April 23d introduced us to the famous little "_40 hommes--8 chevaux_" box-cars of the French. A three-hour journey in these brought us to the British base at Audruicq. Our first real hike started from here and ended at Zouafques, a little village in Picardy. We occupied some of the best sheep-pens, cattle stalls, and hen roosts in town and during our five-week stay we became really comfortable inhabitants.
Zouafques proved to be a sort of military high school, where we polished our elementary knowledge of tactics. Our "noncoms" were sent to specialized schools in scouting, sniping, musketry, automatic rifles, grenades, and infantry tactics. The instruction, as well as the food and equipment, was distinctly British.
Five weeks of this work and we took our next step trench-ward. Hiking from Zouafques at 1.30 A.M., May 13th, we entrained _a la chevaux_ at Audruicq. A day's journey _via_ Calais, Boulogne, Etaps, and Doullens brought us to Mondrecourt, in Flanders. Then an almost heartbreaking hike thru Pas to the war-worn village of Couin.
Our assimilation by the British forces became most complete when we found ourselves brigaded with a battalion of the Lancashire Fusileers of the 125th British Brigade. Our position was in reserve of the British lines north of Amiens and southwest of Arras.
Here another five weeks of training gave us the right to work alone. Once again we traded rifles, retrieving our American guns, and on June 6th we started on a three-day march. Thru Gézaincourt, Bernaville, Ailly le-Haut Clocher, to Pont Remy, where we entrained.
Vosges and the Lorraine--June 11th to August 7th
Two days by rail, _via_ Amiens, Versailles, Bar-le-Duc, and Nancy, and we detrained on June 11th at Thaon, in the Vosges. Then an intermittent hike, with stops at Longchamps, Destord, and Menil, passing thru Rambervillers and Baccarat, to Vacqueville, in the Lorraine.
A stirring incident occurred _en route_ when we passed the boys of the old Sixty-Ninth New York Regiment. Brooklyn hailed Brooklyn; Harlem called to Harlem; Bronx met Bronx. It was a breath of home to the already veteran Sixty-Ninth and more than a cheering welcome to us.
We shared Vacqueville with a battalion of the Alabama regiment of the 42d "Rainbow" Division. Advance parties were sent into the lines to acquaint themselves with the position which we were to take over. And in the dead of night, on June 20th-21st, Company B took over that part of the line between Ancerviller and Badonviller designated as P. C. (post commandant) Hameau and P. C. Montreux.