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Levin Daily Chronicle, 12 September 1918, Page 3

An interesting .description of the American soldier is givon by a New Zealand officer in a letter from Prance ■to his brother at Wellington. He says: "The 'Yanks 'are piling into this country fast. I saw a few thousand of them a day or so ago. They looked bon. They looked so young and fresh, and brand new to the game. They are undoubtedly giving us of their best, and they have tho advantage of having a fresh population to draw upon. They are quite distinct in appearance from anything else in France, and, with t!ie exception of their rifles, tin hats, box respirators (gas masks) they arfi all different to us. They wear canvas leggings, pantaloons, and shirts. They also have macintoshes in place of our heavy greatcoats. They are not so trussed up as we arc with Webb equipment, and they usually wear a small glengarry cap, khaki in colour. Their pack is a curious looking object, straight up and down the back, with a bayonet and scabbard on one side of it. Their drill is different to ours, and so are their badges of rank. The n.c.o. wears his ' stripes the reverse way to what we are accustomed to, and the junior sub., first lieutenant, and captain wear one, two, or three small silver bars on their shoulders, instead of stars. The ammunition pouches are all worn round the waist. They have had a big try at making their men look less like u Christmas tree than ours, and they have succeeded fairly well. Their slouch hats arc apparently regarded as part of full dress only. The American should prove a decided acquisition to the ar- . mies in France,-and wc look forward to "great things from it." -