Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-08
STORIES OF THE WAR
AMONG THE AMBULANCE DRiV-
ERS.

A letter from an ambulance driver
in France follows:
Through various channels the highly
colored articles in magazines and
newspapers about the brave Ameri
can boys" at the front come floating
into our corps, stationed temporarily
within sound and almost sight OF the
guns beyond the town of Verdun.
They are our greatest amusement
and relaxation. do believe our Amer
can public loves to be bullIozed and
stuffed. The half baked war cores
pondents who write the rot about the
ambulance drivers at the front have an
imagination that is stupendous and
awe inspiring. They should head their
articles WAR as she amt.
Stories of regiments returning from
the trenches crowding around ambu-
iances to thank them are bull pure and
simple. They are either too tired to
do anything except keep walking OF
else are apt to sling the usual soldier
jokes-same the world over
Any fellow who cannot distinguish
the sound of one of his own guns go
ing off from shell coming is apt to
spend a miserable life is ne stays Ions
IN these parts.
Most wounded are TOO busy keeping
their own nerve in both hands to both
er about ball room speeches. The first
wounded load-I had any acuuaintance
with had one among them WHO spoke
little English. and his first question
was When does The train leave for
Paris?"
Rules of the road, there aren't
any. Motors pass horse wagons be-
cause they are quicker. Canions pull
out when they hear you if they hear
and can pull out.
One man has written "AnbElances
come after troops, after ammunition
ard food wagons Wei hat is there
left on the road after all these but am
bulances. This road BUSINESS is all a
matter of expediency? If you can
squeeze past a string OF camions you
do. otherwise you fall IN line and wait
your chance.
| Because you see star shell it doesn't
mean you are within sight of the
Bosche and right behind the first line
by a long shot, for you can see them
20 miles from behind the lines.
Sentries asking for pass words on
| roads under fire is foolish, an1 You car
so right up to any front line trench if
| you are a big enough fool without wor-
rying about any pass word. l:veryon.
takes it for granted You wouldn't be
there unless you had, to. One night
went out beyond Eerdun toward the
] lines. back through the town and half
way to Barbecue and no one wanted
| to know anything.
You can't make all life serious cut
| here and this driving by the stars
with an iron grip on the steering
Wheel may please some people but
can't see why.
| l wish you could have seen our corps
| the other day INDUCING in an after
noon game of one-old cat when five
| German Tauhes came sailing over
When they began dropping bombs every
one did 220 III record style and in ell
| directions and did not wait for '"Taube
| bomb" checks either. But even as
they started to run the gang begar
| to laugh and 1t developed into a pur-
suit race in two minutes.
| Don't get the idea though that they
| come over evory afternoon--ttey don't
| Don't get the idea that the daring
| little Ambulance Driver lives in 8
constant atmosphere "of ehcil strewr
roads dashing through fires OF barri
| age, for he don't thank Heaven,
don't believe they ever put barringe
! fire on n road an ambulance had te
| travel. They have put reads under
| heavy Smelling for hours and Stays al
| periods, but no ambulance or anything
else can go through barriage--that't
| cold fact
| At times the corps has been through
periods of night and day work al
| night and day but 1t HASN'T LASTED
more than . to 8 weeks at time
and the work has been dangerous tt
a degree, 1t has been a miracle tina
| it has come through with no easua
ties, but mostly il, goes On its wa.
Idoing it's daily talks and making ht
fuss ever it--hut the Frenen govern.
| meRt and the Arm! Division to which
i it is attached are more than aprFeeia-
/ tive of es erytbing 1t does, as the corp.
citations prove and they have repeat