SIR DOUGLAS HATG S DISPATCH ) l SEa

court. In the centre, the troops still in advance of
the third defensive zone were brought back to that
system. On the left, our troops withdrew from the

 remainder of their forward positions south of the

Scarpe, taking up the rear line of their battle posi-
tions between Henin-sur-Cojeul and Fampoux.

As on the southern portion of the battle front, the
enemy followed up our troops closely, except on the
left, where for-a time he was unaware of what we had
done. Elsewhere, more or less continuous fighting
took place throughout the night, and in the early
morning parties of the enemy succeeded in finding a
gap in our new line about Mory.

THE DECISION  TO ABANDON "THE
PERONNE BRIDGEHEAD.

(24) Reports that the enemy had forced the line of
the Crozat Canal, combined with the loss of the
Vaux-Poeuilly poesitions, and information obtained by
the Air Service that the German front as far back as
Mont D'Origny was packed with advancing troops,
led the Fifth Army Commander to reconsider his
decision \to offer battle afresh east of the Somme.
Considering that if involved in a general engage-
ment his tired troops might be exposed to a decisive
defeat before help could arrive, and that the situa-
tion might then be exploited by the enemy to a
_ disastrous extent, he decided to continue the with-
drawal at once to the west bank of the Somme. -

On the morning of March 23, therefore, confirming
instructions previously given by telephone, orders
were issued by the Fifth Army to the XIX. Corps to
carry out a gradual withdrawal to the line of the
Somme. The VII. Corps was directed to conform
to this movement and to take up a position on the
general line Doingt-Nurlu.

This order involved the abandonment of the main
Peronne bridgehead position. It greatly shortened
the time available for clearing our troops and re-
movable material from the east bank of the river, for
completing the necessary final preparations for the
destruction of the river and canal bridges, for re-
forming west of the river the divisions which had
suffered most in the previous fighting, and generally
for securing the adequate defence of the river line.

FEIE CROZATICANAL: CROSSED.

(25) Meanwhile, the enemy had recommenced his
attacks. The footing obtained by him on the west
bank of the Crozat Canal was gradually increased,
in spite of counter-attacks by British and French
troops at Tergnier and at other points. During the
morning he forced the passage of the canal at Jussy,
where he was reported to have employed tanks east
of the canal. Shortly afterwards hostile infantry
crossed at Mennessis, though suffering great loss from
the fire of a machine-gun detachment of the Canadian
Cavalry Brigade. By midday our troops had been
pressed back from the line of the canal to the wooded

ground to the west, where fierce confused fighting
continued throughout the afternoon about Noureuil,

Faillouel and Cugny, infantry and cavalry offering
a most resolute resistance to the enemy's advance
and performing many gallant actions.

THE CROSSING AT HAM.

(26) In the course of the withdrawal to the Somme
on the previous night, a gap occurred in our line in
the neighborhood of Ham, and the enemy, following
closely upon our troops, entered the town during the
early' morning. Beéfore midday bodies of German

“infantry, though at first only in small numbers, suc-

ceeded in crossing the river about Ham and Pithon,
where the bridges had not been completely destroyed.
In the afternoon these forces increased in strength,
gradually pressing back our troops, until a spirited
counter-attack by troops of the 20oth and 6i1st Di-
visions about Verlaines restored the situation in this
locality. To the east of this point, heavy fighting
took place around Ollezy which the 36th Division,
under command of Major-General O. S. W. Nugent,
C.B., D.S.O,, regained and held until a late hour, and
around Aubigny and Brouchy, both of which villages,
however, fell into the enemy’s hands before night.

Farther north, the withdrawal to the west bank of
the Somme was carried out successfully during the
morning and early afternoon effectively covered
by. troops of. the soth Division: " By 3.15 pang. 2 all
troops were across the river, and the bridges for the
most part destroyed.

All bridges over the canals and rivers in the Fifth
Army area had been carefully listed early in Feb-
ruary and reconnoitred for demolition. The neces-
sary explosives were stored in the neighborhood of
each bridge, and a definite party of Royal Engineers
detailed for its destruction. As has been seen, how-
ever, ‘owing to the effects of the enemy’s artillery
fire, which blew up some of the charges and cut the
leads of others, the destruction of the bridges was
in certain cases incomplete.

None the less, the situation on the Somme front
north of Ham was for the time being not unsatis-
factory. In the course of the afternoon strong
attacks at Offoy and Bethemcourt, were repulsed
with heavy loss by rifle and machine-gun fire. In the
evening, the enemy’s attempts to come down the
open slopes on the east bank of the river were heavily
punished by artillery fire, as they were on several
subsequent occasions. It is believed that north of
Ham none of the enemy succeeded in crossing the
river before nightfall.

THE NORTHERN FRONT FIRM.

(27) Meanwhile, very heavy fighting had been
taking place on the northern portion of the battle
front. The enemy pressed closely upon our troops,
as they withdrew to the line of the ridge ‘running
from north of Peronne to Nurlu and Equancourt,
Heavy attacks developed at an early hour between
these two places, and also between Le Bucquiere and
Beugny and at Mory., . i

-On the Third Army front, where our resources