Daily Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1918-191?, 1918-03-31
AANlNUAhH III " aAaAh wv 'obNSf
CHAPTER XIV.
Preparing for the Bio Push.

Preparing for the Big Push.
Rcjolning Atwell after the execution
| had hard time trying 10 keep my
secret from him. I think ! must have
lost ut least ten pounds worrying over
the Affair.".
Beginning at seven In the evening Il
was our duty 60 patrol all communion
tion and front-line trenches, making
note u unusual occurrences, and mr..
resting anyone who should. to us. ap-
pear 10 be acting In n suspicious man
ner We slept during the day.
Behind the lines there was great ac-
tiyity. supplies and ammunition pour
Ing In. and long columns Of troops con.
stuntly passing. We were preparing
for the big offensive. the forerunner
81 the battle Of the Somme or big
Push"
The never-ending stream Of men.
supplies. ammunition and guns pour
ing into the front lines made a mighty
spectacle. one that cannot be de-
scribed II has 10 be witnessed with
your own eyes to appreciate Its vast
ness.
Al our part Of the line the influx OF
supplies never ended. II looked like
huge snake slowly crawling forward.
never hitch or break. a wonderful
tribute 10 the system and efficiency OF
Great Britaln's contemplate little
army Of five millions Of men.
Huge flfteen-lnch guns snaked along.
foot by foot. by powerful steam tract
tors. Then n long line Of flour point
five" batteries. each gun drawn by six
horses. then couple OF mine point
two" howitzers pulled by immense
caterpillar engines.
When one OF these caterplllars would
pass me with Its mighty monster In
tow. flush Of pride would mount to
my face, because could plainly read
ON the name plate. made In U. S. A."
and | would remember that II wore a
name plate II would also read. From
the U. :. A." Then I would stop to
think how thin and straggly that
mighty stream would be II all the
"Madc In U. $. A." parts OF It were
withdrawn.
Then would come hundreds OF lin
beers and 90. s." wagons drawn by
sleek, well-fed mules. ridden by sleek, I.
well-fcd men, ever smiling, although
grlmy with sweat and covered with the
fine, white dust Of the marvelously
wcll-made French roads.
What discournging report the Ger.
man alrmen must have taken back 10
their division commanders, and this
stream Is slowly but surely getting big.
ger and bigger every day, and the pace
Is always the same. No slower, no
faster but ever onward. ever forward. |
Three weeks before the big push Of |
July las the battle OF the Somme has |
been called-started. exact duplicates
OF the German trenches were dug
about thirty kllos behind our lines.
The layout Of the trenches was taken
from alrplane photographs submitted
by the Royal flying corps. The trench
es were correct 10 the foot; they
showed dugouts, saps. barbed wire de-
lenses and danger spots.
Battallons that were 20 20 over In /.
the first waves were sent back for
three days 10 study these trenches. en-
gage In practice attacks and have night |
maneuvers. Each man was required 10 /
make a map OF the trenches aud fa-
mlllarize himself with the names and |
location Of the parts his battalion was
20 attack.
In the American army noncommis-
stoned officers are put through a course
OF map making or road sketching. aud
during my six years service In the
United States cavalry I had plenty of
practice In this work. therefore map
ping these trenches was a compara-
lively easy task for me. Each man
had 10 submit his map 20 the company
to be passed upon. and I
was lucky enough 20 have mine select
I'd as being sufficiently authentic 10 use
In the attack.
No photographs or maps are allowed
10 lesve France. but IN this case Il OPP
Dealed 20 me as valuable souvenir ~
The great war aud managed 10 SNUG.
V Il through. At this time u carries
MILITARY importance as the British
am happy 10 say. have since
advanced beyond this point. =,