mental
band gave a concert the second night of the soldiers' stay in
camp. Members of a Romsey dramatic club furnished the entertainment.
Towards the close the band struck up, "The Star Spangled Banner,"
then, "God Save the King." The Romsey entertainers started to sing
their National Anthem, while the Americans joined in with, "My Country
'Tis of Thee." All that was needed to complete the effect of the Babel
scene was John J. Jlosky and Otto Skirkie to sing, "Down Where the
Green River Flows."

Reveille for Friday, August 2nd, had been set for 7:30 a. m. All heads
were awakened by the bugle at 6:45 o'clock that morning. No one in
Battery D stirred. The impression was that the call was for another
outfit. Six fifty-five found First Sergeant James J. Farrell going
from tent to tent to find out the cause of the silence. Then there was
great hustling to get out in line and many a woolen puttee was missing
that morning.

The day was destined to be a rough one. It was raining at reveille
call and still raining when call was sounded at 9:30 o'clock for a
hike. The hike was started and continued for three miles, so did the
rain. The longer the soldiers walked the faster it rained. The scenery
was beautiful through the stretch of pleasantly situated country in
the rich valley of the Test. Picturesque English homesteads, set amid
hedges and roses, with moss-overgrown thatched roofs, dotted the
wayside. At a cross-roads the battery halted for rest. Along the road
came a baker's wagon. There was a raid on its gingerbread cookies. The
bakerman reaped a harvest of good American quarters for every three
cookies he handed out.

Drenched through slicker, et al. the soldiers retraced their step to
Camp Woodley, the beauties of the flowery countryside being lost to a
majority by the far-soaking rain. When Lieut. Hugh Clarke dismissed
the watery battery admonition was added for everybody to change to dry
clothing. But, alas, the advice was far better than expedient. The
only clothes the soldiers possessed at the time were wet on their
backs. Their extra uniform and clothing was in their barrack-bags,
which had not been seen since leaving Camp Meade. No fire was
available. The only open course was to let the clothes dry on the
back. The boys of Battery D spent a very lonely afternoon, sitting in
the tents, with wet clothes. And, it continued raining on the outside.

When the battery drew individual rations, consisting of one can of
c