On April 1st Battery D was ordered to make another trip overland. The trip required three days. The first night's stop was made at Ligny en Barcis, a large town where the entire regiment found accommodation and the boys enjoyed themselves for the night. The second night the regiment had to scatter for billeting at Bure, Echenay, Saudron, and Guillaume. Battery D was quartered in Bure.
The journey was southward in the direction of Andelot. It was one trip the soldiers enjoyed. It didn't rain during the three days enroute. The end of the third day found the battery in Cirey les Mareilles, the town near Blancheville in which district the outfit was previously billeted. Cirey les Mareilles housed E Battery when D was at Blancheville. When the regiment returned to the old stamping ground Batteries D and E were billeted at Cirey. The Supply Company of the regiment was billeted in Blancheville during this stay. Regimental Headquarters Company and Battery A established themselves at Briancourt, Battery F at Mareilles, Battery B at Rochfort, and Battery C at Chantraines.
While at Boncourt the matériel of the regiment was inspected by an ordnance officer and passed inspection. Before the matériel was to be finally turned in, however, a big review before General John J. Pershing, Commander in Chief of the A. E. F., was to take place.
Battery D left Cirey les Mareilles at noon, Friday, April 11th, proceeding to and arriving on the reviewing field at Orquenaux at 4:30 p. m. It was 8:30 o'clock before the horses were cared for and a battery of dog tents erected on the field, where the soldiers spent the night. It did not rain during the night, but the following day, when the review was being staged, it rained in torrents.
The review started at 10:30 a. m., Saturday, April 12, 1919. First the outfit stood inspection mounted but not moving. Then the divisional march in front of the reviewing stand started. It was a grand military sight to see an entire army division together on one field, at one time, with all equipment. It was late in the afternoon when the review ended by which time all the soldiers were thoroughly soaked by the rain.
It was 4 o'clock when Battery D left the reviewing ground, and hastened on its way to Andelot. The entire distance was covered at what was almost a steady trot. Andelot was reached at 7 p. m. It was a wet and tired battery, but the rain and fatigue were soon forgotten when orders were issued for all matériel to be turned in at Andelot, to be delivered to the railhead at Rimaucourt. Despite the fact that everybody was drenched to the skin, also cold and miserable, happy smiles lit the faces of all when farewell was bid the guns and caissons. The soldiers, in a happy mood, walked from Andelot to Cirey les Mareilles, singing and whistling.
During the following week the horses and practically all the equipment was turned in and preparations made for the trip to the embarkation port. Everything in the line of equipment that was not needed, was salvaged.
On Monday, April 7th, another attempt was made by the regimental officers to establish a post school near Neuf Chateau. A number of Battery D men were sent to attend the school. The school, however, was broken up the first day of its existence, an official order returning the scholars to their respective commands. Orders to detrain for an embarkation center were momentarily expected.
On Saturday, April 19th, the regiment entrained at Rimaucourt, bound for the port of St. Nazaire, which was to be the exit to the land of home. The trip was made by box car, the route being through Bologne, Chaumont, Langres, south of Nevers, through Angers and Nantes. Battery D continued its journey until Camp Montoir, eight kilometers from the port, was reached at 4:45 p. m., April 21st.
Sergeant Koenig and Corporal Shafer were the busiest men of the battery during the stay at Camp Montoir. Yards and yards of paper work had to be completed before the outfit was finally cleared and ready to walk up the gang plank. The battery office force worked day and night and established a new record in getting a battery sailing list o. k'd.