Over the Front in an Aeroplane, and Scenes Inside the French and Flemish TrenchesPulitzer, Ralph
History
Over the Front in an Aeroplane, and Scenes Inside the French and Flemish Trenches
Pulitzer, Ralph
World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
I myself was fortunate enough to be introduced to Monsieur P---- within
a couple of hours of reaching Paris, my special trip to the front
having already been arranged for the following morning. Its machinery
was the same as that of the regular trips. Monsieur P---- got out an
official printed form of military pass for war correspondents. My
photograph was pasted on its cover. I was asked to write my signature
on the next page, which was devoted to this trip. There were several
more pages for possible other trips. On this first page was written
the name of Epernay, the city behind the front to which I was to go
by train the following morning. It was specified that the trip was to
last three days. The name of the staff-officer who was to accompany me
was written in, and subsequently his signature was appended. The whole
thing was signed, stamped by Monsieur P---- and handed over to me to
carry with me on the trip, to be handed back to him immediately upon my
return, and to be used again should I later make other trips.
Then the staff-officer who was to be my chaperon came in and we were
introduced. In private life he happened to be a prince. In the army he
was at present plain Captain d'A----. Incidentally, he proved to be a
fine fellow and a very pleasant companion.
Following his instructions, I was at the railroad station the following
morning at eight o'clock, together with Lincoln Eyre, whom I had been
permitted to invite on the trip. I presented my military pass to the
ticket-seller, who scrutinized it closely before selling me a railway
ticket to Epernay. It is the rule in France that correspondents must
pay for their railway tickets themselves, so that the Government cannot
be accused of paying their way for propagandist purposes. After you
reach the front the military authorities furnish army motors, and
themselves take care of your meals and bedrooms.
On the train was one of the regular personally conducted
correspondents' caravans, consisting of about eight correspondents.
There were three Americans, a couple of Frenchmen, a couple of
Scandinavians, and, I think, a Russian. Their cicerone was a very
tall staff-officer who looked slightly worried by his cosmopolitan
responsibilities. Their party was going on to Verdun.
After a comfortable two-hour trip we got out at Epernay. There we were
met by Captain F----, a staff-officer belonging to the General Staff of
the 5th Army, which we were to visit. Thus Captain d'A----, from the
Staff of the Paris War Office, had general responsibility for the trip,
while Captain F----, who also was to accompany us, was responsible for
the detailed military arrangements during our stay with the 5th Army.
Captain d'A----'s orderly (who before mobilization had been the wealthy
young proprietor of a steamship line to South America) having taken
our bags to the hotel, where we were to return to spend the night, we
immediately started off on our schedule.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account