The Elbert County tribune., 1917-06-22
Leave Ambulance Corps to Take
Up Army Transportation
Service.
RIGID ROUTINE IS FOLLOWED
Course Of Training Is Really an %n-
tensive Course" to Fit Men In Short
est Possible Time to Take Com
mand Of Transports

ParIs.-Fifteen Americans have ex-
changed the strenuous life of the am
bulance field service (Which had in
tervals in its strenuosity) to study to
become officers In the French army
transportation service ut a school
where the course seems to leave no
opening for the proverbial finder Of
employment for idle hands.
This shcool was established In
Meaux toward the end of last March.
and had $50 French pupils, officers and
noncommissioned officers In training
when the American contingent Joined
week ago. The course is exactly
the same for French and Americans,
but the Americans are kept In spe-
cial class for the sake of those that
need EnglIsh-speaking instructors.
At 80 In the morning everyone Is
up and must be dressed. have made
his bed and had breakfast In time to
answer his name at roll call at 6:25.
AS regards breakfast. the American
stomach found that 1t could not do n
mornings hard work on the regulation
French breakfast of coffee and bread,
so eggs and bacon have been added.
From 8 80 to 7:30 theory is studied,
and from 1880 to o 80 lectures on au-
tomobile 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 unrf-
vailed. At first the 10 Americans sat
together, but on the second day their
French comrades gave a dinner In
their honor. and after that the Ameri-
cans (who still wear their field section
uniforms) divided up among the other
tables.
From 12: :45 to 8 80 p. m. on three
afternoons n week. work Is done on the
bodies of camions military trucks) /;
they are dissected and put together
again, etc. On the other three after
moons the convoi (train) of camions,
generally eight, are taken out rs If
they were on actual service. Each man
(and Is in general charge for the day).
Orders are given him to take 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
them how to overcome difficulties that
arise. These difficulties are at 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 a 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 to find out his
error and rectify it himself. After
the return at :45, the lieutenant gives
a half-hour criticism of the convoi's
work and points out mistakes made
and how to avoid them.
Evening Spent In Study.
Dinner is at $3.50, and more study
follows till 10 p. M, 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