Sunday, October 28, 1917

            Bread got into the coffee urn. When I tried to strain the coffee it would not run, so I looked and found that bread had been put in the urn to save.

            Scouring soap is scarce, and so we found a good substitute in a soft stone we found, and it worked fine.

            A story Major told: In India a supposed Christian wanted to go on a week drunk. So he tied his prayers to a windmill and set it going. After the week of what he considered a good time he looked at his prayers and found he was up to date. Just like the form of prayer some people have.

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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.