The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1931-09-10
Continued from last issue)
CHAPTER LII

CHAPTER LII
Early in August, 1918, I made an
inspection tour of the service of sup
ply, to note the progress and acquaint
myself, the chief of staff and General
Harbord, by actual observations, with
conditions.
The tour was made also with a view
to such changes in personnel and i'm
provements in methods as would in
sure complete fulfllment of the in
creased obligations imposed upon the
service of supply by the tremendous
task Of receiving, storing and trans
porting the enlarged troop and supply
shipments.
Our first stop was Tours, which, be-
ing the location of the headquarters
Of the s. o. S., with huge American
military garrison Of 2,4O0 officers and
1890 men, had become a beehive of
activity.
We visited every activity at Tours,
beginning with the central records
office. a branch Of the adjutant gen.
erals Office of large proportions, where
the personal records of every man in
the A. e. F. were kept. We found that
the railway operators, numbering
thousands, comfortably situated in
portable barracks at Camp de Grasse,
were putting every energy into the
service. Certain engineer troops were
kept at this central point for railway
work, ready to respond to calls from
any direction. The well-managed
camp of German prisoners, under Col
onel Groone of the military police,
contained several hundred men used
as laborers.
A number of British women, known
as the Women's Auxiliary Aid corps,
were lent to us by their government to
assist in clerical work. The $50 wom-
en- located at Tours occupied neat and
comfortable temporary barracks and
presented a very military appearance
on parade. Some fifty of them were i'll
in quarters at the time and gave in
structions that they should be trans
ferred to our hospital. Besides Off
Cldlly1 LucSc hAS WOLuCL, uIuCI Liz
proper restrictions that prevailed, be-
came a valued addition to the social
side of life where they were stationed.
This force with us eventually num-
bered about 5000.
Speaks to Men In Hospital.
The base hospital at Tours was then
filled with men wounded in the recent
engagements. They were receiving
the best Of care under Col. A. NJ. Smith
and his efficient group Of medical
officers and nurses.
Passing through the various wards
of this hospital 1 spoke to a fine-look-
ing young soldier who was sitting up
in bed, and asked him where he was
wounded, meaning to inquire the ma
ture of his wound. In reply he said:
"Do you remember, sir, just where the
road skirts small grove and turns to
the left across a wheatfield and then
leads up over the brow Of the hill?
Well, right there, SIR"
He was clearly describing the ad-
vance south of Scissors which pierced
the Chateau Thierry salient Of course,
/ was not there at the time. but it
touched me that he should feel that
must have been very close to him.
At the base hospital in Bordeaux.
then under the efficient supervision of
Col. Fl. A. Shaw, chief surgeon of the
base section, we found about 500 of our
wounded, most of them soon to be sent
home. No matter how severely wound
ed they we're never heard word of
complaint from any Of our men. There
could not have been found in the hos
pitfalls of any army a more cheerful lot.
It was a lesson in fortitude, an inspi-
ration, to see their fine courage. Some
would never again see, others would
never be able to walk again, but they
all seemed proud Of their sacrifice,
which many of their countrymen are
often prone to forget all too soon.
We arrived at Brest August 2 and
found the commanding general, G. II.
Harries, and staff at the station to
meet us. Base section No. 5 was built
around Brest, our leading port Of de-
barkation. The section included four
French territorial departments. An
other landing port for troops was
Cherbourg. A large locomotive termi-
nal and repair shop were located at
Rennes and a coal port at Granville.
Major o'Neil's Secret.
After an inspection of the store
houses and the construction for addi
tional storage on the piers, asked for
the chief stevedore, Major O'Neil, who
came up apparently quite embarrassed
To put him at ease took him by the
arm and we walked together to where
some lighters were being unloaded. AS
the port had made the record of han
ding $4,000 arriving troops and their
baggage in one day, May "a, entirely
with lighters, asked him to tell me
about it.
By this time he had overcome his
fright, and pointing to two officers.
each down in the bottom of lighter
directing the work, he said:
"Sir, do you see those two captains
down there in their shirt sleeves? Well.
that's the secret. say to them: Don't
stand off somewhere and puff your
selves up in your uniforms, but take