The Delta of the Triple Elevens | Page 2

of the material, however, has been with utmost consideration and for the expressed purpose of having the complete narrative give the non-military reader a general view of the conditions and experiences that fell to the lot of the average unit in the United States Army in service in this country and overseas.
Grateful acknowledgment is due to those who aided in the verification of all material used. Many of the battery members made suggestions that have been embodied in the text.
To A. Ernest Shafer, D.?C., and Conrad A. Balliet, of Hazleton, Penna., belongs credit for information supplied covering periods when the author was on detached service from the battery. To Dr. Shafer acknowledgment is also due for the use of photographs from which a number of the illustrations have been reproduced.
From Prof. Fred H. Bachman, C.?A.?C., of Hazleton, Penna., who read over the manuscript, many valuable suggestions were received.
W.?E.?B. Hazleton, Penna., 1920.

TABLE OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER I.
SOURCES OF THE DELTA World Events--The Nucleus--Declaration of War. U.?S. Joins--Selective Service Plans.
CHAPTER II.
A CAMP BELCHED FORTH Selection of Camp Meade Site--Cantonment Construction Building Progresses--Home Leaving Preparations.
CHAPTER III.
"YOU'RE IN THE ARMY NOW" Officers at Fort Niagara--Assignment of Officers Barrack org.--New Soldiers Arrive.
CHAPTER IV.
FIRST IMPRESSIONS Description of Barracks--A Day's Routine--Getting Catalogued--Inoculations and Drills--Soldiers Arrive and Leave.
CHAPTER V.
LEARNING TO BE A SOLDIER First Non-Commissioned Personnel--Effects of Transfers--Schools--Hikes--Athletics--Idle Hours.
CHAPTER VI.
FLEETING HOURS OF LEAVE Holiday Season Approaches--Thanksgiving Feast Practice Marches--Barrack 0103--Christmas 1917.
CHAPTER VII.
WELL GROOMED BY DETAIL Stable Police--Inspections--Staff Changes.
CHAPTER VIII.
BATTERY PROGRESS Formal Retreat--Quarantine--Celebration--Rumors. Baltimore Parade--West Elkridge Hike.
CHAPTER IX.
FAREWELL TO CAMP MEADE Getting Ready--Advance Detail--Departure.
CHAPTER X.
ABOARD THE S.?S. MORVADA Set-Sailing--Coastland Appears--Halifax Harbor--Convoy Assembles.
CHAPTER XI.
DODGING SUBMARINES Ocean Journey Starts--Transport Life--Sub Scares. Destroyers Delayed--Battle With Subs.
CHAPTER XII.
A ROYAL WELSH RECEPTION Barry, South Wales--Parade--His Majesty's Letter. English Rail Journey.
CHAPTER XIII.
A BRITISH REST CAMP Crowded Tenting--English Mess--A Rainy Hike. Off for Southampton--Flight Across the Channel.
CHAPTER XIV.
"SO THIS IS FRANCE!" Cherbourg--A Battery Bath--Side-Door Pullmans. Montmorillon.
CHAPTER XV.
WHITE TROOPS INVADE MONTMORILLON Racial Difficulties--French Billets--Impressions. The Gartempe.
CHAPTER XVI.
ACTIVE TRAINING AT LA COURTINE To La Courtine--French Artillery Camp--Russian Revolt--Life on the Range--Sickness--Casualties.
CHAPTER XVII.
NOVEMBER 11th AT LA COURTINE November 7th--November 11th--Celebration--Farewell Banquet--Ville Sous La Ferte--Fuel Details--Delayed Departure.
CHAPTER XVIII.
MUD AND BLANCHEVILLE Mud and Rats--Historic Monteclair--Thanksgiving 1918--Candle Mystery--Sick Horses Arrive.
CHAPTER XIX.
AN ADVENTUROUS CONVOY Belgian Trip Proposed--100 Volunteers--Remount 13--Convoying Mules--Christmas 1918.
CHAPTER XX.
ON THE ROAD TO BENOITE VAUX Anxious to Join Division--First Service Stripe--A.?E.?F. Leave Centers--Mounted Hikes--Overland to Benoite Vaux.
CHAPTER XXI.
WAR ORPHANS AND HORSE SHOWS Two Battery Mascots--Battalion and Regimental Shows--Division and Corps Shows--More Personnel Changes--Maneuvres--More Sickness and Casualties.
CHAPTER XXII.
HOMEWARD BOUND Boncourt--Cirey les Mareilles--Divisional Review. Camp Montoir--St. Nazaire--Edward Luckenbach--New York--Camp Dix--Home.
CHAPTER XXIII.
THE LORRAINE CROSS Story of the Seventy-Ninth Divisional Insignia.
CHAPTER XXIV.
BATTERY D HONOR ROLL Names of Those Who Died and Graves Where Buried.
CHAPTER XXV.
"ONE OF US" Tribute to Private First Class Joseph A. Loughran.
CHAPTER XXVI.
IN MEMORIAM In Memory of Departed Comrades.
CHAPTER XXVII.
FIRST BATTERY D STAFF First Commissioned and Non-Commissioned Personnel.
CHAPTER XXVIII.
BATTERY D OFFICERS Complete List of Officers Associated With the Battery.
CHAPTER XIX.
ROSTER OF BATTERY D List of Names That Comprised the Sailing List of the U.?S.?S. Edward Luckenbach.
CHAPTER XXX.
RECORD OF BATTERY TRANSFERS Those Who Gained Commissions--List of Men Transferred to Other Organizations.
CHAPTER XXXI.
PERSONALITIES A Few Battery Reflections.
CHAPTER XXXII.
A FEW GENERAL ORDERS Messages From Several of the Officers.
CHAPTER XXXIII.
MEMORABLE DATES Calendar of Battery's Eventful Dates.

LIST OF PHOTOGRAPHIC REPRODUCTIONS.
Group Photo of Battery D
William Elmer Bachman
Albert L. Smith
David A. Reed
Perry E. Hall
Sidney F. Bennett
C.?D. Bailey
Frank J. Hamilton
Third Class French Coach
Side-Door Pullman Special
Interior of French Box Car
A Real American Special
Montmorillon Station
Montmorillon Street Scene
Entrance to Camp La Courtine
American Y.?M.?C.?A. at Camp La Courtine
A Battery D Kitchen Crew
Group of Battery D Sergeants
Battery D on the Road
Aboard The Edward Luckenbach
At Bush Terminal
Serving Battery Mess Along the Road
Battery D on the Road
Lorraine Cross
Joseph A. Loughran
Cemetery at La Courtine
Horace J. Fardon
Grave of William Reynolds
Barrack at Camp La Courtine
CHAPTER I.
SOURCES OF THE DELTA.
Official records in the archives of the War Department at Washington will preserve for future posterity the record of Battery D, of the 311th United States Field Artillery.
In those records there is written deep and indelibly the date of May 30th, 1919, as the date of Battery D's official demobilization. The history of Battery D, therefore, can be definitely terminated, but a more difficult task is presented in establishing a point of inception.
The development of Battery D was gradual--like a tiny stream, flowing on in its course, converging with the 311th Regimental, 154th Brigade, and 79th Division tides until it reached the sea of war-tossed Europe; there to flow and ebb; finally to lose its identity in the ocean of official discharge.
The Egyptians of old traversed the course of their river Nile, from its indefinite sources along the water-sheds of its plateaux and mountains, and, upon arriving at its mouth they found a tract of land enclosed by the diverging branches of the river's mouth and the Mediterranean seacoast, and traversed by other branches of the river. This triangular tract represented the Greek letter