30 MARCH 1918, Page 1
Our troops, fighting all the time, effected their retirement in
good order on Friday night and Saturday, to a maximum depth of about fifteen miles. They evacuated the region from which the enemy retired early last year, after the battle of the Somme— the region in which the Hun surpassed himself by destroying every house and every fruit-tree. We still maintained the northern part of the battle-line, taken in the Arras offensive of last spring ; the 19th and 9th Divisions were specially noted for their vigorous defensive. On Saturday night our centre on the Bapaume-Peronne line was subjected to heavy and repeated attacks but stood firm. The enemy's attempts to cross the Somme above Peronne were foiled for the moment.
