From the News

Dated: December 25, 1918

A Fortnight with the Boys in the Trenches
By Sergt. W. M. L. Draycot, of the "Princess Pats."

A fortnight in the life of an Infantry fighting man is filled up with duties of a various nature. We will commence with his duties whilst he is in the Rest Camp. Reveille sounds at 5.30 a.m. when he tumbles out of his straw or otherwise improvised bed to wash shave and general clean up. By this time breakfast is ready and he takes his canteen (or mess-tin) from his pack which he places along with others of his section and awaits the arrival of the mess-orderly ; the latter pours out the tea or coffee equally into each. mess-tin. Bacon or cold beef is also distributed and placed in the lid of each mess-tin. Bread is divided among the boys, i.e. three or four men to one loaf, depending of course on the supply. Breakfast over, the boys are warned for a parade at which the rifles and clothing of the men are inspected. Any clothing found unfit for further wear is exchanged for new, but the old article must be given in. Many are the ingenious dodges for obtaining new clothing ; an old file or a piece of sandstone, brick is sometimes useful in making a garment threadbare or producing a hole. Gas masks are also inspected on these parades to test their efficiency. The parade is dismissed to put away various articles of kit. After inspection the men fall in again in either full or light marching order as the officer commanding commands, and the men are taken on a route march for one or more hours as the C. O. orders. When the men return, their dinner, if they have arrived late, is found to have been kept warm.. The mess orderlies who have been excused off parade draw the dinner which is served in same manner as breakfast. The dinner is mostly composed of mulligan stew, consisting of meat, potatoes, carrots, etc. If the cook is a resourceful and industrious one be will endeavor to have a pudding or some delicacy for the boys, as the facilities for cooking are somewhat better in rest camp than in the trenches. Much depends on the camp or billet where the men are quartered. When on the march the cooks find difficulties arising from lack of good water, getting a fire started in the rain, lack of dry wood of any kind. Cooks have an unenviable job! After dinner unless there are any special parades the men have the rest of the day to themselves, some playing baseball others football etc., to keep themselves fit for an inter-company or inter-regimental league which is played on a day given aside for such by the C. O. or the Brigadier General of the brigade. This is termed the "Sports" day.

Some of the men pay a visit to the local estaminet and there over a glass of French beer tell tales of "how battles are won and lost.", of their grievances, of the sweet farmer's daughter, etc., etc. On "time" being announced by the good lady of the estaminet the boys wind their way "billetwards" to their leaky, windy and uncomfortable barn which by the military is called a billet. Lights are allowed if the billets are situated a safe distance from the danger zone and candles are bought by the men for that purpose at the local "epiceric" or grocery store. Letters and parcels are given out by the mail corporal each day. The next day and following days the parades differ such as company drill, battalion drill, practicing for an attack on a section of the enemy's line. An area is marked out to resemble in replica the enemy's lines, the troops acting as if actually taking the enemy's trenches.

Once or twice a month the company is marched to the baths to get change of underclothing and a wash-down. Pay is given the men at the rate of 15 francs a fortnight, corporals and sergeants a little more. By the time the troops have been in rest for a week they feel fit, clean and healthy for another turn "up the line."

Speculation is rife among the troops as to the possible location they have to proceed to in the firing line. On the day for moving up there is much hustle and the billets are a busy scrum. All billets are to be left scrupulously clean and tidy, no waste paper or cans etc., all such are collected and buried in a pit by the sanitary squad who are responsible for the cleanliness of the billets and also the trenches occupied by their battalion when in the firing line. When the company is about to move off the platoon officer accompanied by the platoon sergeant or sergeant major makes a final inspection. The company now falls in by platoon in full marching order ready to move off, the officers commanding platoons inspecting their men to see they have all their kit, gas masks, emergency rations, field dressing, rifles properly cleaned, etc. The order to move is then given and the troops well burdened with their heavy packs, extra ammunition, a few bombs and - not forgetting the parcels they have received from their relations and friends "across the pond" - swing lightheartedly on to the road. If near the firing line, it is always dusk when they "move off" so as to conceal their movements from enemy balloons or aeroplanes. Very few are enlightened as to their destination and very few care. As night comes on there is much speculation as regards to destination and distance to be covered before arrival at their final destination. A halt is given periodically. No smoking is allowed, much as the troops would like to. A lighted cigarette would be seen for miles and many of them would give information to the enemy of a body of troops on the march. As they arrive at cross roads and other points near the front line they are challenged by sentries. The latter are kept busy answering numerous enquiries from the troops as, name of area, distance to be covered, good trenches or bad, etc., etc. Finally a communication trench is entered and the troops walk in single file. Walking will be fairly good for a short distance until they arrive at a few spots where shells have dropped into the trench making holes or causing the trench to be blocked with earth etc. Other obstacles are low overhead telephone wires, the troops being warned of their presence by the word being passed along "wire overhead," or it may be "mind the 'ole" (hole) " step up", "step down." Sometimes the bath-matt (strips of wood nailed on long pieces of 2x4 placed parallel) is narrow and owing to the darkness one is apt to step over into space and find the bottom in a pool of mud and water. In wet weather the boards become greasy with the mud and walking is difficult.

