Our Despatches from the Front.
Page 14
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Coachwork Built of Wood Bought in Exchange for Cigarettes. "Come to the Amm. Park for Oil." Garages in Side Roads.
MN Ind. Oav. Div. Sup. Col., M.T., A.S.C., B.E.F., Ea February, 1315.
From a Driver of a Daimler.
"My own wagon is a 22 h.p. Daimler and she certainly pulls well for her power and is a nice wagon in every way. There is a large number of Daimlers in the convoy. So far their behaviour has been quite satisfactory.
Why Big Convoys are Slow.
"We have been at our present base some weeks and have settled down to more or less regular routine. One day we proceed to railhead comparatively late in the morning, load up with rations and fodder, and return to camp where we sleep with the load on board. The following day we make an early start, deliver the load, and return to railhead for another load of fodder, which we deliver before returning to camp. Occasionally we make longer journeys which occupy the whole day. On these occasions the whole convoy travels together instead of in sections as usual, with the result that progress is much slower, as the powerful cars have to wait for the slow ones to climb steep hills.
Light-car Drivers on Heavy Lorries.
" There are, of course, all sorts of drivers in the convoy, but the bad ones are gradually being weeded out and transferred to other companies or put in other sections as spare drivers, spare fitters or mates. Personally, I know some men out here who have never driven a lorry before. One man I know of had only driven a Ford car. Of course, some of these had applied for enlistment as light-car drivers, but had been put on to wagons to -fill up some temporary shortage.
Drivers Embellish Their Wagons.
"When our convoy came out here, the wagons, with few exceptions, had no wagon tops, and drivers and mates had to make shift with tarpaulin sheets. It was not long, however, before we had mostly rigged up wagon tops of a sort for ourselves out of timber begged from the inhabitants or even bought for a few cigarettes. Great ingenu:ty is displayed by some men in the way they fit up
D30 most serviceable lockers for food and kit, etc., as well as windscreens to protect the driver's seat ; on one of the wagons, for instance, I noticed even such a refinement as a paper rack, and the drivers were very indignant when this wagon happened to be sent away from them. Their new wagon, however, was rapidly made comfortable. We hear that all wagons are soon to he fitted with proper wagon covers.
"To see the motorcyclist despatch riders going over these roads is a sight. Their machines at times are all over the place, and it makes one shudder to think what would happen should one fall whilst passing a wagon and slip under the wheels.
Correspondence Under Difficult ie s.
"I hope you can read this copy, because I am not writing under the best conditions. My table is a biscuit box, a wagon lamp provides the light, 'Whilst all round me are piled rations which we are to deliver tomorrow, so that the wagon looks somewhat like anoverstocked grocery shop. As I write, some distance away we can hear the boom of the big guns at frequent intervals. This has been going on for the last 24 hours."