The defence of Montdidier was abandoned, and the enemy entered the town at 6.30 p.m. The 56th I.D. and the 5th Cav. Div. reformed to the west of Montdidier and the Avre, without losing a single gun.
The Enemy's Advance held.
In the evening, the French held the line: Ayencourt, Mesnil-St.-Georges, Gratibus, Pierrepont and Contoire. General de Mitry (6th Corps) gave orders to hold at all costs the line of hills which dominate the Three-Doms stream on the west, between Pierrepont and Domfront. The 56th Div. defended the line Framicourt, north of Courtemanche and Domfront.
March 28.
On the morning of the 28th, the German 9th Div. entered Courtemanche, Framicourt and Fontaine-sous-Montdidier, scattered the units of Engineers who were holding the road to Mesnil, then occupied Mesnil, Ayencourt and Monchel.
The 56th Div. immediately counter-attacked. While a battalion of the 132nd Regt. recaptured Fontaine-sous-Montdidier, and the 65th Batn. of Chasseurs advanced in the wood and on the hill near Mesnil, the 3rd Batn. of the 132nd, supported by a Batn. of the 350th, drove back the enemy to Mesnil and Monchel, and carried these villages. On the right, General Humbert's Army recaptured Assainvillers.