Evening journal., 1916-11-27
Tells STUDENTS Of
HORRORS IN France
Mr.. Prickett With American
Ambulance Two Years
Speaks at High School
HAD NARROW ESCAPE
FROM GERMAN SHELLS

William p. Prickett, son of Judge
and Mrs. William S. Prickett. who has
spent the past two years in Servia
and France doing active relief work,
addressed the students Of the Will
mington High School this morning at
the opening exercises Of the school.
IN introducing Mr.. Prickett. Professor
Berlin said that he felt a great pride
IN introducing a former graduate OF
the High School who had accomplish
ed so much since he left school. Mr..
Prickett is graduate also of Prince
ton University, class of 1915. and is
at present a Rhodes Scholarship man
10 Oxford University. However, he
has been given a special leave of
absence from the university in order
TO carry on his excellent work in
France as a member OF the American
Ambulance Service. He will begin
his university work in the spring.
Mr. Prickett gave an interesting ac-
count of the work of the American
Ambulance in France and he re-
counted several incidents which gave
vivid pictures of the suffering and
horror in the war stricken countries.
He said the war now is entirely a
trench warfare. There are three lines
Of trenches. which stretch a distance
Of 450 miles from the Swiss frontier
to the sea. These trenches, he de-
scribed. saying that they we're dug
zig-zag and in such a manner that a
person not familiar with them is
likely TO get lost. as they are very
complex. The American Ambulance
service, he said, is divided into FIVE
sections. with twenty ambulances In
each section. Each ambulance has a
driver. an orderly and a mechanic
All members of the American ambu-
lance are regarded as members OF the
French army and are subject to the
same treatment receiving the same
food rations, etc. The usua, allot-
ment of five cents a day allowed by
the French Army for its soldiers is
returned TO the government by the
volunteer workers. said Mr.. Prickett.
Four men have been killed and eight
wounded and many cars disabled in
the American ambulance corps.
"The work OF the American Ambu-
lance is tremendous said Mr.. Prick
EFT, "and when as high as 1900 men
have been killed in one sector in one
day you can get some idea of its work.
"The first line OF trenches, said
Mr. Prickett, "is very crooked, taking
in every hill and valley and a quarter
Of a mile back. The second line is
less complex, while the third line is
still less elaborate. The work is very
highly organized. The artillery fire."
4 HTsftT
one stands on a hill at night and looks
down over a valley one witnesses a
great line OF flame from the artillery
fre. Forty thousand shells were
used by one sector in one day, and IL
was q calm day" he added.
All transportation is done at night
because il is more dangerous for any
one to appear above ground during
the day time.
The front line OF trenches, said Mr..
Prickett, sometimes are only thirty
feet away from the enemy's line. The
wounded are carried back on stretch
ers by hand from the front TO the
central post, which is one-quarter Of
a mile IN the rear. At dusk. he said
the ambulances would start out with
one driver. orderly and mechanic. All
the ambuiances go without lights. and
as all transportation IS done at night,
the danger OF the crowded roads, etc.
makes the work verv dangerous and
difiicult. The crossroads. said Mr.
Prickett are particular points upon
which the Germans direct their hre.
At one crossroads said Mr. Pricketts
during twenty times over which his
ambulance passed this point. Il was
sbelled eighteen times However
lucky for me-" said Mr.. Prickelt. "the
shells all passed over our heads. 4"
"The shrek OF a shell or shrapnel as
they pass over your head is something
a body never forgets." added Mr.
Prickett
The. sector in which he worked was
one mile from the first line which was
as near as an automobile could get
on account Of the torn-up condition
Of the roads Only first aid is given
to the wounded when they are picked
up and those who are in immediate
need OF an operation are taken TO
the first hospitals while those whose
cases can wait over night are taken
TO other hospitals and those who are
still less badly wounded but need to