Anna Louise Tittman Memoir - University of Illinois Springfield

Anna Tittman
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evacuation base tonight, July 5th. The decorations were ery nice. Ferns
gathered and placed by the boys themselves. I am making old by imposing q
~self upon the boys for lessons, and they a.re awfully
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go d about itlessons
for dancing. Many of them remark that I haven't ced with an
American girl for ten mnths. They are a-kromsick lot are crazy to
fi&t or go home, especially since the trouble of Shushan mes which resulted
in twenty-five or our boys being killed. The boys' are furious that
they cantt twn loose on the Bolshevild everywhere. A ce is given every
Saturday afternoon f'rom four to six at the International A hut. Most
of the arls prefer the enlisted mens1 dances to the offi erst because the
fomr do seem to appreciate us so much. The supply corn dance was a wonder.
The boys had AEF inscribed in great letters made o ferns on one of
the white walls and 31st on the opposite wall. White wild syringas and
bough?. of tree branches were in profusion and ammged with great taste.
The boys did it all themelves. Of course, there were fl@g~. The band sat
behind a poup of bou&s, and we had an inprovised dress- room for the
ladies. It was special attraction and it made the tears come to w eyes to
think of their thoughtfulness and desire to make us comfortable.
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A large table was f'ixed up for a dressing table with three or four shaving
mirrors resting thereon. Swesal cans of talcum powder apd a lamp. The
Russki girls whom the American boys have taught to dance, curl their hair
with a tidy festoon at the top. It's a little doily or $omthing Like that.
A peice of fancy work. Heavwl only knows where they got the thingq.
Another large table with blanket covering was manged fop our wraps. They
had about seven long tables with sheets for covers where we all sat down to
sandwiches, pie, ice cream, coffee, candy and fruit prepwd and served by
the boys themselves. A railroad and shipping strike has been on. None of
our AFlC trains could start on that account, and boats canflot be unloadad. .
The U.S.S. Heffrin--the nam of the ship--has been held for a long time.
It will t&e Czech wounded back to their homeland by the "% uez Canal. The
department of nming is sending nurses Dewar and Fitzpatrick from Honolulu
as well as two Czech aides, Mrs. ~aulivlyf and Mrs. Velisek, to accompany these.
Miss Pauliny will rewn in Czechoslovakia as her people are there. On July
LO, the strike on the ~aSlroad was sufficiently settled to start a large
part to Cansk. It Well, Omsk is way out almost to European "The group
was largely made up of the party which cam over with me. on July 10,
a party of 18 nurses and one nurse s aide arrived on the Som of our
group will be going west. That is the unit, the
I was in.
This was not the first dt, by any ms.
''1 had rry picture taken in the mavies greeting the party
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n arrival; also,
bidding the others farewell. The Penza has been held in ladivostok haulbor.
The new personnel is mamoned in Japan. On July 20, anotper unit started
west. On the 24tth Nurse Anderburg, and nurse's aide started to
Verkhneudlnskio." That's where we had a group
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"On July 8th and gth, I mde a thorough inspection of
Island Hospital