Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1918-10-13
WOMAN TELLS Of
WORK ABROAD IN
AMBULANCE UNIT
Mrs, John K, Randle Relates
Incidents in Connection With
Her Activities in France
During Present War,

To cross the Atlantic twice-that
is to travel France and back to the
United States--in war time without
as much as seeing a periscope or any
other evidences of the kaiser's sea
wolves, and then. later on her return
trip from Porto Rico and when al
most within sight of Americas shores
to have the vessel on which she was
a passenger overhauled by an Off
cious Dutchman, to be told to get into
an open boat, to witness few min
utes later the sinking of the palatial
liner by a bomb placed thereon and
exploded by the crew of German
submarine, and then to float in a
frail craft for forty-eight hours,
tossed and buffeted by the waves,
without food or water, finally to be
rescued and landed safely on Ameri-
can soil, were few of the expert
ences encountered during the last
year by Mrs. John X. Randle, who
has recently arrived in Albuquerque
to make her home.
Mrs. Randle volunteered to drive
her own ambulance in the service
for blind soldiers in France; and
sailed from America in October, 1917.
She was stationed in Paris and was
in active service for over four months,
taking blind soldiers from the hos
pitfalls to the vocational schools where
they are taught typewriting, knitting,
telephone operating. clay modelling,
languages, sports and games. The
most pathetic cases, to her. were the
men who knew they were going to
lose their sight and were sent to the
school to learn how to go blind, and
had to wait from day to day for the
darkness to come.
She enjoyed her work which was
of course rather hard and required
long hours, even In the coolest wea-
Their. Few women ever get to the
front lines to drive ambulances, but
those who do are making good.
One American girl, Phillis Walsh. a
school friend of Mrs. Randle, deserves
special mention Miss Walsh, though
only eighteen years of age, drove a
five ton tlhuck on the front lines, and
was actually under fire. She was de-
corated for bravery.
Women of different nationalities
are engaged in various branches of
war work in France. Mrs. Randle
speaks very highly of the service
done by every unit, but the surgical
dressing committee deserves special
praise, in her estimation. The mem
bers of this committee volunteer for
a period of one year, working from
9 a. IN. to p. m. and giving their
entire time to making surgical dress
ings Every day brings a repetition
of the work done on the preceding
day.
Paris is quite likely to be misun-
derstood by an outsider" said Mrs
Randle. She then explained that to
all outward appearances Paris is as
gay as ever. Everything is wide open
theaters, cafes and dance halls. All
this gayety is for the men back from
the front line trenches They must
have u good time while they are on
leave. So Paris hides her sorrow
and gives the soldiers a joyous wei.
come, All of the soldiers are in fine
spirits and laugh and Joke as If they
had never faced death or ever en-
perienced hardships.
Mrs. Randle sailed for America soor
after Easter this year, so she was il
Paris at the time the Germans Were
SMELLING the CITY Will ioHS range guns
The citizens acted wonderfully undel
the terrific fire, and If the Huns hoped
to weaken the morale Of the French
people, they must have been very dis
appointed.
We hear great deal about French
cities and villages at the presen
time. Bordeaux in October 1917. hat
only few wharves. When Mrs, Ran
die sailed from there in April, 1918
there were miles and miles o
wharves. This is only one of the many
evidences Of changes In Franc,
brought about by the need of NOR,
seaports at which to land our troops
Our boys are making good "ovei
there" and so are our women. ant
those of us at home must give then
our entire support.
Soon after her arrival in the United
States, Mrs Randle went to Porte
Rico. on her return voyage thu
steamer Carolina on which she was &
passenger was torpedoed and sunk
she and a number of other passenger
were taken from the liner in a'smal
boat Tncy afirted Tor forty-eigh