The Delta of the Triple Elevens
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William Elmer Bachman >> The Delta of the Triple Elevens
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When on stable detail you arose at 5:45 a. m.; quietly dressed,
without lights, went to the stables and breakfasted the animals. If
you were a speed artist you might get back in time for your own
breakfast.
After breakfast you immediately reported to the stable-sergeant, who
was Anthony Fritzen, of Scranton, Penna. The horses were then led to
the corral and the real stable duties of the day commenced. In leading
the horses through the stable to the corral, the length of your life
was dependant upon your ability to duck the hoofs of the ones
remaining in the stables.
When it came to cleaning the stables, many a "buck" private made a
resolve that in the next war he was going to enlist as a
"mule-skinner." Driving the battery wagon bore the earmarks of being a
job of more dignity than loading the wagon.
Besides cleaning the stables and "graining-up" for the horses, the day
of the stable police was spent in miscellaneous jobs, which Sergeant
Fritzen never ran out of.
The stable detail underwent changes as time wore on. A permanent
stable man was assigned for every stable and the detail was reduced to
three privates.
Stable police was of double import on Saturday mornings, preparatory
to the weekly inspection. Every branch and department of military life
has a variety of inspections to undergo at periodical times. The
inspections keep the boys in khaki on the alert; cleanliness becoming
second nature. Nowhere can a vast body of men live bachelor-like as
soldiers do and maintain the degree of tidiness and general sanitary
healthfulness, as the thorough arm of camp inspection and discipline
maintains in the army.
A daily inspection of barracks was in order at Camp Meade.
Before the boys answered the first drill formation each morning they
did the housework. Everything had to be left spick and span. There was
a specific place for everything and everything had to be kept in its
place.
With mops and brooms and plenty of water the barracks were given a
good scrubbing on Friday afternoons and things put in shape for the
Saturday morning inspection. Besides the cleanup features a display of
toilet articles and wearing apparel had to be made. When the
inspectors made their tour each bunk had to show a clean towel, tooth
brush, soap, comb, pair of socks, and suit of underwear. The articles
had to be displayed on the bunk in a specific manner.
"Show-Down" inspections were a big feature of the routine. This
inspection required the soldier to produce all his wares and equipment
for inventory. The supply officer and supply sergeant of the battery
made many rounds taking account of equipment that was short, but
several more "show-downs" usually transpired before the lacking
equipment was supplied.
There was also a field inspection every Saturday morning, where the
general appearance of the soldier could be thoroughly scrutinized.
Clean-shaven, neatly polished shoes, clean uniform with buttons all
present and utilized, formed the determining percentage features. When
the inspection was mounted, horses and harness had to shine, the same
as the men.
January 1920 ushered in a period of changes in the staff of officers
for Battery D, some of the changes being temporary, others permanent.
Trials of sickness and quarantine were also in store for the battery.
Early in January Capt. A. L. Smith was called away from his military
duties on account of the death of his father, Edward B. Smith, of
Philadelphia, Penna.; a bereavement which brought forth many
expressions of sympathy from the men of his command.
Captain Smith returned to camp the latter part of the month. Some time
later he was ordered to Fort Sill, Oklahoma, to attend the artillery
school of fire. Lieut. Hugh M. Clarke also left the battery to attend
the school of fire. First-Lieut. Arthur H. McGill was detached from
the battery about this time and assigned as an instructor at the
Officers' Training School that was opened at Camp Meade. Lieut. Robert
S. Campbell was transferred from Battery D at this time.
First-Lieut. Robert Lowndes, of Elkridge. Md., was assigned to
temporary command of the battery. First-Lieut. J. S. Waterfield, of
Portsmouth, Va., served as an attached officer with D Battery for some
time.
First Sergeant William C. Thompson and Supply Sergeant Merle
Liebensberger were successful applicants to the officers' training
school at Meade. James J. Farrell, of Parsons, Penna., was appointed
acting first-sergeant and Thomas S. Pengelly, of Hazleton, Penna., was
appointed acting supply sergeant, both appointments later being made
permanent.
CHAPTER VIII.
BATTERY PROGRESS.
"Retreat," the checking-in or accounting for all soldiers at the close
of a day's routine, was made a formal affair for the 311th Field
Artillery on January 13th, 1918. The erection of a new flag pole in
front of regimental headquarters furnished occasion for the formal
formation when the Stars and Stripes are lowered to the strain of "The
Star Spangled Banner" or the "Call to the Colors."
