hin three miles of St.
Quentin, while the French threatened the place from the south.

During the month of March, 1917, the British captured 1,239 Germans,
of whom sixteen were officers, and large quantities of war material,
including twenty-five trench mortars and three field guns. During the
first three months of the year they had taken prisoner a total of
seventy-nine officers and 4,600 of other ranks.

On April 2, 1917, General Haig's troops drove a wedge into the German
line on the ridge protecting St. Quentin on the west, capturing the
villages of Holnon, Francilly, and Selency. With the occupation of the
last village the British had a footing on the ridge overlooking St.
Quentin, which lies in a hollow. If they could maintain their hold on
this position the capture of St. Quentin was certain.

At the northern end of the British line of advance their success was
no less important. Attacking on a front of about ten miles they
captured an important series of German positions defending the
Arras-Cambrai highroad. Six villages were occupied by the British
after heavy fighting. A town of some importance, Croisilles, was also
captured during the course of these operations. This was considered a
valuable gain, as a section of the Hindenburg line lies behind it.
Longatte and Ecourt St. Mien, two villages below Croisilles also fell
to the British. The Germans defended themselves with reckless bravery
acting on Hindenburg's orders that the position must be saved at all
costs.

The French launched a concerted attack on the following day, April 3,
1917, over a front of eight miles on both sides of the Somme, storming
the heights south and southwest of St. Quentin and advancing within
two miles of the city, General Nivelle's forces were now in a position
to begin the final attack on the place.

Haig's troops on the British front west of St. Quentin had extended
their hold on Holnon Ridge and occupied Ronssoy Wood farther to the
north, while in the region of Arras they captured after stiff fighting
the village of Henin.

South of the Ailette River the French fought their way forward foot by
foot. On the 3rd they drove the Germans out of their positions around
Laffaux and brought increasing pressure to bear against the enemy's
line south of Laffaux Mill.

On this date the Germans threw more than 2,000 shells into the open
city of Rheims, killing several of the civilian population.

General Nivelle's troops continued to