The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-11-20
ARMY CHAUFFEURS
DO FINE SERVICE
Little Is Heard of Their Movements but
Their Work Is as Remarkable as
That of the Aeroplanes.
Correspondence Of the Associated Press

| Correspondence Of the Associated Press
Paris, Nov. l0.-The exploits OF the
daring automobile drivers who whi2
along the fringe of the shell-torn battle
| front, and sometimes into it, on missions
o military duty that have cost many a
life, are as remarkable as the aerial
dashes in this war.
| Thousands of luxurious touring cars
and linousines that once graced the
boulevards of Paris are now employed
i, this service and many OF them are
driven by their wealthy owners, who
rank as privates, and are comrades with
professional chauiTeurs. They wear uni
forms marked with an "A" on the arm.
Little is heard OF their individual deeds,
which led the Figaro TO say their serv-
ice was "obscurod." In reply the Figaro
printed on its first page letter from
one of these daring drivers, Paris law
yer, that speaks for itself. Ii follows:
"'Obscured! The word is quickly
said There is too much 'obscured'. And
one has reason for being so who is forced
automobile service is obscured. But the
Figaro ought to say that in their OBJ
scurity the automobilists know how to
die and that numerous indeed have been
those who already have fallen.
"Tf at the beginning of the war, one
saw automobiles enjoying a ride in the
woods or with their cars stationed be-
fore fashionable restaurants that time
has passed. That should be known.
"The automobile squad TO which | be-
long is submitted to the most rigid mill
tary discipline. We have three rollcalls
day. We do not sleep at home. No
one quits the garage during hours of
service.
"The other day, about Q in the morn
ing, the quartermaster entered the ga
rage Everyone was at his post. The
machines were all equipped, tanks filed
provisions in the hampers, carbines ready
everything there 10 show that we
don't Just merely make run around
the lake
"'They want cart cried the quarter
Who can gof'
every man answered II.
zone of our comrades. Jean R.
was chosen. A turn of the crank and the
car was gone. Wheref No one asked.
One il too much accustomed to seeing
these machines depart 20 put the qucs-
ton They 90. remain absent-many
days, sometimes.
"And R. went this time, like 9th
ers before him, and as still others will
follow him. each day.
eIn the evening the machine returned /
10 the garage An its windows were |
broken. Bullets had riddled its panels. |
Jean R. was not with il. His COM
-ade tears IN his eyes, had brought the 1
"a back alone. Jean R. had been /
killed during the trip. His body was 1
ln the ground back there. somewhere 4
n the North. They had not been able 10 4
Hing Il back. Some English soldiers
had arrived in time 10 save the sur.
.ivors Of this mission on which the poor
chauffeur had left 50 joyously in the
morning
"some hours later. IN the garage who're
,ach evening thes call the roll. 20 the
lame Of Jean R.. the quartcrmss ter
Inswered
Dead on the field ~ honor
"The mcn. IN two ranks. raised the
and 10 their caps.
a dar OF two later one could see.
me morning. some soldiers marching
With measured tread toward a church.
AZ wore On the left arm that letter A.
hat is ieered a. They were the com-
AIDES If the 'obacured one. They were
.oinu 20 have q macs celebrated for him
Eho had been KILLED by German bull
cts