The Delta of the Triple Elevens

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In the regimental show Arthur H. Jones, familiarly known to the
battery members as "Boundbrook," the name of the New Jersey town he
claims as home, had entered the battery water cart in the show. The
water cart was one of the most valuable of battery vehicles. While at
Benoite Vaux all the water for drinking and cooking purposes had to be
hauled to the battery kitchen from a well about a kilometer distant.

"Boundbrook" Jones had charge of the cart, driving to the well for
water several times each day. "Boundbrook" also prided himself as
having the best horse of any of the water carts in the regiment. When
it came time for the regimental horse show Jones was certain that
his charge would carry off first prize in the water cart entry.

To the great chagrin of "Boundbrook" Battery D's cart was disqualified
by the judges because it did not have the proper spigots attached to
the water tank. Jones drove back to Benoite Vaux in a dejected mood.
Meeting Lieut. Bailey he exclaimed: "Say, Lieutenant, I thought this
was a horse show and not a plumbing show."

During the stay in Benoite Vaux the Battery members took advantage of
every opportunity afforded to visit battle sectors. St. Mihiel was
visited by many, while Verdun, with its underground city, and the
country in that vicinity was also explored to great extent. The
soldiers were granted mounted passes at times, which entitled them to
saddle battery horses to go on a day's sight-seeing trip.

During the latter part of February Capt. Smith was ordered to Paris on
temporary duty in the Inspector General's Department. Lieut. Yeager
and Lieut. Julian were also detached from the battery at Benoite Vaux.
Lieut. Yeager gained admission to an English University, while Lieut.
Julian was admitted to a French institution under the A. E. F.
educational plans.

Capt. Perry E. Hall, of Springfield, N. J., was assigned to the
command of D Battery when Capt. Smith was ordered to Paris. First
Lieut. Frank J. Hamilton, who had been associated with the battery at
Camp Meade, was reassigned to the organization from Headquarters
Company of the regiment, during the early part of March, 1919.

Private Stuart E. Prutzman, of Palmerton, Penna., left the outfit at
Benoite Vaux to attend a French university. Private William E.
Bachman, of Hazleton, Penna., was a successful applicant to the
A. E. F. University that was established at Beaune.

The daily sick call of the battery was exceptionally large at Benoite
Vaux. Colds and cooties played havoc with the boys for several weeks.

Another passing incident connected with the life at Benoite Vaux was
the Divisional Maneuvres that were planned with great enthusiasm but
which materialized rather humorously. The battery in general did not
enjoy this drama. The maneuvres were conducted with guidon-bearers
representing the batteries for the benefit of the Field Officers, who
consumed much paper and speech in issuing a multitude of orders to
guide the movements of the guidon-bearers as the latter represented
the entire regiment, assuming various strategic formations on a well
planned field of bloodless battle.

Lieut. Yeager, before being detached from the battery, and Cpl.
Thomas J. Brennan, of Pottsville, Penna., were candidates for the
divisional foot ball team that played at Souilly with a number of
other divisional elevens. Philip J. Cusick, of Parsons, Penna., the
battery's favorite pianist, was selected to make a tour with the
regimental minstrel show that was put on to tour the circuit of
A. E. F. playhouses. Cusick was recalled to the battery the latter
part of February when he received notice of his early discharge from
the army on account of the death of his father.

The sickness that laid its hand heavily on the men of the battery at
Benoite Vaux also affected the horses. The rain that fell almost
daily, kept the mud knee-deep and the roads slushy. The well members
of the battery toiled hard to complete the stables and save the horses
from cruel exposure to the weather. The stables were completed in
February and were in use long enough for an order to be issued to
clean them out by way of demonstration, then the battery was ordered
to proceed to another billeting district. It was announced about this
time that the 311th regiment was to sail for home in June.

The siege of sickness claimed in death two of Battery D's men, who had
been admitted to the base hospital at Commercy.

Private Patrick J. Dooling, of Metuchen, N. J., died on March 6, 1919,
with Broncho-pneumonia. He was buried in the Post Cemetery at
Commercy.

Corporal Guy W. Mortimer, of Pottsville, Penna., died on March 8th and
was buried in the same cemetery as Private Dooling.

In March regimental post schools were opened near Souilly. A number of
Battery D men were admitted to the various courses. The boys had been
at school for only one week when they were ordered back to the outfit,
which was then moving towards Commercy.

