For anyone to say that they derived any amount of happiness from being
in the Argonne, other than our complete victory over the Boche, would
probably be judged insane. According to the Mess Sergeant's version,
however, a certain amount of joy may be had in not being threatened with
one's life after serving the famous "Corn Willy" to men who were working
in the midst of this hell.
We moved up the night before the drive and made our first stop the next
morning at about 2:00 A. M. at a place mentioned before, behind a steep
bank, where our supplies were unloaded from the trucks. These trucks
were ordered to wait until later in the morning before moving nearer the
lines. As the men were going in the drive at five o'clock that morning
we borrowed a fire, and inside of a small hut, prepared some soup for
them to have just before leaving.
[Illustration: LOOKING NORTH INTO BAULNY.]
[Illustration: LOOKING WEST TOWARD VACQUOIS HILL.]
[Illustration: AMBULANCE SECTION, 110TH, SANITARY TRAIN, CAMP DONIPHAN,
OKLA.]
They left about on time, but the trucks which were to report for our
supplies, were delayed, so it was rather late before we started moving.
When we did, however, we made fairly good time until we were held up in
the woods by trucks that were stuck in the mud. We at last made it
through, and catching up with the company that afternoon, unloaded our
supplies and equipment and established our first kitchen, right back of
Vacquois Hill.
We managed to get coffee made before dark, and our men began to come in
a few at a time. Not all of them got there, however, but nevertheless we
were busy feeding the most of the night, as everyone who came along
wanted something to eat, and we tried to feed all who came.
The next morning, what men were there, moved on to Cheppy and we were
told that transportation would come for us. We waited until that
afternoon, and had just about concluded that we were left, when two men
came down the road leading a couple of pack mules. We were informed that
this was our transportation. Accordingly, we loaded all that was
possible on the mules and started for Cheppy. Our kitchen now consisted
mainly of a G. I. coffee can, and such rations as we, ourselves, could
carry.
We arrived in Cheppy in time to cook supper for the men and we continued
to cook as long as it was light, as there were scores of men to be fed
and we endeavored to feed all who came. The greatest efforts bore little
fruit, however, and most of the men received nothing hot until they came
out of the drive. Our pack mules made another trip that night, bringing
up a few rations and some food which we were very glad to get, being
almost out.
The next morning we moved up past Very, using an ambulance for what few
supplies we had, and set up a kitchen alongside a captured six-inch
German gun which later proved to be a rather disagreeable location, as
Jerry threw over a few H. E. trying to put it out of commission. The
artillery, having come up and started a barrage, left us in a rather
noisy place, also.
Here the supply section of our train managed to get a few rations up to
us. We cooked and served all that day and night, but were unable to take
care of all those wanting to be fed. It seemed to be impossible to
secure enough transportation.
The company moved on to Charpentry that afternoon and we were again
informed that a transport wagon would pick up our supplies and kitchen
and for us to follow. As usual, the wagon did not arrive, and we were
again left to do the best we could.
In the meantime part of our supplies and equipment which we left back at
Vacquois, came up in a mule drawn ambulance, which we sent on to
Charpentry that night. We waited, however, for the transportation which
was to move us from our present location and as has already been
mentioned, it never came. The next morning we divided our force, part
going on to Charpentry and the rest remaining to cook and serve the
remainder of our rations which was not hard to do. All we had was a
little coffee and bread.
Our kitchen in Charpentry was located in a sort of a court yard, near
the buildings in which were located the dressing stations. Here we
located an iron boiler, that the Germans had left in their hasty
retreat, which helped us out quite a lot in cooking. Things were going
fine here, in fact, too good to last. We had plenty of rations and had
served two fairly good meals, when things began to happen. Jerry got it
into his head that Dressing Stations and kitchens were not essential in
a successful drive and right away started trying to eliminate them. A
short time after he had started trying to put this idea into effect, we
received orders to retire. This order probably saved a little work for
the burying squad, as far as the kitchen force was concerned, as about
fifteen minutes after leaving, a few direct hits were scored, scattering
our kitchen and supplies to the four winds.
We now moved back to Varennes, picking up as much of our equipment at
Very as we could and taking it back with us. We stayed in Varennes for
almost two days, cooking what we could in a much dilapidated stove that
was in one of the dugouts. Our field range reached us just as we were
leaving for Bourelles. We arrived there in time to set up for supper,
but had to tear it down that night as we moved back to Neuvilly. Here we
were relieved and moved out, and back to billets and a small French
kitchen. Although small, it seemed to us all that anyone could ask for
in the kitchen line, after having put in a week of trying to cook for a
company of men with hardly anything more than two flat rocks and a
coffee can.