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BEING THE NARRATIVE OF BATTERY A OF THE 101st FIELD ARTILLERY

Page 45

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mediately, for a rather different system of training was instituted.

In this new phase much attention was paid to open warfare; that is, ever changing conditions involving rapid shift of position and preparation of fire. Problems were given on the shortest notice. The Battery would start out with no orders beyond being at a specified place at a certain time. There the situation was explained, whether it was an advance or a re­ treat, and missions given the different batteries. Only roads affording concealment from enemy observation could be used. Competition between the batteries to be able to report "ready to fire" was very keen at first. Another "J Day" was successfully accomplished. Finally, there was fire adjustment by aeroplane and by balloon.

On these open warfare problems the "Detail" was rather envied by the Battery. As soon as the Captain received his instructions, he blew three blasts on his whistle. At this signal, they would go full gallop from the end of the line to the head, and sometimes all the way to the position without slowing down. Why no one was badly thrown, tearing through underbrush over slippery, frozen ground has never been explained.

At the same time practice was given on all-day road-hikes. The hardest, yet most interesting, was that of January 9 when half the Battery went to Paimpont and back through Les Forges and the Foret de Paimpont. The day before about four inches of snow had fallen and the ground was frozen, leaving the roads in the most treacherously slippery condi­

 

 

 

 

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