When the formal retreat was established Battery D was in the throes of
a health quarantine. A case of measles developed in the battery and an
eighteen-day quarantine went into effect on January 19th. About a
score of battery members, who were attending speciality schools and on
special detail work, were quartered with Battery E of the regiment
while the quarantine lasted.
On March 24th scarlet fever broke out and a second quarantine was put
into effect. This quarantine kept Battery D from sharing in the Easter
furloughs to visit home.
The regular routine of fatigue duty and drill formations took place
during the quarantine periods, the restrictions being placed on the
men leaving the battery area between drill hours.
On March 6th Battery D took occasion to celebrate. The battery kitchen
had been thoroughly renovated by Mechanic Grover C. Rothacker and
Mechanic Conrad A. Balliet, both of Hazleton, Penna., the renovation
placing it in the class of "The best kitchen and mess hall in camp,"
to quote the words of Major General Joseph E. Kuhn, divisional
commander, when he inspected Battery D on Saturday, March 23rd.
A fine menu was prepared for the banquet that was held on the night of
March 6th. Col. Raymond Briggs and the battalion officers were guests
at the banquet and entertainment that was furnished in the barracks
until taps sounded an hour later than usual that night.
Details continued to play a big part in the life of Battery D. On
March 11th the first detail of fifty men was sent to repair the
highway near Portland. These details had a strenuous time of it; the
hardest work most of the detail accomplished was dodging lieutenants.
Transfers had made big inroads in the battery's strength. Guard duty
fell to the lot of the battery once a week. When the guard detail was
furnished there were scarcely enough men left to do the kitchen
police work and other detail work. It was a time when rank imposed
obligation. Sergeants and corporals had to get busy and chop wood and
carry coal and wash dishes and police up and in many other ways
imitate the buck private.
On March 5th Lieut. Frank Yeager inaugurated a system of daily
inspections at retreat, when the two neatest appearing men in line
were cited each day and rewarded with a week-end pass to visit
Baltimore or Washington, while those who got black marks for the week
were put on detail work over the week-end. A list of honorable
mentions was also established for general tidiness at "bunk"
inspections.
Rumor was ever present at Camp Meade. Almost every event that
transpired was a token of early departure overseas, or else the
"latrine-dope" had it that the outfit was to be sent to Tobyhanna for
range practice.
The first real evidence of overseas service presented itself during
March when physical examinations were in order to test the physical
fitness for overseas duty. Several, who it was deemed could not
physically stand foreign service, were in due time transferred to
various posts of the home-guards. Several transfers were also made to
the ordnance department; a number of chemists were detached from the
battery, and transfers listed for the cooks' and bakers' school, for
the quartermasters, for the engineers, for the signal corps, in fact
men were sent to practically all branches in the division.
On Saturday, March 30th, wrist watches were turned to 11 o'clock when
taps sounded, ushering in the daylight savings scheme that routed the
boys out for reveille during the wee dark hours of the morning.
Training during April centered on actual experience in taking to the
march with full mounted artillery sections. April 4th, 1918, found a
detail from Battery D leaving camp at 8 a. m., with a section of
provisional battery, enroute to Baltimore to take part in the big
parade in honor of the opening of the Liberty Loan drive on the first
anniversary of America's entrance into the war. While in Baltimore the
outfit pitched camp in Clifton Park. The parade, which was reviewed by
President Woodrow Wilson, took place on Saturday, April 6th. The
detachment returned to camp by road on Sunday, April 7th.
During April a decree went forth to the Battery that set details
at work every day clipping horses. Every one of the one hundred and
sixty-four battery horses was clipped.
The morning of Friday, April 26th, was declared a holiday at Camp
Meade; all units being called forth to participate in a divisional
parade and Liberty Loan rally.
A battery hike in march order was set for May 6th. The battery took to
the road at 8 a. m., and drove through Jessup, thence to West
Elkridge, Md., a distance of sixteen miles, where camp was pitched and
the battery remained for the night, returning to camp the following
afternoon after several firing problems in the field were worked out
by proxy fire.
Chances for a quick departure overseas began to warm up about the
middle of May, which perhaps was responsible for the big divisional
bon-fire that was burned on the night of May 13th.
