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THE  BATTLE-FIELDS  (1914-1! 


THE 

SOMME 

VOLUME  2. 

ISECOND  BATTLE  OF  THE  SOMM] 

(1918) 
lMIENS,  montdidier,  compiegne) 


D 

545 

S7 

S7 

V.2 


MGHELIN  fe  G5  -  CLHtMONT-FERRAND, 

MCHEirn  TYRE  CoX'™-ai,FulbainRoaa.IOra)ON,S.W 

MICHEUNTIRE  C2  -  MILITOWJf.K. J,  U.SA. 


HOTELS 


AMIENS 


Mx. 


Hotel  du  Rhin,  4,  rue  do  Noyon.  Tel. 

Belforl  Hotel,  42.  rue  de  Noyon.  Tel.  G49. 

Hotel  de  rUnivers,  2,  rue  de  Noyon.  Tel.  2.5i. 

Hotel  de  la  Paix,  i5,  rue  Dumeril.  Tel.  g.ai . 

Hotel  de  I'Ecu  de  France,  5i,  place  Rene-Goblet.  Tel.  3.37. 


H6t«?l  dela   Hldel'Ecu   H6t«]  de 
Paix         de  France  lUmvers 


Hotel  du 
Klin 


Bdfort/ 
Hotel 


compi  ecNE 


Hotel  (ill  Hond-Uoynl,  av.  Thiers.  I  Rond-Royal.  Tel.  /».i5. 
Paiacc-H()tel. p/ace  du  Papa's.  I  Palace.  Tel.  i   i5. 
Hotel  de  la  Cloche.  27.  place  de  VH6tel-de-ViUe.  Tel.  o.85. 
I16tel  de  Flandre,  2,  rue  d' Amiens.  Tel.  36, 


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•comni'-nded  to  consult  the  ^rICIIEI>lN  TOURING  OFFICES,  5/,  Fu\ 
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THE 

SOMME. 

VOLUME  II. 

The  Second   Battle  of  the  Somme 

(1918) 

AMIENS    -    MONTDIDIER    -    COMPIEGNE. 


X 


Compiled   and   published   by 
MICHELIN       &      ClE..      Clermont-Ferrand.      France. 


All  rights    of   translation,    adaptation    or   reproduction    I  in   part   or    whole)    reserved 

in    all  countries 


The  Kroiit  Line, 
March  21,  1918. 


I  iih:    HATi  i.i:kii;i.i>. 


THE  SECOND  BATTLE  OF  THE  SOMME. 

Al  different  periods  during  the  War,  important  events  toolv  place 
in  the  Plains  of  Picardy,  in  the  region  which  extends  between  Amiens 
and  St.  Quentin,  Bapaume  and  Noyon,  between  the  valleys  of  the 
rivers    Ancre,    Avre    and    Oise. 

The  Franco-British  Offensive  of  July-September  1916,  and  the 
Gernum  Betrcat  of  March  1917,  are  described  in  the  Michelin  Guide 
"The  First  Battle  of  the  Somme,  191G-1917  ",  which  includes  carefully 
prepared  itineraries,  enabling  the  reader  to  cover  the  whole  battle- 
field of  that   period. 

The  present  guide  describes  the  operations  which  took  place  in 
Picardy  in  March-April  lUlcS  (The  German  Offensive),  and  in 
August  1918  (The  Franco-British  Offensive)  ;  in  a  Word,  the  ebb 
and  How  of  the  German  Armies  in  191,S,  from  St.  Quentin  to  Montdidier. 

THE       BATTLEFIELD. 

Driven  from  the  banks  of  the  Somme  by  the  Franco-British  Offen- 
sive of  1916,  the  Germans  were  compelled,  in  March  1917,  to  retreat, 
before  the  menace  of  the  Ahied  offensives  on  their  flank. 

They  then  established  themselves  on  the  Hindenburg  Line,  and  in 
1917,  in  consec[uence  of  British  attacks  in  the  Arras  sector  and  before 
Cambrai,  they  unceasingly  increased  the  number  of  their  fortified 
lines.  This  redoubtable  position  stretched  to  the  west  of  the  Cam- 
brai-La  Fere  road,  via  I^e  Catelet  and  St.  Quentin,  utilising  a  series 
of  natural  obstacles,  the  most  important  of  which  were  the  Escaut, 
the  St.  Quentin  Canal  and  the  marshy  valley  of  the  Oise.  (See  the 
INlichclin   (hiide     "The    Hindenburg     Line".) 

But  in  the  early  days  of  1918,  having  crushed  Bussia,  Germany 
deci(U'd  to  assume  the  offensive,  using  the  Hindenburg  positions  as 
a  kind  of  spring-board,  from  which  her  mighty  armies  rushed  for- 
ward to   conquer  France. 

In  February  1918,  the  British  jjositions  extended  in  front  of  the 
Hindenburg  Line,  as  far  as  the  village  of  Barisis,  opposite  the  Forest  of 
St.  Gobain,  to  the  soutli  of  the  Oise.  Three  successive  positions, 
widely  separated  from  one  another,  had  been  actively  strengthened. 
Moreover,  the  water-lines  of  the  marshy  valley  of  the  Oise,  the  Crozat 
Canal,  the  loop  in  the  Somme,  and  the  North  Canal,  formed  so  many 
natural  obstacles. 

The  Picardian  Plain,  with  its  broad  and  gentle  undulations,  dotted 
here  and  there  with  small  woods,  is  closed,  on  the  south,  near  the  valley 
of  the  Oise,  by  the  wooded  hills  of  Genlis,  Frieres  and  La  Cave,  and  to 
the  west  of  the  bend  in  the  Oise,  by  the  hills  of  Porquericourt  and 
the  wooded  massif  of  Le  Plemont,  with  its  ])romontory.  Mount  Renaud, 
to  the  south  of  Noyon.  Further  west,  the  high  ground  of  Boulogne- 
la-Grasse  does  not  close  the  Plain  of  Santerre,  which,  between  the 
slopes  of  Lc  Plemont  and  Montdidier,  communicates  freely  with  the 
Plain  of  Ile-de-France.  The  enclosed  and  wooded  valleys  of  the  rivers 
Avre,  Trois-Doms  and  Luce  intersect  the  table-lands  of  Santerre. 
Further  north,  stretches  the  old  battletield  of  1916,  —  a  chaotic  waste 
of  winding    trenches    and    barbed    wire    entanglements. 

In  the  Picardian  Plain,  beyond  the  bounds  of  the  old  battlefield, 
were  numerous  country  villages,  with  their  cottages  grouped  around 
the  church.  The  long,  straight  roads,  bordered  with  fine  elms  or 
fruit-trees,  stretched  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  This  rich  and 
prosperous  region,  with  its  vast  fields  of  corn  and  beet,  was  completely 
ravaged    by    the    War. 


