Information gathered from The Story of the 27th Division, by John F. O’Ryan.

The 102nd Sanitary Train was mustered into Federal service in July of 1917 following the entry of the United States into World War I and served in the 27th Infantry Division on the Western Front.

On August 20th, Ambulance Companies 106 and 107 of the 102nd Sanitary Train supported the 2/1 East Lancashire Field Ambulance in a forward position near Busseboom, Belgium, where they established a dressing station for the wounded. Field Ambulance Company 106 then manned a sick post for reserve battalions at Trappiste Farm between August 24th and September 3rd.

Men from the 106th and 107th Ambulance Companies also provided aid to front line troops at an advanced dressing station at Long Barn. There, they received wounded troops by wheel cart and stretcher before loading them into motor ambulances for transportation to the main dressing station at Remy Siding, which was seven kilometers away.

On August 27, British command ordered the 2/1 and 2/2 Field Ambulances to turn their equipment over the 102nd Sanitary Train, which acquired “four Fords, nine Daimlers and six horse-drawn ambulances.” However, “The condition of this motor transport at the time it was received from the British was of such a character that under constant use it was unable to stand the strain, and about September 2d the cars had to be frequently sent to the shop for repairs and at times only seven or eight of the motor cars were fit to take the road. During this period only two cars were damaged by shell fire.” (550).

On September 27th, Ambulance Companies of the 102nd Sanitary Train established a new main dressing station at Villers Faucon: “The forward area was covered by Ambulance Companies Nos. 106 and 107, less a detail to run the advanced dressing station, augmented by the litter bearer section of the 133d Field Ambulance and 100 men from the 108th Infantry. Motor transport consisted of three Fords and eleven Daimlers.” (550)

The dressing stations became quickly overwhelmed with the wounded and the 102nd Sanitary Train faced congestion when evacuating wounded to other medical facilities. However, with the aid of the American Red Cross they were able to provide waiting men with blankets for cover and hot drinks. The 102nd Sanitary Division was relieved on October 2nd and marched to a rest area at Courcelles.

On October 11, the 102nd Sanitary Train was ordered to take over a main dressing station at Premont for the offensive through St. Souplet. Field Hospital Company 105 set up rooms for the main dressing station at Premont while Field Hospital Company 106 established a forward station at Busigny.

The rapid advance of the Allied frontline during the offensive strained the men and equipment of the 102nd Sanitary Train; its men needed to follow the advancing infantry closely enough to render effective aid, but had little help from hospital and railhead accommodations. When the battle at St. Souplet began, the main dressing station at Premont was abandoned in favor of the closer Busigny. The movement was undertaken at nighttime over poor roads, and the round trip took up to nine hours by car. Worse still, on October 15th, the 102nd Sanitary Train was ordered to transfer twenty of its forty motorcars to the 30th Infantry Division. The Ambulance Companies faced a backlog of 160 stretcher cases awaiting evacuation and the 102nd Sanitary Train demanded and received 22 cars from elsewhere in the army.