[Illustration: CAPT. PERRY E. HALL LIEUT. SIDNEY F. BENNETT LIEUT.
C. D. BAILEY LIEUT. FRANK J. HAMILTON _Officers Associated with
Battery D._]
CHAPTER IX.
FAREWELL TO CAMP MEADE.
First authentic signs of departure from Camp Meade came during the
month of June when the boys witnessed the departure of the infantry
regiments of the division.
Void of demonstrative sendoff, regiment after regiment, fully and
newly equipped, was departing on schedule; thousands and thousands of
sturdy Americans, ready to risk all for the ideals of liberty and
freedom.
It was with no unsteady step they marched through the streets of the
military city that had sheltered, trained, tanned, and improved them
aright for the momentous task which was before them.
The scene, as they marched, is one that will live in memory of the
boys of Battery D. It was no dress parade such as the march of like
thousands in a civilian city would occasion. Battery D men and others
were spectators, it is true, and the departing ones were sent off, as
was later the case with Battery D, with cheers of encouragement and
words of God-speed--the spirit breathed being of hearty, thoughtful
patriotism such as can come only from a soldier who is bidding adieu
to a comrade in arms, whom he will meet again in a common cause.
Wonderful days of activity within Battery D foretold the news of
departure. The regiment was in first class shape to look forward to
service overseas, despite the fact that range-practice was a
negligible factor. During the latter part of May, firing, to a limited
extent, was practiced from the three-inch field pieces directed over
the Remount station, but the experience thus gained was too light to
be important. About this time a French type of 75 mm. field piece was
shipped to the regiment. Major David A. Reed became the instructor on
this gun, when it became known that the outfit would likely be given
French equipment upon arrival overseas. One gun for the regiment,
however, and especially when received only several weeks in advance of
the departure for overseas, afforded but little opportunity for
general instruction on the mechanism of the new field piece.
France, moreover, was the goal and the real range practice was left as
a matter of course for over there.
All activity centered on getting ready to depart. The battery
carpenters and painters were kept busy making boxes and labelling
them properly for the "American E. F." Harness was being cleaned
and packed. The time came for the horses to be returned to the Remount
station. Supply sergeants were busy as bees supplying everybody with
foreign service equipment. It proved a common occurrence to be routed
out of bed at midnight to try on a pair of field shoes. All articles
of clothing and equipment had to be stamped, the clothing being
stamped with rubber stamps, while the metal equipment was stamped with
a punch initial. Each soldier got a battery number which was stamped
on his individual equipment.
On June 28th, Joseph Loskill, of Hazleton, Penna., and William F.
Brennan, of Hazleton and Philadelphia, Penna., were assigned to
accompany the advance detail of the regiment. Lieut. Arthur H. McGill
was the Battery D officer to accompany the advance detail, which left
Camp Meade about 7 p. m., proceeding to Camp Merritt, N. J., for
embarkation. The advance guard arrived at Jersey City the following
morning at 6 o'clock, where they detrained and marched to the Ferry to
get to Hoboken. There the detachment was divided, the officers
boarding the S. S. Mongolia, the enlisted men the S. S. Duc d'Abruzzi.
The ships left Hoboken at 10:30 a. m., May 30th, bound for Brest.
Battery D was filled to full war-strength during the first week of
July, just before departure, when the outfit received a quota of 150
men who came to the regiment from the Depot Brigade. Five hundred and
forty came to the regiment from Camp Upton, N. Y., and Camp Dix,
N. J., and fifty from the signal corps in Florida.
In the front door and out of the back of 019 the battery passed in
alphabetical line in rehearsal of the manner in which the gang plank
of the ship was to be trod. Departure instruction likewise included
hikes to the electric rail siding to practice boarding the cars with
equipment.
The last few days in camp were marked by daily medical inspections,
also daily inspections of equipment. Everybody had to drag all their
equipment outside for inspection. The men were fully and newly
equipped with clothing and supplies upon leaving. Two new wool
uniforms, two pairs of field shoes, new underwear, socks, shirts,
towels, toilet articles, and a score of other soldier necessities,
were issued before leaving. All old clothing and equipment was turned
in.
Each man was allotted a barrack-bag as cargo. The barrack-bag was made
of heavy blue denim with about a seventy-five pound capacity,
which weight was cited as the limit a soldier could obtain storage for
in the ship's baggage compartments.