General  View  of  the  Second 

The     German     Offensive  Formation     of    the 


Arrc7J^^^^C^^^/ 


Disniiilidii  11/  the  liiilUh  l-'raiil  tMiirr/i  21--22.). 


Widfininij    lite    lirearh. 


The    Allied     Offensive  :     Reducing   the    Pocket  as   far   as 


The  Of/ennire    of    Au(/iist    8-12. 
LUiernlion   of    Monh/ulier. 


Comhined  Of/enKii'rs  on  the  Soiiniu- 
and  Oise,  August  18-29. 


Battle  of  the  Somme    (1918). 

Montdidier      Pocket      (March     21-April      24.) 


/    Thiescour 


A/nie. 


'The  jail  uf  Miitildidier   t  March  27.). 


The  /ixiiig  of  the  nen>  frviil-lhie. 


the    Hindenburg    Line     (August    8-September    25.). 


AAz. 


Combined  Offensives  on  the 
Scarpe  and  Aisne,  August  iri-Sept.  8. 


In  contact  with  the  Hindenbur<j  Line 
{September  10-25). 


(iKNKKAL     PETAIN.  TlKhD- M  AK  SlIAL     HaIG. 

li(  Miinh  1918.  thi'  Jiriti^h  and  Fmicli  Armies,  tinder  xepurate  commands,  opposed  the- 
furious  attacks  of  numerically  superior  and  more  power/ulli/  eqaipped  enemy  forces,  grouped  under 
the  command  of  a  sinyle  chief  :  Ludendorff. 

THE    GER1V!AN     OFFENSIVE    OF     MARCH     21. 
The   Opposing     Forces    —   Their     IVlaterial    and    IVIoral    Strength. 

Towiirds  llu'  fiul  of  I'.llT,  the  abaiulonnieiiL  of  the  Allies,  by  liussia, 
was  coiisunimated  by  llu-  Husso-Gernuui  Armistice  of  December  20, 
followed  by  tiic  I'lace  of  Brest-Litovvsk,  of  February  9,  lithS.  As 
early  as  Xovember  I'JIT,  (ierinany  began  lo  transfer  her  legions  from 
the  eastern  lo  the  western  front.  Arriving,  via  Belgium,  in  ever- 
increasing  numbers,  sixty-four  new  divisions  were  thus  added  lo  her 
Western  Armies,  already  one  hundred  antl  forty-one  divisions  strong, 
giving  a  total  strength  of  205  German  divisions  against  the  Allies' 
177   divisions. 

The  material  resources,  accunuilalcd  on  the  Kussian  front,  were 
likewise  transferred  to  the  western  front.  Tiic  enemy's  artillery  was 
reinforced  all  along  the  line,  the  number  of  In'avy  batteries  being 
doubled    in    many    of   the  sectors. 

Besides   I  his    numerical   and;^malerial    supcrioniy,    Cicrn^any    possesseil 


Ludendorff. 
From    (ieiMral   Jiual's  "  Ludbnuokff  "    (Puldishers 


I' allot     Paris. I 


General  PAtaix  amono  his  "  poilus  ' 


T,he  additional  advantage  of  a  unique  commander  :  Ludendorff,  master 
of  the  hour,  at  once  absolute  military  chief  and  political  dictator. 
On  the  other  hand,  whilst  the  Allies  were  closely  united  by  cordial 
friendship,  sealed  on  the  field  of  battle,  their  armies  were  inde]U'ndant 
units,  separately  commanded,  each  havin.q  its  own  reserves  concentrated 
behind   its  particular  front. 

On  February  3,  1917,  the  United  States  of  America  ran.^ed  them- 
selves on  the  side  of  the  Allies,  but  their  eventually  powerful  effort 
could  not  make  itself  seriously  felt  before  the  summer  of  1918.  In 
March  1918,  four  American  divisions  were  in  France,  and  a  million 
more  men  were  expected  by  the  following  Autumn,  but  the  Germans 
were    convinced    that  they   would    have  the   Allies    beaten    before  then. 

The  moral  strength  of  the  opposing  forces  constituted  one  of  the 
most  important   factors   of   victory. 

During  1917,  after  the  Allies'  Spring  Offensives,  a  wave  of  lassitude 
had  lowered  the  fighting  spirit  of  certain  units  of  the  French  Arniy. 
However,  the  morale  of  the  French  Army  had  fully  regained  its  former 
high  level,  when  the  great  German  offensive  of  March  1918  was 
launched. 

The  British  Army  had  in  the  meantime  perfected  its  training,  and 
acquired,    in    addition    to  experience,   splendid   fighting  qualities. 

The  Germans,  badly  shaken  in  1916  by  their  failure  at  Verdun  and 
by  the  Allies'  Offensive  on  the  Somme,  had,  in  consequence  of  Russia's 
collapse,   recovered   all   their  former   arrogant   confidence    and   pride. 

But  the  Allies'  blockade,  despite  Germany's  ruthless  submarine 
warfare,   tightened,   and   each   day   the   menace   of  famine   increased. 

Triumphal  announcements  of  victory,  and  promises  of  an  early 
German  peace  appeared  periodically  in  their  press,  yet  still  the  war 
dragged  on.  Something  had  to  be  done  to  end  it  all,  whatever  the 
cost,   and   so   the   "  Peace   Offensive  "    was   decided    on. 

Although  inferior  in  numbers  and  ecjuipment,  the  ."Mlies  had  acquired 
moral   superiority. 


DRIXHN    KUliM    HO.MK    HV   THE   (iKl'.MAN    I'lTSH.     'I'llillii     I  III  jJ('li)l  I     U'h/-     .\r  Usridll). 

The    German    Strategy    and    Tactics. 

Ill  all  Ihc  pri'vious  offensives,  especially  IhaL  of  Llie  Soiiiine  in  lOlG; 
Ihe  artillery  had  been  used,  prior  to  the  attack,  to  destroy  the  adver- 
sarys  defences.  The  great  number  of  fortified  works  and  their  ever  increas- 
ing strent^lh  necessitated  a  propoiiionalely  loniler  and  more  intense  artil- 
lery preparation.  Thus  warned,  the  enemy  were  able  to  make  dispositions 
to  counteract  Ihe  effects  of  the  attack,  and  to  l)ring  up  reinforcements. 
Moreover,  the  tremendous  pounding  of  the  ground  greatly  hamper- 
ed the  advance  of  the  storming  troops,  who  were  hindered  at  every 
step    by    the    enormous    shell-holes    and    craters. 

