The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1916-01-20
NORMAN A. IMRIE WRITES OF AM
BULANCE TRAINING IN C. A.
NC. VANCOUVER r r.

IHt lblioNlnR II digest OF a Iet-
ter written by Mr.. Imrie to the Ev-
erett Tribune, Everett, Wash. Il
will be interesting TO our readers
and especially so to those who know
the writer. We gave a short notice
last week Of his enlistment in the
service Of his country and this
comes from him as a part OF his ex-
perience in camp life and training
for the front.
Eighteenth Field Ambulance C.
A. NJ. c., Vancouver, B. c., December
25.-lt is Christmas night and I am
on sentry duty with sharp and
wicked-looking bayonet suspended
from my belt. Everything is quiet
the room to which ! am allowed to
warm and light affords me this op-
portunity TO write a few words about
life here for the perusal of my
Friends who may be Interested"
II find myself q private in the C..
A NJ. Gust cog in great ma
chine where individuality is almost
completely submerged and each man
is simply a pawn, trained and then
moved on the great chess board of
the government at Ottawa, shifted to
the spot where he is needed when
he is needed-all other considera-
tions being wholly dismissed On
the morning of December i3. | took
oath tn be faithful to King and coun-
try and was handed over TO a quar-
termaster sergeant to be CARRIED for
service. II was not without a sink
ing heart that parted with my
smart civilian habilaments and a
new Boston Clothing Co. hat to don
the heavy government boots and
stacks for daily drill, and uniform
for parade, whose III wasn't quite
consonant with my fastidious taste.
However, thank Hector there are
capable tailors in town who can re-
pair that blemish. Our barracks is
a large room about the size of the
high school gym. and | am assigned
my place on the floor. given a straw
and three grey wool blan-
kets-no pillow-a knife, fork and
spoon,-and my equipment was COM
plete. Oh, ] mustn't forget pair Of
huge grey sox that suggested the
lumber jack or a Rex Beach pros
pector. We all (about lO) sleep on
the floor, feet-like spokes of a CO.
lossal wheel-drawn magnet-like to
a huge stove that roars in the middle
If the room. II burns till about mid
night, when initiating our dollar a
lay, ii gradually expires, leaving an
strangely discouraging
10 prompt emergence from blankets
when the wretched reveille is sound
I'd at $50 in the morning. Think of
I my friends! Can you imagine the
feelings of man who kept the bac-
hours enjoyed i'm Everett. |
,eing forced 10 retire when the bu-
lie trumpets Lights Out" at ten
'clock and worse still, for him who
lsed to have hazardous escapes from
ardiness at nine in the morning,
orced To arise at $50. II is aston
shing how quickly one gets used to
leeping on the floor. The morning
fter the first night, | felt that my
hip bone had been trying to
ore hole through the hardwood
oor-but now can sing with aug
lented fervOr. the Lauder song with
ihich ! used To render Everett citi-
ems miserable.-"Oh it's nice 10 get
p in the morning but it's nicer to
q in your bed'1even il il is pill
'wless apd bedsteadless.
A soldiers day is made up of fati-
ues, duties and parades. "Fatigues"
pnsist of such things as bringing in
God, scrubbing barracks. sweeping
'alks and officers quarters. carry
lg water, cleaning the windows and
rounds, etc They are done regular
: morning and evening. for the first
fundamental rule Of barrack life is
bsolute and scrupulous cleanliness.
Duties" for us. are tasks of larg-
dimension. one is sentry duty, day
nj night; another is attendance at
le Vancouver General Hospital.
Vhen assigned to this in the day
me, the soldier watches the many
nj varied operations performed in
his, the second largest hospital in
anada and gets used To the atmos-
here and operation of a hospital.
hen he may be assigned TO the kit {
hen as cooks Orderly-when he be-
Dmes, like Gareth, a scullion in '
ing Georges mot Arthur's) kitchen
nd revels-(sOmetimes cusses,) {
nong greasy pots and pans,-ar- &
entity wishing that the man who in
nnted a culinary science that in q
Owed grease and dishes were in re- |
ions where fur coats and coal are
Iperfluities. These duties" come
- l. |