▁single ▁company . ▁ ▁The ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁now ▁spent ▁a ▁prolong ed ▁period ▁out ▁of ▁the ▁battle ▁area , ▁absor bing ▁a ▁draft ▁of ▁over ▁ 2 0 0 ▁men , ▁but ▁remaining ▁consider ably ▁under ▁strength ▁until ▁February , ▁when ▁ 2 / 1 st ▁Lond ons ▁were ▁dis band ed ▁and ▁ 2 2 0 ▁of ▁them ▁joined ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁B n . ▁In ▁December ▁and ▁January ▁the ▁batt alion ▁took ▁its ▁turn ▁in ▁tren ch - hold ing ▁in ▁the ▁Sal ient ▁until ▁ 5 8 th ▁Division ▁was ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁south ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 1 8 . ▁Here ▁it ▁spent ▁time ▁dig ging ▁def ences , ▁converting ▁former ▁French ▁positions ▁into ▁the ▁newly ▁de vised ▁def ences ▁in ▁depth . ▁ ▁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 ▁and ▁ 2 / 4 th ▁Lond ons ▁behind ▁them ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁Zone , ▁each ▁company ▁being ▁in ▁a ▁' def ended ▁local ity ' ▁with ▁a ▁central ▁keep ▁and ▁out lying ▁red ou b ts