P.reaking  away  from  jiasl  errors,  and  ado])ling  and  perfecting  the 
methods  inaugurated  the  previous  year  before  Higa.  the  (lerman 
High  Command  attacked  by  surprise,  in  .March  1918,  thereby  securing 
a  crushing  numerical  superiority.  The  Allies  were  thrown  into  lonfu- 
sion,  and  all  attempts  at  resistance  were  uiuivailing.  until  the  arrival 
of  llie  reserves.  During  this  period  of  comi)lete  tlenu)ralisation,  the 
enemy  were  able  to  exploit  their    initial    success  to  the  full. 

riie  method  employed  was  that  of  a  sudden,  violent  shock,  preced- 
ed by  a  short  artillery  preparation,  mostly  with  smoke  and  gas  shells, 
the  aim  of  which  was  to  put  the  men  out  (;f  action,  rather  than  to 
crush  the  defences.  To  this  end.  huge  concentrations  of  troops  were 
effected,  in  such  wise  that  the  masses  of  men  could  be  thrown  (piickly 
and   secretly  at   the   presumed   weak   i)art   of   the   Allies'   front. 

The  semi-circular  disposition  of  the  front  facilitated  tlie  enemy's 
task,  as  the  German  reserves,  grouped  in  the  Hirson-Mezieres  region, 
in  llic  centre  of  the  semi-circle,  could  be  used  with  the  same  ra])idity 
against  any  part  of  the  front-line  from  Flanders  to  Champagne. 

The  point  chosen  by  Ludendorff  was  the  jiiiulion  of  the  Franco- 
Uritish  Armies.  To  separate  these  two  liroiips,  by  driving  back 
the  r.ritish,  on  the  right,  and  the  French,  on  the  left  :  to  exploit 
Ihe  initial  success  in  the  direction  of  the  sea.  isolating  the  I'.ritish 
and  forcing  them  back  upon  their  naval  bases  of  Calais  and  Dunkirk  ; 
then,  liaving  crushed  the  IJritisli,  to  concentrate  the  whole  of  Ins 
efforts  against  the  l-'reneh,  who,  unsupported  and  denu)ralized,  would 
soon  be  driven  to  their  knees,  --  such  was  apparently  tlie  strategical 
conception  of    the   enemy's  "  Kaiserschlacht  "    or   "  lunperors   Daltle". 


The    Opposing     Forces. 


On  March  21,  three  German  armies  attacked  along   a   54-mile  front, 
from  the  Scarpe  to  the  Oise. 

In    the    north,  the  XVIIth   Army  (von  Below)   and    the   Ilnd    Army 
(von   Marwitz)   attacked  on  either  side  of  the  Cambrai  salient,  but  the 
main  effort  was  made  by  the  XVIIIth  Army  (von  Hutier 
from  the  north  of  St.Quentin 


which  stretched 


to   the    Ois2 

Facing  these  armies  were  : 
the  right  of  the  British  3rd 
Army  (Byng),  extending 
from  the  Scarpe  to  Gouzeau- 
court,  and  the  British  5th. 
Army  (Gough),  from  Gouzeau- 
court     ti)   soiitii    of    the   Oise. 

The  British  expected  the 
brunt  of  the  attack  to  fall  be- 
tween tlic  river  Sensee  and  the 
Bapaume- Cambrai  road,  i.  e. 
on  the  right  of  Byng's  Army, 
which  was  reinforced  accord- 
ingly, whilst  the  sector  in 
front  of  the  Oise,  south  of  St. 
Qucntin.  against  which  von 
Hulier's  huge  army  had  been 
concentrated,  was  only  held 
by    4    divisions. 

More  than  500,000  Ger- 
mans were  about  to  attack 
the  160,000  British  under 
Gough  and  Byng,  w'hilst  from 
the  outset  of  the  battle,  large 
enemy    reserves     swelled     the 

number  of  the  attacking  divisions  to  04,  i  e.,  more  than  the  total 
number  of  British  divisions  in  France.  In  all,  no  less  than  1,150,000  Ger- 
mans were  engaged  in  these  tremendous  onslaughts. 

During  the  five  nighls  which  prcceck'd  the  allack,  the  German 
divisions  had  been  brought  up  secretly,  the  artillery  having  previously 
taken  up  its  i)osilions  and  corrected  its  range,  without  augmenting 
the  volume  of  tiring,  so  that  nothing  revealed  the  increased  number 
of  the  batteries. 

The  shock  Iroops,  after  several  weeks  of  intensive  training, 
were  brought  up  by  night  marches  to  the  points  of  attack.  During 
the  day,  they  were  kept  out  of  sight  in  the  woods  or  villages.  At 
night,  whether  on  the  march  or  bivouacking,  lights  and  fires  were 
strictly  forbidden.  Aeroplanes  hovered  above  the  columns  to  see 
that  these  orders  were  carried  out.  The  ammunition  parks  and 
convoys  were  concealed  in  the  woods.  Until  the  last  moment,  the 
Iroops  and  most  of  the  officers  were  kept  in  ignorance  of  tlieir  des- 
tination. 

These  huge  forces  moving  silently  under  the  cover  of  niglit,  symbol- 
ized the  enemy's  might  and  cunning.  "  It  is  strantjc  ",  wrote  a  German 
officer  in  his  note-bo()l<,  "  /o  lliiiik  of  these  huge  musses  of  troops  —  all 
Germany  on  the    march  —  moving  westward  to-night     " 


Co//CJ/-  I'e  ■ 


THE  BATTLE. 

<  >ii  March  21.  iluriiiL;  this,  llu'  "  r'.inl)iiuh  "  or  pirrciiii*  staije,  the 
iMKiriiuiiis  (.'lU'iiiy  mass  crushed,  in  less  Ihaii  IS  hours,  tlie  tiu-fi' 
P)rilisli  ])osilion£  situated  in  front  of  St.  (Juenlin.  Carrying  the  battle 
inlu  the  open  country  beyond,  llie  enemy  transformed  the  "piercing" 
into    a    break-through    ('•  Durchbruch  '"!. 

This  sudden,  powerful  thrust  was  followed  by  a  "tidal  wave"  of 
(.ernian  infantry  which  at  lirst  submerged  all  before  it,  hut  which, 
dammed  by  degrees.  tiiiall\  s|ient  itself,  a  week  later,  against  the  Allies' 
new    front. 


THE    DISRUPTION    OF    THE    BRITISH     FRONT. 


I'koto 


(.  ENEU.VL     (JOLGH. 

'•  Daily  Mirror  ISludios 


On  -March  21.  at  daN-breaU  (I.  Id  a.  m.!  a  \iulent  cannonade  broke 
out,  and  for  live  hours  the  intensity  of  this  drum-lire  steadily  increased. 

