In addition to the training described above, 69 officers and 2,084 enlisted men, a total of 2,153, graduated from the Marine Corps school of machine gun instruction at Utica, N. Y. Never before in the history of the corps have better drilled and trained or more generally efficient men been turned out, ready for duty, upon completion of their training, and to this factor is largely due the splendid record made by the Marines during the war. The work of the officers training the Marines was not spectacular, and they wear no war chevrons, nor decorations for bravery, perhaps, but they were, nevertheless, a vital factor in whatever success the Marine Corps met with in the great struggle. Information with reference to the training of enlisted men for aviation will be found in Chapter XXI. TRAINING IN FRANCE. On June 27, 1917, the First Battalion of the Fifth Regiment actually landed in France and on July 3, 1917, the entire Fifth Regiment was under canvas on French soil. From that date every effort was made to train the men and officers. Elements of the Fifth Regiment trained as a part of the First Division of Regulars from July 15, 1917, to September, 1917, in the Gondrecourt training area. From September, 1917, on, the training of the available units of the Fourth Brigade as a unit of the Second Division of Regulars was conducted in the Bourmont training area. Until February, 1918, the training of the Marines in France was handicapped by the fact that units of the Brigade were engaged in duties along the Line of Communications (Services of Supply), one company and a battalion commander being absent in England until March, 1918. It was not until the middle of February, 1918, that the Fourth Brigade of Marines (less the company in England) was conducting its training as a brigade with any degree of satisfaction. Owing to the well-trained condition of the individual Marine this condition did not vitally affect his professional ability as was so distinctly shown by his later accomplishments. The Fourth Brigade continued its training in the Bourmont training area until the middle of March, 1918, when it entered the front line trenches in the Verdun sector. The Marine replacements received little or no training in a training area in France as most of them were hurried into the fighting immediately upon arrival overseas. To summarize, the average Marine who arrived in France received at least six weeks’ training in the United States in a recruit depot and a very short period at Quantico. This is a contrast to the six months’ training received by the average enlisted man of the Army. After arrival in France the Marines, except those of the original Fourth Brigade, received practically no training in a training area since they joined the brigade almost immediately. The Marines comprising the Fifth Brigade of Marines received no training in a regular training area in France. Chapter VII.