The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1917-12-12
WITH THE CANNON DRIVERS
c. r. n. crathern, jry Writes of the
Munition Trucks In France.

Munition Trucks In France.
Dear Folks
The English and French have start
ed d drive that everyone thinks vii
amount to something big. This i
the first day have had off for ;
couple of weeks SO am taking the op
portunity to catch up with my mail
| have kept a pretty full diary o
all that has happened SO that what
ever fail to write of you can heal
about later. There is so much going
on here that it is impossible to tel
all in o letter,
am enclosing picture that took
the other day of Chateau Souper''
one of the places shall never forget.
We go there frequently and have had
some very interesting experiences.
took this picture on one of the
trips We never go there in the day
time but always at night
When Ittok the picture it was near.
ly midnight and pretty dark, but then
there was fair moon so | took a
chance, not knowing whether ] would
get a better opportunity.
There was more or less going on
among the German and French bat.
teries as may be. seen in the picture
which makes 1t worth something
If you look closely at the right of the
Chateau, between the trees, you will
see faint white spots that you may
think are inperfections in the film,
but instead they are star shells sent
up at the front line trenches by both
sides TO keep mo mans land" lighted
so as to guard against sudden at
tacks in the dark. These shells shoot
slowly up into the air a little way,
hold their positions a few seconds
and drop again. They stayed up just
long enough to give an impression on
the film which ! had to expose for six
and a half minutes
The Chateau itself, they say was
place before the war, but
now 1t is not much OF a place to live
In believe me.
1t does seem funny when think |
Of going home having TO go To a place
where you don't even know where !
you live, but have to ask Cop |
where Monument avenue is and then |
go along looking for number one in |
order to be sure you get the place |
where your home is supposed to be
You can get any kind of machine |
now Dad you like and I'll bet | can
lrive it anywhere, anytime, under
any conditions and keep it in repair.
when | get back If you don't think
10 Just try it. Several of the fellows
nave received newspaper clippings
rom the papers at home saying
hings about the American Field Ser.
Ice members that are not very com
Among other things
ONE OF tile papers call them Slack
RS and insinuate that they Hijoihed
he service to escape CONSUMPTION
Most oflithe fellows came with the
,est Of Intentions with the thought
hat this was the oquickest way tol
Ielp. But If that is what they think
bout the American Field Ambulance
elbows, am just as glad, as are all
he others, Stiat toined The
)are-devif5 scamfbn Drivers Of
rance" ass We tape called and theni
fterwards If any one claims you'll
ducked" You can hit him between
he eyes and tell him what you think
4 hiui--a man that stayed at home I
rafting for consuription4all the time
oping he wouldn't get conscripted. !
riff he did, that the war would end
efore heewas sent across.
There wont be very many that can
ay much to term in the French
imy, regular ''porlu" getting five
GUS f5c.) day as all Frenchmen, al
'ell as paying expenses over, etc.
| only wish that | could take a
ew of those fat, lazy fellows that
rite such things. for a few rides
18th me. where they would have to
ear the roar of the guns continual
7 drive for hours ct a time, go with
Ut sleep and food. breathe foul gas
nd put up with other bad conditions.
guess they have never heard the
thistle and whine of shells and
lany of them never will. Did
rite you about my new living place? |
is in what we call trailer or
1t really is the body
five ton pierce,Arrow truck on
pair of wheels that can be hitched
n behind the ammunition truck
hen moving, etc. 1t is used a great
cal here for sleeping places especial
Z il it Is moving about the country
cry much. Two fellows are in each
ne. Another Dartmouth student is
18th me, fine fellow and we have
ood time together believe me.
Charles.