[Illustration: SERVING MESS TO BATTERY D ALONG THE ROAD
Serving Mess Along the Road While on a Move from Benoite Vaux to
Lerouville, France. Reproduced from Official Photo of the Signal
Corps. U. S. A.]

[Illustration: BATTERY D ON THE ROAD IN FRANCE
Showing Battery D Near Courouve, France. Reproduced from
Official Photo of the Signal Corps. U. S. A.]

CHAPTER XXII.

HOMEWARD BOUND.

When the battery left Benoite Vaux the soldiers knew they had started
on the first lap of their "homeward bound" trip. Weeks of hard work
were yet before the battery, but the thought of getting home in June,
or possibly earlier, as rumor had it that the A. E. F. sailing
schedules were operating several weeks ahead of time, kept up the
spirit of the artillerymen.

The trip from Blancheville was made by road. A short journey on March
19th found Battery D in Boncourt, a small town near Commercy. The
other batteries of the regiment moved to nearby towns. On March 31st,
Lerouville, Pont sur Meuse and Boncourt held the regiment between
them.

On April 1st Battery D was ordered to make another trip overland. The
trip required three days. The first night's stop was made at Ligny en
Barcis, a large town where the entire regiment found accommodation and
the boys enjoyed themselves for the night. The second night the
regiment had to scatter for billeting at Bure, Echenay, Saudron, and
Guillaume. Battery D was quartered in Bure.

The journey was southward in the direction of Andelot. It was one trip
the soldiers enjoyed. It didn't rain during the three days enroute.
The end of the third day found the battery in Cirey les Mareilles, the
town near Blancheville in which district the outfit was previously
billeted. Cirey les Mareilles housed E Battery when D was at
Blancheville. When the regiment returned to the old stamping ground
Batteries D and E were billeted at Cirey. The Supply Company of the
regiment was billeted in Blancheville during this stay. Regimental
Headquarters Company and Battery A established themselves at
Briancourt, Battery F at Mareilles, Battery B at Rochfort, and Battery
C at Chantraines.

While at Boncourt the materiel of the regiment was inspected by an
ordnance officer and passed inspection. Before the materiel was to be
finally turned in, however, a big review before General John J.
Pershing, Commander in Chief of the A. E. F., was to take place.

Battery D left Cirey les Mareilles at noon, Friday, April 11th,
proceeding to and arriving on the reviewing field at Orquenaux at 4:30
p. m. It was 8:30 o'clock before the horses were cared for and a
battery of dog tents erected on the field, where the soldiers spent
the night. It did not rain during the night, but the following
day, when the review was being staged, it rained in torrents.

The review started at 10:30 a. m., Saturday, April 12, 1919. First the
outfit stood inspection mounted but not moving. Then the divisional
march in front of the reviewing stand started. It was a grand military
sight to see an entire army division together on one field, at one
time, with all equipment. It was late in the afternoon when the review
ended by which time all the soldiers were thoroughly soaked by the
rain.

It was 4 o'clock when Battery D left the reviewing ground, and
hastened on its way to Andelot. The entire distance was covered at
what was almost a steady trot. Andelot was reached at 7 p. m. It was a
wet and tired battery, but the rain and fatigue were soon forgotten
when orders were issued for all materiel to be turned in at Andelot,
to be delivered to the railhead at Rimaucourt. Despite the fact that
everybody was drenched to the skin, also cold and miserable, happy
smiles lit the faces of all when farewell was bid the guns and
caissons. The soldiers, in a happy mood, walked from Andelot to Cirey
les Mareilles, singing and whistling.

During the following week the horses and practically all the equipment
was turned in and preparations made for the trip to the embarkation
port. Everything in the line of equipment that was not needed, was
salvaged.

On Monday, April 7th, another attempt was made by the regimental
officers to establish a post school near Neuf Chateau. A number of
Battery D men were sent to attend the school. The school, however, was
broken up the first day of its existence, an official order returning
the scholars to their respective commands. Orders to detrain for an
embarkation center were momentarily expected.

On Saturday, April 19th, the regiment entrained at Rimaucourt, bound
for the port of St. Nazaire, which was to be the exit to the land of
home. The trip was made by box car, the route being through Bologne,
Chaumont, Langres, south of Nevers, through Angers and Nantes. Battery
D continued its journey until Camp Montoir, eight kilometers from the
port, was reached at 4:45 p. m., April 21st.

