London, June 7.
"Highland regiments of a famous division were fiercely resisting the German attack on the Somme front yesterday," says a military comment later, "Eye-witness," writing from advanced battle headquarters on the Somme front.
"These troops are part of the British forces on the front which are holding section of the line near Abbeville. The Germans launched a strong push on Wednesday night from the Somme, where they already hold several bridgeheads, and isolated several of our positions. But the British troops, although surrounded, fought on tenaciously, living up magnificently to the division's reputation for toughness and courage.
"The German penetrations have made it necessary to withdraw our line at certain places to positions several miles south of tie Somme, but every inch of the ground is being contested.
"Men of every profession and trade have been among those who met the German onslaught fearlessly and calmly, and many militiamen who were called to the colours only a year ago have shown themselves as good soldiers as any.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.