Tommy's Life: Up the Line

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Publisher Gaultier Savigny Location Boulogne Paris Date n/a n/a n/a Cards               Set Long Long Short I got up early one morning … 1 1 1 The first trench I ever saw … 2 2 2 We marched into … 3 3 3 The only time I ever saw … 4 4 4 The main duties in the Front … 5 5 5 On Sentry Go at Night … 6 6   One of the bright spots … 7 7   Waiting for the barrage … 8 8 6 When you are in one hole … 9 9 7 Sometimes you get so far … 10 10 8

UL1 I got up early in the morning. Our train had gone as far as it was to go. As I was making tea in the dawn, I heard for the first time a sound like distant thunder… but it wasn’t thunder.         According to Fred Ward’s book on the 23rd Royal Fusiliers, it was in Steenbecque that the sound of artillery in action was first heard by the Battalion. British WW1 Mess Kit
UL 2 The first trench I ever saw was an old communication trench where we were taken one night on fatigue. So this was really my first sight of the trenches and my first sight of the star shells. We did more star shells gazing than trench repairing that night!         Communication trenches were used primarily as a means for communicating orders to the front lines from farther back without exposing the messengers to enemy fire. The front line trench would have a communication trench that ran perpendicular from it to the headquarters of the commanding officer, and from there he could send a messenger to the front line. They were also used by troops moving to and from the front lines as well. As more troops need to be moved in large numbers, more communication/perpendicular trenches were dug in order to make this movement safer and quicker.
UL 3 We marched into the Trenches, late in the evening, going across fields on “duck boards”. It always seems an endless, weary journey across a desolate stretch of dark landscape. There is nothing to be seen but shell-holes, and wintry looking trees.         Duckboards were used to line the bottom of trenches on the Western Front, as these were regularly flooded. Mud and water would lie in the trenches for months on end. The boards helped to keep the soldiers' feet dry and prevent the development of trench foot caused by prolonged standing in waterlogged conditions. They also allowed for troops' easier movement through the trench systems. Falling or slipping off the duckboards could often be deadly, with unfortunate soldiers drowning in mud under the weight of their equipment. Note that Tommy is carrying an unfilled sand bag over his soldier, most likely containing rations or letters for soldiers at the front.
UL 4 The only time I ever saw a man cry was when one of our chaps dropped his rifle in the mud after spending exactly two hours cleaning it.         British Rifle Cleaning Kit Tommy is sitting on the fire step in the trench. Note the graphical references to general trench detritus such as duckboards, trench shovels, the fire step, a rum jar, a jam tin, and a mess kit, as well as the ubiquitous barbed wire.
UL 5 The main duties in the Front Line in the daytime are watching the periscope, and looking up into the air for “trench mortars”, with a whistle ready to blow for a warning.         Trench Periscope Trench mortar The German trench mortar, or Minenwerfer, was nicknamed the “flying pig” by British soldiers due to the shape of the charge being flung across no-mans land. Note the appearance of airplanes in the skies above.
UL 6 On Sentry Go at Night.         Sentry Go = Sentry Duty (also known as “Stag” or “Picket Duty”) Verey Light Pistol Star shells and Verey lights would cause working parties to be starkly silhouetted against the attack.
UL 7 One of the bright spots in our life.           WW1 Rum Bottle. It is believed that “S.R.D” might have stood for: – Supply Reserve Depot – Service Ration Department – Standard Rum; Diluted  – Service Rum Distribution – Service Rum Department Soldiers slang for SRD included: – "Seldom or Rarely Delivered” – "Soldiers Run Dry", "Soon Runs Dry" – "Seldom Reaches Destination" The army had a daily rum ration of 1/2 gill, often issued after a night on the trench fire step, which must have seemed a welcome boost to morale. Some units issued the ration before a battle; others used it against the shock and strain after a battle.
UL 8 Waiting for the barrage to lift. It makes you feel small and sort of lost!           A “preliminary barrage” was a bombardment of enemy lines prior to an assault. Experienced soldiers could tell the direction of overhead shells (outbound or inbound) by the unique noise they made. It is possible that Tommy here is experiencing the early days of the Somme offensive in July of 1916.
UL 9 When you are in one hole and your pal is in another. He had the jam, and at dinner time, tried to chuck it to you, but missed fire. And the machine guns are not likely to miss fire if you get out just now!           JAM (a play on the phrase “in a jam”).   With bayonet drawn, Tommy is in the middle of a furious fire fight, possibly the Battle of Delville Wood in 1916.
UL 10 Sometimes you get so far in the rear, marching in, you are as good as lost when you come to a spot where different trenches branch off.           FIFTH AVENUE   RESERVE LINE. Once in France, soldiers would be placed into a reserve force at the very rear of the line, here would be more training with experienced forces in Trench maintenance, digging, and often rear duties before settling into the rotation of the forces in the area.   CHEERO TRENCH

                   

Set Variants

Five variants of this set have been identified to date: one by Gaultier; and four by Savigny.

Up the Line Cards	Gaultier			Savigny
	Isore	Long (A)	Long (B)	Long (A)	Long (B)	Short (A)	Short (B)
I got up early in the morning. Our train had gone as far …			1	1	1	1	1
The first trench I ever saw was an old communication …			2	2	2	2	2
We marched into the Trenches, late in the evening …			3	3	3	3	3
The only time I ever saw a man cry was …			4	4	4	4	4
The main duties in the Front Line in the daytime …			5	5	5	5	5
On Sentry Go at Night.			6	6	6	-	-
One of the bright spots in our life.			7	7	7	-	-
Waiting for the barrage to lift. It makes you feel small …			8	8	8	6	5
When you are in one hole and your pal is in another…			9	9	9	7	7
Sometimes you get so far in the rear, marching in …			10	10	10	8	8
Card thickness (inches)			.0170”	.009”	.0145”	.0125”	.0165”
Reverse
Imp. P. Gaultier, Boulogne-s-Mer. – Ed. P. G. Visé Paris 763			Center	-	-	-	-
Imp. G. Savigny, Paris – P.G.			-	Center	Center	-	-
Paris. – Imp. G. Savigny, 80, rue de Cléry.			-	-	-	Center	Center
Errors / Inconsistencies
Period after “Up the line” has been removed			-	All	All	All	All
Added space as in “Tommy’ s life”			-	All	All	All	All
“Up  the  line” has been double spaced			-	All	-	-	-
In second sentence, “far” is misspelled as in “as aar as it”			-	-	-	1	1
Sentence starting “So this was really …” has been removed			-	2	2	2	2
Sentence starting “It always seems …” has been removed At end of caption, “trees” is misspelled “tres”			-	3	3	3	3
Card is numbered 5 instead of 6 Card missing “Vise Paris 763”			-	-	-	-	6
Extra space between “another.  He” Comma added between “dinner, time”			-	-	9	-	-
On card front, “Vise Paris 763” in different font, position			-	All	All	All	All