Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1917-12-03
U. S. Engineers, in Spectacu-
lar Clash With Huns, Have
Narrow Escapes.
OPERATE TRAINS IN RAIN
OF GERMAN SHELL FIRE
Battling Tigers" Seize Rifles and
Enter Fray, Others Escape Death
in Shell Holes-Few Captured.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
WITH THE BRITISH ARMY IN
FRANCE. December 1.-American Army
engineers working in the region Of
Gouzeacourt Joined the fighting ranks
Of their British allies yesterday and
helped them stem the onslaught which
resulted in Gouzeacourt being enveI-
oped for a time.
Many Of the Americans were caught
In the German turning movement about
Gouzeacourt and escaped death or cap
ture only by lying concealed for hours
in shell holes until the British had sue
ceeded in pushing the invaders back.
Hundreds of other men from overseas
were subjected to tremendous shell fire
from enemy artillery. and great guam
titles OF gas shells were thrown in the
territory where they were working,
Inc German attack was made with
greatly superior numbers, and every
available man was needed on the Brit
ism side to arrest its onward sweep,
me Americans gave every ounce of
lheir strength to this task both as
nghting men and as workers, and the
important part which they played has
9 pat the highest praise from the
British authorities.
Fight Side by Side.
Many of the engineers sefzed rifles
and fought side by side with the Tom
mics throughout the bitter day. and
many scores Of Americans last night
were were armed n and sent forward as volun-
Isers TO DO patrol duty in the intos-
pitabie zone before which a large army
or Germans was encamped
several trains operated by Americans
T hfpe,1 IN the Bouzeacourt section and
this territory when the Germans, with
out warning. swept forward in masses
toward the town. The experiences of
these men and Of those who were
rnoE MI, oenind the German advance
PROBABLY surpass anything which the
evolutionary force on the American
front yet has encountered in the wav
of actual fighting.
Charged on German Flank.
One Of the trains run by an Ameri-
can crew was west of Villers Guislain.
which the Germans charged on the
southern flank of the offensive. Shells
suddenly began to fall about the en-
gineers. and almost Immediately they
them.
The driver of the engine saw there
was no time to linger and ran for a
nearby shell hole. His four helper.
sought similar shelter and they reach
ed cover before they were seen by the
Germans. although one of the crew
was wounded slightly by a she'll splin-
ter.
The five Americans lay in the shell
hole for hours with the Germans all
about and only escaped after the Brit
ish had counter-attacked and driven
the enemy back.
The crew of train had a narrow es-
cape. The engine driver. whose home
Is in st. Louis. was standing beside
his engine, talking with a British SOL
der. when the attack started. A shell
struck nearby and killed the Briton.
but the American miraculously escaped.
Two more shells exploded on either side
thought 1t time to move.
He and the crew dug themselves in"
in shell holes and after many hours
made their escape. The railway was
blown up by the Germans soon after
the Americans hid themselves.
The crew of another train which was
operating in the British lines got away.
safely, but one of its members fiery
corporal from Tennessee, who is a vet
eran OF the Spanish american war
was so filled with Indignation that he
obtained a rifle and went back to the
fight. And he did fight like a terrier
all day beside the Tommies
The fame Of the exploit of the enei-
neers spread rapidly through the army
talked about on every side, their mag
nfficent service having been received
with the deepest appreciation every
where. The engineers themselves have
had little to say about the affair. For
the most part they merely smiled and
gagement and then changed the con-
yerSation,