New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-11-16
GAS AS WAR AID
DATES FROM 1908
Captured Bombs Betray
Secret of German
Preparation.
AMERICAN CALLS
DOCTORS APOSTLES
Richard Norton Tells Exploits OF
Ambulance Corps He Com
manded in Champagne.

ne experiences OF Americans 10 t.e
midsf OF the grea- battle o. Champagne
last month, when the French made their
notable advance, are related in 2 letter
from. Richard Norton. organizer and
commander of the American Motor Am
bulence Corps.
The narrative discloses that gas APP
the battle OF Champagne was dated as
far back as 1908. thus showing" Mr..
Norton said, that seven years ago the
Germans had decided 10 fight with gas"
Mr Norton, who writes from La
Croix, Champagne. under date Of Octo-
Der II, TO Eliot Norton, his brother. in
this city, points out that il is just
year since the corps came into being.
and that IT has grown Until it includes
sixty motor ambulances, TO which the
st. Johns Ambulance Corps and the
Rod Cross societies render any assist
ance that is requested.
"The French authorities have in
trusted US with the whole ambulance
service of the 18th Army Corps" says
Mr.. Norton. Briefly reviewing the years
work he adds that the American corps
has carried almost 2s,OOO cases, and
that from September % to October 9
tn American cars relieved the suffe--
ings Of more than 5000 individuals.
IT.
at was not until we had been some
three weeks stationed within a few
miles of the line here that we had any
inkling as to exactly when or at ex-
actly what spots the blow would be de-
livered," says Mr.. Norton, beginning
his account of the Champagne fight.
when, however, we were sent for
ward our base became the village of La
Cook, where two large hospitals had
been erected. Seven Of the ambulances
were stationed here; two others at
Somme Tourbe; five at La Sale, and.
finally, two groups were sent to the
woods, where we camped out in tents
and dugouts and carried the wounded
OF the 2lst and 22d divisions from
Trenches Nos. 7 and 5. which had been
dug for the purpose of bringing them
out Of the firing line.
"The country was absolutely packed.
can scarcely find any word to suggest
a picture OF how packed It was with
troops and munition trains. There was
every sort and description. On the roll
ing land, over which the trenches, cut
in through the chalk soil, ran like great
wki:e snakes, the batteries of every
sized gun were innumerable. | cannot
tell you how many guns there were.
but in radius of half a mile from
where my ambulance stood the first
night there were az least dozen bat
teres of various calibres. and they
were no thicker there than anywhere
else.
"Only three or four incidents of the
twelve hard days work stand out
clearly in my mind. The rest is but
hay memory OF indistinguishab
nights and days, cold and rain. long
rows OF laden stretchers waiting 10 be
put into the cars, wavering lines OF
less seriously wounded hobbling along
10 where we were waiting, sleepy hos
pital orderlies. dark underground
chambers in which the doctors were
sorting out and caring for the wound
ed, and an unceasing noise of rumbling
wagons, whirring aeroplanes, distant
havzrr avA rI.~n r
ing, shells bursting and bullets Kissing.
Doctors Brave and Tender"
"Ou. Of this general tumble Of mem
DRY one feature shines out steadily
clear. II is of the doctors. Patient, in
defatigable. tender, encouraging and
brave in the most perfect way, they
were everywhere in the forefront and
seemingly knew not what fatigue
meant. II the nurses are the angels of
this war, these doctors are the apos
ties who lift up this world and carry 1t
TO Cod"
Among those who shared experiences
with Mr.. Norton in the battle of Cham
payne were W. p. Clyde, jr., of New
York. a graduate Of Yale; william X.
Berry, of Philadelphia, a graduate OF
Princeton; Messrs. Coatsworth and
Schrieber. of Buffalo; Frederick Nor
gan. a Massachusetts, man and grad
ua.e of Harvard, and several other
American young men, mostly college
graduates.
In addition to Darlington and
Phelps, whose place Of residence is not
known, Mr.. Norton mentioned in his
letter that "the two Whitwells, the
two Phelpses, Bucknall and Coats
worth" did the hardest work, and the
chauffeurs Reeves. Tate, Gibson and