r boys were highly
praised by them. The members of the crew in particular were interested
about working conditions in America, and were anxious to know whether
or not they would have any difficulty in getting work if they came to
this country. They showed plainly that they had been so favorably
impressed by Americans in France that they had a longing to become a
part of this great nation.

It took us a day and a night to reach Tours. The journey was a
tiresome one and we were glad when the train finally stopped at Tours.
Again we were put on motor ambulances and taken to Base Hospital 7, in
the suburbs of the city. We were immediately given a physical
examination, and all our personal effects, including our clothes, were
taken from us, except a few toilet articles. We were then given a bath
robe, a towel and soap and taken to a warm shower. It was with great
delight that we got under that shower and enjoyed a thorough bath. The
showers were of American make and were built large enough so that
twenty-five or thirty men could take a bath at a time. After the
shower we were given a solution to rub on our bodies for the purpose
of killing the cooties. The time had come, I am glad to say, when we
and the cooties, must forever part. But the cootie in the front line
trenches was not altogether an enemy. That may sound strange, but the
fact is, when we were fighting the cooties and chasing them out of our
dug-outs, our minds were not on our more serious troubles and we were
unmindful of the dangers that surrounded us. So there were times when
the cooties were really friends and they kept our minds and hands
occupied.

After the bath, we were taken back to the ward and were not allowed to
have any clothes for three days. This was probably so there would be
no chance of a stray cootie getting into our new outfit. When three
days had elapsed, however, we were given slips, which we filled out in
accordance with our needs. When I got back into a uniform, life at the
hospital was more pleasant. With the aid of crutches I was able to
move around a little and to enjoy the company of other boys. The time
was spent in playing cards, light conversation, and other amusements.
We kept our minds off our rough experiences at the front.

I had an unusually pleasant experience soon after I was at Tours. A
Red Cross nurse came to our ward to take orders for our small wants,
such as candy, cigarettes, tobacco, writing paper and such articles.