Permanent Inspection
Office of the Eastern District
Vittel, 8 July, 1916
Captain de Montravel, Permanent Inspector of Automobile Service in the Eastern District to Monsieur Piatt Andrew, Inspector-General of the American Ambulances at Neuilly.
Dear Monsieur and friend,—
... You know how proud I am of having been the first to appreciate the gallant young men whom your noble-hearted country sent to us, of having succeeded in having your first section sent to Alsatian territory, and, lastly, of bearing, as a symbol of honour, the name of Father of the American Sections, which was spontaneously bestowed upon me by those noble young men on the day when they learned that they were to go to Alsace.
The sincere friendship of their indefatigable Inspector-General is also very precious to me.
My duties have unhappily prevented me from visiting again your fearless sections, which have proved so conclusively by their deeds that I was right when, at the very beginning, I became their sponsor. On the other hand, your own absorbing tasks have compelled you to make your welcome visits very rare.... But to-day your pleasant message revivifies the memory of our close connection, and tightens its bonds afresh.
Thanks, with all my heart, dear Monsieur and friend; remember that you are bound to break your journey at Vittel whenever you pass through, and that such break will give great pleasure to
Faithfully yours