Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1916-01-07
RIDES EIGHT LONG NILES N
DARK WITH LUAATIC SOLDIERS
american Auto Ambulance Driver Dodges Vehicles on congested
French Road While Trenchc sazed Man Grabs at Steering
Wheel When Not Fighting Mate-~Thank You Very Much
for the Ride" Says Maniac at the End of the Journey


Pxris,-A correspondent Of the New
York Sun has received the foi'c~ini
n letter from . member Of the American
ambulance corps at the front:
4 was on duty last Sunday at s.
typical French front town Just be
hind the woods in which most OF ths
fighting OF the section ID carried on
There the two ambuIancss On ths
watch we're lined mp fin the usual plaee
st the telephone bureau along the stde
Of the road most protected agains'
sudden shFapnei commandments, Shrac
mel shells exploding into the street
usually land their contents into the
side OF the street facing the German
lines.
~AIl was quiet In the trenches; only
an occasional crack OF rife. the
sharp defamation Of e grenade now
and then and constant far away
booming denoting an attack In dis-
tant 'geeteur.'
Darkness had settled without any
wounded being brought In. This was
unusual. The 'pogte secours Ct the
various regiments along the street
were empty save for a few sick sol
diers being held over until the Light
OF the early morning. An ugly rain
had set I'm. making difficult the run OF
eleven kslometers in total blackness
without even the guidance OF feeble
oil lamp among the never ending
wagons and contrivances Of the road.
II appeared unnecessarily long to the
men I'm the vehicles. who were those
not needing attention at the hospitals
back
Stealing . Little Sleep.
we turned into the telephone bu-
reau to get what sleep we could. using
styetchers from our cars. The blanket
rolls unfolded over these, making beds
not half bad. Before retiring the men
take OF their shoes. leggings and
coats.
The incessant rumble OF wagon
wheels and the rattle and clink OF
chains outside were beginning to blend
with the distant booming in the other
'secteur' az ! drowged when ] was
awakened by the telephone bell. Bran
cardiers' at B, dressing station
about a kilometer on the other side OF
town at the edge OF the woods, were
calling for an ambulance.
"'C'est urgent said the operator,
and then rang of. They had replied
that It was pressing.
After a quarter Of an hours driving
! arrived at the post. 1t was neces-
sary to 20 exceedingly slow and stop
frequently to avoid running into
something in the blackness. At the
post two 'brancardiers' came out to
meet me. ..,.-s...
"a door opened on the side away
from the trenches. throwing enough
lisft on the road to turn the car round.
] walked toward the door to zee II
the wounded were inside, or still on
the road down, a. is often the case.
Before ! had gone far the attendants
came up and solemnIy placed their
fingers over their lips.
"Gravey ! asked.
surprised by the "Wounded."
They replied yes. and pointed
through the door. Inside were two
soldiers sitting on a bench facing us.
That was all. AZ we came in one Of
the soldier said bon soir' and smiled.
THE 'branczrdiers' then told me
the men were violently insane and
they were under orders to send them
TO tho rear Immediately. They had
been rendered mad by the fire Of the
day, they said. and we're not to be
trusted to be in the same party with
wounded
MAKE them lie inside the car,
they said. and they'll be all right for
you Gt1
However, not wishing q mixup on
the eightmile stretch back, ] thought
It better to have one fellow lie on
stretcher inside and the other one
ride on the seat with me. The soldier
who had hidden me a good evening
got inside willingly enough, and lay
down. We got the other soldier on
the seat after several minutes OF in
Iducing. He seemed to have an idea
he was about to be, taken prisoner.
THE two 'brancardiers.' and
couple Of others had not seen before
gave me their best wishes as left.
Later, ! concluded that they shook
hands among themselves when ! dis
appeared In the darkness.
"The run back to s was made
,,,,4hont Incident. The soldiers re-
NAMED quiet. Then began the tedious
run to the hospital at P, eight
miles back. The night was exception
ally dark and It was difficult to see
my hands on the steering wheel.
Road cIogged by Vehicles.
'The .ravitaillement' was still on
me road up. Wagons of every de-
scription, some drawn by six or eight
horses, logged by on the other side Of
4ha road. one upon the other. Some.
times there was a break OF several
hundred feet in the line, and at times
transports rushed by with sickening
clanktng OF chains and rumbling OF
massive wheels. running with more
than average rate to catch up TO
fhose Ia front Occasionally heavy
trsnsport laden with ammunition, en-
route 70 some battery in the woods
and driven by a. many as ten power
III stesds, numbered past In the mil.
AIs 81 tho road or on the left side to
800 me slower moving vehicles. +.
Frequently these monsters Of the
Ns3f Htt