Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1918-05-13
LIEUT.. PETIT BACK.
WITH YANKS;; GLAD.
To Be WITH HIS OWN
OTTAWA OFFICER DESCRIBES
TRIP FROM PIcAROY LINES TO
LARGE AMERICAN CoNcENTRA-
TON cAMp-NoW WITH PERISH
ING.

on a pleasing diversion 10 Lieut.. Ros'
well Petit. Ottawan who served al
most year on detached duty with
the British in France In his latest
letter 70 his parents, Or and Mrs. j.
W Petit. Dr Petru writes on April
To- that he is with the Second Divi.
sion A. T.. F.. which is believed 10 be
somewhere in the vicinity OF Tonl
where pershing forces are now hold
ing m important line on the Lorraine
sector Lieut. Petit says
Headquarters Ambulance Section,
I'd Div 4 H. f., France
April IN, 1918
Dear Father;
The above is my present address.
but am by no means sure how long
il will be At present | am attend
ing physician and surgeon 10 Diyi.
sion Headquarters OF the I'll Diyi
sion My duties are not arduOus,
have spent most Of the past week
sleeping and now feel quite rested
after my strenuous time during the
retreat in Picardy stopped three
days In Paris and bought as much OF
new outfit as ! could afford and
'den came on down here and re-
ported Tor duty JUST week ago We
are about FIVE hours ride from Paris
and the country Is somewhat differ.
en- N character and appearance
from the country left There il
WAS mostly rolling prairie and farm
land OF course good deal OF il
had been devastated and had not
been under cultivation for couple
Of years but here the country il
more rugged. with forests on the
hills and small farms and villages in
the valleys and vineyards on the
h'llsides. much more picturesque
and beautiful country and TO see
villages and farm again after the
devastation i'll Picardy is welcom.
relief There. in the places not laid
waste, the houses are chiefly o'
red brick Here they are grew stone
and plaster so the little village as
seen from the train appear as grey
blotchcs on the landscape than ,s
red dots.
was very fortunate in reaching
ny post When | came from Paris
met an artillery officer who was
going TO the headquarters OF my di.
vision about forty miles away and
had a car coming TO meet him the
next morning and he invited me to
ride with him II was beautiful
clear day and forty mile ride in
Dodge tar over these wonderful
French roads IN through these
valleys and over these hills was in.
deed treat ! reached division
ana reported to the adiutant who
sent me 10 the division surgeon who
attached me TO division headquart.
ers because have had so much
more experience than these Other
follows Il is a soft job but hon.
I'll moi be left here longer han 10
re a coed rest II is too SLOW. /
want to be ut in the line where
there is something doing or in 4
laboratory and hospital where can
a2plI some Of the things hav.
learned. The latter would be my
profcrenr" but preferences do not
coull for much in the army. A fel
tow does as he is told and his wishes
arc not consulted
How do ! like the American army
II compared with the British? #
is too early for mo to make any com.
PARSONS, ! made some mighty good
ri tndS when was with tue British
wa 'reated with every possible
consideration and courtesy. They
nave tetn in the war three and a
h"lf years and are well organized
"Ailc our men are new and our or.
t'n"aliOl not perfected On the
ptlie" hand they are slow and their
1lethofa 81 doing busMess arc pri
ma 80 compared with ours tel,
pn0tti tsTewriters and automobitas
a." no IN nearly such common usc
as win us. Again our euuipment Il
ass ana theirs is war.Norn and va
nave the advantage. at least in part
81 Mtll'nP by thor etlerie,co /
~ 't Ia In some ra = IN nro
p'"'r man we are. Ild IL mary
rs 'le' are not. But as ,ure
In , ih' divisional area ana a,v .ho
1'k' " our men. our .ra,..nor
'''"' ~. wagons win - r1oI ttI
s.. "lsb felt Ger'ain srt,. ~,
'"c and was glad thai "a. 90.
"Ai'l; 10 my own pnDhle ,eu
leave many pleasant memories no
NINA me, MS well as some vivid i'm.
prcSslons OF war as she Is tonight
III modern times. but am ookinp for.
ward to some just as pleasant OF.
perence. here
On staff as large az this. our
divisions are much larger than the
French and British. there are a lot
M ofinsp, fr,,,, . -. - ~