ltimore or Washington, while those who got black marks for the week
were put on detail work over the week-end. A list of honorable
mentions was also established for general tidiness at "bunk"
inspections.

Rumor was ever present at Camp Meade. Almost every event that
transpired was a token of early departure overseas, or else the
"latrine-dope" had it that the outfit was to be sent to Tobyhanna for
range practice.

The first real evidence of overseas service presented itself during
March when physical examinations were in order to test the physical
fitness for overseas duty. Several, who it was deemed could not
physically stand foreign service, were in due time transferred to
various posts of the home-guards. Several transfers were also made to
the ordnance department; a number of chemists were detached from the
battery, and transfers listed for the cooks' and bakers' school, for
the quartermasters, for the engineers, for the signal corps, in fact
men were sent to practically all branches in the division.

On Saturday, March 30th, wrist watches were turned to 11 o'clock when
taps sounded, ushering in the daylight savings scheme that routed the
boys out for reveille during the wee dark hours of the morning.

Training during April centered on actual experience in taking to the
march with full mounted artillery sections. April 4th, 1918, found a
detail from Battery D leaving camp at 8 a. m., with a section of
provisional battery, enroute to Baltimore to take part in the big
parade in honor of the opening of the Liberty Loan drive on the first
anniversary of America's entrance into the war. While in Baltimore the
outfit pitched camp in Clifton Park. The parade, which was reviewed by
President Woodrow Wilson, took place on Saturday, April 6th. The
detachment returned to camp by road on Sunday, April 7th.

During April a decree went forth to the Battery that set details
at work every day clipping horses. Every one of the one hundred and
sixty-four battery horses was clipped.

The morning of Friday, April 26th, was declared a holiday at Camp
Meade; all units being called forth to participate in a divisional
parade and Liberty Loan rally.

A battery hike in march order was set for May 6th. The battery took to
the road at 8 a. m., and drove through Jessup, thence to West
Elkridge, Md., a distance of sixteen miles, where camp was pitched and
the battery remained for the night, returning to camp the following
afternoon af