Although seventy-five pounds was the order, all the boys resorted to
some fine packing. There were not many under the limit. Most of the
boys had their knitted garments in the bag, also a plentiful supply of
soap, because rumor had struck the outfit that soap was a scarce
article in France. Milk chocolate and smokes were also well stocked
in.
Besides the barrack-bag each soldier was provided with a haversack and
pack-carrier, in which were carried--on the back--two O. D. blankets,
toilet articles, extra socks, clothing, and the various articles that
would be needed on the voyage across.
Saturday, July 13th, 1918, was the memorable day of departure from
Camp Meade. Battery D furnished the last guard detail of the regiment
at Meade. The 13th, as luck would have it, dawned in a heavy shower of
rain. Reveille sounded at 5:15 a. m., after which, those who had not
done so the night previous, hiked out in the rain and emptied the
straw from their bed-ticks; completed the packing of their bags and
packs and loaded the bags on trucks while the rain came down in
torrents.
As was usually the case in army routine, early reveille did not vouch
for an early departure from camp. Detail aplenty was in store for the
boys all day. The last meal was enjoyed in 019 mess-hall at 5 p.m.,--then
started a thorough policing up of barracks. Sweeping squads were sent
over the ground a dozen times and finally the boys assembled outside
on the battery assembling grounds, at 7:30 p. m., with packs ready and
everything set to begin the march to entrain.
During the hours of waiting that followed the boys indulged in a few
sign painting decorations. Among the numerous signs tacked to 019
were:
"For Sail. Apply Abroad."
"For Rent, for a large family; only scrappers need apply. Btry D,
311th F. A."
"Von Hindenberg dropped dead. We're coming."
It was a grand sight to see the regiment depart at 8:45 p. m. The band
was playing; colors were flying at the head of the column--everybody
was in high spirits. But there were no civilians to enjoy the
spectacle. It was night and but few knew of the departure. The rain
had ceased and twilight was deepening into darkness as the regiment,
excepting Battery A, which was left in camp for police detail, to
follow a few days later, started on the hike; back over
practically the same route the soldiers were marched from Disney to
019 when they first arrived in camp. This time they were leaving 019;
marching for the last time with Battery D through the reservation of
Camp Meade; marching to the railroad yards at Disney where trains were
being made up to convey the regiment to a point of embarkation. But
few knew whether it was to be Philadelphia, New York, or Hoboken. The
men were leaving home and home-land and departing for a land of which
they knew nought. What the ocean and Germany's program of relentless
submarine warfare had in store for them, no one knew. All hearts were
strong in the faith and all stout hearts were ready to do and to dare;
content in the knowledge that they were doing their duty to their home
and their country.
CHAPTER X.
ABOARD THE S. S. MORVADA.
Land appeared in rugged outline along the horizon as the Steamship
Morvada swept the waves when dusk was falling on the Tuesday evening
of July 16th, 1918. It was a beautiful mid-summer's night and the boys
of Battery D, in common with the members of the 311th regiment, stood
at the deck railings of the S. S. Morvada and watched the outline of
shore disappear under cover of darkness. The ship had been sailing
since 11:30 a. m., Sunday, July 14th, at which time the Morvada had
lifted anchor and slowly pushed its nose into the Delaware River;
leaving behind the Philadelphia & Reading Railroad docks at Port
Richmond, Philadelphia, Penna., the last link that held them to their
native shores.
Surmises and guesses were rife as the ship rolled on in the darkness,
leaving the boys either arguing as to the destination or else seeking
their "bunk" down in the "hatch" and rolling in for the night.
It was generally agreed that the course thus far was along the coast.
It was apparent that the ship was skirting coastline, because convoy
protection had been given by sea-planes flying out from the naval
coast stations, accompanying the transport for a distance, then
disappearing landward. The boys on the transport spent many an idle
hour watching the aviators circle the ship time and time again, often
coming within voice range of the transport's passengers.
It was also settled that the course had been Northeast, but no one was
quite certain as to location.
The morning of July 17th found the Morvada approaching land. A
lighthouse appeared in the dim distance, then, as the hours passed and
the ship sped on, the coast became visible and more visible,
disclosing rugged country, rising high from out of the water's edge.
The country, moreover, appeared waste and devastated; the land being
covered with wrecked buildings that showed signs of explosive force.
