331st field artillery, United States army, 1917-1919 . y, was then turned around and Lloyd led us back to the right road. Considerabletime had been lost in the detour so we had to hurry and the nags were soon fleckedwith foam. The road was sandy and the wheels had dug it out until it was onedeep rut after another. Every time the wheels hit one of these ruts the cannoneerswere thrown about two feet off their seats and came down only to be tossed backup, maintaining their positions only through the use of the grip straps whichthey held to as they never before had held. After this stretch of bad
331st field artillery, United States army, 1917-1919 . y, was then turned around and Lloyd led us back to the right road. Considerabletime had been lost in the detour so we had to hurry and the nags were soon fleckedwith foam. The road was sandy and the wheels had dug it out until it was onedeep rut after another. Every time the wheels hit one of these ruts the cannoneerswere thrown about two feet off their seats and came down only to be tossed backup, maintaining their positions only through the use of the grip straps whichthey held to as they never before had held. After this stretch of bad road wascovered we halted under cover of some woods to rest the horses. While we werestopping the command came down: Prepare for action. At this command the cannoneers immediately vaulted from their seats andleaped to work. The gunner took the sight shank from No. 2, put it in its place,then took the panoramic sight from its box, examined it to see that it was all rightand put it back in the box, unlocked the piece, tried the elevating and traversing. After Day R* gears, ran the gun back on the cushion and locked the piece. No. 1 removedthe range quadrant from its box, put it in place, opened the breech, examined thebreech mechanism and closed the breech. No. 2 removed the sight shank andgave it to the gunner, then removed the breech cover. No 3 removed the muzzlecover, No. 4 the fuse setter cover. No. 5 unlocked the caisson door. All this wasdone in about 15 seconds. As soon as each men had completed his duties he tookhis seat and in a few minutes we were again on the move. Everyone was watching now for the marker that would show us where thebattery would go into position. We went about half a mile and came out on anopen flat and there on the farther side was the marker. We drove into the positionand got the command: Action right! Every man was on the ground almostinstantly, the guns and caissons unlimbered, the action chiefs dismounted, turnedtheir horses over to the swing dr
Size: 1892px × 1321px
Photo credit: © The Reading Room / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, booksubjectworldwar19141918
