▁the ▁wire ▁and ▁were ▁ham mer ed ▁in ▁by ▁a ▁m uff led ▁mal let . ▁However , ▁this ▁still ▁produced ▁noise , ▁rendering ▁the ▁sa ppers ▁targets . ▁Therefore , ▁sc rew ▁pick ets ▁or ▁' c ork - s cre ws ' ▁were ▁produced . ▁These ▁loop ed ▁steel ▁posts ▁had ▁a ▁dr ill - like ▁end , ▁allowing ▁it ▁to ▁be ▁tw isted ▁into ▁the ▁ground ▁no is eless ly ▁and ▁the ▁wire ▁then ▁wrapped ▁around ▁it . ▁ ▁The ▁w iring ▁parties ▁began ▁by ▁cre eping ▁into ▁no ▁man ' s ▁land ▁carrying ▁all ▁their ▁equipment , ▁including ▁the ▁ ▁sc rew - pick ets ▁and ▁roll s ▁of ▁sharp ▁bar bed ▁wire . ▁O ften ▁this ▁was ▁a ▁pain ful ▁task ▁in ▁itself : ▁ ▁You ▁mention ▁in ▁your ▁letter ▁about ▁what ▁I ▁would ▁like ▁or ▁need ▁most ▁... ▁However , ▁I ' m ▁not ▁compla ining ▁or ▁asking ▁for ▁anything ▁so ▁don ' t ▁worry ▁about ▁me . ▁A ▁good ▁st out ▁pair ▁of ▁glo ves ▁for ▁handling ▁bar bed ▁wire ▁or ▁fur ▁glo ves ▁( lined ) ▁would ▁be ▁acceptable . ▁( L t . ▁Cec il ▁Louis ' ▁letter ▁to ▁his ▁wife , ▁ 1 9 1 6 ) ▁ ▁E rect ing ▁wire ▁was ▁time ▁cons uming ▁and ▁met icul ous ; ▁sa ppers ▁had ▁to ▁first ▁repair ▁wire ▁by ▁hand , ▁then ▁construct ▁new ▁def ences ▁if ▁needed . ▁Dest roy ing ▁wire , ▁on ▁the ▁other ▁hand , ▁could ▁by ▁done ▁either