The regiment was moved to St. Nazaire by rail on January 1, 1918, and there for more than two months it did manual labor, building docks, erecting hospitals, doing fatigue duty, laying railroad tracks, and doing construction work on the great dam at St. Nazaire. From the time of their arrival at this port until March 10 the men did not see their rifles except at night, but on this latter date they were ordered to join a French combat unit. All entrained on March 13 for Givry-en-Argonne, reporting on March 15 to General Le Gallais of the 16th Division, 4th French Army. It was at this place that the regiment learned that its name was changed from 15th New York to 369th Infantry. The American equipment was turned in and French equipment given, this including everything needed on the Western front. The organization of the regiment was also changed so as to make it conform to that of a French regiment. During this training period of three weeks the men drilled day and night under French officers. Beginning April 8 the battalions were successively placed in front line trenches, “doubled” with French units, their first sector being in Main de Massiges, left of the Aisne River and northeast of Châlons in the Champagne. After eight days of this experience the regiment took over 4½ kilometers of front, with two battalions in the lines and one in support enjoying a rest period which gave some opportunity for additional training. On April 29 Colonel Hayward was placed in command of several French units in addition to his own regiment. The activity in this sector consisted of nightly patrols and raids until July 4 and 5, when active preparation was made for the big German drive long expected by the French high command. The 369th labored incessantly, helping to build and fortify the intermediate positions, which were two or three kilometers from the front line. When the battalions were relieved from front line duty, instead of going into rest billets they worked on these positions, which were fortified as a means of strategy by General Gouraud. This procedure enabled the French to counter-attack and to recapture trenches secretly evacuated. This method foiled and stopped the German drive on a fifty-mile front between Rheims and the Argonne. The 369th participated in this attack, with the third battalion, commanded by Major Spencer, occupying the front line, where it did its share in stopping the enemy advance.