As the front line is approached there is more or less difficulty, for the troops are guided on their way by the periodical bursts of Verry lights (bright rockets fired from a pistol) which illuminate the pathway. When near the firing line the troops stand still when these lights go up and map out their course. Meanwhile, as a general custom, battalion and companys are met by guides who have made themselves familiar with the front line and communication trenches. These guides usually precede the advance of a battalion by two days in order to familiarize themselves with the mazework of trenches, location of dugouts and headquarters.

The troops having arrived at the front line trenches, commence to take up their respective positions. Sentries of the outgoing battalion on post are relieved by the incoming troops, each sentry passing over his orders to the new one. Little tit bits not on standing orders are exchanged, such as "watch that gully!" "Fritz has a machine gun over there." The relieving sentry asking "is it quiet in this area l What are they in front of us, Saxons or Prussians"? etc., etc. All posts, sentries, etc. relieved, the new troops settle themselves down to their new quarters and get their "bearings." First thing to be done is to relieve himself of his pack and get on a light rifle or battle order ; rifle, ammunition, gas masks, in fact skeleton dress. Troops must ever be in readiness to resist the enemy should he attempt a surprise attack. We must not be caught napping. if, however, there is unusually heavy shelling there is a general "stand to." Much depends, on the temper and disposition of the enemy. A sortie is to be made into no man's land and an officer with a few men crawl out from a sap head or part of the trench made for the purpose, generally the men volunteer for this work. No man's land is a very difficult place to manoeuvre in. Many obstacles are encountered such as barbed wire, shell holes, small mines which explode when one touches a stick or other obstacle, trip wires, tin cans placed in such a position so that one unconsciously touches it, causing it to rattle and create an alarm. Flares are thrown into no man's land and illuminate the ground for several yards ; this is the most critical time , for one has to remain perfectly still and if possible hide in a shell hole or other place to conceal himself. Our troops in the front line trench are always notified of the going out and coming in of our patrols. Of course there have been times when a sad incident through carelessness has occured and caused the loss of a brave comrade. Happily such cases are few.

The men on returning are given an allowance of rum and retire to sleep, the officer meanwhile tenders his report to headquarters. Needless to say the patrol presents a sorry sight on returning, especially if the night has been wet; mud covering them from head to foot.

At one hour before dawn all troops stand to arms, this being a precautionary measure against an "attack at dawn." Every man is warned to be at his post, very few exceptions are made. When the anxious period is over, the word is passed along to "stand down!" The usual sentries are kept at their post and the remainder file to the platoon officer's dug- out to take their "tot" of rum - about an egg- cup full. If there are no urgent fatigues the men snatch a little sleep, for a few hours later on, fatigue parties are warned off to fill sand- bags, dig dugouts, repair trenches smashed in by enemy shells ; dig drains, repair "bath matts" (flooring of trench), etc. The sanitary squad is an independant party and is responsible for the cleanliness of the trenches generally. As evening approaches, a ration party is told off by sections (four sections to a platoon, sixteen platoons to a battalion) to proceed to the ration dump to draw rations - bread, meat, butter, bacon, jam, cheese, etc. The mail is also brought up by the ration transport wagons from the "transport lines" in rear of the fire zone which is sometimes four or more miles away. As soon as it be- comes dark enough, the ration party wend their way down the long communication trenches to the ration dump. The transport sergeant or the quartermaster sergeant calls out the names of the company, platoon, section, or headquarters, and the men receive their rations tied up in sandbags. One man carries two sandbags, one over each shoulder connected by a cord. In winter coke and charcoal is supplied for the dugouts which also arrive in sandbags, or as Tommy terms it a "gunny-sack." The mail is taken to headquarters and distributed to the various sections. The arrival of the mail is eagerly looked forward to, as a letter from home kindles new life in Tommy. Many pairs of eyes are directed on parcels when being opened, and a mutual distribution is made among the friends of the owner of the parcel. Words of comfort greet the unlucky boy .who has not received word from home, and he hears news of the doings of his home town through other boys who have been favored with a letter. Newspapers are passed around and so the boys keep in touch with the outer world. The happy hour over, the boys file out of the dug- out to duty "on top," leaving their parcels and rations in the dugout. If the area is rat infested, and in most cases it is so, then in the morning when the troops go into their dugout there is a possibility of a raid by rats having taken place during the night and a consider- able portion of the boy's larder is diminished. During the morning there is talk of a possible raid on a section of the enemy's lines and volunteers are called for to take part in it. Always more than the number respond and after careful selection the men chosen retire to their dugouts to rest up for the offensive, (later a different method was adopt- ed for raiding parties). As the hour for "over the top" approaches, the men's eagerness to "strafe the Hun" becomes acute. They assemble in a selected part of the trench and await the signal to go "over the top." A barrage on the enemy's trenches lifts and the boys, with bombs, rifle and bayonet rush swiftly across no man's land on to the enemy's first line trench. They are soon busy with bayonet and bomb. Men specially told off to look after dugouts, carry a Stokes' trench mortar bomb. The order to the boche is to surrender, if he hesitates long he is the recipient of the trench bomb, it is heard bumping down the steps of the deep dugout and after a few seconds pause there is a loud explosion and the hesitating boche is no more. Meanwhile the few live Huns on top are hustled back to the rear as prisoners to be afterwards interrogated as to identity, strength, number of their regiment, where from, how long they have been in the line, location of machine guns, trench mortars, etc., etc. After the raid is over the men retire to their own lines as quickly as possible in order to avoid retaliation by the enemy, also to es- cape their bombardment. Once safely in their own lines they are hospitably received and congratulated on their achievement. Rum is served to them and they retire to a well earned rest.

