HIDDEN ROADS.

Hokitika Guardian, 22 November 1918, Page 4

H IDDEN ROADS.

“I found between BuUeeourt anc Qucaut, whole mails roofed anil wall od by camouflaged wire to the likeness of a long arcade, broad and high enough for tlu* biggest lorries.” —Air. W. Beach Thomas in a recent “Daily .Mail.”

Roads are screened not to deny theii existence to the enemy, (which is im •possible un account of the excellen maps) but to hide movement upor them.

Screening is different from camouflaging. In the later operation you deny the existence of gun positions, camps, hutments, etc., by altering their appearance to represent something else —a mound of earth, possibly, or hv >o painting them that they are absorbed into tla> colour scneine of the surrounding crops, foliage, or ground features. Enemy possession of high ground which provides good observation over our hack areas renders road screening on a large scale necessary. Sausage balloons emphasise the need. The screening is made by erecting stout poles 14 feet high and o yards apart along the sides of the roads. Wide-meali wire-netting is suspended from the tops of these to within 2 feet of the ground. Though the wire at intervals of an inch, long strips of canvas 2 inches wide and suitably coloured are laced. The screening is supported by wire stays on each side of the poles. Wire-netting with interlaced canvas is used in preference to large pieces of canvas because it does not offer so' much resistance to the wind and does) not tear and become too heavy with tile rain. It also breaks up the rays of light, preventing a very dark shadow from being cast which would ’.offer a better target for tile enemy gunners. The screening is not erected in one continuous length. It is put up in sections of about 40 yards. This is to facilitate, repairs and renewals ,to break the force of the wind, and to provide entrance and exit to the road.

Should the portion of road to be screened run parallel with the enemy observation, the screening will be erected in sections on the side of the road nearest the line. It will be placed 10 yards off tlie road so that if shelled the road may escape being badly damaged. Sections will overlap to ensure that no part of the road shall he visible.

Should observation enfilade the road narrower sections will bo erected over the road sufficiently high for transport to pass. Great care will be taken thatwhen viewed from an enemy position the top of one section overlaps the bottom of the one behind. This would be calculated from the map. Trees flanking the road are sometimes utilised to carry the screening.