IN UNIFORM
“Um! Oh! Smell that!” cried Bob, as he hurried out in answer to the
first mess call of the day. “Bacon, or I’m a sinner!”
Breakfast call was sounded at 6:15 and half an hour was allowed for it.
As soon as the mess call had sounded each man, acting under the
directions of his squad leader, got his mess kit, consisting of plate,
cup, knife, fork and spoon. Later the boys needed no instructions in
producing these implements of “warfare.”
The signal being given, they marched to the kitchen where there was
dished out to each one what was to be the first meal of the day. This
proved to be steamed rice and milk, bacon, scrambled eggs, fried
potatoes, buttered toast, bread and coffee.
With this as a starter the boys marched into the mess hall and sat down
at long tables to eat.
“How goes it, Chunky?” asked Ned, as he noticed his stout chum
beginning to eat.
“Tell you better when I’ve had my second or third helping,” was the
somewhat mumbled reply.
“Talk it out, Chunky,” advised Jerry. “Don’t scramble your reply; leave
that to the eggs you’re sailing into.”
“Huh, I’ll sail clear through these, and then some.”
“Can you have as much as you like?” asked a rather timid lad next to
Ned.
“All you want, son, and more,” answered the squad leader, who was
walking about, and who had overheard the question.
As each one finished he took his mess kit down to the end of the hall,
where there was a kettle of scalding water, and washed his cutlery and
dishes. There are no official dishwashers in the army, save those who
serve in the officer’s mess.
“Well, do you feel better?” asked Ned, as he and Jerry filed out with
Bob.
“Lots,” was the answer. “What call’s that?” he inquired, as another
bugle note blared out.
“Sick call and fatigue,” answered Jerry, who was learning the army
orders and regulations.
This call came at 6:45 and gave opportunity for such as were physically
disabled in any way to escape drill for the day. If a man is not
feeling physically fit in the morning he so reports to his first
sergeant, who places the name on a list. Then, when the proper call
comes, and all who are in need of medical attention are collected, an
officer marches them to an infirmary.
Of course, this applies only to those slightly “under the weather.” In
case of a very ill recruit the doctor goes to him, instead of having
him go to the medical man. If a man is taken ill, or feels the need of
medical attention at any time other than the official sick call, an
officer is detailed to take him to the doctor, or the doctor comes to
him, at any hour it may be necessary.
Fortunately there were very few who responded to sick call the first
morning in Camp Dixton. When it was over, at 6:50 o’clock, came the
first call for the day’s drill. Five minutes later came the assembly,
which meant that every man, not excused, must be in line. Then the
drill began. It was to last an hour.
There were six drills during the day (or were at Camp Dixton), besides
guard-mount in the late afternoon. Between the drills came dinner, of
course. But the new soldiers were impressed with the drills. There were
so many of them, and when there was no drill there was a school of
instruction.
Drills, or the assembly calls for them, came at the following
hours: 8:15, 9:30, 10:45, 1:00, and 2:15. At 3:30 came a school of
instruction, which lasted an hour. There was guard-mount, too, which
is another sort of drill, at 5:00. This lasted half an hour, and
mess call for supper sounded shortly after 5:30, followed by retreat,
meaning that the main part of the day was over.
From supper time till the call to quarters, which sounded at 9 P.M.,
the recruit was allowed to do about as he pleased, though sometimes
there was instruction in the evening. The call to quarters was the
signal for all lights to be out in the squad room, though it was not
necessary for all the soldiers to be there at that hour. They were,
however, expected to be there at ten o’clock when taps were sounded,
this being a bugle call for all lights to be out, and every one in bed,
except the officers and sentries.
“Well, I don’t see where we’re going to have an awful lot of time to
scrabble around and have fun,” said Bob, in a half-growling tone, as
he looked over the printed list of the camp schedule. “We have from
four-thirty to five-forty-five with nothing to do, if we’re not in the
guard-mount stunt, and then we have time after supper. But that isn’t
much.”
“Say, what do you think you’re on--a vacation?” asked Jerry.
“Well, no, not exactly,” answered Bob slowly.
