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+*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11679 ***
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 11679-h.htm or 11679-h.zip:
+      (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/6/7/11679/11679-h/11679-h.htm)
+      or
+      (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/6/7/11679/11679-h.zip)
+
+
+
+
+
+THE WHITE ROAD TO VERDUN
+
+By
+
+Kathleen Burke
+Knight of St. Sava, Serbia
+Officier de l'Instruction Publique, France
+
+
+
+
+
+
+This Little Book Is
+Respectfully And Affectionately Dedicated To
+Madame Jusserand,
+Ambassadrice de France in Washington,
+and to
+Monsieur Gaston Liebert,
+Consul General de France
+
+Dr. C. O. Mailloux
+
+And to all my good friends in the United States and Canada,
+whose sympathy and encouragement have helped me so much in
+my work.
+
+
+VIVE LA FRANCE
+
+
+
+
+Contents
+
+
+Chapter
+
+    I  The True Philosophers
+   II  The Bridge At Meaux
+  III  Recruiting Rat-Catchers
+   IV  A Gun Carriage An Altar
+    V  Life Behind The Lines
+   VI  Devotion To Animals
+  VII  Hunting For Generals
+ VIII  An Instance Of Quick Wit
+   IX  At The Headquarters Of General Petain
+    X  A Meeting With "Forain"
+   XI  Value Of Women's Work
+  XII  The "Movies" Under Fire
+ XIII  A Subterranean Cut
+  XIV  Poilu And Tommy
+   XV  Abbreviated French
+  XVI  The Brown And Black Sons Of France
+ XVII  At General Nivelle's Headquarters
+XVIII  Rheims
+  XIX  At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo
+   XX  To The Glory Of The Women Of France
+
+
+
+
+
+The True Philosophers
+
+
+We left Paris determined to undertake the journey to the Front in
+the true spirit of the French Poilu, and, no matter what happened,
+"de ne pas s'en faire." This famous "motto" of the French Army is
+probably derived from one of two slang sentences, de ne pas se
+faire des cheveux ("to keep one's hair on,") or de ne pas se faire
+de la bile, or, in other words, not to upset one's digestion by
+unnecessary worrying. The phrase is typical of the mentality of the
+Poilu, who accepts anything and everything that may happen,
+whether it be merely slight physical discomfort, or intense
+suffering, as part of the willing sacrifice which he made on the day
+that, leaving his homestead and his daily occupation, he took up
+arms "offering his body as a shield to defend the heart of France."
+
+Everything might be worse than it is, says the Poilu, and so he has
+composed a Litany. Every regiment has a different version, but
+always with the same basis.
+
+"Of two things one is certain: Either you're mobilised or you're not
+mobilised. If you're not mobilised, there is no need to worry; if you
+are mobilised, of two things one is certain: Either you're behind the
+lines or you're on the Front. If you're behind the lines there is no
+need to worry; if you're on the Front, of two things one is certain:
+Either you're resting in a safe place or you're exposed to danger. If
+you're resting in a safe place there is no need to worry; if you're
+exposed to danger, of two things one is certain: Either you're
+wounded or you're not wounded. If you're not wounded, there is no
+need to worry; if you are wounded, of two things one is certain:
+Either you're wounded seriously or you're wounded slightly. If
+you're wounded slightly there is no need to worry; if you're
+wounded seriously, of two things one is certain: Either you recover
+or you die. If you recover there is no need to worry; if you die you
+can't worry."
+
+When once past the "Wall of China," as the French authorities call
+the difficult approaches to the war zone, Meaux was the first town
+of importance at which we stopped. We had an opportunity to
+sample the army bread, as the driver of a passing bread wagon
+flung a large round loaf into our motor.
+
+According to all accounts received from the French soldiers who
+are in the prison camps of Germany, one of the greatest hardships
+is the lack of white bread, and they have employed various
+subterfuges in the endeavour to let their relatives know that they
+wish to have bread sent to them.
+
+Some of the Bretons writing home nickname bread "Monsieur
+Barras," and when there was a very great shortage they would
+write to their families: "Ce pauvre Monsieur Barras ne se porte pas
+tres bien a present." (M. Barras is not very well at present.) Finally
+the Germans discovered the real significance of M. Barras and
+they added to one of the letters: "Si M. Barras ne se porte pas tres
+bien a present c'est bien la faute de vos amis les Anglais." (If M.
+Barras is not well at present, it is the fault of your friends the
+English.) And from then all the letters referring to M. Barras
+were strictly suppressed.
+
+While the German Press may not be above admitting a shortage
+of food in Germany, it seriously annoys the Army that the French
+prisoners or the French in the invaded regions should hear of it. I
+heard one story of the wife of a French officer in Lille, who was
+obliged to offer unwilling hospitality to a German Captain, who, in a
+somewhat clumsy endeavour to be amiable, offered to try to get
+news of her husband and to convey it to her. Appreciating the
+seeming friendliness, of the Captain, she confided to him that she
+had means of communicating with her husband who was on the
+French Front. The Captain informed against her and the next day
+she was sent for by the Kommandantur, who imposed a fine of fifty
+francs upon her for having received a letter from the enemy lines.
+Taking a one hundred franc note from her bag she placed it on the
+desk, saying, "M. le Kommandantur, here is the fifty francs fine,
+and also another fifty francs which I am glad to subscribe for the
+starving women and children in Berlin." "No one starves in Berlin,"
+replied the Kommandantur. "Oh, yes, they do," replied Madame X.,
+"I know because the Captain who so kindly informed you that I had
+received a letter from my husband showed me a letter the other
+day from his wife in which she spoke of the sad condition of the
+women and children of Germany, who, whilst not starving, were far
+from happy." Thus she not only had the pleasure of seriously
+annoying the Kommandantur, but also had a chance to get even
+with the Captain who had informed against her, and who is no
+longer in soft quarters in Lille, but paying the penalty of his
+indiscretion by a sojourn on the Yser.
+
+
+
+
+The Bridge At Meaux
+
+
+
+The Bridge at Meaux, destroyed in the course of the German
+retreat, has not yet been entirely repaired. Beneath it rushes the
+Marne and the river sings in triumph, as it passes, that it is carrying
+away the soil that has been desecrated by the steps of the
+invader, and that day by day it is washing clean the land of France.
+
+In the fields where the corn is standing, the tiny crosses marking
+the last resting places of the men are entirely hidden, but where
+the grain has been gathered the graves, stand out distinctly
+marked not only by a cross, but also by the tall bunches of corn
+which have been left growing on these small patches of holy
+ground. It has always been said that France has two harvests
+each year. Certainly in the fields of the Marne there is not only the
+harvest of bread; there is also springing up the harvest of security
+and peace.
+
+The peasants as they point out the graves always add: "We of the
+people know that those men sacrificed their lives that our children
+might live. Those who have died in vain for an unjust cause may
+well envy the men of France who have poured out their blood for
+the benefit of humanity."
+
+Looking on the crosses on the battlefield of the Marne, I realised to
+the fullest extent the sacrifices, borne with such bravery, of the
+women of France. I thought of the picture I had seen in Paris of a
+group of mothers standing at the foot of Calvary, looking out over
+the fields of small black crosses, lifting their hands to Heaven, with
+the words: "We also, God, have given our sons for the peace of
+the world."
+
+At Montmirail the real activity of the war zone first became
+apparent. We drew the car to the side of the road and waited
+whilst a long procession of empty munition wagons passed on the
+way back from the munition parks near the fighting line. There was
+a smile on the face of every one of the drivers. Each of them had
+the satisfaction of knowing that there was no chance of his
+returning with an empty wagon, as there is no lack of provisions to
+feed the hungriest of the "75's" or any of her larger sisters.
+
+The fact that it is known that there is an ample supply of munitions
+plays an important part in the "morale" of the troops. The average
+Poilu has no sympathy with the man who grumbles at the number
+of hours he may have to spend in the factory. We heard the tale of
+a munition worker who was complaining in a cafe at having to work
+so hard. A Poilu who was en permission, and who was sitting at
+the next table, turned to him saying: "You have no right to grumble.
+You receive ten to twelve francs a day for making shells and we
+poor devils get five sous a day for stopping them!"
+
+
+
+
+Recruiting Rat-Catchers
+
+
+
+We lunched in the small but hospitable village of Sezannes in
+company with a most charming invalided officer, who informed us
+that he was the principal in that district of the S.D.R. R.D. (Service
+de Recherche des Rattiers) (the Principal Recruiting Officer for
+Rat-Catchers). In other words, he is spending his time endeavouring
+to persuade suitable bow-wows to enlist in the service of their
+country. Likely dogs are trained until they do not bark, and become
+entirely accustomed to the sound of firing; they are then pronounced
+"aptes a faire campagne" or "fit for service," receive their livret
+militaire, or certificates--for not every chance dog is allowed in
+the trenches--and are despatched to the trenches on a rat-hunting
+campaign.
+
+At the commencement of the .War, dogs were not utilized to the
+extent they are at present. A large number are now with the
+French Army and the wonderful training they have received, aided
+by their natural sagacity, renders them a holy terror to prowling
+bodies and spies. Those employed in carrying messages or
+tobacco to the soldiers in dangerous trenches now wear gas
+masks, as many of these high trained animals have been lost in
+consequence of too closely investigating the strange odour
+caused by this Hun war method.
+
+From Sezannes we proceeded direct to the new camp for German
+prisoners at Connantre. The prisoners were mostly men who had
+been taken in the recent fighting on the Somme or around Verdun.
+The camp was already excellently installed and the prisoners were
+busy in groups gardening, making bread, or sitting before great
+heaps of potatoes preparing them for the evening meal. In one
+corner the inevitable German Band was preparing for an evening
+concert. The German sense of order was everywhere in evidence.
+In the long barracks where the men slept the beds were tidy, and
+above each bed was a small shelf, each shelf arranged in exactly
+the same order, the principal ornaments being a mug, fork and
+spoon; and just as each bed resembled each other bed, so the
+fork and spoon were placed in their respective mugs at exactly the
+same angle. There were small partitioned apartments for the non-
+commissioned officers.
+
+The French Commander of the camp told us that the German love
+of holding some form of office was everywhere apparent. The
+French made no attempt to command the prisoners themselves,
+but always chose men from amongst the prisoners who were
+placed in authority over their comrades. The prisoners rejoiced
+exceedingly and promptly increased in self-importance and, alas,
+decreased in manners, if they were given the smallest position
+which raised them above the level of the rest of the men.
+
+In the barrack where they were cutting up bread for the prisoners,
+we asked the men if they deeply regretted their captivity. They
+replied unanimously that they were "rather glad to be well fed,"
+which seemed an answer in itself. They did not, however,
+appreciate the white bread, and stated that they preferred their
+own black bread. The French officers commanding the camp treat
+the prisoners as naughty children who must be "kept in the corner"
+and punished for their own good. In all my travels through France I
+have never seen any bitterness shown towards the prisoners. I
+remember once at Nevers we passed a group of German  prisoners,
+and amongst them was a wounded man who was lying in a small cart.
+A hand bag had fallen across his leg, and none of his comrades
+attempted to remove it. A French woman pushing her way between
+the guards, lifted it off and gave it to one of the Germans to carry.
+When the guards tried to remonstrate she replied simply: "J'ai un
+fils prisonnier la bas, faut esperer qu'une allemande ferait autant
+pour lui." ("I have a son who is a prisoner in their land; let us hope
+that some German woman would do as much for him.")
+
+On the battlefields the kindness of the French medical men to the
+German wounded has always been conspicuous. One of my neutral
+friends passing through Germany heard from one of the prominent
+German surgeons that they were well aware of this fact, and knew that
+their wounded received every attention. There is a story known throughout
+France of a French doctor who was attending a wounded German
+on the battlefield. The man, who was probably half delirious,
+snatched at a revolver which was lying near by and attempted
+to shoot the doctor. The doctor took the revolver from him, patted
+him on the head, and said: "Voyons, voyons, ne faites pas l'enfant"
+("Now then, now then, don't be childish") and went on dressing his wounds.
+
+Everywhere you hear accounts of brotherly love and religious
+tolerance. I remember kneeling once by the side of a dying French
+soldier who was tenderly supported in the arms of a famous young
+Mohammedan surgeon, an Egyptian who had taken his degree in
+Edinburgh and was now attached to the French Red Cross. The
+man's mind was wandering, and seeing a woman beside him he
+commenced to talk to me as to his betrothed. "This war cannot last
+always, little one, and when it is over we will buy a pig and a cow
+and we will go to the cure, won't we, beloved?" Then in a lucid
+moment he realised that he was dying, and he commenced to
+pray, "Ave Maria, Ave Maria," but the poor tired brain could
+remember nothing more. He turned to me to continue, but I could
+no longer trust myself to speak, and it was the Mohammedan who
+took up the prayer and continued it whilst the soldier followed with
+his lips until his soul passed away into the valley of shadows. I
+think this story is only equalled in its broad tolerance by that of the
+Rabbi Bloch of Lyons, who was shot at the battle of the Aisne
+whilst holding a crucifix to the lips of a dying Christian soldier. The
+soldier priests of France have earned the love and respect of even
+the most irreligious of the Poilus. They never hesitate to risk their
+lives, and have displayed sublime courage and devotion to their
+duty as priests and as soldiers. Behind the first line of trenches a
+soldier priest called suddenly to attend a dying comrade, took a
+small dog he was nursing and handing it to one of the men simply
+remarked, "Take care of the little beast for me, I am going to a
+dangerous corner and I do not want it killed."
+
+
+
+
+A Gun Carriage An Altar
+
+
+
+I have seen the Mass celebrated on a gun carriage. Vases made
+of shell cases were filled with flowers that the men had risked their
+lives to gather in order to deck the improvised altar. A Red Cross
+ambulance drove up and stopped near by. The wounded begged
+to be taken out on their stretchers and laid at the foot of the altar in
+order that "they might receive the blessing of the good God"
+before starting on the long journey to the hospital behind the lines.
+
+Outside the prison camp of Cannantre stood a circle of French
+soldiers learning the bugle calls for the French Army. I wondered
+how the Germans cared to listen to the martial music of the men of
+France, one and all so sure of the ultimate victory of their country.
+Half a kilometre further on, a series of mock trenches had been
+made where the men were practising the throwing of hand
+grenades. Every available inch of space behind the French lines is
+made to serve some useful purpose.
+
+I never see a hand grenade without thinking how difficult it is just
+now to be a hero in France. Every man is really a hero, and the
+men who have medals are almost ashamed since they know that
+nearly all their comrades merit them. It is especially difficult to be a
+hero in one's own family. One of the men in our hospital at
+Royaumont had been in the trenches during an attack. A grenade
+thrown by one of the French soldiers struck the parapet and
+rebounded amongst the men. With that rapidity of thought which is
+part of the French character, Jules sat on the grenade and
+extinguished it. For this act of bravery he was decorated by the
+French Government and wrote home to tell his wife. I found him
+sitting up in bed, gloomily reading her reply, and I enquired why he
+looked so glum. "Well, Mademoiselle," he replied, "I wrote to my
+wife to tell her of my new honour and see what she says: 'My dear
+Jules, We are not surprised you got a medal for sitting on a hand
+grenade; we have never known you to do anything else but sit
+down at home!!!'"
+
+It was at Fere Champenoise that we passed through the first
+village which had been entirely destroyed by the retreating
+Germans. Only half the church was standing, but services are still
+held there every Sunday. Very little attempt has been made to
+rebuild the ruined houses. Were I one of the villagers I would
+prefer to raze to the ground all that remained of the desecrated
+homesteads and build afresh new dwellings; happy in the
+knowledge that with the victory of the Allies would start a period of
+absolute security, prosperity and peace.
+
+
+
+
+Life Behind The Lines
+
+
+
+Soon after leaving Mailly we had the privilege of beholding some of
+the four hundred centimetre guns of France, all prepared and
+ready to travel at a minute's notice along the railway lines to the
+section where they might be needed. Some idea of their size may
+be obtained from the fact that there were ten axles to the base on
+which they travel. They were all disguised by the system of
+camouflage employed by the French Army, and at a very short
+distance they blend with the landscape and become almost
+invisible. Each gun bears a different name, "Alsace," "Lorraine,"
+etc., and with that strange irony and cynical wit of the French
+trooper, at the request of the men of one battery, one huge gun
+has been christened "Mosquito," "Because it stings."
+
+The French often use a bitter and biting humour in speaking of the
+enemy. For instance, amongst the many pets of the men, the
+strangest I saw was a small hawk sitting on the wrist of a soldier
+who had trained him. The bird was the personification of evil. If any
+one approached he snapped at them and endeavoured to bite
+them. I asked the man why he kept him, and he replied that they
+had quite good sport in the trenches when they allowed the hawk
+to hunt small birds and field mice. Then his expression changing
+from jovial good humour to grimness, he added, "You know, I call
+him 'Zepp,' because he kills the little ones," (parcequ'il tue les tous
+petits.)
+
+
+
+
+Devotion To Animals
+
+
+
+In one small cantonment where two hundred Poilus sang, shouted,
+ate, drank and danced together to the strain of a wheezy
+gramophone, or in one word were "resting," I started to investigate
+the various kinds of pets owned by the troopers. Cats, dogs and
+monkeys were common, whilst one Poilu was the proud possessor
+of a parrot which he had purchased from a refugee obliged to fly
+from his home. He hastened to assure us that the bird had learned
+his "vocabulary" from his former proprietor. A study in black and
+white was a group of three or four white mice, nestling against the
+neck of a Senegalais.
+
+The English Tommy is quite as devoted to animals as is his
+French brother. I remember crossing one bitter February day from
+Boulogne to Folkestone. Alongside the boat, on the quay at
+Boulogne, were lined up the men who had been granted leave.
+Arrayed in their shaggy fur coats they resembled little the smart
+British soldier of peace times. It was really wonderful how much
+the men managed to conceal under those fur coats, or else the
+eye of the officer inspecting them was intentionally not too keen.
+
+Up the gangway trooped the men, and I noticed that two of them
+walked slowly and cautiously. The boat safely out of harbour, one
+of them produced from his chest a large tabby cat, whilst the other
+placed a fine cock on the deck. It was a cock with the true Gallic
+spirit, before the cat had time to consider the situation it had
+sprung on its back. The cat beat a hasty retreat into the arms of its
+protector who replaced it under his coat. Once in safety it stuck out
+its head and swore at the cock, which, perched on a coil of rope,
+crowed victoriously. Both had been the companions of the men in
+the trenches, and they were bringing them home.
+
+A soldier standing near me began to grumble because he had not
+been able to bring his pet with him. I enquired why he had left it
+behind since the others had brought theirs away with them, and
+elicited the information that his pet was "a cow, and therefore
+somewhat difficult to transport." He seemed rather hurt that I
+should laugh, and assured me it was "a noble animal, brown with
+white spots, and had given himself and his comrades two quarts of
+milk a day." He looked disdainfully at the cock and cat. "They could
+have left them behind and no one would have pinched them,
+whereas I know I'll never see 'Sarah' again, she was far too
+useful."
+
+Entering Vitry-le-Francois we had a splendid example of the typical
+"motto" of the French trooper, "II ne faut pas s'en faire" One of the
+motor cars had broken down, and the officer-occupants, who were
+evidently not on an urgent mission, had gone to sleep on the
+banks by the side of the road whilst the chauffeur was making the
+necessary repairs. We offered him assistance, but he was
+progressing quite well alone. Later on another officer related to me
+his experience when his car broke down at midnight some twelve
+miles from a village. The chauffeur was making slow headway with
+the repairs. The officer enquired whether he really understood the
+job, and received the reply, "Yes, mon Lieutenant, I think I do, but I
+am rather a novice, as before the war I was a lion-tamer!"
+Apparently the gallant son of Gaul found it easier to tame lions
+than to repair motors.
+
+
+
+
+Hunting For Generals
+
+
+
+We left Vitry-le-Francois at six o'clock next morning, and started
+"the hunt for Generals." It is by no means easy to discover where
+the actual Headquarters of the General of any particular sector is
+situated.
+
+We were not yet really on the "White Road" to Verdun, and there
+was still much to be seen that delighted the eyes. In one yellow
+cornfield there appeared to be enormous poppies. On approaching
+we discovered a detachment of Tirailleurs from Algiers, sitting in
+groups, and the "poppies" were the red fezes of the men--a gorgeous
+blending of crimson and gold. We threw a large box of cigarettes
+to them and were greeted with shouts of joy and thanks. The Tirailleurs
+are the enfants terribles of the French Army. One noble son of
+Africa who was being treated in one of the hospitals once presented
+me with an aluminium ring made from a piece of German shell.
+I asked him to make one for one of my comrades who was working
+at home, and he informed me that nothing would have given
+greater pleasure, but unfortunately he had no more aluminium.
+Later in the day, passing through the ward, I saw him surrounded
+by five or six Parisian ladies who were showering sweets, cigarettes
+and flowers on him, whilst he was responding by presenting
+each of them with an aluminium ring. When they had left I went
+to him and told him "Mahmud, that was not kind. I asked you for
+a ring and you said you had not got any more aluminium." He
+smiled and his nurse, who was passing, added, "No, he had
+not got any more aluminium, but when he is better he will get
+forty-eight hours' punishment; he has been into the kitchen,
+stolen one of our best aluminium saucepans, and has been
+making souvenirs for the ladies." He made no attempt to justify
+his action beyond stating: "Moi, pas si mauvais, toi pas faux souvenir"
+("I am not so bad, I did not try to give you a fake souvenir").
+
+Another of our chocolate coloured patients found in the grounds of
+the hospital an old umbrella. Its ribs stuck out and it was full of
+holes, but it gave him the idea of royalty and daily he sat up in bed
+in the ward with the umbrella unfurled whilst he laid down the law
+to his comrades. The nurses endeavoured to persuade him to
+hand it over at night. He obstinately refused, insisting that "he
+knew his comrades," and he feared that one of them would
+certainly steal the treasure, so he preferred to keep it in the bed
+with him.
+
+At Villers-le-Sec we came upon the headquarters of the cooks for
+that section of the Front. The cook is one of the most important
+men in a French regiment; he serves many ends. When carrying
+the food through the communicating trenches to the front line
+trenches he is always supposed to bring to the men the latest
+news, the latest tale which is going the round of the camp, and
+anything that may happen to interest them. If he has not got any
+news he must manufacture and produce some kind of story. It is
+really necessary for him to be not only a cook but also an author.
+
+There is a tale going the round of the French Army how one
+section of the Cooks, although unarmed, managed to take some
+twenty German prisoners. As they went on their way, they saw the
+Germans in the distance approaching them; the Head Cook quietly
+drew the field kitchens behind a clump of trees and bushes, placed
+his men in a row, each with a cooking utensil in his hand, and as
+the Germans passed shouted to them to surrender. The sun fell
+on the handles of the saucepans, causing them to shine like
+bayonets, and the Germans, taken unawares, laid down their
+arms. The Head Cook then stepped out and one by one took the
+rifles from the enemy and handed them to his men. It was only
+when he had disarmed the Germans and armed his comrades that
+he gave the signal for them to step out, and the Germans saw that
+they had been taken by a ruse. One can imagine the joy of the
+French troops in the next village when, with a soup ladle in his
+hand, his assistants armed with German rifles, followed by the
+soup kitchen and twenty prisoners--he marched in to report.
+
+
+
+
+An Instance Of Quick Wit
+
+
+
+It is curious how near humour is to tragedy in war, how quick wit
+may serve a useful purpose, and even save life. A young French
+medical student told me that he owed his life to the quick wit of the
+women of a village and the sense of humour of a Saxon officer.
+Whilst passing from one hospital to another he was captured by a
+small German patrol, and in spite of his papers proving that he
+was attached to the Red Cross Service, he was tried as a spy and
+condemned to be shot. At the opening of his trial the women had
+been interested spectators, towards the end all of them had
+vanished. He was placed against a barn door, the firing squad
+lined up, when from behind the hedge bordering a wood, the
+women began to bombard the soldiers with eggs. The aim was
+excellent, not one man escaped; the German officer laughed at
+the plight of his men and, in the brief respite accorded, the young
+man dashed towards the hedge and vanished in the undergrowth.
+The Germans fired a few shots but there was no organised
+attempt to follow him, probably because their own position was not
+too secure. He was loth to leave the women to face the music, but
+they insisted that it was pour la patrie and that they were quite
+capable of taking care of themselves. Later he again visited the
+village and the women told him that beyond obliging them to clean
+the soldiers' clothes thoroughly, the German officer had inflicted no
+other punishment upon them.
+
+A certain number of inhabitants are still living in the village of
+Revigny. You see everywhere placards announcing "Caves pour
+25," "Caves pour 100," and each person knows to which cellar he
+is to go if a Taube should start bombing the village. I saw one
+cellar marked "120 persons, specially safe, reserved for the
+children." Children are one of the most valuable assets of France,
+and a good old Territorial "Pe-Pere" (Daddy), as they are
+nicknamed, told me that it was his special but difficult duty to
+muster the children directly a Taube was signalled and chase them
+down into the cellar. Mopping his brow he assured me that it was
+not easy to catch the little beggars, who hid in the ruins, behind the
+army wagons, anywhere to escape the "parental" eye, even
+standing in rain barrels up to their necks in water. It is needless to
+add they consider it a grave infringement of their personal liberty
+and think that they should be allowed to remain in the open and
+see all that goes on, just as the little Londoners beg and coax to
+be allowed to stay up "to see the Zepps."
+
+Passing the railway station we stopped to make some enquiries,
+and promptly ascertained all we wished to know from the Chef de
+Gare. In the days of peace there is in France no one more
+officious than the station master of a small but prosperous village.
+Now he is the meekest of men. Braided cap in hand he goes along
+the train from carriage door to carriage door humbly requesting
+newspapers for the wounded in the local hospitals: "Nous avons
+cent vingt cinq blesses ici, cela les fait tant de plaisir d'avoir des
+nouvelles." (We have 125 wounded here and they love to hear the
+news.)
+
+In addition to levying a toll on printed matter, he casts a covetous
+and meaning glance on any fruit or chocolate that may be visible.
+Before the train is out of the station, you can see the once busy,
+and in his own opinion, all-important railway official, vanishing
+down the road to carry his spoils to his suffering comrades.
+Railway travelling is indeed expensive in France. No matter what
+time of day or night, wet or fine, the trains are met at each station
+by devoted women who extract contributions for the Red Cross
+Funds from the pockets of willing givers. It is only fair to state,
+however, that in most instances the station master gets there first.
+
+
+
+
+At The Headquarters Of General Petain
+
+
+
+From the time we left Revigny until we had passed into the
+Champagne country, upon the return journey from Verdun, we no
+longer saw a green tree or a blade of green grass; we were now
+indeed upon the "White Road which leads unto Verdun." Owing to
+an exceptionally trying and dry summer the roads are thick with
+white dust. The continual passing of the camions, the splendid
+transport wagons of the French Army, carrying either food,
+munitions, or troops, has stirred up the dust and coated the fields,
+trees and hedges with a thick layer of white. It is almost as painful
+to the eyes as the snow-fields of the Alps.
+
+I saw one horse that looked exactly like a plaster statuette. His
+master had scrubbed him down, but before he dried the white dust
+had settled on him everywhere. Naturally humans do not escape.
+By the time our party reached the Headquarters of General Petain
+we had joined the White Brigade. I excused myself to the General,
+who smilingly replied: "Why complain, Mademoiselle, you are
+charming; your hair is powdered like that of a Marquise." The
+contrast with what had been a black fur cap on what was now
+perfectly white hair justified his compliment. I have never been
+renowned in my life for fear of any individual, but I must admit that I
+passed into the presence of General Petain with a great deal of
+respect amounting almost to awe. The defence of Verdun through
+the bitter months of February and March by General Petain, a
+defence which is now under the immediate control of his able
+lieutenants General Nivelle and General Dubois, has earned the
+respect and admiration of the whole world. It is impossible not to
+feel the deepest admiration for these men who have earned such
+undying glory, not only for themselves, but for their Motherland.
+
+No one could have been more gracious and kind than General
+Petain, and in his presence one realised the strength and power of
+France. Throughout all the French Headquarters one is impressed
+by the perfect calm; no excitement; everything perfectly organised.
+
+General Petain asked me at once to tell him what I desired. I
+asked his permission to go to Rheims. He at once took up a paper
+which permitted me to enter the war zone and endorsed it with the
+request to General Debeney in Rheims to allow me to penetrate
+with my companions into the city. He then turned to me again and
+asked me, with a knowing smile, if that was all I required--for his
+Headquarters were hardly on the direct road to Rheims! I hesitated
+to express my real wish, when my good counsellor and friend, with
+whom I was making the journey, the Commandant Jean de Pulligny,
+answered for me: "I feel sure it would be a great happiness and
+honour if you would allow us, General, to go to Verdun." General
+Petain appeared slightly surprised, and turning to me asked: "Do
+you thoroughly realise the danger? You have crossed the Atlantic
+and faced submarines, but you will risk more in five minutes in
+Verdun than in crossing the Atlantic a thousand times." However,
+seeing that I was really anxious to go, and that it might be of great
+service to me in my future work to have seen personally the defence
+of Verdun, he added smilingly: "Well then, you can go if you wish
+at your own risk and peril." He then telephoned to General Nivelle
+the necessary permission for us to enter Verdun.
+
+I doubt whether General Petain realises the respect in which he is
+held in all the civilised countries of the world. Probably he does not
+yet understand that people would come thousands of miles to
+have five minutes' audience with him, for he enquired if we were in
+any hurry to continue our journey, and added with charming
+simplicity--"Because if not, and you do not mind waiting an hour, I
+shall be glad if you will lunch with me."
+
+
+
+
+A Meeting With "Forain"
+
+
+
+We lunched with General Petain and his Etat Major. A charming
+and most interesting addition to the party was M. Forain, the
+famous French caricaturist, and now one of the Chief Instructors of
+the French Army in the art of camouflage--the art of making a thing
+look like anything in the world except what it is! He has established
+a series of schools all along the French Front, where the Poilus
+learn to bedeck their guns and thoroughly disguise them under
+delicate shades of green and yellow, with odd pink spots, in order
+to relieve the monotony. Certainly the appearance of the guns of
+the present time would rejoice the heart and soul of the "Futurists."
+It was most interesting to hear him describe the work in detail and
+the rapidity with which his pupils learned the new art. For one real
+battery there are probably three or four false ones, beautiful
+wooden guns, etc., etc., and he told us of the Poilus' new version
+of the song "Rien n'est plus beau que notre Patrie" ("Nothing is
+more beautiful than our country"). They now sing "Rien n'est plus
+faux que notre batterie" ("Nothing is more false than our battery").
+
+It was M. Forain who coined the famous phrase "that there was no
+fear for the ultimate success of the Allies, if only the civilians held
+out!"
+
+I was much amused at M. Forain's statement that he had already
+heard that a company had been formed for erecting, after the War,
+wooden hotels on the battlefields of France for the accommodation
+of sightseers. Not only was it certain that these hotels were to be
+built, but the rooms were already booked in advance.
+
+
+
+
+Value Of Women's Work
+
+
+
+It was strange to find there, within the sound of the guns--
+sometimes the glasses on the table danced to the music although
+no one took any notice of that--surrounded by men directing the
+operations of the war and of one of the greatest battles in history,
+how little War was mentioned. Science, Philosophy and the work
+of women were discussed.
+
+The men of France are taking deep interest in the splendid
+manner in which the women of all the different nations are
+responding to the call to service. I described to General Petain the
+work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. These magnificent
+hospitals are organised and staffed entirely by women and started,
+in the first instance, by the Scottish Branch of the National Union of
+Women's Suffrage. He was deeply interested to learn that what
+had been before the War a political society had, with that splendid
+spirit of patriotism which had from the first day of the war animated
+every man, woman and child of Great Britain, drawn upon its funds
+and founded the Hospital Units. I explained to him that it was no
+longer a question of politics, but simply a case of serving humanity
+and serving it to the best possible advantage. The National Union
+had realised that this was a time for organised effort on the part of
+all women for the benefit of the human race and the alleviation of
+suffering.
+
+I spoke of the bravery of our girls in Serbia; how many of them had
+laid down their lives during the typhus epidemic; how cheerfully
+they had borne hardships, our doctors writing home that their tent
+hospitals were like "great white birds spreading their wings under
+the trees," whereas really they had often been up all night hanging
+on to the tent poles to prevent the tents collapsing over their patients.
+
+A member of the Etat Major asked how we overcame the
+language difficulty. I pointed out that to diagnose typhus and watch
+the progress of the patient it was not necessary to speak to him,
+and that by the magic language of sympathy we managed to
+establish some form of "understanding" between the patients, the
+Doctors, and the Nurses. The members of our staff were chosen
+as far as possible with a knowledge of French or German, and it
+was possible to find many Serbians speaking either one of these
+languages. We also found interpreters amongst the Austrian
+prisoner orderlies. These prisoner orderlies had really proved
+useful and had done their best to help us. Naturally they had their
+faults. One of our Lady Doctors had as orderly a Viennese
+Professor, willing but somewhat absent-minded. One morning she
+sent for him and asked him: "Herr Karl, can you tell me what was
+wrong with my bath water this morning?" "I really don't know,
+Fraulein, but I will endeavour to find out."
+
+Ten minutes later he returned, looking decidedly guilty and
+stammered out, "I do not know how to tell you what happened to
+that bath water." "Nonsense, it can't be very terrible," replied
+Doctor X. "What was wrong?" "Well, Fraulein, when I went into the
+camp kitchen this morning there were two cauldrons there, one
+was your bath water, and the other was the camp soup. To you,
+Fraulein, I brought the camp soup."
+
+We who had worked with the Serbians had learned to respect and
+admire them for their patriotism, courage and patient endurance.
+We felt that their outstanding characteristic was their imagination,
+which, turned into the proper channels and given a chance to
+develop, should produce for the world not only famous painters
+and poets but also great inventors. This vivid imagination is found
+in the highest and lowest of the land. To illustrate it, I told my
+neighbour at table a tale related to me by my good friend Dr.
+Popovic. "Two weary, ragged Serbian soldiers were sitting huddled
+together waiting to be ordered forward to fight. One asked the
+other, 'Do you know how this War started, Milan? You don't. Well
+then I'll tell you. The Sultan of Turkey sent our King Peter a sack of
+rice. King Peter looked at the sack, smiled, then took a very small
+bag and went into his garden and filled it with red pepper. He sent
+the bag of red pepper to the Sultan of Turkey. Now, Milan, you can
+see what that meant. The Sultan of Turkey said to our Peter, 'My
+army is as numerous as the grains of rice in this sack,' and by
+sending a small bag of red pepper to the Sultan our Peter replied,
+'My Army is not very numerous, but it is mighty hot stuff.'"
+
+Many members of the Units of the Scottish Women's Hospitals
+who had been driven out of Serbia at the time of the great invasion
+had asked to be allowed to return to work for the Serbians, and we
+were now equipping fresh units, entirely staffed by women, to
+serve with the Serbian Army, besides having at the present time
+the medical care of six thousand Serbian refugees on the island of
+Corsica.
+
+General Petain said smiling that before the war he had sometimes
+thought of women "as those who inspired the most beautiful ideas
+in men and prevented them from carrying them out," but the war,
+he added, had certainly proved conclusively the value of women's
+work.
+
+M. Forain expressed the desire to visit the chief French Hospital of
+the Scottish Women at the Abbaye de Royaumont. The General
+laughingly told him, "You do not realise how stern and devoted to
+duty those ladies are. I wonder if you would be permitted to visit
+them?"
+
+I consoled M. Forain by pointing out that surely as chief Camoufler
+(disguiser) of the French Army, he could disguise himself as a
+model of virtue (de se camoufler en bon garcon). Certainly this son
+of France, who has turned his brilliant intellect and his art to the
+saving of men's lives, would be welcome anywhere and everywhere.
+I hastened to assure him that I was only teasing him, and added
+that I only teased the people I admired and liked. General Petain
+immediately turned to the Commandant de Pulligny--"Please remark
+that she has not yet teased me." "Probably because she fears
+to do it, and has too much respect for you," replied the Commandant.
+"Fears! I do not think we need talk of that just now, when she
+dares to go to Verdun."
+
+Whilst at coffee after lunch the news came of the continued
+advance of the British troops. General Petain turned to me and
+said, "You must indeed be proud in England of your new army.
+Please tell your English people of our admiration of the magnificent
+effort of England. The raising and equipping of your giant army in
+such a short time was indeed a colossal task. How well it was
+carried out all the world now knows and we are reaping the
+harvest."
+
+The General's Chief of Staff added: "Lord Kitchener was right
+when he said the war would last three years"--"the first year
+preparation, the second year defence, and the third year cela sera
+rigolo (it will be huge sport)." He quoted the phrase as Lord
+Kitchener's own.
+
+Before we left the General signed for me the menu of the lunch,
+pointing out to me, however, that if I were at any time to show the
+menu to the village policeman I must assure him that the hare
+which figured thereon had been run over at night by a motor car
+and lost its life owing to an accident, otherwise he might, he
+feared, be fined for killing game out of season!
+
+I shall always remember the picture of General Petain seeing us
+into our car with his parting words, "You are about to do the most
+dangerous thing you have ever done or will ever do in your life. As
+for Verdun, tell them in England that I am smiling and I am sure
+that when you see General Nivelle you will find him smiling too.
+That is the best answer I can give you as to how things are going
+with us at Verdun." Then with a friendly wave of his hand we
+passed on our way.
+
+After leaving the Headquarters of General Petain we were held up
+for some time at a level crossing and watched the busy little train
+puffing along, carrying towards Verdun stores, munitions and men.
+This level crossing had been the scene of active fighting; on each
+side were numerous graves, and the sentinels off duty were
+passing from one to the other picking a dead leaf or drawing a
+branch of trailing vine over the resting places of their comrades.
+
+Above our heads circled "les guipes" the wasps of the French
+Army. They had been aroused by the appearance of a Taube and
+were preparing to sting had the Taube waited or made any further
+attempt to proceed over the French lines. However, deciding that
+discretion was the better part of valour, it turned and fled.
+
+It is unwise, however, to stir up the "wasps of France"; they
+followed it, and later in the day we heard that it had been brought
+down near Verdun.
+
+We were now in the centre of activity of the army defending
+Verdun. On every hand we saw artillery parks, ammunition parks,
+and regiments resting, whilst along the road a long line of camions
+passed unceasingly. During the whole length of my stay on the
+French Front I only saw one regiment marching. Everywhere the
+men are conveyed in the camions, and are thus spared the fatigue
+which would otherwise be caused by the intense heat and the
+white dust. There are perhaps only two things that can in any way
+upset the perfect indifference to difficulties of the French trooper:
+he hates to walk, and he refuses to be deprived of his "pinard."
+The men of the French Army have named their red wine "pinard,"
+just as they call water "la flotte," always, however, being careful to
+add that "la flotte" is excellent "for washing one's feet."
+
+As we passed through the Headquarters of General Nivelle, he
+sent down word to us not to wait to call on him then, but to proceed
+at once to Verdun as later the passage would become more
+difficult. He kindly sent down to us one of the officers of his staff to
+act as escort. The officer sat by our chauffeur, warning him of the'
+dangerous spots in the road which the Germans had the habit of
+"watering" from time to time with "marmites," and ordering him to
+put on extra speed. Our speed along the road into Verdun
+averaged well over a mile a minute.
+
+
+
+
+The "Movies" Under Fire
+
+
+
+Within range of the German guns, probably not more than four or
+five kilometres from Verdun, we came on a line of men waiting
+their turn to go into the cinema. After all there was no reason "de
+s'en faire," and if they were alive they decided they might as well
+be happy and amused. Just before entering the gate of Verdun we
+passed a number of ambulances, some of them driven by the
+American volunteers. These young Americans have displayed
+splendid heroism in bringing in the wounded under difficult
+conditions. Many of them have been mentioned in despatches,
+and have received from France the Croix de Guerre. I also saw an
+ambulance marked "Lloyds."
+
+It would be useless to pretend that one entered Verdun without
+emotion,--Verdun, sorely stricken, yet living, kept alive by the
+indomitable soul of the soldiers of France, whilst her wounds are
+daily treated and healed by the skill of her Generals. A white city of
+desolation, scorched and battered, yet the brightest jewel in the
+crown of France's glory; a shining example to the world of the
+triumph of human resistance and the courage of men. A city of
+strange and cruel sounds. The short, sharp bark of the 75's, the
+boom of the death-dealing enemy guns, the shrieks of the shells
+and the fall of masonry parting from houses to which it had been
+attached for centuries, whilst from the shattered window frames
+the familiar sprite of the household looked ever for the children
+who came no longer across the thresholds of the homes. Verdun
+is no longer a refuge for all that is good and beautiful and tender,
+and so the sounds of the voices of children and of birds are heard
+no more. Both have flown; the children were evacuated with the
+civilians in the bitter months of February and March, and the birds,
+realising that there is no secure place in which to nest, have
+deserted not only Verdun but the whole of the surrounding district.
+
+We proceeded to a terrace overlooking the lower part of the town
+and witnessed a duel between the French and German artillery.
+The Germans were bombarding the barracks of Chevert, and from
+all around the French guns were replying. It was certainly a joy to
+note that for one boom of a German cannon there were certainly
+ten answers from the French guns. The French soldiers off duty
+should have been resting in the caves and dug-outs which have
+been prepared for them, but most of them were out on the
+terraces in different parts of the city, smoking and casually
+watching the effect of the German or of their own fire. I enquired of
+one Poilu whether he would be glad to leave Verdun, and he
+laughingly replied: "One might be worse off than here. This is the
+time of year that in peace times I should have been staying in the
+country with my mother-in-law."