{•'irst.  a    delu.i;e    of  shcHs,  mostly    gas,  pounded  the  British    batteries, 

some  of  which  were  silenced.  Then 
the  bombardment  ploughed  up  the 
lirst  i)ositions,  si)reading  dense  clouds 
of  ga".  and  fumes  over  a  wide    zone. 

"  Michael    "     hour. 

I'uder  cover  of  the  suud^c  and  fog, 
the  German  Infantry  speedilv  crossed 
.\o-Man's  Land,  and  at  9.30  a.  m. 
("Micliael"  hour)  ]H'netvated  the  lirilish 
defences. 

The  front  assigned  to  each  attack- 
ing division  was  only  two  kilometres 
wide,  the  troops  being  formed  into 
two  storm  columns  of  one  regiment 
each.  The  third  regiment  was  kept 
as  sector  reserves,  to  develop  initial 
successes. 

The  storm-troops,  led  by  large  numbers 
ol  non-commissioned  oflicers,  advaiu-ed 
In  waves,  shoulder-to-shouldcr,  preceded 
by  a  rolling  barrage  some  300  yards 
ahead  of  the  lirst  line.  This  barrage 
afterwarils  moved  forward  at  the  rate 
of  about  200  yards  every  five  minutes. 

The  weaves  advanced  resolutely,  pro- 
tected first  by  the  rolling  barrage,  then 
by  the  accompanying  artillery  and 
Mincnwerjer.  Wherever  the  resistance 
was  too  strong,  a  halt  was  made,  allow- 
ing the  neighbouring  waves  to  out- 
tlank  the  obstacle  on  either  side,  and 
crush  it. 
threw      the     greatest      possililc     mass     of 


GKNKKAIi   llV.Nii.    h'lwlu   Husaell,   London 

The     ("icrmatis     straightway 
infantry  into  llu 
\  m  ill     cliiuds 


.Mlii's'  defences, 
f    gas,    smoke    and 


f<>^ 


Ili-jlish     in    llic    ad\anccd 


11 


Ion    bcfoTf     they    Iiacl 


poslLious    were    suri-omuUil    and    on  erwiiclnieil, 
realized  what   was  liapponhiin. 

Nearly  all  their  niaehine-guns,  posted  to  sweep  tlie  iirst  zone,  were 
put  out  of  action. 

The     First    Day    (March    21). 

The  Hrst  day  of  the  attack,  General  Byng's  Army  from  Fontaine- 
les-Croisilles  to  Demicourt,  withstood  the  shock  steadily,  the  Ger- 
mans   penetrating    the   first   lines    only. 

In    the    centre,    before   St.  Quentin,  and  to  the  south,  in  front  of  .Moy 
and  La  Fere,    General  Gough's    Army,    overwhelmed    by    numbers,    and 
notwithstanding    the    cou- 
rage of  the  men,  was  broken 
early  in  the  attack. 

Opposite  Le  Catelet. 
the  enemy  storm  divisions 
idvanced  6  to  <S  kilome- 
tres, penetrating  at  iioon 
the  second-line  jjositions 
along  the  Epehy-Le  Ver- 
guierline.  Further  south,  in 
front  of  Moy,  they  reach- 
ed Essigny-Fargnieres. 

General  Gough  with- 
drew his  right  behind  the 
water-line  of  the  Crozat 
and    Somme    Canals. 

The    Second     Day   — 
March    22. 


Tergnicr  fell,  and  the 
water-line  was  turned  from 
the  right.  Still  favoured 
by  the  fog,  the  Germans 
crossed  the  Crozat  Canal, 
h'resli  divisions  harassed 
the  British  without  res- 
pite, the  losses,  both  in 
men  and  material,  being 
very  heavy. 

Their  reserves,  greatly 
outnumbered,  were  quickly 
submerged,  and  the  third 
positions  were  lost  after  a 
desperate  but  ineffectual 
resistance. 

In  spite  of  its  stubborn 
resistance,  the  3rd  Army 


The  Disruption  of  the  Front.  March  21-22. 


on 


Byng)   was  forced   to  fall    back,    pivotins 
its  left,   to  line   up  with  the  retreating   5th    Army   (Gough). 

The  enemy  advance  developed  rapidly.  Within  forty-eight  hours, 
over  60  German  divisions  (750,000  men)  had  been  thrown  into  the 
battle,   which  now  raged  in   the  open. 


12 


Arrival  nf   llic  lirsl  /'rcnvli       lliimherl's    Army   hitrriiKj   the     Deheneifs   Ariiiy   IioUIukj   the 
DiiiiioHs.  \Munli  'J.-).  rood  tn  Piiris.  (Miirch  24).       enciiiy  ont/ie  iceiit.  {Miirc/i  'IH). 

Phases  of  thk  i-'uknch  Ixteuventiox. 


THE    INTERVENTION     OF    THE    FRENCH. 

'I'lir  ciushiiii'  of  llic  riglil  and  conlrc  of  llu- Lirilish  5lli  Army  opened 
a  laiiiv  breach  noiili  of  the  Oisc,  lliroui^li  which,  as  early  as  March  21, 
the  GiTinans  slreained  south  and  west.  The  situalion  was  critical,  as 
the  enemy  hordes,  having  hrolven  tlirouf<h;\thc  forlilied  zone,  threatened 

to  submerge  all  before  them, 
f  Prompt      intervention     was 

imperative,  in  order  to  re- 
lard   tlie  enemy  at    all  cost. 

As  early    as    the    exeniui; 
of    the    21st,  General  Petain 

ifjjt'i   vi9^  '^SS^^j^fHP^^MP  IhA^fc^  '        i>i:ide    dis])osilions     lo    su|)- 
l/H  I 'JBC-iM^Bir'     yaffil y»MBki         p,,il    Ihe  British  right.      The 

litli  anil  loth  Div. (5th  Corps) 
and  the  1st  Div.  of  unnu)unt- 
ed  Cuirassiers  (Pelle),  in 
reserve  near  Compiegne,  re- 
^Ut;  ^5  ^  ^T^BjiJ^MdH!!  ceived  orders    lo  hold  them- 

?^"'  ^I^^^K^^B<4«:  .      ..:..: ,  selves    in    readiness.     At  the 

same  time,  the  staff  of  (ien. 
Payolle's  Army  Ciroup,  and 
thai  of  (ien.  Ilumberfs  Ar- 
my, prepared  to  lake  over 
the  direction  of  the  opera- 
tions. 

The   125th    Inf.   Div.   was 

pushed  forward  to  the  Oise, 

wliilsl    the    22nd.  62nd,    and 

1st.   Cavalry.    Divn.   (Pobillol's   Ciroup)  were   rapidly  despatched   to    the 

weak   points    of  the  battle   line. 

