The Note-Book of an Attaché: Seven Months in the War ZoneWood, Eric Fisher
History
The Note-Book of an Attaché: Seven Months in the War Zone
Wood, Eric Fisher
World War, 1914-1918 -- France -- Paris; World War, 1914-1918 -- Personal narratives
In the British army, trucks work in units of about ten, each such unit
being commanded by an officer who travels in a fast automobile.
Protection, when necessary, is temporarily assigned to the unit,
nearly always in the shape of armored motor cars. The trucks are
heavily manned, having from three to six men per truck. Every man is
armed with a rifle, but no other arms are carried as an integral part
of the unit. Such motor transport units are not often captured or
destroyed since they seldom come in touch with anything but the
enemy's cavalry which, as a rule, prefers to leave them strictly
alone, as a train of motor trucks has good defensive ability and none
of the vulnerability of horse-drawn wagons. In the rare cases when
actions have taken place, motor trucks have become moving forts, which
continue on their way at a rate of twenty or twenty-five miles an
hour, while from each one three or four well-protected riflemen keep
up a steady fire.
The type of automobile most desirable for army use has become
well-defined. The practice in this regard is the same in the French,
British, German, Austrian, and Hungarian armies. On a powerful
chassis, with an engine of at least 50-horse-power, is mounted a very
light body, of the "pony tonneau" type, with room for two men in front
and two behind. The equipment consists of a folding top, leather or
isinglass wind-shield, powerful head-lights, the noisiest horn
obtainable, and racks to carry as much extra gasoline as possible. In
service these automobiles have big racks full of gasoline-cans carried
on the running boards and at the rear and, in addition, there are
often necklaces of two-gallon cans strung wherever possible. In
virtually all the armies gasoline is served out in small cans
containing about two gallons each, which are easily handled and
quickly stored. One or two may be put in any odd space which is not
otherwise in use. This method is very effective and is one of the most
important developments in military automobile practice. In none of the
armies are cars used which vary greatly from the type above mentioned,
except through necessity. In general, heavy cars and runabouts give
very inferior service. It is the general custom for the chauffeur and
an orderly to ride on the front seat, and one or two officers behind.
The more speed the machine develops the better. It is not uncommon to
see staff officers or generals traveling over the French roads at a
speed of one hundred kilometers an hour. There is quite a well-defined
tendency to have as drivers men who are well above the average. In the
French army these men are usually sergeants or lieutenants; in the
Austrian army many of them are lieutenants.
Corps and army commanders usually have big, heavy limousines, with
electric lighting, which they can, when necessary, use as offices, or
as headquarters.
SIGNAL CORPS
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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