Last Sunday the enemy, who had been heavily reinforced, delivered
a series of violent assaults on our new line. To the north of Bapaume he failed ; the 17th and 40th Divisions are commended for beating off repeated attacks with great loss. But between Bapaume and Peronne the enemy could not be held, and to the south of Peronne the crack Brandenburg corps, known as the "Iron Division," forced its way over the Somme, regardless of the frightful casualties that it sustained from our guns at short range. Further to the south the Crown Prince's armies, thrusting forward at great speed, crossed the Upper Somme at Ham and spread out fanwise to Neale, Guiscard, and Chattily. The French armies offered a vigorous resistance. Neale changed hands several times before the French at last fell back slowly on Sunday night to keep in line with us.
