But the hardest blow was struck further north by Byng's Army. Advancing beyond the principal line of defence (the Arras-Albert railway), the 4th and 6th Corps took Gomiécourt, Ervillers, Boyelles, many guns, and more than 5,000 prisoners, then pushed on towards Bapaume and Croisilles. The 6th Corps, astride the Arras-Bapaume road, marched on Bapaume, threatening to cut off the Germans who were hanging on to the Heights of Thiepval. The latter, attacked at the same time further south, fell. Bray-sur-Somme was also captured. The battle continued from the 25th to the 29th, the enemy's resistance stiffening steadily. Counter-attacking, the Germans defended this old battlefield of 1916, strewn with obstacles, with great desperation. On the =29th=, Bapaume fell, and the Germans retreated from the north of that town to the Somme, on the line Cléry, Combles, Frémicourt, Bullecourt, and Heudecourt. [Illustration: _The German Retreat, south of the Somme, under the double menace of the British and French Advance._] Threatened by the British to the north of the Somme, and by the French on the banks of the Oise, the Germans began their retreat in the bend of the Somme. Closely pursued by the British 4th Army and the French 1st and 3rd Armies, they withdrew to the river, from Péronne to Ham. Chaulnes and Nesle were occupied by the Allies. "_On the same ground which had seen their stubborn defence, the British troops went up to the attack with untiring vigour and unshakeable determination, which neither the difficulty of the ground, nor the obstinate resistance of the enemy could break or diminish_." (Haig). [Illustration: GERMAN LONG-RANGE GUN CAPTURED BY THE AUSTRALIANS AT PROYART.] [Illustration] [Illustration] [Illustration: _Photo Imperial War Museum._] PHOTOS, p. 48: [Illustration: (1) _The 2nd German line near Albert, occupied by the British._] [Illustration: (2) _The Railway Station at Albert, a few minutes after the German retreat._] [Illustration: (3) _Railway destroyed by the British artillery, during the advance on Bapaume._] PHOTO ABOVE: [Illustration: _Albert, seen from the interior of the Church, the day the town was liberated (Photo Imp. War Museum)._] III.--THE OFFENSIVES ON THE SCARPE AND AILETTE. August 25-September 8, 1918. Pursuing his plan of offensive, Foch extended the field of operations. Writing to Field-Marshal Haig, he said: _Continue your operations, leaving the enemy no respite, and developing the scope of your actions. It is this increasing breadth of the offensive, fed from the rear and strongly pressed in front, without limitation of objective, without consideration for the alignment and too close liaison, which will give us the greatest results with the least losses.... The armies of General Pétain are going forward again in the same manner._ [Illustration]