Sergeant Koenig and Corporal Shafer were the busiest men of the
battery during the stay at Camp Montoir. Yards and yards of paper work
had to be completed before the outfit was finally cleared and ready to
walk up the gang plank. The battery office force worked day and
night and established a new record in getting a battery sailing list
o. k'd.

The stay at Montoir was pleasant despite the fact that physical
inspections were endured in great number and all soldiers and clothing
had to go through a thorough process of cootiizing. The camp was well
equipped with recreational centers where the soldiers enjoyed their
idle hours.

Various detail work was assigned the battery while at Montoir. Details
assisted in the erection of a new theatre on the camp grounds. Drill
and physical exercise periods were in order when examinations and
inspections lulled. After passing in a brigade review before Brigadier
General Andrew Hero, on Friday, May 9th, the outfit was declared ready
to board the next ship that docked at the port of St. Nazaire. On
Monday, May 12th, the boys changed what francs they had left, into
United States currency. Then they were ready to say good-bye to
France.

Reveille sounded at 4 a. m., on Wednesday, May 14th. Nobody slept in
that morning. Rolls were made in short order and the battery area
policed-up. At 6 a. m. the regiment left Camp Montoir on an eight
kilometer hike to St. Nazaire, which port was reached at 8:30 a. m.

The U. S. S. Edward Luckenbach was lying at anchor in the basin at St.
Nazaire. The vessel had been coaled and supplied for the return to
American shores. In the morning of May 14th the Edward Luckenbach
waited for its troop passengers before setting sail.

After the soldiers waited on the pier for some time the huge
gang-planks were extended and the regiment started its march to the
decks of the ship. The gang-planks were lifted at 11 a. m. The ship
was loosened from its moorings and slowly piloted through the
congested basin. Slowly the transport passed the draw bridge, through
the locks and out into the wide expanse of bay. It was 2:10 p. m. when
open water course was reached.

The U. S. S. Edward Luckenbach carried 29 officers and 2,247 enlisted
men, including 14 officers and 1,338 men of the 311th Field Artillery:
8 officers and 547 men of the 314th Machine Gun Battalion, and three
casual companies.

Capt. Perry Hall was the only Battery D officer able to find
accommodation on the battery's transport. All the other officers had
to wait for other transportation. Capt. A. L. Smith rejoined the
the regiment at St. Nazaire and was assigned as regimental adjutant.
He accompanied the troops on the Edward Luckenbach.

Late in the afternoon on the day of set-sailing the vessel was stopped
to allow the pilot to be taken off into a sail boat. Mine sweepers
were also let down on both sides the vessel. Without convoy and with
freedom of light at night the transport pushed its way through the
waves that formerly were in the danger zone. The mine sweepers
continued to comb the waves for any stray mine missiles that by chance
might have still floated from war operations.

No difficulty was encountered, however, and the danger zone once
passed, the trip continued at an average rate of 9 knots an hour. The
Edward Luckenbach was a 6100 ton cargo vessel converted into a
transport for the Naval Overseas Transportation Service. It was manned
by an American naval crew. The vessel was an oil burner and trouble
was experienced with the engines, whereby the speed of the vessel was
retarded. It was feared at times that the engines would give out
before port was reached. Slow, but sure the troops were brought to
friendly shores.

It might be noted in passing that on the next trip made by the Edward
Luckenbach as a transport, the vessel became crippled through the
breaking of her port shaft and her main journal and had to be towed
for 600 miles into the harbor at South Boston, Mass.

Outside of the monotony, the trip was an uneventful one. The first two
days were attended with fine weather and calm sea, but the third day a
rain and wind storm developed. Bunks, down in the hatch, collapsed and
things in general were topsy turvy all night. Sea sickness was
rampant. It was a case of six meals a day for the next three or four
turns of the clock--three down and three up.

The high sea gales blew for several days in succession. Mess line was
the only formation of the day while K. P.'s and Hatch cleanup were the
only details furnished.

After thirteen days on the water, land was sighted late in the
afternoon of Tuesday, May 27th. It was a welcome sight to the soldiers
to see New York's famous sky-line in the distance. A mist hung over
the harbor and it was 5 p. m. when the outline of the Statue of
Liberty became plainly discernible. As the Edward Luckenbach was
piloted through the roadway of commerce that thronged the harbor, the
U. S. S. Leviathan steamed majestically seaward, carrying a cargo of
soldiers to France to relieve members of the Army of Occupation.

