"Under the direction of Lieutenant Robert de Kersauson de Pennendreff,
and of the American officers, Herbert Townsend and Victor White,
American Sanitary Section No. 1, composed entirely of volunteers,
has been wonderfully efficient in the daily service of removing the
wounded, going very long distances to fetch them, despite a bombardment
sometimes of great intensity.
It especially distinguished itself on July 11, 1916, by passing through
a sheet of poisonous gas again and again, without respite, under a
sustained fire, for thirty-two hours, bringing the men prostrated by
the gas to the ambulances."
(_Signed_) TOUBERT
_Headquarters, 26 July, 1916_
_Chief of the Sanitary Service_
_1{er} C. A. C._
_Direction
du
Service de Santé_
_No. 5161_
_Q. G., le 19 juillet 1916_
Le Médecin Principal de 1{ère} Classe LASNET, Directeur du
Service de Santé du 1{er} Corps d'Armée Colonial, au Lieutenant
DE KERSAUSON, Commandant la S. S. A. U. 1.
Au moment où la S. S. A. U. 1 est appelée à suivre une autre
destination, le Directeur du Service de Santé adresse au Lieutenant
DE KERSAUSON et à tout le personnel de la Section ses chaleureuses
félicitations pour le zèle, le courage et l'activité inlassables dont
tous out fait preuve pendant leur séjour sur le secteur du 1{er} C. A.
C.
Les Troupes Coloniales ont su apprécier le dévouement des volontaires
Américains et elles leur en gardent une vive reconnaissance. C'est avec
un profond regret qu'elles les ont vu partir et elles n'oublieront pas
de longtemps les conducteurs hardis, habiles et empressés qui venaient
enlever leurs blessés jusque dans les postes de secours les plus
avancés.
(Signé) LASNET
[TRANSLATION]
_1st C. A. C._
_Headquarters
of the
Sanitary Service_
_No. 5161_
_Headquarters, 19 July, 1916_
The Physician-in-Chief of the First Class LASNET, Superintendent
of the Sanitary Service of the First Colonial Army Corps, to
Lieutenant DE KERSAUSON, Commanding S. S. A. U. 1.
At the moment when the American Sanitary Section U. 1 is called upon to
proceed to another field of action, the Superintendent of the Sanitary
Service expresses to Lieutenant DE KERSAUSON and the whole personnel of
the Section his warm congratulations upon the unwearying zeal, courage,
and activity of which one and all have given abundant proof during
their stay in the sector of the First C. A. C.
The Colonial troops have not failed to appreciate at its true value
the devotion of the American volunteers, and are profoundly grateful
to them therefore. It was with deep regret that they learned of their
departure, and they will not soon forget the fearless, skilful, and
enthusiastic drivers who went even to the most advanced _postes de
secours_ to collect their wounded.
(_Signed_) LASNET