FROM DAYS GONE BY August 29, 1919

August 29, 1919.

Mr. L. A. Lovett, Wrightsville's local Ford dealer had a unique way of an advertisement for the Ford product in a letter sent to him from a soldier that was written to the Ford Auto Co. in Detroit. The British-American soldier was in Bangalore, India at the writing of this letter. It has some pretty interesting facts.
Dear Sirs: I was advertisements of different papers on autos pertaining to what they have done in this war. But nothing about the little Ford. So I am writing you a few facts, which are as follows:
In France 700 cars out of 1000 were Fords. In Italy 850 cars out of 1000 were Fords. In Egypt 996 out of 1000 were Fords. In Meso 999 out of 1000 were Fords. Under British capture the first car in Bagdad was a Ford. The first car to cross the Persian mountains was a Ford. The first car in the genuine Garden of Eden was a Ford. The first car in the Holyland was a Ford. Lines of communication contained Fords by the hundreds from Bagdad to the Black Sea.
I have seen the Fords used as tanks, armored moving forts, electric light plants, water pumps, ambulances, supply cars, and lots of other things, and they were always ready for anything at any time. These statements are facts, as I have served in action all through the countries named, and I name the Ford the best auto in the world. The-Iron-Mule-With-A-Kick. I remain your friend, Bosun Gilbert.
P. S. Also when we recaptured Kut, the first thing we landed on was a Ford with nothing left of it but its under frame, bare wheels and engine. Forty-five minutes afterwards Mr. Ford was manned by a machine gun and was on the chase of the retreating Turks and the Cobra Hun.
Mr. Lovett says this is some record. The above tells its own story. We have not added to or detracted from it one syllable, and it is doubtful if a higher tribute could be paid to the sterling merits and all around dependability of a motor car than that coming to the Ford car through this simple letter from a soldier, who would not have this opinion he has of the Ford car if he had not seen it deliver a service unequalled not only in the history of war but in the history of peace. And here's a 1919 poem written by Wallace Irwin called Elizabeth Ford.
"We carried her over the sea, We did, And taught her to hep, hep, hep-- A cute little Jinny, all noisy and tiny, But full of American pep. Recruited into the corps she was, She came of her own accord. We flew at her spanker the globe and the anchor, And named her Elizabeth Ford.
Cut little' Lizabeth, dear little' Lizabeth, Bonnie Elizabeth Ford! She was short and squat, but her nose was sot, For the Hindenburg line ----O Lord! She hated a Hun like a son-of-a-gun, the Kaiser she plumb abhorred, Did chunky, Elizabeth, hunky Elizabeth, spunky Elizabeth Ford.
We took her along on our hikes, we did, and a wonderful boat was she, she'd carry physicians, food and munitions, generals, water or tea. She could climb a bank like a first rate tank, and deliver the goods aboard, when we touch our steel kellies to Super Fidelis, Remember Elizabeth Ford.
She took her rests in machine gun nests, And on bullet-swept roads she chored. Where the Devil Hounds were first on the grounds, of a section of France restored, why, there was chunky, spunky Elizabeth Ford.
But 'twas the day at those murder-woods, which the Yankees pronounce Belloo, We were sent to knock silly the hopes of Prince Willie, And turn'em around D. Q. We prayed for munitions and cleared our throats, with a waterless click, good Lord! When out of a crater with bent radiator, climbed faithful Elizabeth Ford!
With a cylinder skip she had made the trip, water and cartridge stored. With her hood a wreck and broken neck, she cracked like a broken board, hunky, chunky, spunky Elizabeth Ford. When they towed her out of the town next day, said Corporal Bill, "Look There! I know of one hero who shouldn't draw zero, when they're passin' the Croix De Guerre, who fed the guns that's startin' the Huns, plumb back to Canal Du Nord," So his cross, he'd won it! ---he tied to the bonnet, of faithful Elizabeth Ford.
Where shrapnel has mauled here we've now overhauled her, Her wheels and her years restored. Her record's clean, She's a true machine, and we're sending the Dutch war lord, a note by Elizabeth, chunky, spunky Elizabeth Ford."