+
+There is no talk of peace in Verdun. I asked one of the men when
+he thought the war would end. "Perfectly simple to reply to that,
+Mademoiselle; the war will end the day that hostilities cease."
+
+I believe that the Germans would not be sorry to abandon the
+siege of Verdun. In one of the French newspapers I saw the
+following verse:
+
+Boches, a l'univers votre zele importun
+Fait des "communiques" dont personne n'est dupe.
+Vous dites: "Nos soldats occuperont Verdun.
+Jusqu'ici c'est plutot Verdun qui les occupe."
+
+(You say that you soon will hold Verdun, Whilst really Verdun holds
+you.)
+
+We left the car and climbed through the ruined streets to the top of
+the citadel. No attempt has been made to remove any of the
+furniture or effects from the demolished houses. In those houses
+from which only the front had been blown away the spoons and
+forks were in some instances still on the table, set ready for the
+meal that had been interrupted.
+
+From windows lace curtains and draperies hung out over the
+fronts of the houses. Everywhere shattered doors, broken
+cupboards, drawers thrown open where the inhabitants had
+thought to try to save some of their cherished belongings, but had
+finally fled leaving all to the care of the soldiers, who protect the
+property of the inhabitants as carefully as if it were their own.
+
+It would be difficult to find finer custodians. I was told that at
+Bobigny, pres Bourget, there is on one of the houses the following
+inscription worthy of classical times:
+
+"The proprietor of this house has gone to the War. He leaves this
+dwelling to the care of the French. Long live France." And he left
+the key in the lock.
+
+The soldiers billeted in the house read the inscription, which met
+with their approval, and so far each regiment in passing had
+cleaned out the little dwelling and left it in perfect order.
+
+From the citadel we went down into the trenches which led to the
+lines at Thiaumont. The heat in the city was excessive but in the
+trenches it was delightfully cool, perhaps a little too cool. We heard
+the men make no complaints except that at times the life was a
+little "monotonous"! One man told me that he was once in a trench
+that was occupied at the same time by the French and the
+Germans. There was nothing between them but sand bags and a
+thick wall of clay, and day and night the French watched that wall.
+One day a slight scratching was heard. The men prepared to face
+the crumbling of the barrier when through a small hole popped out
+the head of a brown rabbit. Down into the trench hopped Mrs.
+Bunny, followed by two small bunnies, and although rabbit for
+lunch would have improved the menu the men had not the heart to
+kill her. On the contrary they fed her on their rations and at night-
+fall she departed, followed by her progeny.
+
+From all the dug-outs heads popped out and the first movement of
+surprise at seeing a woman in the trenches turned to a smile of
+delight, since the Poilu is at all times a chivalrous gentleman. One
+man was telling me of the magnificent work that had been
+accomplished by his "compagnie." I congratulated him and told
+him he must be happy to be in such a company. He swept off his
+iron casque, bowed almost to the ground, and answered: "Certainly
+I am happy in my company, Mademoiselle, but I am far happier in
+yours." The principal grief of the Poilus appeared to be that a shell
+two or three days before had destroyed the store of the great "dragee"
+(sugared almond) manufactory of Verdun. Before leaving the
+manufacturer had bequeathed his stock to the Army and they were
+all regretting that they had not been greedier and eaten up the
+"dragees" quicker.
+
+In the trenches near Verdun, as in the trenches in Flanders, you
+find the men talking little of war, but much of their homes and their
+families. I came once upon a group of Bretons. They had opened
+some tins of sardines and sitting around a bucket of blazing coals
+they were toasting the fish on the ends of small twigs. I asked
+them why they were wasting their energies since the fish were
+ready to be eaten straight from the tins. "We know," they replied,
+"but it smells like home." I suppose with the odour of the cooking
+fish, in the blue haze of the smoke, they saw visions of their
+cottages and the white-coiffed Bretonnes frying the fresh sardines
+that they had caught.
+
+The dusk was now falling and, entering the car, we proceeded
+towards the lower part of the town at a snail's pace in order not to
+draw the German fire. We were told that at the present time
+approximately one hundred shells a day still fall on Verdun, but at
+the time of the great attack the number was as high as eight
+hundred, whilst as many as two hundred thousand shells fell daily
+in and around Verdun.
+
+Just before we reached the entrance to the citadel the enemy
+began to shell the city and one of the shells exploded within two
+hundred feet of the car. We knew that we were near the entrance
+to the vaults of the citadel and could take refuge, so we left the car
+and proceeded on foot. Without thinking we walked in the centre of
+the road, and the sentinel at the door of the citadel began in
+somewhat emphatic French to recommend us to "longer les murs"
+(to hug the walls tightly). The Germans are well aware of the
+entrance to the citadel and daily shell the spot. If one meets a shell
+in the centre of the road it is obviously no use to argue, whilst in
+hugging the side of the wall there is a possibility of only receiving
+the fragments of the bursting shell.
+
+
+
+
+A Subterranean City
+
+
+
+The subterranean galleries of the citadel of Verdun were
+constructed by Vauban, and are now a hive of activity--barbers'
+shops, sweet shops, boot shops, hospitals, anything and.
+everything which goes to make up a small city.
+
+One of the young officers placed his "cell" at our disposal. The
+long galleries are all equipped with central heating and electric light
+and some of them have been divided off by wooden partitions or
+curtains like the dormitories in a large school. In the "cell" allocated
+to us we could see the loving touch of a woman's hand. Around
+the pillow on the small camp bed was a beautiful edging of Irish
+lace, and on the dressing-table a large bottle of Eau-de-Cologne.
+There is no reason to be too uncomfortable in Verdun when one
+has a good little wife to think of one and to send presents from
+time to time.
+
+Emerging from the galleries we met General Dubois, a great
+soldier and a kindly man, one who shares the daily perils of his
+men. The General invited us to remain and dine with him. He had
+that day received from General Nivelle his "cravate" as
+Commander of the Legion of Honour, and his officers were giving
+him a dinner-party to celebrate the event. "See how kind fate is to
+me," he added; "only one thing was missing from the feast--the
+presence of the ladies--and here you are."
+
+It would need the brush of Rembrandt to paint the dining-hall in the
+citadel of Verdun. At one long table in the dimly lighted vault sat
+between eighty and ninety officers, who all rose, saluted, and
+cheered as we entered. The General sat at the head of the table
+surrounded by his staff, and behind him the faces of the cooks
+were lit up by the fires of the stoves.
+
+Some short distance behind us was an air-shaft. It appears that
+about a week or a fortnight before our arrival a German shell,
+striking the top part of the citadel, dislodged some dust and gravel
+which fell down the air-shaft onto the General's head. He simply
+called the attendants to him and asked for his table to be moved
+forward a yard, as he did not feel inclined to sit at table with his
+helmet on.
+
+An excellent dinner--soup, roast mutton, fresh beans, salade
+Russe, Frangipane, dessert--and even champagne to celebrate
+the General's cravate--quite reassured us that people may die in
+Verdun of shells but not of hunger. We drank toasts to France, the
+Allies, and, silently, to the men of France who had died that we
+might live. I was asked to propose the health of the General and
+did it in English, knowing that he spoke English well. I told him that
+the defenders of Verdun would live in our hearts and memories;
+that on behalf of the whole British race I felt I might convey to him
+congratulations on the honour paid to him by France. I assured
+him that we had but one idea and one hope, the speedy victory of
+the Allied arms, and that personally my present desire was that
+every one of those present at table might live to see the flag of
+France waving over the whole of Alsace-Lorraine. They asked me
+to repeat a description of the flag of France which I gave first in
+Ottawa, so there, in the citadel of Verdun with a small French flag
+before me, I went back in spirit to Ottawa and remembered how I
+had spoken of the triumph of the flag of France: "The red, white
+and blue--the red of the flag of France a little deeper hue than in
+time of peace since it was dyed with the blood of her sons, the
+blood in which a new history of France is being written, volume on
+volume, page on page, of deeds of heroism, some pages completed
+and signed, others where the pen has dropped from the faltering
+hands and which posterity must needs finish. The white of the flag
+of France, not quite so white as in time of peace since thousands
+of her sons had taken it in their hands and pressed it to their lips
+before they went forward to die for it, yet without stain, since in all
+the record of the war there is no blot on the escutcheon of France.
+And the blue of the flag of France, true blue, torn and tattered with
+the marks of the bullets and the shrapnel, yet unfurling proudly in
+the breeze whilst the very holes were patched by the blue of the
+sky, since surely Heaven stands behind the flag of France."
+
+The men of Verdun were full of admiration for the glorious
+Commander of the Fort de Vaux. They told me that the fort was
+held, or rather the ruins of the fort, until the Germans were actually
+on the top and firing on the French beneath.
+
+I discussed with my neighbour the fact that the Germans had more
+hatred for us than for the French. He said the whole world would
+ridicule the Germans for the manner in which they had exploited
+the phrase "Gott strafe England," writing it even on the walls
+anywhere and everywhere. He added laughingly that it should not
+worry the English comrades. "When they read 'Gott strafe
+England' all they needed to reply was 'Ypres, Ypres, Hurrah!'"
+
+
+
+
+Poilu And Tommy
+
+
+
+He informed me that he had been stationed for some time with his
+regiment near the English troops, and there had been loud
+lamentations among the Poilus because they had been obliged to
+say good-bye to their English comrades. He added that the
+affection was not entirely disinterested. The English comrades had
+excellent marmalade and jam and other good things which they
+shared with their French brothers, who, whilst excellently fed, do
+not indulge in these luxuries. He told me a delightful tale of a
+French cook who, seeing an English soldier standing by, began to
+question him as to his particular branch of the service, informing
+him that he himself had had an exceedingly busy morning peeling
+potatoes and cleaning up the pots and pans. After considerable
+conversation he inquired of the English comrade what he did for
+his living. "Oh," replied the Englishman, "I get my living fairly easily;
+nothing half so strenuous as peeling potatoes. I am just a
+colonel."!!
+
+The clean-shaven Tommy is the beloved of all France. I remember
+seeing one gallant khaki knight carrying the market basket of a
+French maiden and repaying himself out of her store of apples. I
+regret to say his pockets bulged suspiciously. Whilst at a level
+crossing near by, the old lady in charge of the gate had an escort
+of "Tommies" who urged her to let the train "rip." This was
+somewhat ironical in view of the fact that the top speed in that part
+of the war zone was probably never more than ten miles an hour.
+
+Tommy is never alone The children have learned that he loves
+their company and he is always surrounded by an escort of
+youthful admirers. The children like to rummage in his pockets for
+souvenirs: he must spend quite a good deal of his pay purchasing
+sweets so that they may not be disappointed and that there may
+be something for his little friends to find. I remember seeing one
+Tommy, sitting in the dusty road with a large pot of marmalade
+between his legs, dealing out spoonfuls with perfect justice and
+impartiality to a circle of youngsters. He speaks to them of his own
+little "nippers" at home and they in turn tell him of their father who
+is fighting, of their mother who now works in the fields, and of baby
+who is fearfully ignorant, does not know the difference between the
+French and the "Engleesch" and who insisted on calling the great
+English General who had stayed at their farm "Papa." It matters
+little that they cannot understand each other, and it does not in the
+least prevent them from holding lengthy conversations.
+
+I told my companion at table that whilst visiting one of the hospitals
+in France I had heard how one Englishman had been sent into a
+far hospital in Provence by mistake. He was not seriously injured
+and promptly constituted himself king of the ward. On arrival he
+insisted on being shaved. As no shaving brush was available the
+"piou-piou" in the next bed lathered him with his tooth brush. The
+French cooking did not appeal to him, and he grumbled continuously.
+The directress of the hospital sent her own cook from her chateau
+to cater for Mr. Atkins. An elaborate menu was prepared. Tommy
+glanced through it, ordered everything to be removed, and commanded
+tea and toast. Toast-making is not a French art and the chateau
+chef was obliged to remain at the hospital and spend his time
+carefully preparing the toast and seeing that it was served in
+good condition. When Mr. Atkins felt so disposed he would
+summon a piou-piou to give him a French lesson or else request
+the various inmates of the ward to sing to him. He would in turn
+render that plaintive ditty, "Down by the Old Bull and Bush."
+A nurse who spoke a little English translated his song to the
+French soldiers! Whilst not desiring to criticise the rendez-vous
+selected by their "camerade anglais," they did not consider that
+"pres d'un vieux taureau" (near an old bull) was a safe or desirable
+meeting-place. When I explained to the nurse that "The Bull and Bush"
+was a kind of cabaret she hastened from ward to ward to tell the
+men that after all the Englishman might have selected a worse
+spot to entertain his girl. He was at once the joy and the despair
+of the whole hospital and the nurse had much trouble in consoling
+the patients when "our English" was removed.
+
+
+
+
+Abbreviated French
+
+
+
+When Tommy indulges in the use of the French language he
+abbreviates it as much as possible.
+
+One hot summer's day driving from Boulogne to Fort Mahon, half
+way down a steep hill we came upon two Tommies endeavouring
+to extract a motor cycle and a side-car from a somewhat difficult
+position. They had side-slipped and run into a small tree. The cycle
+was on one side and the side-car on the other, and a steel rod
+between had been rammed right into the wood through the force
+of the collision.
+
+My three companions and myself endeavoured to help the men to
+pull out the rod, but the united efforts of the six of us proved
+unavailing. We hailed a passing cart and tied the reins around the
+motor-cycle, but immediately the horse commenced to pull the
+leather of the reins snapped. Behind the cart walked a peasant.
+Only one adjective can possibly describe him: he was decidedly
+"beer-y." He made no attempt to help but passed from one Tommy
+to the other, patting them on their backs, assuring them "that with
+a little good-will all would be well." There was a dangerous glint in
+the youngest Tommy's eye, but in the presence of ladies he
+refrained from putting his thoughts into words. Finally, his patience
+evaporating, he suddenly turned on the peasant and shouted at
+him, "Ong! Ong!" It took me some time to grasp that this was
+Tommy's abbreviated version of "Allez vous en" (Clear out). In any
+event it proved quite useless, as he continued to pat the Tommies
+affectionately and to bombard them with impracticable suggestions.
+
+We were joined later by three villagers, two gendarmes and a
+postman, and, all pulling together, we managed to extract the rod
+from the tree. A large lorry was passing and on to it we heaved the
+wreckage. Up clambered the Tommies, followed by their unwelcome
+friend, who managed to sit on the only unbroken portion of the
+side-car. This was too much for Messrs. Atkins' equanimity.
+Limp with laughter, we watched them pass from sight amidst a
+chorus of "Ong! Ong!" followed by flights of oratory in the English
+tongue which do not bear repeating, but which were received by the
+peasant as expressions of deep esteem and to which he replied
+by endeavouring to kiss the Tommies and shouting, "Vive l'Angleterre!
+All right! Hoorah!"
+
+Our guiding officer began to show some signs of anxiety to have
+us leave before ten o'clock, but the good-byes took some time.
+Presents were showered upon us, German dragees (shell heads
+and pieces of shrapnel), and the real French dragees, the famous
+sweet of Verdun.
+
+We crept out of the city, but unfortunately at one of the dangerous
+crossroads our chauffeur mistook the route. A heavy bombardment
+was taking place and the French were replying. We were lucky enough
+to get on to the route and into safety before any shell fell near us.
+It appears that the Germans systematically bombard the roads
+at night, hoping to destroy the camions bringing up the food for
+the city, fresh munitions and men.
+
+We slept that night at Bar-le-Duc, and next morning saw the
+various ambulances and hospitals which the Service de Sante had
+particularly requested me to visit. I was impressed by the splendid
+organisation of the Red Cross even quite close to the firing line.
+
+
+
+
+The Brown And Black Sons Of France
+
+
+
+Passing through one tent hospital an Algerian called out to me:
+"Ohe, la blonde, viens ici! J'ai quelque chose de beau a te
+montrer." (Come here, fair girl, I have something pretty to show
+you.) He was sitting up in bed, and, as I approached, unbuttoned
+his bed-jacket and insisted on my examining the tag of his vest on
+which was written, "Leader, London." The vest had come in a
+parcel of goods from the London Committee of the French Red
+Cross, and I only wished that the angel of goodness and
+tenderness, who is the Presidente of the Croix Rouge, Mme. de la
+Panouse, and that Mr. D. H. Illingworth, Mr. Philip Wilkins, and all
+her able lieutenants, could have seen the pleasure on the face of
+this swarthy defender of France. In the next bed was a Senegalais
+who endeavoured to attract my attention by keeping up a running
+compliment to my compatriots, my King, and myself. He must
+have chanted fifty times: "Vive les English, Georges, et toil" He
+continued even after I had rewarded him with some cigarettes.
+The Senegalais and the Algerians are really great children,
+especially when they are wounded. I have seen convalescent
+Senegalais and Algerians in Paris spend hours in the Champs
+Elysees watching the entertainment at the open-air marionette
+theatre. The antics of the dolls kept them amused. They are
+admitted to the enclosure free, and there is no longer any room for
+the children who frequented the show in happier days. These latter
+form a disconsolate circle on the outside, whilst the younger ones,
+who do not suffer from colour prejudice, scramble onto the knees
+of the black soldiers.
+
+The sister in charge was a true daughter of the "Lady of the
+Lamp." Provided they are really ill, she sympathises with all the
+grumblers, but scolds them if they have reached the convalescent
+stage. She carries a small book in which she enters imaginary
+good points to those who have the tables by their beds tidy, and
+she pinned an invisible medal on the chest of a convalescent who
+was helping to carry trays of food to his comrades. She is indeed a
+General, saving men for France.
+
+Not a man escaped her attention, and as we passed through the
+tents she gave to each of her "chers enfants," black or white, a
+cheering smile or a kindly word. She did, however, whilst talking to
+us, omit to salute a Senegalais. Before she passed out of the tent
+he commenced to call after her, "Toi pas gentille aujourd'hui, moi
+battre toi." (You are not good to me to-day; me beat you.) This, it
+appears, is his little joke--he will never beat any one again, since
+he lost both his arms when his trench was blown up by a land
+mine.
+
+It was at Triancourt that I first saw in operation the motor-cars that
+had been sent out fitted with bath tubs for the troops, and also a
+very fine car fitted up by the London Committee of the French Red
+Cross as a moving dental hospital.
+
+I regret to add that a "Poilu" near by disrespectfully referred to it as
+"another of the horrors of war," adding that in times of peace there
+was some kind of personal liberty, whereas now "a man could not
+have toothache without being forced to have it ended, and that
+there was no possibility of escaping a dentist who hunted you
+down by motor."
+
+It was suggested that as I had had a touch of toothache the night
+before, I might take my place in the chair and give an example of
+British pluck to the assembled "Poilus." I hastened to impress on
+the surgeon that I hated notoriety and would prefer to remain
+modestly in the background. I even pushed aside with scorn the
+proffered bribe of six "Boche," buttons, assuring the man that "I
+would keep my toothache as a souvenir."
+
+At one of the hospitals beside the bed of a dying man sat a little
+old man writing letters. They told me that before the war he had
+owned the most flourishing wine shop in the village. He had fled
+before the approach of the German troops, but later returned to his
+village and installed himself in the hospital as scribe. He wrote
+from morning until night, and, watching him stretching his lean old
+hands, I asked him if he suffered much pain from writers' cramp.
+He looked at me almost reproachfully before answering, "Mademoiselle,
+it is the least I can do for my country; besides my pain is so slight
+and that of the comrades so great. I am proud, indeed proud,
+that at sixty-seven years of age I am not useless."
+
+I was shown a copy of the last letter dictated by a young French
+officer, and I asked to be allowed to copy it--it was indeed a letter
+of a "chic" type.
+
+
+Chers Parrain et Marraine,
+
+Je vous ecris a vous pour ne pas tuer Maman qu'un pareil coup
+surprendrait trop.
+
+J'ai ete blesse le ... devant ... J'ai deux blessures hideuses et je
+n'en aurai pas pour bien longtemps. Les majors ne me le cachent
+meme pas.
+
+Je pars sans regret avec la conscience d'avoir fait mon devoir.
+
+Prevenez done mes parents le mieux que vous pourrez; qu'ils ne
+cherchent pas a venir, ils n'en auraient pas le temps.
+
+Adieu vous tous que j'aimais.
+
+VIVE LA FRANCE!
+
+
+Dear Godfather and Godmother,
+
+I am writing to you so as not to kill Mother, whom such a shock
+would surprise too much. I was wounded on the ... at ... I have two
+terrible wounds and I cannot last long. The surgeons do not even
+attempt to conceal this from me. I go without regret, with the
+consciousness of having done my duty. Kindly break the news to
+my parents the best way you can; they should not attempt to come
+because they would not have time to reach me before the end.
+
+Farewell to all you whom I have loved.
+
+LONG LIVE FRANCE!
+
+
+Whilst loving his relatives tenderly, the last thought of the dying
+Frenchman is for his country. Each one dies as a hero, yet not one
+realises it. It would be impossible to show greater simplicity; they
+salute the flag for the last time and that is all.
+
+
+
+
+At General Nivelle's Headquarters
+
+
+
+From Triancourt we went straight to the Headquarters of General
+Nivelle. They had just brought him the maps rectified to mark the
+French advance. The advance had been made whilst we were
+standing on the terrace at Verdun the night before. We had seen
+the rockets sent up, requesting a "tir de barrage" (curtain of fire).
+The 75's had replied at once and the French had been able to
+carry out the operation.
+
+Good news had also come in from the Somme, and General
+Nivelle did not hesitate to express his admiration for the British
+soldiers.
+
+He said that there was no need to praise the first troops sent by
+Britain to France, every one knew their value, but it should be a
+great satisfaction to Britain to find that the new army was living up
+to the traditions of the old army.
+
+He added: "We can describe the new Army of Britain in two words:
+Ca mord--it bites."
+
+The Father of his own men, it is not surprising that General Nivelle
+finds a warm corner in his heart for the British Tommy, since his
+Mother was an Englishwoman.
+
+At lunch General Nivelle and the members of his staff asked many
+questions as to the work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. I told
+them that what appealed to us most in our French patients was the
+perfect discipline and the gratitude of the men. We are all women
+in the Hospitals, and the men might take advantage of this fact to
+show want of discipline, but we never had to complain of lack of
+obedience. These soldiers of France may some of them before the
+war have been just rough peasants, eating, drinking, and sleeping;
+even having thoughts not akin to knighthood, but now, through the
+ordeal of blood and fire, each one of them has won his spurs and
+come out a chivalrous knight, and they bring their chivalry right into
+the hospitals with them. We had also learned to love them for their
+kindness to one another. When new wounded are brought in and
+the lights are low in the hospital wards, cautiously watching if the
+Nurse is looking (luckily Nurses have a way of not seeing
+everything), one of the convalescents will creep from his bed to
+the side of the new arrival and ask the inevitable question: "D'ou
+viens-tu?" (Where do you come from?) "I come from Toulouse,"
+replies the man. "Ah," says the enquirer, "my wife's Grandmother
+had a cousin who lived near Toulouse." That is quite a sufficient
+basis for a friendship. The convalescent sits by the bedside of his
+new comrade, holding the man's hand, whilst his wounds are
+being dressed, telling him he knows of the pain, that he, too, has
+suffered, and that soon all will be well.
+
+Lions to fight, ever ready to answer to the call of the defence of
+their country, yet these men of France are tender and gentle. In
+one hospital through which I passed there was a baby. It was a
+military hospital, and no civilian had any right there, but the
+medical officers who inspected the hospital were remarkably blind
+--none of them could ever see the baby. One of the soldiers
+passing through a bombarded village saw a little body lying in the
+mud, and although he believed the child to be dead he stooped
+down and picked it up. At the evacuating station the baby and the
+soldier were sent to the hospital together; the doctors operated
+upon the baby and took a piece of shrapnel from its back, and,
+once well and strong, it constituted itself lord and master and king
+of all it surveyed. When it woke in the morning it would call "Papa"
+and twenty fathers answered to its call. All the pent-up love of the
+men for their own little ones from whom they had been parted for
+so long they lavished on the tiny stranger, but all his affection and
+his whole heart belonged to the rough miner soldier who had
+brought him in. As the shadows fell one saw the man walking up
+and down the ward with the child in his arms, crooning the
+"Marseillaise" until the tired little eyes closed. He had obtained
+permission from the authorities to adopt the child as the parents
+could not be found, and remarked humorously: "Mademoiselle, it is
+so convenient to have a family without the trouble of being
+married!"
+
+What we must remember is that the rough soldier, himself blinded
+with blood and mud, uncertain whether he could ever reach a point
+of safety, yet had time to stoop and pick that little flower of France
+and save it from being crushed beneath the cannon wheels. I told
+General Nivelle that the hospital staff intended to keep the child for
+the soldier until the end of the war, and we all hoped that he might
+grow up to the glory of France and to the eternal honour of the
+tender-hearted fighter who had rescued him.
+
+After lunch we stood for some time watching the unending stream
+of camions proceeding into Verdun. I believe it has been stated
+that on the average one passed through the village every fifteen
+seconds, and that there are something like twelve thousand motor
+vehicles used in the defence of Verdun. The splendid condition of
+the roads and the absence of all confusion in the handling of this
+immense volume of traffic are a great tribute to the organising
+genius of the chiefs of the French Army.
+
+We left General Nivelle as General Petain predicted we should find
+him--smiling.
+
+
+
+
+Rheims
+
+
+
+We slept that night at Epernay, in the heart of the Champagne
+district. The soil of France is doing its best to keep the vines in
+perfect condition and to provide a good vintage to be drunk later to
+celebrate the victory of France and her Allies. The keeping of the
+roads in good condition is necessary for the rapid carrying out of
+operations on the Front, and a "marmite" hole is promptly filled if
+by a lucky shot the German batteries happen to tear up the
+roadway. We were proceeding casually along one road when a
+young officer rode up to us and told us to put on speed because
+we were under fire from a German battery which daily landed one
+or two shells in that particular portion of the roadway. It is
+wonderful how obedient one becomes at times! We promptly
+proceeded to hasten! After visiting General Debeney and obtaining
+from him the necessary authorisation and an officer escort, we
+entered Rheims.
+
+The cathedral is now the home of pigeons, and as they fly in and
+out of the blackened window-frames small pieces of the stained
+glass tinkle down on to the floor. The custodian of the cathedral
+told us that during the night of terror the German wounded, lying in
+the cathedral, not realising the strength and beauty of the French
+character under adversity, feared, seeing the cathedral in flames,
+that the populace might wreak vengeance on them, and that it was
+exceedingly difficult to get them to leave the cathedral. Many of the
+prisoners fled into corners and hid, and some of them even
+penetrated into the palace of the Archbishop, which was in flames.
+All the world knows and admires the bravery of the cure of the
+cathedral, M. Landrieux, who took upon himself the defence of the
+prisoners, for fear insults might be hurled at them. He knowingly
+risked his life, but when, next day, some of his confreres
+endeavoured to praise him he replied: "My friends, I never before
+realised how easy it was to die."
+
+One of the churches in the city was heavily draped in black, and I
+asked the sacristan if they had prepared for the funeral of a
+prominent citizen. He told me that they were that day bringing
+home the body of a young man of high birth of the neighbourhood,
+but that it was not for him that the church was decked in mourning.
+The draperies had hung there since August, 1914--"Since every
+son of Rheims who is brought home is as noble as the one who
+comes to-day, and alas! nearly every day brings us one of our
+children."
+
+We lunched in the hotel before the cathedral, where each shell
+hole has an ordinary white label stuck beside it with the date. The
+landlord remarked: "If you sit here long enough, and have the
+good luck to be in some safe part of the building, you may be able
+to go and stick a label on a hole yourself."
+
+After lunch we went out to the Chateau Polignac. To a stranger it
+would appear to be almost entirely destroyed, but when M. de
+Polignac visited it recently he simply remarked that it was "less
+spoilt than he had imagined." This was just one other example of
+the thousands one meets daily of the spirit of noble and peasant,
+"de ne pas s'en faire" but to keep only before them the one idea,
+Victory for France, no matter what may be the cost.
+
+We went later to call on the "75," chez elle. Madame was in a
+particularly comfortable home which had been prepared for her
+and where she was safe from the inquisitive eyes of the Taubes.
+The men of the battery were sitting round their guns, singing a
+somewhat lengthy ditty, each verse ending with a declamation and
+a description of the beauty of "la belle Suzanne." I asked them to
+whom Suzanne belonged and where the fair damsel resided. "Oh,"
+they replied, "we have no time to think of damsels called 'Suzanne'
+now. This is our Suzanne," and the speaker affectionately gave an
+extra rub with his coat sleeve to the barrel of the "75." By a
+wonderful system of trench work it is possible for the gunners, in
+case of necessity, to take refuge in the champagne vaults in the
+surrounding district, and it is in the champagne vaults that the
+children go daily to school, with their little gas masks hanging in
+bags on their arms. It appears that at first the tiny ones were
+frightened of the masks, but they soon asked, like their elders, to
+be also given a sack, and now one and all have learnt at the least
+alarm to put on their masks. There is no need to tell the children to
+hurry home. They realise that it is not wise to loiter in the streets for
+fear of the whistling shells. They are remarkably plucky, these
+small men and women of France.
+
+During one furious bombardment the children were safe in the
+vaults, but one small citizen began to cry bitterly. He was
+reproached by his comrades for cowardice, but he replied
+indignantly: "I fear nothing for myself. I am safe here, but there is
+no cellar to our house, and oh, what will happen to the little
+mother?" The teacher reassured him by telling him that his mother
+would certainly take refuge in somebody's else cellar.
+
+On leaving Rheims we passed through various small hamlets
+where the houses had been entirely destroyed, and which now
+had the appearance of native villages, as the soldiers had
+managed to place thatched roofs on any place which had any
+semblance of walls standing.
+
+At Villars Coterets the Guard Champetre sounded the "Gare a
+Vous!" Four Taubes were passing overhead, so we took refuge in
+the hotel for tea. The enemy did no damage in that particular
+village, but in the next village of Crepy-en-Valois a bomb killed one
+child and injured five women.
+
+
+
+
+At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo
+
+
+
+At his Headquarters next morning I had the honour of being
+received by Generalissimo Joffre and telling him of the admiration
+and respect which we felt for him and for the magnificent fighting
+spirit of the troops under his able command. He replied modestly
+by speaking of the British army. He referred to the offensive on the
+Somme, and said, "You may well be proud of your young soldiers;
+they are excellent soldiers, much superior to the Germans in every
+way, a most admirable infantry; they attack the Germans hand to
+hand with grenades or with the bayonet and push them back
+everywhere; the Germans have been absolutely stupefied to find
+such troops before them." The General then paid a tribute to the
+Canadian and Australian troops and told me that that day the
+Australians had taken new territory, adding, "And not only have
+they taken it, but, like their British and Canadian brothers, what
+they take they will hold."
+
+I explained to General Joffre that, whilst I was not collecting
+autographs, I had with me the menu of the dinner in the Citadel at
+Verdun and that it would give me great pleasure to have his name
+added to the signatures already on that menu. All the signatures
+were on one side, so I turned the menu over in order to offer him a
+clear space, but he turned it back again, saying, "Please let me
+sign on this side. I find myself in good company with the defenders
+of Verdun."
+
+At departing he said to me, "We may all be happy now since
+certainly we are on the right side of the hill." ("Nous sommes sur la
+bonne pente.")
+
+In case this little story should fall into the hands of any woman who
+has spent her time working for the men at the Front, I would like to
+tell her the great pleasure it is to them to receive parcels, no matter
+what they contain. Fraternity and Equality reign supreme in the
+trenches, and the man counts himself happy who receives a little
+more than the others, since he has the joy and the pleasure of
+sharing his store of good things with his comrades. There is
+seldom a request made to the French behind the lines that they do
+not attempt to fulfil. I remember last winter, passing through a town
+in the provinces, I noticed that the elderly men appeared to be
+scantily clad in spite of the bitterness of the weather. It appeared
+that the call had gone forth for fur coats for the troops, and all the
+worthy citizens of the town forwarded to the trenches their caracul
+coats. Only those who are well acquainted with French provincial
+life can know what it means to them to part with these signs of
+opulence and commercial success.
+
+It is perhaps in the Post Offices that you find yourself nearest to
+the heart of "France behind the lines."
+
+One morning I endeavoured to send a parcel to a French soldier. I
+took my place in a long line of waiting women bound on the same
+errand. A white-haired woman before me gave the Post Office
+Clerk infinite trouble. They are not renowned for their patience and
+I marvelled at his gentleness until he explained. "Her son died five
+weeks ago, but she still continues to send him parcels."
+
+To another old lady he pointed out that she had written two
+numbers on the parcel. "You don't want two numbers, Mother.
+Which is your boy's number? Tell me and I will strike out the
+other." "Leave them both," she answered. "Who knows whether
+my dear lad will be there to receive the parcel. If he is not, I want it
+to go to some other Mother's son."
+
+Affection means much to these men who are suffering, and they
+respond at once to any sympathy shown to them. One man informed
+us with pride that when he left his native village he was "decked
+like an altar of the Blessed Virgin on the first of May." In
+other words, covered with flowers.
+
+There are but few lonely soldiers now, since those who have no
+families to write to them receive letters and parcels from the
+Godmothers who have adopted them. The men anxiously await
+the news of their adopted relatives and spend hours writing replies.
+They love to receive letters, but, needless to say, a parcel is even
+more welcome.
+
+I remember seeing one man writing page after page. I suggested
+to him that he must have a particularly charming Godmother.
+"Mademoiselle," he replied, "I have no time for a Godmother since
+I myself am a Godfather." He then explained that far away in his
+village there was a young assistant in his shop, "And God knows
+the boy loves France, but both his lungs are touched, so they
+won't take him, but I write and tell him that the good God has given
+me strength for two, that I fight for him and for myself, and that we
+are both doing well for France." I went back in imagination to the
+village. I could see the glint in the boy's eyes, realised how the
+blood pulsed quicker through his veins at the sight of, not the
+personal pronoun "I" in the singular, but the plural "We are doing
+well for France." For one glorious moment he was part of the hosts
+of France and in spirit serving his Motherland. It is that spirit of the
+French nation that their enemies will never understand.
+
+On one occasion a young German officer, covered with mud from
+head to foot, was brought before one of the French Generals. He
+had been taken fighting cleanly, and the General was anxious to
+show him kindness. He asked him if he would not prefer to cleanse
+himself before examination. The young German drew himself up
+and replied: "Look at me, General. I am covered from head to foot
+with mud, and that mud is the soil of France--you will never
+possess as much soil in Germany." The General turned to him
+with that gentle courtesy which marks the higher commands in
+France and answered: "Monsieur, we may never possess as
+much soil in Germany, but there is something that you will never
+possess, and, until you conquer it, you cannot vanquish France,
+and that is the spirit of the French people."
+
+The French find it difficult to understand the arrogance which
+appears ingrained in the German character and which existed
+before the War.
+
+I read once that in the guests' book of a French hotel a Teutonic
+visitor wrote:
+
+"L'AIlemagne est la premiere nation du monde."
+
+The next French visitor merely added:
+
+"Yes, 'Allemagne is the first country of the world' if we take them in
+alphabetical order."
+
+
+
+
+To The Glory Of The Women Of France
+
+
+
+I left the war zone with an increased respect, if this were possible,
+for the men of France. They have altered their uniforms, but the
+spirit is unchanged. They are no longer in the red and blue of the
+old days, but in shades of green, grey and blue, colours blending
+to form one mighty ocean--wave on wave of patriotism--beating
+against and wearing down the rocks of military preparedness of
+forty years, and as no man has yet been able to say to the Ocean
+stop, so no man shall cry "Halt" to the Armies of France.
+
+I have spoken much of the men of France, but the women have
+also earned our respect--those splendid peasant women, who
+even in times of peace worked, and now carry a double burden on
+their shoulders--the middle-class women, endeavouring to keep
+together the little business built up by the man with years of toil,
+stinting themselves to save five francs to send a parcel to the man
+at the Front that he may not suspect that there is not still every
+comfort in the little homestead--the noble women of France, who in
+past years could not be seen before noon, since my lady was at
+her toilette, and who can be seen now, their hands scratched and
+bleeding, kneeling on the floors of the hospitals scrubbing, proud
+and happy to take their part in national service. The men owe
+much of their courage to the attitude of the women who stand
+behind them, turning their tears to smiles to urge their men to even
+greater deeds of heroism.
+
+In one of our hospitals was a young lad of seventeen who had
+managed to enlist as an "engage volontaire" by lying as to his age.
+His old Mother came to visit him, and she told me he was the last
+of her three sons; the two elder ones had died the first week of the
+war at Pont Mousson, and her little home had been burned to the
+ground. The boy had spent his time inventing new and terrible
+methods of dealing with the enemy, but with his Mother he
+became a child again and tenderly patted the old face. Seeing the
+lad in his Mother's arms, and forgetting for one moment the spirit
+of the French nation, I asked her if she would not be glad if her boy
+was so wounded that she might take him home. She was only an
+old peasant woman, but her eyes flashed, her cheeks flushed with
+anger and turning to me she said, "Mademoiselle, how dare you
+say such a thing to me? If all the Mothers, Wives and Sweethearts
+thought as you, what would happen to the country? Gustave has
+only one thing to do, get well quickly and fight for Mother France."
+
+Because these women of France have sent their men forth to die,
+eyes dry, with stiff lips and head erect, do not think that they do not
+mourn for them. When night casts her kindly mantle of darkness
+over all, when they are hidden from the eyes of the world, it is then
+that the proud heads droop and are bent upon their arms, as the
+women cry out in the bitterness of their souls for the men who
+have gone from them. Yet they realise that behind them stands the
+greatest Mother of all, Mother France, who sees coming towards
+her, from her frontiers, line on line of ambulances with their burden
+of suffering humanity, yet watches along other routes her sons
+going forth in thousands, laughter in their eyes, songs on their lips,
+ready and willing to die for her. France draws around her her
+tattered and bloodstained robe, yet what matters the outer
+raiment? Behind it shines forth her glorious, exultant soul, and she
+lifts up her head rejoicing and proclaims to the world that when she
+appealed man, woman, and child--the whole of the French nation--
+answered to her call.
+
+*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11679 ***
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+  <head>
+    <title>
+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of The White Road to Verdun, by Kathleen Burke
+    </title>
+    <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve">
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+  </head>
+  <body>
+<div>*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11679 ***</div>
+    <h1>
+      The Project Gutenberg eBook, The White Road to Verdun, by Kathleen Burke
+    </h1>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br />
+    </p>
+    <h3>
+      E-text prepared by A. Langley
+    </h3>
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br />
+    </p>
+    <hr />
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br /> <br /> THE&nbsp; WHITE&nbsp; ROAD<br /> TO&nbsp; VERDUN
+    </p>
+    <h1>
+      By Kathleen Burke
+    </h1>
+    <h3>
+      Knight of St. Sava, Serbia<br /> Officier de l'Instruction Publique, France
+    </h3>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      This Little Book Is Respectfully And Affectionately Dedicated<br /> To
+      Madame Jusserand Ambassadrice de France in Washington<br /> and to<br />
+      Monsieur Gaston Liebert, Consul General de France,<br /> Dr. C. O.
