d, and no member of the company was slighted.

The mothers of Kansas City made army life, while we were at Camp Hoel,
as pleasant as possible. On different days we received a basket dinner,
a watermelon feast and an ice cream and cake festival from them. Those
days were the frequent topics of conversation during the boys' stay in
France and will never be forgotten. Shows were always at hand in Kansas
City and on certain afternoons theatre parties were formed by the
members of the company.

September 27th was the fatal day for Kansas Ambulance Company No. 2 in
Kansas City, Kansas. On that day camp was broken and the company was
formed. We left our camp and marched to the train behind the famous
Kilties Scotch Band, which led us down Minnesota Avenue through the
great crowds that had gathered along the street to cheer us on our way.
We boarded the train at Third and Washington Boulevard, where the boys
bid their dear ones "goodbye."

TRAINING AT CAMP DONIPHAN

When that Frisco troop train pulled out of Kansas City, Kansas, on
September 27th, 1917, it cannot be said that it carried a very hilarious
bunch of soldiers. The men, the majority of whom had never been away
from home before for any length of time, had just spent a last few happy
days with the home folks, sweethearts and friends and now they were
going out into a new life, into new environments and with unknown
problems and experiences ahead of them. They were quiet at first, no
doubt wondering what was in store for them before they saw "home"
again, but as they left Kansas City far behind their quietness
disappeared and soon little groups were chattering at a lively rate.

[Illustration: GERARDMER.]

[Illustration: NORTHEAST TOWARD CHARPENTRY.]

[Illustration: VENTRON--VOSGES.]

After an uneventful trip the troop train carrying Kansas Ambulance
Companies No. 1 and 2 and one field hospital company arrived at the Fort
Sill railroad yards at about 4:30 P. M. on September 28th. After a short
delay the companies started their march toward the area on the south
side of the camp, designated for the Sanitary Train, and right then and
there they were introduced to that for which Camp Doniphan is
noted--DUST--five or six inches of it on every road. What a hot, dirty
hike that was, unaccustomed as the men were to those ungainly, heavy
packs! And when Kansas Ambulance Company No. 2 (later designated as
Ambulance Company 139) reached camp did they find comfort