rs of intensive exercise, drill
and instruction in all lines of artillery work. Specialty schools were
started in orientation, telephone, radio, machine-gunners, etc.

It was at La Courtine that Bill Brennan and Joe Loskill, who
accompanied the advance detail of the regiment to France, rejoined the
battery. They had arrived at La Courtine several weeks previous to
attend the machine-gun school. The machine-gunners, who left the
battery at Montmorillon to attend the school, were also at La Courtine
when the battery arrived.

Instruction was continued from early morning until nightfall. A large
Russian cannon was discharged in the camp each morning at 5 o'clock,
also at retreat time each night. Reveille was a daily formation but,
as was the case at Montmorillon, retreat was suspended during the
months the war continued. All energy was devoted to essential
war-training formations.

Camp La Courtine housed a large and well-equipped American Y. M. C. A.,
presided over by a large and capable staff of secretaries. To a
majority of the troops the Y. M. C. A. furnished greater inducement
for an evening's entertainment than did the numerous wineshops
down town, that always stood open and ready to receive the cash of the
American soldiers.

On September 10th materiel began to arrive for the regiment. Within a
few days the regiment was equipped with French artillery equipment,
the field pieces being the famous French 75 millimetre guns.

It was the first time that a majority of the boys of the regiment ever
came in contact with a 75. During the period of training at Camp
Meade, Md., U. S. A., the old members of Battery D spent eight months
in learning the 3-inch American field gun. It was an entirely new
proposition when equipped with 75's and ordered to range practice.

Instruction was also started in equitation and harnessing. French
artillery harness presented many new problems to the Americans. Many a
soldier became highly exasperated in a vain attempt to untangle a set
of French harness.

About twenty horses were furnished the regiment at La Courtine.
Several motor trucks were also supplied, whereby sufficient traction
was secured to drag the guns out among the surrounding hills for
actual firing practice.

Battery D was not long in getting acquainted with the French 75's. On
September 16th, just a brief span after the first instruction on the
mechanism of the gun, the boys fired the first salvos on the range at
La