The Mountainair independent., 1918-03-28
"Over the Top
By An American Soldier
Who Went
ARTHUR GUY EMPEY
(Copyrght, lGlI, sJ Arthur Guy Rmpsy)
Maehins Gunner Ssroins In France

haps one Of the platoon would ask him
what he did this for, and he would
explain that when the bomb exploded
these bits would fly about and kill or
wound any German hit by same the
questioner would Immediately pull q
button off his tunic and hand it to
the bomb maker with, swell. blame
me, send this over as a souvenir" or
another Tommy would volunteer an
old rusty and broken jackknife; botli
would be accepted and inserted.
Then the professor would take an
other handful of mud and fill the tin.
after which he would punch hole In
the lid Of the tin and put 1t over the
top Of the bomb, the fuse sticking ont.
Then perhaps he would tightly wrap
wire around the outside Of the tin. and
the bomb was ready to send over to
Fritz with Tommy's compliments.
A piece Of wood about four inches
wide had been issued. This was to be
strapped on the left forearm by means
Of two leather straps and was like the
side Of q match box; it was called a
STRIKER" There was tip like the
head Of a match on the fuse Of the
bomb. To ignite the fuse, you had to
rub 1t on the STRIKER" Just the same
as striking a match. The fuse was
timed to Eve seconds or longer. Some
Of the fuses issued in those days would
burn down IN a second or two, while
others would 'sizz" for q week before
exploding. Back in Blighty the NUM-
ton workers weren't quite up to snuff,
the way they are now. If the fuse took
a notion to burn too quickly they gen.
orally buried the bomb maker next
day. SO making bombs could not be
called "cushy" or safe job.
After making several bombs the pro-
fessor instructs the platoon in throw
ing them. He takes "jam tin" from
the fire step, trembling a little, be-
cause 1t is nervous work, especially
when new at 1t, lights the fuse on his
striker. The fuse begins to "sizz" and
sputter and a spiral Of smoke, like
that from smoldering fag, rises from
1t. The platoon splits in two and
ducks around the traverse nearest to
them. They don't like the looks and
sound of the burning fuse. When that
fuse begins to smoke and "sizz" you
want to say good-by to 1t as soon as
possible, so Tommy with all his might
I oh ~ nhoe
against the parnpet, waiting for the
explosion.
Lots Of times in bombing the "iam
tim would be picked up by the Ger
mans, before it exploded, and thrown
back at Tommy with dire results.
After lot of men went West in this
manner an order was issued, reading
something like this:
ITO all ranks In the British army
After igniting the fuse and before
throwing the jam-tin bomb, count
slowly one! two! threew
This In order to give the fuse time
enough to burn down, so that the bomb
would explode before the Germans
could throw 1t back.
Tommy read the order--he reads
them all, but after he ignlted the fuse
and 1t began to smoke-orders were
forgotten, and away she went in record
time and back she came to the further
discomfort Of the thrower.
Then another order was issued to
count, zone hundred two hundred
three hundred /" But Tommy didn't
care If the order read to count up to
a thousand by quarters he was going
to get rid Of that "jam tin" because
from experience he had learned not
TO trust 1t.
When the powers that be realized
that they could not change Tommy
they decided to change the type Of
bomb and did so-substituting the
chair brush" the "cricket ball." ant
later the Mills bomb.
The standard bomb used in the Brit
ish army Is the mills" 1t Is about the
shape and size Of large lemon. AL
though not actually lemon, Fritz In
sists that 1t is; perhaps he Judges 4
by the havoc caused by it's explosion
The Mills bomb Is made Of steel, tht
outside Of which is corrugated into Il
small squares, which, upon the explo
sion Of the bomb scatter In a wide
area, wounding or killing any Frit;
who is unfortunate enough to be hi
by one Of the flying fragments.
Although very destructive and ef
flcient bomb the mills" has the con
f1dence of the thrower, in that h,
knows 1t will not explode until re
leased from his grip.
1t Is a mechanical device, with
lever, fitted into slot at the top
which extends half way around tn
circumference and is held In place a
the bottom by fixing pin. In this PHI
there Is small metal ring, for tn
purpose of extracting the pin whel
ready to throw.
You do not throw bomb the way
baseball is thrown, because, when II
narrow trench, your hand is liabl
to strike against the parados, travers
or parapet, and then down goes tn
bomb, and, In a couple Of seconds o
SO. up goes Tommy.
In throwing, the bomb and lever ar
grasped IN the right hand, the left foo
Is advanced, knee stiff, about one an
a half its length to the front. Will