+      Mailloux,<br /> And to all my good friends in the United States and Canada,<br />
+      whose sympathy and encouragement have helped me so much in my work.<br />
+      <br /> VIVE LA FRANCE
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad000a.jpg" width="328" height="500" />
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoadtoVerdun001.jpg" width="307"
+      height="500" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Contents</strong>
+    </p>
+    <h3>
+      CONTENTS
+    </h3>
+    <table>
+      <tr>
+        <td align="right">
+          Chapter&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td></td>
+        <td align="right">
+          I.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#1">The True Philosophers</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          II.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#2">The Bridge At Meaux</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          III.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#3">Recruiting Rat-Catchers</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          IV.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#4">A Gun Carriage An Altar</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          V.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#5">Life Behind The Lines</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          VI.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#6">Devotion To Animals</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          VII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#7">Hunting For Generals</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          VIII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#8">An Instance Of Quick Wit</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          IX.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#9">At The Headquarters Of General Petain</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          X.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#10">A Meeting With &quot;Forain&quot;</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XI.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#11">Value Of Women's Work</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#12">The &quot;Movies&quot; Under Fire</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XIII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#13">A Subterranean City</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XIV.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#14">Poilu And Tommy</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XV.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#15">Abbreviated French</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XVI.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#16">The Brown And Black Sons Of France</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XVII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#17">At General Nivelle's Headquarters</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XVIII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#18">Rheims</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XIX.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#19">At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XX.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#20">To The Glory Of The Women Of France</a>
+        </td>
+      </tr>
+    </table>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad001.jpg" width="356" height="600" /><img
+      alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad004.jpg" width="435" height="600" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="1"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>The True Philosophers</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We left Paris determined to undertake the journey to the Front in the true
+      spirit of the French Poilu, and, no matter what happened, &quot;de ne pas
+      s'en faire.&quot; This famous &quot;motto&quot; of the French Army is
+      probably derived from one of two slang sentences, de ne pas se faire des
+      cheveux (&quot;to keep one's hair on,&quot;) or de ne pas se faire de la
+      bile, or, in other words, not to upset one's digestion by unnecessary
+      worrying. The phrase is typical of the mentality of the Poilu, who accepts
+      anything and everything that may happen, whether it be merely slight
+      physical discomfort, or intense suffering, as part of the willing
+      sacrifice which he made on the day that, leaving his homestead and his
+      daily occupation, he took up arms &quot;offering his body as a shield to
+      defend the heart of France.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Everything might be worse than it is, says the Poilu, and so he has
+      composed a Litany. Every regiment has a different version, but always with
+      the same basis.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &quot;Of two things one is certain: Either you're mobilised or you're not
+      mobilised. If you're not mobilised, there is no need to worry; if you are
+      mobilised, of two things one is certain: Either you're behind the lines or
+      you're on the Front. If you're behind the lines there is no need to worry;
+      if you're on the Front, of two things one is certain: Either you're
+      resting in a safe place or you're exposed to danger. If you're resting in
+      a safe place there is no need to worry; if you're exposed to danger, of
+      two things one is certain: Either you're wounded or you're not wounded. If
+      you're not wounded, there is no need to worry; if you are wounded, of two
+      things one is certain: Either you're wounded seriously or you're wounded
+      slightly. If you're wounded slightly there is no need to worry; if you're
+      wounded seriously, of two things one is certain: Either you recover or you
+      die. If you recover there is no need to worry; if you die you can't worry.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      When once past the &quot;Wall of China,&quot; as the French authorities
+      call the difficult approaches to the war zone, Meaux was the first town of
+      importance at which we stopped. We had an opportunity to sample the army
+      bread, as the driver of a passing bread wagon flung a large round loaf
+      into our motor.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      According to all accounts received from the French soldiers who are in the
+      prison camps of Germany, one of the greatest hardships is the lack of
+      white bread, and they have employed various subterfuges in the endeavour
+      to let their relatives know that they wish to have bread sent to them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Some of the Bretons writing home nickname bread &quot;Monsieur Barras,&quot;
+      and when there was a very great shortage they would write to their
+      families: &quot;Ce pauvre Monsieur Barras ne se porte pas tres bien a
+      present.&quot; (M. Barras is not very well at present.) Finally the
+      Germans discovered the real significance of M. Barras and they added to
+      one of the letters: &quot;Si M. Barras ne se porte pas tres bien a present
+      c'est bien la faute de vos amis les Anglais.&quot; (If M. Barras is not
+      well at present, it is the fault of your friends the English.) And from
+      then all the letters referring to M. Barras were strictly suppressed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      While the German Press may not be above admitting a shortage of food in
+      Germany, it seriously annoys the Army that the French prisoners or the
+      French in the invaded regions should hear of it. I heard one story of the
+      wife of a French officer in Lille, who was obliged to offer unwilling
+      hospitality to a German Captain, who, in a somewhat clumsy endeavour to be
+      amiable, offered to try to get news of her husband and to convey it to
+      her. Appreciating the seeming friendliness, of the Captain, she confided
+      to him that she had means of communicating with her husband who was on the
+      French Front. The Captain informed against her and the next day she was
+      sent for by the Kommandantur, who imposed a fine of fifty francs upon her
+      for having received a letter from the enemy lines. Taking a one hundred
+      franc note from her bag she placed it on the desk, saying, &quot;M. le
+      Kommandantur, here is the fifty francs fine, and also another fifty francs
+      which I am glad to subscribe for the starving women and children in
+      Berlin.&quot; &quot;No one starves in Berlin,&quot; replied the
+      Kommandantur. &quot;Oh, yes, they do,&quot; replied Madame X., &quot;I
+      know because the Captain who so kindly informed you that I had received a
+      letter from my husband showed me a letter the other day from his wife in
+      which she spoke of the sad condition of the women and children of Germany,
+      who, whilst not starving, were far from happy.&quot; Thus she not only had
+      the pleasure of seriously annoying the Kommandantur, but also had a chance
+      to get even with the Captain who had informed against her, and who is no
+      longer in soft quarters in Lille, but paying the penalty of his
+      indiscretion by a sojourn on the Yser.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad002.jpg" width="600" height="554" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="2"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>The Bridge At Meaux</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The Bridge at Meaux, destroyed in the course of the German retreat, has
+      not yet been entirely repaired. Beneath it rushes the Marne and the river
+      sings in triumph, as it passes, that it is carrying away the soil that has
+      been desecrated by the steps of the invader, and that day by day it is
+      washing clean the land of France.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the fields where the corn is standing, the tiny crosses marking the
+      last resting places of the men are entirely hidden, but where the grain
+      has been gathered the graves, stand out distinctly marked not only by a
+      cross, but also by the tall bunches of corn which have been left growing
+      on these small patches of holy ground. It has always been said that France
+      has two harvests each year. Certainly in the fields of the Marne there is
+      not only the harvest of bread; there is also springing up the harvest of
+      security and peace.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The peasants as they point out the graves always add: &quot;We of the
+      people know that those men sacrificed their lives that our children might
+      live. Those who have died in vain for an unjust cause may well envy the
+      men of France who have poured out their blood for the benefit of humanity.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Looking on the crosses on the battlefield of the Marne, I realised to the
+      fullest extent the sacrifices, borne with such bravery, of the women of
+      France. I thought of the picture I had seen in Paris of a group of mothers
+      standing at the foot of Calvary, looking out over the fields of small
+      black crosses, lifting their hands to Heaven, with the words: &quot;We
+      also, God, have given our sons for the peace of the world.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At Montmirail the real activity of the war zone first became apparent. We
+      drew the car to the side of the road and waited whilst a long procession
+      of empty munition wagons passed on the way back from the munition parks
+      near the fighting line. There was a smile on the face of every one of the
+      drivers. Each of them had the satisfaction of knowing that there was no
+      chance of his returning with an empty wagon, as there is no lack of
+      provisions to feed the hungriest of the &quot;75's&quot; or any of her
+      larger sisters.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The fact that it is known that there is an ample supply of munitions plays
+      an important part in the &quot;morale&quot; of the troops. The average
+      Poilu has no sympathy with the man who grumbles at the number of hours he
+      may have to spend in the factory. We heard the tale of a munition worker
+      who was complaining in a cafe at having to work so hard. A Poilu who was
+      en permission, and who was sitting at the next table, turned to him
+      saying: &quot;You have no right to grumble. You receive ten to twelve
+      francs a day for making shells and we poor devils get five sous a day for
+      stopping them!&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="3"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Recruiting Rat-Catchers</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We lunched in the small but hospitable village of Sezannes in company with
+      a most charming invalided officer, who informed us that he was the
+      principal in that district of the S.D.R. R.D. (Service de Recherche des
+      Rattiers) (the Principal Recruiting Officer for Rat-Catchers). In other
+      words, he is spending his time endeavouring to persuade suitable bow-wows
+      to enlist in the service of their country. Likely dogs are trained until
+      they do not bark, and become entirely accustomed to the sound of firing;
+      they are then pronounced &quot;aptes a faire campagne&quot; or &quot;fit
+      for service,&quot; receive their livret militaire, or certificates--for
+      not every chance dog is allowed in the trenches--and are despatched to the
+      trenches on a rat-hunting campaign.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At the commencement of the .War, dogs were not utilized to the extent they
+      are at present. A large number are now with the French Army and the
+      wonderful training they have received, aided by their natural sagacity,
+      renders them a holy terror to prowling bodies and spies. Those employed in
+      carrying messages or tobacco to the soldiers in dangerous trenches now
+      wear gas masks, as many of these high trained animals have been lost in
+      consequence of too closely investigating the strange odour caused by this
+      Hun war method.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From Sezannes we proceeded direct to the new camp for German prisoners at
+      Connantre. The prisoners were mostly men who had been taken in the recent
+      fighting on the Somme or around Verdun. The camp was already excellently
+      installed and the prisoners were busy in groups gardening, making bread,
+      or sitting before great heaps of potatoes preparing them for the evening
+      meal. In one corner the inevitable German Band was preparing for an
+      evening concert. The German sense of order was everywhere in evidence. In
+      the long barracks where the men slept the beds were tidy, and above each
+      bed was a small shelf, each shelf arranged in exactly the same order, the
+      principal ornaments being a mug, fork and spoon; and just as each bed
+      resembled each other bed, so the fork and spoon were placed in their
+      respective mugs at exactly the same angle. There were small partitioned
+      apartments for the non- commissioned officers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The French Commander of the camp told us that the German love of holding
+      some form of office was everywhere apparent. The French made no attempt to
+      command the prisoners themselves, but always chose men from amongst the
+      prisoners who were placed in authority over their comrades. The prisoners
+      rejoiced exceedingly and promptly increased in self-importance and, alas,
+      decreased in manners, if they were given the smallest position which
+      raised them above the level of the rest of the men.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the barrack where they were cutting up bread for the prisoners, we
+      asked the men if they deeply regretted their captivity. They replied
+      unanimously that they were &quot;rather glad to be well fed,&quot; which
+      seemed an answer in itself. They did not, however, appreciate the white
+      bread, and stated that they preferred their own black bread. The French
+      officers commanding the camp treat the prisoners as naughty children who
+      must be &quot;kept in the corner&quot; and punished for their own good. In
+      all my travels through France I have never seen any bitterness shown
+      towards the prisoners. I remember once at Nevers we passed a group of
+      German prisoners, and amongst them was a wounded man who was lying in a
+      small cart. A hand bag had fallen across his leg, and none of his comrades
+      attempted to remove it. A French woman pushing her way between the guards,
+      lifted it off and gave it to one of the Germans to carry. When the guards
+      tried to remonstrate she replied simply: &quot;J'ai un fils prisonnier la
+      bas, faut esperer qu'une allemande ferait autant pour lui.&quot; (&quot;I
+      have a son who is a prisoner in their land; let us hope that some German
+      woman would do as much for him.&quot;)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On the battlefields the kindness of the French medical men to the German
+      wounded has always been conspicuous. One of my neutral friends passing
+      through Germany heard from one of the prominent German surgeons that they
+      were well aware of this fact, and knew that their wounded received every
+      attention. There is a story known throughout France of a French doctor who
+      was attending a wounded German on the battlefield. The man, who was
+      probably half delirious, snatched at a revolver which was lying near by
+      and attempted to shoot the doctor. The doctor took the revolver from him,
+      patted him on the head, and said: &quot;Voyons, voyons, ne faites pas
+      l'enfant&quot; (&quot;Now then, now then, don't be childish&quot;) and
+      went on dressing his wounds.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Everywhere you hear accounts of brotherly love and religious tolerance. I
+      remember kneeling once by the side of a dying French soldier who was
+      tenderly supported in the arms of a famous young Mohammedan surgeon, an
+      Egyptian who had taken his degree in Edinburgh and was now attached to the
+      French Red Cross. The man's mind was wandering, and seeing a woman beside
+      him he commenced to talk to me as to his betrothed. &quot;This war cannot
+      last always, little one, and when it is over we will buy a pig and a cow
+      and we will go to the cure, won't we, beloved?&quot; Then in a lucid
+      moment he realised that he was dying, and he commenced to pray, &quot;Ave
+      Maria, Ave Maria,&quot; but the poor tired brain could remember nothing
+      more. He turned to me to continue, but I could no longer trust myself to
+      speak, and it was the Mohammedan who took up the prayer and continued it
+      whilst the soldier followed with his lips until his soul passed away into
+      the valley of shadows. I think this story is only equalled in its broad
+      tolerance by that of the Rabbi Bloch of Lyons, who was shot at the battle
+      of the Aisne whilst holding a crucifix to the lips of a dying Christian
+      soldier. The soldier priests of France have earned the love and respect of
+      even the most irreligious of the Poilus. They never hesitate to risk their
+      lives, and have displayed sublime courage and devotion to their duty as
+      priests and as soldiers. Behind the first line of trenches a soldier
+      priest called suddenly to attend a dying comrade, took a small dog he was
+      nursing and handing it to one of the men simply remarked, &quot;Take care
+      of the little beast for me, I am going to a dangerous corner and I do not
+      want it killed.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="4"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>A Gun Carriage An Altar</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I have seen the Mass celebrated on a gun carriage. Vases made of shell
+      cases were filled with flowers that the men had risked their lives to
+      gather in order to deck the improvised altar. A Red Cross ambulance drove
+      up and stopped near by. The wounded begged to be taken out on their
+      stretchers and laid at the foot of the altar in order that &quot;they
+      might receive the blessing of the good God&quot; before starting on the
+      long journey to the hospital behind the lines.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Outside the prison camp of Cannantre stood a circle of French soldiers
+      learning the bugle calls for the French Army. I wondered how the Germans
+      cared to listen to the martial music of the men of France, one and all so
+      sure of the ultimate victory of their country. Half a kilometre further
+      on, a series of mock trenches had been made where the men were practising
+      the throwing of hand grenades. Every available inch of space behind the
+      French lines is made to serve some useful purpose.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I never see a hand grenade without thinking how difficult it is just now
+      to be a hero in France. Every man is really a hero, and the men who have
+      medals are almost ashamed since they know that nearly all their comrades
+      merit them. It is especially difficult to be a hero in one's own family.
+      One of the men in our hospital at Royaumont had been in the trenches
+      during an attack. A grenade thrown by one of the French soldiers struck
+      the parapet and rebounded amongst the men. With that rapidity of thought
+      which is part of the French character, Jules sat on the grenade and
+      extinguished it. For this act of bravery he was decorated by the French
+      Government and wrote home to tell his wife. I found him sitting up in bed,
+      gloomily reading her reply, and I enquired why he looked so glum. &quot;Well,
+      Mademoiselle,&quot; he replied, &quot;I wrote to my wife to tell her of my
+      new honour and see what she says: 'My dear Jules, We are not surprised you
+      got a medal for sitting on a hand grenade; we have never known you to do
+      anything else but sit down at home!!!'&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was at Fere Champenoise that we passed through the first village which
+      had been entirely destroyed by the retreating Germans. Only half the
+      church was standing, but services are still held there every Sunday. Very
+      little attempt has been made to rebuild the ruined houses. Were I one of
+      the villagers I would prefer to raze to the ground all that remained of
+      the desecrated homesteads and build afresh new dwellings; happy in the
+      knowledge that with the victory of the Allies would start a period of
+      absolute security, prosperity and peace.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="5"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Life Behind The Lines</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Soon after leaving Mailly we had the privilege of beholding some of the
+      four hundred centimetre guns of France, all prepared and ready to travel
+      at a minute's notice along the railway lines to the section where they
+      might be needed. Some idea of their size may be obtained from the fact
+      that there were ten axles to the base on which they travel. They were all
+      disguised by the system of camouflage employed by the French Army, and at
+      a very short distance they blend with the landscape and become almost
+      invisible. Each gun bears a different name, &quot;Alsace,&quot; &quot;Lorraine,&quot;
+      etc., and with that strange irony and cynical wit of the French trooper,
+      at the request of the men of one battery, one huge gun has been christened
+      &quot;Mosquito,&quot; &quot;Because it stings.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The French often use a bitter and biting humour in speaking of the enemy.
+      For instance, amongst the many pets of the men, the strangest I saw was a
+      small hawk sitting on the wrist of a soldier who had trained him. The bird
+      was the personification of evil. If any one approached he snapped at them
+      and endeavoured to bite them. I asked the man why he kept him, and he
+      replied that they had quite good sport in the trenches when they allowed
+      the hawk to hunt small birds and field mice. Then his expression changing
+      from jovial good humour to grimness, he added, &quot;You know, I call him
+      'Zepp,' because he kills the little ones,&quot; (parcequ'il tue les tous
+      petits.)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad003.jpg" width="600" height="541" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="6"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Devotion To Animals</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In one small cantonment where two hundred Poilus sang, shouted, ate, drank
+      and danced together to the strain of a wheezy gramophone, or in one word
+      were &quot;resting,&quot; I started to investigate the various kinds of
+      pets owned by the troopers. Cats, dogs and monkeys were common, whilst one
+      Poilu was the proud possessor of a parrot which he had purchased from a
+      refugee obliged to fly from his home. He hastened to assure us that the
+      bird had learned his &quot;vocabulary&quot; from his former proprietor. A
+      study in black and white was a group of three or four white mice, nestling
+      against the neck of a Senegalais.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The English Tommy is quite as devoted to animals as is his French brother.
+      I remember crossing one bitter February day from Boulogne to Folkestone.
+      Alongside the boat, on the quay at Boulogne, were lined up the men who had
+      been granted leave. Arrayed in their shaggy fur coats they resembled
+      little the smart British soldier of peace times. It was really wonderful
+      how much the men managed to conceal under those fur coats, or else the eye
+      of the officer inspecting them was intentionally not too keen.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Up the gangway trooped the men, and I noticed that two of them walked
+      slowly and cautiously. The boat safely out of harbour, one of them
+      produced from his chest a large tabby cat, whilst the other placed a fine
+      cock on the deck. It was a cock with the true Gallic spirit, before the
+      cat had time to consider the situation it had sprung on its back. The cat
+      beat a hasty retreat into the arms of its protector who replaced it under
+      his coat. Once in safety it stuck out its head and swore at the cock,
+      which, perched on a coil of rope, crowed victoriously. Both had been the
+      companions of the men in the trenches, and they were bringing them home.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A soldier standing near me began to grumble because he had not been able
+      to bring his pet with him. I enquired why he had left it behind since the
+      others had brought theirs away with them, and elicited the information
+      that his pet was &quot;a cow, and therefore somewhat difficult to
+      transport.&quot; He seemed rather hurt that I should laugh, and assured me
+      it was &quot;a noble animal, brown with white spots, and had given himself
+      and his comrades two quarts of milk a day.&quot; He looked disdainfully at
+      the cock and cat. &quot;They could have left them behind and no one would
+      have pinched them, whereas I know I'll never see 'Sarah' again, she was
+      far too useful.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Entering Vitry-le-Francois we had a splendid example of the typical &quot;motto&quot;
+      of the French trooper, &quot;II ne faut pas s'en faire&quot; One of the
+      motor cars had broken down, and the officer-occupants, who were evidently
+      not on an urgent mission, had gone to sleep on the banks by the side of
+      the road whilst the chauffeur was making the necessary repairs. We offered
+      him assistance, but he was progressing quite well alone. Later on another
+      officer related to me his experience when his car broke down at midnight
+      some twelve miles from a village. The chauffeur was making slow headway
+      with the repairs. The officer enquired whether he really understood the
+      job, and received the reply, &quot;Yes, mon Lieutenant, I think I do, but
+      I am rather a novice, as before the war I was a lion-tamer!&quot;
+      Apparently the gallant son of Gaul found it easier to tame lions than to
+      repair motors.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad005.jpg" width="600" height="582" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="7"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Hunting For Generals</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We left Vitry-le-Francois at six o'clock next morning, and started &quot;the
+      hunt for Generals.&quot; It is by no means easy to discover where the
+      actual Headquarters of the General of any particular sector is situated.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We were not yet really on the &quot;White Road&quot; to Verdun, and there
+      was still much to be seen that delighted the eyes. In one yellow cornfield
+      there appeared to be enormous poppies. On approaching we discovered a
+      detachment of Tirailleurs from Algiers, sitting in groups, and the &quot;poppies&quot;
+      were the red fezes of the men--a gorgeous blending of crimson and gold. We
+      threw a large box of cigarettes to them and were greeted with shouts of
+      joy and thanks. The Tirailleurs are the enfants terribles of the French
+      Army. One noble son of Africa who was being treated in one of the
+      hospitals once presented me with an aluminium ring made from a piece of
+      German shell. I asked him to make one for one of my comrades who was
+      working at home, and he informed me that nothing would have given greater
+      pleasure, but unfortunately he had no more aluminium. Later in the day,
+      passing through the ward, I saw him surrounded by five or six Parisian
+      ladies who were showering sweets, cigarettes and flowers on him, whilst he
+      was responding by presenting each of them with an aluminium ring. When
+      they had left I went to him and told him &quot;Mahmud, that was not kind.
+      I asked you for a ring and you said you had not got any more aluminium.&quot;
+      He smiled and his nurse, who was passing, added, &quot;No, he had not got
+      any more aluminium, but when he is better he will get forty-eight hours'
+      punishment; he has been into the kitchen, stolen one of our best aluminium
+      saucepans, and has been making souvenirs for the ladies.&quot; He made no
+      attempt to justify his action beyond stating: &quot;Moi, pas si mauvais,
+      toi pas faux souvenir&quot; (&quot;I am not so bad, I did not try to give
+      you a fake souvenir&quot;).
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Another of our chocolate coloured patients found in the grounds of the
+      hospital an old umbrella. Its ribs stuck out and it was full of holes, but
+      it gave him the idea of royalty and daily he sat up in bed in the ward
+      with the umbrella unfurled whilst he laid down the law to his comrades.
+      The nurses endeavoured to persuade him to hand it over at night. He
+      obstinately refused, insisting that &quot;he knew his comrades,&quot; and
+      he feared that one of them would certainly steal the treasure, so he
+      preferred to keep it in the bed with him.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At Villers-le-Sec we came upon the headquarters of the cooks for that
+      section of the Front. The cook is one of the most important men in a
+      French regiment; he serves many ends. When carrying the food through the
+      communicating trenches to the front line trenches he is always supposed to
+      bring to the men the latest news, the latest tale which is going the round
+      of the camp, and anything that may happen to interest them. If he has not
+      got any news he must manufacture and produce some kind of story. It is
+      really necessary for him to be not only a cook but also an author.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      There is a tale going the round of the French Army how one section of the
+      Cooks, although unarmed, managed to take some twenty German prisoners. As
+      they went on their way, they saw the Germans in the distance approaching
+      them; the Head Cook quietly drew the field kitchens behind a clump of
+      trees and bushes, placed his men in a row, each with a cooking utensil in
+      his hand, and as the Germans passed shouted to them to surrender. The sun
+      fell on the handles of the saucepans, causing them to shine like bayonets,
+      and the Germans, taken unawares, laid down their arms. The Head Cook then
+      stepped out and one by one took the rifles from the enemy and handed them
+      to his men. It was only when he had disarmed the Germans and armed his
+      comrades that he gave the signal for them to step out, and the Germans saw
+      that they had been taken by a ruse. One can imagine the joy of the French
+      troops in the next village when, with a soup ladle in his hand, his
+      assistants armed with German rifles, followed by the soup kitchen and
+      twenty prisoners--he marched in to report.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="8"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>An Instance Of Quick Wit</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It is curious how near humour is to tragedy in war, how quick wit may
+      serve a useful purpose, and even save life. A young French medical student
+      told me that he owed his life to the quick wit of the women of a village
+      and the sense of humour of a Saxon officer. Whilst passing from one
+      hospital to another he was captured by a small German patrol, and in spite
+      of his papers proving that he was attached to the Red Cross Service, he
+      was tried as a spy and condemned to be shot. At the opening of his trial
+      the women had been interested spectators, towards the end all of them had
+      vanished. He was placed against a barn door, the firing squad lined up,
+      when from behind the hedge bordering a wood, the women began to bombard
+      the soldiers with eggs. The aim was excellent, not one man escaped; the
+      German officer laughed at the plight of his men and, in the brief respite
+      accorded, the young man dashed towards the hedge and vanished in the
+      undergrowth. The Germans fired a few shots but there was no organised
+      attempt to follow him, probably because their own position was not too
+      secure. He was loth to leave the women to face the music, but they
+      insisted that it was pour la patrie and that they were quite capable of
+      taking care of themselves. Later he again visited the village and the
+      women told him that beyond obliging them to clean the soldiers' clothes
+      thoroughly, the German officer had inflicted no other punishment upon
+      them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A certain number of inhabitants are still living in the village of
+      Revigny. You see everywhere placards announcing &quot;Caves pour 25,&quot;
+      &quot;Caves pour 100,&quot; and each person knows to which cellar he is to
+      go if a Taube should start bombing the village. I saw one cellar marked
+      &quot;120 persons, specially safe, reserved for the children.&quot;
+      Children are one of the most valuable assets of France, and a good old
+      Territorial &quot;Pe-Pere&quot; (Daddy), as they are nicknamed, told me
+      that it was his special but difficult duty to muster the children directly
+      a Taube was signalled and chase them down into the cellar. Mopping his
+      brow he assured me that it was not easy to catch the little beggars, who
+      hid in the ruins, behind the army wagons, anywhere to escape the &quot;parental&quot;
+      eye, even standing in rain barrels up to their necks in water. It is
+      needless to add they consider it a grave infringement of their personal
+      liberty and think that they should be allowed to remain in the open and
+      see all that goes on, just as the little Londoners beg and coax to be
+      allowed to stay up &quot;to see the Zepps.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Passing the railway station we stopped to make some enquiries, and
+      promptly ascertained all we wished to know from the Chef de Gare. In the
+      days of peace there is in France no one more officious than the station
+      master of a small but prosperous village. Now he is the meekest of men.
+      Braided cap in hand he goes along the train from carriage door to carriage
+      door humbly requesting newspapers for the wounded in the local hospitals:
+      &quot;Nous avons cent vingt cinq blesses ici, cela les fait tant de
+      plaisir d'avoir des nouvelles.&quot; (We have 125 wounded here and they
+      love to hear the news.)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In addition to levying a toll on printed matter, he casts a covetous and
+      meaning glance on any fruit or chocolate that may be visible. Before the
+      train is out of the station, you can see the once busy, and in his own
+      opinion, all-important railway official, vanishing down the road to carry
+      his spoils to his suffering comrades. Railway travelling is indeed
+      expensive in France. No matter what time of day or night, wet or fine, the
+      trains are met at each station by devoted women who extract contributions
+      for the Red Cross Funds from the pockets of willing givers. It is only
+      fair to state, however, that in most instances the station master gets
+      there first.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="9"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>At The Headquarters Of General Petain</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From the time we left Revigny until we had passed into the Champagne
+      country, upon the return journey from Verdun, we no longer saw a green
+      tree or a blade of green grass; we were now indeed upon the &quot;White
+      Road which leads unto Verdun.&quot; Owing to an exceptionally trying and
+      dry summer the roads are thick with white dust. The continual passing of
+      the camions, the splendid transport wagons of the French Army, carrying
+      either food, munitions, or troops, has stirred up the dust and coated the
+      fields, trees and hedges with a thick layer of white. It is almost as
+      painful to the eyes as the snow-fields of the Alps.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I saw one horse that looked exactly like a plaster statuette. His master
+      had scrubbed him down, but before he dried the white dust had settled on
+      him everywhere. Naturally humans do not escape. By the time our party
+      reached the Headquarters of General Petain we had joined the White
+      Brigade. I excused myself to the General, who smilingly replied: &quot;Why
+      complain, Mademoiselle, you are charming; your hair is powdered like that
+      of a Marquise.&quot; The contrast with what had been a black fur cap on
+      what was now perfectly white hair justified his compliment. I have never
+      been renowned in my life for fear of any individual, but I must admit that
+      I passed into the presence of General Petain with a great deal of respect
+      amounting almost to awe. The defence of Verdun through the bitter months
+      of February and March by General Petain, a defence which is now under the
+      immediate control of his able lieutenants General Nivelle and General
+      Dubois, has earned the respect and admiration of the whole world. It is
+      impossible not to feel the deepest admiration for these men who have
+      earned such undying glory, not only for themselves, but for their
+      Motherland.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      No one could have been more gracious and kind than General Petain, and in
+      his presence one realised the strength and power of France. Throughout all
+      the French Headquarters one is impressed by the perfect calm; no
+      excitement; everything perfectly organised.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      General Petain asked me at once to tell him what I desired. I asked his
+      permission to go to Rheims. He at once took up a paper which permitted me
+      to enter the war zone and endorsed it with the request to General Debeney
+      in Rheims to allow me to penetrate with my companions into the city. He
+      then turned to me again and asked me, with a knowing smile, if that was
+      all I required--for his Headquarters were hardly on the direct road to
+      Rheims! I hesitated to express my real wish, when my good counsellor and
+      friend, with whom I was making the journey, the Commandant Jean de
+      Pulligny, answered for me: &quot;I feel sure it would be a great happiness
+      and honour if you would allow us, General, to go to Verdun.&quot; General
+      Petain appeared slightly surprised, and turning to me asked: &quot;Do you
+      thoroughly realise the danger? You have crossed the Atlantic and faced
+      submarines, but you will risk more in five minutes in Verdun than in
+      crossing the Atlantic a thousand times.&quot; However, seeing that I was
+      really anxious to go, and that it might be of great service to me in my
+      future work to have seen personally the defence of Verdun, he added
+      smilingly: &quot;Well then, you can go if you wish at your own risk and
+      peril.&quot; He then telephoned to General Nivelle the necessary
+      permission for us to enter Verdun.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I doubt whether General Petain realises the respect in which he is held in
+      all the civilised countries of the world. Probably he does not yet
+      understand that people would come thousands of miles to have five minutes'
+      audience with him, for he enquired if we were in any hurry to continue our
+      journey, and added with charming simplicity--&quot;Because if not, and you
+      do not mind waiting an hour, I shall be glad if you will lunch with me.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="10"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>A Meeting With "Forain"</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We lunched with General Petain and his Etat Major. A charming and most
+      interesting addition to the party was M. Forain, the famous French
+      caricaturist, and now one of the Chief Instructors of the French Army in
+      the art of camouflage--the art of making a thing look like anything in the
+      world except what it is! He has established a series of schools all along
+      the French Front, where the Poilus learn to bedeck their guns and
+      thoroughly disguise them under delicate shades of green and yellow, with
+      odd pink spots, in order to relieve the monotony. Certainly the appearance
+      of the guns of the present time would rejoice the heart and soul of the
+      &quot;Futurists.&quot; It was most interesting to hear him describe the
+      work in detail and the rapidity with which his pupils learned the new art.
+      For one real battery there are probably three or four false ones,
+      beautiful wooden guns, etc., etc., and he told us of the Poilus' new
+      version of the song &quot;Rien n'est plus beau que notre Patrie&quot; (&quot;Nothing
+      is more beautiful than our country&quot;). They now sing &quot;Rien n'est
+      plus faux que notre batterie&quot; (&quot;Nothing is more false than our
+      battery&quot;).
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was M. Forain who coined the famous phrase &quot;that there was no fear
+      for the ultimate success of the Allies, if only the civilians held out!&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I was much amused at M. Forain's statement that he had already heard that
+      a company had been formed for erecting, after the War, wooden hotels on
+      the battlefields of France for the accommodation of sightseers. Not only
+      was it certain that these hotels were to be built, but the rooms were
+      already booked in advance.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad006.jpg" width="600" height="567" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="11"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Value Of Women's Work</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was strange to find there, within the sound of the guns-- sometimes the
+      glasses on the table danced to the music although no one took any notice
+      of that--surrounded by men directing the operations of the war and of one
+      of the greatest battles in history, how little War was mentioned. Science,
+      Philosophy and the work of women were discussed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The men of France are taking deep interest in the splendid manner in which
+      the women of all the different nations are responding to the call to
+      service. I described to General Petain the work of the Scottish Women's
+      Hospitals. These magnificent hospitals are organised and staffed entirely
+      by women and started, in the first instance, by the Scottish Branch of the
+      National Union of Women's Suffrage. He was deeply interested to learn that
+      what had been before the War a political society had, with that splendid
+      spirit of patriotism which had from the first day of the war animated
+      every man, woman and child of Great Britain, drawn upon its funds and
+      founded the Hospital Units. I explained to him that it was no longer a
+      question of politics, but simply a case of serving humanity and serving it
+      to the best possible advantage. The National Union had realised that this
+      was a time for organised effort on the part of all women for the benefit
+      of the human race and the alleviation of suffering.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I spoke of the bravery of our girls in Serbia; how many of them had laid
+      down their lives during the typhus epidemic; how cheerfully they had borne
+      hardships, our doctors writing home that their tent hospitals were like
+      &quot;great white birds spreading their wings under the trees,&quot;
+      whereas really they had often been up all night hanging on to the tent
+      poles to prevent the tents collapsing over their patients.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A member of the Etat Major asked how we overcame the language difficulty.
+      I pointed out that to diagnose typhus and watch the progress of the
+      patient it was not necessary to speak to him, and that by the magic
+      language of sympathy we managed to establish some form of &quot;understanding&quot;
+      between the patients, the Doctors, and the Nurses. The members of our
+      staff were chosen as far as possible with a knowledge of French or German,
+      and it was possible to find many Serbians speaking either one of these
+      languages. We also found interpreters amongst the Austrian prisoner
+      orderlies. These prisoner orderlies had really proved useful and had done
+      their best to help us. Naturally they had their faults. One of our Lady
+      Doctors had as orderly a Viennese Professor, willing but somewhat
+      absent-minded. One morning she sent for him and asked him: &quot;Herr
+      Karl, can you tell me what was wrong with my bath water this morning?&quot;
+      &quot;I really don't know, Fraulein, but I will endeavour to find out.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Ten minutes later he returned, looking decidedly guilty and stammered out,
+      &quot;I do not know how to tell you what happened to that bath water.&quot;
+      &quot;Nonsense, it can't be very terrible,&quot; replied Doctor X. &quot;What
+      was wrong?&quot; &quot;Well, Fraulein, when I went into the camp kitchen
+      this morning there were two cauldrons there, one was your bath water, and
+      the other was the camp soup. To you, Fraulein, I brought the camp soup.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We who had worked with the Serbians had learned to respect and admire them
+      for their patriotism, courage and patient endurance. We felt that their
+      outstanding characteristic was their imagination, which, turned into the
+      proper channels and given a chance to develop, should produce for the
+      world not only famous painters and poets but also great inventors. This
+      vivid imagination is found in the highest and lowest of the land. To
+      illustrate it, I told my neighbour at table a tale related to me by my
+      good friend Dr. Popovic. &quot;Two weary, ragged Serbian soldiers were
+      sitting huddled together waiting to be ordered forward to fight. One asked
+      the other, 'Do you know how this War started, Milan? You don't. Well then
+      I'll tell you. The Sultan of Turkey sent our King Peter a sack of rice.
+      King Peter looked at the sack, smiled, then took a very small bag and went
+      into his garden and filled it with red pepper. He sent the bag of red
+      pepper to the Sultan of Turkey. Now, Milan, you can see what that meant.
+      The Sultan of Turkey said to our Peter, 'My army is as numerous as the
+      grains of rice in this sack,' and by sending a small bag of red pepper to
+      the Sultan our Peter replied, 'My Army is not very numerous, but it is
+      mighty hot stuff.'&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Many members of the Units of the Scottish Women's Hospitals who had been
+      driven out of Serbia at the time of the great invasion had asked to be
+      allowed to return to work for the Serbians, and we were now equipping
+      fresh units, entirely staffed by women, to serve with the Serbian Army,
+      besides having at the present time the medical care of six thousand
+      Serbian refugees on the island of Corsica.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      General Petain said smiling that before the war he had sometimes thought
+      of women &quot;as those who inspired the most beautiful ideas in men and
+      prevented them from carrying them out,&quot; but the war, he added, had
+      certainly proved conclusively the value of women's work.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Forain expressed the desire to visit the chief French Hospital of the
+      Scottish Women at the Abbaye de Royaumont. The General laughingly told
+      him, &quot;You do not realise how stern and devoted to duty those ladies
+      are. I wonder if you would be permitted to visit them?&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I consoled M. Forain by pointing out that surely as chief Camoufler
+      (disguiser) of the French Army, he could disguise himself as a model of
+      virtue (de se camoufler en bon garcon). Certainly this son of France, who
+      has turned his brilliant intellect and his art to the saving of men's
+      lives, would be welcome anywhere and everywhere. I hastened to assure him
+      that I was only teasing him, and added that I only teased the people I
+      admired and liked. General Petain immediately turned to the Commandant de
+      Pulligny--&quot;Please remark that she has not yet teased me.&quot; &quot;Probably
+      because she fears to do it, and has too much respect for you,&quot;
+      replied the Commandant. &quot;Fears! I do not think we need talk of that
+      just now, when she dares to go to Verdun.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Whilst at coffee after lunch the news came of the continued advance of the
+      British troops. General Petain turned to me and said, &quot;You must
+      indeed be proud in England of your new army. Please tell your English
+      people of our admiration of the magnificent effort of England. The raising
+      and equipping of your giant army in such a short time was indeed a
+      colossal task. How well it was carried out all the world now knows and we
+      are reaping the harvest.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The General's Chief of Staff added: &quot;Lord Kitchener was right when he
+      said the war would last three years&quot;--&quot;the first year
+      preparation, the second year defence, and the third year cela sera rigolo
+      (it will be huge sport).&quot; He quoted the phrase as Lord Kitchener's
+      own.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Before we left the General signed for me the menu of the lunch, pointing
+      out to me, however, that if I were at any time to show the menu to the
+      village policeman I must assure him that the hare which figured thereon
+      had been run over at night by a motor car and lost its life owing to an
+      accident, otherwise he might, he feared, be fined for killing game out of
+      season!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I shall always remember the picture of General Petain seeing us into our
+      car with his parting words, &quot;You are about to do the most dangerous
+      thing you have ever done or will ever do in your life. As for Verdun, tell
+      them in England that I am smiling and I am sure that when you see General
+      Nivelle you will find him smiling too. That is the best answer I can give
+      you as to how things are going with us at Verdun.&quot; Then with a
+      friendly wave of his hand we passed on our way.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After leaving the Headquarters of General Petain we were held up for some
+      time at a level crossing and watched the busy little train puffing along,
+      carrying towards Verdun stores, munitions and men. This level crossing had
+      been the scene of active fighting; on each side were numerous graves, and
+      the sentinels off duty were passing from one to the other picking a dead
+      leaf or drawing a branch of trailing vine over the resting places of their
+      comrades.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Above our heads circled &quot;les guipes&quot; the wasps of the French
+      Army. They had been aroused by the appearance of a Taube and were
+      preparing to sting had the Taube waited or made any further attempt to
+      proceed over the French lines. However, deciding that discretion was the
+      better part of valour, it turned and fled.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It is unwise, however, to stir up the &quot;wasps of France&quot;; they
+      followed it, and later in the day we heard that it had been brought down
+      near Verdun.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We were now in the centre of activity of the army defending Verdun. On
+      every hand we saw artillery parks, ammunition parks, and regiments
+      resting, whilst along the road a long line of camions passed unceasingly.
+      During the whole length of my stay on the French Front I only saw one
+      regiment marching. Everywhere the men are conveyed in the camions, and are
+      thus spared the fatigue which would otherwise be caused by the intense
+      heat and the white dust. There are perhaps only two things that can in any
+      way upset the perfect indifference to difficulties of the French trooper:
+      he hates to walk, and he refuses to be deprived of his &quot;pinard.&quot;
+      The men of the French Army have named their red wine &quot;pinard,&quot;
+      just as they call water &quot;la flotte,&quot; always, however, being
+      careful to add that &quot;la flotte&quot; is excellent &quot;for washing
+      one's feet.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As we passed through the Headquarters of General Nivelle, he sent down
+      word to us not to wait to call on him then, but to proceed at once to
+      Verdun as later the passage would become more difficult. He kindly sent
+      down to us one of the officers of his staff to act as escort. The officer
+      sat by our chauffeur, warning him of the' dangerous spots in the road
+      which the Germans had the habit of &quot;watering&quot; from time to time
+      with &quot;marmites,&quot; and ordering him to put on extra speed. Our
+      speed along the road into Verdun averaged well over a mile a minute.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad010.jpg" width="600" height="404" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="12"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>The &quot;Movies&quot; Under Fire</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Within range of the German guns, probably not more than four or five
+      kilometres from Verdun, we came on a line of men waiting their turn to go
+      into the cinema. After all there was no reason &quot;de s'en faire,&quot;
+      and if they were alive they decided they might as well be happy and
+      amused. Just before entering the gate of Verdun we passed a number of
+      ambulances, some of them driven by the American volunteers. These young
+      Americans have displayed splendid heroism in bringing in the wounded under
+      difficult conditions. Many of them have been mentioned in despatches, and
+      have received from France the Croix de Guerre. I also saw an ambulance
+      marked &quot;Lloyds.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It would be useless to pretend that one entered Verdun without
+      emotion,--Verdun, sorely stricken, yet living, kept alive by the
+      indomitable soul of the soldiers of France, whilst her wounds are daily
+      treated and healed by the skill of her Generals. A white city of
+      desolation, scorched and battered, yet the brightest jewel in the crown of
+      France's glory; a shining example to the world of the triumph of human
+      resistance and the courage of men. A city of strange and cruel sounds. The
+      short, sharp bark of the 75's, the boom of the death-dealing enemy guns,
+      the shrieks of the shells and the fall of masonry parting from houses to
+      which it had been attached for centuries, whilst from the shattered window
+      frames the familiar sprite of the household looked ever for the children
+      who came no longer across the thresholds of the homes. Verdun is no longer
+      a refuge for all that is good and beautiful and tender, and so the sounds
+      of the voices of children and of birds are heard no more. Both have flown;
+      the children were evacuated with the civilians in the bitter months of
+      February and March, and the birds, realising that there is no secure place
+      in which to nest, have deserted not only Verdun but the whole of the
+      surrounding district.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We proceeded to a terrace overlooking the lower part of the town and
+      witnessed a duel between the French and German artillery. The Germans were
+      bombarding the barracks of Chevert, and from all around the French guns
+      were replying. It was certainly a joy to note that for one boom of a
+      German cannon there were certainly ten answers from the French guns. The
+      French soldiers off duty should have been resting in the caves and
+      dug-outs which have been prepared for them, but most of them were out on
+      the terraces in different parts of the city, smoking and casually watching
+      the effect of the German or of their own fire. I enquired of one Poilu
+      whether he would be glad to leave Verdun, and he laughingly replied:
+      &quot;One might be worse off than here. This is the time of year that in
+      peace times I should have been staying in the country with my
+      mother-in-law.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      There is no talk of peace in Verdun. I asked one of the men when he
+      thought the war would end. &quot;Perfectly simple to reply to that,
+      Mademoiselle; the war will end the day that hostilities cease.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I believe that the Germans would not be sorry to abandon the siege of
+      Verdun. In one of the French newspapers I saw the following verse:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Boches, a l'univers votre zele importun Fait des &quot;communiques&quot;
+      dont personne n'est dupe. Vous dites: &quot;Nos soldats occuperont Verdun.