Following the triumphal entry into New York harbor, the vessel
cast another anchor and remained undocked for the night. Thus the boys
spent one night within the beam of Miss Liberty, whose drawing power
had been distinct in memory for many a weary month in France.

A big welcome had been planned for the soldiers on the Edward
Luckenbach. One of the police patrol tugs, bearing the sign: "The
Mayor's Reception Committee," came out to meet the transport. The
river tug had as passengers a band, besides many friends and relatives
of soldiers aboard the transport. A noisy welcome home was sounded as
the patrol boat encircled the steamer several times.

Cheers, and tears also, greeted the 311th boys when the Herman
Caswell, a water front yacht, that had been chartered by three hundred
excursionists from the Hazleton, Wilkes-Barre, and Scranton districts
of Pennsylvania, encircled the Edward Luckenbach, with St. Ann's Band
of Freeland, Penna., on board, playing "Home, Sweet Home."

The three hundred excursionists, who had journeyed from the Anthracite
fields of Pennsylvania to welcome the 311th boys, had a difficult time
to locate the Edward Luckenbach. At 6 o'clock that night they sailed
out to find the vessel, reported as advancing past Ambrose Channel.
They traversed the entire waterfront, both on the North and East River
sides, before the hospital ship Comfort located the transport by
radio, up the Hudson. The excursion delegates stayed near the
transport until dark.

It was with rejuvenated spirits that the soldiers spent their last
night on board the transport, lying in New York harbor. On Wednesday
morning, May 28th, the troops debarked at Pier 6, Bush Terminal,
Brooklyn. Only a few of the friends and relatives got to see the
soldier boys at the terminal. While the soldiers lingered at the
terminal, partaking of refreshments furnished by the Red Cross and the
welfare associations, the crowds beat the ferry boat that carried the
soldiers to Jersey City and formed two lines through which the boys
passed to entrain for Camp Dix, N. J.

Plans were under way to hold a Seventy-Ninth Division parade in
Philadelphia, Penna., but the boys voiced protests against being held
in camp, with the result that the work of putting the outfit through
the process of sterilization and cootiization was expedited.

After going through the "delouser" at Camp Dix, Battery D was moved to
another section of barracks, near the discharge center. Clerical
details were sent to the discharge center, known as the "madhouse,"
each day, to assist in getting out the paper work for official
discharge of the outfits scheduled for muster out before Battery D.

Battery D was officially discharged from the United States Army
Service on May 30th, 1919, when all its members were assigned to
various discharge units. On May 30th the soldiers whose homes were in
Western States, were detached from the battery to be sent to Western
camps for discharge.

Those who were scheduled to remain at Dix to receive their discharge
papers, their pay and the $60 bonus, idled about the camp until
Wednesday, June 4th, when they were called to the discharge center to
be paid off. It required a long wait before the members of the casual
detachments that once formed Battery D were admitted to the Central
Records office.

The soldiers "beat it" from camp as soon as they had the coveted
discharge certificates. The outfit separated in driblets during the
day. The first ones called got clear of military service in the
morning, while others were not called until late that afternoon.

By nightfall of June 4th, 1919, however, Battery D members, for the
main part, were headed for HOME, to take up the thread of civilian
life where they had severed it months before when they answered the
call of selective service.

THE LORRAINE CROSS

[Illustration]

THE 79th DIVISION INSIGNIA

CHAPTER XXIII.

THE CROSS OF LORRAINE

Its Origin and Its Significance.

(Extracts from a Document)
Written from data furnished
by
E. F. HENRI VIARD
B. A. Paris University
Late London Correspondent of "Le Journal"
Sometime Technical Translator to the Ordnance
Department A. E. F.

The Lorraine Cross, official insignia of the Seventy-Ninth Division,
United States Army, was adopted shortly after the armistice was
signed.

Despite the fact that the Seventy-Ninth Division Artillery did not
share in the fighting with the rest of the division, the artillerymen
were accorded the privilege of wearing the emblem.

In all its war operations, the Seventy-Ninth Division faced the enemy
in Lorraine, the province which the United States was pledged to win
back for France.

Victory, in the face of stubborn opposition, crowned the efforts of
the Seventy-Ninth Division. It was only appropriate, therefore, that
the division should select as its emblem the ancient symbol of
victory, The Lorraine Cross.

The divisional insignia was worn on the left sleeve of the uniform
blouse at the shoulder.

THE CROSS OF LORRAINE.

