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Our Despatches from the Front.

5th November 1914
Page 6
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Page 6, 5th November 1914 — Our Despatches from the Front.
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Interesting Information Concerning the French Motorbuses which are Doing Active Service--British Wagons that are "Making a Name."

These messages have been submitted to and censored by the Press Bureau, which does not object to their publication but lakes no responsibility for the correctness of the statements contained therein.—ED,

PARIS, 21st October. One Bus Carries Meat for 1000 Men. The work done by the majority of the Paris buses is the transportation of fresh meat to the troops in the firing line. Each motorbus is capable of carrying 1800 kilos. of meat, which is equivalent to 3600 rations of 500 grammes each. One bus is capable of bringing up enough meat every day for an infantry regiment consisting of three battalions of 1000 men. Thus 250 buses can feed 750,000 men. In actual practice, however, it is found necessary to double the number of buses, there being 500 vehicles for 750,0043 men. Such a fleet can cope with the most rapid movements of the troops, keeping the men supplied with fresh meat every day.

Paris Buses to Replace Those on Active Service. The new Paris motorbus, according to the model which has been prepared and submitted to the Municipal Council, will be a single-decker' with motor under the driver's feet, the same as the old type, but will be wider and higher. The extra width will be given in the central passage way.

Windows Open or Closed ?

It has long been a sore point with French bus passengers whether the windows should be open or closed. The new generation clamours for fresh air ;

the old school has the firm belief that window frames should be caulked up. The bus company has got over the difficulty by making the windows fixed on one side and movable on the other.

Paris Buses Three Months Without Cover.

Although they have been wonderfully efficient at the Front, displaying a remarkable freedom from breakdown, it is not expected that many of the 1100 Paris motorbuses will be fit to put on the streets of the French capital on the completion of the war. As they left their depots on the 2nd August, they have now been three full months with the Army, during which time they have never spent a night under cover.

Paris Buses will be Lighter.

in place of the acetylene-lighting sets used at present, a the new Paris buses will be equipped with electric lights. It is declared that the new buses will be 1500 lb. lighter than those now at the war. It should not be a difficult matter to obtain this reduction, for the police authorities of Paris have never placed any serious restrictions on the weight of bue,es, and manufacturers have, in consequence, built on the heavy side.

The French Soldier's Cuisine.

Even in the Army the French cuisine is more pretentious than that of British soldiers. The French soldier considers meat soup and fresh meat as essential portions of a meal, and does not take so kindly to bully—or "monkey," as it is known in the ranks. as his English comrade.

Each Man Drives His Own Vehicle.

It is admitted by all that the fresh-meat supply by motorbuses has never failed. While I have seen scores of motor vehicles of all kinds abandoned by the roadside, I have yet to meet with the first disabled Paris motorbus. This good service is due, in a large measure, to the fact that the vehicles, being of one type, are admirably suited for convoy work, and that they are driven by the men who handled them in civil life, and are therefore acquainted with all their details.

Double-deckers with Our Own Troops.

Now that it is no secret that large numbers of English-type double-deck motorbuses are being utilized by our own troops at the Front, one of the numberless interesting lessons which will be with certainty learned, as a result of this campaign, will be the relative adaptability of the single-deck and the double-deck civilian-typo motorbuses for war purposes.

Single-deckers Make Excellent Meat Vans.

It is no secret that the Paris municipal authorities were influenced to a considerable extent, in their decision to employ only single-deckers, by military considerations. The Army chiefs represented that the lower and longer machine would be more readily adaptable for their purposes, and, as a matter of fact, few machines could have proved more serviceable than the ex-Paris buses, which are now, and have been for many weeks, doing such yeoman service as meat vans.

Overhanging Trees and Low Railway Bridges.