+      Jusqu'ici c'est plutot Verdun qui les occupe.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      (You say that you soon will hold Verdun, Whilst really Verdun holds you.)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We left the car and climbed through the ruined streets to the top of the
+      citadel. No attempt has been made to remove any of the furniture or
+      effects from the demolished houses. In those houses from which only the
+      front had been blown away the spoons and forks were in some instances
+      still on the table, set ready for the meal that had been interrupted.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From windows lace curtains and draperies hung out over the fronts of the
+      houses. Everywhere shattered doors, broken cupboards, drawers thrown open
+      where the inhabitants had thought to try to save some of their cherished
+      belongings, but had finally fled leaving all to the care of the soldiers,
+      who protect the property of the inhabitants as carefully as if it were
+      their own.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It would be difficult to find finer custodians. I was told that at
+      Bobigny, pres Bourget, there is on one of the houses the following
+      inscription worthy of classical times:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &quot;The proprietor of this house has gone to the War. He leaves this
+      dwelling to the care of the French. Long live France.&quot; And he left
+      the key in the lock.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The soldiers billeted in the house read the inscription, which met with
+      their approval, and so far each regiment in passing had cleaned out the
+      little dwelling and left it in perfect order.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From the citadel we went down into the trenches which led to the lines at
+      Thiaumont. The heat in the city was excessive but in the trenches it was
+      delightfully cool, perhaps a little too cool. We heard the men make no
+      complaints except that at times the life was a little &quot;monotonous&quot;!
+      One man told me that he was once in a trench that was occupied at the same
+      time by the French and the Germans. There was nothing between them but
+      sand bags and a thick wall of clay, and day and night the French watched
+      that wall. One day a slight scratching was heard. The men prepared to face
+      the crumbling of the barrier when through a small hole popped out the head
+      of a brown rabbit. Down into the trench hopped Mrs. Bunny, followed by two
+      small bunnies, and although rabbit for lunch would have improved the menu
+      the men had not the heart to kill her. On the contrary they fed her on
+      their rations and at night- fall she departed, followed by her progeny.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From all the dug-outs heads popped out and the first movement of surprise
+      at seeing a woman in the trenches turned to a smile of delight, since the
+      Poilu is at all times a chivalrous gentleman. One man was telling me of
+      the magnificent work that had been accomplished by his &quot;compagnie.&quot;
+      I congratulated him and told him he must be happy to be in such a company.
+      He swept off his iron casque, bowed almost to the ground, and answered:
+      &quot;Certainly I am happy in my company, Mademoiselle, but I am far
+      happier in yours.&quot; The principal grief of the Poilus appeared to be
+      that a shell two or three days before had destroyed the store of the great
+      &quot;dragee&quot; (sugared almond) manufactory of Verdun. Before leaving
+      the manufacturer had bequeathed his stock to the Army and they were all
+      regretting that they had not been greedier and eaten up the &quot;dragees&quot;
+      quicker.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the trenches near Verdun, as in the trenches in Flanders, you find the
+      men talking little of war, but much of their homes and their families. I
+      came once upon a group of Bretons. They had opened some tins of sardines
+      and sitting around a bucket of blazing coals they were toasting the fish
+      on the ends of small twigs. I asked them why they were wasting their
+      energies since the fish were ready to be eaten straight from the tins.
+      &quot;We know,&quot; they replied, &quot;but it smells like home.&quot; I
+      suppose with the odour of the cooking fish, in the blue haze of the smoke,
+      they saw visions of their cottages and the white-coiffed Bretonnes frying
+      the fresh sardines that they had caught.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The dusk was now falling and, entering the car, we proceeded towards the
+      lower part of the town at a snail's pace in order not to draw the German
+      fire. We were told that at the present time approximately one hundred
+      shells a day still fall on Verdun, but at the time of the great attack the
+      number was as high as eight hundred, whilst as many as two hundred
+      thousand shells fell daily in and around Verdun.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Just before we reached the entrance to the citadel the enemy began to
+      shell the city and one of the shells exploded within two hundred feet of
+      the car. We knew that we were near the entrance to the vaults of the
+      citadel and could take refuge, so we left the car and proceeded on foot.
+      Without thinking we walked in the centre of the road, and the sentinel at
+      the door of the citadel began in somewhat emphatic French to recommend us
+      to &quot;longer les murs&quot; (to hug the walls tightly). The Germans are
+      well aware of the entrance to the citadel and daily shell the spot. If one
+      meets a shell in the centre of the road it is obviously no use to argue,
+      whilst in hugging the side of the wall there is a possibility of only
+      receiving the fragments of the bursting shell.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad007.jpg" width="600" height="384" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="13"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>A Subterranean City</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The subterranean galleries of the citadel of Verdun were constructed by
+      Vauban, and are now a hive of activity--barbers' shops, sweet shops, boot
+      shops, hospitals, anything and. everything which goes to make up a small
+      city.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One of the young officers placed his &quot;cell&quot; at our disposal. The
+      long galleries are all equipped with central heating and electric light
+      and some of them have been divided off by wooden partitions or curtains
+      like the dormitories in a large school. In the &quot;cell&quot; allocated
+      to us we could see the loving touch of a woman's hand. Around the pillow
+      on the small camp bed was a beautiful edging of Irish lace, and on the
+      dressing-table a large bottle of Eau-de-Cologne. There is no reason to be
+      too uncomfortable in Verdun when one has a good little wife to think of
+      one and to send presents from time to time.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Emerging from the galleries we met General Dubois, a great soldier and a
+      kindly man, one who shares the daily perils of his men. The General
+      invited us to remain and dine with him. He had that day received from
+      General Nivelle his &quot;cravate&quot; as Commander of the Legion of
+      Honour, and his officers were giving him a dinner-party to celebrate the
+      event. &quot;See how kind fate is to me,&quot; he added; &quot;only one
+      thing was missing from the feast--the presence of the ladies--and here you
+      are.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It would need the brush of Rembrandt to paint the dining-hall in the
+      citadel of Verdun. At one long table in the dimly lighted vault sat
+      between eighty and ninety officers, who all rose, saluted, and cheered as
+      we entered. The General sat at the head of the table surrounded by his
+      staff, and behind him the faces of the cooks were lit up by the fires of
+      the stoves.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Some short distance behind us was an air-shaft. It appears that about a
+      week or a fortnight before our arrival a German shell, striking the top
+      part of the citadel, dislodged some dust and gravel which fell down the
+      air-shaft onto the General's head. He simply called the attendants to him
+      and asked for his table to be moved forward a yard, as he did not feel
+      inclined to sit at table with his helmet on.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      An excellent dinner--soup, roast mutton, fresh beans, salade Russe,
+      Frangipane, dessert--and even champagne to celebrate the General's
+      cravate--quite reassured us that people may die in Verdun of shells but
+      not of hunger. We drank toasts to France, the Allies, and, silently, to
+      the men of France who had died that we might live. I was asked to propose
+      the health of the General and did it in English, knowing that he spoke
+      English well. I told him that the defenders of Verdun would live in our
+      hearts and memories; that on behalf of the whole British race I felt I
+      might convey to him congratulations on the honour paid to him by France. I
+      assured him that we had but one idea and one hope, the speedy victory of
+      the Allied arms, and that personally my present desire was that every one
+      of those present at table might live to see the flag of France waving over
+      the whole of Alsace-Lorraine. They asked me to repeat a description of the
+      flag of France which I gave first in Ottawa, so there, in the citadel of
+      Verdun with a small French flag before me, I went back in spirit to Ottawa
+      and remembered how I had spoken of the triumph of the flag of France:
+      &quot;The red, white and blue--the red of the flag of France a little
+      deeper hue than in time of peace since it was dyed with the blood of her
+      sons, the blood in which a new history of France is being written, volume
+      on volume, page on page, of deeds of heroism, some pages completed and
+      signed, others where the pen has dropped from the faltering hands and
+      which posterity must needs finish. The white of the flag of France, not
+      quite so white as in time of peace since thousands of her sons had taken
+      it in their hands and pressed it to their lips before they went forward to
+      die for it, yet without stain, since in all the record of the war there is
+      no blot on the escutcheon of France. And the blue of the flag of France,
+      true blue, torn and tattered with the marks of the bullets and the
+      shrapnel, yet unfurling proudly in the breeze whilst the very holes were
+      patched by the blue of the sky, since surely Heaven stands behind the flag
+      of France.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The men of Verdun were full of admiration for the glorious Commander of
+      the Fort de Vaux. They told me that the fort was held, or rather the ruins
+      of the fort, until the Germans were actually on the top and firing on the
+      French beneath.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I discussed with my neighbour the fact that the Germans had more hatred
+      for us than for the French. He said the whole world would ridicule the
+      Germans for the manner in which they had exploited the phrase &quot;Gott
+      strafe England,&quot; writing it even on the walls anywhere and
+      everywhere. He added laughingly that it should not worry the English
+      comrades. &quot;When they read 'Gott strafe England' all they needed to
+      reply was 'Ypres, Ypres, Hurrah!'&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad008.jpg" width="366" height="600" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="14"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Poilu And Tommy</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      He informed me that he had been stationed for some time with his regiment
+      near the English troops, and there had been loud lamentations among the
+      Poilus because they had been obliged to say good-bye to their English
+      comrades. He added that the affection was not entirely disinterested. The
+      English comrades had excellent marmalade and jam and other good things
+      which they shared with their French brothers, who, whilst excellently fed,
+      do not indulge in these luxuries. He told me a delightful tale of a French
+      cook who, seeing an English soldier standing by, began to question him as
+      to his particular branch of the service, informing him that he himself had
+      had an exceedingly busy morning peeling potatoes and cleaning up the pots
+      and pans. After considerable conversation he inquired of the English
+      comrade what he did for his living. &quot;Oh,&quot; replied the
+      Englishman, &quot;I get my living fairly easily; nothing half so strenuous
+      as peeling potatoes. I am just a colonel.&quot;!!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The clean-shaven Tommy is the beloved of all France. I remember seeing one
+      gallant khaki knight carrying the market basket of a French maiden and
+      repaying himself out of her store of apples. I regret to say his pockets
+      bulged suspiciously. Whilst at a level crossing near by, the old lady in
+      charge of the gate had an escort of &quot;Tommies&quot; who urged her to
+      let the train &quot;rip.&quot; This was somewhat ironical in view of the
+      fact that the top speed in that part of the war zone was probably never
+      more than ten miles an hour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Tommy is never alone The children have learned that he loves their company
+      and he is always surrounded by an escort of youthful admirers. The
+      children like to rummage in his pockets for souvenirs: he must spend quite
+      a good deal of his pay purchasing sweets so that they may not be
+      disappointed and that there may be something for his little friends to
+      find. I remember seeing one Tommy, sitting in the dusty road with a large
+      pot of marmalade between his legs, dealing out spoonfuls with perfect
+      justice and impartiality to a circle of youngsters. He speaks to them of
+      his own little &quot;nippers&quot; at home and they in turn tell him of
+      their father who is fighting, of their mother who now works in the fields,
+      and of baby who is fearfully ignorant, does not know the difference
+      between the French and the &quot;Engleesch&quot; and who insisted on
+      calling the great English General who had stayed at their farm &quot;Papa.&quot;
+      It matters little that they cannot understand each other, and it does not
+      in the least prevent them from holding lengthy conversations.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I told my companion at table that whilst visiting one of the hospitals in
+      France I had heard how one Englishman had been sent into a far hospital in
+      Provence by mistake. He was not seriously injured and promptly constituted
+      himself king of the ward. On arrival he insisted on being shaved. As no
+      shaving brush was available the &quot;piou-piou&quot; in the next bed
+      lathered him with his tooth brush. The French cooking did not appeal to
+      him, and he grumbled continuously. The directress of the hospital sent her
+      own cook from her chateau to cater for Mr. Atkins. An elaborate menu was
+      prepared. Tommy glanced through it, ordered everything to be removed, and
+      commanded tea and toast. Toast-making is not a French art and the chateau
+      chef was obliged to remain at the hospital and spend his time carefully
+      preparing the toast and seeing that it was served in good condition. When
+      Mr. Atkins felt so disposed he would summon a piou-piou to give him a
+      French lesson or else request the various inmates of the ward to sing to
+      him. He would in turn render that plaintive ditty, &quot;Down by the Old
+      Bull and Bush.&quot; A nurse who spoke a little English translated his
+      song to the French soldiers! Whilst not desiring to criticise the
+      rendez-vous selected by their &quot;camerade anglais,&quot; they did not
+      consider that &quot;pres d'un vieux taureau&quot; (near an old bull) was a
+      safe or desirable meeting-place. When I explained to the nurse that &quot;The
+      Bull and Bush&quot; was a kind of cabaret she hastened from ward to ward
+      to tell the men that after all the Englishman might have selected a worse
+      spot to entertain his girl. He was at once the joy and the despair of the
+      whole hospital and the nurse had much trouble in consoling the patients
+      when &quot;our English&quot; was removed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="15"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Abbreviated French</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      When Tommy indulges in the use of the French language he abbreviates it as
+      much as possible.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One hot summer's day driving from Boulogne to Fort Mahon, half way down a
+      steep hill we came upon two Tommies endeavouring to extract a motor cycle
+      and a side-car from a somewhat difficult position. They had side-slipped
+      and run into a small tree. The cycle was on one side and the side-car on
+      the other, and a steel rod between had been rammed right into the wood
+      through the force of the collision.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      My three companions and myself endeavoured to help the men to pull out the
+      rod, but the united efforts of the six of us proved unavailing. We hailed
+      a passing cart and tied the reins around the motor-cycle, but immediately
+      the horse commenced to pull the leather of the reins snapped. Behind the
+      cart walked a peasant. Only one adjective can possibly describe him: he
+      was decidedly &quot;beer-y.&quot; He made no attempt to help but passed
+      from one Tommy to the other, patting them on their backs, assuring them
+      &quot;that with a little good-will all would be well.&quot; There was a
+      dangerous glint in the youngest Tommy's eye, but in the presence of ladies
+      he refrained from putting his thoughts into words. Finally, his patience
+      evaporating, he suddenly turned on the peasant and shouted at him, &quot;Ong!
+      Ong!&quot; It took me some time to grasp that this was Tommy's abbreviated
+      version of &quot;Allez vous en&quot; (Clear out). In any event it proved
+      quite useless, as he continued to pat the Tommies affectionately and to
+      bombard them with impracticable suggestions.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We were joined later by three villagers, two gendarmes and a postman, and,
+      all pulling together, we managed to extract the rod from the tree. A large
+      lorry was passing and on to it we heaved the wreckage. Up clambered the
+      Tommies, followed by their unwelcome friend, who managed to sit on the
+      only unbroken portion of the side-car. This was too much for Messrs.
+      Atkins' equanimity. Limp with laughter, we watched them pass from sight
+      amidst a chorus of &quot;Ong! Ong!&quot; followed by flights of oratory in
+      the English tongue which do not bear repeating, but which were received by
+      the peasant as expressions of deep esteem and to which he replied by
+      endeavouring to kiss the Tommies and shouting, &quot;Vive l'Angleterre!
+      All right! Hoorah!&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Our guiding officer began to show some signs of anxiety to have us leave
+      before ten o'clock, but the good-byes took some time. Presents were
+      showered upon us, German dragees (shell heads and pieces of shrapnel), and
+      the real French dragees, the famous sweet of Verdun.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We crept out of the city, but unfortunately at one of the dangerous
+      crossroads our chauffeur mistook the route. A heavy bombardment was taking
+      place and the French were replying. We were lucky enough to get on to the
+      route and into safety before any shell fell near us. It appears that the
+      Germans systematically bombard the roads at night, hoping to destroy the
+      camions bringing up the food for the city, fresh munitions and men.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We slept that night at Bar-le-Duc, and next morning saw the various
+      ambulances and hospitals which the Service de Sante had particularly
+      requested me to visit. I was impressed by the splendid organisation of the
+      Red Cross even quite close to the firing line.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad011.jpg" width="600" height="538" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="16"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>The Brown And Black Sons Of France</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Passing through one tent hospital an Algerian called out to me: &quot;Ohe,
+      la blonde, viens ici! J'ai quelque chose de beau a te montrer.&quot; (Come
+      here, fair girl, I have something pretty to show you.) He was sitting up
+      in bed, and, as I approached, unbuttoned his bed-jacket and insisted on my
+      examining the tag of his vest on which was written, &quot;Leader, London.&quot;
+      The vest had come in a parcel of goods from the London Committee of the
+      French Red Cross, and I only wished that the angel of goodness and
+      tenderness, who is the Presidente of the Croix Rouge, Mme. de la Panouse,
+      and that Mr. D. H. Illingworth, Mr. Philip Wilkins, and all her able
+      lieutenants, could have seen the pleasure on the face of this swarthy
+      defender of France. In the next bed was a Senegalais who endeavoured to
+      attract my attention by keeping up a running compliment to my compatriots,
+      my King, and myself. He must have chanted fifty times: &quot;Vive les
+      English, Georges, et toil&quot; He continued even after I had rewarded him
+      with some cigarettes. The Senegalais and the Algerians are really great
+      children, especially when they are wounded. I have seen convalescent
+      Senegalais and Algerians in Paris spend hours in the Champs Elysees
+      watching the entertainment at the open-air marionette theatre. The antics
+      of the dolls kept them amused. They are admitted to the enclosure free,
+      and there is no longer any room for the children who frequented the show
+      in happier days. These latter form a disconsolate circle on the outside,
+      whilst the younger ones, who do not suffer from colour prejudice, scramble
+      onto the knees of the black soldiers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The sister in charge was a true daughter of the &quot;Lady of the Lamp.&quot;
+      Provided they are really ill, she sympathises with all the grumblers, but
+      scolds them if they have reached the convalescent stage. She carries a
+      small book in which she enters imaginary good points to those who have the
+      tables by their beds tidy, and she pinned an invisible medal on the chest
+      of a convalescent who was helping to carry trays of food to his comrades.
+      She is indeed a General, saving men for France.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Not a man escaped her attention, and as we passed through the tents she
+      gave to each of her &quot;chers enfants,&quot; black or white, a cheering
+      smile or a kindly word. She did, however, whilst talking to us, omit to
+      salute a Senegalais. Before she passed out of the tent he commenced to
+      call after her, &quot;Toi pas gentille aujourd'hui, moi battre toi.&quot;
+      (You are not good to me to-day; me beat you.) This, it appears, is his
+      little joke--he will never beat any one again, since he lost both his arms
+      when his trench was blown up by a land mine.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was at Triancourt that I first saw in operation the motor-cars that had
+      been sent out fitted with bath tubs for the troops, and also a very fine
+      car fitted up by the London Committee of the French Red Cross as a moving
+      dental hospital.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I regret to add that a &quot;Poilu&quot; near by disrespectfully referred
+      to it as &quot;another of the horrors of war,&quot; adding that in times
+      of peace there was some kind of personal liberty, whereas now &quot;a man
+      could not have toothache without being forced to have it ended, and that
+      there was no possibility of escaping a dentist who hunted you down by
+      motor.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was suggested that as I had had a touch of toothache the night before,
+      I might take my place in the chair and give an example of British pluck to
+      the assembled &quot;Poilus.&quot; I hastened to impress on the surgeon
+      that I hated notoriety and would prefer to remain modestly in the
+      background. I even pushed aside with scorn the proffered bribe of six
+      &quot;Boche,&quot; buttons, assuring the man that &quot;I would keep my
+      toothache as a souvenir.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At one of the hospitals beside the bed of a dying man sat a little old man
+      writing letters. They told me that before the war he had owned the most
+      flourishing wine shop in the village. He had fled before the approach of
+      the German troops, but later returned to his village and installed himself
+      in the hospital as scribe. He wrote from morning until night, and,
+      watching him stretching his lean old hands, I asked him if he suffered
+      much pain from writers' cramp. He looked at me almost reproachfully before
+      answering, &quot;Mademoiselle, it is the least I can do for my country;
+      besides my pain is so slight and that of the comrades so great. I am
+      proud, indeed proud, that at sixty-seven years of age I am not useless.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I was shown a copy of the last letter dictated by a young French officer,
+      and I asked to be allowed to copy it--it was indeed a letter of a &quot;chic&quot;
+      type.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Chers Parrain et Marraine,
+    </p>
+    <dl>
+      <dt>
+        Je vous ecris a vous pour ne pas tuer Maman qu'un pareil coup
+        surprendrait trop.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        J'ai ete blesse le ... devant ...
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        J'ai deux blessures hideuses et je n'en aurai pas pour bien longtemps.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        Les majors ne me le cachent meme pas.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        Je pars sans regret avec la conscience d'avoir fait mon devoir.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        Prevenez donc mes parents le mieux que vous pourrez; qu'ils ne cherchent
+        pas a venir, ils n'en auraient pas le temps.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        Adieu vous tous que j'aimais.
+      </dt>
+    </dl>
+    <p>
+      VIVE LA FRANCE!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Dear Godfather and Godmother,
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I am writing to you so as not to kill Mother, whom such a shock would
+      surprise too much. I was wounded on the ... at ... I have two terrible
+      wounds and I cannot last long. The surgeons do not even attempt to conceal
+      this from me. I go without regret, with the consciousness of having done
+      my duty. Kindly break the news to my parents the best way you can; they
+      should not attempt to come because they would not have time to reach me
+      before the end.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Farewell to all you whom I have loved.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      LONG LIVE FRANCE!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Whilst loving his relatives tenderly, the last thought of the dying
+      Frenchman is for his country. Each one dies as a hero, yet not one
+      realises it. It would be impossible to show greater simplicity; they
+      salute the flag for the last time and that is all.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="17"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>At General Nivelle's Headquarters </strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From Triancourt we went straight to the Headquarters of General Nivelle.
+      They had just brought him the maps rectified to mark the French advance.
+      The advance had been made whilst we were standing on the terrace at Verdun
+      the night before. We had seen the rockets sent up, requesting a &quot;tir
+      de barrage&quot; (curtain of fire). The 75's had replied at once and the
+      French had been able to carry out the operation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Good news had also come in from the Somme, and General Nivelle did not
+      hesitate to express his admiration for the British soldiers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      He said that there was no need to praise the first troops sent by Britain
+      to France, every one knew their value, but it should be a great
+      satisfaction to Britain to find that the new army was living up to the
+      traditions of the old army.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      He added: &quot;We can describe the new Army of Britain in two words: Ca
+      mord--it bites.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The Father of his own men, it is not surprising that General Nivelle finds
+      a warm corner in his heart for the British Tommy, since his Mother was an
+      Englishwoman.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At lunch General Nivelle and the members of his staff asked many questions
+      as to the work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. I told them that what
+      appealed to us most in our French patients was the perfect discipline and
+      the gratitude of the men. We are all women in the Hospitals, and the men
+      might take advantage of this fact to show want of discipline, but we never
+      had to complain of lack of obedience. These soldiers of France may some of
+      them before the war have been just rough peasants, eating, drinking, and
+      sleeping; even having thoughts not akin to knighthood, but now, through
+      the ordeal of blood and fire, each one of them has won his spurs and come
+      out a chivalrous knight, and they bring their chivalry right into the
+      hospitals with them. We had also learned to love them for their kindness
+      to one another. When new wounded are brought in and the lights are low in
+      the hospital wards, cautiously watching if the Nurse is looking (luckily
+      Nurses have a way of not seeing everything), one of the convalescents will
+      creep from his bed to the side of the new arrival and ask the inevitable
+      question: &quot;D'ou viens-tu?&quot; (Where do you come from?) &quot;I
+      come from Toulouse,&quot; replies the man. &quot;Ah,&quot; says the
+      enquirer, &quot;my wife's Grandmother had a cousin who lived near
+      Toulouse.&quot; That is quite a sufficient basis for a friendship. The
+      convalescent sits by the bedside of his new comrade, holding the man's
+      hand, whilst his wounds are being dressed, telling him he knows of the
+      pain, that he, too, has suffered, and that soon all will be well.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Lions to fight, ever ready to answer to the call of the defence of their
+      country, yet these men of France are tender and gentle. In one hospital
+      through which I passed there was a baby. It was a military hospital, and
+      no civilian had any right there, but the medical officers who inspected
+      the hospital were remarkably blind --none of them could ever see the baby.
+      One of the soldiers passing through a bombarded village saw a little body
+      lying in the mud, and although he believed the child to be dead he stooped
+      down and picked it up. At the evacuating station the baby and the soldier
+      were sent to the hospital together; the doctors operated upon the baby and
+      took a piece of shrapnel from its back, and, once well and strong, it
+      constituted itself lord and master and king of all it surveyed. When it
+      woke in the morning it would call &quot;Papa&quot; and twenty fathers
+      answered to its call. All the pent-up love of the men for their own little
+      ones from whom they had been parted for so long they lavished on the tiny
+      stranger, but all his affection and his whole heart belonged to the rough
+      miner soldier who had brought him in. As the shadows fell one saw the man
+      walking up and down the ward with the child in his arms, crooning the
+      &quot;Marseillaise&quot; until the tired little eyes closed. He had
+      obtained permission from the authorities to adopt the child as the parents
+      could not be found, and remarked humorously: &quot;Mademoiselle, it is so
+      convenient to have a family without the trouble of being married!&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      What we must remember is that the rough soldier, himself blinded with
+      blood and mud, uncertain whether he could ever reach a point of safety,
+      yet had time to stoop and pick that little flower of France and save it
+      from being crushed beneath the cannon wheels. I told General Nivelle that
+      the hospital staff intended to keep the child for the soldier until the
+      end of the war, and we all hoped that he might grow up to the glory of
+      France and to the eternal honour of the tender-hearted fighter who had
+      rescued him.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After lunch we stood for some time watching the unending stream of camions
+      proceeding into Verdun. I believe it has been stated that on the average
+      one passed through the village every fifteen seconds, and that there are
+      something like twelve thousand motor vehicles used in the defence of
+      Verdun. The splendid condition of the roads and the absence of all
+      confusion in the handling of this immense volume of traffic are a great
+      tribute to the organising genius of the chiefs of the French Army.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We left General Nivelle as General Petain predicted we should find
+      him--smiling.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad014.jpg" width="600" height="545" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="18"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Rheims</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We slept that night at Epernay, in the heart of the Champagne district.
+      The soil of France is doing its best to keep the vines in perfect
+      condition and to provide a good vintage to be drunk later to celebrate the
+      victory of France and her Allies. The keeping of the roads in good
+      condition is necessary for the rapid carrying out of operations on the
+      Front, and a &quot;marmite&quot; hole is promptly filled if by a lucky
+      shot the German batteries happen to tear up the roadway. We were
+      proceeding casually along one road when a young officer rode up to us and
+      told us to put on speed because we were under fire from a German battery
+      which daily landed one or two shells in that particular portion of the
+      roadway. It is wonderful how obedient one becomes at times! We promptly
+      proceeded to hasten! After visiting General Debeney and obtaining from him
+      the necessary authorisation and an officer escort, we entered Rheims.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The cathedral is now the home of pigeons, and as they fly in and out of
+      the blackened window-frames small pieces of the stained glass tinkle down
+      on to the floor. The custodian of the cathedral told us that during the
+      night of terror the German wounded, lying in the cathedral, not realising
+      the strength and beauty of the French character under adversity, feared,
+      seeing the cathedral in flames, that the populace might wreak vengeance on
+      them, and that it was exceedingly difficult to get them to leave the
+      cathedral. Many of the prisoners fled into corners and hid, and some of
+      them even penetrated into the palace of the Archbishop, which was in
+      flames. All the world knows and admires the bravery of the cure of the
+      cathedral, M. Landrieux, who took upon himself the defence of the
+      prisoners, for fear insults might be hurled at them. He knowingly risked
+      his life, but when, next day, some of his confreres endeavoured to praise
+      him he replied: &quot;My friends, I never before realised how easy it was
+      to die.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One of the churches in the city was heavily draped in black, and I asked
+      the sacristan if they had prepared for the funeral of a prominent citizen.
+      He told me that they were that day bringing home the body of a young man
+      of high birth of the neighbourhood, but that it was not for him that the
+      church was decked in mourning. The draperies had hung there since August,
+      1914--&quot;Since every son of Rheims who is brought home is as noble as
+      the one who comes to-day, and alas! nearly every day brings us one of our
+      children.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We lunched in the hotel before the cathedral, where each shell hole has an
+      ordinary white label stuck beside it with the date. The landlord remarked:
+      &quot;If you sit here long enough, and have the good luck to be in some
+      safe part of the building, you may be able to go and stick a label on a
+      hole yourself.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After lunch we went out to the Chateau Polignac. To a stranger it would
+      appear to be almost entirely destroyed, but when M. de Polignac visited it
+      recently he simply remarked that it was &quot;less spoilt than he had
+      imagined.&quot; This was just one other example of the thousands one meets
+      daily of the spirit of noble and peasant, &quot;de ne pas s'en faire&quot;
+      but to keep only before them the one idea, Victory for France, no matter
+      what may be the cost.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We went later to call on the &quot;75,&quot; chez elle. Madame was in a
+      particularly comfortable home which had been prepared for her and where
+      she was safe from the inquisitive eyes of the Taubes. The men of the
+      battery were sitting round their guns, singing a somewhat lengthy ditty,
+      each verse ending with a declamation and a description of the beauty of
+      &quot;la belle Suzanne.&quot; I asked them to whom Suzanne belonged and
+      where the fair damsel resided. &quot;Oh,&quot; they replied, &quot;we have
+      no time to think of damsels called 'Suzanne' now. This is our Suzanne,&quot;
+      and the speaker affectionately gave an extra rub with his coat sleeve to
+      the barrel of the &quot;75.&quot; By a wonderful system of trench work it
+      is possible for the gunners, in case of necessity, to take refuge in the
+      champagne vaults in the surrounding district, and it is in the champagne
+      vaults that the children go daily to school, with their little gas masks
+      hanging in bags on their arms. It appears that at first the tiny ones were
+      frightened of the masks, but they soon asked, like their elders, to be
+      also given a sack, and now one and all have learnt at the least alarm to
+      put on their masks. There is no need to tell the children to hurry home.
+      They realise that it is not wise to loiter in the streets for fear of the
+      whistling shells. They are remarkably plucky, these small men and women of
+      France.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      During one furious bombardment the children were safe in the vaults, but
+      one small citizen began to cry bitterly. He was reproached by his comrades
+      for cowardice, but he replied indignantly: &quot;I fear nothing for
+      myself. I am safe here, but there is no cellar to our house, and oh, what
+      will happen to the little mother?&quot; The teacher reassured him by
+      telling him that his mother would certainly take refuge in somebody's else
+      cellar.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On leaving Rheims we passed through various small hamlets where the houses
+      had been entirely destroyed, and which now had the appearance of native
+      villages, as the soldiers had managed to place thatched roofs on any place
+      which had any semblance of walls standing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At Villars Coterets the Guard Champetre sounded the &quot;Gare a Vous!&quot;
+      Four Taubes were passing overhead, so we took refuge in the hotel for tea.
+      The enemy did no damage in that particular village, but in the next
+      village of Crepy-en-Valois a bomb killed one child and injured five women.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="19"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At his Headquarters next morning I had the honour of being received by
+      Generalissimo Joffre and telling him of the admiration and respect which
+      we felt for him and for the magnificent fighting spirit of the troops
+      under his able command. He replied modestly by speaking of the British
+      army. He referred to the offensive on the Somme, and said, &quot;You may
+      well be proud of your young soldiers; they are excellent soldiers, much
+      superior to the Germans in every way, a most admirable infantry; they
+      attack the Germans hand to hand with grenades or with the bayonet and push
+      them back everywhere; the Germans have been absolutely stupefied to find
+      such troops before them.&quot; The General then paid a tribute to the
+      Canadian and Australian troops and told me that that day the Australians
+      had taken new territory, adding, &quot;And not only have they taken it,
+      but, like their British and Canadian brothers, what they take they will
+      hold.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I explained to General Joffre that, whilst I was not collecting
+      autographs, I had with me the menu of the dinner in the Citadel at Verdun
+      and that it would give me great pleasure to have his name added to the
+      signatures already on that menu. All the signatures were on one side, so I
+      turned the menu over in order to offer him a clear space, but he turned it
+      back again, saying, &quot;Please let me sign on this side. I find myself
+      in good company with the defenders of Verdun.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At departing he said to me, &quot;We may all be happy now since certainly
+      we are on the right side of the hill.&quot; (&quot;Nous sommes sur la
+      bonne pente.&quot;)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In case this little story should fall into the hands of any woman who has
+      spent her time working for the men at the Front, I would like to tell her
+      the great pleasure it is to them to receive parcels, no matter what they
+      contain. Fraternity and Equality reign supreme in the trenches, and the
+      man counts himself happy who receives a little more than the others, since
+      he has the joy and the pleasure of sharing his store of good things with
+      his comrades. There is seldom a request made to the French behind the
+      lines that they do not attempt to fulfil. I remember last winter, passing
+      through a town in the provinces, I noticed that the elderly men appeared
+      to be scantily clad in spite of the bitterness of the weather. It appeared
+      that the call had gone forth for fur coats for the troops, and all the
+      worthy citizens of the town forwarded to the trenches their caracul coats.
+      Only those who are well acquainted with French provincial life can know
+      what it means to them to part with these signs of opulence and commercial
+      success.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It is perhaps in the Post Offices that you find yourself nearest to the
+      heart of &quot;France behind the lines.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One morning I endeavoured to send a parcel to a French soldier. I took my
+      place in a long line of waiting women bound on the same errand. A
+      white-haired woman before me gave the Post Office Clerk infinite trouble.
+      They are not renowned for their patience and I marvelled at his gentleness
+      until he explained. &quot;Her son died five weeks ago, but she still
+      continues to send him parcels.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To another old lady he pointed out that she had written two numbers on the
+      parcel. &quot;You don't want two numbers, Mother. Which is your boy's
+      number? Tell me and I will strike out the other.&quot; &quot;Leave them
+      both,&quot; she answered. &quot;Who knows whether my dear lad will be
+      there to receive the parcel. If he is not, I want it to go to some other
+      Mother's son.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Affection means much to these men who are suffering, and they respond at
+      once to any sympathy shown to them. One man informed us with pride that
+      when he left his native village he was &quot;decked like an altar of the
+      Blessed Virgin on the first of May.&quot; In other words, covered with
+      flowers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      There are but few lonely soldiers now, since those who have no families to
+      write to them receive letters and parcels from the Godmothers who have
+      adopted them. The men anxiously await the news of their adopted relatives
+      and spend hours writing replies. They love to receive letters, but,
+      needless to say, a parcel is even more welcome.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I remember seeing one man writing page after page. I suggested to him that
+      he must have a particularly charming Godmother. &quot;Mademoiselle,&quot;
+      he replied, &quot;I have no time for a Godmother since I myself am a
+      Godfather.&quot; He then explained that far away in his village there was
+      a young assistant in his shop, &quot;And God knows the boy loves France,
+      but both his lungs are touched, so they won't take him, but I write and
+      tell him that the good God has given me strength for two, that I fight for
+      him and for myself, and that we are both doing well for France.&quot; I
+      went back in imagination to the village. I could see the glint in the
+      boy's eyes, realised how the blood pulsed quicker through his veins at the
+      sight of, not the personal pronoun &quot;I&quot; in the singular, but the
+      plural &quot;We are doing well for France.&quot; For one glorious moment
+      he was part of the hosts of France and in spirit serving his Motherland.
+      It is that spirit of the French nation that their enemies will never
+      understand.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On one occasion a young German officer, covered with mud from head to
+      foot, was brought before one of the French Generals. He had been taken
+      fighting cleanly, and the General was anxious to show him kindness. He
+      asked him if he would not prefer to cleanse himself before examination.
+      The young German drew himself up and replied: &quot;Look at me, General. I
+      am covered from head to foot with mud, and that mud is the soil of
+      France--you will never possess as much soil in Germany.&quot; The General
+      turned to him with that gentle courtesy which marks the higher commands in
+      France and answered: &quot;Monsieur, we may never possess as much soil in
+      Germany, but there is something that you will never possess, and, until
+      you conquer it, you cannot vanquish France, and that is the spirit of the
+      French people.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The French find it difficult to understand the arrogance which appears
+      ingrained in the German character and which existed before the War.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I read once that in the guests' book of a French hotel a Teutonic visitor
+      wrote:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &quot;L'AIlemagne est la premiere nation du monde.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The next French visitor merely added:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &quot;Yes, 'Allemagne is the first country of the world' if we take them
+      in alphabetical order.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad015.jpg" width="600" height="476" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad012.jpg" width="600" height="650" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="20"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>To The Glory Of The Women Of France</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I left the war zone with an increased respect, if this were possible, for
+      the men of France. They have altered their uniforms, but the spirit is
+      unchanged. They are no longer in the red and blue of the old days, but in
+      shades of green, grey and blue, colours blending to form one mighty
+      ocean--wave on wave of patriotism--beating against and wearing down the
+      rocks of military preparedness of forty years, and as no man has yet been
+      able to say to the Ocean stop, so no man shall cry &quot;Halt&quot; to the
+      Armies of France.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I have spoken much of the men of France, but the women have also earned
+      our respect--those splendid peasant women, who even in times of peace
+      worked, and now carry a double burden on their shoulders--the middle-class
+      women, endeavouring to keep together the little business built up by the
+      man with years of toil, stinting themselves to save five francs to send a
+      parcel to the man at the Front that he may not suspect that there is not
+      still every comfort in the little homestead--the noble women of France,
+      who in past years could not be seen before noon, since my lady was at her
+      toilette, and who can be seen now, their hands scratched and bleeding,
+      kneeling on the floors of the hospitals scrubbing, proud and happy to take
+      their part in national service. The men owe much of their courage to the
+      attitude of the women who stand behind them, turning their tears to smiles
+      to urge their men to even greater deeds of heroism.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In one of our hospitals was a young lad of seventeen who had managed to
+      enlist as an &quot;engage volontaire&quot; by lying as to his age. His old
+      Mother came to visit him, and she told me he was the last of her three
+      sons; the two elder ones had died the first week of the war at Pont
+      Mousson, and her little home had been burned to the ground. The boy had
+      spent his time inventing new and terrible methods of dealing with the
+      enemy, but with his Mother he became a child again and tenderly patted the
+      old face. Seeing the lad in his Mother's arms, and forgetting for one
+      moment the spirit of the French nation, I asked her if she would not be
+      glad if her boy was so wounded that she might take him home. She was only
+      an old peasant woman, but her eyes flashed, her cheeks flushed with anger
+      and turning to me she said, &quot;Mademoiselle, how dare you say such a
+      thing to me? If all the Mothers, Wives and Sweethearts thought as you,
+      what would happen to the country? Gustave has only one thing to do, get
+      well quickly and fight for Mother France.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Because these women of France have sent their men forth to die, eyes dry,
+      with stiff lips and head erect, do not think that they do not mourn for
+      them. When night casts her kindly mantle of darkness over all, when they
+      are hidden from the eyes of the world, it is then that the proud heads
+      droop and are bent upon their arms, as the women cry out in the bitterness
+      of their souls for the men who have gone from them. Yet they realise that
+      behind them stands the greatest Mother of all, Mother France, who sees
+      coming towards her, from her frontiers, line on line of ambulances with
+      their burden of suffering humanity, yet watches along other routes her
+      sons going forth in thousands, laughter in their eyes, songs on their
+      lips, ready and willing to die for her. France draws around her her
+      tattered and bloodstained robe, yet what matters the outer raiment? Behind
+      it shines forth her glorious, exultant soul, and she lifts up her head
+      rejoicing and proclaims to the world that when she appealed man, woman,
+      and child--the whole of the French nation-- answered to her call.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad013.jpg" width="600" height="522" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <hr />
+    <p>
+  <div>*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 11679 ***</div>
+</body>
+</html>
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+This eBook, including all associated images, markup, improvements,
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+
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+Project Gutenberg (https://www.gutenberg.org) public repository for
+eBook #11679 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/11679)
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+<?xml version="1.0" encoding="iso-8859-1"?>
+
+<!DOCTYPE html
+   PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN"
+   "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd" >
+
+<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml">
+  <head>
+    <title>
+      The Project Gutenberg eBook of The White Road to Verdun, by Kathleen Burke
+    </title>
+    <style type="text/css" xml:space="preserve">
+	body 	{background: #f1e8da;
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+			text-decoration:none}
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+			text-decoration:none}
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+	pre		{font-size: 9pt;}
+</style>
+  </head>
+  <body>
+    <h1>
+      The Project Gutenberg eBook, The White Road to Verdun, by Kathleen Burke
+    </h1>
+<pre xml:space="preserve">
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org</a></pre>
+    <p>
+      Title: The White Road to Verdun
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Author: Kathleen Burke
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Release Date: March 22, 2004 [eBook #11679]
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Language: English
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Character set encoding: iso-8859-1
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      ***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WHITE ROAD TO VERDUN***
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br />
+    </p>
+    <h3>
+      E-text prepared by A. Langley
+    </h3>
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br />
+    </p>
+    <hr />
+    <p>
+      <br /> <br /> <br /> THE&nbsp; WHITE&nbsp; ROAD<br /> TO&nbsp; VERDUN
+    </p>
+    <h1>
+      By Kathleen Burke
+    </h1>
+    <h3>
+      Knight of St. Sava, Serbia<br /> Officier de l'Instruction Publique, France
+    </h3>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      This Little Book Is Respectfully And Affectionately Dedicated<br /> To
+      Madame Jusserand Ambassadrice de France in Washington<br /> and to<br />
+      Monsieur Gaston Liebert, Consul General de France,<br /> Dr. C. O.
