Friday, 10 March 2017

Hiding from Hostile Aircraft



Saturday 10th March 1917 from our correspondent in the field

The 1st/5th Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment is in Sinai. It is currently at El-Burj near the town of El-Arish, thirty miles or so from the front line. Yesterday the men began to be inoculated against cholera. Fatigues are being undertaken under Brigade orders and dugouts are being constructed in case of hostile aircraft.

The usual pattern for there to be ten dugouts per platoon, five in front and five in the rear, each holding three men. Specialists such as Lewis gunners and snipers are currently brigaded together away from their platoons. Each dugout is a square hole about 6 feet 6 inches by 5 feet 6 inches by 3 feet deep and there is ten feet between dugouts.

Source: X550/6/8

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