Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1917-07-13
Leave Ambulance Corps to Take
Up Army transportation
Service.
RIGID ROUTINE IS FOLLOWED
Course Of Training Is F"aiiy an "ln-
tensive Course" to Fit Men in Short
est Possible Time to Take Com
m7nd of Transports.

Paris.-Fiftccp Americans have eX-
changed the strenuous lif" of the am
bulancc field service (Which had in
tcryals in its slrenuoSity) to study 10
become officers In the French army
transportation service M Il school
where the course seems Ia leave no
opening for the proverbial finder of
employment for idle hands.
This shcool was established in
MrauX toward the end of last March.
aud had $50 French pupils, officers and
nOncommiSSioned officers in training
when the American contingent joined
n week ago. The course is exactly
the same for French and Americans,
but the Americans are kept in IA Spe-
cial class for the sake of those that
need English-Spcaking instructors.
Al 3 80 in the morning everyone is
up and must be dressed. ha.ve made
his bed and had breakfast in time To
answer his name at roll call at g %
AS regards breakfast, the American
stomach found that il could not do IL
mornings hard work on the regulation
French breakfast of coffee and bread,
so eggs and bacon have been added.
From $50 t0 Z 80 theory is studied.
and from 80 10 30 lectures on au-
tomobIe technique are given. followed
by practical work in the workshop,
such as soldering metals. tempering
steel and all sorts of forge work.
Busy Session in Afternoon.
Luncheon at eleven is taken in the
mess shed, and is, like dinner later, an
excellent example of that proficiency
in cuisine for which France is unri-
vailed. At first the II Americans sat
together but on the second day their
French comrades gave Il dinner in
their honor, and after that the Ameri-
cans (whO still wear their field section
uniforms) divided up among the other
tables.
From IL ~ Ia : 80 p. m. on three
afternoons q week. work is done on the
bodies of camiOnS military trucks)
they are diSSccted and put together
again, etc. On the other three after
moons the convOi (traim of camions,
generally eight. are taken out as if
they We're on actual service. Each man
in turn is named head of the section
(and is in general charge for the day..
Orders are given him To take Il hypo-
thetical load of munitions to some
point some miles away, and he has to
conduct his train by the map. set the
pace. keep them together and show
then. how to overcome difficulties that
arise. These difficulties are ut present
chiefly imaginary, but Hypothetical
cases of broken axles, of towing cars,
etc. are treated.
The lieutenant attached to the Amer
lean group, Lieutenant de KersauSon,
whose long residence in California has
given him Il perfect mastery of the
American language, accompanies the
train. but gives no advice, only OBJ
serves If the officer of the day mis-
takes his route. he has 10 find out his
error and rectify il himself. After
the return Mt : :45. the lieutenant gives
II half-hQur criticism of the cOnvoi'S
work and points out mistakes made
and how to avoid them.
Evening Spent in Study.
Dinner is at go. and more study
follows till 10 p. H., when all lights
are put out. Such program, with
plenty of manual work in the open air.
provides enough exercise. but regular
army drill is put in three times a