g to Aix-le-Bains returned saying that they had one of the best
times of their lives, and regretted that they could not have stayed
longer, as it was more like home than any place they had been in France.

TRIP TO MARSEILLES

While at Fontaine Brilliante, on the Verdun front, orders were received
for a detail to proceed to Marseilles for the purpose of getting the
ambulances we had been longing for since our arrival in France. Aside
from eight G. M. C. cars of Ambulance Co. 138, and four broken down
Fords, the 110th Sanitary Train had had no ambulances since leaving
Doniphan. We had long since given up the idea of ever having a
transportation section again, in fact someone had even gone the length
of voicing the following lament:

"They sent us down to Doniphan to get an ambulance
To go abroad and let 'er go and drive for sunny France,
And then it took us seven months to get a pair of pants.
Oh, there's something rotten somewhere in this blooming ambulance.
Of course to drive an ambulance you've got to learn to drill,
So every morning, afternoon, they put us through the mill.
And when this war is over you will find us at it still;
For we never saw an ambulance, and never, never will."

The wagoners and ambulance orderlies were hastily recalled from their
work as litter bearers in the advanced posts, and on October 26th, Lt.
Speck started for Marseilles for twenty-nine G. M. C. ambulances, with a
detail of thirty-two men from Ambulance Co. 139, sixteen from Ambulance
Co. 138, and twelve from Ambulance Co. 137. There was a mad scramble to
get on this detail, which meant a trip across France, away from the
monotony of the trenches.

We arrived at the railroad about an hour early, but in the course of
time the train arrived and then started the scramble for the best
compartments that the train afforded. Most of us found second-class
compartments, which, after more cushions had been obtained, were very
comfortable, although a little breezy. Of course no lights could be
shown, but they were much better than the customary box cars.
Seven-thirty A. M., October 27th, found us at St. Dizier. We were
escorted to Camp Tambourine by an M. P., where we spent the morning
partaking of our rations. At about noon the M. P. returned, notifying us
that the train was ready, so we were checked out of the camp, marched to
the train and packed into box cars (40 hommes or 8 chevaux). They were
bette