Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1917-04-27
AMBULANCE PLACES
Of AMERICANS FOR
PLACE OF INTEREST

probably have pointed out to them the
former headquarters of the American
ambulance army during the big war.
Today these headquarters are extreme
" active and busy.
It is the American field ambulance
field service. The communicating
! chief, directing the work of hundreds
of American youths who drive small,
swift American ambulances on all the
French battle fronts is A. Platt An
drew. formerly of LaPorte, Ind, late
of Gloucester, Mass, and former as
sistant-secretary of the U. S. treasury
! in Washington.
None of the commanders in chief OF
the big armies in the field know more
about their forces every minute of the
day than does the former Hoosier
about his little American army. He
knows, by daily reports, every import
ant move made by the hundreds of cars
in the field; how many are in and out
of commission; how many have been
wrecked or destroyed by shells; how
many cars are en- route from America
and how much help the American ser
vice can give the French army next
week, or next month.
Alost every part of America is rep
resented somewhere in the rambling
old Eighteenth century mansion which
houses Andrews headquarters Aside
from contributions from many sources,
more than seventy American univer-
stiles and colleges have sent their stu
dents to save French life on the battle
fields. Never less than 300 ambulances
are engaged in active service but over
coo have crossed the Atlantic and been
nut into commission since the war be-
gan. Between seventy and eighty have
been destroyed. The first car to leave
Headquarters for the front is still part
" in commission.
The Repair Shops.
Two big garages and workshops at
tached to the Paris headquarters repair
and re-equip the American cars when
the damage is bad. If it is trivial, the
work is done by moving repair shops
on the field.
A few hours before correspondent
called at headquarters message had
arrived that three cars had been de-
stroyed by a single smell on the
Scmme battlefield Within short
time three newly repaired cars were
Oh their way to replace the wrecks.
The young American college men
who enlist in America for the ambul-
ance service have to date received 7S
citations in French army orders for
valor The decorations include two
Military Medals and rs CroiX de Guer-
ire Two drivers have been killed by
shells. some have died of pneumonia
and many have been wounded. Among
the latter is William Barber. of Toledo,
q who has recovered and returned to
the front.
The American cars are known in al
most every scene of campaign on the
Frenhc front-on the User, Alsne'
Somme, in Champagne, at Verdun, in
the Argonne. Woevre, Lorraine, Alsace
and in the Balkans.
There is an American atmosphere
about the headquarters of the Servive
in Paris. Located in Passy, one OF
the Oldest parts of the city, on the
Seine and within shouting distance or
the famous Eiffel tower, the building
is surrounded by ten acre park in
which Benjamin Franklin first made
his with the lightning rod. The struc-
t,re contains the offices of the exec
utives of the service in the upper por-
ton and below typical college dormft-
cries where the young Americans rest
and SLEEP while in training for sterner
duty at the front. Notwithstanding the
German submarine blockade more of
these young Americans and more cars
arrived here in February than during
anv other month. The number of men
was 112, from states as far west as
California, and the cars were lao.
The work of the Ambulance Service
is carried on by American funds. But
all contributions to date have been
small though numerous, it was learn
ed today. To face the big campaigns
in which the French army will soon
be involved the Service will need great
help from the American people.
I'VE can use all the money, ambul-
ances and men, the folks at home can
sent" was the word given to the cor
respondent in Passy today.
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