WHILE LONDON SLEEPS.

Hokitika Guardian, 29 September 1917, Page 1

WHILE LONDON SLEEPS.

A WONDERFUL PIECE OK WAR WORK. L"Xnox, .1 uly 1 * i. ( Fusion Station came suddenly lo i life at three o’clock yesterday morn- j ino- when a train from Hie north . poured its cargo of leave-expired • men on to a platform deserted since j midnight. ‘ i “ Where do you want to go to ?” ; “ Here yon are!” “ This way for j Victoria.” “ Waterloo ’bus over j there!” j These cries came from men— some voting, some middle-aged, some elderly —in grey-green uniform, who liad boon waiting since midnight j Near by was a line of motor vehicles: commercial lorries, luxurious cars — ! more than one with a coronet on its , doors—a taxicab, and several side j cars. i As the laden soldiers and sailors j stumbled sleepy-eyed along the plat- j form these men found out whither] they wanted to go, gave them in for- j niation about trains, and, with : amazing rapidity and a wonderful j absence of confusion, shepherded ] them into one or other of the waiting 1 cars, fit to some of the large motor- | lorries -10 or at) men were packed. I the last-comers performing acrobatic ! feats to obtain a precarious foothold. | In very few minutes the si at inn was cleatf it. ix rnt: i• i:ai> mints. During the dead hours some d.Oi 0 soldiere and sailors going hack to the j front arrive at the London tortnini ! everv morning. (Jn Sunday there are more than on any other morning. Alanv know the station to which they have to go, and that is all. Ordiuarily the}’ would have to tramp across London, dog-tired and subject to an infinity of perils. It was no uncommon sight in earlier days to see them asleep on the cold wet platform. To-day they are sa fegttar VI .by the activities of the City of London Motor Volunteer Corps, which takes charge of the London stations every night and provides free transport across the City to every member of In’s Majesty's forces. Its members are mostly professional and commercial men, Vim supply their own motor-cars, buy their own uniforms, and pay an annual subscription to lie allowed to devote one night a week to this work. All they gel free is petrol, rigidly allowanced. When commercial linns lend lorries the drivers volunteer to drive them alter the usual day's work. Several taxicab drivers e.-teem it a privilege lo help. Since February !!->)(• more than dO' 1.000 men have been carried across sleeping London. From - to S it.in. yesterday 1 sped from London terminus to terminus with Mr 0. K. Freeman f.le. commandant of the corps, and watched the working of the system. Nowhere did 1 find a Haw. * No matter whither a man l wanted to go he was sent, When

French or Belgian soidiers appeared, a volunteer was at hand to advise in French or Flemish. A woman with a, bn,by was taken 10 a suitable lodging. ft is an entirely nnadverrised piece of war service.