtain Of shell
fire on the communication trenches,
thus preventing the carrying in" Of
rations, Or when in an attack a body
"a tIOOk)S HAS OCcu CuS Oll IL OlA 1tS DuSC
of supplies.
The rations are brought up at night
by the company transport. This Is a
section of the company in charge Of
the quartermaster sergeant, composed
of men, mules and limbers two
wheeled wagons), which supplies Tom
my's wants while in the front line.
They are constantly under shell fire.
The rations are unloaded ut the en-
trance to the communication trenches
and are carried in" by men detailed
for that purpose. The quartermaster
sergeant never goes into the front-line
trench. He doesn't have to, and I have
never heard of one volunteering to
do so.
The company sergeant major sorts
the rations and sends them in.
Tommv'S fropch rofiOpS cOnSiSf If III