The Washington times., 1917-04-03
AMERICANS MAKE
NAME IN BALKANS
Ambulance Drivers Distinguish
Themselves With French in
Monastir Region.

PARIS, March Is (by maiD.-A little
band Of American college men is
making a name for America in the
Balkans today.
This band is composed OF more than
fifty young Americans who sailed for
France about a year ago to become
ambulance drivers for the American
ambulance field service, under the
direction OF A. Piatt Andrew, of La
Porte, Ind, and Gloucester, Mass,
former Assistant Secretary OF the
United States Treasury.
Two sections OF ambulances in ad-
dition to many others now working
on the western front are with the
French armies in the Monastir region
Of reconQuered southern Servia.
Only Part of Work.
Carrying wounded, Always at night,
over wild roads, through rocky noun
tain passes and over mountains, is
only part OF the work these American
collegians are doing, according to
Ennis Brown, of Charleston. S. c., who
has just reached Paris on his way
back to America. Brown Joined the
ambulance service while a student at
Virginia University. He is the first
American to return since the Ameri-
cans embarked at Marseilles for
SalOniki.
For months since our allies took
Monastir our embulances have been
very busy in the Balkans" Brown said
today. From our headquarters near
Monastir we have carried the wounded
from the trenches north of Monastir;
from Koritza to the west. where the
French blesses come from the front
lines by muleback over the mountains
and from other points wherever we
are directed by the French military
authorities. Sometimes 1t has been
necessary to use good. strong Ameri-
can armwork to pull even our light
American cars over the difficult roads.
Sometimes Fifteen Days.
ITO give some sort of an idea what
the wounded are going through. it is
sometimes fifteen days before a man
reaches a good, comfortable hospital
after he is wounded on the front line
west of Koritza. Our ambulances can
only penetrate as far as Koritza. Here
we take aboard men who have trav-
eled for days on muleback. We then
rush them as fast as possible toward
Inc " Hluic
that can be found in the Balkans
our little Detroit-made ambulances.
Sometimes the American drivers
take their ears almost to the front
trenches north of Monastir. Usually,
however, we can pick up a load in the
town itself.
"All drivers are armed with re-
volvers now on account OF the Turk
ish and Bulgar comitadjis, who have
no use for Americans. Several driv-
ers. including John Imbrey, OF Wash
ington. d. C., have had adventures
has been hurt"
Seven Cars Smashed.
When Brown left the Balkans seven
cars OF the two sections had been
smashed by shells, four of them be
yond repair. Among the members OF
his section were Arthur Blumenthal,
| of Wilmington, y. c., famous football
star at Princeton in 1913; Lowering
Hill, New York city, former Harvard
student; Powell Fenton, Philadelphia
OF the University of Pennsylvania;
| Charles Baird. OF New York city, and
many others, mostly Harvard stu
/ dents.
Before Brown went. to the Balkans
he had driven an American ambulance
through the big attack at Nerdun
last year. The termination OF his six
months enlistment and i'll health
caused him TO leave for home. Despite
/ finding himself on a ship en- route
which was the victim OF a submarine
in the Mediterranean, Brown reached
Toulon and Paris in safety