“The rider sadly cranked up and sped away “
‘October 7 1918 -- Germany, Austria and Turkey demand a peace discussion and an armistice so we heard this A.M. from a French dispatch rider. He rode by as we were busy on the abri and stopped to tell us that there was no need for a dugout now as an armistice had probably already been signed and then told about the three enemy states suing for peace. At his first words we all dropped our tools and rushed over to hear all the good news.
The rider had just finished his talk when Jerry dropped a shell or two in a field nearby! The rider sadly cranked up and sped away while we silently returned to the abri and began working again. Bill leaned on his shovel and said quietly: “If an armistice has been signed, these damned Boches don’t know it so let’s finish the dugout.”
American ambulance driver’s diary near the France/Belgium border – The Compensations of War – Photo: WW1 French “estafette” (Disptach rider). Tresors d’Archives – Mission Centenaire 14-18
