Research and Rememberance

You never know what will happen when you jump down the rabbit hole of research when preparing to write. It is a continuos and complicated process to find the details you need for a book. It is also often a huge surprise of where you find things you never expected to write about.
In my current Work in Progress (WIP) I am delving into an era I'm am not as familiar with. WW I is a little different than what I'm used to writing and when I started searching for women's roles in The Great War I was surprised to discover some interesting information on the Salvation Army and how they served in Europe during this time. What did I discover? Doughnuts! Yes, Doughnuts. During World War I the doughboys loved doughnuts.

As the United States joined the war effort the Salvation Army petitioned to be allowed to provide what services they could to soldiers serving in Europe. It was a hard fought battle but in the end, the Salvationists were allowed to follow the doughboys overseas.

Among the group of Salvation Army workers, nearly five hundred women were included. Their job was to provide what homey items they could for the soldiers. These young women made fudge, cookies, and pancakes as well as leading services to minister to the soldier's souls.  At one point with a wet summer moving into a cold and wet autumn two young women Margaret Sheldon and Helen Purviance, with few supplies decided to make doughnuts for the doughboys. The young women had only flour, sugar, lard, baking powder, and canned milk and improvised starting the Salvationists on a new track. The doughnuts were so well received that all of the young women began making them.

Many young men, some cowboys from the ranches of the western United States, fought in the Great War and they would have been thrilled at the doughnuts, up to 5,000 cooked in any given day, that were provided to them.

The Salvation Army not only served during WWI but also into WWII and other wars. Throughout the campaigns, doughnuts were always part of the provisions. This generous act and simple treat led to National Donut Day which is celebrated on the first Friday of June. Next time you bite into a donut perhaps you'll think of those brave young men and women whose only wish was to serve their fellow man.

The First World War ended on November eleventh, 1918 when an armistice was signed bringing the aggression to an end. Today this date is better known as Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, Veterans Day or Poppy Day.  due to the red poppies that are exchanged. The red poppy became the symbol of remembrance based on World War One Poem In Flanders Fields. But the remembrance goes even further. The simple doughnut did its own humble part to boost the morale of the men in the trenches.

Keep watching for Mary Bridgette's story as I step into something new as we explore the Generations of The Cattleman's Daughters.  This series was my very first and has been well received even though I was still learning as I worked my way through it.  Now I get to start over and discover where their children went and how they found their very own happily ever afters.