cated as close to the front lines as
wounded men could be collected with safety. The 138th Infantry held the
lines in front of Larchey, and the 137th Infantry in front of Mittlach.
Sgt. Wiershing had already taken one litter squad to Mittlach and from
there on out to a post called Braunkopf, where the infirmary of the
third battalion was located.

The French had an Alpine Ambulance at Mittlach and another at Larchey.
It is well, here, to say a few words about these organizations. They in
no way resemble our American Ambulance Companies, corresponding rather
to our Field Hospitals, though even more complete than these. Alpine
Ambulances were usually within three kilometres of the front line and
often in plain view of the enemy. Hence they must be housed in dugouts.
The one at Mittlach consisted of a series of underground chambers roofed
over with heavy timbers and stone. There was a well equipped operating
room and a chamber for treating gassed patients. The whole thing was
lighted by electricity. In fact, it was a modern hospital located within
a mile and a half of the front line trenches.

The staff of each Alpine Ambulance was permanent. It did not move away
when the French Infantry left a sector; hence the natural and logical
thing to do was to secure permission to use the Alpine Ambulance as a
dressing station. This we did at both Larchey and Mittlach. In the
former case the dressing station was operated by Lt. Vardon and a detail
from our company; in the latter case by a detachment from Ambulance
Company 138. The French willingly placed their hospital equipment at the
disposal of these detachments.

At both Larchey and Mittlach each litter squad consisted of four men
equipped with one litter, and, where the road was suitable, a
two-wheeled litter cart. The detachment at Larchey also had a mule which
was supposed to pull the litter cart, but usually the men pulled it
rather than bother fetching the mule. Theoretically the battalion aid
stations of the infantry should be well up toward the front line trench
so that the wounded can receive prompt attention. The litter bearers of
the Ambulance Company are supposed to take the wounded after first aid
has been given, and carry them back to the ambulance dressing station,
where an ambulance takes them on back to a field hospital. In practice
this plan did not always work out while we were in the Vosges Mountains.
The front line was so irregular and good locations for ba