March 30.--Immediately west of Noyon, Mont Rénaud and some neighboring
hills have been recovered and are strongly held. The bridges over the
Oise between Point l'Evêque and Chauny have been broken, and the river
there is so well covered by artillery and infantry that there is no
danger of a passage being forced.
This was the first fruit of the French northward movement on the evening
of March 21. Several divisions of the neighboring French Army were
rushed up in motor wagons to the aid of the British right wing, which
was thus enabled to draw north along the Crozat Canal. Their guns and
supply columns followed. On the next day a further force was placed
opposite Chauny, and other French troops were ordered to extend their
lines northwestward, keeping in touch with the retiring British right.
The constant displacement required in this delicate task and the fact
that the French were gradually drawing upon themselves an increasing
part of the German onset explain the delay in making considerable
counterattacks.
On the 24th the French repelled repeated attempts to cross the Oise, and
their lines, which already stretched to Evricourt, more than half way
from Noyon to Lassigny, were extended to the neighborhood of the latter
town.
The difficulties inevitable in so rapid a movement of reserves were met
everywhere with splendid cheerfulness and energy. One of the artillery
regiments, brought up by motor wagon, had no horses with it, but got its
pieces into action, and, having to retreat, dragged them back three
miles by hand.
Meanwhile, definitely checked on the south, and feeling all the time for
the line of least resistance, the German host was gravitating rapidly
westward between Roye and Chaulnes. Now that the danger has completely
passed, it may be said that it came very near breaking through the
allied front in this region on the 25th. The 26th and 27th saw an
accentuation of pressure at the point of junction, but, while the front
was pushed back on the first day to l'Echelle-St. Aurin on the Avre, and
on the next to Montdidier, other French troops had been brought up to
strengthen the British right, and yesterday, after several hard combats,
it seemed that the offensive was definitely contained.