AMERICANS IN FRANCE.

Taranaki Daily News, 26 March 1918, Page 3

AMERICANS IN FRANCE.

ADMIRABLY EQUIPPED AND 'SUPPLIED. THEIR FIRST ENCOUNTER/WITH ENEMY. The advance guard of the American army is now (writes Lieutenant I<\ M. Cntlack, assistant war correspondent with the Australian Forces) taking its first experience in the war in Lorraine, where patrol encounters have already occurred with Bavarian troops. The Germans long sought to deride the American military efforts, but now they are beginning to view with alarm the preparations of this great new power which coming into the battle-line on the Western front.

The advance guard of the United States regular army and the National Guard already make a respectable field force, though they represent only a small fraction of. the huge citizen army which will follow before long. Vast numbers of engineers and technical troops are behind the lines, preparing communications and transport routes, without which

large numbers would be unable to operate. These men are the first draft from America, -where over 10,000.000 men have been called up. The first selections have yie'ded large numbers of divisions, which have already been equipped and partly trained in France or America. The remainder have been classified, according to their abilities, for later divisions and reinforcements.

The American staff officers talk in millions, and many hundreds of thousands of men are already in all stages of training. The divisions are magnificently equipped, and the artillery, machineguns, transport services, and food'supplies are the admiration of skilled armles :

Individually the American soldier Is more like the Australian soldier than any other, and hU general appearance is keenly reminiscent of the first troops which left Australia. They belong to all of society, and are entering the war with the utmost enthusiasm. This is no mere phrase. They represent the * ° p,n,on ,° f , a great democratic peop.e whose minds are now turned exh;r;D ; tl ! e^!-P»rticipatio„ F in a v.u of liberty which is more vital to f r on,than^^ to older fln, ltinir armieq , £f ° observers. It betokens the serious pur seHes. Equally noteworthy is <] lP •a.»,r„ CSS with which Ihev receive and absorb every guidance which the more exncnened armies arc able to orfer Mitish ami French officers attached to o 11lr r Tr n , Rmy eX P ress foi he soldierly qualities and efficiency of Ihe best fish ting troops. Many v'sitn are bemg exchanged between the'Ameri' "an ami Australian officers, and these m-oal the highesl.mutual appreciation «oill fightrng to maintain civilisation snd liberty in Europe.