Location finally became apparent as harbor scenes presented an unique
picturesqueness of territory. The S. S. Morvada was in Halifax harbor,
Nova Scotia, and the surrounding territory was the scene of the famous
T. N. T. explosion. It was 11 o'clock on the morning of July 17th that
the ship cast anchor in Halifax harbor and word was passed that all on
board could remove life preservers and breathe a sigh of relief.
To be suddenly found in Canadian environment furnished a new
thrill for the soldiers. The Saturday night previous the same soldiers
were making the trip from Camp Meade to port of embarkation.
Everybody was expecting a lay over in an embarkation camp before
embarking, therefore the surprise was the greater when the train that
left Camp Meade at midnight on the evening of July 13th, deposited its
cargo of soldiers on the pier at Port Richmond within a short distance
of the ship that was waiting for its cargo of human freight before
pulling anchor for the first lap of the France-bound journey.
Orders to detrain were given at 8:29 a. m. Tired and hungry the
soldiers were greeted on the pier by a large delegation of Red Cross
workers who had steaming hot coffee, delicious buns, cigarettes and
candy to distribute to the regiment as a farewell tribute and morning
appetizer. Postal cards were also distributed for the soldiers to
address to their home-folks. The messages were farewell messages and
were held over at Washington. D. C., until word was received that the
Morvada had landed safely overseas.
At 8 a. m. the repeat-your-last-name-first-and-your-first-name-last
march up the gang-plank started. Each man got a blue card with a
section and berth number on; also a meal ticket appended, after which
it was a scramble to find your right place in the hatch.
At 11:30 o'clock anchor was lifted; the little river tug boat nosed
the steamship about; then, with colors flying, the band playing, the
Morvada steamed down the Delaware; passing Hog Island in a midway of
ships from which words of farewell and waves of good-bye wafted across
to the Morvada. The sky-line of Brotherly Love, guarded over by
William Penn on City Hall, gradually faded from view and the Sunday
afternoon wore on, as the boys spent most of their first day aboard a
transport on deck, watching the waves and admiring the beauties of
nature, revealed in all splendor as the ever-fading shore line, viewed
from the promenade deck, lost itself into the mist-like horizon of sky
and water, richly enhanced by the brilliancy of a superb sunset.
The S. S. Morvada skirted the shore for some time and for the first
few hours all was calm on deck. By night, however, sea-sickness began
to manifest itself and there was considerable coughing up over the
rail.
Besides watching the waves and the various-sized and colored fishes of
the deep make occasional bounds over the crest of the foam, the
soldiers spent their time trying to get something to eat, which was a
big job in itself.
The Morvada was an English boat, of small type, that was built in 1914
to ply between England and India, carrying war materials. The voyage
of the 311th was the second time the Morvada was used as a transport.
Except for officer personnel the ship was manned by a crew of East
Indians, whose main article of wearing apparel was a towel and whose
main occupation was scrubbing and flushing the decks with a hose, just
about the time mess call found the soldiers looking for a nice spot to
settle down with mess-kit and eating-irons. Up forward were batteries
B, D, E, and F, and the Supply Company, and aft were Headquarters
Company, Battery C, and the Medical Detachment. Each end of the ship
had its galley along which the mess lines formed three times a day.
The khaki-clad soldiers could not get used to the English system of
food rationing with the result that food riots almost occurred until
the officers of the regiment intervened and secured an improvement in
the mess system.
The first night in Halifax harbor was a pleasant relief from the
strain of suspense that attended the journey to Canadian waters. Deck
lights were lighted for the first time and vied for brilliancy in the
night with the other ocean-going craft assembled in the harbor. The
Morvada did not dock, but remained anchored in the harbor, from where
the soldiers on board could view the city and port of entry that was
the capital of the Province of Nova Scotia.
To the Southeast the city of Halifax, situated on a fortified hill,
towering 225 feet from the waters of the harbor, showed its original
buildings built of wood, plastered or stuccoed; and dotted with fine
buildings of stone and brick of later day creation.
When the soldiers on board the Morvada arose on the morning of July
18th the Halifax harbor was dotted with several more transports that
had arrived during the night. The day was spent in semaphoring to the
various transports and learning what troops each quartered. Official
orders, however, put a stop to this form of pastime and discussion was
shifted to the whys and wherefores of the various camouflage designs
the troop ships sported.
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