Within the Rim, and Other Essays, 1914-15James, Henry
History
Within the Rim, and Other Essays, 1914-15
James, Henry
World War, 1914-1918
SIR,--Several of us Americans in London are so interested in the
excellent work of this body, lately organised by Mr Richard Norton and
now in active operation at the rear of a considerable part of the
longest line of battle known to history, that I have undertaken to
express to you our common conviction that our countrymen at home will
share our interest and respond to such particulars as we are by this
time able to give. The idea of the admirable enterprise was suggested to
Mr Norton when, early in the course of the War, he saw at the American
Hospital at Neuilly scores of cases of French and British wounded whose
lives were lost, or who must incur life--long disability and suffering,
through the long delay of their removal from the field of battle. To
help energetically to remedy this dire fact struck him at once as
possible, and his application of energy was so immediate and effective
that in just three weeks after his return to London to take the work in
hand he had been joined by a number of his countrymen and of others
possessed of cars, who had offered them as ambulances already fitted or
easily convertible, and had not less promptly offered themselves as
capable chauffeurs. To this promptly gathered equipment, the recruiting
of which no red tape had hampered and no postponement to
committee-meetings had delayed, were at once added certain other cars of
purchase--these made possible by funds rapidly received from many known
and unknown friends in America. The fleet so collected amounted to some
fifteen cars. To the service of the British Red Cross and that of the St
John Ambulance it then addressed itself, gratefully welcomed, and
enjoying from that moment the valuable association of Colonel A. J.
Barry of the British Army, who was already employed in part on behalf of
the Red Cross. I have within a few days had the opportunity to learn
from this zealous and accomplished coadjutor, as well as from Mr Norton
himself, some of the particulars of their comprehensive activity, they
each having been able to dash over to London for a visit of the briefest
duration. It has thus been brought home to me how much the success of
the good work depends on American generosity both in the personal and
the pecuniary way--exercised, that is, by the contribution of cars, to
which personal service, that of their contributors, attaches itself, and
of course by such gifts of money as shall make the Corps more and more
worthy of its function and of the American name.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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