This  newly  formed  group  was  •])laced  under  the  command  of  (ien. 
Hobillot  of   the  2nd  Cavalry   Corjjs. 

Bushed  uj)  in  lorries,  tiic  lirsl  h'rench  divisions  were  thrown  into 
the  thick  of  liu-  battle  witliout  waiting  for  their  arlilliiy.  Heroism 
often    made    good    the    lack    of   e(|uipincnt    and    inuniliiuis. 


nEXER.\L   Vr.U.t    REVIEWING    THE     TUOOPS   OF   THE 

.viH  Coups  in  l(U7. 


13 


THE     BATTLE    OF    DISRUPTION. 


Once  I  lie  forlilicd  zone  crossed,  the  Cicrman  aniiics  pusliod  west- 
ward   rapidly. 

On  March  23,  the  French  Cavalry  Divisions  were  engaged,  with  their 
armoured  cars  and  groups  of  cyclists.  Thanks  to  their  great  mobility, 
the  situation  was  repeatedly  saved.  Galloping  from  breach  to  breach, 
the  Cavalry,  dismounting,  stayed  the  enemy  advance  until  the  arrival 
of  the  infantry. 

The  armoured  cars  raided  the  enemy's  lines  unceasingly  and  harassed 
their  troops  with  machine-gun  lire.  They  were  also  used  for  bringing 
up  supplies  to  the  first-line  troops  and  for  maintaining  the  different 
liaisons.  Their  splendid  work,  with  that  of  the  Cyclist  Corps,  greatly 
helped  to  stay  the  enemy  thrust. 

The  retreat  of  the  British  was  also  covered  by  detachments  of 
cavalry,  mounted  artillery,  armoured  cars  and  tanks,  which  vigorously 
attacked  the  assaillants. 

The   Air   Service    likewise   rendered   invaluable   aid. 

On  the  evening  of  the  22nd,  General  P6tain  gave  orders  for  every 
available  bombing  plane  to  be  used  to  retard  te  enemy  advance,  until 
reinforcements  could  be  brought  up.  The  air  squadrons  met  a  few 
hours  later  at  the  assigned  jnoint,  some  of  them  having  flown  ninety 
miles.  On  the  way,  they  dropped  their  loads  of  bombs  on  German 
troops  which  were  crossing  the  Somme,  north  of  Ham,  thereby  retard- 
ing the  advance  of  two  enemy  divisions  which  were  preparing  to  out- 
flank the   British. 

On  the  23rd,  at  noon,  a  hundred  aeroplanes,  skimming  just  over  the 
Germans'  licads,  wrought  indescribable  havoc  and  confusion  in  their 
ranks.      Priceless    hours    were    thus     gained. 


The  Effects  of  akkial  bomkard.mkxt. 
Photograplied    in   the    Ardennes,  in    October  1918.   A  German  munition  train,  bombed  by 
aeroplanes,  blew  up,  destroying  the  line  and  the  artillery  limbers  which  were  being  loaded.  The 
dead  horses    and   broken  limbers  are  plainly     visible.   One  may   imagine   the   ravage   caused 
by  the  Allies'  aerial  bombardments  among  the  enemy  concentrations  in  the  Somme. 


14 


Crossing    the     Water-line    of    tlie 
Crozat    Canal,    Somme    and    Tortille    (IV»arch    23-24). 

Whilst  Hyns"sArmy  wilhstood  the  uneiny's  onshiughls,  Lhal  coimnaiuled 
by  Goutih  was  dislocated  by  the  i)o\verful   thrust  of   von  Hutiers  Army. 

On   the   morning  of   the    23rd,  the  remnants   of   the  British  3rd    and 

18th  Corps  were  thrown  back 
across  the  Crozat  Canal,  among 
the  French  divisions  which  were 
taking  part  in  the  battle  be- 
tween the  Somme  and  Oise,  and 
with  which  they  were  assimi- 
lated. 

l-"urlhcr  north,  his  divisions 
heavily  depleted,  and  reinfor- 
cements coming  up  only  slowly. 
General  (iough  abandoned  the 
strong  Somme-Tortille  line,  and 
continued  his  retreat  westward, 
towards  his  reserves  in  the  old 
battlefield    of    1916. 

The  same  day,  the  first  French 
units  to  arrive  were  thrown  be- 
tween Crozat  Canal  and  the 
woods  of  Genlis  and  Frieres, 
linking  up,  on  their  right,  with 
the  r25th  Division,  detached  from 
the  left    of    the    (ilh    Army,    and 

established  aslridc  of  liic  Oise,  in  front  of  Niry.  (Skrich  below). 
The  1  si  Division  of  dismounted  Cuirassiers  (Brecart)  vigorously  attacked 

the  enemy,  and  succeeded  in    staying  their   thrust  towards  the  Oise.  The 

•Jth  Division  (Gamelin)  barred  the  Mam-Xoyon  road,  along  a  ten  mile  front. 

On   Ihcir  Irl'l.  I  he  IDIIi  Division  <  N'aldanli  licid  the  /.one  norl  li  of  Ciuiscard. 


The  French  Di- 
visions ii'ere  en- 
i/injefl  from  II  e 
Disc  to  Xesle,  he- 
fore  A'oi/o/j,  which 
the  llrilish  retreat 
left  uiiprolerleil. 


23'-.'' March 


'M/ 


\'^ 


n 


Dn  the  evening  of  the  'iiJrd,  the  situaliou  was  critical.  Genera 
I 'die's  divisions  retarded  the  German  advance;  in  front  of  the  Chauny- 
Noyon  region,  which  they  were  covering,  but  the  enemy  held  Ham. 
In  their  nlrcal,  the  British  constantly  bore  to    the  north-west. 

The  1st  Cavalry  Division  (Hascas),  and  the  2'ind  (Capdeponf)  and 
62nd  (Margot)  Divisions  arrived,  and  were  thrown  into  the  battle  between 
Guiscard    and     Xesie,     where    they    atlempled     lo  join   hands   with  the 


IK 


24^."  March 


Conrerf/iiii/  on 
Noi/DH,  the  Ger- 
mans eljceled  a 
breach  north  of 
Nesle . 


French  10th   Division  on  their  riLjlit  and   with  llie 

The  same  day,  the    German   h>ng    range    "  Bei 
bombard   Paris,   in   the   hope    of    spreading    panic 

On  March  24,  the  crushing  effect  of  the  Ger- 
man thrust  was  further  accentuated  by  the 
arrival  of  new  enemy  divisions. 

