Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-02
LAUD THE AMERICAN =.
AUTOMOBILE UNITS
Sanitary Section, Comprising
Washington Boys, Shares
Praise of French Officials.
CARE FOR WOUNDED men

Three American automobile sanitary
sections. among which is one composed
| of Washington boys. have been COM
| mended by the French government for
the self-sacrifice and courage displayed
upon the scene of the explosion of
grenades at - on March Is. The To-
cal boys worked among the wounded
| with great devotion, according to let
ters Carl B. Stancill, a member of the
capital division, has sent his parents at
2706 Ontario road.
A translation of the letter of con-
graduation from the office of the I'M
| dersecretary of state of the French
military sanitary service, Louis Mour-
Ter, to the captain in command, fol-
lows
The undersecretary Of state of the
military sanitary service sends his con-
CALCULATIONS to the American automo-
bile sanitary sections 511, 513 and 649
for having proceeded Immediately and
with exceptional nS ds rapidity under the
Simondss Hubert and Smith. upon the
scene Of the depot of grenades at -
on March Is, 1918, relieving and evac-
uating the wounded with the greatest
devotion"
Acknowledges Generous Proffer."
Accompanying the congratulatory let
ter and under the same date line, March
%, is another letter of thanks from the
undersecretary's Office for the gener-
GUS proffer of the American sanitation
sections Of their service to the French
armies. The letter reads:
Some time ago you were good
enough to order that certain of the
automobile sanitary sections. gener-
ously put at the disposition of the
eminent and placed under your con-
troll, should be attached to the G. NJ. P.
for the transport of the wounded.
These sections were placed under
the command of Capt Kipling. whose
activity and devotion have already
been manifested on many occasions.
Recent occurrences have shown that
these sections of the American Army
were ready for the first signal to sue
cor the inhabitants of Paris as fully
and as rapidly as they would the SOL
diers in the Army zone.
I beg. therefore, to express to you
in the name Of the French government
the feeling Of profound gratitude on
the part Of the Partisan population,
which knows that henceforward it will
find, as at in all the trials
| which it may have to undergo. the
self-sacrif1ce and courage of the Amer
lean soldiers to assist and to console"
Personal congratulations for the sec
tions were given by Gen. Fevrier, med
ical inspector and director Of the
sanitary division of the sanitary serv-
Paris, who submitted the commenda-
lions from the understandings office.
Stancill's Series Of Letters.
In a series Of letters. the first on
March 20 and the last April 3, to his
parents, Stancill speaks encouragingly
Of the work being done overseas. and
| he expresses admiration for the French
fighters.
In his first he says:
Have had one busy time for the last
forty-eight hours. Have been on duty
practically all of the time, and am
| real tired. The big offensive is now
| on. and we are sure getting our share
of the work The hospitals are fast be-
coming filled, but am glad to say that
! so far as the American boys are con-
cerned the wounds are not very Sc
rious.
Every one here Is in fine health and
better spirits. The more work we have
to do the better we feel"
Two days later he writes: Am so
tired I can hardly keep awake We
have been going very much for the
past week. Have only had my clothes
off for four hours in over a week.
| AS you doubtless know from the
papers,. the big spring drive, with
Paris as the goal. has been on for
nearly a week. But we have stopped
them, and 1 think they have now gain
ed their last.
Passes Through Tough Week."
| THE past week has been a tough
one for us. We have been on the go
morning. noon and night. Have had
| but two meals on schedule time this
week. Am glad to say that though we
are shandling a number of American
boys, their wounds are not very Sc
| rious.
when we first came over we had time
to attend the dances and spent a few
pleasant evenings. But now I don't
think any of US would go to a dance,
If we could get pass.
with the exception of feeling tired,
I am feeling fine. Never had better
health in my life. We are still in
France, or rather our quarters are here.
We are running all over the country.
"Have been off duty very little for the
past week." he says in his last letter.
| For eight days ! did not have a chance
to take off my clothes. except once and
then just long enough to take bath.
But though we are working pretty hard,
1--WE are enjoying it. 1 am SO glad that
I am here and able to do my bit, though
| it may be small.
my hat always comes off to French
soldier. You never saw such plucky fell
lows in your life. No matter how badly
| they are shot up or how rough the road
may be. you never hear a murmur from
them. 1t certainly makes one feel good
to know that he is helping them"