Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-04-11
HEROIC CONDUCT
. OF i. 5. ENGINEERS
Fought Shoulder to Shoulder
with Canadians in Picardy
against Waves of Huns.

WITH THE AMERICAN ARMY IN
FRANCE, April 9.-The American rail.
way engineers who helped stem the tide
OF the onrushing Germans during the
opening days Of the battle now in progress
lought shoulder to shoulder with Cana.
dian engineers In carrying out their task
They heeld their ground stubbornly and
only retired to previously prepared posi-.
lions when forced to do so and inflicted
casualties by the thousands upon the
Germans as they advanced in close for
nation. In one place in as many as seven
waves, each ten men deep and 100 yards
apart.
The Americans with the Canadians had
an the ammunition they needed and al
though they were unsupported by the ar
tillery and armed only with rifles and a
Few machine guns, they poured the scythe
like streams Of bullets into the enemy at
several different times until the weapons
were so hot as to be useless.
This handful of American soldiers, who
were not hardened to such terrific slaugh-
ter were sickened by the shambles they
created, but fought furiously for severa!
days, helping to hold the enemy all the
way from st. Quentin to the vicinity of
Noyon. These were the Americans mem
muniques, but these details OF their ex-
PLOTS 1t has only now been possible to
secure
When the German attack began the
Americans were working in the rear lines
with the Canadians under Canadian COM
mand. They quickly threw down their
TOOLS and seized the weapons with which
they had been armed for some months
and formed themselves into fighting
unit. The Germans came on and finally
reached the positions where the Ameri-
cans were waiting.
The exact numbers of the engineers
cannot be given. but they were COM
paratively small. They had no intention
of retreating, however, and were bent
upon killing all the Germans possible.
AS the first gray enemy wave advanced,
the American forces let them come until
they were within certain range; then
opened fire. pouring in a storm of bull
let's. Gaps appeared in the advancing
lines at many places. some of them large,
where the machine guns had chewed
through. Still the German waves came
on, without firing a single shot-just ad-
vancing.
The Americans were unable to under
stand these tactics, but nevertheless were
tering the enemy or being themselves
smothered under the advance. BY this
time their weapons were so hot that they
could not be used effectively and the
enemy was close, so that the engineers
retired, fighting, took up another position
then turned and began operations again.
British officer who witnessed the en-
gagement is reported to have said:
They held on by their teeth until the
last moment, inficting terrific casual
ties on the enemy. Then they moved
back and waited for the Germans, and
repeated the performance"
BY the time the engineers reached a
place somewhere near Noyon they were
nearly exhausted and almost without
equipment. There they were given a
chance to rest and re-equip. According
to all reports, they were entitled to It.
for certainly they gave the Germans a
generous sample Of what the enemy is to
expect from tn, American army.
During battle unusual stories always
crop up. but the following is one which
the correspondent heard from an unaues.
tionable source and it is said to have been
verified: In one of the periods when the
American engineers and their Canadian
comrades in arms were holding a position
what appeared to be British staff motor
drove up. The driver was in the uniform
OF British soldier and a man in the ton
neau was in the uniform of British staff
officer. The officer stepped out and asked
for the commanding officer. He was taken
to Canadian officer near by. The stafl
officer ordered the commander to retire
four kilometres. saying the Germans were
pressing on both fiaanks and he might be
cut off.
For some reason the Canadian com.
mander became suspicious. He had the
staff officer searched, when the latter
failed to produce his authority, and pa.
pers were found on him proving that he
was German officer. He and his chauf'
feur were Immediately shot.
American engineer officers are said tc
have been present when this incident oc.
CURED.