What are these WW I German POW's Doing?

[world war I nerd]

This photo, along with the following pair of POW images were among a number of personal photos taken of or by 1st Lieutenant William Frank Macfee during the time he served overseas in France during WW I that I obtained from his great niece.

 

As a practicing & licensed medical doctor in the state of New York, Macfee began his overseas service on June 6, 1917 as a private in the U.S. Army with Base Hospital No. 18 (John Hopkins Hospital Unit).

 

He served as an enlisted man at the base hospital until May 20, 1918, the date he was ordered to attend the AEF Sanitary School at Langres, France.

 

Upon successfully completing the course at Langres on June 6, 1918, Macfee received a commission as a 1st Lieutenant in the AEF.

 

From June 16, until September 9, 1918, Mac Fee, a newly minted lieutenant, was posted to Field Hospital No. 1, 2nd sanitary Train, 2nd Division, where he served as a surgeon.

 

On September 9, 1918 Macfee then became the Battalion Surgeon of the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Division. He remained at that post until March 6, 1919.

 

Macfee was honorably discharged from the Army on August 21, 1919 and went on to have a distinguished medical career in surgery and plastic surgery in the states of Maryland and New York.

 

During his tenure with the AEF, Macfee was awarded:

 

The Croix de Guerre at Blanc Mont on October 3, 1918

 

The Silver Star Citation at Mouar during the Meuse-Argonne on November 2, 1918

 

The U.S. Victory Medal with four battle clasps & a silver star

 

1st Lieutenant Wiliam Frank Macfee, Battalion Surgeon of the 1st Battalion, 9th Infantry Division, 2nd Division, circa 1919.

 

 

 

[world war I nerd]

Now on to the topic … One of two un-captioned images of German POWs under guard snapped by Lt. Macfee.

 

I've been trying (without success) to figure out what these German POWs are doing.

 

Does anybody know, or what that piece of machinery is?

 

All information & best guesses are welcome.

 

Thanks for looking

 

World war I Nerd ...

[world war I nerd]

Image number two of German POWs performing the mystery task.

 

What on earth are they up to?

[gomorgan]

Just a swag but my guess is that it a one cylinder gas engine driven pump, and they're pumping out a latrine or swamp. The white cloth like item in the tool box is probably some kind of caulking to seal the pipe or whatever. These one cylinder engines are very popular here in the mid-west to restore and run, can run everything from corn/feed grinders, shell, to pumps even seen them hooked to washing machines.

the rural GI's would be very familiar with these at the time, most are one cylinder and are called poppers from the sound them make when running...Great image

[72psb]

Cotton looking stuff is used as a packing for a bearing or it is being used as a rag for clean up or maybe a filter.Looks like a pump set up with a hit and miss engine. Camp fire engine?

[skio]

Just a guess but it looks like a pump on the wagon and looks to be a coupling at the lower back end of the wagon. The hoses on the ground would make sense if it is. They are pumping something.

 

If the shed in the background is a latrine, that's what they are pumping out!

 

[world war I nerd]

I think you guys are right. Pumping looks to be the activity the POWs are undertaking.

 

Every time I looked at these images, all I saw was the rags and thought that was the focus of their work … But it made no sense. Talk about tunnel vision!

 

George, et al, thanks for sounding off and informing me of the obvious.

[Allan H.]

I would say that they are running a field shower/ laundry point. Both activities were done is the same locale even as far back as WWI.

 

Allan