Trench and camp. (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919, May 08, 1918, Image 15

Trench and camp., May 08, 1918, Page Page 15, Image 15

About Trench and camp. (Augusta, Ga.) 1917-1919 | View Entire Issue (May 8, 1918)

Page of 16

Prev Issue Next Issue

Text PDF JP2 (2.6 MB) Clip/Print Image

Page of 16

Prev Issue Next Issue

Return to Top

Newspaper Page Textitfiay B AN ATTACK WITH GAS BY PRESTON GIBSON ....Preston Gibson, the young Ameri can playwright who has been deco rated by the French government for conspicuous bravery, is tbe author of "Battering the Boche,” from ■which we quote the passage that follows which has just been pub lished by The Century Co.: "The wind is favorable, the attack is for tonight. It is very dark and inky. You cannot even see the end of the fender in front of the car. There is but very little traffic, the main road to the front is quiet, there is little firing and the two lines of trenches seem to be getting a well-needed rest. A few Boche star shells light up my car, but that is all. I reached the poste de secours and got out. Os course I had on my helmet and carried both gas masks. This is a very bad gas sector. It was a close night, the wind blowing gently toward the German lines. I went into the dugout for a mo ment. Here were literally dripping sur geons and stretcher-bearers, soaked-in blood heroes, men and boys, with great holes in their heads, arms and legs, or shot through the body, all silent in their suffering. By the dim candlelight tho surgeans went aniout their task plodding ly and methodically. I soon had my loan and started back along the same road to our base hospital. An hour later I was again at the base. There were no more wounded to be transported. All was quiet. I saw two men standing on top of the third line dug out, so I climbed up and discovered they were a general and his aid. We smoked a cigarette and talked of Paris. It was about a quarter of one in the morning. I must have stood there half an hour when by the light of occasional star shells I saw stealing over the meadow silent .death dealing and grim in its task, the gas, gas, gas. To the right and left as far as one could see, great masses of vapor went slowly to ward tho Boche lines. It was like a cloud of gray blue chiffon as borne by the wind it sought the lives of those who could neither advance nor retreat. And so I saw it go on and on till it hung like a pall over the enemy. It resolved itself into a great cloud, wave after wave, bearing death and the greatest agony. Suddenly, as though God Himself had rent the heavens with His hand, there blazed forth from 800 guns a fiery roar that seemed as if hell had broken loose. ' 'he general remarked to his aid as he joked at his watch, "It's 1:15. Tho wind is good.” The tir de barrage curtain of fire) had begun, throwing a curtain of fire in front of the Boche front line and a second curtain of fire back of tho Boche third line, so that they could neither ad vance nor retreat, while they breathed the gas'between. The Star Shells. Now the star shells in thousands lit up the sky. It was a great sight. Back of me the 75s and 155 s were sending their shells over my head and in front and to the right were thousands of star shells over the trenches, and hand grenades ex ploding and enemy artillery dropping bombs and shells near the road. Wounded were now being brought in and French caught in their own gas. Here for the first time I saw a gas suf ferer; the effect is terrible. The gassed men cannot get their breath: they cough, spit and vomit blood. When I ‘reached the hospital with my first load the men had suffered great agony. But there was no murmur or complaint. It is a hor rible death, that of a bassed man. But only four of the affected died, we got them to the hospital so efficiently. . The gas was shut off after dawn and the 115 s continued all day and into the night. Then the order "Comrades, over the top!” Out, over, through and into the barbed wire they went, cuttin, hew ing, slashing their way to No. 1 trench, and they took it by storm. The Boches were finished by the gas. This continued until 3 a. m. Then our curtain of fire was lifted.” The Canteen The modern canteen, or what one com monly understands by the term, is as far removed from the old-time, disreputable institution of the army sutler as the Red Cross is from the jaunty French vivan diere who, with her flask of stimulants slung at her side, walked in the van of her regiment. But what that picturesque person carried was, in .eality, the very object to which the word canteen was first applied in the army. The original Italian word, cantina, it is true, meant a cellar, but it also signified a bottle case, and by inference a bottle. Now the vi vadiere’s flask was a barrel-shaped af fair, and the wood-cuts of the canteens borne by the soldiery of a century and more ago show a wooden, drum-shaped bottle provided with a nozzle. Webster defines the canteen as a small tin, or cir- For Meai ce Kosher SEE SEROTTA 1218 BROAD STREET. A Complete Line of Military Books at Dellquest’s New and Old Book Shops HEADQUARTER’S for MILITARY BOOKS 213-215 Seventh St. (Near Broad) PHONE 653 IKt ml n aiw c a ivi r cular wooden, vessel which each soldier carried and used for water. Thus, al though the term has now been extended to embrace a place of refreshment set aside in every army post, wherever prac ticable, for the use of the rank and file of the troops, a “canteen” originally meant an article of equipment. As such, it varies in the different armies; but it is usually a metal, leather, or wooden flask or bottle, having an average capa city of a quart. In the British army, this specific article is actually called a water bottle, ■while the canteen part of the equipment comprises a combination of pan, dish, and plate constructed of