Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 88.djvu/415

 Recruiting Britain's Army with Motor-Trucks, Motion-Pictures, Mirrors and Brass Bands

ALTHOUGH the British Army in going even to the remotest hamlets and the field at the present time is esti- villages where there was any likelihood mated at between one and two million, of procuring a few able-bodied soldiers the regiments are located on so many for the king. The first unit of this mod- ern motor caravan to be put into service is shown in front of the Dublin Town Hall in the accompanying il- lustration. When in Dublin the truck was accompanied from sec- tion to section by no less than three complete mili-

���Instead of asking recruits to come to his office, Lord Derby sent re- cruiting stations to them in the form of elaborately equipped motor-buses. Thus Dublin was canvassed with the vehicle shown. Orators appealed to Irish patriotism from the top of the vehicle and a military band supplied musical enthusiasm

fronts and fighting under such adverse ^^^ ^^ ^^^ ^^^^^^ conditions that the wastage of life is mirrors used in Lon- simply appalling. The problem of the don to shame reluc- British has been to fill the gaps caused ta^t cockneys into by this wastage. Extraordmary meas- ures have been taken to drive home the necessity of enlisting.

First, Lord Kitchener tried his hand at recruiting and then Lord Derby. What success Derby achieved has been due to very aggressive methods. He shrank from nothing. Thus a fleet of motor-trucks was employed as portable recruiting stations. They journeyed from town to town on the principle that if the men would not come to the recruit- ing stations, the recruiting stations would have to go to the men.

These trucks traveled over i)rescribcd routes in England, Scotland and Ireland,

387

��fighting for their country

tary bands of music to help create re- cruiting interest.

The truck equipment also included a motion-picture outfit, which was used at the night meetings to show actual war scenes at the front as arguments why more men should enlist.

It was under Lord Derby's direction that lackadaisical English city-dwellers were spurred into taking a more active interest in their country's dire need by mirrors. Every Englishman was given an opportunity of seeing the man his countrv wanted.

�� �