3 rd ▁B n , ▁and ▁there after ▁became ▁simply ▁ 3 rd ▁B n . ▁ ▁Spring ▁Off ensive ▁When ▁the ▁German ▁Spring ▁Off ensive ▁opened ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁March ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁ 5 8 th ▁Division ▁was ▁position ed ▁ast ride ▁the ▁River ▁O ise ▁with ▁ 1 7 3 rd ▁B de ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁river ▁at ▁La ▁F ère . ▁It ▁was ▁covering ▁a ▁wide ▁front age ▁of ▁about ▁ 5 0 0 0 ▁yards ▁with ▁ 2 / 2 nd ▁Lond ons ▁in ▁the ▁For ward ▁Zone ▁in ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁four ▁company ▁out posts ▁on ▁the ▁line ▁of ▁the ▁St . ▁Qu entin ▁Canal , ▁and ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁behind ▁them ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁Zone , ▁where ▁each ▁company ▁was ▁in ▁a ▁' def ended ▁local ity ' ▁with ▁a ▁central ▁keep ▁and ▁out lying ▁red ou b ts . ▁The ▁wide ▁spaces ▁between ▁out posts ▁and ▁def ended ▁local ities ▁were ▁covered ▁by ▁the ▁brig ade ▁machine ▁gun ▁company . ▁General ▁O sk ar ▁von ▁H ut ier ▁directed ▁four ▁German ▁divisions ▁under ▁Von ▁Gay l ▁against ▁this ▁front . ▁ 1 7 3 rd ▁Brigade ' s ▁Sign al ▁H Q ▁was ▁knock ed ▁out ▁early ▁in ▁the ▁bomb ard ment ▁and ▁no ▁orders ▁went ▁out , ▁but ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁B n ▁deployed ▁to ▁their ▁positions ▁on ▁their ▁own ▁initi ative . ▁The ▁whole ▁position ▁was ▁shr oud ed ▁in ▁mist , ▁a