Favoured  by  the  fog,  which  entirely  hid 
the  valleys  of  the  Oise  and  Somme,  their 
advance-guards  swept  the  plain  with  machine- 
gun  fire,  in  their  search  for  gaps  and  wealc 
|)laces  in  the  thin  French  line. 

All  the  attacks  converged  towards  Noyon. 
At  9  a.m.,  in  the  valley  of  the  Oise,  the  ca])- 
ture  of  Viry- Xoureuil  threatened  Chauny, 
whilst  in  the  centre,  Villequier-Aumont  and 
Genlis  Wood  were  taken.  Overwhelmed  by 
numbers,  the  Cuirassiers,  after  firing  their  last 
cartridges,  fell  back  on  Cailloucl  Hill.  The  divi- 
sions on  the  left  took  up  ijositions  south  of 
Guiscard.  In  spite  of  the  unequal  struggle,  the 
fighting  spirit  of  the  troops  remained  admirable. 

On  the  left  of  General  Pelle's  group,  between 
Nesle  and  Guiscard,  the  situation  was  still  more 
desperate,  as,  having  crossed  the  Somme,  the  Ger- 
mans now  greatly  intensified  their  thrust.  The 
depleted  British  units  continued  their  retreat 
westward,  leaving  a  gap  north  of  Xesle.  Tlie 
French  22nd  Div.  was  hurriedly 
despatched  towards  Nesle,  and 
elements  of  the  1st  Cav.  Div. 
to     the  east  of  Chaulnes. 

On  March  24,  south  of  Peronne, 
the  German  Ilnd  Army  crrssed 
with  difficulty  the  marshy  \  \Uey 
of  the  Somme,  then  pushii.g  on 
towards  Chaulnes,  opened  a  gap 
at  Pargny. 

North  of  Peronne,  the  enemy 
reached  Sailly-Saillisel,  Ran- 
court  and  Clery  in  the  morning, 
and    pushed     west     with    3,000 


British   on   their  left. 

tha  "    guns  began    to 
and    disorder    there. 


(jKNKItU.     Ill  .MI'.KIIT. 


Sharpshooters  at  tiik  side  op  the  road. 


16 


I'ltAMO-BKIIlSH    LINE   OF   IXKA.NTKY    IN'    WHU  H        Tu.MMIKS"    JU.NUI.KI)    WITH   ••  1'UlI.rS" 

iPholo   Iiti/ieridl    Wfir    Miikihiih). 
One    of    the    graved    coiisei/uences  of    the    retreat    of   GoiKjh's   Anii;i     ii-kh    the   tempornrn 
xeeerance  of  the    French   from  Die    liritish.   To  rrxlore  nml    coii.soliU'tti;   the    liaison    wan  the 
consliint  aim  of  the  French  (ieneral  Stuff. 


(•a\;ili\.  Ill  (lani^iT  of  bciiic  lurncfl, 
liyiiii's  Army,  which  liad  abamlniu'd 
I  lie  1  Ia\  riiicoiirt  Salient  (luring  the 
nif^hl  of  llic  22n<l.  I'vacuated  Ber- 
lincourt  anci  retreated  westward. 

These  units  coollij  ivitlulrew,  u>hen- 
ever  Iheij  found  themselves  out/lank- 
I'd  (tnd  in  danger  of  being  cut  off. 
often  fighliiK/  furious  rearguard  ac- 
lions.  and  repulsing  the  enemg  u'ith 
hravji  hiss,  each  time  a  froidal  allacic 
mas  allcrnplcd.  {h'ield'Marshal  llaig). 

On  the  contrary,  we  read  in  l.u- 
dendorlVs  Memoirs  that  the  Ce.rman 
XVIIlh  Armtf  n^as  e.vhinisted,  having 
suffered  too  heavy  losses  before  the 
C.itndnai  Salient  on  March  21  and  22. 

During  tiie  night,  the  enemy  con- 
tinued to  press  forward  in  tlie  fog, 
in  an  attempt  to  rout  the  preca- 
riously installed  and  ill-supplied 
French  units,  and  to  harass  Gough's 
Army,  in  retreat  towards  the  Santerre 
Plateau.  On  this,  Palm  Sunday  even- 
ing, Holy  Week    opened    tragically. 


17 


Montdi 


The    Fall   of    Noyon   and    the    Fighting    on 
the   old    Battlefield   of    the   Somme. 

The  25th,  at  daybreak,  fresh  German  divisions  violently  attacked  the 
exhausted  French  units,  seeking  to  turn  their  left  wing,  and  at  the  same 
time  crush  General  Pelle's  group  in  the  centre. 

In  face  of  the  increasing  danger,  General  Pell6  received  orders  to 
"  check  the  enemy  advance,  whatever  the  condition  of  the  men  might  be  ". 

The  1st  Inf.  Div.  (Gr^goire),  hastily  brought  up  and  reinforced 
by  the  remnants  of  the  British 
18th  Div.  and  of  various  French 
Divisions  picked  up  on  the  way, 
established  itself  on  the  hills 
which  cover  Noyon  to  the  north- 
east. They  had  scarcely  taken 
up  their  positions,  when  the  Ger- 
mans attacked,  only  to  be  repul- 
sed. Further  to  the  left,  the  enemy 
were  unable  to  debouch  from 
Crisolles,  but  on  the  French  right, 
the  55th  and  125th  Div.,  which 
had  been  fighting  incessantly  since 
the  22nd,  were  forced  back  across 
the  Oise,  near  Br6tigny.  Pushing 
on,  the  Germans  captured  Ba- 
bceuf,  but  a  British  counter-attack 
forced  them  to  fall  back  slightly. 

The  battle  continued  to  rage 
and  the  danger  of  being  outflanked 
became  more  and  more  acute. 
Catigny  and  Beaurains  fell,  leaving 

Noyon  unprotected  on  the  north-west.  In  the  course  of  a  fierce 
counter-attack,  the  144th  Inf.  Reg.  succeeded  in  recapturing  these 
villages,  but  the  German  hordes  still  pressed  on,  opening  a  gap  between 
Beaurains  and  Genvry,  through  which  they  poured,  following  the  little 
valley  of  the  Verse  which  slopes  down  towards  Noyon.  The  troops 
defending  the  northern  and  north-eastern  approaches  to  that  town 
Were  now  threatened  with  being  surrounded. 

General  Pell6  endeavoured  to  stop  this  fresh  gap  with  the  few  units 
left  at  his  disposal,  and 
organized  a  new  line  of 
support  on  Porquericourt 
Hill  and  Mont  Renaud 
{sketch,  p.  18),  at  the  same 
time  urging  the  troops 
which  were  fighting  to  the 
north  of  Noyon  to  "  hold 
out  a  few  hours  longer, 
each  hour  being  worth  a 
day". 