+      Mailloux,<br /> And to all my good friends in the United States and Canada,<br />
+      whose sympathy and encouragement have helped me so much in my work.<br />
+      <br /> VIVE LA FRANCE
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad000a.jpg" width="328" height="500" />
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoadtoVerdun001.jpg" width="307"
+      height="500" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Contents</strong>
+    </p>
+    <h3>
+      CONTENTS
+    </h3>
+    <table>
+      <tr>
+        <td align="right">
+          Chapter&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td></td>
+        <td align="right">
+          I.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#1">The True Philosophers</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          II.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#2">The Bridge At Meaux</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          III.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#3">Recruiting Rat-Catchers</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          IV.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#4">A Gun Carriage An Altar</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          V.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#5">Life Behind The Lines</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          VI.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#6">Devotion To Animals</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          VII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#7">Hunting For Generals</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          VIII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#8">An Instance Of Quick Wit</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          IX.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#9">At The Headquarters Of General Petain</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          X.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#10">A Meeting With &quot;Forain&quot;</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XI.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#11">Value Of Women's Work</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#12">The &quot;Movies&quot; Under Fire</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XIII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#13">A Subterranean City</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XIV.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#14">Poilu And Tommy</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XV.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#15">Abbreviated French</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XVI.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#16">The Brown And Black Sons Of France</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XVII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#17">At General Nivelle's Headquarters</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XVIII.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#18">Rheims</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XIX.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#19">At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo</a>
+        </td>
+        <td align="right">
+          XX.&nbsp;&nbsp;
+        </td>
+        <td>
+          <a href="#20">To The Glory Of The Women Of France</a>
+        </td>
+      </tr>
+    </table>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad001.jpg" width="356" height="600" /><img
+      alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad004.jpg" width="435" height="600" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="1"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>The True Philosophers</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We left Paris determined to undertake the journey to the Front in the true
+      spirit of the French Poilu, and, no matter what happened, &quot;de ne pas
+      s'en faire.&quot; This famous &quot;motto&quot; of the French Army is
+      probably derived from one of two slang sentences, de ne pas se faire des
+      cheveux (&quot;to keep one's hair on,&quot;) or de ne pas se faire de la
+      bile, or, in other words, not to upset one's digestion by unnecessary
+      worrying. The phrase is typical of the mentality of the Poilu, who accepts
+      anything and everything that may happen, whether it be merely slight
+      physical discomfort, or intense suffering, as part of the willing
+      sacrifice which he made on the day that, leaving his homestead and his
+      daily occupation, he took up arms &quot;offering his body as a shield to
+      defend the heart of France.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Everything might be worse than it is, says the Poilu, and so he has
+      composed a Litany. Every regiment has a different version, but always with
+      the same basis.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &quot;Of two things one is certain: Either you're mobilised or you're not
+      mobilised. If you're not mobilised, there is no need to worry; if you are
+      mobilised, of two things one is certain: Either you're behind the lines or
+      you're on the Front. If you're behind the lines there is no need to worry;
+      if you're on the Front, of two things one is certain: Either you're
+      resting in a safe place or you're exposed to danger. If you're resting in
+      a safe place there is no need to worry; if you're exposed to danger, of
+      two things one is certain: Either you're wounded or you're not wounded. If
+      you're not wounded, there is no need to worry; if you are wounded, of two
+      things one is certain: Either you're wounded seriously or you're wounded
+      slightly. If you're wounded slightly there is no need to worry; if you're
+      wounded seriously, of two things one is certain: Either you recover or you
+      die. If you recover there is no need to worry; if you die you can't worry.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      When once past the &quot;Wall of China,&quot; as the French authorities
+      call the difficult approaches to the war zone, Meaux was the first town of
+      importance at which we stopped. We had an opportunity to sample the army
+      bread, as the driver of a passing bread wagon flung a large round loaf
+      into our motor.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      According to all accounts received from the French soldiers who are in the
+      prison camps of Germany, one of the greatest hardships is the lack of
+      white bread, and they have employed various subterfuges in the endeavour
+      to let their relatives know that they wish to have bread sent to them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Some of the Bretons writing home nickname bread &quot;Monsieur Barras,&quot;
+      and when there was a very great shortage they would write to their
+      families: &quot;Ce pauvre Monsieur Barras ne se porte pas tres bien a
+      present.&quot; (M. Barras is not very well at present.) Finally the
+      Germans discovered the real significance of M. Barras and they added to
+      one of the letters: &quot;Si M. Barras ne se porte pas tres bien a present
+      c'est bien la faute de vos amis les Anglais.&quot; (If M. Barras is not
+      well at present, it is the fault of your friends the English.) And from
+      then all the letters referring to M. Barras were strictly suppressed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      While the German Press may not be above admitting a shortage of food in
+      Germany, it seriously annoys the Army that the French prisoners or the
+      French in the invaded regions should hear of it. I heard one story of the
+      wife of a French officer in Lille, who was obliged to offer unwilling
+      hospitality to a German Captain, who, in a somewhat clumsy endeavour to be
+      amiable, offered to try to get news of her husband and to convey it to
+      her. Appreciating the seeming friendliness, of the Captain, she confided
+      to him that she had means of communicating with her husband who was on the
+      French Front. The Captain informed against her and the next day she was
+      sent for by the Kommandantur, who imposed a fine of fifty francs upon her
+      for having received a letter from the enemy lines. Taking a one hundred
+      franc note from her bag she placed it on the desk, saying, &quot;M. le
+      Kommandantur, here is the fifty francs fine, and also another fifty francs
+      which I am glad to subscribe for the starving women and children in
+      Berlin.&quot; &quot;No one starves in Berlin,&quot; replied the
+      Kommandantur. &quot;Oh, yes, they do,&quot; replied Madame X., &quot;I
+      know because the Captain who so kindly informed you that I had received a
+      letter from my husband showed me a letter the other day from his wife in
+      which she spoke of the sad condition of the women and children of Germany,
+      who, whilst not starving, were far from happy.&quot; Thus she not only had
+      the pleasure of seriously annoying the Kommandantur, but also had a chance
+      to get even with the Captain who had informed against her, and who is no
+      longer in soft quarters in Lille, but paying the penalty of his
+      indiscretion by a sojourn on the Yser.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad002.jpg" width="600" height="554" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="2"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>The Bridge At Meaux</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The Bridge at Meaux, destroyed in the course of the German retreat, has
+      not yet been entirely repaired. Beneath it rushes the Marne and the river
+      sings in triumph, as it passes, that it is carrying away the soil that has
+      been desecrated by the steps of the invader, and that day by day it is
+      washing clean the land of France.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the fields where the corn is standing, the tiny crosses marking the
+      last resting places of the men are entirely hidden, but where the grain
+      has been gathered the graves, stand out distinctly marked not only by a
+      cross, but also by the tall bunches of corn which have been left growing
+      on these small patches of holy ground. It has always been said that France
+      has two harvests each year. Certainly in the fields of the Marne there is
+      not only the harvest of bread; there is also springing up the harvest of
+      security and peace.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The peasants as they point out the graves always add: &quot;We of the
+      people know that those men sacrificed their lives that our children might
+      live. Those who have died in vain for an unjust cause may well envy the
+      men of France who have poured out their blood for the benefit of humanity.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Looking on the crosses on the battlefield of the Marne, I realised to the
+      fullest extent the sacrifices, borne with such bravery, of the women of
+      France. I thought of the picture I had seen in Paris of a group of mothers
+      standing at the foot of Calvary, looking out over the fields of small
+      black crosses, lifting their hands to Heaven, with the words: &quot;We
+      also, God, have given our sons for the peace of the world.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At Montmirail the real activity of the war zone first became apparent. We
+      drew the car to the side of the road and waited whilst a long procession
+      of empty munition wagons passed on the way back from the munition parks
+      near the fighting line. There was a smile on the face of every one of the
+      drivers. Each of them had the satisfaction of knowing that there was no
+      chance of his returning with an empty wagon, as there is no lack of
+      provisions to feed the hungriest of the &quot;75's&quot; or any of her
+      larger sisters.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The fact that it is known that there is an ample supply of munitions plays
+      an important part in the &quot;morale&quot; of the troops. The average
+      Poilu has no sympathy with the man who grumbles at the number of hours he
+      may have to spend in the factory. We heard the tale of a munition worker
+      who was complaining in a cafe at having to work so hard. A Poilu who was
+      en permission, and who was sitting at the next table, turned to him
+      saying: &quot;You have no right to grumble. You receive ten to twelve
+      francs a day for making shells and we poor devils get five sous a day for
+      stopping them!&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="3"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Recruiting Rat-Catchers</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We lunched in the small but hospitable village of Sezannes in company with
+      a most charming invalided officer, who informed us that he was the
+      principal in that district of the S.D.R. R.D. (Service de Recherche des
+      Rattiers) (the Principal Recruiting Officer for Rat-Catchers). In other
+      words, he is spending his time endeavouring to persuade suitable bow-wows
+      to enlist in the service of their country. Likely dogs are trained until
+      they do not bark, and become entirely accustomed to the sound of firing;
+      they are then pronounced &quot;aptes a faire campagne&quot; or &quot;fit
+      for service,&quot; receive their livret militaire, or certificates--for
+      not every chance dog is allowed in the trenches--and are despatched to the
+      trenches on a rat-hunting campaign.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At the commencement of the .War, dogs were not utilized to the extent they
+      are at present. A large number are now with the French Army and the
+      wonderful training they have received, aided by their natural sagacity,
+      renders them a holy terror to prowling bodies and spies. Those employed in
+      carrying messages or tobacco to the soldiers in dangerous trenches now
+      wear gas masks, as many of these high trained animals have been lost in
+      consequence of too closely investigating the strange odour caused by this
+      Hun war method.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From Sezannes we proceeded direct to the new camp for German prisoners at
+      Connantre. The prisoners were mostly men who had been taken in the recent
+      fighting on the Somme or around Verdun. The camp was already excellently
+      installed and the prisoners were busy in groups gardening, making bread,
+      or sitting before great heaps of potatoes preparing them for the evening
+      meal. In one corner the inevitable German Band was preparing for an
+      evening concert. The German sense of order was everywhere in evidence. In
+      the long barracks where the men slept the beds were tidy, and above each
+      bed was a small shelf, each shelf arranged in exactly the same order, the
+      principal ornaments being a mug, fork and spoon; and just as each bed
+      resembled each other bed, so the fork and spoon were placed in their
+      respective mugs at exactly the same angle. There were small partitioned
+      apartments for the non- commissioned officers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The French Commander of the camp told us that the German love of holding
+      some form of office was everywhere apparent. The French made no attempt to
+      command the prisoners themselves, but always chose men from amongst the
+      prisoners who were placed in authority over their comrades. The prisoners
+      rejoiced exceedingly and promptly increased in self-importance and, alas,
+      decreased in manners, if they were given the smallest position which
+      raised them above the level of the rest of the men.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the barrack where they were cutting up bread for the prisoners, we
+      asked the men if they deeply regretted their captivity. They replied
+      unanimously that they were &quot;rather glad to be well fed,&quot; which
+      seemed an answer in itself. They did not, however, appreciate the white
+      bread, and stated that they preferred their own black bread. The French
+      officers commanding the camp treat the prisoners as naughty children who
+      must be &quot;kept in the corner&quot; and punished for their own good. In
+      all my travels through France I have never seen any bitterness shown
+      towards the prisoners. I remember once at Nevers we passed a group of
+      German prisoners, and amongst them was a wounded man who was lying in a
+      small cart. A hand bag had fallen across his leg, and none of his comrades
+      attempted to remove it. A French woman pushing her way between the guards,
+      lifted it off and gave it to one of the Germans to carry. When the guards
+      tried to remonstrate she replied simply: &quot;J'ai un fils prisonnier la
+      bas, faut esperer qu'une allemande ferait autant pour lui.&quot; (&quot;I
+      have a son who is a prisoner in their land; let us hope that some German
+      woman would do as much for him.&quot;)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On the battlefields the kindness of the French medical men to the German
+      wounded has always been conspicuous. One of my neutral friends passing
+      through Germany heard from one of the prominent German surgeons that they
+      were well aware of this fact, and knew that their wounded received every
+      attention. There is a story known throughout France of a French doctor who
+      was attending a wounded German on the battlefield. The man, who was
+      probably half delirious, snatched at a revolver which was lying near by
+      and attempted to shoot the doctor. The doctor took the revolver from him,
+      patted him on the head, and said: &quot;Voyons, voyons, ne faites pas
+      l'enfant&quot; (&quot;Now then, now then, don't be childish&quot;) and
+      went on dressing his wounds.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Everywhere you hear accounts of brotherly love and religious tolerance. I
+      remember kneeling once by the side of a dying French soldier who was
+      tenderly supported in the arms of a famous young Mohammedan surgeon, an
+      Egyptian who had taken his degree in Edinburgh and was now attached to the
+      French Red Cross. The man's mind was wandering, and seeing a woman beside
+      him he commenced to talk to me as to his betrothed. &quot;This war cannot
+      last always, little one, and when it is over we will buy a pig and a cow
+      and we will go to the cure, won't we, beloved?&quot; Then in a lucid
+      moment he realised that he was dying, and he commenced to pray, &quot;Ave
+      Maria, Ave Maria,&quot; but the poor tired brain could remember nothing
+      more. He turned to me to continue, but I could no longer trust myself to
+      speak, and it was the Mohammedan who took up the prayer and continued it
+      whilst the soldier followed with his lips until his soul passed away into
+      the valley of shadows. I think this story is only equalled in its broad
+      tolerance by that of the Rabbi Bloch of Lyons, who was shot at the battle
+      of the Aisne whilst holding a crucifix to the lips of a dying Christian
+      soldier. The soldier priests of France have earned the love and respect of
+      even the most irreligious of the Poilus. They never hesitate to risk their
+      lives, and have displayed sublime courage and devotion to their duty as
+      priests and as soldiers. Behind the first line of trenches a soldier
+      priest called suddenly to attend a dying comrade, took a small dog he was
+      nursing and handing it to one of the men simply remarked, &quot;Take care
+      of the little beast for me, I am going to a dangerous corner and I do not
+      want it killed.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="4"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>A Gun Carriage An Altar</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I have seen the Mass celebrated on a gun carriage. Vases made of shell
+      cases were filled with flowers that the men had risked their lives to
+      gather in order to deck the improvised altar. A Red Cross ambulance drove
+      up and stopped near by. The wounded begged to be taken out on their
+      stretchers and laid at the foot of the altar in order that &quot;they
+      might receive the blessing of the good God&quot; before starting on the
+      long journey to the hospital behind the lines.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Outside the prison camp of Cannantre stood a circle of French soldiers
+      learning the bugle calls for the French Army. I wondered how the Germans
+      cared to listen to the martial music of the men of France, one and all so
+      sure of the ultimate victory of their country. Half a kilometre further
+      on, a series of mock trenches had been made where the men were practising
+      the throwing of hand grenades. Every available inch of space behind the
+      French lines is made to serve some useful purpose.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I never see a hand grenade without thinking how difficult it is just now
+      to be a hero in France. Every man is really a hero, and the men who have
+      medals are almost ashamed since they know that nearly all their comrades
+      merit them. It is especially difficult to be a hero in one's own family.
+      One of the men in our hospital at Royaumont had been in the trenches
+      during an attack. A grenade thrown by one of the French soldiers struck
+      the parapet and rebounded amongst the men. With that rapidity of thought
+      which is part of the French character, Jules sat on the grenade and
+      extinguished it. For this act of bravery he was decorated by the French
+      Government and wrote home to tell his wife. I found him sitting up in bed,
+      gloomily reading her reply, and I enquired why he looked so glum. &quot;Well,
+      Mademoiselle,&quot; he replied, &quot;I wrote to my wife to tell her of my
+      new honour and see what she says: 'My dear Jules, We are not surprised you
+      got a medal for sitting on a hand grenade; we have never known you to do
+      anything else but sit down at home!!!'&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was at Fere Champenoise that we passed through the first village which
+      had been entirely destroyed by the retreating Germans. Only half the
+      church was standing, but services are still held there every Sunday. Very
+      little attempt has been made to rebuild the ruined houses. Were I one of
+      the villagers I would prefer to raze to the ground all that remained of
+      the desecrated homesteads and build afresh new dwellings; happy in the
+      knowledge that with the victory of the Allies would start a period of
+      absolute security, prosperity and peace.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="5"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Life Behind The Lines</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Soon after leaving Mailly we had the privilege of beholding some of the
+      four hundred centimetre guns of France, all prepared and ready to travel
+      at a minute's notice along the railway lines to the section where they
+      might be needed. Some idea of their size may be obtained from the fact
+      that there were ten axles to the base on which they travel. They were all
+      disguised by the system of camouflage employed by the French Army, and at
+      a very short distance they blend with the landscape and become almost
+      invisible. Each gun bears a different name, &quot;Alsace,&quot; &quot;Lorraine,&quot;
+      etc., and with that strange irony and cynical wit of the French trooper,
+      at the request of the men of one battery, one huge gun has been christened
+      &quot;Mosquito,&quot; &quot;Because it stings.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The French often use a bitter and biting humour in speaking of the enemy.
+      For instance, amongst the many pets of the men, the strangest I saw was a
+      small hawk sitting on the wrist of a soldier who had trained him. The bird
+      was the personification of evil. If any one approached he snapped at them
+      and endeavoured to bite them. I asked the man why he kept him, and he
+      replied that they had quite good sport in the trenches when they allowed
+      the hawk to hunt small birds and field mice. Then his expression changing
+      from jovial good humour to grimness, he added, &quot;You know, I call him
+      'Zepp,' because he kills the little ones,&quot; (parcequ'il tue les tous
+      petits.)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad003.jpg" width="600" height="541" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="6"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Devotion To Animals</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In one small cantonment where two hundred Poilus sang, shouted, ate, drank
+      and danced together to the strain of a wheezy gramophone, or in one word
+      were &quot;resting,&quot; I started to investigate the various kinds of
+      pets owned by the troopers. Cats, dogs and monkeys were common, whilst one
+      Poilu was the proud possessor of a parrot which he had purchased from a
+      refugee obliged to fly from his home. He hastened to assure us that the
+      bird had learned his &quot;vocabulary&quot; from his former proprietor. A
+      study in black and white was a group of three or four white mice, nestling
+      against the neck of a Senegalais.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The English Tommy is quite as devoted to animals as is his French brother.
+      I remember crossing one bitter February day from Boulogne to Folkestone.
+      Alongside the boat, on the quay at Boulogne, were lined up the men who had
+      been granted leave. Arrayed in their shaggy fur coats they resembled
+      little the smart British soldier of peace times. It was really wonderful
+      how much the men managed to conceal under those fur coats, or else the eye
+      of the officer inspecting them was intentionally not too keen.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Up the gangway trooped the men, and I noticed that two of them walked
+      slowly and cautiously. The boat safely out of harbour, one of them
+      produced from his chest a large tabby cat, whilst the other placed a fine
+      cock on the deck. It was a cock with the true Gallic spirit, before the
+      cat had time to consider the situation it had sprung on its back. The cat
+      beat a hasty retreat into the arms of its protector who replaced it under
+      his coat. Once in safety it stuck out its head and swore at the cock,
+      which, perched on a coil of rope, crowed victoriously. Both had been the
+      companions of the men in the trenches, and they were bringing them home.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A soldier standing near me began to grumble because he had not been able
+      to bring his pet with him. I enquired why he had left it behind since the
+      others had brought theirs away with them, and elicited the information
+      that his pet was &quot;a cow, and therefore somewhat difficult to
+      transport.&quot; He seemed rather hurt that I should laugh, and assured me
+      it was &quot;a noble animal, brown with white spots, and had given himself
+      and his comrades two quarts of milk a day.&quot; He looked disdainfully at
+      the cock and cat. &quot;They could have left them behind and no one would
+      have pinched them, whereas I know I'll never see 'Sarah' again, she was
+      far too useful.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Entering Vitry-le-Francois we had a splendid example of the typical &quot;motto&quot;
+      of the French trooper, &quot;II ne faut pas s'en faire&quot; One of the
+      motor cars had broken down, and the officer-occupants, who were evidently
+      not on an urgent mission, had gone to sleep on the banks by the side of
+      the road whilst the chauffeur was making the necessary repairs. We offered
+      him assistance, but he was progressing quite well alone. Later on another
+      officer related to me his experience when his car broke down at midnight
+      some twelve miles from a village. The chauffeur was making slow headway
+      with the repairs. The officer enquired whether he really understood the
+      job, and received the reply, &quot;Yes, mon Lieutenant, I think I do, but
+      I am rather a novice, as before the war I was a lion-tamer!&quot;
+      Apparently the gallant son of Gaul found it easier to tame lions than to
+      repair motors.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad005.jpg" width="600" height="582" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="7"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Hunting For Generals</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We left Vitry-le-Francois at six o'clock next morning, and started &quot;the
+      hunt for Generals.&quot; It is by no means easy to discover where the
+      actual Headquarters of the General of any particular sector is situated.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We were not yet really on the &quot;White Road&quot; to Verdun, and there
+      was still much to be seen that delighted the eyes. In one yellow cornfield
+      there appeared to be enormous poppies. On approaching we discovered a
+      detachment of Tirailleurs from Algiers, sitting in groups, and the &quot;poppies&quot;
+      were the red fezes of the men--a gorgeous blending of crimson and gold. We
+      threw a large box of cigarettes to them and were greeted with shouts of
+      joy and thanks. The Tirailleurs are the enfants terribles of the French
+      Army. One noble son of Africa who was being treated in one of the
+      hospitals once presented me with an aluminium ring made from a piece of
+      German shell. I asked him to make one for one of my comrades who was
+      working at home, and he informed me that nothing would have given greater
+      pleasure, but unfortunately he had no more aluminium. Later in the day,
+      passing through the ward, I saw him surrounded by five or six Parisian
+      ladies who were showering sweets, cigarettes and flowers on him, whilst he
+      was responding by presenting each of them with an aluminium ring. When
+      they had left I went to him and told him &quot;Mahmud, that was not kind.
+      I asked you for a ring and you said you had not got any more aluminium.&quot;
+      He smiled and his nurse, who was passing, added, &quot;No, he had not got
+      any more aluminium, but when he is better he will get forty-eight hours'
+      punishment; he has been into the kitchen, stolen one of our best aluminium
+      saucepans, and has been making souvenirs for the ladies.&quot; He made no
+      attempt to justify his action beyond stating: &quot;Moi, pas si mauvais,
+      toi pas faux souvenir&quot; (&quot;I am not so bad, I did not try to give
+      you a fake souvenir&quot;).
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Another of our chocolate coloured patients found in the grounds of the
+      hospital an old umbrella. Its ribs stuck out and it was full of holes, but
+      it gave him the idea of royalty and daily he sat up in bed in the ward
+      with the umbrella unfurled whilst he laid down the law to his comrades.
+      The nurses endeavoured to persuade him to hand it over at night. He
+      obstinately refused, insisting that &quot;he knew his comrades,&quot; and
+      he feared that one of them would certainly steal the treasure, so he
+      preferred to keep it in the bed with him.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At Villers-le-Sec we came upon the headquarters of the cooks for that
+      section of the Front. The cook is one of the most important men in a
+      French regiment; he serves many ends. When carrying the food through the
+      communicating trenches to the front line trenches he is always supposed to
+      bring to the men the latest news, the latest tale which is going the round
+      of the camp, and anything that may happen to interest them. If he has not
+      got any news he must manufacture and produce some kind of story. It is
+      really necessary for him to be not only a cook but also an author.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      There is a tale going the round of the French Army how one section of the
+      Cooks, although unarmed, managed to take some twenty German prisoners. As
+      they went on their way, they saw the Germans in the distance approaching
+      them; the Head Cook quietly drew the field kitchens behind a clump of
+      trees and bushes, placed his men in a row, each with a cooking utensil in
+      his hand, and as the Germans passed shouted to them to surrender. The sun
+      fell on the handles of the saucepans, causing them to shine like bayonets,
+      and the Germans, taken unawares, laid down their arms. The Head Cook then
+      stepped out and one by one took the rifles from the enemy and handed them
+      to his men. It was only when he had disarmed the Germans and armed his
+      comrades that he gave the signal for them to step out, and the Germans saw
+      that they had been taken by a ruse. One can imagine the joy of the French
+      troops in the next village when, with a soup ladle in his hand, his
+      assistants armed with German rifles, followed by the soup kitchen and
+      twenty prisoners--he marched in to report.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="8"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>An Instance Of Quick Wit</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It is curious how near humour is to tragedy in war, how quick wit may
+      serve a useful purpose, and even save life. A young French medical student
+      told me that he owed his life to the quick wit of the women of a village
+      and the sense of humour of a Saxon officer. Whilst passing from one
+      hospital to another he was captured by a small German patrol, and in spite
+      of his papers proving that he was attached to the Red Cross Service, he
+      was tried as a spy and condemned to be shot. At the opening of his trial
+      the women had been interested spectators, towards the end all of them had
+      vanished. He was placed against a barn door, the firing squad lined up,
+      when from behind the hedge bordering a wood, the women began to bombard
+      the soldiers with eggs. The aim was excellent, not one man escaped; the
+      German officer laughed at the plight of his men and, in the brief respite
+      accorded, the young man dashed towards the hedge and vanished in the
+      undergrowth. The Germans fired a few shots but there was no organised
+      attempt to follow him, probably because their own position was not too
+      secure. He was loth to leave the women to face the music, but they
+      insisted that it was pour la patrie and that they were quite capable of
+      taking care of themselves. Later he again visited the village and the
+      women told him that beyond obliging them to clean the soldiers' clothes
+      thoroughly, the German officer had inflicted no other punishment upon
+      them.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A certain number of inhabitants are still living in the village of
+      Revigny. You see everywhere placards announcing &quot;Caves pour 25,&quot;
+      &quot;Caves pour 100,&quot; and each person knows to which cellar he is to
+      go if a Taube should start bombing the village. I saw one cellar marked
+      &quot;120 persons, specially safe, reserved for the children.&quot;
+      Children are one of the most valuable assets of France, and a good old
+      Territorial &quot;Pe-Pere&quot; (Daddy), as they are nicknamed, told me
+      that it was his special but difficult duty to muster the children directly
+      a Taube was signalled and chase them down into the cellar. Mopping his
+      brow he assured me that it was not easy to catch the little beggars, who
+      hid in the ruins, behind the army wagons, anywhere to escape the &quot;parental&quot;
+      eye, even standing in rain barrels up to their necks in water. It is
+      needless to add they consider it a grave infringement of their personal
+      liberty and think that they should be allowed to remain in the open and
+      see all that goes on, just as the little Londoners beg and coax to be
+      allowed to stay up &quot;to see the Zepps.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Passing the railway station we stopped to make some enquiries, and
+      promptly ascertained all we wished to know from the Chef de Gare. In the
+      days of peace there is in France no one more officious than the station
+      master of a small but prosperous village. Now he is the meekest of men.
+      Braided cap in hand he goes along the train from carriage door to carriage
+      door humbly requesting newspapers for the wounded in the local hospitals:
+      &quot;Nous avons cent vingt cinq blesses ici, cela les fait tant de
+      plaisir d'avoir des nouvelles.&quot; (We have 125 wounded here and they
+      love to hear the news.)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In addition to levying a toll on printed matter, he casts a covetous and
+      meaning glance on any fruit or chocolate that may be visible. Before the
+      train is out of the station, you can see the once busy, and in his own
+      opinion, all-important railway official, vanishing down the road to carry
+      his spoils to his suffering comrades. Railway travelling is indeed
+      expensive in France. No matter what time of day or night, wet or fine, the
+      trains are met at each station by devoted women who extract contributions
+      for the Red Cross Funds from the pockets of willing givers. It is only
+      fair to state, however, that in most instances the station master gets
+      there first.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="9"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>At The Headquarters Of General Petain</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From the time we left Revigny until we had passed into the Champagne
+      country, upon the return journey from Verdun, we no longer saw a green
+      tree or a blade of green grass; we were now indeed upon the &quot;White
+      Road which leads unto Verdun.&quot; Owing to an exceptionally trying and
+      dry summer the roads are thick with white dust. The continual passing of
+      the camions, the splendid transport wagons of the French Army, carrying
+      either food, munitions, or troops, has stirred up the dust and coated the
+      fields, trees and hedges with a thick layer of white. It is almost as
+      painful to the eyes as the snow-fields of the Alps.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I saw one horse that looked exactly like a plaster statuette. His master
+      had scrubbed him down, but before he dried the white dust had settled on
+      him everywhere. Naturally humans do not escape. By the time our party
+      reached the Headquarters of General Petain we had joined the White
+      Brigade. I excused myself to the General, who smilingly replied: &quot;Why
+      complain, Mademoiselle, you are charming; your hair is powdered like that
+      of a Marquise.&quot; The contrast with what had been a black fur cap on
+      what was now perfectly white hair justified his compliment. I have never
+      been renowned in my life for fear of any individual, but I must admit that
+      I passed into the presence of General Petain with a great deal of respect
+      amounting almost to awe. The defence of Verdun through the bitter months
+      of February and March by General Petain, a defence which is now under the
+      immediate control of his able lieutenants General Nivelle and General
+      Dubois, has earned the respect and admiration of the whole world. It is
+      impossible not to feel the deepest admiration for these men who have
+      earned such undying glory, not only for themselves, but for their
+      Motherland.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      No one could have been more gracious and kind than General Petain, and in
+      his presence one realised the strength and power of France. Throughout all
+      the French Headquarters one is impressed by the perfect calm; no
+      excitement; everything perfectly organised.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      General Petain asked me at once to tell him what I desired. I asked his
+      permission to go to Rheims. He at once took up a paper which permitted me
+      to enter the war zone and endorsed it with the request to General Debeney
+      in Rheims to allow me to penetrate with my companions into the city. He
+      then turned to me again and asked me, with a knowing smile, if that was
+      all I required--for his Headquarters were hardly on the direct road to
+      Rheims! I hesitated to express my real wish, when my good counsellor and
+      friend, with whom I was making the journey, the Commandant Jean de
+      Pulligny, answered for me: &quot;I feel sure it would be a great happiness
+      and honour if you would allow us, General, to go to Verdun.&quot; General
+      Petain appeared slightly surprised, and turning to me asked: &quot;Do you
+      thoroughly realise the danger? You have crossed the Atlantic and faced
+      submarines, but you will risk more in five minutes in Verdun than in
+      crossing the Atlantic a thousand times.&quot; However, seeing that I was
+      really anxious to go, and that it might be of great service to me in my
+      future work to have seen personally the defence of Verdun, he added
+      smilingly: &quot;Well then, you can go if you wish at your own risk and
+      peril.&quot; He then telephoned to General Nivelle the necessary
+      permission for us to enter Verdun.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I doubt whether General Petain realises the respect in which he is held in
+      all the civilised countries of the world. Probably he does not yet
+      understand that people would come thousands of miles to have five minutes'
+      audience with him, for he enquired if we were in any hurry to continue our
+      journey, and added with charming simplicity--&quot;Because if not, and you
+      do not mind waiting an hour, I shall be glad if you will lunch with me.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="10"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>A Meeting With "Forain"</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We lunched with General Petain and his Etat Major. A charming and most
+      interesting addition to the party was M. Forain, the famous French
+      caricaturist, and now one of the Chief Instructors of the French Army in
+      the art of camouflage--the art of making a thing look like anything in the
+      world except what it is! He has established a series of schools all along
+      the French Front, where the Poilus learn to bedeck their guns and
+      thoroughly disguise them under delicate shades of green and yellow, with
+      odd pink spots, in order to relieve the monotony. Certainly the appearance
+      of the guns of the present time would rejoice the heart and soul of the
+      &quot;Futurists.&quot; It was most interesting to hear him describe the
+      work in detail and the rapidity with which his pupils learned the new art.
+      For one real battery there are probably three or four false ones,
+      beautiful wooden guns, etc., etc., and he told us of the Poilus' new
+      version of the song &quot;Rien n'est plus beau que notre Patrie&quot; (&quot;Nothing
+      is more beautiful than our country&quot;). They now sing &quot;Rien n'est
+      plus faux que notre batterie&quot; (&quot;Nothing is more false than our
+      battery&quot;).
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was M. Forain who coined the famous phrase &quot;that there was no fear
+      for the ultimate success of the Allies, if only the civilians held out!&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I was much amused at M. Forain's statement that he had already heard that
+      a company had been formed for erecting, after the War, wooden hotels on
+      the battlefields of France for the accommodation of sightseers. Not only
+      was it certain that these hotels were to be built, but the rooms were
+      already booked in advance.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad006.jpg" width="600" height="567" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="11"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Value Of Women's Work</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was strange to find there, within the sound of the guns-- sometimes the
+      glasses on the table danced to the music although no one took any notice
+      of that--surrounded by men directing the operations of the war and of one
+      of the greatest battles in history, how little War was mentioned. Science,
+      Philosophy and the work of women were discussed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The men of France are taking deep interest in the splendid manner in which
+      the women of all the different nations are responding to the call to
+      service. I described to General Petain the work of the Scottish Women's
+      Hospitals. These magnificent hospitals are organised and staffed entirely
+      by women and started, in the first instance, by the Scottish Branch of the
+      National Union of Women's Suffrage. He was deeply interested to learn that
+      what had been before the War a political society had, with that splendid
+      spirit of patriotism which had from the first day of the war animated
+      every man, woman and child of Great Britain, drawn upon its funds and
+      founded the Hospital Units. I explained to him that it was no longer a
+      question of politics, but simply a case of serving humanity and serving it
+      to the best possible advantage. The National Union had realised that this
+      was a time for organised effort on the part of all women for the benefit
+      of the human race and the alleviation of suffering.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I spoke of the bravery of our girls in Serbia; how many of them had laid
+      down their lives during the typhus epidemic; how cheerfully they had borne
+      hardships, our doctors writing home that their tent hospitals were like
+      &quot;great white birds spreading their wings under the trees,&quot;
+      whereas really they had often been up all night hanging on to the tent
+      poles to prevent the tents collapsing over their patients.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      A member of the Etat Major asked how we overcame the language difficulty.
+      I pointed out that to diagnose typhus and watch the progress of the
+      patient it was not necessary to speak to him, and that by the magic
+      language of sympathy we managed to establish some form of &quot;understanding&quot;
+      between the patients, the Doctors, and the Nurses. The members of our
+      staff were chosen as far as possible with a knowledge of French or German,
+      and it was possible to find many Serbians speaking either one of these
+      languages. We also found interpreters amongst the Austrian prisoner
+      orderlies. These prisoner orderlies had really proved useful and had done
+      their best to help us. Naturally they had their faults. One of our Lady
+      Doctors had as orderly a Viennese Professor, willing but somewhat
+      absent-minded. One morning she sent for him and asked him: &quot;Herr
+      Karl, can you tell me what was wrong with my bath water this morning?&quot;
+      &quot;I really don't know, Fraulein, but I will endeavour to find out.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Ten minutes later he returned, looking decidedly guilty and stammered out,
+      &quot;I do not know how to tell you what happened to that bath water.&quot;
+      &quot;Nonsense, it can't be very terrible,&quot; replied Doctor X. &quot;What
+      was wrong?&quot; &quot;Well, Fraulein, when I went into the camp kitchen
+      this morning there were two cauldrons there, one was your bath water, and
+      the other was the camp soup. To you, Fraulein, I brought the camp soup.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We who had worked with the Serbians had learned to respect and admire them
+      for their patriotism, courage and patient endurance. We felt that their
+      outstanding characteristic was their imagination, which, turned into the
+      proper channels and given a chance to develop, should produce for the
+      world not only famous painters and poets but also great inventors. This
+      vivid imagination is found in the highest and lowest of the land. To
+      illustrate it, I told my neighbour at table a tale related to me by my
+      good friend Dr. Popovic. &quot;Two weary, ragged Serbian soldiers were
+      sitting huddled together waiting to be ordered forward to fight. One asked
+      the other, 'Do you know how this War started, Milan? You don't. Well then
+      I'll tell you. The Sultan of Turkey sent our King Peter a sack of rice.
+      King Peter looked at the sack, smiled, then took a very small bag and went
+      into his garden and filled it with red pepper. He sent the bag of red
+      pepper to the Sultan of Turkey. Now, Milan, you can see what that meant.
+      The Sultan of Turkey said to our Peter, 'My army is as numerous as the
+      grains of rice in this sack,' and by sending a small bag of red pepper to
+      the Sultan our Peter replied, 'My Army is not very numerous, but it is
+      mighty hot stuff.'&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Many members of the Units of the Scottish Women's Hospitals who had been
+      driven out of Serbia at the time of the great invasion had asked to be
+      allowed to return to work for the Serbians, and we were now equipping
+      fresh units, entirely staffed by women, to serve with the Serbian Army,
+      besides having at the present time the medical care of six thousand
+      Serbian refugees on the island of Corsica.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      General Petain said smiling that before the war he had sometimes thought
+      of women &quot;as those who inspired the most beautiful ideas in men and
+      prevented them from carrying them out,&quot; but the war, he added, had
+      certainly proved conclusively the value of women's work.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      M. Forain expressed the desire to visit the chief French Hospital of the
+      Scottish Women at the Abbaye de Royaumont. The General laughingly told
+      him, &quot;You do not realise how stern and devoted to duty those ladies
+      are. I wonder if you would be permitted to visit them?&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I consoled M. Forain by pointing out that surely as chief Camoufler
+      (disguiser) of the French Army, he could disguise himself as a model of
+      virtue (de se camoufler en bon garcon). Certainly this son of France, who
+      has turned his brilliant intellect and his art to the saving of men's
+      lives, would be welcome anywhere and everywhere. I hastened to assure him
+      that I was only teasing him, and added that I only teased the people I
+      admired and liked. General Petain immediately turned to the Commandant de
+      Pulligny--&quot;Please remark that she has not yet teased me.&quot; &quot;Probably
+      because she fears to do it, and has too much respect for you,&quot;
+      replied the Commandant. &quot;Fears! I do not think we need talk of that
+      just now, when she dares to go to Verdun.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Whilst at coffee after lunch the news came of the continued advance of the
+      British troops. General Petain turned to me and said, &quot;You must
+      indeed be proud in England of your new army. Please tell your English
+      people of our admiration of the magnificent effort of England. The raising
+      and equipping of your giant army in such a short time was indeed a
+      colossal task. How well it was carried out all the world now knows and we
+      are reaping the harvest.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The General's Chief of Staff added: &quot;Lord Kitchener was right when he
+      said the war would last three years&quot;--&quot;the first year
+      preparation, the second year defence, and the third year cela sera rigolo
+      (it will be huge sport).&quot; He quoted the phrase as Lord Kitchener's
+      own.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Before we left the General signed for me the menu of the lunch, pointing
+      out to me, however, that if I were at any time to show the menu to the
+      village policeman I must assure him that the hare which figured thereon
+      had been run over at night by a motor car and lost its life owing to an
+      accident, otherwise he might, he feared, be fined for killing game out of
+      season!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I shall always remember the picture of General Petain seeing us into our
+      car with his parting words, &quot;You are about to do the most dangerous
+      thing you have ever done or will ever do in your life. As for Verdun, tell
+      them in England that I am smiling and I am sure that when you see General
+      Nivelle you will find him smiling too. That is the best answer I can give
+      you as to how things are going with us at Verdun.&quot; Then with a
+      friendly wave of his hand we passed on our way.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After leaving the Headquarters of General Petain we were held up for some
+      time at a level crossing and watched the busy little train puffing along,
+      carrying towards Verdun stores, munitions and men. This level crossing had
+      been the scene of active fighting; on each side were numerous graves, and
+      the sentinels off duty were passing from one to the other picking a dead
+      leaf or drawing a branch of trailing vine over the resting places of their
+      comrades.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Above our heads circled &quot;les guipes&quot; the wasps of the French
+      Army. They had been aroused by the appearance of a Taube and were
+      preparing to sting had the Taube waited or made any further attempt to
+      proceed over the French lines. However, deciding that discretion was the
+      better part of valour, it turned and fled.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It is unwise, however, to stir up the &quot;wasps of France&quot;; they
+      followed it, and later in the day we heard that it had been brought down
+      near Verdun.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We were now in the centre of activity of the army defending Verdun. On
+      every hand we saw artillery parks, ammunition parks, and regiments
+      resting, whilst along the road a long line of camions passed unceasingly.
