Evening star., 1923-08-29
GUARD WILL FIGHT
BIC SHAM BATTLE
Camp Simms to Stage Dem.
0nstration of Warfare
Tonight.

Once more the boom of artillery,
the crack of rifle fire. the hiss of
rockets and the clarion notes of the
bugle will echo through the hills of
Congress Heights this evening. when
Camp Simms. summer training home
OF the District National Guards. will
become the objective of a realistically
planned sham battle.
While the officers in charge have
spared no effort to make the sham
fight thrilling to look upon. II VIII
be something more important to the
guardsmen participating than a mere
spectacle. They will fight with blank
shells just~as they may sometime be
called upon 10 battle with real bull
lets. And the manner in which they
acquit themselves will be an excel
lent barometer by which their officers
may guage their ability as soldiers.
Battle in Three Parts.
The battle tonight consists of three
parts. In the ElSt part real bullets
will he used ami the targets on the
rifle range Will be the enemy. one
squad of infantry, armed with seven
rifles and one automatic rifle, will ad-
vance from a distance of 500 yards
toward the targets Unless they can
register eight hits in fifteen seconds
it Will he conceded that the intrench-
ell enemy could have annihilated
them.
If the required number of hits is
accomplished however. the enemy
will be considered to have suffered
sufficient losses 20 permit the attack
eTS To advance until new hrlng line
is built up. From that point, however.
the advancing squad must maintain
fire superiority at the rate OF eight
III h. a yI,afS -
are exposed. when Il point 100 yards
from the targets S reached the squad
will advance with mar hing fire.
The second palt wi consist Of ii
which real shells will be fired The
mortars will be mounted be lind sand
bags in the vicinity OF the pistol butts.
They wi fire al high angle from
right to left. the shells exploding upon
impact. Twenty shots will be fired.
officers will be stationed at advan-
tageouS POINTS to make sure that the
guns are not aired where the shells
might endan@er the lives of spectators
Red Army VIII Advance.
TIE .ctuaI shan; battle will get un-
der y : s:S !sart three. The RED army
will he in 20 aGranc" from a inc OF
emplacement. :""reSen'e ed by the iSto
butts. Its I NJ will be TO take the
trencaes 1t,e- or Its weapons vii
br Stokes nortarH and one oundel
field ,iece Il VIII. oi course. also
have fare, and rockets for signalin.
purposes.
oprating with the attacking "orSes
will be an engineer dstaraiGent
which vii construct bridge in !n;d-
field umder tx. -Artill~"y fire will h.
simulated ~ the explosion Of a series
OF Land mines behind both the at
tac!srrS ana I! defenders. The de
tenders Will be equipped with the
machines given the attackers, except
that the former vii! have a huge
mobile >carchlight. Wh;"l they will
play along ;he advancing lines. 50
their gunmerS ilay 81 1t correctly.
tt g minute the red scouts come in
contact With the blue outposts. The
former Iill fall back after setting
up 4 smoke ser en and position ligi IS
the latter to act as EYES for the de-
Tending gunncrS until flares can be
gotten into the air Firin. they re-
tire, the blue oUtpos1s vii fall back
upon the main body and help it de-
fend the camp.
1t being conceded that the camp
is sufficiently weak to he captured
by force supported by artillery. the
red army Will move to the attack
through the smoke screen. advance
in open formation through the de-
Tending artillery barrage and take
the position at the point of the
bayOnet
Immediately after the battle the
l21St Engineer Band. under the direc-
tion of Warrant Oficer Meyer Gold
man. Will give d concert. Special
bus&es Xill meet spectators arriving
by trolley and take them to the field
of operations. The street ears will
he met IT the Portland street stop in
Congress Heights.