_The Daily Programme_
About 6 o'clock those sleeping at the _caserne_ get up and dress,
rolling up their blanket-rolls, and coming into the dining-room
for coffee at about 6.30. Towards 7, the men who have slept at the
different _postes_ arrive. After coffee, ambulances which are to be
stationed elsewhere for service as required, leave the _caserne_. Men
on day duty see to their cars and await calls by telephone which are
received by our French assistant. Particulars are entered by him upon
a printed slip and given to the driver next in turn to go out. On the
driver's return, this slip is handed in with the number of wounded
carried and the figures are entered in our record book. At 11 o'clock
everybody comes in for _déjeuner_. The dining-room--a large apartment
capable of holding three times our number--has been pleasantly
decorated with festoons and flags by our orderly, Mignot. The afternoon
is taken up in evacuating wounded to Belleville, bringing in fresh
wounded as required, or, in slack moments, in reading, writing, or
sleeping. We have a little garden and easy-chairs, and, considering
the state of war and the very close proximity of the enemy, it is
remarkable that we should have so many luxuries. At 6 we have dinner,
after which men who are to sleep at Dieulouard go off for the night. By
9 the rest of us have generally turned in. One car every night waits
at Montauville, and, should there be too many wounded for one car to
convey, as many more are as required are summoned by telephone. During
severe attacks, all cars may be called for: in which case one man is
appointed to take charge of arrivals and despatches at Montauville,
leaving drivers free to come and go with as little delay as possible.