MIDNIGHT MOTOR TRIPS

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 139, 1 March 1918, Page 10

MIDNIGHT MOTOR TRIPS

SOLDIERS WHO PASS IN THE DARK.

Theie are continually being brought to light new and astounding facts which give some idea,of the size of our military forces.' For instance, how •naiiy people know that the Armj is always 100,000 men short of strength, there being always this enormous number on leave? How many Londoners know that when leave is "up"- and men and officers pour into London in the early hours of the morning there i s a volunteer corps of motor transport men to take them from the northern stations across the metropolis to the boat trains? Perhaps, of all the w> - unteers' work done in connection with the war iiono is so truly indispensable. There are 472 men and women volunteers in the organisation and 466 motor vrhicles, which each cover from CO lo 100 miles between midnight and eight o ; clock in tlio morning. On some ni"lits, 4000 soldiers and sailors are taken across London, and since the scheme was inaugurated, in February, 191G, over 500,000 men have been carried. The whole service,is free, and these willing helpers give their cars, their money, their enthusiasm, and their night's rest to helping the meiv that London never sees, for they pass in die dark of the night. The transport mobilises at. '1 a.m., and the in the great vehicular bays is a quaint one. Every conceivable sorb of ear is there, from ;n Jive-ton commercial wagon with twin back wheels to n motor-cycle and .side-car. There i.s, j indeed,'one of these devotees who has j not missed a night's duty since lie joined the forces. He has no motorcar, and his age is perhaps the wrong side of fifty: but he has , a liiotor-njele and a side-car, and every night hi; is on duty. Early Morning at Euston. At 3.15 a.m. the first troop train glides noisily into Eastou. There is a, banging of ritlu butts on the stone platforms, a clatter of an occasional tin-hat dropped t by a man still half asleep, and the tramping of Army boots on fcliu flags. There is , a free buffet for the men., and they get warm lea, or coffee and food. When they are satislied they assemble outside, syid ut a command 'forty exhaust-pipes from as nian.y. vohicles start a chorus like n whooping-cough ward in a c/iildren's hospital. One after another the laden cars roll away, men, rifles, .steel helmets, and tvei) efjuipmeit mixed up in an apparently hopeless tangle. _ The long train of ears is perhaps going to Victoria. They pass down I'ark Lane, through St. James's Place, where the sentries are rubbing their hair.l.. to keep warm in the frosty air, past liiickitigijitin Palace, iind so h> the Y.M.O.A. rest-hut, whom breakfast is served. for those whose train.-; do iioi, g<» until late there are. dormitories in the. lied Triunglo Hut with comfortable beds. There are Irains from St. I'aiicias, King's Cross, .Kuston.iMarylelmiie, and PaddiiigUin to hi; met during t!,e six or seven hours of duty, and one man in liis car makes many trips, .sijmelim'e.s carrying hundreds of passengers. The. point thiil cunitfl be emphasised Urn much is that, all this work, although it is in tin) truoHl sense a labour of love, is costly, and has to he paid foi, !t is entirely owing to private generosity that il. is possible. If needs no argument lo induce people lo subscribe lo the funds once, they know of the ivork; but tho difficulty, has been to gel. it known, for it i.s work in the dark in a double senso.—• "Tho Times."