Non-TAT equipment commenced arriving about 2 December 1944, and thereafter the Battalion was busy preparing it for combat. Everyone had an opportunity to visit London through a Division Special Service arrangement. Together with limited passes to a few nearby towns, this provided the only escape from "life in the mud".

On 19 December 1944, the Battalion marched out to Tilshead Range to participate service practice and to shake down the new equipment. Fog limited visibility through 21 December, but weather conditions permitted service practice which was conducted along the lines of AGF Tests I and II from 22nd to the 24th.

Returning to Windmill Hill 24 December 1944, the Battalion celebrated Christmas in garrison. Food was plentiful and good, but it was the same old mess hall despite Capt Leon's (Mess Officer) efforts to decorate it with a tree garnished with aiming post lights.

Late in December the Division was alerted to be prepared to move to the Continent on short notice, and the Battalion departed for Weymouth England at 030400 January 1945. Liaison pilots remained behind to fly across the Channel later, escorted by the RAF. From a scenic viewpoint, the march to Weymouth was interesting, but it was marred by several accidents which fortunately involved no casualties. Two "C" Battery M-7's skidded off the road, one turning over. They were recovered, however, and serviced in time for the Channel crossing. The Battalion closed in at the over-night Camp northwest of Weymouth about 1600, and it was fed from a 24 hour C-ration mess. This 'one night stand' was the worst yet encountered.

The following morning at 0700 the unit moved down to Weymouth Harbor where it started loading on four LST's about 1030. At 1600 the vessels left for France. While the first part of the trip east along the English coast was smooth, shortly after midnight the flat bottomed boats encountered a choppy sea. Would be sleepers had to hold on to their beds, and Headquarters Battery tanks broke loose from their moorings, shifting as the boat lurched. During a lull, however, Lt. Kaplan (Battery Motor Officer) secured the tanks again aided by the ship's crew. The following morning, the convoy was at anchor in the harbor off LeHavre. The two LST's bearing Service and 'C' Batteries continued up the Seine River to Rouen, while remaining two lay in the harbor until the following morning, and the elements aboard debarked and set out immediately for an assembly area at St. Victor, France. Whole sections of LeHavre, adjacent to the dock area, had been virtually leveled by bombing and shelling. Natives wandering around the area gave most of the credit to the American Air Force.

Leading elements of the 398th arrived at St. Victor around 061700 January 1945, and the remainder which had debarked at Rouen closed in the following day with all vehicles making the trip. Headquarters Battery was at St. Victor, while the other batteries were billeted in surrounding towns. The advance party had provided for billeting of soldiers in private homes and barns, the first experience with this method of avoiding sleeping in the great out-of-doors. Having developed pneumonia. Capt Mellor, Battalion Surgeon was lost to the unit at St, Victor and evacuated to Rouen.

Remaining at St. Victor for three days, the Battalion commenced a march on 9 January to Prosnes, located about fifteen kilometers east of Rheims. Prior to the march a wet snow had fallen, and falling temperatures made extremely hazardous road conditions, particularly for the steel tracks of the M-7's and M-9A1 tanks. Progress was slow, and after about 11 ½ hours of marching the unit arrived at a bivouac area just west of Soissons where it refueled, ate and bedded down in the snow for a cool night. March was resumed at 100800 January, and the Battalion covered the 54 miles to Prosnes by 101325 January. All vehicles closed in without mishap.