The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-08-28
WILL CONTROL
ARMY VEHICLES
Transport Corps is to Be
Created to Help
Move Troops
STANDARDIZATION
OF ALL EQUIPMENT
One of the Advantages to be Sought
Organization Will Exceed 100000
Men-Plan Already Adopted in the
French and British Armies.

"AoHlNGION, Aug. 2S.-The crea-
ton of a motor transport corps. to take
over complete control of all vehicles in
the army-from bicycles to motor
trucks-has been announced by the war
department. The purpose is the more
rapid movement of troops and supplies
of the American expeditionary force in
France =
The new corps is being organized by
Col. Charles B. Drake. a, West Point
graduate of the class of 1896, an officer
experienced in motor transport work
Eventually his command will consist of
approximately 5000 officers and 200, 1000
men. Motor transport service up to the
present time has been under the control
OF the quartermaster corps 1t has
grown to such proportions that it is
deemed necessary to establish it as a
separate corps and take steps for its
| further rapid expansion
The war department is following in
the footsteps of the British and French
armies, which some time ago adopted
the plan of putting the whole motor
equipment under single head Expe-
Renee In handling American soldiers in
the field in France has demonstrated
the need for similar action on the part
of the American government
All equipment and personnel in the
various corps, with the exception of
tanks and caterpillar tractors. are
transferred to the new corps Tanks
have distinct service to perform that
does not invoke the movement of troops
and for that reason are not brought into
the new motor transport corps. Cater
1 pillar tractors which are to be used for
! hauling guns remain under the super
vision of the artillery and ordnance
branches. But everything else in the
motor transport line goes into the new
/ corps.
/ Among the many advantages sought
bv the creation of the motor transport
cops is the. more perfect STANDARDIZED.
/ ton of equipment, resulting in greater
4 efficiency and economy of operation and
/ permitting a more fluent interchange of
/ ddrlvers and parts. The problem of sup
i plying parts and making repairs will be
| greatly simplified. Motor trucks are
/ taking a more vital part in each sue.
eessive big battle In the recent coun.
/ ter offensive of the French and Amer
4 'Sesti' o. Chaht HIttIf. EuUIUT
carried several regiments of troops to
| critical points III the line and supplied
them with heavy and light guns, ammu.
milton, horses, mules, and even wagons
| for supply train use over difficult
/, terrain.
Motor trucks made it possible for the
French to concentrate troops, ammuni.
ton, and supplies sufficient to stop the
/ .apf
aviators destroyed the railroad facih.
ties, General Joffre called motor trucks
into service to replace the wrecked
| trains, which they did with entire sue
cess.
In attacking along the Marine recent
| ~ the American unit were supported by
machine guns mounted on trucks and
even passenger cars, which swept the
| enemy lines with a storm of fire. Trucks
were also used extensively to bring up
reserves. Much of the work of the corps
must be done at night, and it is well
| known that much used roads near the
front are regularly searched by the
enemy artillery, so that the motor trans
port service, while technically noneom
Blatant, is really quite as active and
| dangerous as many fighting branches
The present motor establishment in
France includes many repair stations,
some of them operated by from 800 to
800 mechanics and other skilled men
| each. The program of the motor trans
port corps provides for greatly in.
creased facilities along these lines Re
pair work is carried on in garages,
parks, depots, and reconstruction shops
A service park is mobile garage which
can be moved rapidly to any point
| where it is needed. An overhaul park
is a large station where heavy repairs
| can be made, and reconstruction park
is equipped to completely rebuild brok
cndown or shell-shattered machines
Under the new organization the work
of salvaging damaged machines, already
highly developed, is to receive in
creased attention. All this work is
necessarily in the hands of skilled men,
and the personnel must be greatly in
creased to provide the transport service
that will be needed next year.