Middlesex Township in Carlisle in Cumberland County, Pennsylvania — The American Northeast (Mid-Atlantic)
Splinter Proof
Splinter Proofs, or Shrapnel Proofs, constructed at varying intervals provided immediate, though limited protections from bombardments for troops in the trenches. These features were also used for housing supplies such as flares, ammunition, sandbags, wire, and wire posts for immediate use.
"A certain amount of splinter-proof cover should be provided in the front line, which will also serve as protection against weather. The best position, in the case of a trench, is the front face of the supervision trench…Splinter-proof cover is afforded by a layer of logs or beams, 6 inches or upward in depth, covered over with a layer of not less than 1 foot of earth."
- Notes For Infantry Officers On Trench Warfare, 1917
The first thing to do was to find places for them to bed down in. By partial excavation and improvisation, we finally got located in a group in what were more like burrows than anything else. In my own shelter, I had to bend low to enter.
Mechanic Donald D. Kyler, Company G, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Division
[Captions:]
Captain Roscoe Graves, Commanding Officer, Company A, 126th Infantry Regiment, 32nd Division takes shelter in a splinter proof of tin near Mont St. Martin, France, August 6, 1918.
Private
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Erected by The United States Army War College; United States Army Heritage and Education Center.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: War, World I. A significant historical date for this entry is August 6, 1918.
Location. 40° 12.39′ N, 77° 9.482′ W. Marker is in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, in Cumberland County. It is in Middlesex Township. Marker can be reached from Army Heritage Trail south of Soldiers Drive, on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 95 Soldiers Dr, Carlisle PA 17013, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. No Man's Land (here, next to this marker); Machine Gun Post (here, next to this marker); Sniper's Nest (a few steps from this marker); The Front (a few steps from this marker); The Mortar Pit (a few steps from this marker); Command Post (a few steps from this marker); Aid Station (a few steps from this marker); Meet Mechanic Donald D. Kyler (a few steps from this marker). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Carlisle.
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. — The original marker at this location.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 18, 2023. It was originally submitted on March 1, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 83 times since then and 23 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on March 1, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