These raids may take place several times during a regiment's stay in the front line and are conducted at different times of the day or night. News of relief is welcomed, and the troops prepare for evacuation, the same preliminaries are gone through as when they entered the front line and "took over" from the other regiment. Everything ready and duties properly relieved, the order is given to move and the troops file down the muddy trenches to the communication trench which is nearly always in better shape than those of the front line. The relief is kept secret but in some cases the troops are subject to a strafe when going out and coming in, and in- variably lose many men. Rain and mud is the curse of all troops but these are the least of Tommy's worries when going out to billets. Of course, many are the conjectures as to the nature of the billets and the village they are located in. After a long and miserable march, stiff and sore with their stay in the trenches and feeling dirty, they arrive at their rest quarters.

Orders are shouted out, and flash lamps like constellation of stars flicker in and out denoting much activity. The troops are ushered into their home to be for a week, fortnight or perhaps longer. Everyone feeling tired and irritable look for somewhere to lay their pack and to make a shake down. Some are favored with straw, others not so fortunate get anywhere. All places in and around the farm are taken over by the troops until a straightening up by the billeting officer next morning when the previous night's confusion has died down. The following day, the troops, by platoons, are marched off to the bath house, carrying their towels and soap. The men are assembled in a large room which is fitted up with forms, hanging their clothes on nails which are arranged around the room for that purpose. A party of about twelve, file into a chamber where, on the floor are tubs and above these tubs are sprinklers or showers. Each man stands in the tub and the attendant regulates the hot and cold water supply, and so it goes on until the whole platoon has taken a bath. They are then taken back to the billet where a foot inspection takes place by the doctor. The men who reported sick during the morning are not forgotten and go through the same programme at a special parade.

The men now square up their billet and prepare for a comfortable night's rest. Billets differ as regards comfort, size and sanitation. It may consist of an old barn with a few of the tiles missing, providing an incentive for a study of astronomy. A side may have its mud walls perforated by shell fire or otherwise. In this case a ground sheet carried by the troops comes in handy to cover it over. Also there may be a difficulty in the way of approach to the billet ; it may necessitate a slow, slushy course through several inches of mud and one is fortunate if he navigates the "courtyard" safely at night without walking through the cess pool or manure heap and going up to his neck. If not too near the firing line, candles are permitted and on entering the billet one can see the boys busy writing and assuming many fantastic shapes in doing so. If straw is not available it may be had by applying to the farmer, providing of course he has it to spare. It is sold at varying prices, half a franc or a franc per bundle. Madame of the farm looks to her finances in the sale of cups of coffee and sometimes eggs and chipped potatoes. The latter has become a standard meal with the boys in France when away from the regiment. The writer once had two eggs and some chipped potatoes at Ypres for his Xmas dinner, for the rats had eaten his good things the night before.

It must not be forgotten that Tommy has to do guard duties outside his billets during his company's term of occupation. During hours off duty, the question often asked is, "Any- thing on at the 'Y'?" and a Y.M.C.A, is usually close at hand, and very often a con- cert is given by visiting or local artists.

And so the programme goes on ad infinitum.