really was little more than a barn until the arrival
of secretaries and supplies in October made improvements possible.

"A party of ten secretaries, who had spent the previous year in Central
Russia under the Bolshevik regime, landed in the first week of October,
having come around from Sweden and Norway. Two weeks later another ten
secretaries arrived from the same starting point. These men formed the
nucleus of the "Y" personnel which was to serve the American troops
through the winter and spring. They were sent to points at the front
immediately after their arrival, and more than a few doughboys will
remember the first trip of the big railroad car to the front south of
Obozerskaya, with Frank Olmstead in charge.

"The British Y. M. C. A. sent a party of twenty-five secretaries to
Archangel early in the fall and considerations of practical policy made
it advisable to combine operations under the title of the Allied Y. M.
C. A. To the credit of the British secretaries, it must be said that
they turned over all their supplies to the American management. These
supplies constituted practically all the stock of biscuit and canteen
products used until Christmas time, and British secretaries took their
places under the direction of the American headquarters.

"The "Y" was fortunate to have secured several trucks and Ford cars in a
shipment before the Allied landing, and they became part of the
expeditionary transport system at once. The Supply Company of the 339th
used one truck, and the British transport staff borrowed the other one.
Major Ely, Quartermaster of the American forces, got one of the Fords,
and another one went to the American Red Cross.

"By the middle of November the "Y" had secretaries on the river fronts
near Seletskoe and Beresnik at the railroad front and with the Pinega
detachment. Supplies dribbled through to them in pitifully small
amounts, usually half of the stuff stolen before it reached the front.
The British N. A. B. C. sold considerable quantities of biscuit and
cigarettes to the "Y," both at the front bases and from the Archangel
depot. On the railroad front a really respectable service was
maintained, because transport was not so difficult. One secretary made
the trip around the blockhouses and outposts daily with a couple of
packsacks filled with gum, candy and cigarettes, which were distributed
as generously as the small capacity of the sacks permitted. Two cars
equipped with tables for