Construction of Ambulance Trains.

At this time, every branch of the Home railway service is engaged on the most vital work in freedom's cause. Recently we were enabled to view a typical railway workshop activity—the conversion of ordinary passenger-trains for use as ambulance trains and for casualty evacuation service.

Each of the Home railways is constructing ambulance trains for use both at Home and overseas. Several trains already have been completed, and to enable further trains to be placed into service rapidly, work upon different sections has been entrusted to various railway shops throughout the country. Each of the trains is fully equipped for travelling staffs of nurses and doctors, kitchens, and wards for stretcher and sitting-up cases. Cars also are provided for infectious cases and as travelling pharmacies. Casualty evacuation trains are available for immediate use in the event of casualties occurring through air-raids, in order to assist in the distribution of injured civilians to hospitals throughout the country. The fitting-up of these trains includes electric lighting and steam-heating, and numerous devices are incorporated to ensure the comfort of patients.

All things considered, the Home railways have real reason for pride in their accomplishments of recent months. Best of all, every one of the half-amillion railway workers on the payroll, convinced of the ultimate victory of democracy, faces the future with extreme confidence.