Taking advantage of President Lowell's offer made during the latter part of the Summer the War Department detailed 550 newly commissioned Reserve Officers to report to Captain Shannon at Cambridge on August 19 for three weeks training under Lieutenant Colonel Azan and the other members of the French Military Mission at the University. The men were selected from the various training camps of the East, and consisted for the most part of first and second lieutenants, although the number included also six majors and 98 captains. Unfortunately, Captain Shannon was ordered to Washington before the men reported, but the administration of the battalion was carried on by Captain E. W. Hamlin, U. S. R., and later by Major W. F. Flynn, U. S. A., who was detailed to take Captain Shannon's place.

The officers were formed into a French battalion of three companies consisting of 180 men each, and were assigned to barracks in Smith and Standish Halls. The Smith Halls dining and common rooms were used for the battalion mess. Company commanders, platoon leaders and non-commissioned officers were picked from the captains and first lieutenants, and Major Carlos Ames, U. S. R., was appointed battalion commander. Captains Wellstood White, Joseph W. Clegg, and Charles E. Greenough were in command of Companies A, B, and C respectively.

Lieutenant Colonel Azan was in charge of the training. He was assisted by Major de Reviers; Captain Dupont, and Lieutenant Morize who had been connected with the University R. O. T. C., and also be Captain H. Amann, Captain Loriot, Lieutenant Jean Jegou and Lieutenant Rene Bose who were detailed to Cambridge by the French military authorities at Washington. Lieutenant Giradoux, one of the original six officers of the French Military Mission, returned to France in the middle of August after a sickness brought on by his several wounds.

The name of "Iron Battalion" was given to the organization by Colonel Azan, who took it from one of the famous battalions of his former regiment.

The course of training through which the men were put did not differ materially from that of the R. O. T. C., except that it was condensed. Intended at first to last only three weeks, the period of instruction was extended to September 15 by the War Department--a change which was of great benefit to the student officers, for the last week was by far the most instructive of the four. The more important lectures given to the R. O. T. C. were repeated, and several new lectures were delivered by the new members of the Mission.

The first week was devoted principally to the mechanism of the French platoon in attack and the study of the various formations. The system of trenches at Fresh Pound was explained to the men, and the natural disposition of the forces therein was pointed out. During the second week relief problems in the trenches were executed; the study of attacking formations continued in the trenches were executed; the study of attacking formation continued in the more varied terrain around Fresh Pond and work at Waverly in the positions made by the R. O. T. C. began. These exercises became more numerous during the final fortnight, and were varied by new ground and night manoeuvers.

On Friday evening, September 7, the Battalion gave a large dinner to the French Officers at the City Club, on which occasion the large banquet hall, appropriately decorated, held over 500 diners. In addition to the Frenchmen President Lowell, Major Flynn, Captain Hamlin, Professor R. B. Merriman, Mr. Frederic Schenck and Mr. Robert D. Faller were guests of honor. Speeches and singing contributed to make a very enjoyable evening.

At the end of the four weeks training the officers received orders to report, after a ten days rest, to their respective divisional cantonments, where they will instruct the men of the National Army in the trctics of modern warfare. They were the first members of the new armies to receive in this country training in the new methods of European fighting.

Eight officers of the University R. O. T. C. received appointments as assistant instructors to the Iron Battalion from Colonel Azan, and worked with the French Officers through the four weeks. The detail consisted of Captain Cases Canfield '19, Captain L. A. Wheeler '18, Captain G. A. Brownell '19, Lieutenant H. Whitney '20, Lieutenant C. J. Romieux '19, Lieutenant E. R. Gay '19, Lieutenant J. F. Balackman, and Lieutenant E. Mellen. Mr. R. D. Fuller, connected with the tactical staff of the University Corps, conducted a large part of the office work of the battalion administration.