LIFE I N A HOSPITAL TRAIN

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 2968, 4 January 1917, Page 8

LIFE I N A HOSPITAL TRAIN

(By a Wounded Officer, in tho "Daily Mail.") There aro thousands of officers and men who will heartily endorse Lord Northcliffo's remarks on the wonder of the hospital train servico in Franco. Tlio recollection of my own trip down to Boulogne in one of those thirty-miles-an-liour hospitals is that of a marvel Svhich stands in the front of all tlio ranks of marvels which aro going quietly about their daily wonder-work-ing as an integral part of that extraordinary entity the British Expeditionary Force. As a "walking case" I stood up one hot June morning on the platform at H , with five- other officers, on tlio first stage of the journey home. My head was aching frantically, the least jolt or noise produced exquisite nervous torture, and I was not by any means looking forward to the five-hour journey. I had not soon a hospital train on a French railway since the latter end of 1914, and had a painful recollection of the "trains sanitaires" of tlioso days, which usually consisted of half a hundred box-cars, normally used for the transport of goods, which started and stopped with the series of Jerks and tho deafening clamour of any goods train on our own lines. Judge of my surprise when, as the train drew into the station, I observed the unmistakably British outline of the locomotive, the unmistakably British driver and fireman, and, wonder of wonders, eight or nine bogie coaches, smooth and miraculously sprung, of the London and North-Western Railway! My companions were' equally astonished—and as much gratified. While we were speculating on and admiring this extraordinary manifestation a genial major of the "R.A.M.C." came along and invited us to climb in, and wo were ushered into a most inviting first-class compartment, the interior of which suggested more solid comfort than most of us had encountered for many weeks. Until the train started we divided our time between inspecting as man,y of tho cars as ivo could and wondering 'ho won earth they got tho whole show across the Channel." The train was organised, it appeared, fnto wards for "cot cases," cool visions of clean white enamel and , spotless linen, with two tiers of beds on each side, each o'ne independently sprang and mounted for the absorption of shocks and compartments for the sitting and walking cases; kitchen, dispensary, a-ud the living quarters of tho staff. I saw threo doctors —a major and two subalterns. There were, I was told, iivo nursing sisters and a number of "R.A.M.C" orderlies'- and dressers. The whole $:s a permanent unit, and is, as a. rule, constantly on tho move. Wq gleaned further details during tho journey, and had ample evidence of tho resources of this moving hospital. Part of tho quarters of tlio staff were arranged in a dining-car, ■ which was dhfded into dining and sittingrooms. Sleoping accommodation as supplied by an ordinary compartment coach, and very comfortable and homelike'tho little bedrooms looked, with their green casement curtains and pincushions and other feminine : knickknacks swinging in the windows. Soon aftor tho train moved off an orderly appeared to ask if there was anything we would like, with an air which suggested that ho had some magic means of producing no matter what article under tho sun any of us might have a, fancy for. Ho brought a down cushion and some aspirin for me, and hassocks and other little conveniences for "Jhe others. A few minutes later tho second of a long series of ministrators to our comfort appeared in tho shape of a nursing sister, who gave- us a cheerful greeting. Apparently the first thing she noticed about us was that none of us was smoking. In answer to her query, we replied that we had r-moked all each other's cigarettes and had had no opportunity of replenishing our supplies. The sister at once disappeared, to return in a few moments will,- a box of excellent Turkish cigarettes, which we accepted with immense gratitude. After an hour or so another orderly appeared. "What would wo like for lunch?" he wish'ed to know. AVo mado our choice from a selection of grilled chops, ham, cold beef, milk pudding, and cheese, While we were still wondering what this magic train could produce a fourth man came in to know our wishes in the matter of liquid refreshment. There was Bass, stout, and whisky, ho informed us. When we had lunched and dozed through the itternoon, we were past surprise when the orderly returned, re-erected the table, and-began to lay out a dainty meal of tea and biscuits. I forgot to mention that wo received another visit from a sister after lunch, who made sure that we lacked nothing. So it was that when the hospital train drew gently into Boulogne we all agreed that bo far from being a wearisome and positively painful experience, the five hours in the hospital train had been as near a positive pleasure as such a journey could possibly have been made.