Battery kitchens were set up the morning after arrival. The kitchens were located under a tented roof. Mess was enjoyed by the soldiers out in the open, as there was no mess hall for Battery D. Except a slight rain the first day at Montmorillon, the four weeks spent by the outfit in Vienne Department were weeks of sunshine without a single day of rain, save the slight shower on the day of arrival. It was the declining days of the French dry-season. Advent of the outfit at La Courtine was with the rainy season. It rained the first night in camp and it kept raining almost continuously during the two months the battery spent at range practice. The weather, however, affected no training schedules. The first days at La Courtine were given over to hours 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.