Our Despatches from the Front (No. 87),
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Corning Horne to "Blighty." Methods Adopted for the General Overhaul of M.T. Vehicles.
EN ROUTE,
18th April, 1916.
(Continued.).
A couple of candles are produced when the train has moved, and in groups we squat around and have our supper of bully beef and bread, moistened with whatever is in our " water " bottles. Notes pf what is going on in different parts of the line are exchanged and jests fly about, always tinctured with the eternal atmosphere of death. Gradually they all get down to it, and the flickering candle just outlines
• the dim forms of the living freight— all of whom have escaped as by a miracle at some time.or another, the
• Visitant—Death—who is never absent from the fighting area. day or night. All night long we bump, bump, bump over the line, getting little sleep, but lucky to be able to stretch out comfortably ; then with the first touch of daylight, someone cold and wakeful rises and fills the brazier with wood ; I rise later in a refreshingly warm atmosphere and, thawed out later, drink in at the open door draughts of cold, keen air._ Then on past peaceful orchards and meadow lands, we reach our changing point—a seaport town. With our heavy kits we march along the line to the station, which is just showing signs of life. Ordinarily it is a busy place, full of holiday traffic, but now and later there exists no holiday spirit—only the tragedy of leave-taking of the French soldier.
Washing at a Fountain.
There: is a fountain for drinking, in the station, and we eagerly seize upon it as a toilet table. In a few Seconds, with coats off, we were splashing under the taps or busy lathering our faces for shaving, emerging later much more civilized in appearance and better able to enjoy our promenade along the front of the dockside. Here we saw the "Sussex," and marvelled at her salvage. All the bow' is completely blown 'away, disclosing her decks, in the same way as if a house had its front -completely removed, ex'posing the interior.
An Appeased Appetite.
Then the sea. How good it looked in the sunshine. The orderliness of everything after war's disorder. Quietly tranquil, it seethed us so that we felt loath to leave, and looked across to where lay "Blighty "—so near and yet-so far. Sentimentalism, however, had to make way for the inner man, and with good appetites to the soldiers'
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home we hied ourselves. The food was good and cheap, but the sauce unpalatable. The good lady who served us either repenting of her sacrifice in exiling herself to France, or determining to make Tommy pay for it barked rather than talked.. She gave us a bone, but in giving, hit us over the nose with it. Out of the many of such places I have visited this is the only instance departing from the charming treatment these self-saarificing ladies give us, and by placing it on record, it enables me -to convey an appreciation of the others. " Shop" Gossip.
Back to the station mid-day ; we waited for a train for some time, and then again took a first-class in a truck. Sitting in the open doorway, we enjoyed the scenery and travelling, all novel and interesting as panorama always is. At 6.30 we change our home again, having, however, to wait for some time. Crowds are on the platform, some passing the time singing to a mouthorgan or engaging in the eternal " shop " gossip of war. The groups represent nearly every part of the
British front, and one hears many interesting things.
In a shelter there is .a waiting crowd sitting or lying in all attitudes, but we leave our kits there and stroll to the Y.M.C.A. This was a welcome sight to us, and we sat and enjoyed some tea and food, served, by very charming ladies—. sisters—and amid a homeliness much appreciated. The curtains to the windows were a touch of femininity, as welcome as unexpected..
A Truck Preferred.
Then later, in the dark, we filed between two trains waiting in the goods yard, and again • deposited ourselves in a truck. We could have had a railway carriage, but experience made us go nap on a truck. Unfortuntely we rose too soon, and so the Journey seemedlonger ; but, arriving, we again met with charming ladies, whose service made the food seem sweeter and more-palatable. Alas ! we had our kits to carry, and staggered along for a consider-able distance to deliverance in the form of a lorry.
Here am I now amid a veritable orgy of dialects and experiences, of the drivers from all parts of the line: what is in the future Heaven knows! It is likewaiting on the platform for the train to come in and one's mind is unsettled.
My journey was a change and by no means unpleasant; imagine it under the conditions of a few days :ago in sleet or snow, and add to this the leap into the unknown, which leaving one's unit seems to be : but—" C' est" in guerre." 28th April, 1916.
IN ENGLAND.
The following brief notes, descriptive of the methods adopted on the occasion of a general overhaul, may be interesting. It should be understood that lorries badly damaged, or in need of "major operations," are, as a rule, sent to the base.
We had 70 odd trucks, most of which had urgent need of attention, and, it was decided that these should be thoroughly overhauled. Furthermore, there were several touring cars and motorcycles, be-. longing to the division, also in a state of disrepair. Fortunately, for a short period ending with the year, the bulk of the supplies were hauled by the Horse Transport only, the principal reason for this procedure being the state of the roads, which have poor f oundations, and therefore tear up badly in the very wet season, so, the fewer heavy trucks on the road the greater the saving on road repairs.
Various Lorry Duties.
During the four months' we were laid up the Horse Transport lost about 50 horses on account of the extra work in spite of the fact that the haul was a short one.
We, of course, had about 20 lorries running as usual daily, doing haulage for the Engineers, Tunnelling Company, and Road Repairing Squad, besides carting coal and delivering the mails. The A.S.C., M.T., drivers apd their mates sometimes enjoy the variety which such work presents.
. Flooded Fields.
We moved from –our Bivouac Tillage on account of the flooded condition of the fields and also to get better accommodation for carrying out the repair work. Our new park" was on the roadside of the hill leading into Bailleul, and as fresh " MacAdam" (unrolled) had been laid the "getting under" was less muddy than usual.
The Repair Shop.
The repair shop was made of tarpaulin and 2 ins. by 4 ins. framework, erected over a short side road leading to some disused stables, the latter being used for store TOM, tinsmith's shop, etc. A carpenter's shop was made in another stable further down the road, and extra mechanics and carpenters were transferred ternporarily from the Driving and Supply Sections to the Workshop Section.
General Overhaul.
First of all each lorry crew (driver and helper) had thoroughly to clean its charge ready for paint ing, and then do as much as possible in the way of replacing broken brackets and grease cups, and also effect minor repairs and adjustments when this was completed the vehicle was run down to the carpenters' park, where new cabs, canvas tops, windscreens, and uniform fittings for pick, tow rope, spade, and lamps were fitted, and vehicle repainted.