Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-04-24
300 HUPMOB|LES
USED by ALLIES
John L. Poole, European Export
Manager, Writes of Heavy
Strain on Motor Cars

The Hupp Motor Car Company is
just in receipt OF letter from John
l.. Poole. Hupmobile export manager
at Paris, in which he tells of some of
the terrific conditions under which
motor cars are forced to travel dur
ing war time.
Mr.. Poole arrived in France shortly
after the outbreak of the war. He
Immediately received a commission
from the French government to con-
struct number of special armored
Hupmobiles equipped TO carry a IA
millimeter mitrailleuse battery for
rapid frework.
The success of the Hupmobiles was
so great that the military authorities
placed an order for a large quantity.
According to Poole, there are now
nearly 500 Hupmobiles in use with the
allied armies.
These armored Hupmobiles writes
Poole from Paris. April 8, ARE used
principally for reconnoitering work.
When detachment wishes to find
out just the exact position of the
enemy on their front, one of the Hup-
1
commission. This car. with a COM
plement of three men, officers in
charge, gunner and driver. makes a
hurried trip to the front and reports
conditions.
Again when it is learned that the
enemy has commenced an aggressive
forward movement. a number of Hup-
mobiles are rushed. out to cover the
enemy's front and impede their ad-
vance until troops can be sent to the
battle lines. II is in this last phase
| of the work that the stamina and
speed OF the Hupmobiles has proved
| TO great advantage.
Not long ago when at Calais in
specting a squadron of Hupmobiles, the
commandant in charge notified me
that one of the cars was about to
make a trip to the enemys lines, and
asked II / care to join the party, 1
was very glad of the opportunity of
seeing a Hupmobile in action and We
started out.
The car, which was one of the
special armored Hups, had its full
complement of men. together with
big supply of ammunition and extra
petrol and oil, enough TO last the en-
tire journey.
THE journey to Dunkirk was un-
eventful. for the roads all along the
way were guarded by the French.
Upon leaving Dunkirk we were forced
to abandon the highway and had to
cut across a field which had lately
been the scene of a big battle. To
make matters worse a rain had set in.
which made the field we'll nigh i'm
passable.
Deep ruts had been cut in the
ground by the heavy artillery, the
driver following these as best he
could. I though we would never
reach the end of this terrible field,
but the Hupmobile plowed through
magnificently and at last reached
good roads.
"Earthworks were thrown up on
either side of the road that made
driving very difficult. But the driver
paid no more attention than If they
were not there. We sped along at
forty miles an hour, over ruts, rail-
road crossings. fioundered in mud up
to the axles. and l thought the car
would be dashed TO pieces, but the
Hupmobile acted wonderfully and at
last We reached our destination.
The drive back was made at night,
with only the side lamps burning.
1t is impossible to describe the re-
turn trip. During the time we were
in the enemy's territory we had to
go full speed ahead so as not to give
the enemy a chance to stop us. I
happened had an earthwork been
thrown up in front of US.
1.-The Hupmobiles in service here
have been highly praised by army
officers. If you could but see the ter
rible treatment the cars are given
over here you would realize more
than ever the Hupmobile's ability to
withstand far more than the strains
of ordinary driving. There is no
speed limit. the cars are driven as
fast as possible over all sorts of roads
and still the Hupmobiles hold up.
It's a tribute TO American manufac-
turing methods of which we should
all feel proud"