[Transcriber's notes: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected(e.g. gunnner for gunner), recurrent mispelling of the author haven't(e.g. Montlucon for Montluçon, canvass for canvases, incidently forincidentally, paraphanelia for paraphernalia, calesthenics forcalisthenic, etc...).
Page 20: The word "by" has been changed to "from" (partially sheltered from the Southern sun).
Page 84: The spelling of Sommbernont has been changed to Sombernon.
Page 101: The word casual has been changed to casualty (sent him home as a casualty).
Page 126: It is not clear if the printed word is trained or roamed (where he last trained/roamed).
Definitions:Cootie: Noun US: a head-louse (Macquarie Online Dictionnary - Book of slang).]
THE DELTA OF THE
TRIPLE ELEVENS
THE HISTORY OF
BATTERY D, 311th FIELD ARTILLERY
UNITED STATES ARMY,
AMERICAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCES
By
WILLIAM ELMER BACHMAN
Standard-Sentinel Print
Hazleton, Pa.
1920
COPYRIGHT 1920
BY
WILLIAM ELMER BACHMAN
GROUP PHOTO OF BATTERY D. 311th F. A
Taken at Benoite Vaux, France, March 14, 1919. Reproduced from theOfficial Photo taken by the Photographic Section of the Signal Corps,U. S. A.
To
The memory of our pals
whom we buried in France
This Book
Is Dedicated
(p.005)
WILLIAM E. BACHMAN
ARMY RECORD.
Inducted into service at Hazleton, Penna.,November 1st, 1917. Sentto Camp Meade, Md., November 2nd, 1917, and assigned as Private toBattery D, 311th Field Artillery. Received rank of Private FirstClass, February 4th, 1918. Placed on detached service, May 18th, 1918,and assigned as Battery Clerk, First Provisional Battery, FourthOfficers' Training School, Camp Meade. Rejoined Battery D June 27th,1918, and accompanied outfit to France. Assigned to attend CamouflageSchool at Camp La Courtine, September 30th, 1918, and qualified asartillery camouflager. On October 3rd, 1918, was registered, throughMajor A. L. James. Jr., Chief G-2-D, G. H. Q., A. E. F., with theAmerican Press Section, 10 Rue St. Anne, Paris, which registrationcarried grant to write for publication in the United States. Remainedwith battery until March 7th, 1919, when selected to attend theA. E. F. University, at Beaune, Cote D'Or. Rejoined battery at St.Nazaire May 1st, 1919. Discharged at Camp Dix, N. J., June 4th, 1919.
FOREWORD. (p.006)
"You're in the Army now."
"So this is France!"
Oft I heard these phrases repeated as more and more the realizationdawned, first at Camp Meade, Md., and later overseas, that war seemedmostly drudgery with only the personal satisfaction of doing one'sduty and that Sunny France was rainy most of the time.
The memory of Battery D, 311th U. S. F. A., will never fade in utteroblivion in the minds of its members. 'Tis a strange