a position on the crest, to engage the enemy over open sights. It is essential that the artillery should hold the line and they will do so – Brig-Gen E. Harding-Newman, CRA 14th (Light) Division Some say that the action of this day by the guns was one of the finest artillery stories of the whole War – Gen Sir MartinFarndale, RA historian 39th Divisional Artillery withdrew to new positions during the night, but the Germans did not resume their attack next day. Instead, both brigades moved forwards on 6 April to support an attack the following day by 9th Australian Brigade (the First Battle of Villers-Bretonneux), in which the gunners caused considerable casualties and captured 150 prisoners. After the brief respite at Villers-Bretonneux, 39th DA came under renewed heavy bombardment on 8, 9 and 11 April, breaking up German attacks with observed fire. When the units were brought out of the line at dusk on 13 April – claiming to be among the last who had fought on 21 March to be relieved – they had lost 330 men of all ranks and 250 horses. During the retreat the DAC had dumped shells at likely points where the guns would need them (100,000 rounds between 21 March and 1 April alone), and its small arms ammunition (SAA) section had supplied any nearby infantry unit that needed replenishment. Summer 1918 39th Divisional Artillery moved to the Amiens area for refitting; it did not rejoin 39th Division, whose depleted infantry had formed a single composite brigade that was fighting in the Battle of the Lys further north. These infantry units were later reduced to training cadres for the US Army formations arriving in France and took no further part in the fighting. However, 39th DA remained active on the Western Front for the rest of the war, operating under the command of other formations. The batteries went back into the line on 1 May, and the TMBs carried out special demonstrations with mobile 6-inch mortars. On 15 May the two remaining TMBs were disbanded, apart from a special detachment with the mobile mortars, and the men were distributed to the two gun brigades and Third Army Reinforcement Camp. With no linked infantry to supply, the SAA section of the DAC was also disbanded. During June 39 DA rotated between spells in the line, exchanging harassing fire with the enemy opposite, and