Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-12-01
j. S. ENGINEERS WORKING
CLOSE TO BRITISH FRONT
Take Prominent Part In breaking
OF Hindcnburg Line by
Byng's Forces.
HIGHLY PRAISED BY ENGLISH
Men I.aborinE on Roads Through
Devastated Battle Fields OF SOM
me District for Nearly -Four
Months-Stand Test Splcndidly,
IBy Associated rrcss.1

by Associated pr~SH
BRITISH ARMY HEADQUARTERS
IN FRANCE. Monday. November 60
American engineers. the first Ameri-
can troops TO be engaged in military
operations on tho British front. took
a prominent part in the breaking OF
the ITudcnburE line by General Bynl,
last week. II is now possible to inform
tho people Of the United States that
engineers OF tho American army had a
large part in pushing up tho vital rail-
ways behind the advancing British
soldiers. The American engineers have
been lahorinE or tho roads through
the devastated battle fields of the
Sommc district for nearly four months,
and two Of their men, who were
wounded. were the first American cas-
ualties announced from Washington.
The speed with which tho lines have
been laid MP through the broken Hin
dcnburE dcfcnscs during the past week
has called forth tho highest praise
from the British authorities.
The Americans have been working in
shifts twenty-four hours day. and
no such amount OF track has been laid
in this region in so short time be-
fore. The manner in which they stood
up under the strain has led to their
being dubbed the force of American
athletes" For these untiring soldiers
are to-day as nt and as willing as
they were before the battle began.
WORKING UNDER RANGE
Or ENEMY ARTILLERY
Naturally the Americans have for Il
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 OH section of the
tracks and tore up three miles OF rails.
hut they scarcely had finished this
bombartlment when the twin lines of
steel began to creep forward once
more. After the engineers had reached
point where they were exposed on
the sky line II was necessary TO work
a. night or on foEgy days.
There have been three forces OF
Americans employed in this region
since about August /. Two Of them
have been occupied with the opera
ton and maintenance of light rail-
structing narrow-gauGc lines.
The correspondent has visited many
OF these engineers since their arrival,
and has found them fit and eager for
work.
The correspondent was talking with
three officers to-day and the only
anxiety they expressed about the flu
ture 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 as
military orders permit
Some OF them had an unusual ex-
periencc. much to their liking, on the
first day OF the offensive. The British
called for volunteer strctchcr bearers
To go forward to the battle field and
bring in wounded British and Germans
4 large number Of the engineers Of
fercd their services, which were ac-
copied. They just had finished a hard
days work on the railway, but they
gladly undertook the new. arduous and
dangerous task. and laborcd through
the night getting injured soldiers back
To the dressing stations. They were
highly complimentcd By the British
for their efficiency in this line.