One  French  division, 
and  units  of  a  second 
division,  comprising  some 
British       remnants,       were  j,,^^  ^^^^^^  threatened  Noyon,  through  the  valleys  of 

now   hghtmg    agamst    odds  i^g   oise    and    Verse.  To    the   north  of  Nesle,  the 

Of    four    to   one.  Montdidier  road  was   open. 


A 


25^Tmorn? 


18 


;;le^PlernonE.  ^^^ 


l\iU  of  Noyon.  Gen.  PelWs  Group  organized 
positions  on  Porquerlcourt  Hill  and  Mont- 
Renaud.  Gen.  Robillot's  forces  fell  bacic  on  Roye. 


On  Ihe  evening  of  the  25th, 
they  fell  back  in  good  order, 
on  Noyon.  The  57th  Inf. 
Reg.  resisted  all  night  in 
the  town,  to  enable  the 
final  line  of  resistance  to  be 
organized. 

At  midnight,  the  front 
line  passed  in  front  of  Por- 
querlcourt Hill  and  Mont 
Renaud,  at  Pont-1'fiveque, 
thence  following  the  Oise. 
It  was  along  this  line  that 
Gen.  Felly's  Corps  hadorders 
tohold  the  Germanadvance, 
and   bar  the  road  to  Paris. 

General  Humbert  declared 
on  the  evening  of  the  25th  : 
Ind  C.  of  unmounted  Cavalry 
The   consciousness   of  the  gran- 


Thc  troops   of  the   5th   A.  C.   and    uj    the 

are  defending   ihe    very  lieart  of   France. 

dear  of  their  task    will   point  out  'he  path  of  duty  to  them. 

This  day  (25th)  was  still  more  tragical  on  General  Humbert's  left. 
At  daybreak,  a  violent  battle  broke  out  around  Nesle,  the  town  being 
abandoned   at   11   a.   m. 

Spread  over  a  too  wide  front,  from  Nesle  to  Guiscard,  the  troops 
under  Gen.  Robillot  had  orders  to  maintain  the  liaison  on  their 
right  with  Gen.  Felly's  forces  (retreating  southward)  and  on  the  left 
with  the  depleted  British  units  which  were  falling  back  to  the  north- 
west. The  gap  widened,  and  the  enemy  pressed  through.  The 
situation  was    highly  critical,  the    road    to  Montdidier  being  now  open. 

Despite  their  desperate  resistance  and  the  untiring  activity  of 
the   1st    Cav.   Div.    and    2nd     Corps  —    units    of    which  galloped   from 


UE.NEK.Mi    i'AYOI.LK,    IN    COMMVNH    OK    TKK     II IM  HKK  T- DKliKN  K  Y     .VUMY    (iltOLl 


19 


breach  lo  breach  lo  re-establish 
the  liaison  and  retard  the  enemy 
onrush  — ■  General  Robillot's  group 
fell  back  towards  Roye. 

South  of  the  Somme,  the  situa- 
tion was  still  more  critical.  The 
remains  of  the  British  18th  and 
19th  Corps  withdrew  to  the  line 
Chaulnes-Frise,  which  they  were, 
however,   unable  to  hold. 

Their  retreat  continued  to  the  line 
Proyart-Rosieres.  No  more  reserves 
were  expected  for  four  days. 
Should  the  Germans  succeed  in 
crushing  these  exhausted  units 
the  road  to  Amiens  would  be  open. 

About  six  miles  behind  the 
Proyart-Rosieres  front,  there  was 
an  old  French  line,  partly  filled  in, 
on  the  Santerre  Plateau,  between 
the  Somme  (at  Sailly-le-Sec)  and 
the  Luce  (at  Demuin). 

A  battalion  of  Canadian  Engi- 
neers was  ordered  to  restore  it. 
However,  there  were  no  troops  to 
hold  it,  and  as  its  abandonment 
would  have  imperilled  Amiens, 
Gen.  Gough  decided  to  muster  an 
emergency  detachment  of  engineers, 

miners,  electricians,  mechanics,  staff  personnel,  pupils  and  instructors 
from  the  schools  of  the  3rd  and  5th  Armies,  and  American  sappers, 
in  all  about  2,200  men.  This  detachment,  under  Maj.-Gen.  Carey,  was 
ordered    to   hold   an   eight-mile  front  and  bar  the  road  to  Amiens. 

North  of  the  Somme,  the  Germans  attacked  from  Ervillers  to  the 
river;  the  British  left  stood  firm,  whilst  on  the  right,  the  hinge  formed 
by  Byng's  Army,  likewise  resisted.  Further  south,  the  Germans 
captured  Maricourt,  and  broke  through  the  curtain  of  British  troops, 
which  lost  contact  with  one  another.  The  Ancre  was  crossed,  and 
Byng's  right,  pivoting  on  Boyelles,  fell  back  on  the  line  Bucquoy, 
Albert,  Bray-sur-Somme. 

General  P6tain  issued  a  stirring  appeal  to  the  men  : 
The  enemy  is  attacking  in  a  supreme  effort  lo  separate  us  from  the 
British,  and  open  the  road  to  Paris.  At  all  cost,  he  must  be  held.  Slick 
to  the  ground,  stand  firm,  reinforcements  are  at  hand.  United,  you  will 
fling  yourselves  on  the  invader.  Soldiers  of  the  Marne,  Yser  and  Ver- 
dun, the  fate  of  France    is    in   your  hands. 

From  all  parts  of  the  front,  French  divisions  poured  in.  Long 
lines  of  motor-lorries  sped  along  all  the  roads  converging  towards  ]\Iont- 
didier.  The  high  spirits  and  fine  bearing  of  the  men  reassured  the 
anxious  population,  who,  for  several  days  past,  had  heard  the  guns 
drawing  nearer,  and  seen  the  endless  stream  of  refugees  fleeing  before 
the  invader. 

General  Debeney  arrived  with  his  staff  from  Toul,  to  take  command 
of  the   1st  Army  (in  fornialion\  divisions  of    which   arrived    each  day. 


Makch  25. 
The  road  to  Amiens  open  to  the  enemy. 


20 


Voiilh'li.S 

o 


The  77lh.  Inf.  Div.  (d'Ainbly) 
was  added  to  the  3rd  Army 
(Humbert).  The  operations  of 
these  two  armies,  whose  taslv  it 
was  to  bar  the  road  to  Paris  and 
cover  Amiens,  were  co-ordinated 
by  Gen.  Favolle. 


The     Push     towards     IVlontdidier 

and    Fall    of     Roye. 

The     Push     towards    Amiens 

and    Fall    of    Albert. 

