Gunnison news-champion., 1918-03-08
CHAPTER K.
"The Days Work"

regular routine about the work OF the
trenches. although II is badly upset at
times by the Germans.
The real work in the fire trench
commences at sunduwn. Tommy is
like burglar. he works at night.
Just as II begins to get dark the
word "stand 10" Is passed from trav-
crse to traverse, and the men get busy.
The first relief. consisting Of two men
to traverse. mount the fire step. one
man looking over the top. while the
other sits at his feet. ready to carry
messages or to inform the platoon on
Ger OF any report made by the sentry
as to his observations in No Mans
Land. The sentry Is not allowed to
relax his watch for a second. II he II
questioned from the trench or asked
his orders. he replies without turning
around or taking his eyes from the ex-
panse OF dirt In front of him. The re-
mainder OF the occupants of his trnv-
erse either sit on the fire step. with
bnyonets fixed. ready for any emer-
gency. or II lucky. and n dugout hap
/ pens to be In the near vicinity Of the
traverse, and II the night is quiet, they
are permitted to 20 TO same and try
and snatch few winks OF sleep. Little
sleeping Is done: generally the men sit
around, smoking fags and seeing who
can tell the biggest lie. Some Of them.
I perhaps with their feet In water, would
write home sympathizlng with the
/ governor" because he was laid up
with a cold, contracted by getting his
feet wet on his way to work in Wool
wich arsenal. If man should manage
to doze OFF, likely as not he would wake
with start us the clammy. cold feet
of rat passed over his face, or the
next relief stepped on his stomach
while stumbling on their way to relieve
the sentries in the trench.
Just try to sleep with belt full of
ammunition around you, your rifle bolt
biting into your ribs, intrenching tool
handle sticking into the small of your
back, with tin hat for a pillow and
feeling very damp and cold, with
"cooties" boring for oil in your arm
pits, the air foul from the stencil of
grimy human bodies and smoke from a
juicy pipe being whitfield into your nos
trils. then you will not wonder why
Tommy occasionally takes turn In
the trench for u rest.
While In front-line trench orders
/ forbid Tommy from removing his
boots, puttees, clothing or equipment.
The "cooties" take advantage of this
order and mobilize their forces, and
Tommy swears vengeance on them and
mutters to himself. "Just wait until
hit rest billets and am able to get my
own back"
Just before daylight the men turn
to" and tumble out of the dugouts. man
the fire step until 1t gets light, or the
welcome order "stand down" is given.
Sometimes before ''stand down" is or
dered, the command five rounds rap
Id" is passed along the trench. This
means that each man must rest his
rifle on the top and fire as rapidly as
possible five shots aimed toward the
German trenches, and then duck (with
the emphasis on the "duck'). There is
4 great rivalry between the opposing
forces to get their rapid fire all off
first, because the early bird. in this in
stance, catches the worm-sort of gets
the jump on the other fellow, catching
him unawares.
We had n sergeant In our battalion
named Warren. He was on duty with
his platoon in the fire trench one after
noon wnen orders came up from tn,
rear that he had been granted sever
days leave for Blighty. and would b,
relieved at five O'Clock to proceed II
England.
He was tickled to death at thes,
welcome tidings and RECALLED his NOR,
or less envious mates beside him OF
the fire step with the good times II
store for him. He figured II out tha
m two days time he would arrive a
Waterloo station, London, and then
se7en days bliss!
AT about five minutes to five h,
started to fidget with his rife, ant
then suddenly springing up on the fir,
step with muttered. "Tll send owe,
a couple Of souvenirs to Fritz 50 tha
he'll miss me when leave" he stnc,