The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1918-08-15

| gineering regiments. | believe that
we have reason to be. Four of our
regiments marched through London
last August and were reviewed by the
king and queen. We were the first
foreign troops to march through Lon
don since William the ConQueror
made his triumphal entry several cen
turtles back. What General Pershing's
men were to the French in Paris, we
were to the English in London-the
visible sign Of Americas intention to
put her shoulder to the wheel.
August IS found US at the front near
Roisel. Here, under constant obser-
walton from German balloons and air
planes. my regiment built a complete
little system of narrow gauge rail
ways. The broad gauge dared go no
further than ROisel, and so our little
road took up its work here, winding
in and out among apple orchards, un-
der rock cliffs-anywhere where it
could find an escape from the peering
eyes of the Germans.
We were always in shell ange, es-
pecially near the batteries to which
We hauled ammunition. On several
occasions our train crews have been
unable to carry their six inch and
nine-point-tWos to their destination
and have had to wait until the boche
stopped Smelling the position.
For yer a month previous to No
Nember 20, Company a and a number
of detached men worked day and
night hauling ammunition to the Brit.
ish batteries in front of Cambria for
the great drive which opened on that
date. So close did they work to the
German lines that they were unable
to use a flashlight or even a match to
give signals, or account of the accur-
acy of the German snipers.
During the drive, several of the
crews found themselves between the
fire of the boche and the larger guns
of the British in the real of the light
er guns to which they were carry
ammunition. In the counter at
our men grabbed their guns and
fought with the Tommies.
Old Dad" Harper, an engineer on
one of the little locomotives, found
defensive fighting too tame for him
and made his way up to the first line.
Dad is an old 'possum hunter and
lowed hat he could get a couple of
them Dutch" as easily as he could a
four-fushing 'possum. Dad" ought
to have had a medal for that bit OF
work. He has gray hair.
For our services at Cambria, Gener.
al Byng sent our colonel a fine letter
Of commentator and thanks. How
the world the boys came through
there without any fatalities, | don't
know, for their barracks were right
in the middle of the barrage the Ger
mans put up on their counter attack.
We have lost very few men and these
been through natural causes with
exception-an unavoidable acct.
dent.
R~ailrOading under such conditions
S not like it is on the American broad
gauge roads either at home or here in
The fireman back home used
% kick because they were not allowed
% make smoke, but smokeless firing
certainly comes in handy over here.
We never realized just how close We
we're to the Germans until the drive
on March 81 of this year. All
asst winter we slept through the con-
roar of the British guns a mile
'r two from us or the Huns further
way Many times our little railway
ines would be illumined by the flares
rom the trenches. But, like anything
Use. we got used to it. We never
VIII forget that day when the Big
stuff started. We were attached to
he British Fifth Army which had to
Talk about fight. Those Jocks and
'ommies fought like hell. Our men
lung at Roisel hauling ammunition
o the British batteries until the ar
illery had all pulled out. The Yanks
ould see the Germans coming over
he hill as the last little train pulled
nut. The British were outnumbered
nd had to back up. Our job was to
,et our little trains back t. Amiens
o that the Germans would not cap
ure them.
For ~ hours we worked without
leep and scarcely took time for our
meals. We came into Amiens in over
lis, many of US, just as we left our
title toy trains. Footsore, hungry
nd almost dead from lack of sleep,
We ate our first real meal at the vari-