The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-08-28
FINDS IT
NOISY ENOUGH
Correspondent Closes Five Weeks
Speaking Trip Among American
Soldiers in Rest Camps.
TELLS OF FEEDING BIG GUN
Drivers of Ammunition Wagons Very
Dangerous Work-Guns Must
be Fed, However
BY n. c. EVANS.

AT THE FRONT. WITH THE
AMERICAN ARMY, France, July Is
Il have just closed a five weeks
speaking trip among United States
soldiers in rest camps. When the
boys are at "the front" they are usual
ly in three groups-the first in the
front trench, the second group in the
support or second trench and the
third group in rest camps, which arg
lust behind the second trench.
These groups alternate between po
sitiOns every seven or eight days. \
M. C. A. men are stationed at all resi-
camps, which are in fact the thlro
trench, although this trench is not
clearly defined. Here there are vari
GUS schemes of defenses, however, and
as a rule this third position is shelled
as much as the others.
Communicating trenches connect
the positions and through these the
boys come and go when shifting places
and through these the 'Y" men and
supply men pass back and forth serv
ing the boys. Miles behind the rest
camps are the reserves, supplies, am
bulance and supply trucks, artillery
guna hospitals, etc. Through this
kingdom of hell on earth, from front
trench back to hospital, have been
passing during these weeks.
One Quiet Sector.
I have seen little of actual combat
at the front trench, for they call this
a "quiet" sector. But if this IS quiet
then have misunderstood the
meaning of the word.
If to live constantly amidst the
roar of cannon; if to see men hunt
other men with all the craftiness OF
gunner stalking a deer; if to see
trees in the corners of woods liter.
ally torn up root and branch by great
shells; if to see buildings razed to
the ground by bursting bombs; If to
see the fragments of mems bodies
scattered to the winds; if to see air
planes fighting like demons in the air
and men plunge thousands of feet to
the ground; If to pass among tens
OF thousands of armed men, ambulan
ces filled with wounded, ammunition
wagons drawn by frantic, plungine
horses--if these things contribute to
making place "quiet," what must be
the conditions where the real battle
RACES? Of course the word quiet" Is
used only in a comparative sense. AL
points on this thing called "the, front
are quiet where there is~not the daily
impact of infantry against infantry
in large numbers, resulting in many
casualties
Daring Airmen Visible.
A common sight is to see one OF
more enemy planes crawling high
over camp and field, like an eagle
with it's wings taut in the pale blue
of the sky, surrounded by the white
puff of shrapnel from anti aircraft
guns. One cannot withhold a secret
feeling of admiration for the bravery
of the airmen who dare the dangers
OF the heavens far beyond their own
lines over a hostile territory. There
may be seen our own planes coming
out of the distant sky rushing on the
trespassers. Or perhaps from some
nearby spot you hear the b-r-r-r of a
rising plane, making deafening noise
as it takes the air, resembling that OF
a startled pheasant. One seldom sees
the finish of an air fight, for soon the
machines are beyond your vision
Twice, however, saw machine
plunge to the ground, but so far away
it was impossible to tell whether
friend Or foe.
At night the villages and towns and
camps lie lightless beneath the cold
unfriendly moon. Over the roofs in
the towns and cities may be seen the
long beams of searchlights sweeping
across the sky on slow and lingering
search. The thud, thud of the barrage
of anti aircraft guns is heard in
crashing chorus and the star strewn
sky is illumined with bursting shells,
and occasionally through all this
noise is heard the distinct, thunder.
ing crash of bursting bombs, dropped
from the raiding airplanes.
Feeding the Big Guns.
The particular job, and the only
job, of the ammunition drivers is to
get their loads of shells to the gun.
ners. No matter what the enemy is
doing, whether he is shelling the
roads with shrapnel or gas shells or
dropping bombs from airplanes, the
ammunition must reach the guns
They just have to 60 right on through
barrage and shell fire and hell fire,
for che guns must have their food
they cannot be starved. So on they
go irrespective of obstacles, cursing
and swearing, laying the lash to fright
ened horses, giving little attention to
the reign of pandemohium.
Pushing through and around these
heavy ammunition wagons are the
motor trucks. The Claxon
is not used to warn ammunition driv.
ers to the side of the road, for the
road is theirs, all of it. Wounded
men must wait while the cannon is
fed. So the trucks watch for their
chance and slip by when opportunity
Signposts are everywhere. Every
place is labeled and guards are posted
to make sure travellers have a right
on the roads and to regulate traffic
Everywhere you see men-marchins
soldiers wearing helmets, gas masks
ready for use, armed for immediate
action; men with pick and shovel !;
men bathing in the streams: men
Y1laytnp hall IN an 4ypovjng hatferiaS