The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-04
Engineers First q. s. Men To
Fall in a Big Battle.
Extent of American Losses
There Not Yet Announced.
.FIERCEST FIGHTING OF WAR
German Charged Machine Guns
in Fifteen Waves.
One British Gunner Fired TO-
900 Rounds in a Day.
BY WILLIAM PHILIP sIMMs.

With the British Armies in the
Field, Dec. 4.-Americans were again
in action around Cambria with the
British today.
They were members of the same
army engineering units who on Sat
urday and Sunday were caught be-
tween the lines and who threw down
their tools to grab British rifles.
The American have suffered some
losses. but their detachment is proud
of the opportunity to do its bit and to
be the first American unit to suffer
in a great battle.
Battle Continues Unabated.
The battle out of Cambria continues
with unabating ferocity today. Fight
ing like wild eats, the British have
been stemming the enemy and where
they have been forced to give way,
they have only done SO in their own
good time, after repulsing all attacks
This plan held at Masniers. 1t has
been followed elsewhere.
The fields near Queant, around
Byng's new salient, down to Vend-
huile are piled with dead Germans
today. Fifteen waves deep the enemy
came to the attack. In these solid
phalanxed- like columns British artil-
lery, machine guns and rifles did fear
t full execution.
West of Bourbon, one British ma
chine gunner fired 10000 rounds on
range of not more than 1900 yards.
1t was usually less than that.
| This was only one rapid fire gun out
| of many directed at the solid masses
| of the enemy. But they never seemed
to make an impression on the fifteen
waved lines. The dead dropped in
| piles, but other gray coated fighters
| filled the gaps.
Lieutenants Brave Exploit.
The exploit of a certain tank lieu
| tenant is an example of the British
spirit of battle. The Heutenants cap
tain, in charge of the tank, was killed
early yesterday morning. The subal-
tern took command, few hours
later-at 1890 in the morning-his
tank was hit squarely by a German
shell. The lieutenant got his men
out of their steel wagon and had
them entrench nearby.
Then alone, he clambered back into
the tank and personally worked the
Lewis guns that stuck out of its bar
| bettes in front. He worked them so
rapidly that they got red hot and he
ran out of ammunition He had to
leave the tank.
But the lieutenant was still anxious
to fight He and his men found a
| German machine gun nearby and with
it attacked zoe Germans. They held
the enemy until British infantry pant
ed up and grabbed the enemy posi-
i ton.
VINO nave D6eu
the war mill declare today there new
er has been any heavier fighting than
that which the sCambrai sector has
seen in the last few days. Attacks and
counter-attacks succeed each other
ndlessly-bringing the action into
one vast battle.
Today the most violent spot in the
fight was apparently around Lavac-
querie
Field Marshal Hindenburg is giving
Crown Prince Rupprecht fresh divi-
sions. They have been pouring in
from all directions. Probably some OF
them are from Russia.
The Bavarian prince is flinging
| them into the struggle in the old Ger
man fighting styles-masses upor
masses.
Before Americans Get In.
From prisoners it seemed apparent
that Germany is exerting her utmost
desperately. anxious to force a decision
before the Americans arrive.
Germans, Bavarians, Prussians and
the grenadier guards-the very pick OF
the Teutonic forces-are in the Ger
man ASA ult.