INTERESTING LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.
Page 5
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Like Oxford Street at the Front.
"There are many London buses out here, and some days the roads look like Oxford Street or the Strand, and make one fancy one is at home. The Waring motors have done splendid work ; they are quite a feature."—Sergt. Blackmore, 2.md Cav, Amin/ Col.
No Time To Cook Meat.
A British officer, writing to "The Morning Post," issue of the 18th ult., says : "Our supply department is really wonderful. Motor lorries bring up rations for men and horses as regularly as clockwork. We are awfully well fed.It is true that we get very little fresh meat, but that, I believe, is because it 3.s known that we have no time to cook it."
Sympathy for Us from the Front.
"The supplies are very good. There is plenty to eat, and we have already had a nice lot of tobacco and cigarettes from England, as well as a parcel of mann clothes for the winter. I do not suppose it is very lively in London just now whilst the lights are low, but I expect work goes on much as usual."—A corporal in the A.S.C., M.T.
Excellent Praise for the Austin".
"I can tell you that Austins are proving their worth. I had one myself until just lately, but it is moved to one of the cavalry columns. All the time that I had it, I had not the slightest trouble with it. I lost sight of it for a week or two, but I happened to meet it last Wednesday, and I had a chat with the chap that ie driving it, and he gives it excellent praise."--Driver A. Reeve, A.S.C.
The Real "Tipperary Boys," "We run very long journeys. It reminds me of the long deliveriei we had at home, but the men at the wheel are the real Tipperary boys ; they keep things hopping at a fine pave. The Waring motors are all running now excepting No. 42, which is at the repair base. They are mostly .in use by .the staff officers now."—Driver A. T. Walker, 1657, 3rd Brigade. 2nd Division, 46th Co., Cara Supply Co.; M.T., A S.C.
Thornycrofts for Ammunition Carrying.
"I have found that the Thornyeroft lorry seems to stand out here quite by itself for heavy ammunition carrying, and for all sorts of other heavy work. The more work they do,the better they seem to get. With the cute I am driving, after Weeks of continuous journeys, I have had to pull loaded ears out of ditches, and to tow other cars all over the place, acting as a breakdown wagon with four or five tons on my own chassis. The roads here will try any ear when. carrying amrnunition."—Priv.ate E. Riggs, 49th
.Co., A.S.C., 6th Div. Amntimition Column.
Good Work with a; Commercar.
I have been driving a E.C. 201 Commercai, which, previous to the war, I had charge of for the PortsmouthUnited Breweries. Up to the time: of coming away, I had covered 22,000 miles 011, it. Up to the 4th November, I had not missed a single day's work, -having been at Mons in the early stages dnd throughout the retirement, when we had. Very long and hard runs. When my column went up ter the Aisne, we were christened by several ' johnsons,' which burst quite close to us, but.arwing to the nature of the road no damage was done. There is also another large Commercar, with a five-speed. box in our column. Both of us bear brewery names,. and are running well. I am at present laid up owing to bad tires, but hope to be working again next week with a new set."—T. Kirby, 61 Co., A.S.C., 2nd Division Supply Column.
We Miss Our Cigarettes.
"As to a soldier's life on active service, everpne knows it is a rough and hard time, but I muet say that I am quite hardened to such conditions now. IN e have nothing to complain of. We get plenty of food and the ordinary amount of clothing. Now that the winter is here, we hall want little extras for warmth. Another thing is that we miss cur English cigarettes."
Albion that Carries the Tow Rope.
"I am pleased to see that Skinner and Rook's Albion has done good work, but it le no exception ; they all do. In one convoy an entire section is composed of them. The mechanics tell me they have. little or no trouble with them at all. There were three in my column originally, but owing to an unfortunate occurrence, Shipstone's latest is now a complete wreck, the load of ammunition having exploded !as reportad on page 201 of our issue of th.e. 12th ult. —Ea]. The remaining two are 28 h.p. three-tonners belonging to Harrod's. My own machine is great. I cannot speak too highly of it. Altogether it has done 17,250 miles, and is still in splendid condition. It always starts up first turn, which is a good performance on these cold mornings. I have never let the convoy down yet ; on the contrary I carry the tow rope and bring up the rear of my section. One morning I pulled four lorries out of a ditch, my own being fully loaded, and she never turned a hair.
"The majority of vehicles out here are Daimlers. There is a good deal of spring bother hero; a load is always on the vehicles when they are standing, and this gives the springs! a lot of trouble. We are getting over this. We always carry three tons of ammunition besides five men and sundries. I have seen all Shipstone'e machines excepting the twotonner. Also Hutchinson's and Commercar belonging to the Home Brewery, Daybrook. The other Nottingham Brewery lorry is out here, but I did not kaow the driver on it. All the troops invariably ask me if I have any Maltanop ' on fap ; the sign on our van makes an excellent advertisement.
"I have had my breakfast this morning on the steps of the town hall of the place we are -stationed in. I often take water out of the radiator for a wash. A Pagefield 2tatonner, owned and driven by Mr. W. West, of Ilkeston, was a real good lorry, but in a hot corner we lost it."—Private II. S. Streets, '47th Co., A.S.C., KT., 4th Div. Ammunition Column, Personal.
Will Driver Geo. Wingard, A.S.C., 3rd Army Hdqrs. Signal Co. British Expeditionary Force, write to his wife ? She has written and sent parcels, but has received no reply. Will Private Gwilym Lewis, .09127; communicate the name of his column or unit in order that a friend from Llandow may communicate with him? .Letters have been returned "Insufficiently addressed."