tin, covered, when not in use, with a thin leather material and carried, on the march, strapped to the pack or waistbelt. Apart from this equipment, there is also attached to each regiment the canteen or place of refreshment, and, in addition, the so-called garrison canteen. A sep arate institution is installed in the bar racks' for recreation. It includes a li brary, supplied with standard and current literature. In the United States, the word canteen has been replaced officially by the term post exchange, an institution intended to combine teh advantages of a gymnasium and reading and recreation rooms. There are also in the post exchange co-opera tive stores and restaurants, including lunch counters, where non-alcoholic bev erages are sold. The primary purpose of the institution is to furnish the troops; at reasonable prices, with articles not sup plied by the government and to afford them mians of recreation and amuse ment. When the exchange is-free from debt, the net profits are distributed among the various organizations for the main tenance of athletic teams and other au thorized necessities and amusements. The sale of intoxicants has been prohibited at the post exchanges since 1961, as the re sult of the progress and growth of a tem perance sentiment within the army. The ordinance establishing forced temper ance in the army represented nothing less than a revolution. As long ago as the second session of Congress, provision was made for half o gill of rum, brandy, or whisky to be supplied to each soldier, while in 1804 an equivalent in malt liquors or low wines was allowed in lieu of the spirituous liquors. A little later the gov ernment appointed sutlers, or authorized military storekeepers. At first these men were not permitted to sell intoxicating liquors, but the restrictions were soon removed and the sutlers’ canteen became notorious as a. place which included every kind of liquor. Not a few of the setters lost both their honor and their manhood in their grasp for selfish gain. Flag rant abuse of his privileges was not un common, especially as he could collect lus claims on the men at the paymaster’s table; and thus strong sentiment was aroused against the continuance of the system. In 1856 the government dis pensed with the sutlers, and Congress authorized the establishment of what were then known as post trading sta tions; but the post trader proved little better than the sutler. It was only after years of protest that there came the ex periment of the post exchange, with its regulated canteen and the marked im- CORTINA MILITARY PHONE METHOD X-- - FOREWORD BY MAJ. GEN. LEONARD WOOD Learn French quickly by this wonderful system, endorsed by leading educational authorities Tho Cortina Phone-—Method teaches a language in the quickest, easiest and most natural way, i.e. by listening to it. Yau cannot make a mistake in tbe pronunciation, because you hear it only one way—the correct one. Every man at the front should know French. Write Today for FREE PARTICULARS and learn how a little extra effort and study on your j»art may better tit you for advancement “Over There.” CORTINA ACADEMY OF LANGUAGES Suite 72, 12 East 46th St., New York City. provement in tho morale of. the men.— Christian Science Monitor. TOWNS~ON RHINE FEEL POISON GAS Geneva, May 7. —The municipal author ities at Mulhausen, Alsace have ordered Mother’s Day SEND FLOWERS. Custom has decreed that the flowers used on this oc casion shall be bright and cheery, such as will best bespeak the joy and love in the heart of the sender. This does not limit the offering to white flowers, but permits the use of any flower (whatever the color) whose language breathes affection and joyousness. MAY 12th IS THE DAY to SEND MOTHER HER FAVORITE FLOWER. American Beauties, per doz. $lO 00 Carnations colored $1.50 Ophelia Roses $2.50 to $7.00 Carnations white’ $2.00 Killarney Roses $1.50 to $4.00 Lilies $4.00 Red Roses .*. $1.50 to $6.00 Narcisus Poeticus 7Eo White Roses .... ..,.$1.50 to $4.00 Snapdragon ..$3.00 Yellow Roses $1.50 to $4.00 Sweet Pe. s, common (2 doz. . .75c Pink Roses $1.50 to $4.00 Spencer (2 doz. sl-00 Bon Silene Roses SI.OO Daisies 50c Spanish Iris (per doz.) $2.00 We will make up a few special boxes as follows: FOR MOTHERS LIVING: SPECIAL No. 1— SPECIAL Mo. 2 ztl> 6 Pink or White Roses.. J* 12 pink or white Roses... W bass. 12 Colored Carnations.... 18 assorted Carnations ... 24 Yellow Daisies l bunch yellow Daisies.. V / and greens •* or Sweet Peas ' SPECIAL No. 3 SPECIAL No. 4 “White Flowers” Bouquet. J-K Floral wreath for cemetery p-jj (flat to lay on grave or C * —made of gaiax or magno- L B L~ round for cemetery vase). 1 Alia leaves, with cluster of ‘vj 6 lilies, 6 white roses, 12 t, 12 Poeticus Narcissus and,. } Poeticus Narcissus *1 6 lilies ‘ ALL SOLDIERS’ ORDERS, SO MARKED, AND GIVEN GIVEN SPECIAL CARE. A. W. Smith Company Liberty Ave. at Seventh St., Keenan Building. Pittsburg, Pa. We can deliver your order anywhere in the United States or Canada. Express Charges, 35c. Parcel Post, 25c. We’ve Got It STATIONERY SUPPLIES TYPEWRITER PAPER, RIBBONS AND CARBON PAPER 0 O o—o0 —o MILL RULES - PROTRACTORS DRAWING MATERIAL AND SUPPLIES €)■-—•-O O——O KODAKS, FILMS DEVELOPING o—o —o—o AGENTS A. G. SPALDING ATHLETIC GOODS ARMY PRINTING OF ALL KINDS DONE PROMPTLY. o o—o—o0 —o—o JOWITT’S STATIONERY STORE PRINTERS AND STATIONERS Phone 2981. 864 Broad Street. all inhabitants to procurf. gas masks be fore May 10th as protetion "against aerial gas attacks'* the Lausanne Ga zette says it learns. The truth of the matter is, the news paper adds, that owing to contrary wind large quantities of poison gas employed by the Germans are now drifting grad ually toward towns along the Rhine which already are feeling the effects of the gas Page 15 I ell n Inf ir| ftu t? 18 IcTt hfi > ' ■ ||Sn I eotov si I ss II I I i