A national emblem of the independent Duchy of Lorraine for centuries,
and even now a distinctive cognizance of the Border Province of
France, the double traverse cross, known as the Cross of Lorraine,
forms part of the armorial bearings of no less than 163 noble
families. And several military units engaged in the world war adopted
the cross as an emblem. These units include, besides the Lorraine
Detachment of the French Army, the Seventy-Ninth Division.

Before its adoption as an emblem by the reigning house of Lorraine,
the double traverse cross had a long and interesting history.
Important in the history of the development of the shape of the Cross
with its two beams, the design being Byzantine and emblematic of the
triumph of Christ over Death, are ancient double traverse crosses,
each containing fragments of the Real Cross of the Crucifixion. They
are preserved in different sections of France.

The double traverse of the Cross of Lorraine comes from the
substitution, for the Titulus, or inscription originally used to mark
the Cross upon which Christ was crucified, of a plain horizontal arm.
The origin of the double traverse cross is Eastern, and, students of
the subject point out, it undoubtedly represents the Jerusalem
Cross--the True Cross--with its main horizontal beam and the Titulus,
represented by a plain beam in the Cross of Lorraine.

Reliquaries containing parts of the Red Cross upon which the Savior
was crucified, including the reliquaries in Poitiers and Limoges, are
double traverse in form. On an enamelled plate in the Treasury of Graz
Cathedral, Hungary, the figure of Saint Helena, credited with the
recovery of the True Cross, is represented draped in a dress which is
emblazoned with a double traverse cross.

The double traverse cross came to have its association with Lorraine
in 1477 after Rene II, reigning head of the Duchy of Lorraine, had
defeated Charles the Bold, Duke of Burgundy, at the Battle of Nancy.
Rene was of the house of Anjou and the emblem had been known as the
Cross of Anjou to earlier members of the house.

Succession to the Duchy of Lorraine came to Rene II through the female
line. His mother was Yolande of Anjou, daughter of Rene I. Through his
father, Ferri of Vaudemont, Rene claimed descent from the Ancient
dynasty of the Dukes of Lorraine, who traced their history to Gerard
of Alsace, and who had ruled the Duchy uninterruptedly for almost four
centuries.

At the time of the accession of Rene II, the neighboring Duchy of
Burgundy was ruled by Charles the Bold, who made a reputation as a
general and warrior. In the forwarding of his ambition for greater
territory and more widespread authority, he had roused the enmity of
Lorrainers. In 1476, following the accession of Rene II, the Duke of
Burgundy laid siege to Nancy and took the city.

Rene went abroad to hire troops, and, returning in the early days of
1477 with considerable forces, especially Italian and Swiss
mercenaries, gave battle to Charles within sight of Nancy, whose
soldier citizens sallied forth to his help. Despite their assistance,
Rene might have lost the fight had it not been for Campo Basso, an
Italian condettieri in the service of Charles the Bold, who, having
some grudge against the latter and being bribed by the other side,
went over to the Lorrainers at the critical moment.

The Burgundians were cut to pieces. Charles the Bold, in trying to
break away, was slain by a Lorraine officer who did not recognize him
and who committed suicide when, the body of the famous Duke having
been identified a couple of days later from an old scar behind the
ear, he realized that it was he who had killed "so great a Prince."

The Battle of Nancy was not only the greatest event in the History of
Lorraine, but one of the most momentous in the History of France, and
even of Europe. If Burgundy alone was defeated, three parties
benefitted by the victory, namely; Switzerland, for whom it meant
final acquisition of independence; the King of France, and the Duke of
Lorraine. The disappearance of Charles the Bold ensured at one stroke
the unity of France, which it rid of the last ever powerful vassal,
and the independence of Lorraine. No doubt Louis XI would rather have
been the only profiteer by the death of his rival. No doubt, also, he
meant to get hold of Lorraine and, as the event proved, laid hands
shortly afterward on the Duchy of Bar and tried to prevent Rene II
from coming into this comparatively small portion of Rene of Anjou's
inheritance. But his wily plans were foiled by the very fact that,
whatever his motives, he had made a show of fostering and supporting
the Lorrainer against the Burgundian. Had Lorraine become a part of
Charles the Bold's dominions, even the Mighty House of Austria would
have been unable to keep it independent from France; Henry II's
efforts would have been exerted against Lorraine, and Lorraine it is
that France would have occupied at the same time as the three
bishoprics, Toul, Metz, and Verdun and before Alsace. France's
influence made itself felt in the Duchy as early as 1552, but
annexation was put off until 1766.

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