Doings Of Battery B

Captain Cherrill was admitted to First Officers’ Training Camp, at Ft. Sheridan, Ill. He completed his course of training with 1st Battery, 10th Provisional Regiment and as appointed Captain, F. A., in the National Army, Lieut. Col. H. H. Bateman, instructor.

He was assigned to the 328th Regiment, Field Artillery, 85th Division, at Camp Custer, Michigan, and reported for duty August 29, 1917, as Adjutant, which position he held until May 12th, when he was assigned to Battery B as Battery Commander.

Captain Cherrill had a military appearance, being tall of stature and carrying himself very erect. His air of leadership, combined with his appearance and voice, immediately impressed the men. In fact, the men took a keen liking to the Captain.

During his term of adjutant he conducted a Non-Commission School for the enlisted men, and was a good teacher.

He was zealous to have his Battery the best trained in the regiment, a hard worker and a stern disciplinarian. He was firm but reasonable with the men. When he received an order there was to his mind but one way to execute it, and that was absolutely to the letter.

At Camp Custer he delivered a lecture in the Recreation Building, and in the course of his remarks impressed on us the fact that we were soldiers and must live the life of soldiers. We would no longer enjoy the privileges of a modern barracks, with its sanitary conveniences, army bunks, shower baths, clean surroundings and electric lights. He warned us that we should follow and execute orders most implicitly, that from there on we would experience the hardship of warfare. He told us of the melancholy fate of that poor military outcast—the casual—and how we could become one through carelessness.

After the Battery reached France his resourcefulness was taxed to the utmost when it was learned that we were to be changed from a motor to a horse outfit, as we had been trained in the use of motors.

He had trained his men to handle English field pieces and now he was again confronted with having to teach them in the most intensive way how to operate and fire the famous 75s. He was a tireless worker and taxed his energy to the utmost. While at Coetquidan he was attacked by a peculiar disorder, which required him to go to Hospital No. 15, where he remained for about ten days. He recovered and assumed command of his Battery just prior to our leaving for the front. At Dongermain he was unfortunate enough to sprain his ankle, which sent him to Base Hospital at Toul, where he remained for two days. Knowing that his Battery was going into action and chafing under his mishap, his grit and spirit triumphed over physical disability and he stole away from the hospital, since he was not in a condition to be discharged. Though unable to walk, he joined the Battery just beyond Toul, assumed command, relieving Lieut. Clark, and went right into action.

His military skill and brilliancy of mind could overcome obstacles insurmountable to other men in carrying out a line of duty.

One morning, while we were at Coetquidan learning new possibilities for a harvest moon and cultivating our prehistoric senses, Reveille did not always find a refreshed and rested outfit of men. One morning they were even more sluggish than usual and slow in finding their places, making a formation of miserable appearance—the snap into it was not there. The Captain perceived this and, instead of dismissing the men, immediately after Reveille, gave the sharp and unexpected command, “Squads Right—Column Left.” The Sergeant was not given time to count 1, 2, 3, 4 but the men responded in good form. This was a test of his men’s resourcefulness, which appeared to satisfy the Captain and gave them a chance to redeem themselves after the irregular formation they had made.

Concealed beneath an exterior of stern military discipline, Cherrill entertained for his men a warm feeling of interest and concern in their welfare, which perhaps was not realized by them. Like ourselves, he was a civilian soldier, and in peace he is one of us, but from Custer to France and back to Custer he was—our Captain.

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