+      During the whole length of my stay on the French Front I only saw one
+      regiment marching. Everywhere the men are conveyed in the camions, and are
+      thus spared the fatigue which would otherwise be caused by the intense
+      heat and the white dust. There are perhaps only two things that can in any
+      way upset the perfect indifference to difficulties of the French trooper:
+      he hates to walk, and he refuses to be deprived of his &quot;pinard.&quot;
+      The men of the French Army have named their red wine &quot;pinard,&quot;
+      just as they call water &quot;la flotte,&quot; always, however, being
+      careful to add that &quot;la flotte&quot; is excellent &quot;for washing
+      one's feet.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      As we passed through the Headquarters of General Nivelle, he sent down
+      word to us not to wait to call on him then, but to proceed at once to
+      Verdun as later the passage would become more difficult. He kindly sent
+      down to us one of the officers of his staff to act as escort. The officer
+      sat by our chauffeur, warning him of the' dangerous spots in the road
+      which the Germans had the habit of &quot;watering&quot; from time to time
+      with &quot;marmites,&quot; and ordering him to put on extra speed. Our
+      speed along the road into Verdun averaged well over a mile a minute.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad010.jpg" width="600" height="404" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="12"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>The &quot;Movies&quot; Under Fire</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Within range of the German guns, probably not more than four or five
+      kilometres from Verdun, we came on a line of men waiting their turn to go
+      into the cinema. After all there was no reason &quot;de s'en faire,&quot;
+      and if they were alive they decided they might as well be happy and
+      amused. Just before entering the gate of Verdun we passed a number of
+      ambulances, some of them driven by the American volunteers. These young
+      Americans have displayed splendid heroism in bringing in the wounded under
+      difficult conditions. Many of them have been mentioned in despatches, and
+      have received from France the Croix de Guerre. I also saw an ambulance
+      marked &quot;Lloyds.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It would be useless to pretend that one entered Verdun without
+      emotion,--Verdun, sorely stricken, yet living, kept alive by the
+      indomitable soul of the soldiers of France, whilst her wounds are daily
+      treated and healed by the skill of her Generals. A white city of
+      desolation, scorched and battered, yet the brightest jewel in the crown of
+      France's glory; a shining example to the world of the triumph of human
+      resistance and the courage of men. A city of strange and cruel sounds. The
+      short, sharp bark of the 75's, the boom of the death-dealing enemy guns,
+      the shrieks of the shells and the fall of masonry parting from houses to
+      which it had been attached for centuries, whilst from the shattered window
+      frames the familiar sprite of the household looked ever for the children
+      who came no longer across the thresholds of the homes. Verdun is no longer
+      a refuge for all that is good and beautiful and tender, and so the sounds
+      of the voices of children and of birds are heard no more. Both have flown;
+      the children were evacuated with the civilians in the bitter months of
+      February and March, and the birds, realising that there is no secure place
+      in which to nest, have deserted not only Verdun but the whole of the
+      surrounding district.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We proceeded to a terrace overlooking the lower part of the town and
+      witnessed a duel between the French and German artillery. The Germans were
+      bombarding the barracks of Chevert, and from all around the French guns
+      were replying. It was certainly a joy to note that for one boom of a
+      German cannon there were certainly ten answers from the French guns. The
+      French soldiers off duty should have been resting in the caves and
+      dug-outs which have been prepared for them, but most of them were out on
+      the terraces in different parts of the city, smoking and casually watching
+      the effect of the German or of their own fire. I enquired of one Poilu
+      whether he would be glad to leave Verdun, and he laughingly replied:
+      &quot;One might be worse off than here. This is the time of year that in
+      peace times I should have been staying in the country with my
+      mother-in-law.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      There is no talk of peace in Verdun. I asked one of the men when he
+      thought the war would end. &quot;Perfectly simple to reply to that,
+      Mademoiselle; the war will end the day that hostilities cease.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I believe that the Germans would not be sorry to abandon the siege of
+      Verdun. In one of the French newspapers I saw the following verse:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Boches, a l'univers votre zele importun Fait des &quot;communiques&quot;
+      dont personne n'est dupe. Vous dites: &quot;Nos soldats occuperont Verdun.
+      Jusqu'ici c'est plutot Verdun qui les occupe.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      (You say that you soon will hold Verdun, Whilst really Verdun holds you.)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We left the car and climbed through the ruined streets to the top of the
+      citadel. No attempt has been made to remove any of the furniture or
+      effects from the demolished houses. In those houses from which only the
+      front had been blown away the spoons and forks were in some instances
+      still on the table, set ready for the meal that had been interrupted.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From windows lace curtains and draperies hung out over the fronts of the
+      houses. Everywhere shattered doors, broken cupboards, drawers thrown open
+      where the inhabitants had thought to try to save some of their cherished
+      belongings, but had finally fled leaving all to the care of the soldiers,
+      who protect the property of the inhabitants as carefully as if it were
+      their own.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It would be difficult to find finer custodians. I was told that at
+      Bobigny, pres Bourget, there is on one of the houses the following
+      inscription worthy of classical times:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &quot;The proprietor of this house has gone to the War. He leaves this
+      dwelling to the care of the French. Long live France.&quot; And he left
+      the key in the lock.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The soldiers billeted in the house read the inscription, which met with
+      their approval, and so far each regiment in passing had cleaned out the
+      little dwelling and left it in perfect order.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From the citadel we went down into the trenches which led to the lines at
+      Thiaumont. The heat in the city was excessive but in the trenches it was
+      delightfully cool, perhaps a little too cool. We heard the men make no
+      complaints except that at times the life was a little &quot;monotonous&quot;!
+      One man told me that he was once in a trench that was occupied at the same
+      time by the French and the Germans. There was nothing between them but
+      sand bags and a thick wall of clay, and day and night the French watched
+      that wall. One day a slight scratching was heard. The men prepared to face
+      the crumbling of the barrier when through a small hole popped out the head
+      of a brown rabbit. Down into the trench hopped Mrs. Bunny, followed by two
+      small bunnies, and although rabbit for lunch would have improved the menu
+      the men had not the heart to kill her. On the contrary they fed her on
+      their rations and at night- fall she departed, followed by her progeny.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From all the dug-outs heads popped out and the first movement of surprise
+      at seeing a woman in the trenches turned to a smile of delight, since the
+      Poilu is at all times a chivalrous gentleman. One man was telling me of
+      the magnificent work that had been accomplished by his &quot;compagnie.&quot;
+      I congratulated him and told him he must be happy to be in such a company.
+      He swept off his iron casque, bowed almost to the ground, and answered:
+      &quot;Certainly I am happy in my company, Mademoiselle, but I am far
+      happier in yours.&quot; The principal grief of the Poilus appeared to be
+      that a shell two or three days before had destroyed the store of the great
+      &quot;dragee&quot; (sugared almond) manufactory of Verdun. Before leaving
+      the manufacturer had bequeathed his stock to the Army and they were all
+      regretting that they had not been greedier and eaten up the &quot;dragees&quot;
+      quicker.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In the trenches near Verdun, as in the trenches in Flanders, you find the
+      men talking little of war, but much of their homes and their families. I
+      came once upon a group of Bretons. They had opened some tins of sardines
+      and sitting around a bucket of blazing coals they were toasting the fish
+      on the ends of small twigs. I asked them why they were wasting their
+      energies since the fish were ready to be eaten straight from the tins.
+      &quot;We know,&quot; they replied, &quot;but it smells like home.&quot; I
+      suppose with the odour of the cooking fish, in the blue haze of the smoke,
+      they saw visions of their cottages and the white-coiffed Bretonnes frying
+      the fresh sardines that they had caught.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The dusk was now falling and, entering the car, we proceeded towards the
+      lower part of the town at a snail's pace in order not to draw the German
+      fire. We were told that at the present time approximately one hundred
+      shells a day still fall on Verdun, but at the time of the great attack the
+      number was as high as eight hundred, whilst as many as two hundred
+      thousand shells fell daily in and around Verdun.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Just before we reached the entrance to the citadel the enemy began to
+      shell the city and one of the shells exploded within two hundred feet of
+      the car. We knew that we were near the entrance to the vaults of the
+      citadel and could take refuge, so we left the car and proceeded on foot.
+      Without thinking we walked in the centre of the road, and the sentinel at
+      the door of the citadel began in somewhat emphatic French to recommend us
+      to &quot;longer les murs&quot; (to hug the walls tightly). The Germans are
+      well aware of the entrance to the citadel and daily shell the spot. If one
+      meets a shell in the centre of the road it is obviously no use to argue,
+      whilst in hugging the side of the wall there is a possibility of only
+      receiving the fragments of the bursting shell.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad007.jpg" width="600" height="384" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="13"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>A Subterranean City</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The subterranean galleries of the citadel of Verdun were constructed by
+      Vauban, and are now a hive of activity--barbers' shops, sweet shops, boot
+      shops, hospitals, anything and. everything which goes to make up a small
+      city.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One of the young officers placed his &quot;cell&quot; at our disposal. The
+      long galleries are all equipped with central heating and electric light
+      and some of them have been divided off by wooden partitions or curtains
+      like the dormitories in a large school. In the &quot;cell&quot; allocated
+      to us we could see the loving touch of a woman's hand. Around the pillow
+      on the small camp bed was a beautiful edging of Irish lace, and on the
+      dressing-table a large bottle of Eau-de-Cologne. There is no reason to be
+      too uncomfortable in Verdun when one has a good little wife to think of
+      one and to send presents from time to time.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Emerging from the galleries we met General Dubois, a great soldier and a
+      kindly man, one who shares the daily perils of his men. The General
+      invited us to remain and dine with him. He had that day received from
+      General Nivelle his &quot;cravate&quot; as Commander of the Legion of
+      Honour, and his officers were giving him a dinner-party to celebrate the
+      event. &quot;See how kind fate is to me,&quot; he added; &quot;only one
+      thing was missing from the feast--the presence of the ladies--and here you
+      are.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It would need the brush of Rembrandt to paint the dining-hall in the
+      citadel of Verdun. At one long table in the dimly lighted vault sat
+      between eighty and ninety officers, who all rose, saluted, and cheered as
+      we entered. The General sat at the head of the table surrounded by his
+      staff, and behind him the faces of the cooks were lit up by the fires of
+      the stoves.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Some short distance behind us was an air-shaft. It appears that about a
+      week or a fortnight before our arrival a German shell, striking the top
+      part of the citadel, dislodged some dust and gravel which fell down the
+      air-shaft onto the General's head. He simply called the attendants to him
+      and asked for his table to be moved forward a yard, as he did not feel
+      inclined to sit at table with his helmet on.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      An excellent dinner--soup, roast mutton, fresh beans, salade Russe,
+      Frangipane, dessert--and even champagne to celebrate the General's
+      cravate--quite reassured us that people may die in Verdun of shells but
+      not of hunger. We drank toasts to France, the Allies, and, silently, to
+      the men of France who had died that we might live. I was asked to propose
+      the health of the General and did it in English, knowing that he spoke
+      English well. I told him that the defenders of Verdun would live in our
+      hearts and memories; that on behalf of the whole British race I felt I
+      might convey to him congratulations on the honour paid to him by France. I
+      assured him that we had but one idea and one hope, the speedy victory of
+      the Allied arms, and that personally my present desire was that every one
+      of those present at table might live to see the flag of France waving over
+      the whole of Alsace-Lorraine. They asked me to repeat a description of the
+      flag of France which I gave first in Ottawa, so there, in the citadel of
+      Verdun with a small French flag before me, I went back in spirit to Ottawa
+      and remembered how I had spoken of the triumph of the flag of France:
+      &quot;The red, white and blue--the red of the flag of France a little
+      deeper hue than in time of peace since it was dyed with the blood of her
+      sons, the blood in which a new history of France is being written, volume
+      on volume, page on page, of deeds of heroism, some pages completed and
+      signed, others where the pen has dropped from the faltering hands and
+      which posterity must needs finish. The white of the flag of France, not
+      quite so white as in time of peace since thousands of her sons had taken
+      it in their hands and pressed it to their lips before they went forward to
+      die for it, yet without stain, since in all the record of the war there is
+      no blot on the escutcheon of France. And the blue of the flag of France,
+      true blue, torn and tattered with the marks of the bullets and the
+      shrapnel, yet unfurling proudly in the breeze whilst the very holes were
+      patched by the blue of the sky, since surely Heaven stands behind the flag
+      of France.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The men of Verdun were full of admiration for the glorious Commander of
+      the Fort de Vaux. They told me that the fort was held, or rather the ruins
+      of the fort, until the Germans were actually on the top and firing on the
+      French beneath.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I discussed with my neighbour the fact that the Germans had more hatred
+      for us than for the French. He said the whole world would ridicule the
+      Germans for the manner in which they had exploited the phrase &quot;Gott
+      strafe England,&quot; writing it even on the walls anywhere and
+      everywhere. He added laughingly that it should not worry the English
+      comrades. &quot;When they read 'Gott strafe England' all they needed to
+      reply was 'Ypres, Ypres, Hurrah!'&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad008.jpg" width="366" height="600" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="14"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Poilu And Tommy</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      He informed me that he had been stationed for some time with his regiment
+      near the English troops, and there had been loud lamentations among the
+      Poilus because they had been obliged to say good-bye to their English
+      comrades. He added that the affection was not entirely disinterested. The
+      English comrades had excellent marmalade and jam and other good things
+      which they shared with their French brothers, who, whilst excellently fed,
+      do not indulge in these luxuries. He told me a delightful tale of a French
+      cook who, seeing an English soldier standing by, began to question him as
+      to his particular branch of the service, informing him that he himself had
+      had an exceedingly busy morning peeling potatoes and cleaning up the pots
+      and pans. After considerable conversation he inquired of the English
+      comrade what he did for his living. &quot;Oh,&quot; replied the
+      Englishman, &quot;I get my living fairly easily; nothing half so strenuous
+      as peeling potatoes. I am just a colonel.&quot;!!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The clean-shaven Tommy is the beloved of all France. I remember seeing one
+      gallant khaki knight carrying the market basket of a French maiden and
+      repaying himself out of her store of apples. I regret to say his pockets
+      bulged suspiciously. Whilst at a level crossing near by, the old lady in
+      charge of the gate had an escort of &quot;Tommies&quot; who urged her to
+      let the train &quot;rip.&quot; This was somewhat ironical in view of the
+      fact that the top speed in that part of the war zone was probably never
+      more than ten miles an hour.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Tommy is never alone The children have learned that he loves their company
+      and he is always surrounded by an escort of youthful admirers. The
+      children like to rummage in his pockets for souvenirs: he must spend quite
+      a good deal of his pay purchasing sweets so that they may not be
+      disappointed and that there may be something for his little friends to
+      find. I remember seeing one Tommy, sitting in the dusty road with a large
+      pot of marmalade between his legs, dealing out spoonfuls with perfect
+      justice and impartiality to a circle of youngsters. He speaks to them of
+      his own little &quot;nippers&quot; at home and they in turn tell him of
+      their father who is fighting, of their mother who now works in the fields,
+      and of baby who is fearfully ignorant, does not know the difference
+      between the French and the &quot;Engleesch&quot; and who insisted on
+      calling the great English General who had stayed at their farm &quot;Papa.&quot;
+      It matters little that they cannot understand each other, and it does not
+      in the least prevent them from holding lengthy conversations.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I told my companion at table that whilst visiting one of the hospitals in
+      France I had heard how one Englishman had been sent into a far hospital in
+      Provence by mistake. He was not seriously injured and promptly constituted
+      himself king of the ward. On arrival he insisted on being shaved. As no
+      shaving brush was available the &quot;piou-piou&quot; in the next bed
+      lathered him with his tooth brush. The French cooking did not appeal to
+      him, and he grumbled continuously. The directress of the hospital sent her
+      own cook from her chateau to cater for Mr. Atkins. An elaborate menu was
+      prepared. Tommy glanced through it, ordered everything to be removed, and
+      commanded tea and toast. Toast-making is not a French art and the chateau
+      chef was obliged to remain at the hospital and spend his time carefully
+      preparing the toast and seeing that it was served in good condition. When
+      Mr. Atkins felt so disposed he would summon a piou-piou to give him a
+      French lesson or else request the various inmates of the ward to sing to
+      him. He would in turn render that plaintive ditty, &quot;Down by the Old
+      Bull and Bush.&quot; A nurse who spoke a little English translated his
+      song to the French soldiers! Whilst not desiring to criticise the
+      rendez-vous selected by their &quot;camerade anglais,&quot; they did not
+      consider that &quot;pres d'un vieux taureau&quot; (near an old bull) was a
+      safe or desirable meeting-place. When I explained to the nurse that &quot;The
+      Bull and Bush&quot; was a kind of cabaret she hastened from ward to ward
+      to tell the men that after all the Englishman might have selected a worse
+      spot to entertain his girl. He was at once the joy and the despair of the
+      whole hospital and the nurse had much trouble in consoling the patients
+      when &quot;our English&quot; was removed.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="15"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Abbreviated French</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      When Tommy indulges in the use of the French language he abbreviates it as
+      much as possible.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One hot summer's day driving from Boulogne to Fort Mahon, half way down a
+      steep hill we came upon two Tommies endeavouring to extract a motor cycle
+      and a side-car from a somewhat difficult position. They had side-slipped
+      and run into a small tree. The cycle was on one side and the side-car on
+      the other, and a steel rod between had been rammed right into the wood
+      through the force of the collision.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      My three companions and myself endeavoured to help the men to pull out the
+      rod, but the united efforts of the six of us proved unavailing. We hailed
+      a passing cart and tied the reins around the motor-cycle, but immediately
+      the horse commenced to pull the leather of the reins snapped. Behind the
+      cart walked a peasant. Only one adjective can possibly describe him: he
+      was decidedly &quot;beer-y.&quot; He made no attempt to help but passed
+      from one Tommy to the other, patting them on their backs, assuring them
+      &quot;that with a little good-will all would be well.&quot; There was a
+      dangerous glint in the youngest Tommy's eye, but in the presence of ladies
+      he refrained from putting his thoughts into words. Finally, his patience
+      evaporating, he suddenly turned on the peasant and shouted at him, &quot;Ong!
+      Ong!&quot; It took me some time to grasp that this was Tommy's abbreviated
+      version of &quot;Allez vous en&quot; (Clear out). In any event it proved
+      quite useless, as he continued to pat the Tommies affectionately and to
+      bombard them with impracticable suggestions.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We were joined later by three villagers, two gendarmes and a postman, and,
+      all pulling together, we managed to extract the rod from the tree. A large
+      lorry was passing and on to it we heaved the wreckage. Up clambered the
+      Tommies, followed by their unwelcome friend, who managed to sit on the
+      only unbroken portion of the side-car. This was too much for Messrs.
+      Atkins' equanimity. Limp with laughter, we watched them pass from sight
+      amidst a chorus of &quot;Ong! Ong!&quot; followed by flights of oratory in
+      the English tongue which do not bear repeating, but which were received by
+      the peasant as expressions of deep esteem and to which he replied by
+      endeavouring to kiss the Tommies and shouting, &quot;Vive l'Angleterre!
+      All right! Hoorah!&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Our guiding officer began to show some signs of anxiety to have us leave
+      before ten o'clock, but the good-byes took some time. Presents were
+      showered upon us, German dragees (shell heads and pieces of shrapnel), and
+      the real French dragees, the famous sweet of Verdun.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We crept out of the city, but unfortunately at one of the dangerous
+      crossroads our chauffeur mistook the route. A heavy bombardment was taking
+      place and the French were replying. We were lucky enough to get on to the
+      route and into safety before any shell fell near us. It appears that the
+      Germans systematically bombard the roads at night, hoping to destroy the
+      camions bringing up the food for the city, fresh munitions and men.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We slept that night at Bar-le-Duc, and next morning saw the various
+      ambulances and hospitals which the Service de Sante had particularly
+      requested me to visit. I was impressed by the splendid organisation of the
+      Red Cross even quite close to the firing line.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad011.jpg" width="600" height="538" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="16"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>The Brown And Black Sons Of France</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Passing through one tent hospital an Algerian called out to me: &quot;Ohe,
+      la blonde, viens ici! J'ai quelque chose de beau a te montrer.&quot; (Come
+      here, fair girl, I have something pretty to show you.) He was sitting up
+      in bed, and, as I approached, unbuttoned his bed-jacket and insisted on my
+      examining the tag of his vest on which was written, &quot;Leader, London.&quot;
+      The vest had come in a parcel of goods from the London Committee of the
+      French Red Cross, and I only wished that the angel of goodness and
+      tenderness, who is the Presidente of the Croix Rouge, Mme. de la Panouse,
+      and that Mr. D. H. Illingworth, Mr. Philip Wilkins, and all her able
+      lieutenants, could have seen the pleasure on the face of this swarthy
+      defender of France. In the next bed was a Senegalais who endeavoured to
+      attract my attention by keeping up a running compliment to my compatriots,
+      my King, and myself. He must have chanted fifty times: &quot;Vive les
+      English, Georges, et toil&quot; He continued even after I had rewarded him
+      with some cigarettes. The Senegalais and the Algerians are really great
+      children, especially when they are wounded. I have seen convalescent
+      Senegalais and Algerians in Paris spend hours in the Champs Elysees
+      watching the entertainment at the open-air marionette theatre. The antics
+      of the dolls kept them amused. They are admitted to the enclosure free,
+      and there is no longer any room for the children who frequented the show
+      in happier days. These latter form a disconsolate circle on the outside,
+      whilst the younger ones, who do not suffer from colour prejudice, scramble
+      onto the knees of the black soldiers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The sister in charge was a true daughter of the &quot;Lady of the Lamp.&quot;
+      Provided they are really ill, she sympathises with all the grumblers, but
+      scolds them if they have reached the convalescent stage. She carries a
+      small book in which she enters imaginary good points to those who have the
+      tables by their beds tidy, and she pinned an invisible medal on the chest
+      of a convalescent who was helping to carry trays of food to his comrades.
+      She is indeed a General, saving men for France.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Not a man escaped her attention, and as we passed through the tents she
+      gave to each of her &quot;chers enfants,&quot; black or white, a cheering
+      smile or a kindly word. She did, however, whilst talking to us, omit to
+      salute a Senegalais. Before she passed out of the tent he commenced to
+      call after her, &quot;Toi pas gentille aujourd'hui, moi battre toi.&quot;
+      (You are not good to me to-day; me beat you.) This, it appears, is his
+      little joke--he will never beat any one again, since he lost both his arms
+      when his trench was blown up by a land mine.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was at Triancourt that I first saw in operation the motor-cars that had
+      been sent out fitted with bath tubs for the troops, and also a very fine
+      car fitted up by the London Committee of the French Red Cross as a moving
+      dental hospital.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I regret to add that a &quot;Poilu&quot; near by disrespectfully referred
+      to it as &quot;another of the horrors of war,&quot; adding that in times
+      of peace there was some kind of personal liberty, whereas now &quot;a man
+      could not have toothache without being forced to have it ended, and that
+      there was no possibility of escaping a dentist who hunted you down by
+      motor.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It was suggested that as I had had a touch of toothache the night before,
+      I might take my place in the chair and give an example of British pluck to
+      the assembled &quot;Poilus.&quot; I hastened to impress on the surgeon
+      that I hated notoriety and would prefer to remain modestly in the
+      background. I even pushed aside with scorn the proffered bribe of six
+      &quot;Boche,&quot; buttons, assuring the man that &quot;I would keep my
+      toothache as a souvenir.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At one of the hospitals beside the bed of a dying man sat a little old man
+      writing letters. They told me that before the war he had owned the most
+      flourishing wine shop in the village. He had fled before the approach of
+      the German troops, but later returned to his village and installed himself
+      in the hospital as scribe. He wrote from morning until night, and,
+      watching him stretching his lean old hands, I asked him if he suffered
+      much pain from writers' cramp. He looked at me almost reproachfully before
+      answering, &quot;Mademoiselle, it is the least I can do for my country;
+      besides my pain is so slight and that of the comrades so great. I am
+      proud, indeed proud, that at sixty-seven years of age I am not useless.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I was shown a copy of the last letter dictated by a young French officer,
+      and I asked to be allowed to copy it--it was indeed a letter of a &quot;chic&quot;
+      type.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Chers Parrain et Marraine,
+    </p>
+    <dl>
+      <dt>
+        Je vous ecris a vous pour ne pas tuer Maman qu'un pareil coup
+        surprendrait trop.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        J'ai ete blesse le ... devant ...
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        J'ai deux blessures hideuses et je n'en aurai pas pour bien longtemps.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        Les majors ne me le cachent meme pas.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        Je pars sans regret avec la conscience d'avoir fait mon devoir.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        Prevenez donc mes parents le mieux que vous pourrez; qu'ils ne cherchent
+        pas a venir, ils n'en auraient pas le temps.
+      </dt>
+      <dt>
+        Adieu vous tous que j'aimais.
+      </dt>
+    </dl>
+    <p>
+      VIVE LA FRANCE!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Dear Godfather and Godmother,
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I am writing to you so as not to kill Mother, whom such a shock would
+      surprise too much. I was wounded on the ... at ... I have two terrible
+      wounds and I cannot last long. The surgeons do not even attempt to conceal
+      this from me. I go without regret, with the consciousness of having done
+      my duty. Kindly break the news to my parents the best way you can; they
+      should not attempt to come because they would not have time to reach me
+      before the end.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Farewell to all you whom I have loved.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      LONG LIVE FRANCE!
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Whilst loving his relatives tenderly, the last thought of the dying
+      Frenchman is for his country. Each one dies as a hero, yet not one
+      realises it. It would be impossible to show greater simplicity; they
+      salute the flag for the last time and that is all.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="17"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>At General Nivelle's Headquarters </strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      From Triancourt we went straight to the Headquarters of General Nivelle.
+      They had just brought him the maps rectified to mark the French advance.
+      The advance had been made whilst we were standing on the terrace at Verdun
+      the night before. We had seen the rockets sent up, requesting a &quot;tir
+      de barrage&quot; (curtain of fire). The 75's had replied at once and the
+      French had been able to carry out the operation.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Good news had also come in from the Somme, and General Nivelle did not
+      hesitate to express his admiration for the British soldiers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      He said that there was no need to praise the first troops sent by Britain
+      to France, every one knew their value, but it should be a great
+      satisfaction to Britain to find that the new army was living up to the
+      traditions of the old army.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      He added: &quot;We can describe the new Army of Britain in two words: Ca
+      mord--it bites.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The Father of his own men, it is not surprising that General Nivelle finds
+      a warm corner in his heart for the British Tommy, since his Mother was an
+      Englishwoman.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At lunch General Nivelle and the members of his staff asked many questions
+      as to the work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. I told them that what
+      appealed to us most in our French patients was the perfect discipline and
+      the gratitude of the men. We are all women in the Hospitals, and the men
+      might take advantage of this fact to show want of discipline, but we never
+      had to complain of lack of obedience. These soldiers of France may some of
+      them before the war have been just rough peasants, eating, drinking, and
+      sleeping; even having thoughts not akin to knighthood, but now, through
+      the ordeal of blood and fire, each one of them has won his spurs and come
+      out a chivalrous knight, and they bring their chivalry right into the
+      hospitals with them. We had also learned to love them for their kindness
+      to one another. When new wounded are brought in and the lights are low in
+      the hospital wards, cautiously watching if the Nurse is looking (luckily
+      Nurses have a way of not seeing everything), one of the convalescents will
+      creep from his bed to the side of the new arrival and ask the inevitable
+      question: &quot;D'ou viens-tu?&quot; (Where do you come from?) &quot;I
+      come from Toulouse,&quot; replies the man. &quot;Ah,&quot; says the
+      enquirer, &quot;my wife's Grandmother had a cousin who lived near
+      Toulouse.&quot; That is quite a sufficient basis for a friendship. The
+      convalescent sits by the bedside of his new comrade, holding the man's
+      hand, whilst his wounds are being dressed, telling him he knows of the
+      pain, that he, too, has suffered, and that soon all will be well.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Lions to fight, ever ready to answer to the call of the defence of their
+      country, yet these men of France are tender and gentle. In one hospital
+      through which I passed there was a baby. It was a military hospital, and
+      no civilian had any right there, but the medical officers who inspected
+      the hospital were remarkably blind --none of them could ever see the baby.
+      One of the soldiers passing through a bombarded village saw a little body
+      lying in the mud, and although he believed the child to be dead he stooped
+      down and picked it up. At the evacuating station the baby and the soldier
+      were sent to the hospital together; the doctors operated upon the baby and
+      took a piece of shrapnel from its back, and, once well and strong, it
+      constituted itself lord and master and king of all it surveyed. When it
+      woke in the morning it would call &quot;Papa&quot; and twenty fathers
+      answered to its call. All the pent-up love of the men for their own little
+      ones from whom they had been parted for so long they lavished on the tiny
+      stranger, but all his affection and his whole heart belonged to the rough
+      miner soldier who had brought him in. As the shadows fell one saw the man
+      walking up and down the ward with the child in his arms, crooning the
+      &quot;Marseillaise&quot; until the tired little eyes closed. He had
+      obtained permission from the authorities to adopt the child as the parents
+      could not be found, and remarked humorously: &quot;Mademoiselle, it is so
+      convenient to have a family without the trouble of being married!&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      What we must remember is that the rough soldier, himself blinded with
+      blood and mud, uncertain whether he could ever reach a point of safety,
+      yet had time to stoop and pick that little flower of France and save it
+      from being crushed beneath the cannon wheels. I told General Nivelle that
+      the hospital staff intended to keep the child for the soldier until the
+      end of the war, and we all hoped that he might grow up to the glory of
+      France and to the eternal honour of the tender-hearted fighter who had
+      rescued him.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After lunch we stood for some time watching the unending stream of camions
+      proceeding into Verdun. I believe it has been stated that on the average
+      one passed through the village every fifteen seconds, and that there are
+      something like twelve thousand motor vehicles used in the defence of
+      Verdun. The splendid condition of the roads and the absence of all
+      confusion in the handling of this immense volume of traffic are a great
+      tribute to the organising genius of the chiefs of the French Army.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We left General Nivelle as General Petain predicted we should find
+      him--smiling.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad014.jpg" width="600" height="545" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="18"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>Rheims</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We slept that night at Epernay, in the heart of the Champagne district.
+      The soil of France is doing its best to keep the vines in perfect
+      condition and to provide a good vintage to be drunk later to celebrate the
+      victory of France and her Allies. The keeping of the roads in good
+      condition is necessary for the rapid carrying out of operations on the
+      Front, and a &quot;marmite&quot; hole is promptly filled if by a lucky
+      shot the German batteries happen to tear up the roadway. We were
+      proceeding casually along one road when a young officer rode up to us and
+      told us to put on speed because we were under fire from a German battery
+      which daily landed one or two shells in that particular portion of the
+      roadway. It is wonderful how obedient one becomes at times! We promptly
+      proceeded to hasten! After visiting General Debeney and obtaining from him
+      the necessary authorisation and an officer escort, we entered Rheims.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The cathedral is now the home of pigeons, and as they fly in and out of
+      the blackened window-frames small pieces of the stained glass tinkle down
+      on to the floor. The custodian of the cathedral told us that during the
+      night of terror the German wounded, lying in the cathedral, not realising
+      the strength and beauty of the French character under adversity, feared,
+      seeing the cathedral in flames, that the populace might wreak vengeance on
+      them, and that it was exceedingly difficult to get them to leave the
+      cathedral. Many of the prisoners fled into corners and hid, and some of
+      them even penetrated into the palace of the Archbishop, which was in
+      flames. All the world knows and admires the bravery of the cure of the
+      cathedral, M. Landrieux, who took upon himself the defence of the
+      prisoners, for fear insults might be hurled at them. He knowingly risked
+      his life, but when, next day, some of his confreres endeavoured to praise
+      him he replied: &quot;My friends, I never before realised how easy it was
+      to die.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One of the churches in the city was heavily draped in black, and I asked
+      the sacristan if they had prepared for the funeral of a prominent citizen.
+      He told me that they were that day bringing home the body of a young man
+      of high birth of the neighbourhood, but that it was not for him that the
+      church was decked in mourning. The draperies had hung there since August,
+      1914--&quot;Since every son of Rheims who is brought home is as noble as
+      the one who comes to-day, and alas! nearly every day brings us one of our
+      children.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We lunched in the hotel before the cathedral, where each shell hole has an
+      ordinary white label stuck beside it with the date. The landlord remarked:
+      &quot;If you sit here long enough, and have the good luck to be in some
+      safe part of the building, you may be able to go and stick a label on a
+      hole yourself.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      After lunch we went out to the Chateau Polignac. To a stranger it would
+      appear to be almost entirely destroyed, but when M. de Polignac visited it
+      recently he simply remarked that it was &quot;less spoilt than he had
+      imagined.&quot; This was just one other example of the thousands one meets
+      daily of the spirit of noble and peasant, &quot;de ne pas s'en faire&quot;
+      but to keep only before them the one idea, Victory for France, no matter
+      what may be the cost.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      We went later to call on the &quot;75,&quot; chez elle. Madame was in a
+      particularly comfortable home which had been prepared for her and where
+      she was safe from the inquisitive eyes of the Taubes. The men of the
+      battery were sitting round their guns, singing a somewhat lengthy ditty,
+      each verse ending with a declamation and a description of the beauty of
+      &quot;la belle Suzanne.&quot; I asked them to whom Suzanne belonged and
+      where the fair damsel resided. &quot;Oh,&quot; they replied, &quot;we have
+      no time to think of damsels called 'Suzanne' now. This is our Suzanne,&quot;
+      and the speaker affectionately gave an extra rub with his coat sleeve to
+      the barrel of the &quot;75.&quot; By a wonderful system of trench work it
+      is possible for the gunners, in case of necessity, to take refuge in the
+      champagne vaults in the surrounding district, and it is in the champagne
+      vaults that the children go daily to school, with their little gas masks
+      hanging in bags on their arms. It appears that at first the tiny ones were
+      frightened of the masks, but they soon asked, like their elders, to be
+      also given a sack, and now one and all have learnt at the least alarm to
+      put on their masks. There is no need to tell the children to hurry home.
+      They realise that it is not wise to loiter in the streets for fear of the
+      whistling shells. They are remarkably plucky, these small men and women of
+      France.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      During one furious bombardment the children were safe in the vaults, but
+      one small citizen began to cry bitterly. He was reproached by his comrades
+      for cowardice, but he replied indignantly: &quot;I fear nothing for
+      myself. I am safe here, but there is no cellar to our house, and oh, what
+      will happen to the little mother?&quot; The teacher reassured him by
+      telling him that his mother would certainly take refuge in somebody's else
+      cellar.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On leaving Rheims we passed through various small hamlets where the houses
+      had been entirely destroyed, and which now had the appearance of native
+      villages, as the soldiers had managed to place thatched roofs on any place
+      which had any semblance of walls standing.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At Villars Coterets the Guard Champetre sounded the &quot;Gare a Vous!&quot;
+      Four Taubes were passing overhead, so we took refuge in the hotel for tea.
+      The enemy did no damage in that particular village, but in the next
+      village of Crepy-en-Valois a bomb killed one child and injured five women.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="19"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At his Headquarters next morning I had the honour of being received by
+      Generalissimo Joffre and telling him of the admiration and respect which
+      we felt for him and for the magnificent fighting spirit of the troops
+      under his able command. He replied modestly by speaking of the British
+      army. He referred to the offensive on the Somme, and said, &quot;You may
+      well be proud of your young soldiers; they are excellent soldiers, much
+      superior to the Germans in every way, a most admirable infantry; they
+      attack the Germans hand to hand with grenades or with the bayonet and push
+      them back everywhere; the Germans have been absolutely stupefied to find
+      such troops before them.&quot; The General then paid a tribute to the
+      Canadian and Australian troops and told me that that day the Australians
+      had taken new territory, adding, &quot;And not only have they taken it,
+      but, like their British and Canadian brothers, what they take they will
+      hold.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I explained to General Joffre that, whilst I was not collecting
+      autographs, I had with me the menu of the dinner in the Citadel at Verdun
+      and that it would give me great pleasure to have his name added to the
+      signatures already on that menu. All the signatures were on one side, so I
+      turned the menu over in order to offer him a clear space, but he turned it
+      back again, saying, &quot;Please let me sign on this side. I find myself
+      in good company with the defenders of Verdun.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      At departing he said to me, &quot;We may all be happy now since certainly
+      we are on the right side of the hill.&quot; (&quot;Nous sommes sur la
+      bonne pente.&quot;)
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In case this little story should fall into the hands of any woman who has
+      spent her time working for the men at the Front, I would like to tell her
+      the great pleasure it is to them to receive parcels, no matter what they
+      contain. Fraternity and Equality reign supreme in the trenches, and the
+      man counts himself happy who receives a little more than the others, since
+      he has the joy and the pleasure of sharing his store of good things with
+      his comrades. There is seldom a request made to the French behind the
+      lines that they do not attempt to fulfil. I remember last winter, passing
+      through a town in the provinces, I noticed that the elderly men appeared
+      to be scantily clad in spite of the bitterness of the weather. It appeared
+      that the call had gone forth for fur coats for the troops, and all the
+      worthy citizens of the town forwarded to the trenches their caracul coats.
+      Only those who are well acquainted with French provincial life can know
+      what it means to them to part with these signs of opulence and commercial
+      success.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      It is perhaps in the Post Offices that you find yourself nearest to the
+      heart of &quot;France behind the lines.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      One morning I endeavoured to send a parcel to a French soldier. I took my
+      place in a long line of waiting women bound on the same errand. A
+      white-haired woman before me gave the Post Office Clerk infinite trouble.
+      They are not renowned for their patience and I marvelled at his gentleness
+      until he explained. &quot;Her son died five weeks ago, but she still
+      continues to send him parcels.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      To another old lady he pointed out that she had written two numbers on the
+      parcel. &quot;You don't want two numbers, Mother. Which is your boy's
+      number? Tell me and I will strike out the other.&quot; &quot;Leave them
+      both,&quot; she answered. &quot;Who knows whether my dear lad will be
+      there to receive the parcel. If he is not, I want it to go to some other
+      Mother's son.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Affection means much to these men who are suffering, and they respond at
+      once to any sympathy shown to them. One man informed us with pride that
+      when he left his native village he was &quot;decked like an altar of the
+      Blessed Virgin on the first of May.&quot; In other words, covered with
+      flowers.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      There are but few lonely soldiers now, since those who have no families to
+      write to them receive letters and parcels from the Godmothers who have
+      adopted them. The men anxiously await the news of their adopted relatives
+      and spend hours writing replies. They love to receive letters, but,
+      needless to say, a parcel is even more welcome.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I remember seeing one man writing page after page. I suggested to him that
+      he must have a particularly charming Godmother. &quot;Mademoiselle,&quot;
+      he replied, &quot;I have no time for a Godmother since I myself am a
+      Godfather.&quot; He then explained that far away in his village there was
+      a young assistant in his shop, &quot;And God knows the boy loves France,
+      but both his lungs are touched, so they won't take him, but I write and
+      tell him that the good God has given me strength for two, that I fight for
+      him and for myself, and that we are both doing well for France.&quot; I
+      went back in imagination to the village. I could see the glint in the
+      boy's eyes, realised how the blood pulsed quicker through his veins at the
+      sight of, not the personal pronoun &quot;I&quot; in the singular, but the
+      plural &quot;We are doing well for France.&quot; For one glorious moment
+      he was part of the hosts of France and in spirit serving his Motherland.
+      It is that spirit of the French nation that their enemies will never
+      understand.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      On one occasion a young German officer, covered with mud from head to
+      foot, was brought before one of the French Generals. He had been taken
+      fighting cleanly, and the General was anxious to show him kindness. He
+      asked him if he would not prefer to cleanse himself before examination.
