The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-11-30
u. S. EN- GINEERS
WERE EMPLOYED
LAYING RAILS In
BRITISH DRIVE
Labored Coolly At Task
While Shells Burst 100
Yards Away
WARMLY PRAISED
FOR RAPID WORK
American Athletes" Set
New Record for Track
Laying in France

British Army Headquarters In
France, Monday. Nov. 26.-(Delayed.)
American engineers, the first Am
erican troops to be engaged in mill
tary operations on the British front
took a prominent part in the break
ing OF the Hindenburg line by Gen.
eral Byng last week. Military
necessity has made it impossible to
speak of their presence before, but 1t
is now permissible to inform the
people of the United States that en-
Hineers OF the American army had a
large part in pushing up the vital
railways behind the advancing Brit
ish soldiers.
AS a matter of fact the American
engineers have been laboring on the
roads through the devasted battle
fields Of the Somme district for near
~ four months and two of their men,
who were wounded, were the first
casualties announced from Washing
ton.
The speed with which the lines
have been laid up through the brok-
en- Hindenburg defenses during the
past week has called forth the high
est praise from the British authori-
ties. The Americans have been
working in shifts twenty-four hours
q day and no such amount Of track
has been laid in this region in so
short q time before. The manner in
which they stood up under the strain
has led to their being dubbed the
force of American athletes. For
these untiRng soldiers are today as
ut and as willing as they were be-
fore the battle began.
Naturally the Americans have for
long time been working under the
range Of enemy artillery and more
than once they have come under
heavy shell fire. One Of the most
striking sights along the front has
been that of the engineers laboring
coolly at their tracks while great
shells were bursting 100 yards away.
At one time the Germans cut loose
with their guns on a section of the
tracks and tore up three miles Of
rails which had been laid with much
labor, but they scarcely had finished
this bombardment when the twin
lines of steel began to creep forward
once more. After the engineers had
reached point where they were ex-
posed on the skyline it was necessary
10 work at night or on foggy days in
order to avoid enemy observation.
There have been three forces of
Americans employed in this region
since about Aug. /. Two of them
havH been Uccupfed with the opera
tion and maintenance OF light rail-
ways and the other has been con-
STRUGGLING narrow gauge lines. over
these railways food. ammunition and
material Of all sorts are poured up to
lend support to the fighting forces.
The correspondent has visited
many OF these engineers since their
arrival and has found them as ut as
possible and eager for work. Most
OF them undoubtedly look forward
to the time when they will be able
TO join the American forces, but Just
now they are content to do their
bit here and learn valuable lessons
In military railroading.
Tnee correspondent was talking
with three officers today and the only
anxiety they expressed about the
future was the fear that they might
later be compelled to work far back
OF the lines out of the fighting zone
The engineers love to hear the guns
and to get as close to the firing line
IS military orders permit. Some OF
them had an unusual experience,
much to their liking on the first day
OF the offensive.
The British called for volunteer
stretcher- bearers to go forward to
the battlefield and bring in wounded
British and Germans, a large number
of the engineers offered their serv-
ices which were accepted. They Just
had finished a hard days work on
the railway, but they gladly under
took the new, arduous and dangerous
task and labored through the night
getting injured soldiers back to the
dressing stations. They were highly
complimented by the British for their
efficiency In this line OF service
which was rather far-reached from
building railroads.