New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-03-23
An English Wen
OF Brest

10 the EDITOR OF Inc tribune.
Sir: My attention was directed in France
to the criticisms that had arisen regard
ing the conditions of the principal embar-
kation camp at Brest, for the homecoming
American troops. Being interested in the
way this country is running its military
affairs, l took the trouble to proceed to
Brest from Paris, and without acquainting
officials of any kind, l made tour of
inspection. This happened to be on one
of the few dry days with which Brest is
favored. To my surprise l found very
satisfactory encampment
Wishing to see it under more normal
conditions, l visited it ten. days later in
exceedingly wet weather, and stayed two
whole days in it's vicinity. For the life of
me | cannot what has caused all the
adverse criticism. Ever since war broke
out in Nineteen Fourteen l have been
connected with military camps in one part
of the world or another, and I honestly
feel that, whatever may have been the con-
ditions at Brest earlier in the year, by the
middle of February the conditions there
were very satisfactory. | went from one
end of the camp to the other, and ! could
not help feeling with what satisfaction
would have accepted such conditions in
England in the first year of the war,
how glad the Canadians for instance would
have been to have found such comfortable
quarters awaiting them when they first
arrived Salisbury Plain.
1t is unfortunate of course that a sea-
port With it's wretched conditions of rain
should have had to be chosen for an en-
barkation camp, but the men simply must
be within easy reach of the ships, and it
is impossible to put them further inland.
But granting that it is inhospitable
place, I believe that the unbiased observer
will be compelled to conclude that every
thing possible has been done there for the
comfort of the returning troops.
On the other hand, one fact is perfectly
clear to any one who questions the officers
who have been connected with the camp for
some time, and that is that unfortunate
lack of vision displayed by a someone
responsible for the management of the
camp at the time the armistice was signed,
or earlier. 1t must have been perfectly
obvious then that the camp was soon to be
used for large numbers of troops, and my
conclusion is that insufficient steps were
taken in November to make the camp habi-
table for these greatly increased numbers.
One must remember in this connection
however, the difficulty experienced in get
ting the supplies that were then actually
asked for, and the mpossibility of provid-
ing duckboards and boardwalks when these
were not forthcoming from home.
do not doubt that the great weight of
military opinion to-day is in favor of pro-
nouncing Pontnezen a splendid camp. Civil
lians who not experienced in the diff
culties of constructing and maintaining a
huge camp in what were farm fields are
liable to be more critical, especially when
they have the interests Of the men at heart
and believe that the best is not too good
for their boys. Some of them need to be
reminded of the fact that most of these
boys have been living for months under
conditions that make the embarkation camp
Waldorf-Astoria, and that many things
that appear as hardships to the civilian ap-
pear acceptable to the soldier.
1t is not my intention, sir, to intrude in
discussion that is purely an American
concern. I have been prompted to write
these lines in the belief that the opinion of
an unbiased military observer may be of
some slight value.
LESLIE VICKERS.
Captain, Late Seaforth Highlanders, British
Expeditionary Force.