The double-decker, as known in England, has more carrying capacity for troops. The weight of the Metropolitan variety, of course, is on the low side for hard campaigning service. Then, again, there is the great difficulty which is certain to arise with regard to the headroom it requires. Overhanging trees are perhaps, on the whole, not so universal a difficulty in France as they are in our own lanes in Great Britain ; but in the northern part of France and in Belgium there are railway arches under which the doubledeckers will with difficulty pass. Of course, it is a simple matter to remove the top deck—a matter of a few hours only ; but it will be, as we have said, extremely interesting to learn whether our military authorities find that the machines which have been sent from this country can be used in their original guise, or whether they have to be reduced to the same height as those from Paris.

The Tractor Sweeps.

The cleanliness of the British soldier at the Front nas become a matter of general comment amongst the Allied troops. Despite grease marks and stains, the drivers in the A.S.C. have kept themselves smart and of military appearance. But there is one class which must be excepted. From time to time a group of men will be met at the railhead with clean faces, yet clothes which appear to have been borrowed from the chimney sweep. They are the drivers of the steam tractors. Three months active service, with never a change of clothing, has transformed them into sweeps, and as such they are known by their companions. But they are doing their jobs excellently and with seldom a complaint.

[It will he recalled that the War Department has in the past carried out very extensive tests with small steam tractors, and for certain classes of work, notably with the travelling base workshops, they are eminently satisfactory—En.]

Extracts from Letters Home.

With the Royal Engineers.

The following message from Captain Eustace Fishbourne, of the 9th Field Company, R.E. (IV Division), apeared in a. recent issue of the T.O.T. (Train, Omnibus, Tram) Fortnightly News" "Have had a course of blowing up bridges, then a course of constructing floating bridges. I am now employed in stealing nightly trona our trenches and erecting wire entanglements between ourselves and the Germans who are only about 800 feet away at

this point One can hear them talking quite distinctly, and occasional snipers ensure that my work is carried out expeditiously. Aeroplanes are much in evidence on both sides. We brought one down a night or two ago with an aviator gun. We all hide when a, hostile aeroplane flies over us ; if she gets a view it means a dose of shell half an hour later. I am very grubby and tired, and should like to take my boots off, but our proximity to the enemy forbids."

Many of our readers will recall that 'Captain Fishbourne was until recently on the staff of the Loudon General Omnibus Co., and previous to that was connected with the London Traffic Branch of the Board of Trade.

"The principal troubles with the lorries have been due to springs and axles breaking. This is not to be wondered at considering the roads. Fancy driving for miles over roads like the streets in Cherbourg with a loaded lorry. If the Germans happened to be in the neighbourhood and anything went wrong that could not be put right in a few minutes the wagon had to be scrapped, and this procedure consists as a rule in taking of or smashing beyond repair the magneto, carburetter, plugs, and radiator, and if still further possible of turning the wagon right over.

"When I first came out I had a 20-24 h.p. 30-cwt. Thornycroft, and this was about the most comfortable lorry I have ever driven. I did not have the little Thorny long, but was put on a three-ton 35-40 h.p. machine of the same make. This is almost new, and is a splendid car. Since I came here I feel proud to say I have always been on the road and have not had to stop, the whole trouble amounting to a broken exhaust valve and a clutch spring bolt broken. There was a flaw in the latter, so a smith, a fitter and I worked all night to forge, turn and fit a new one. LeyIands, Thornys Commers and Dennis have won their names out there. There are a lot of , but I do not think much of them. I have only seen one two

cylinder Albion out here. The• are not doing very well. "The principal troubles have been springs and axles, some big-ends have run, and naturally there have been plug and carburetter troubles ; steering rods have broken occasionally. On the whole, the cars have run exceptionally well, and they are running better on the average now, since a bad driver is soon taken off his car.

"There are a great many good drivers out here, and

the authorities are beginning to find them. I personally have honestly worked very hard to keep my car in good tune and condition, and I am proud to have been complimented several times for the .way she does her work. The cavalry supply columns are doing the most work so far. Cars are used for ammunition supply and infantry supply, but I think we hold the palm." —Private A. W. Webb, 1st Cav. Sup. Col.


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