+      The young German drew himself up and replied: &quot;Look at me, General. I
+      am covered from head to foot with mud, and that mud is the soil of
+      France--you will never possess as much soil in Germany.&quot; The General
+      turned to him with that gentle courtesy which marks the higher commands in
+      France and answered: &quot;Monsieur, we may never possess as much soil in
+      Germany, but there is something that you will never possess, and, until
+      you conquer it, you cannot vanquish France, and that is the spirit of the
+      French people.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The French find it difficult to understand the arrogance which appears
+      ingrained in the German character and which existed before the War.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I read once that in the guests' book of a French hotel a Teutonic visitor
+      wrote:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &quot;L'AIlemagne est la premiere nation du monde.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      The next French visitor merely added:
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &quot;Yes, 'Allemagne is the first country of the world' if we take them
+      in alphabetical order.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad015.jpg" width="600" height="476" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad012.jpg" width="600" height="650" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <a name="20"></a> <br />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <strong>To The Glory Of The Women Of France</strong>
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I left the war zone with an increased respect, if this were possible, for
+      the men of France. They have altered their uniforms, but the spirit is
+      unchanged. They are no longer in the red and blue of the old days, but in
+      shades of green, grey and blue, colours blending to form one mighty
+      ocean--wave on wave of patriotism--beating against and wearing down the
+      rocks of military preparedness of forty years, and as no man has yet been
+      able to say to the Ocean stop, so no man shall cry &quot;Halt&quot; to the
+      Armies of France.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      I have spoken much of the men of France, but the women have also earned
+      our respect--those splendid peasant women, who even in times of peace
+      worked, and now carry a double burden on their shoulders--the middle-class
+      women, endeavouring to keep together the little business built up by the
+      man with years of toil, stinting themselves to save five francs to send a
+      parcel to the man at the Front that he may not suspect that there is not
+      still every comfort in the little homestead--the noble women of France,
+      who in past years could not be seen before noon, since my lady was at her
+      toilette, and who can be seen now, their hands scratched and bleeding,
+      kneeling on the floors of the hospitals scrubbing, proud and happy to take
+      their part in national service. The men owe much of their courage to the
+      attitude of the women who stand behind them, turning their tears to smiles
+      to urge their men to even greater deeds of heroism.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      In one of our hospitals was a young lad of seventeen who had managed to
+      enlist as an &quot;engage volontaire&quot; by lying as to his age. His old
+      Mother came to visit him, and she told me he was the last of her three
+      sons; the two elder ones had died the first week of the war at Pont
+      Mousson, and her little home had been burned to the ground. The boy had
+      spent his time inventing new and terrible methods of dealing with the
+      enemy, but with his Mother he became a child again and tenderly patted the
+      old face. Seeing the lad in his Mother's arms, and forgetting for one
+      moment the spirit of the French nation, I asked her if she would not be
+      glad if her boy was so wounded that she might take him home. She was only
+      an old peasant woman, but her eyes flashed, her cheeks flushed with anger
+      and turning to me she said, &quot;Mademoiselle, how dare you say such a
+      thing to me? If all the Mothers, Wives and Sweethearts thought as you,
+      what would happen to the country? Gustave has only one thing to do, get
+      well quickly and fight for Mother France.&quot;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      Because these women of France have sent their men forth to die, eyes dry,
+      with stiff lips and head erect, do not think that they do not mourn for
+      them. When night casts her kindly mantle of darkness over all, when they
+      are hidden from the eyes of the world, it is then that the proud heads
+      droop and are bent upon their arms, as the women cry out in the bitterness
+      of their souls for the men who have gone from them. Yet they realise that
+      behind them stands the greatest Mother of all, Mother France, who sees
+      coming towards her, from her frontiers, line on line of ambulances with
+      their burden of suffering humanity, yet watches along other routes her
+      sons going forth in thousands, laughter in their eyes, songs on their
+      lips, ready and willing to die for her. France draws around her her
+      tattered and bloodstained robe, yet what matters the outer raiment? Behind
+      it shines forth her glorious, exultant soul, and she lifts up her head
+      rejoicing and proclaims to the world that when she appealed man, woman,
+      and child--the whole of the French nation-- answered to her call.
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      <img alt="" src="images/WhiteRoad013.jpg" width="600" height="522" />
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      &nbsp;
+    </p>
+    <hr />
+    <p>
+      ***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WHITE ROAD TO VERDUN***
+    </p>
+    <p>
+      ******* This file should be named 11679-h.txt or 11679-h.zip *******
+    </p>
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+</pre>
+  </body>
+</html>
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+The Project Gutenberg eBook, The White Road to Verdun, by Kathleen Burke
+
+
+This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with
+almost no restrictions whatsoever.  You may copy it, give it away or
+re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included
+with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
+
+
+
+
+
+Title: The White Road to Verdun
+
+Author: Kathleen Burke
+
+Release Date: March 22, 2004  [eBook #11679]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: US-ASCII
+
+
+***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE WHITE ROAD TO VERDUN***
+
+
+E-text prepared by A. Langley
+
+
+
+Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this
+      file which includes the original illustrations.
+      See 11679-h.htm or 11679-h.zip:
+      (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/6/7/11679/11679-h/11679-h.htm)
+      or
+      (http://www.ibiblio.org/gutenberg/1/1/6/7/11679/11679-h.zip)
+
+
+
+
+
+THE WHITE ROAD TO VERDUN
+
+By
+
+Kathleen Burke
+Knight of St. Sava, Serbia
+Officier de l'Instruction Publique, France
+
+
+
+
+
+
+This Little Book Is
+Respectfully And Affectionately Dedicated To
+Madame Jusserand,
+Ambassadrice de France in Washington,
+and to
+Monsieur Gaston Liebert,
+Consul General de France
+
+Dr. C. O. Mailloux
+
+And to all my good friends in the United States and Canada,
+whose sympathy and encouragement have helped me so much in
+my work.
+
+
+VIVE LA FRANCE
+
+
+
+
+Contents
+
+
+Chapter
+
+    I  The True Philosophers
+   II  The Bridge At Meaux
+  III  Recruiting Rat-Catchers
+   IV  A Gun Carriage An Altar
+    V  Life Behind The Lines
+   VI  Devotion To Animals
+  VII  Hunting For Generals
+ VIII  An Instance Of Quick Wit
+   IX  At The Headquarters Of General Petain
+    X  A Meeting With "Forain"
+   XI  Value Of Women's Work
+  XII  The "Movies" Under Fire
+ XIII  A Subterranean Cut
+  XIV  Poilu And Tommy
+   XV  Abbreviated French
+  XVI  The Brown And Black Sons Of France
+ XVII  At General Nivelle's Headquarters
+XVIII  Rheims
+  XIX  At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo
+   XX  To The Glory Of The Women Of France
+
+
+
+
+
+The True Philosophers
+
+
+We left Paris determined to undertake the journey to the Front in
+the true spirit of the French Poilu, and, no matter what happened,
+"de ne pas s'en faire." This famous "motto" of the French Army is
+probably derived from one of two slang sentences, de ne pas se
+faire des cheveux ("to keep one's hair on,") or de ne pas se faire
+de la bile, or, in other words, not to upset one's digestion by
+unnecessary worrying. The phrase is typical of the mentality of the
+Poilu, who accepts anything and everything that may happen,
+whether it be merely slight physical discomfort, or intense
+suffering, as part of the willing sacrifice which he made on the day
+that, leaving his homestead and his daily occupation, he took up
+arms "offering his body as a shield to defend the heart of France."
+
+Everything might be worse than it is, says the Poilu, and so he has
+composed a Litany. Every regiment has a different version, but
+always with the same basis.
+
+"Of two things one is certain: Either you're mobilised or you're not
+mobilised. If you're not mobilised, there is no need to worry; if you
+are mobilised, of two things one is certain: Either you're behind the
+lines or you're on the Front. If you're behind the lines there is no
+need to worry; if you're on the Front, of two things one is certain:
+Either you're resting in a safe place or you're exposed to danger. If
+you're resting in a safe place there is no need to worry; if you're
+exposed to danger, of two things one is certain: Either you're
+wounded or you're not wounded. If you're not wounded, there is no
+need to worry; if you are wounded, of two things one is certain:
+Either you're wounded seriously or you're wounded slightly. If
+you're wounded slightly there is no need to worry; if you're
+wounded seriously, of two things one is certain: Either you recover
+or you die. If you recover there is no need to worry; if you die you
+can't worry."
+
+When once past the "Wall of China," as the French authorities call
+the difficult approaches to the war zone, Meaux was the first town
+of importance at which we stopped. We had an opportunity to
+sample the army bread, as the driver of a passing bread wagon
+flung a large round loaf into our motor.
+
+According to all accounts received from the French soldiers who
+are in the prison camps of Germany, one of the greatest hardships
+is the lack of white bread, and they have employed various
+subterfuges in the endeavour to let their relatives know that they
+wish to have bread sent to them.
+
+Some of the Bretons writing home nickname bread "Monsieur
+Barras," and when there was a very great shortage they would
+write to their families: "Ce pauvre Monsieur Barras ne se porte pas
+tres bien a present." (M. Barras is not very well at present.) Finally
+the Germans discovered the real significance of M. Barras and
+they added to one of the letters: "Si M. Barras ne se porte pas tres
+bien a present c'est bien la faute de vos amis les Anglais." (If M.
+Barras is not well at present, it is the fault of your friends the
+English.) And from then all the letters referring to M. Barras
+were strictly suppressed.
+
+While the German Press may not be above admitting a shortage
+of food in Germany, it seriously annoys the Army that the French
+prisoners or the French in the invaded regions should hear of it. I
+heard one story of the wife of a French officer in Lille, who was
+obliged to offer unwilling hospitality to a German Captain, who, in a
+somewhat clumsy endeavour to be amiable, offered to try to get
+news of her husband and to convey it to her. Appreciating the
+seeming friendliness, of the Captain, she confided to him that she
+had means of communicating with her husband who was on the
+French Front. The Captain informed against her and the next day
+she was sent for by the Kommandantur, who imposed a fine of fifty
+francs upon her for having received a letter from the enemy lines.
+Taking a one hundred franc note from her bag she placed it on the
+desk, saying, "M. le Kommandantur, here is the fifty francs fine,
+and also another fifty francs which I am glad to subscribe for the
+starving women and children in Berlin." "No one starves in Berlin,"
+replied the Kommandantur. "Oh, yes, they do," replied Madame X.,
+"I know because the Captain who so kindly informed you that I had
+received a letter from my husband showed me a letter the other
+day from his wife in which she spoke of the sad condition of the
+women and children of Germany, who, whilst not starving, were far
+from happy." Thus she not only had the pleasure of seriously
+annoying the Kommandantur, but also had a chance to get even
+with the Captain who had informed against her, and who is no
+longer in soft quarters in Lille, but paying the penalty of his
+indiscretion by a sojourn on the Yser.
+
+
+
+
+The Bridge At Meaux
+
+
+
+The Bridge at Meaux, destroyed in the course of the German
+retreat, has not yet been entirely repaired. Beneath it rushes the
+Marne and the river sings in triumph, as it passes, that it is carrying
+away the soil that has been desecrated by the steps of the
+invader, and that day by day it is washing clean the land of France.
+
+In the fields where the corn is standing, the tiny crosses marking
+the last resting places of the men are entirely hidden, but where
+the grain has been gathered the graves, stand out distinctly
+marked not only by a cross, but also by the tall bunches of corn
+which have been left growing on these small patches of holy
+ground. It has always been said that France has two harvests
+each year. Certainly in the fields of the Marne there is not only the
+harvest of bread; there is also springing up the harvest of security
+and peace.
+
+The peasants as they point out the graves always add: "We of the
+people know that those men sacrificed their lives that our children
+might live. Those who have died in vain for an unjust cause may
+well envy the men of France who have poured out their blood for
+the benefit of humanity."
+
+Looking on the crosses on the battlefield of the Marne, I realised to
+the fullest extent the sacrifices, borne with such bravery, of the
+women of France. I thought of the picture I had seen in Paris of a
+group of mothers standing at the foot of Calvary, looking out over
+the fields of small black crosses, lifting their hands to Heaven, with
+the words: "We also, God, have given our sons for the peace of
+the world."
+
+At Montmirail the real activity of the war zone first became
+apparent. We drew the car to the side of the road and waited
+whilst a long procession of empty munition wagons passed on the
+way back from the munition parks near the fighting line. There was
+a smile on the face of every one of the drivers. Each of them had
+the satisfaction of knowing that there was no chance of his
+returning with an empty wagon, as there is no lack of provisions to
+feed the hungriest of the "75's" or any of her larger sisters.
+
+The fact that it is known that there is an ample supply of munitions
+plays an important part in the "morale" of the troops. The average
+Poilu has no sympathy with the man who grumbles at the number
+of hours he may have to spend in the factory. We heard the tale of
+a munition worker who was complaining in a cafe at having to work
+so hard. A Poilu who was en permission, and who was sitting at
+the next table, turned to him saying: "You have no right to grumble.
+You receive ten to twelve francs a day for making shells and we
+poor devils get five sous a day for stopping them!"
+
+
+
+
+Recruiting Rat-Catchers
+
+
+
+We lunched in the small but hospitable village of Sezannes in
+company with a most charming invalided officer, who informed us
+that he was the principal in that district of the S.D.R. R.D. (Service
+de Recherche des Rattiers) (the Principal Recruiting Officer for
+Rat-Catchers). In other words, he is spending his time endeavouring
+to persuade suitable bow-wows to enlist in the service of their
+country. Likely dogs are trained until they do not bark, and become
+entirely accustomed to the sound of firing; they are then pronounced
+"aptes a faire campagne" or "fit for service," receive their livret
+militaire, or certificates--for not every chance dog is allowed in
+the trenches--and are despatched to the trenches on a rat-hunting
+campaign.
+
+At the commencement of the .War, dogs were not utilized to the
+extent they are at present. A large number are now with the
+French Army and the wonderful training they have received, aided
+by their natural sagacity, renders them a holy terror to prowling
+bodies and spies. Those employed in carrying messages or
+tobacco to the soldiers in dangerous trenches now wear gas
+masks, as many of these high trained animals have been lost in
+consequence of too closely investigating the strange odour
+caused by this Hun war method.
+
+From Sezannes we proceeded direct to the new camp for German
+prisoners at Connantre. The prisoners were mostly men who had
+been taken in the recent fighting on the Somme or around Verdun.
+The camp was already excellently installed and the prisoners were
+busy in groups gardening, making bread, or sitting before great
+heaps of potatoes preparing them for the evening meal. In one
+corner the inevitable German Band was preparing for an evening
+concert. The German sense of order was everywhere in evidence.
+In the long barracks where the men slept the beds were tidy, and
+above each bed was a small shelf, each shelf arranged in exactly
+the same order, the principal ornaments being a mug, fork and
+spoon; and just as each bed resembled each other bed, so the
+fork and spoon were placed in their respective mugs at exactly the
+same angle. There were small partitioned apartments for the non-
+commissioned officers.
+
+The French Commander of the camp told us that the German love
+of holding some form of office was everywhere apparent. The
+French made no attempt to command the prisoners themselves,
+but always chose men from amongst the prisoners who were
+placed in authority over their comrades. The prisoners rejoiced
+exceedingly and promptly increased in self-importance and, alas,
+decreased in manners, if they were given the smallest position
+which raised them above the level of the rest of the men.
+
+In the barrack where they were cutting up bread for the prisoners,
+we asked the men if they deeply regretted their captivity. They
+replied unanimously that they were "rather glad to be well fed,"
+which seemed an answer in itself. They did not, however,
+appreciate the white bread, and stated that they preferred their
+own black bread. The French officers commanding the camp treat
+the prisoners as naughty children who must be "kept in the corner"
+and punished for their own good. In all my travels through France I
+have never seen any bitterness shown towards the prisoners. I
+remember once at Nevers we passed a group of German  prisoners,
+and amongst them was a wounded man who was lying in a small cart.
+A hand bag had fallen across his leg, and none of his comrades
+attempted to remove it. A French woman pushing her way between
+the guards, lifted it off and gave it to one of the Germans to carry.
+When the guards tried to remonstrate she replied simply: "J'ai un
+fils prisonnier la bas, faut esperer qu'une allemande ferait autant
+pour lui." ("I have a son who is a prisoner in their land; let us hope
+that some German woman would do as much for him.")
+
+On the battlefields the kindness of the French medical men to the
+German wounded has always been conspicuous. One of my neutral
+friends passing through Germany heard from one of the prominent
+German surgeons that they were well aware of this fact, and knew that
+their wounded received every attention. There is a story known throughout
+France of a French doctor who was attending a wounded German
+on the battlefield. The man, who was probably half delirious,
+snatched at a revolver which was lying near by and attempted
+to shoot the doctor. The doctor took the revolver from him, patted
+him on the head, and said: "Voyons, voyons, ne faites pas l'enfant"
+("Now then, now then, don't be childish") and went on dressing his wounds.
+
+Everywhere you hear accounts of brotherly love and religious
+tolerance. I remember kneeling once by the side of a dying French
+soldier who was tenderly supported in the arms of a famous young
+Mohammedan surgeon, an Egyptian who had taken his degree in
+Edinburgh and was now attached to the French Red Cross. The
+man's mind was wandering, and seeing a woman beside him he
+commenced to talk to me as to his betrothed. "This war cannot last
+always, little one, and when it is over we will buy a pig and a cow
+and we will go to the cure, won't we, beloved?" Then in a lucid
+moment he realised that he was dying, and he commenced to
+pray, "Ave Maria, Ave Maria," but the poor tired brain could
+remember nothing more. He turned to me to continue, but I could
+no longer trust myself to speak, and it was the Mohammedan who
+took up the prayer and continued it whilst the soldier followed with
+his lips until his soul passed away into the valley of shadows. I
+think this story is only equalled in its broad tolerance by that of the
+Rabbi Bloch of Lyons, who was shot at the battle of the Aisne
+whilst holding a crucifix to the lips of a dying Christian soldier. The
+soldier priests of France have earned the love and respect of even
+the most irreligious of the Poilus. They never hesitate to risk their
+lives, and have displayed sublime courage and devotion to their
+duty as priests and as soldiers. Behind the first line of trenches a
+soldier priest called suddenly to attend a dying comrade, took a
+small dog he was nursing and handing it to one of the men simply
+remarked, "Take care of the little beast for me, I am going to a
+dangerous corner and I do not want it killed."
+
+
+
+
+A Gun Carriage An Altar
+
+
+
+I have seen the Mass celebrated on a gun carriage. Vases made
+of shell cases were filled with flowers that the men had risked their
+lives to gather in order to deck the improvised altar. A Red Cross
+ambulance drove up and stopped near by. The wounded begged
+to be taken out on their stretchers and laid at the foot of the altar in
+order that "they might receive the blessing of the good God"
+before starting on the long journey to the hospital behind the lines.
+
+Outside the prison camp of Cannantre stood a circle of French
+soldiers learning the bugle calls for the French Army. I wondered
+how the Germans cared to listen to the martial music of the men of
+France, one and all so sure of the ultimate victory of their country.
+Half a kilometre further on, a series of mock trenches had been
+made where the men were practising the throwing of hand
+grenades. Every available inch of space behind the French lines is
+made to serve some useful purpose.
+
+I never see a hand grenade without thinking how difficult it is just
+now to be a hero in France. Every man is really a hero, and the
+men who have medals are almost ashamed since they know that
+nearly all their comrades merit them. It is especially difficult to be a
+hero in one's own family. One of the men in our hospital at
+Royaumont had been in the trenches during an attack. A grenade
+thrown by one of the French soldiers struck the parapet and
+rebounded amongst the men. With that rapidity of thought which is
+part of the French character, Jules sat on the grenade and
+extinguished it. For this act of bravery he was decorated by the
+French Government and wrote home to tell his wife. I found him
+sitting up in bed, gloomily reading her reply, and I enquired why he
+looked so glum. "Well, Mademoiselle," he replied, "I wrote to my
+wife to tell her of my new honour and see what she says: 'My dear
+Jules, We are not surprised you got a medal for sitting on a hand
+grenade; we have never known you to do anything else but sit
+down at home!!!'"
+
+It was at Fere Champenoise that we passed through the first
+village which had been entirely destroyed by the retreating
+Germans. Only half the church was standing, but services are still
+held there every Sunday. Very little attempt has been made to
+rebuild the ruined houses. Were I one of the villagers I would
+prefer to raze to the ground all that remained of the desecrated
+homesteads and build afresh new dwellings; happy in the
+knowledge that with the victory of the Allies would start a period of
+absolute security, prosperity and peace.
+
+
+
+
+Life Behind The Lines
+
+
+
+Soon after leaving Mailly we had the privilege of beholding some of
+the four hundred centimetre guns of France, all prepared and
+ready to travel at a minute's notice along the railway lines to the
+section where they might be needed. Some idea of their size may
+be obtained from the fact that there were ten axles to the base on
+which they travel. They were all disguised by the system of
+camouflage employed by the French Army, and at a very short
+distance they blend with the landscape and become almost
+invisible. Each gun bears a different name, "Alsace," "Lorraine,"
+etc., and with that strange irony and cynical wit of the French
+trooper, at the request of the men of one battery, one huge gun
+has been christened "Mosquito," "Because it stings."
+
+The French often use a bitter and biting humour in speaking of the
+enemy. For instance, amongst the many pets of the men, the
+strangest I saw was a small hawk sitting on the wrist of a soldier
+who had trained him. The bird was the personification of evil. If any
+one approached he snapped at them and endeavoured to bite
+them. I asked the man why he kept him, and he replied that they
+had quite good sport in the trenches when they allowed the hawk
+to hunt small birds and field mice. Then his expression changing
+from jovial good humour to grimness, he added, "You know, I call
+him 'Zepp,' because he kills the little ones," (parcequ'il tue les tous
+petits.)
+
+
+
+
+Devotion To Animals
+
+
+
+In one small cantonment where two hundred Poilus sang, shouted,
+ate, drank and danced together to the strain of a wheezy
+gramophone, or in one word were "resting," I started to investigate
+the various kinds of pets owned by the troopers. Cats, dogs and
+monkeys were common, whilst one Poilu was the proud possessor
+of a parrot which he had purchased from a refugee obliged to fly
+from his home. He hastened to assure us that the bird had learned
+his "vocabulary" from his former proprietor. A study in black and
+white was a group of three or four white mice, nestling against the
+neck of a Senegalais.
+
+The English Tommy is quite as devoted to animals as is his
+French brother. I remember crossing one bitter February day from
+Boulogne to Folkestone. Alongside the boat, on the quay at
+Boulogne, were lined up the men who had been granted leave.
+Arrayed in their shaggy fur coats they resembled little the smart
+British soldier of peace times. It was really wonderful how much
+the men managed to conceal under those fur coats, or else the
+eye of the officer inspecting them was intentionally not too keen.
+
+Up the gangway trooped the men, and I noticed that two of them
+walked slowly and cautiously. The boat safely out of harbour, one
+of them produced from his chest a large tabby cat, whilst the other
+placed a fine cock on the deck. It was a cock with the true Gallic
+spirit, before the cat had time to consider the situation it had
+sprung on its back. The cat beat a hasty retreat into the arms of its
+protector who replaced it under his coat. Once in safety it stuck out
+its head and swore at the cock, which, perched on a coil of rope,
+crowed victoriously. Both had been the companions of the men in
+the trenches, and they were bringing them home.
+
+A soldier standing near me began to grumble because he had not
+been able to bring his pet with him. I enquired why he had left it
+behind since the others had brought theirs away with them, and
+elicited the information that his pet was "a cow, and therefore
+somewhat difficult to transport." He seemed rather hurt that I
+should laugh, and assured me it was "a noble animal, brown with
+white spots, and had given himself and his comrades two quarts of
+milk a day." He looked disdainfully at the cock and cat. "They could
+have left them behind and no one would have pinched them,
+whereas I know I'll never see 'Sarah' again, she was far too
+useful."
+
+Entering Vitry-le-Francois we had a splendid example of the typical
+"motto" of the French trooper, "II ne faut pas s'en faire" One of the
+motor cars had broken down, and the officer-occupants, who were
+evidently not on an urgent mission, had gone to sleep on the
+banks by the side of the road whilst the chauffeur was making the
+necessary repairs. We offered him assistance, but he was
+progressing quite well alone. Later on another officer related to me
+his experience when his car broke down at midnight some twelve
+miles from a village. The chauffeur was making slow headway with
+the repairs. The officer enquired whether he really understood the
+job, and received the reply, "Yes, mon Lieutenant, I think I do, but I
+am rather a novice, as before the war I was a lion-tamer!"
+Apparently the gallant son of Gaul found it easier to tame lions
+than to repair motors.
+
+
+
+
+Hunting For Generals
+
+
+
+We left Vitry-le-Francois at six o'clock next morning, and started
+"the hunt for Generals." It is by no means easy to discover where
+the actual Headquarters of the General of any particular sector is
+situated.
+
+We were not yet really on the "White Road" to Verdun, and there
+was still much to be seen that delighted the eyes. In one yellow
+cornfield there appeared to be enormous poppies. On approaching
+we discovered a detachment of Tirailleurs from Algiers, sitting in
+groups, and the "poppies" were the red fezes of the men--a gorgeous
+blending of crimson and gold. We threw a large box of cigarettes
+to them and were greeted with shouts of joy and thanks. The Tirailleurs
+are the enfants terribles of the French Army. One noble son of
+Africa who was being treated in one of the hospitals once presented
+me with an aluminium ring made from a piece of German shell.
+I asked him to make one for one of my comrades who was working
+at home, and he informed me that nothing would have given
+greater pleasure, but unfortunately he had no more aluminium.
+Later in the day, passing through the ward, I saw him surrounded
+by five or six Parisian ladies who were showering sweets, cigarettes
+and flowers on him, whilst he was responding by presenting
+each of them with an aluminium ring. When they had left I went
+to him and told him "Mahmud, that was not kind. I asked you for
+a ring and you said you had not got any more aluminium." He
+smiled and his nurse, who was passing, added, "No, he had
+not got any more aluminium, but when he is better he will get
+forty-eight hours' punishment; he has been into the kitchen,
+stolen one of our best aluminium saucepans, and has been
+making souvenirs for the ladies." He made no attempt to justify
+his action beyond stating: "Moi, pas si mauvais, toi pas faux souvenir"
+("I am not so bad, I did not try to give you a fake souvenir").
+
+Another of our chocolate coloured patients found in the grounds of
+the hospital an old umbrella. Its ribs stuck out and it was full of
+holes, but it gave him the idea of royalty and daily he sat up in bed
+in the ward with the umbrella unfurled whilst he laid down the law
+to his comrades. The nurses endeavoured to persuade him to
+hand it over at night. He obstinately refused, insisting that "he
+knew his comrades," and he feared that one of them would
+certainly steal the treasure, so he preferred to keep it in the bed
+with him.
+
+At Villers-le-Sec we came upon the headquarters of the cooks for
+that section of the Front. The cook is one of the most important
+men in a French regiment; he serves many ends. When carrying
+the food through the communicating trenches to the front line
+trenches he is always supposed to bring to the men the latest
+news, the latest tale which is going the round of the camp, and
+anything that may happen to interest them. If he has not got any
+news he must manufacture and produce some kind of story. It is
+really necessary for him to be not only a cook but also an author.
+
+There is a tale going the round of the French Army how one
+section of the Cooks, although unarmed, managed to take some
+twenty German prisoners. As they went on their way, they saw the
+Germans in the distance approaching them; the Head Cook quietly
+drew the field kitchens behind a clump of trees and bushes, placed
+his men in a row, each with a cooking utensil in his hand, and as
+the Germans passed shouted to them to surrender. The sun fell
+on the handles of the saucepans, causing them to shine like
+bayonets, and the Germans, taken unawares, laid down their
+arms. The Head Cook then stepped out and one by one took the
+rifles from the enemy and handed them to his men. It was only
+when he had disarmed the Germans and armed his comrades that
+he gave the signal for them to step out, and the Germans saw that
+they had been taken by a ruse. One can imagine the joy of the
+French troops in the next village when, with a soup ladle in his
+hand, his assistants armed with German rifles, followed by the
+soup kitchen and twenty prisoners--he marched in to report.
+
+
+
+
+An Instance Of Quick Wit
+
+
+
+It is curious how near humour is to tragedy in war, how quick wit
+may serve a useful purpose, and even save life. A young French
+medical student told me that he owed his life to the quick wit of the
+women of a village and the sense of humour of a Saxon officer.
+Whilst passing from one hospital to another he was captured by a
+small German patrol, and in spite of his papers proving that he
+was attached to the Red Cross Service, he was tried as a spy and
+condemned to be shot. At the opening of his trial the women had
+been interested spectators, towards the end all of them had
+vanished. He was placed against a barn door, the firing squad
+lined up, when from behind the hedge bordering a wood, the
+women began to bombard the soldiers with eggs. The aim was
+excellent, not one man escaped; the German officer laughed at
+the plight of his men and, in the brief respite accorded, the young
+man dashed towards the hedge and vanished in the undergrowth.
+The Germans fired a few shots but there was no organised
+attempt to follow him, probably because their own position was not
+too secure. He was loth to leave the women to face the music, but
+they insisted that it was pour la patrie and that they were quite
+capable of taking care of themselves. Later he again visited the
+village and the women told him that beyond obliging them to clean
+the soldiers' clothes thoroughly, the German officer had inflicted no
+other punishment upon them.
+
+A certain number of inhabitants are still living in the village of
+Revigny. You see everywhere placards announcing "Caves pour
+25," "Caves pour 100," and each person knows to which cellar he
+is to go if a Taube should start bombing the village. I saw one
+cellar marked "120 persons, specially safe, reserved for the
+children." Children are one of the most valuable assets of France,
+and a good old Territorial "Pe-Pere" (Daddy), as they are
+nicknamed, told me that it was his special but difficult duty to
+muster the children directly a Taube was signalled and chase them
+down into the cellar. Mopping his brow he assured me that it was
+not easy to catch the little beggars, who hid in the ruins, behind the
+army wagons, anywhere to escape the "parental" eye, even
+standing in rain barrels up to their necks in water. It is needless to
+add they consider it a grave infringement of their personal liberty
+and think that they should be allowed to remain in the open and
+see all that goes on, just as the little Londoners beg and coax to
+be allowed to stay up "to see the Zepps."
+
+Passing the railway station we stopped to make some enquiries,
+and promptly ascertained all we wished to know from the Chef de
+Gare. In the days of peace there is in France no one more
+officious than the station master of a small but prosperous village.
+Now he is the meekest of men. Braided cap in hand he goes along
+the train from carriage door to carriage door humbly requesting
+newspapers for the wounded in the local hospitals: "Nous avons
+cent vingt cinq blesses ici, cela les fait tant de plaisir d'avoir des
+nouvelles." (We have 125 wounded here and they love to hear the
+news.)
+
+In addition to levying a toll on printed matter, he casts a covetous
+and meaning glance on any fruit or chocolate that may be visible.
+Before the train is out of the station, you can see the once busy,
+and in his own opinion, all-important railway official, vanishing
+down the road to carry his spoils to his suffering comrades.
+Railway travelling is indeed expensive in France. No matter what
+time of day or night, wet or fine, the trains are met at each station
+by devoted women who extract contributions for the Red Cross
+Funds from the pockets of willing givers. It is only fair to state,
+however, that in most instances the station master gets there first.
+
+
+
+
+At The Headquarters Of General Petain
+
+
+
+From the time we left Revigny until we had passed into the
+Champagne country, upon the return journey from Verdun, we no
+longer saw a green tree or a blade of green grass; we were now
+indeed upon the "White Road which leads unto Verdun." Owing to
+an exceptionally trying and dry summer the roads are thick with
+white dust. The continual passing of the camions, the splendid
+transport wagons of the French Army, carrying either food,
+munitions, or troops, has stirred up the dust and coated the fields,
+trees and hedges with a thick layer of white. It is almost as painful
+to the eyes as the snow-fields of the Alps.
+
+I saw one horse that looked exactly like a plaster statuette. His
+master had scrubbed him down, but before he dried the white dust
+had settled on him everywhere. Naturally humans do not escape.
+By the time our party reached the Headquarters of General Petain
+we had joined the White Brigade. I excused myself to the General,
+who smilingly replied: "Why complain, Mademoiselle, you are
+charming; your hair is powdered like that of a Marquise." The
+contrast with what had been a black fur cap on what was now
+perfectly white hair justified his compliment. I have never been
+renowned in my life for fear of any individual, but I must admit that I
+passed into the presence of General Petain with a great deal of
+respect amounting almost to awe. The defence of Verdun through
+the bitter months of February and March by General Petain, a
+defence which is now under the immediate control of his able
+lieutenants General Nivelle and General Dubois, has earned the
+respect and admiration of the whole world. It is impossible not to
+feel the deepest admiration for these men who have earned such
+undying glory, not only for themselves, but for their Motherland.
+
+No one could have been more gracious and kind than General
+Petain, and in his presence one realised the strength and power of
+France. Throughout all the French Headquarters one is impressed
+by the perfect calm; no excitement; everything perfectly organised.
+
+General Petain asked me at once to tell him what I desired. I
+asked his permission to go to Rheims. He at once took up a paper
+which permitted me to enter the war zone and endorsed it with the
+request to General Debeney in Rheims to allow me to penetrate
+with my companions into the city. He then turned to me again and
+asked me, with a knowing smile, if that was all I required--for his
+Headquarters were hardly on the direct road to Rheims! I hesitated
+to express my real wish, when my good counsellor and friend, with
+whom I was making the journey, the Commandant Jean de Pulligny,
+answered for me: "I feel sure it would be a great happiness and
+honour if you would allow us, General, to go to Verdun." General
+Petain appeared slightly surprised, and turning to me asked: "Do
+you thoroughly realise the danger? You have crossed the Atlantic
+and faced submarines, but you will risk more in five minutes in
+Verdun than in crossing the Atlantic a thousand times." However,
+seeing that I was really anxious to go, and that it might be of great
+service to me in my future work to have seen personally the defence
+of Verdun, he added smilingly: "Well then, you can go if you wish
+at your own risk and peril." He then telephoned to General Nivelle
+the necessary permission for us to enter Verdun.
+
+I doubt whether General Petain realises the respect in which he is
+held in all the civilised countries of the world. Probably he does not
+yet understand that people would come thousands of miles to
+have five minutes' audience with him, for he enquired if we were in
+any hurry to continue our journey, and added with charming
+simplicity--"Because if not, and you do not mind waiting an hour, I
+shall be glad if you will lunch with me."
+
+
+
+
+A Meeting With "Forain"
+
+
+
+We lunched with General Petain and his Etat Major. A charming
+and most interesting addition to the party was M. Forain, the
+famous French caricaturist, and now one of the Chief Instructors of
+the French Army in the art of camouflage--the art of making a thing
+look like anything in the world except what it is! He has established
+a series of schools all along the French Front, where the Poilus
+learn to bedeck their guns and thoroughly disguise them under
+delicate shades of green and yellow, with odd pink spots, in order
+to relieve the monotony. Certainly the appearance of the guns of
+the present time would rejoice the heart and soul of the "Futurists."
+It was most interesting to hear him describe the work in detail and
+the rapidity with which his pupils learned the new art. For one real
+battery there are probably three or four false ones, beautiful
+wooden guns, etc., etc., and he told us of the Poilus' new version
+of the song "Rien n'est plus beau que notre Patrie" ("Nothing is
+more beautiful than our country"). They now sing "Rien n'est plus
+faux que notre batterie" ("Nothing is more false than our battery").
+
+It was M. Forain who coined the famous phrase "that there was no
+fear for the ultimate success of the Allies, if only the civilians held
+out!"
+
+I was much amused at M. Forain's statement that he had already
+heard that a company had been formed for erecting, after the War,
+wooden hotels on the battlefields of France for the accommodation
+of sightseers. Not only was it certain that these hotels were to be
+built, but the rooms were already booked in advance.
+
+
+
+
+Value Of Women's Work
+
+
+
+It was strange to find there, within the sound of the guns--
+sometimes the glasses on the table danced to the music although
+no one took any notice of that--surrounded by men directing the
+operations of the war and of one of the greatest battles in history,
+how little War was mentioned. Science, Philosophy and the work
+of women were discussed.
+
+The men of France are taking deep interest in the splendid
+manner in which the women of all the different nations are
+responding to the call to service. I described to General Petain the
+work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. These magnificent
+hospitals are organised and staffed entirely by women and started,
+in the first instance, by the Scottish Branch of the National Union of
+Women's Suffrage. He was deeply interested to learn that what
+had been before the War a political society had, with that splendid
+spirit of patriotism which had from the first day of the war animated
+every man, woman and child of Great Britain, drawn upon its funds
+and founded the Hospital Units. I explained to him that it was no
+longer a question of politics, but simply a case of serving humanity
+and serving it to the best possible advantage. The National Union
+had realised that this was a time for organised effort on the part of
+all women for the benefit of the human race and the alleviation of
+suffering.
+
+I spoke of the bravery of our girls in Serbia; how many of them had
+laid down their lives during the typhus epidemic; how cheerfully
+they had borne hardships, our doctors writing home that their tent
+hospitals were like "great white birds spreading their wings under
+the trees," whereas really they had often been up all night hanging
+on to the tent poles to prevent the tents collapsing over their patients.
+
+A member of the Etat Major asked how we overcame the
+language difficulty. I pointed out that to diagnose typhus and watch
+the progress of the patient it was not necessary to speak to him,
+and that by the magic language of sympathy we managed to
+establish some form of "understanding" between the patients, the
+Doctors, and the Nurses. The members of our staff were chosen
+as far as possible with a knowledge of French or German, and it
+was possible to find many Serbians speaking either one of these
+languages. We also found interpreters amongst the Austrian
+prisoner orderlies. These prisoner orderlies had really proved
+useful and had done their best to help us. Naturally they had their
+faults. One of our Lady Doctors had as orderly a Viennese
+Professor, willing but somewhat absent-minded. One morning she
+sent for him and asked him: "Herr Karl, can you tell me what was
+wrong with my bath water this morning?" "I really don't know,
+Fraulein, but I will endeavour to find out."
+
+Ten minutes later he returned, looking decidedly guilty and
+stammered out, "I do not know how to tell you what happened to
+that bath water." "Nonsense, it can't be very terrible," replied
+Doctor X. "What was wrong?" "Well, Fraulein, when I went into the
+camp kitchen this morning there were two cauldrons there, one
+was your bath water, and the other was the camp soup. To you,
+Fraulein, I brought the camp soup."
+
+We who had worked with the Serbians had learned to respect and
+admire them for their patriotism, courage and patient endurance.
+We felt that their outstanding characteristic was their imagination,
+which, turned into the proper channels and given a chance to
+develop, should produce for the world not only famous painters
+and poets but also great inventors. This vivid imagination is found
+in the highest and lowest of the land. To illustrate it, I told my
+neighbour at table a tale related to me by my good friend Dr.
+Popovic. "Two weary, ragged Serbian soldiers were sitting huddled
+together waiting to be ordered forward to fight. One asked the
+other, 'Do you know how this War started, Milan? You don't. Well
+then I'll tell you. The Sultan of Turkey sent our King Peter a sack of
+rice. King Peter looked at the sack, smiled, then took a very small
+bag and went into his garden and filled it with red pepper. He sent
+the bag of red pepper to the Sultan of Turkey. Now, Milan, you can
+see what that meant. The Sultan of Turkey said to our Peter, 'My
+army is as numerous as the grains of rice in this sack,' and by
+sending a small bag of red pepper to the Sultan our Peter replied,
+'My Army is not very numerous, but it is mighty hot stuff.'"
+
+Many members of the Units of the Scottish Women's Hospitals
+who had been driven out of Serbia at the time of the great invasion
+had asked to be allowed to return to work for the Serbians, and we
+were now equipping fresh units, entirely staffed by women, to
+serve with the Serbian Army, besides having at the present time
+the medical care of six thousand Serbian refugees on the island of
+Corsica.
+
+General Petain said smiling that before the war he had sometimes
+thought of women "as those who inspired the most beautiful ideas
+in men and prevented them from carrying them out," but the war,
+he added, had certainly proved conclusively the value of women's
+work.
+
+M. Forain expressed the desire to visit the chief French Hospital of
+the Scottish Women at the Abbaye de Royaumont. The General
+laughingly told him, "You do not realise how stern and devoted to
+duty those ladies are. I wonder if you would be permitted to visit
+them?"
+
+I consoled M. Forain by pointing out that surely as chief Camoufler
+(disguiser) of the French Army, he could disguise himself as a
+model of virtue (de se camoufler en bon garcon). Certainly this son
+of France, who has turned his brilliant intellect and his art to the
+saving of men's lives, would be welcome anywhere and everywhere.
+I hastened to assure him that I was only teasing him, and added
+that I only teased the people I admired and liked. General Petain
+immediately turned to the Commandant de Pulligny--"Please remark
+that she has not yet teased me." "Probably because she fears
+to do it, and has too much respect for you," replied the Commandant.
+"Fears! I do not think we need talk of that just now, when she
+dares to go to Verdun."
+
+Whilst at coffee after lunch the news came of the continued
+advance of the British troops. General Petain turned to me and
+said, "You must indeed be proud in England of your new army.
+Please tell your English people of our admiration of the magnificent
+effort of England. The raising and equipping of your giant army in
+such a short time was indeed a colossal task. How well it was
+carried out all the world now knows and we are reaping the
+harvest."
+
+The General's Chief of Staff added: "Lord Kitchener was right
+when he said the war would last three years"--"the first year
+preparation, the second year defence, and the third year cela sera
+rigolo (it will be huge sport)." He quoted the phrase as Lord
+Kitchener's own.
+
+Before we left the General signed for me the menu of the lunch,
+pointing out to me, however, that if I were at any time to show the
+menu to the village policeman I must assure him that the hare
+which figured thereon had been run over at night by a motor car
+and lost its life owing to an accident, otherwise he might, he
+feared, be fined for killing game out of season!
+
+I shall always remember the picture of General Petain seeing us
+into our car with his parting words, "You are about to do the most
+dangerous thing you have ever done or will ever do in your life. As
+for Verdun, tell them in England that I am smiling and I am sure
+that when you see General Nivelle you will find him smiling too.
+That is the best answer I can give you as to how things are going
+with us at Verdun." Then with a friendly wave of his hand we
+passed on our way.
+
+After leaving the Headquarters of General Petain we were held up
+for some time at a level crossing and watched the busy little train
+puffing along, carrying towards Verdun stores, munitions and men.
+This level crossing had been the scene of active fighting; on each
+side were numerous graves, and the sentinels off duty were
+passing from one to the other picking a dead leaf or drawing a
+branch of trailing vine over the resting places of their comrades.
+
+Above our heads circled "les guipes" the wasps of the French
+Army. They had been aroused by the appearance of a Taube and
+were preparing to sting had the Taube waited or made any further
+attempt to proceed over the French lines. However, deciding that
+discretion was the better part of valour, it turned and fled.
+
+It is unwise, however, to stir up the "wasps of France"; they
+followed it, and later in the day we heard that it had been brought
+down near Verdun.
