New-York tribune., 1916-12-31
British Tommy in France
Kept Busy Behind Lines
All English Soldiers Sent to Front Do Not Dee Acu'' 's
ing-EIard and Dangerous Labor Portion
of Many Thousands

Z neck speed. and do II as a matter OF
course, part Of the routine
heard of a fellow who crashed INTO
a motor car which was standing on tse
side of the road, and pitched twenty
! feet over the car, landing IN a deep
middle of mud. His machine was
wreck and so was he. But he told the
motor driver his message must be de,
Tvered AT a point FIVE miles away ana
induced him TO take it 20 the place. he
handed il to the officer, walked out OF
The room and then fell in faint. when
he came 10 he was in bed, ms lei'
arm in splints and three oi ms lids
fractured
Road repairing and construction is a
big problem for an army which travels
on wheels. The heavy motor lorries'
with their heavy loads OF ammunition
play havoc with any road. Freneh
roads are wonderful and have STOOD the
strain well. but even the best OF them
need constant attention. SO Britain
maintains a small army OF road work.
ers. In its ranks are many German
prisoners who still wear the uniforms
in which they were captured. You see
them working with pick and shovel, an
armed guard standing near by
Tommy" and Fritz" Work Together
"Tommv" and "Old Fritz" work side
by side, but they exchange few words
Tommy" can hardly be expected 70
speak "Fritz's" language. and "tritz,
as rule, knows few English words un-
less he was a waiter in England Delore
the war The British army has every
Modern device for road building, in
cluding the latest type of steam roller:
Once we thought we saw flock OF
tanks" but they proved to be just
common. ordinary steam rollers, on
duty for the time.
All over Northern France you see
army telephone and telegraph lines
They do not always run along state
roads, but across fields, through WOODS
and wherever they are wanted most:
The best OF Britsin's telegraph ana
telephone men are now IN the army, Dut
doing their regular work.
When YOU come into a French town
with its narrow streets you flnd SOL
dier directing the traffic and as busy
"a traffic squad policeman at Broad
way and Forty-second Street. Britain
military police have the job of poiic-
ing Northern France. They are DONG
il well. There is hardly village De-
hind the British lines where there are
no "Tommies" billeted. On practically
every house you see sign reauihg
Room for ten men" or Room LOT hVe
men,"
A Picturesque Sight
There is no more picturesque sight
behind the lines than battalion OF
soldiers, headed by pipers, marching
along q country road. II the wind IS
blowing toward you you near ana
smell them long before you can see
them. for the music of the pipes car
,-;es Gar and the aroma from the field
Kitchens. drawn by regular Southern
mules. makes you hungry. though II
il still hours before lunch time. IL
docs not look like the 18th Regiment
marching up Fifth Avenue on Memorial
nav. there are no white gloves ana
noiished boots; some of the men are
smoking pines, others cigarettes; every
man is bronzed and hot; now CON-
nsny whistles "Tippcrary"; they laugh
and talk like boys at recess, but always
tba line moves on unbroken and at a
noca which does not seem fast until
Won fall in step with them.
Soon these men may be coming back
over that same road. but not all OF
them will be walking; some OF thein
will never return. If that thought Is
in their minds IL is not troubling theh
now. They know all 1t is possible 70
teach them and they are of TO- match
their skill against "Old Fritz;, IS
Saturday sfternoon and by al 1ignts
they should be enjoying hall hoHosy
back in Blighty. but there is war on
and they are in it. They turn oeho
in the road and the last field Kiteneh
disappears around the. corner .ne
mines are still; floating back come the
words OF tennessee" accompanied by
A r,oufh organ artist