f the clothing of the men is of supreme value to their
health. In many places facilities for hot baths are provided for the men
coming out of the trenches, and greatly is this boon prized. One of the
commonest sights behind the firing line is a detachment of men swinging
along, with towels in their hands, on their way to or fro the tub.

In some places whilst the men are in the bath their clothes are
carefully disinfected, and then handed back to them thoroughly cleansed
and fit for further use. Notwithstanding all these precautions, there
is, of course, a certain amount of sickness which is inevitable among so
great a number of men, but it is significant in proportion to the
numbers employed. After many months with troops I can emphatically say
that the bodily care of our men, by the medical authorities, is beyond
all praise, and has done much to preserve the redundant health which is
characteristic of our Army in the field. 'Cleanliness is next to
Godliness,' and I must add that it comes in a good second in the British
Expeditionary Force in Flanders and France.

WORK AT THE BASE

CHAPTER IX

WORK AT THE BASE

At various centres in France are established Bases, where all the
necessary supplies and ammunition are landed, and thence transported to
the various Units in the Field. To cope with this vast system of
distribution an army of men is employed. It will help the reader to form
an estimate of the labour involved in this enormous undertaking if I
briefly refer to the various branches of the British Expeditionary Force
which are specially engaged in ministering to the Force as a whole.

(1) _Army Service Corps._--These are men drilled and practised
in supply and transport. They are ubiquitous, and without
them it would be impossible to maintain the operations in
hand.

(2) _Army Ordnance Department._--The men of this section are
skilled in the manipulation of ammunition, and in the
tabulation and distribution of a hundred and one articles of
equipment. It is a striking object lesson to make a tour of
inspection of this important Department of the Army. It
would be interesting to know how many hundreds of thousands
of miles of barbed wire have passed through the hands of the
A.O. during the war. Everything from a screw to a howitzer
comes within their attention. As to the supply of guns and
ammunition I am, of course, fo