+
+We were now in the centre of activity of the army defending
+Verdun. On every hand we saw artillery parks, ammunition parks,
+and regiments resting, whilst along the road a long line of camions
+passed unceasingly. During the whole length of my stay on the
+French Front I only saw one regiment marching. Everywhere the
+men are conveyed in the camions, and are thus spared the fatigue
+which would otherwise be caused by the intense heat and the
+white dust. There are perhaps only two things that can in any way
+upset the perfect indifference to difficulties of the French trooper:
+he hates to walk, and he refuses to be deprived of his "pinard."
+The men of the French Army have named their red wine "pinard,"
+just as they call water "la flotte," always, however, being careful to
+add that "la flotte" is excellent "for washing one's feet."
+
+As we passed through the Headquarters of General Nivelle, he
+sent down word to us not to wait to call on him then, but to proceed
+at once to Verdun as later the passage would become more
+difficult. He kindly sent down to us one of the officers of his staff to
+act as escort. The officer sat by our chauffeur, warning him of the'
+dangerous spots in the road which the Germans had the habit of
+"watering" from time to time with "marmites," and ordering him to
+put on extra speed. Our speed along the road into Verdun
+averaged well over a mile a minute.
+
+
+
+
+The "Movies" Under Fire
+
+
+
+Within range of the German guns, probably not more than four or
+five kilometres from Verdun, we came on a line of men waiting
+their turn to go into the cinema. After all there was no reason "de
+s'en faire," and if they were alive they decided they might as well
+be happy and amused. Just before entering the gate of Verdun we
+passed a number of ambulances, some of them driven by the
+American volunteers. These young Americans have displayed
+splendid heroism in bringing in the wounded under difficult
+conditions. Many of them have been mentioned in despatches,
+and have received from France the Croix de Guerre. I also saw an
+ambulance marked "Lloyds."
+
+It would be useless to pretend that one entered Verdun without
+emotion,--Verdun, sorely stricken, yet living, kept alive by the
+indomitable soul of the soldiers of France, whilst her wounds are
+daily treated and healed by the skill of her Generals. A white city of
+desolation, scorched and battered, yet the brightest jewel in the
+crown of France's glory; a shining example to the world of the
+triumph of human resistance and the courage of men. A city of
+strange and cruel sounds. The short, sharp bark of the 75's, the
+boom of the death-dealing enemy guns, the shrieks of the shells
+and the fall of masonry parting from houses to which it had been
+attached for centuries, whilst from the shattered window frames
+the familiar sprite of the household looked ever for the children
+who came no longer across the thresholds of the homes. Verdun
+is no longer a refuge for all that is good and beautiful and tender,
+and so the sounds of the voices of children and of birds are heard
+no more. Both have flown; the children were evacuated with the
+civilians in the bitter months of February and March, and the birds,
+realising that there is no secure place in which to nest, have
+deserted not only Verdun but the whole of the surrounding district.
+
+We proceeded to a terrace overlooking the lower part of the town
+and witnessed a duel between the French and German artillery.
+The Germans were bombarding the barracks of Chevert, and from
+all around the French guns were replying. It was certainly a joy to
+note that for one boom of a German cannon there were certainly
+ten answers from the French guns. The French soldiers off duty
+should have been resting in the caves and dug-outs which have
+been prepared for them, but most of them were out on the
+terraces in different parts of the city, smoking and casually
+watching the effect of the German or of their own fire. I enquired of
+one Poilu whether he would be glad to leave Verdun, and he
+laughingly replied: "One might be worse off than here. This is the
+time of year that in peace times I should have been staying in the
+country with my mother-in-law."
+
+There is no talk of peace in Verdun. I asked one of the men when
+he thought the war would end. "Perfectly simple to reply to that,
+Mademoiselle; the war will end the day that hostilities cease."
+
+I believe that the Germans would not be sorry to abandon the
+siege of Verdun. In one of the French newspapers I saw the
+following verse:
+
+Boches, a l'univers votre zele importun
+Fait des "communiques" dont personne n'est dupe.
+Vous dites: "Nos soldats occuperont Verdun.
+Jusqu'ici c'est plutot Verdun qui les occupe."
+
+(You say that you soon will hold Verdun, Whilst really Verdun holds
+you.)
+
+We left the car and climbed through the ruined streets to the top of
+the citadel. No attempt has been made to remove any of the
+furniture or effects from the demolished houses. In those houses
+from which only the front had been blown away the spoons and
+forks were in some instances still on the table, set ready for the
+meal that had been interrupted.
+
+From windows lace curtains and draperies hung out over the
+fronts of the houses. Everywhere shattered doors, broken
+cupboards, drawers thrown open where the inhabitants had
+thought to try to save some of their cherished belongings, but had
+finally fled leaving all to the care of the soldiers, who protect the
+property of the inhabitants as carefully as if it were their own.
+
+It would be difficult to find finer custodians. I was told that at
+Bobigny, pres Bourget, there is on one of the houses the following
+inscription worthy of classical times:
+
+"The proprietor of this house has gone to the War. He leaves this
+dwelling to the care of the French. Long live France." And he left
+the key in the lock.
+
+The soldiers billeted in the house read the inscription, which met
+with their approval, and so far each regiment in passing had
+cleaned out the little dwelling and left it in perfect order.
+
+From the citadel we went down into the trenches which led to the
+lines at Thiaumont. The heat in the city was excessive but in the
+trenches it was delightfully cool, perhaps a little too cool. We heard
+the men make no complaints except that at times the life was a
+little "monotonous"! One man told me that he was once in a trench
+that was occupied at the same time by the French and the
+Germans. There was nothing between them but sand bags and a
+thick wall of clay, and day and night the French watched that wall.
+One day a slight scratching was heard. The men prepared to face
+the crumbling of the barrier when through a small hole popped out
+the head of a brown rabbit. Down into the trench hopped Mrs.
+Bunny, followed by two small bunnies, and although rabbit for
+lunch would have improved the menu the men had not the heart to
+kill her. On the contrary they fed her on their rations and at night-
+fall she departed, followed by her progeny.
+
+From all the dug-outs heads popped out and the first movement of
+surprise at seeing a woman in the trenches turned to a smile of
+delight, since the Poilu is at all times a chivalrous gentleman. One
+man was telling me of the magnificent work that had been
+accomplished by his "compagnie." I congratulated him and told
+him he must be happy to be in such a company. He swept off his
+iron casque, bowed almost to the ground, and answered: "Certainly
+I am happy in my company, Mademoiselle, but I am far happier in
+yours." The principal grief of the Poilus appeared to be that a shell
+two or three days before had destroyed the store of the great "dragee"
+(sugared almond) manufactory of Verdun. Before leaving the
+manufacturer had bequeathed his stock to the Army and they were
+all regretting that they had not been greedier and eaten up the
+"dragees" quicker.
+
+In the trenches near Verdun, as in the trenches in Flanders, you
+find the men talking little of war, but much of their homes and their
+families. I came once upon a group of Bretons. They had opened
+some tins of sardines and sitting around a bucket of blazing coals
+they were toasting the fish on the ends of small twigs. I asked
+them why they were wasting their energies since the fish were
+ready to be eaten straight from the tins. "We know," they replied,
+"but it smells like home." I suppose with the odour of the cooking
+fish, in the blue haze of the smoke, they saw visions of their
+cottages and the white-coiffed Bretonnes frying the fresh sardines
+that they had caught.
+
+The dusk was now falling and, entering the car, we proceeded
+towards the lower part of the town at a snail's pace in order not to
+draw the German fire. We were told that at the present time
+approximately one hundred shells a day still fall on Verdun, but at
+the time of the great attack the number was as high as eight
+hundred, whilst as many as two hundred thousand shells fell daily
+in and around Verdun.
+
+Just before we reached the entrance to the citadel the enemy
+began to shell the city and one of the shells exploded within two
+hundred feet of the car. We knew that we were near the entrance
+to the vaults of the citadel and could take refuge, so we left the car
+and proceeded on foot. Without thinking we walked in the centre of
+the road, and the sentinel at the door of the citadel began in
+somewhat emphatic French to recommend us to "longer les murs"
+(to hug the walls tightly). The Germans are well aware of the
+entrance to the citadel and daily shell the spot. If one meets a shell
+in the centre of the road it is obviously no use to argue, whilst in
+hugging the side of the wall there is a possibility of only receiving
+the fragments of the bursting shell.
+
+
+
+
+A Subterranean City
+
+
+
+The subterranean galleries of the citadel of Verdun were
+constructed by Vauban, and are now a hive of activity--barbers'
+shops, sweet shops, boot shops, hospitals, anything and.
+everything which goes to make up a small city.
+
+One of the young officers placed his "cell" at our disposal. The
+long galleries are all equipped with central heating and electric light
+and some of them have been divided off by wooden partitions or
+curtains like the dormitories in a large school. In the "cell" allocated
+to us we could see the loving touch of a woman's hand. Around
+the pillow on the small camp bed was a beautiful edging of Irish
+lace, and on the dressing-table a large bottle of Eau-de-Cologne.
+There is no reason to be too uncomfortable in Verdun when one
+has a good little wife to think of one and to send presents from
+time to time.
+
+Emerging from the galleries we met General Dubois, a great
+soldier and a kindly man, one who shares the daily perils of his
+men. The General invited us to remain and dine with him. He had
+that day received from General Nivelle his "cravate" as
+Commander of the Legion of Honour, and his officers were giving
+him a dinner-party to celebrate the event. "See how kind fate is to
+me," he added; "only one thing was missing from the feast--the
+presence of the ladies--and here you are."
+
+It would need the brush of Rembrandt to paint the dining-hall in the
+citadel of Verdun. At one long table in the dimly lighted vault sat
+between eighty and ninety officers, who all rose, saluted, and
+cheered as we entered. The General sat at the head of the table
+surrounded by his staff, and behind him the faces of the cooks
+were lit up by the fires of the stoves.
+
+Some short distance behind us was an air-shaft. It appears that
+about a week or a fortnight before our arrival a German shell,
+striking the top part of the citadel, dislodged some dust and gravel
+which fell down the air-shaft onto the General's head. He simply
+called the attendants to him and asked for his table to be moved
+forward a yard, as he did not feel inclined to sit at table with his
+helmet on.
+
+An excellent dinner--soup, roast mutton, fresh beans, salade
+Russe, Frangipane, dessert--and even champagne to celebrate
+the General's cravate--quite reassured us that people may die in
+Verdun of shells but not of hunger. We drank toasts to France, the
+Allies, and, silently, to the men of France who had died that we
+might live. I was asked to propose the health of the General and
+did it in English, knowing that he spoke English well. I told him that
+the defenders of Verdun would live in our hearts and memories;
+that on behalf of the whole British race I felt I might convey to him
+congratulations on the honour paid to him by France. I assured
+him that we had but one idea and one hope, the speedy victory of
+the Allied arms, and that personally my present desire was that
+every one of those present at table might live to see the flag of
+France waving over the whole of Alsace-Lorraine. They asked me
+to repeat a description of the flag of France which I gave first in
+Ottawa, so there, in the citadel of Verdun with a small French flag
+before me, I went back in spirit to Ottawa and remembered how I
+had spoken of the triumph of the flag of France: "The red, white
+and blue--the red of the flag of France a little deeper hue than in
+time of peace since it was dyed with the blood of her sons, the
+blood in which a new history of France is being written, volume on
+volume, page on page, of deeds of heroism, some pages completed
+and signed, others where the pen has dropped from the faltering
+hands and which posterity must needs finish. The white of the flag
+of France, not quite so white as in time of peace since thousands
+of her sons had taken it in their hands and pressed it to their lips
+before they went forward to die for it, yet without stain, since in all
+the record of the war there is no blot on the escutcheon of France.
+And the blue of the flag of France, true blue, torn and tattered with
+the marks of the bullets and the shrapnel, yet unfurling proudly in
+the breeze whilst the very holes were patched by the blue of the
+sky, since surely Heaven stands behind the flag of France."
+
+The men of Verdun were full of admiration for the glorious
+Commander of the Fort de Vaux. They told me that the fort was
+held, or rather the ruins of the fort, until the Germans were actually
+on the top and firing on the French beneath.
+
+I discussed with my neighbour the fact that the Germans had more
+hatred for us than for the French. He said the whole world would
+ridicule the Germans for the manner in which they had exploited
+the phrase "Gott strafe England," writing it even on the walls
+anywhere and everywhere. He added laughingly that it should not
+worry the English comrades. "When they read 'Gott strafe
+England' all they needed to reply was 'Ypres, Ypres, Hurrah!'"
+
+
+
+
+Poilu And Tommy
+
+
+
+He informed me that he had been stationed for some time with his
+regiment near the English troops, and there had been loud
+lamentations among the Poilus because they had been obliged to
+say good-bye to their English comrades. He added that the
+affection was not entirely disinterested. The English comrades had
+excellent marmalade and jam and other good things which they
+shared with their French brothers, who, whilst excellently fed, do
+not indulge in these luxuries. He told me a delightful tale of a
+French cook who, seeing an English soldier standing by, began to
+question him as to his particular branch of the service, informing
+him that he himself had had an exceedingly busy morning peeling
+potatoes and cleaning up the pots and pans. After considerable
+conversation he inquired of the English comrade what he did for
+his living. "Oh," replied the Englishman, "I get my living fairly easily;
+nothing half so strenuous as peeling potatoes. I am just a
+colonel."!!
+
+The clean-shaven Tommy is the beloved of all France. I remember
+seeing one gallant khaki knight carrying the market basket of a
+French maiden and repaying himself out of her store of apples. I
+regret to say his pockets bulged suspiciously. Whilst at a level
+crossing near by, the old lady in charge of the gate had an escort
+of "Tommies" who urged her to let the train "rip." This was
+somewhat ironical in view of the fact that the top speed in that part
+of the war zone was probably never more than ten miles an hour.
+
+Tommy is never alone The children have learned that he loves
+their company and he is always surrounded by an escort of
+youthful admirers. The children like to rummage in his pockets for
+souvenirs: he must spend quite a good deal of his pay purchasing
+sweets so that they may not be disappointed and that there may
+be something for his little friends to find. I remember seeing one
+Tommy, sitting in the dusty road with a large pot of marmalade
+between his legs, dealing out spoonfuls with perfect justice and
+impartiality to a circle of youngsters. He speaks to them of his own
+little "nippers" at home and they in turn tell him of their father who
+is fighting, of their mother who now works in the fields, and of baby
+who is fearfully ignorant, does not know the difference between the
+French and the "Engleesch" and who insisted on calling the great
+English General who had stayed at their farm "Papa." It matters
+little that they cannot understand each other, and it does not in the
+least prevent them from holding lengthy conversations.
+
+I told my companion at table that whilst visiting one of the hospitals
+in France I had heard how one Englishman had been sent into a
+far hospital in Provence by mistake. He was not seriously injured
+and promptly constituted himself king of the ward. On arrival he
+insisted on being shaved. As no shaving brush was available the
+"piou-piou" in the next bed lathered him with his tooth brush. The
+French cooking did not appeal to him, and he grumbled continuously.
+The directress of the hospital sent her own cook from her chateau
+to cater for Mr. Atkins. An elaborate menu was prepared. Tommy
+glanced through it, ordered everything to be removed, and commanded
+tea and toast. Toast-making is not a French art and the chateau
+chef was obliged to remain at the hospital and spend his time
+carefully preparing the toast and seeing that it was served in
+good condition. When Mr. Atkins felt so disposed he would
+summon a piou-piou to give him a French lesson or else request
+the various inmates of the ward to sing to him. He would in turn
+render that plaintive ditty, "Down by the Old Bull and Bush."
+A nurse who spoke a little English translated his song to the
+French soldiers! Whilst not desiring to criticise the rendez-vous
+selected by their "camerade anglais," they did not consider that
+"pres d'un vieux taureau" (near an old bull) was a safe or desirable
+meeting-place. When I explained to the nurse that "The Bull and Bush"
+was a kind of cabaret she hastened from ward to ward to tell the
+men that after all the Englishman might have selected a worse
+spot to entertain his girl. He was at once the joy and the despair
+of the whole hospital and the nurse had much trouble in consoling
+the patients when "our English" was removed.
+
+
+
+
+Abbreviated French
+
+
+
+When Tommy indulges in the use of the French language he
+abbreviates it as much as possible.
+
+One hot summer's day driving from Boulogne to Fort Mahon, half
+way down a steep hill we came upon two Tommies endeavouring
+to extract a motor cycle and a side-car from a somewhat difficult
+position. They had side-slipped and run into a small tree. The cycle
+was on one side and the side-car on the other, and a steel rod
+between had been rammed right into the wood through the force
+of the collision.
+
+My three companions and myself endeavoured to help the men to
+pull out the rod, but the united efforts of the six of us proved
+unavailing. We hailed a passing cart and tied the reins around the
+motor-cycle, but immediately the horse commenced to pull the
+leather of the reins snapped. Behind the cart walked a peasant.
+Only one adjective can possibly describe him: he was decidedly
+"beer-y." He made no attempt to help but passed from one Tommy
+to the other, patting them on their backs, assuring them "that with
+a little good-will all would be well." There was a dangerous glint in
+the youngest Tommy's eye, but in the presence of ladies he
+refrained from putting his thoughts into words. Finally, his patience
+evaporating, he suddenly turned on the peasant and shouted at
+him, "Ong! Ong!" It took me some time to grasp that this was
+Tommy's abbreviated version of "Allez vous en" (Clear out). In any
+event it proved quite useless, as he continued to pat the Tommies
+affectionately and to bombard them with impracticable suggestions.
+
+We were joined later by three villagers, two gendarmes and a
+postman, and, all pulling together, we managed to extract the rod
+from the tree. A large lorry was passing and on to it we heaved the
+wreckage. Up clambered the Tommies, followed by their unwelcome
+friend, who managed to sit on the only unbroken portion of the
+side-car. This was too much for Messrs. Atkins' equanimity.
+Limp with laughter, we watched them pass from sight amidst a
+chorus of "Ong! Ong!" followed by flights of oratory in the English
+tongue which do not bear repeating, but which were received by the
+peasant as expressions of deep esteem and to which he replied
+by endeavouring to kiss the Tommies and shouting, "Vive l'Angleterre!
+All right! Hoorah!"
+
+Our guiding officer began to show some signs of anxiety to have
+us leave before ten o'clock, but the good-byes took some time.
+Presents were showered upon us, German dragees (shell heads
+and pieces of shrapnel), and the real French dragees, the famous
+sweet of Verdun.
+
+We crept out of the city, but unfortunately at one of the dangerous
+crossroads our chauffeur mistook the route. A heavy bombardment
+was taking place and the French were replying. We were lucky enough
+to get on to the route and into safety before any shell fell near us.
+It appears that the Germans systematically bombard the roads
+at night, hoping to destroy the camions bringing up the food for
+the city, fresh munitions and men.
+
+We slept that night at Bar-le-Duc, and next morning saw the
+various ambulances and hospitals which the Service de Sante had
+particularly requested me to visit. I was impressed by the splendid
+organisation of the Red Cross even quite close to the firing line.
+
+
+
+
+The Brown And Black Sons Of France
+
+
+
+Passing through one tent hospital an Algerian called out to me:
+"Ohe, la blonde, viens ici! J'ai quelque chose de beau a te
+montrer." (Come here, fair girl, I have something pretty to show
+you.) He was sitting up in bed, and, as I approached, unbuttoned
+his bed-jacket and insisted on my examining the tag of his vest on
+which was written, "Leader, London." The vest had come in a
+parcel of goods from the London Committee of the French Red
+Cross, and I only wished that the angel of goodness and
+tenderness, who is the Presidente of the Croix Rouge, Mme. de la
+Panouse, and that Mr. D. H. Illingworth, Mr. Philip Wilkins, and all
+her able lieutenants, could have seen the pleasure on the face of
+this swarthy defender of France. In the next bed was a Senegalais
+who endeavoured to attract my attention by keeping up a running
+compliment to my compatriots, my King, and myself. He must
+have chanted fifty times: "Vive les English, Georges, et toil" He
+continued even after I had rewarded him with some cigarettes.
+The Senegalais and the Algerians are really great children,
+especially when they are wounded. I have seen convalescent
+Senegalais and Algerians in Paris spend hours in the Champs
+Elysees watching the entertainment at the open-air marionette
+theatre. The antics of the dolls kept them amused. They are
+admitted to the enclosure free, and there is no longer any room for
+the children who frequented the show in happier days. These latter
+form a disconsolate circle on the outside, whilst the younger ones,
+who do not suffer from colour prejudice, scramble onto the knees
+of the black soldiers.
+
+The sister in charge was a true daughter of the "Lady of the
+Lamp." Provided they are really ill, she sympathises with all the
+grumblers, but scolds them if they have reached the convalescent
+stage. She carries a small book in which she enters imaginary
+good points to those who have the tables by their beds tidy, and
+she pinned an invisible medal on the chest of a convalescent who
+was helping to carry trays of food to his comrades. She is indeed a
+General, saving men for France.
+
+Not a man escaped her attention, and as we passed through the
+tents she gave to each of her "chers enfants," black or white, a
+cheering smile or a kindly word. She did, however, whilst talking to
+us, omit to salute a Senegalais. Before she passed out of the tent
+he commenced to call after her, "Toi pas gentille aujourd'hui, moi
+battre toi." (You are not good to me to-day; me beat you.) This, it
+appears, is his little joke--he will never beat any one again, since
+he lost both his arms when his trench was blown up by a land
+mine.
+
+It was at Triancourt that I first saw in operation the motor-cars that
+had been sent out fitted with bath tubs for the troops, and also a
+very fine car fitted up by the London Committee of the French Red
+Cross as a moving dental hospital.
+
+I regret to add that a "Poilu" near by disrespectfully referred to it as
+"another of the horrors of war," adding that in times of peace there
+was some kind of personal liberty, whereas now "a man could not
+have toothache without being forced to have it ended, and that
+there was no possibility of escaping a dentist who hunted you
+down by motor."
+
+It was suggested that as I had had a touch of toothache the night
+before, I might take my place in the chair and give an example of
+British pluck to the assembled "Poilus." I hastened to impress on
+the surgeon that I hated notoriety and would prefer to remain
+modestly in the background. I even pushed aside with scorn the
+proffered bribe of six "Boche," buttons, assuring the man that "I
+would keep my toothache as a souvenir."
+
+At one of the hospitals beside the bed of a dying man sat a little
+old man writing letters. They told me that before the war he had
+owned the most flourishing wine shop in the village. He had fled
+before the approach of the German troops, but later returned to his
+village and installed himself in the hospital as scribe. He wrote
+from morning until night, and, watching him stretching his lean old
+hands, I asked him if he suffered much pain from writers' cramp.
+He looked at me almost reproachfully before answering, "Mademoiselle,
+it is the least I can do for my country; besides my pain is so slight
+and that of the comrades so great. I am proud, indeed proud,
+that at sixty-seven years of age I am not useless."
+
+I was shown a copy of the last letter dictated by a young French
+officer, and I asked to be allowed to copy it--it was indeed a letter
+of a "chic" type.
+
+
+Chers Parrain et Marraine,
+
+Je vous ecris a vous pour ne pas tuer Maman qu'un pareil coup
+surprendrait trop.
+
+J'ai ete blesse le ... devant ... J'ai deux blessures hideuses et je
+n'en aurai pas pour bien longtemps. Les majors ne me le cachent
+meme pas.
+
+Je pars sans regret avec la conscience d'avoir fait mon devoir.
+
+Prevenez done mes parents le mieux que vous pourrez; qu'ils ne
+cherchent pas a venir, ils n'en auraient pas le temps.
+
+Adieu vous tous que j'aimais.
+
+VIVE LA FRANCE!
+
+
+Dear Godfather and Godmother,
+
+I am writing to you so as not to kill Mother, whom such a shock
+would surprise too much. I was wounded on the ... at ... I have two
+terrible wounds and I cannot last long. The surgeons do not even
+attempt to conceal this from me. I go without regret, with the
+consciousness of having done my duty. Kindly break the news to
+my parents the best way you can; they should not attempt to come
+because they would not have time to reach me before the end.
+
+Farewell to all you whom I have loved.
+
+LONG LIVE FRANCE!
+
+
+Whilst loving his relatives tenderly, the last thought of the dying
+Frenchman is for his country. Each one dies as a hero, yet not one
+realises it. It would be impossible to show greater simplicity; they
+salute the flag for the last time and that is all.
+
+
+
+
+At General Nivelle's Headquarters
+
+
+
+From Triancourt we went straight to the Headquarters of General
+Nivelle. They had just brought him the maps rectified to mark the
+French advance. The advance had been made whilst we were
+standing on the terrace at Verdun the night before. We had seen
+the rockets sent up, requesting a "tir de barrage" (curtain of fire).
+The 75's had replied at once and the French had been able to
+carry out the operation.
+
+Good news had also come in from the Somme, and General
+Nivelle did not hesitate to express his admiration for the British
+soldiers.
+
+He said that there was no need to praise the first troops sent by
+Britain to France, every one knew their value, but it should be a
+great satisfaction to Britain to find that the new army was living up
+to the traditions of the old army.
+
+He added: "We can describe the new Army of Britain in two words:
+Ca mord--it bites."
+
+The Father of his own men, it is not surprising that General Nivelle
+finds a warm corner in his heart for the British Tommy, since his
+Mother was an Englishwoman.
+
+At lunch General Nivelle and the members of his staff asked many
+questions as to the work of the Scottish Women's Hospitals. I told
+them that what appealed to us most in our French patients was the
+perfect discipline and the gratitude of the men. We are all women
+in the Hospitals, and the men might take advantage of this fact to
+show want of discipline, but we never had to complain of lack of
+obedience. These soldiers of France may some of them before the
+war have been just rough peasants, eating, drinking, and sleeping;
+even having thoughts not akin to knighthood, but now, through the
+ordeal of blood and fire, each one of them has won his spurs and
+come out a chivalrous knight, and they bring their chivalry right into
+the hospitals with them. We had also learned to love them for their
+kindness to one another. When new wounded are brought in and
+the lights are low in the hospital wards, cautiously watching if the
+Nurse is looking (luckily Nurses have a way of not seeing
+everything), one of the convalescents will creep from his bed to
+the side of the new arrival and ask the inevitable question: "D'ou
+viens-tu?" (Where do you come from?) "I come from Toulouse,"
+replies the man. "Ah," says the enquirer, "my wife's Grandmother
+had a cousin who lived near Toulouse." That is quite a sufficient
+basis for a friendship. The convalescent sits by the bedside of his
+new comrade, holding the man's hand, whilst his wounds are
+being dressed, telling him he knows of the pain, that he, too, has
+suffered, and that soon all will be well.
+
+Lions to fight, ever ready to answer to the call of the defence of
+their country, yet these men of France are tender and gentle. In
+one hospital through which I passed there was a baby. It was a
+military hospital, and no civilian had any right there, but the
+medical officers who inspected the hospital were remarkably blind
+--none of them could ever see the baby. One of the soldiers
+passing through a bombarded village saw a little body lying in the
+mud, and although he believed the child to be dead he stooped
+down and picked it up. At the evacuating station the baby and the
+soldier were sent to the hospital together; the doctors operated
+upon the baby and took a piece of shrapnel from its back, and,
+once well and strong, it constituted itself lord and master and king
+of all it surveyed. When it woke in the morning it would call "Papa"
+and twenty fathers answered to its call. All the pent-up love of the
+men for their own little ones from whom they had been parted for
+so long they lavished on the tiny stranger, but all his affection and
+his whole heart belonged to the rough miner soldier who had
+brought him in. As the shadows fell one saw the man walking up
+and down the ward with the child in his arms, crooning the
+"Marseillaise" until the tired little eyes closed. He had obtained
+permission from the authorities to adopt the child as the parents
+could not be found, and remarked humorously: "Mademoiselle, it is
+so convenient to have a family without the trouble of being
+married!"
+
+What we must remember is that the rough soldier, himself blinded
+with blood and mud, uncertain whether he could ever reach a point
+of safety, yet had time to stoop and pick that little flower of France
+and save it from being crushed beneath the cannon wheels. I told
+General Nivelle that the hospital staff intended to keep the child for
+the soldier until the end of the war, and we all hoped that he might
+grow up to the glory of France and to the eternal honour of the
+tender-hearted fighter who had rescued him.
+
+After lunch we stood for some time watching the unending stream
+of camions proceeding into Verdun. I believe it has been stated
+that on the average one passed through the village every fifteen
+seconds, and that there are something like twelve thousand motor
+vehicles used in the defence of Verdun. The splendid condition of
+the roads and the absence of all confusion in the handling of this
+immense volume of traffic are a great tribute to the organising
+genius of the chiefs of the French Army.
+
+We left General Nivelle as General Petain predicted we should find
+him--smiling.
+
+
+
+
+Rheims
+
+
+
+We slept that night at Epernay, in the heart of the Champagne
+district. The soil of France is doing its best to keep the vines in
+perfect condition and to provide a good vintage to be drunk later to
+celebrate the victory of France and her Allies. The keeping of the
+roads in good condition is necessary for the rapid carrying out of
+operations on the Front, and a "marmite" hole is promptly filled if
+by a lucky shot the German batteries happen to tear up the
+roadway. We were proceeding casually along one road when a
+young officer rode up to us and told us to put on speed because
+we were under fire from a German battery which daily landed one
+or two shells in that particular portion of the roadway. It is
+wonderful how obedient one becomes at times! We promptly
+proceeded to hasten! After visiting General Debeney and obtaining
+from him the necessary authorisation and an officer escort, we
+entered Rheims.
+
+The cathedral is now the home of pigeons, and as they fly in and
+out of the blackened window-frames small pieces of the stained
+glass tinkle down on to the floor. The custodian of the cathedral
+told us that during the night of terror the German wounded, lying in
+the cathedral, not realising the strength and beauty of the French
+character under adversity, feared, seeing the cathedral in flames,
+that the populace might wreak vengeance on them, and that it was
+exceedingly difficult to get them to leave the cathedral. Many of the
+prisoners fled into corners and hid, and some of them even
+penetrated into the palace of the Archbishop, which was in flames.
+All the world knows and admires the bravery of the cure of the
+cathedral, M. Landrieux, who took upon himself the defence of the
+prisoners, for fear insults might be hurled at them. He knowingly
+risked his life, but when, next day, some of his confreres
+endeavoured to praise him he replied: "My friends, I never before
+realised how easy it was to die."
+
+One of the churches in the city was heavily draped in black, and I
+asked the sacristan if they had prepared for the funeral of a
+prominent citizen. He told me that they were that day bringing
+home the body of a young man of high birth of the neighbourhood,
+but that it was not for him that the church was decked in mourning.
+The draperies had hung there since August, 1914--"Since every
+son of Rheims who is brought home is as noble as the one who
+comes to-day, and alas! nearly every day brings us one of our
+children."
+
+We lunched in the hotel before the cathedral, where each shell
+hole has an ordinary white label stuck beside it with the date. The
+landlord remarked: "If you sit here long enough, and have the
+good luck to be in some safe part of the building, you may be able
+to go and stick a label on a hole yourself."
+
+After lunch we went out to the Chateau Polignac. To a stranger it
+would appear to be almost entirely destroyed, but when M. de
+Polignac visited it recently he simply remarked that it was "less
+spoilt than he had imagined." This was just one other example of
+the thousands one meets daily of the spirit of noble and peasant,
+"de ne pas s'en faire" but to keep only before them the one idea,
+Victory for France, no matter what may be the cost.
+
+We went later to call on the "75," chez elle. Madame was in a
+particularly comfortable home which had been prepared for her
+and where she was safe from the inquisitive eyes of the Taubes.
+The men of the battery were sitting round their guns, singing a
+somewhat lengthy ditty, each verse ending with a declamation and
+a description of the beauty of "la belle Suzanne." I asked them to
+whom Suzanne belonged and where the fair damsel resided. "Oh,"
+they replied, "we have no time to think of damsels called 'Suzanne'
+now. This is our Suzanne," and the speaker affectionately gave an
+extra rub with his coat sleeve to the barrel of the "75." By a
+wonderful system of trench work it is possible for the gunners, in
+case of necessity, to take refuge in the champagne vaults in the
+surrounding district, and it is in the champagne vaults that the
+children go daily to school, with their little gas masks hanging in
+bags on their arms. It appears that at first the tiny ones were
+frightened of the masks, but they soon asked, like their elders, to
+be also given a sack, and now one and all have learnt at the least
+alarm to put on their masks. There is no need to tell the children to
+hurry home. They realise that it is not wise to loiter in the streets for
+fear of the whistling shells. They are remarkably plucky, these
+small men and women of France.
+
+During one furious bombardment the children were safe in the
+vaults, but one small citizen began to cry bitterly. He was
+reproached by his comrades for cowardice, but he replied
+indignantly: "I fear nothing for myself. I am safe here, but there is
+no cellar to our house, and oh, what will happen to the little
+mother?" The teacher reassured him by telling him that his mother
+would certainly take refuge in somebody's else cellar.
+
+On leaving Rheims we passed through various small hamlets
+where the houses had been entirely destroyed, and which now
+had the appearance of native villages, as the soldiers had
+managed to place thatched roofs on any place which had any
+semblance of walls standing.
+
+At Villars Coterets the Guard Champetre sounded the "Gare a
+Vous!" Four Taubes were passing overhead, so we took refuge in
+the hotel for tea. The enemy did no damage in that particular
+village, but in the next village of Crepy-en-Valois a bomb killed one
+child and injured five women.
+
+
+
+
+At The Headquarters Of The Generalissimo
+
+
+
+At his Headquarters next morning I had the honour of being
+received by Generalissimo Joffre and telling him of the admiration
+and respect which we felt for him and for the magnificent fighting
+spirit of the troops under his able command. He replied modestly
+by speaking of the British army. He referred to the offensive on the
+Somme, and said, "You may well be proud of your young soldiers;
+they are excellent soldiers, much superior to the Germans in every
+way, a most admirable infantry; they attack the Germans hand to
+hand with grenades or with the bayonet and push them back
+everywhere; the Germans have been absolutely stupefied to find
+such troops before them." The General then paid a tribute to the
+Canadian and Australian troops and told me that that day the
+Australians had taken new territory, adding, "And not only have
+they taken it, but, like their British and Canadian brothers, what
+they take they will hold."
+
+I explained to General Joffre that, whilst I was not collecting
+autographs, I had with me the menu of the dinner in the Citadel at
+Verdun and that it would give me great pleasure to have his name
+added to the signatures already on that menu. All the signatures
+were on one side, so I turned the menu over in order to offer him a
+clear space, but he turned it back again, saying, "Please let me
+sign on this side. I find myself in good company with the defenders
+of Verdun."
+
+At departing he said to me, "We may all be happy now since
+certainly we are on the right side of the hill." ("Nous sommes sur la
+bonne pente.")
+
+In case this little story should fall into the hands of any woman who
+has spent her time working for the men at the Front, I would like to
+tell her the great pleasure it is to them to receive parcels, no matter
+what they contain. Fraternity and Equality reign supreme in the
+trenches, and the man counts himself happy who receives a little
+more than the others, since he has the joy and the pleasure of
+sharing his store of good things with his comrades. There is
+seldom a request made to the French behind the lines that they do
+not attempt to fulfil. I remember last winter, passing through a town
+in the provinces, I noticed that the elderly men appeared to be
+scantily clad in spite of the bitterness of the weather. It appeared
+that the call had gone forth for fur coats for the troops, and all the
+worthy citizens of the town forwarded to the trenches their caracul
+coats. Only those who are well acquainted with French provincial
+life can know what it means to them to part with these signs of
+opulence and commercial success.
+
+It is perhaps in the Post Offices that you find yourself nearest to
+the heart of "France behind the lines."
+
+One morning I endeavoured to send a parcel to a French soldier. I
+took my place in a long line of waiting women bound on the same
+errand. A white-haired woman before me gave the Post Office
+Clerk infinite trouble. They are not renowned for their patience and
+I marvelled at his gentleness until he explained. "Her son died five
+weeks ago, but she still continues to send him parcels."
+
+To another old lady he pointed out that she had written two
+numbers on the parcel. "You don't want two numbers, Mother.
+Which is your boy's number? Tell me and I will strike out the
+other." "Leave them both," she answered. "Who knows whether
+my dear lad will be there to receive the parcel. If he is not, I want it
+to go to some other Mother's son."
+
+Affection means much to these men who are suffering, and they
+respond at once to any sympathy shown to them. One man informed
+us with pride that when he left his native village he was "decked
+like an altar of the Blessed Virgin on the first of May." In
+other words, covered with flowers.
+
+There are but few lonely soldiers now, since those who have no
+families to write to them receive letters and parcels from the
+Godmothers who have adopted them. The men anxiously await
+the news of their adopted relatives and spend hours writing replies.
+They love to receive letters, but, needless to say, a parcel is even
+more welcome.
+
+I remember seeing one man writing page after page. I suggested
+to him that he must have a particularly charming Godmother.
+"Mademoiselle," he replied, "I have no time for a Godmother since
+I myself am a Godfather." He then explained that far away in his
+village there was a young assistant in his shop, "And God knows
+the boy loves France, but both his lungs are touched, so they
+won't take him, but I write and tell him that the good God has given
+me strength for two, that I fight for him and for myself, and that we
+are both doing well for France." I went back in imagination to the
+village. I could see the glint in the boy's eyes, realised how the
+blood pulsed quicker through his veins at the sight of, not the
+personal pronoun "I" in the singular, but the plural "We are doing
+well for France." For one glorious moment he was part of the hosts
+of France and in spirit serving his Motherland. It is that spirit of the
+French nation that their enemies will never understand.
+
+On one occasion a young German officer, covered with mud from
+head to foot, was brought before one of the French Generals. He
+had been taken fighting cleanly, and the General was anxious to
+show him kindness. He asked him if he would not prefer to cleanse
+himself before examination. The young German drew himself up
+and replied: "Look at me, General. I am covered from head to foot
+with mud, and that mud is the soil of France--you will never
+possess as much soil in Germany." The General turned to him
+with that gentle courtesy which marks the higher commands in
+France and answered: "Monsieur, we may never possess as
+much soil in Germany, but there is something that you will never
+possess, and, until you conquer it, you cannot vanquish France,
+and that is the spirit of the French people."
+
+The French find it difficult to understand the arrogance which
+appears ingrained in the German character and which existed
+before the War.
+
+I read once that in the guests' book of a French hotel a Teutonic
+visitor wrote:
+
+"L'AIlemagne est la premiere nation du monde."
+
+The next French visitor merely added:
+
+"Yes, 'Allemagne is the first country of the world' if we take them in
+alphabetical order."
+
+
+
+
+To The Glory Of The Women Of France
+
+
+
+I left the war zone with an increased respect, if this were possible,
+for the men of France. They have altered their uniforms, but the
+spirit is unchanged. They are no longer in the red and blue of the
+old days, but in shades of green, grey and blue, colours blending
+to form one mighty ocean--wave on wave of patriotism--beating
+against and wearing down the rocks of military preparedness of
+forty years, and as no man has yet been able to say to the Ocean
+stop, so no man shall cry "Halt" to the Armies of France.
+
+I have spoken much of the men of France, but the women have
+also earned our respect--those splendid peasant women, who
+even in times of peace worked, and now carry a double burden on
+their shoulders--the middle-class women, endeavouring to keep
+together the little business built up by the man with years of toil,
+stinting themselves to save five francs to send a parcel to the man
+at the Front that he may not suspect that there is not still every
+comfort in the little homestead--the noble women of France, who in
+past years could not be seen before noon, since my lady was at
+her toilette, and who can be seen now, their hands scratched and
+bleeding, kneeling on the floors of the hospitals scrubbing, proud
+and happy to take their part in national service. The men owe
+much of their courage to the attitude of the women who stand
+behind them, turning their tears to smiles to urge their men to even
+greater deeds of heroism.
+
+In one of our hospitals was a young lad of seventeen who had
+managed to enlist as an "engage volontaire" by lying as to his age.
+His old Mother came to visit him, and she told me he was the last
+of her three sons; the two elder ones had died the first week of the
+war at Pont Mousson, and her little home had been burned to the
+ground. The boy had spent his time inventing new and terrible
+methods of dealing with the enemy, but with his Mother he
+became a child again and tenderly patted the old face. Seeing the
+lad in his Mother's arms, and forgetting for one moment the spirit
+of the French nation, I asked her if she would not be glad if her boy
+was so wounded that she might take him home. She was only an
+old peasant woman, but her eyes flashed, her cheeks flushed with
+anger and turning to me she said, "Mademoiselle, how dare you
+say such a thing to me? If all the Mothers, Wives and Sweethearts
+thought as you, what would happen to the country? Gustave has
+only one thing to do, get well quickly and fight for Mother France."
+
+Because these women of France have sent their men forth to die,
+eyes dry, with stiff lips and head erect, do not think that they do not
+mourn for them. When night casts her kindly mantle of darkness
+over all, when they are hidden from the eyes of the world, it is then
+that the proud heads droop and are bent upon their arms, as the
+women cry out in the bitterness of their souls for the men who
+have gone from them. Yet they realise that behind them stands the
+greatest Mother of all, Mother France, who sees coming towards
+her, from her frontiers, line on line of ambulances with their burden
+of suffering humanity, yet watches along other routes her sons
+going forth in thousands, laughter in their eyes, songs on their lips,
+ready and willing to die for her. France draws around her her
+tattered and bloodstained robe, yet what matters the outer
+raiment? Behind it shines forth her glorious, exultant soul, and she
+lifts up her head rejoicing and proclaims to the world that when she
+appealed man, woman, and child--the whole of the French nation--
+answered to her call.
+
+
+
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