Then the war-blast at its fiercest passed over it.

To-day in its renewed solitude, its sacred peace, it represents one of the master points of the war, bought and held by a sacrifice of life and youth, the thought of which holds one's heart in grip, as one stands there, trying to gather in the meaning of the scene.

Not one short year ago it was in the very centre of the struggle.

If Arras and Vimy had not held, things would have been grave indeed.

Had they been captured, says the official report of the Third Army, "our main lateral communications--Amiens--Doullens--St.Pol--St.
Omer--would have been seriously threatened if not cut." The Germans were determined to have them, and they fought for them with a desperate courage.