A great day.
First a new boss, Major Anderson. As we were leaving our rooms we met the Col., a glad eater, and went to the Emile Guzan and got a new stove and a big tank. The stove is about one foot high and is round. The tank would hold about twenty gallons, then on to the tent. Well, it is moving day. We put the things together, and with the help of some soldiers got to the hut.
Our quarters were tents. In one room was the stove with the pipe led through one window, two beds, and a table. A combined kitchen, dining room, and bedroom. We had no curtains so put paper and clothes over them. Candles were our lighting system. The boys came in and were glad for the chance. The boys from the Rainbow left and shook hands and wished we were at the place they were going. Adj. Cose went home tired but happy.
More Information
The following section provides historical context and is not part of the original diary entry.
Likely location: Demange-aux-Eaux, Meuse, France
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In October 1917, the AEF was establishing its training camps in the Meuse department of Lorraine. Margaret and Helen Purviance set up one of the first Salvation Army huts near Demange-aux-Eaux, serving soldiers of the U.S. 1st Division. This was the beginning of the famous donut-making tradition.
Research Links for Further Study
- Library of Congress. (n.d.). The American Expeditionary Forces. Library of Congress Digital Collections.
- Boissoneault, L. (2017, April 12). The women who fried donuts and dodged bombs on the front lines of WWI. Smithsonian Magazine.
- Cantwell, C. (n.d.). Doughboys & doughnut girls: The Salvation Army and WWI. National WWI Museum and Memorial.
Diary of a World War I Donut Girl 