“Not exactly! I should say not! Most emphatically--not! You’re here,
and so we all are, to do our duty and beat the Germans, and if it takes
all day I’m willing!” went on Jerry.
As has been mentioned there are many kinds of drills in the army, but
the new recruits, such as Ned, Bob, and Jerry, found, according to
their squad leader, that the physical drill was the most important
one for them at first. Later on would come rifle drill, drill in
the trenches, bayonet practice, machine gun drill, rushes with hand
grenades and so on. There seemed to the boys to be no end to it.
The boys of course, began at the very bottom to learn about army work,
and one of the first things they were told was in regard to different
formations, or units. The squad is the smallest unit of the infantry,
to which branch of the service the three chums were attached. A squad
consists of eight men, seven privates and a leader, who is, generally,
a corporal. This squad is the foundation of the army, and the members
of it generally stay together, sleeping, eating and fighting in unison
with other squads.
After the squad comes the platoon, which is made up of from two to six
squads, and the men are in charge of a lieutenant with a couple of
non-commissioned officers to help him. Four platoons make a company,
and this is in charge of a captain, with two lieutenants to aid him.
The battalion of four companies comes next and a major commands a
battalion, while three battalions usually make up a regiment, which is
commanded by a colonel, with a number of staff officers to advise and
aid him. It takes two regiments of infantry to make a brigade, which
is in charge of a brigadier general. Next comes a division, which is
the largest group in the army, and is made up in various ways, from
infantry and artillery and machine gun battalions.
“I wonder what’s up?” said Ned, as he walked with his chums to the
designated place. None of them was in uniform, as yet. That would come
later.
“What do you mean--up?” asked Jerry.
“I mean it looks as though we were going to listen to a speech,” went
on Ned.
And this was just what was going to happen. The captain of the company
to which they were temporarily assigned, had gathered the recruits
about him.
“I want to tell you a few things before we begin the physical drill,”
he said, “so you will appreciate the importance of it. If I did not,
you might think that some of it was of little use. But I want to say
that it all has a value that has been tried and proved.
“You know the army that is to help whip Germany is just like a big
machine. You are all parts in that machine, and every part, no matter
how small, must work in perfect unison with every other part, or there
will be failure. To begin with, you must be physically fit to stand
much hard work, and this drill is to get you in good condition.
“Some of the motions you are made to go through may seem foolish to
you, but they are all for some good purpose. You have muscles which,
ordinarily, you seldom use. It is to bring out these muscles, and make
them fit for service, that certain motions and practice are necessary.
You’ll be surprised on finding what a little exercise will do for
certain weak and flabby muscles that you have. They will be waked up
and made to do their duty.”
And the boys found, before the day was over, that their captain spoke
the truth, and with a knowledge that could not be questioned.
“Oh, look who’s here,” said Bob to Ned in a low voice, as they had a
little respite from twisting and turning and stooping and rising.
“Who?” asked Ned.
“That Pug Kennedy we had the row with in the train. They’re going to
put him in our squad, I’m afraid.”
“That’s bad,” said Jerry. “But still it won’t do to kick. This is only
temporary, and he may be changed, or we may. Don’t give up the ship
now.”
Pug Kennedy was, indeed, put in the squad with the three Cresville
friends, and his unpleasant face grinned at them as the drill went on.
Pug Kennedy lived up to his reputation. He was a “scrapper,” and he
did little but growl at every new order. He did not see any reason for
this, nor sense in that, and only the fact that he did his growling in
a low voice saved him from being disciplined. The officers did not hear
him.
It was three or four days after the arrival of Ned, Bob, and Jerry at
Camp Dixton that Bob came hurrying up to his chums with a pleased look
on his face.
“What is it, Chunky?” asked Ned. “Have you managed to squeeze another
mess call into the day’s program?”
“No. But we’re going to get into uniforms to-day. I just heard our
captain say so,” answered the stout lad. “Now we’ll look like real
soldiers!”
Bob was right. A few minutes later came the call for the recruits to
line up and proceed to the quartermaster’s department to be measured
for uniforms.
“Now this is something like!” exclaimed Bob.