Oil  the  26th.  Gen.  I'elle's  group 
occupied  Mdiit  Heiiaud  —  a  na- 
tural rampart  jirotectingthe  valley 
of  the    Oise. 

Determined  lo  force  a  passage 
at  all  cost,  the  enemy  attacked 
with   fresh   troops. 

The  present  positions  must  be 
held  at  all  cost.  The  honour  of  each  commanding  officer  is  at  stake, 
proclaimed  Gen.  I^elle.  Trenches  were  dug,  and  Mont  Renaud  organised. 
The  road  to  Compiegne  was  barred  and  the  hills  to  the  south  and  south- 
west of  Noyon  became  the  pivot  of  the  defences.  Repeatedly  attacked, 
Mont  I^enaud  changed  hands  several  times,  finally  resting  with  the  French. 
The  exhausted  10th  Div.  fell  back  on  the  massif  of  I.e  P16mont, 
where  the  77th  Div.  had  just  taken    up  its  positions. 

However,  although  Gen.  Humbert's  right  checked  all  enemy  advance, 
Gen.  Robillot's  group  and  the  first  units  of  Gen.  Debeney's  Army,  on 
the  left,  were  unable  to  hold  their  ground  in  the  Picardy  Plain.  Forming 
but  a  thin  line,  the  enemy's  powerful  thrust  opened  gaps  in  places. 

Units  of  the  56th  and  133rd  Inf.  Divns.  and  of  the  4th  and  5th  Cav. 
Divns.  under  Gen.  de  Mitry,  were  pushed  forward,  with  orders  to 
establish  the  liaison,  on  their  right,  with  the  22nd  Div.,  and  on  their 
left,  with  the  British  who  were  falling  back  on  the  Santerre  Plateau.  This 
liaison  was  necessarily  weak,  as  the  troops  had  to  be  deployed.  Fight- 
ing day  and  night  for  every  inch  of  ground  given  up,  these  splendid 
troops  succeeded  in  retarding  the  enemy's    advance    until  the  arrival 

of    reinforcements  on  the  line 
of  the  Avre. 

The  exhausted  22nd  Div. 
fell  back,  carrying  with  it  the 
()2nd  on  its  right.  Roye,  out- 
flanked from  the  south  and  at- 
tacked on  the  north,  was  lost. 
A  breach,  opened  between  the 
22nd  and  62nd  Div.  was  filled 
by  an  emergency  detachment 
hastily  got  together  on  the 
spot  by  General   Robillot. 

On  the  evening  of  the 
26th,  the  front  was  establish- 
ed on  the  line  Fchclle-St.- 
Aurin,  Dancourt,  Plessis- 
Cacheleux. 


March26  | 


The  Oermans  aUempted  ivith  their  left  lo  turn 
General  Humbert's  Army,  strongly  established  at  Le 
PUmont.    Roye  fell. 


21 


ROYE.   The  Place  d'Arjies  at  the  end  of  the  War. 

General  Humbert  made  a  strong  aupeal  to  his  men  :  Let  all  command- 
ing officers  firmly  resolve  to  accomplish  their  duty  to  the  extreme  limit 
of  sacrifice,   and   imbue  their  men   with  the  same  spirit. 

North  of  the  Somme,  the  Germans  took  Albert  —  an  important  junction 
—  but  were  checked  further  north,   by  the  left  wing  of    Byng's  Army. 


Tlffc  Mont  Renaui), 


00 


Allied    Unity   of    Command. 

Events  had  forcibly  demonstrated  the  urgent  necessity  for  Allied 
unity  of  command.  On  March  2fi,  a  War  Council,  composed  of 
MM.  Poincard,  Clemcnceau,  Lord  Milner,  Haig,  P6tain  and  Foch, 
empowered  the  latter  to  coordinate  the  action  of  the  Allied  Armies  on 
the   Western  Front. 

"  At  the  moment  when  Foch  was  to  take  precedence  of  P6tain  and 
Haig,  what  was  the  position  of  the  armies,  as  regards  the  directives  of 
the  High  Command?  In  other  words,  how  was  the  .\nglo-F'rench  battle 
being  directed?  The  position  is  defined  in  the  General  Urders  of  Pelain 
and  Haig,  the  former  of  whom  proscribed  : 

"  To  licep  the  French  forces  grouped,  to  protect  the  Capital;  essential 
mission; 

"  To  ensure  the  liaison  with  the  British;  secondary  mission; 

*'  The  latter  prescribed  that  everything  possible  should  be  done 
to    avoid  severance  from  the    French  ; 

"  Should  this  be  unavoidable,  to  fall  back  slowly,  covering  the  Chan- 
nel Ports. 

"  If  we  place  these  two  orders  side  by  side,  th  ir  divergence 
strikes  us  painjallij.  It  is  patent  that  the  instructions  of  the  two 
great  chiefs  had  not  the  same  object  in  view,  and  did  not  tend 
towards  the  same  end.  One  was  thinking  of  Paris,  the  other  of  the 
(^iianiiel  Ports.  Each  would  evidently  consecrate  tho  bulk  of  his 
forces  and  resources  to  what  he  considered  the  essential  task.  To 
sum  up:  on  the  German  side,  there  was  only  one  battle;  on  the 
Allies'  side,  there  were  two  :  the  battle  for  Paris,  and  the  battle 
for  llic    ports     Had  this   situation    continued,    our    defeat    was    certain. 


Bl!JT|SH    .KSn    KliKN'CIf    RKIXFOKCEMKNTS    IV    .K    VII,I,.\OK.    I I'liolo    Iiiificri'li    W'lr   .M iixfioit), 


23 

"  Foch's  first  thought,  from  the  moment  he  took  over  the 
direction,  was  to  cause  this  disastrous  divergence  to  cease.  To  the 
two  commanders-in-cliief  he  prescribed  the  maintainance,  at  all  cost, 
of  the  haison  between  their  armies.  The  accessory  thus  became 
the  essential.  The  vital  point  was  to  ensure  the  junction  between 
the  Allied  Armies,  and  to  that  end,  to  cover  neither  Paris,  nor 
Calais,  but  Amiens.  The  battle  which,  till  then,  had  been  double, 
became   single,  i.    e.   the  Battle  for  Amiens. 

"  Such  was  the  strategical  idea  which,  during  the  following  days, 
Foch  strove  to  materialise.  Motoring  from  G.  H  Q.  to  G.  H.  Q.,  he 
impressed  the  same  thing  upon  all;  on  Haig,  Petain,  Gough,  the 
latter's  successor,  Rawhnson,  Fayolle,  Debeney  and  Humbert.  By 
dint  of  repetition,  this  idea  was  to  be  deeply  impressed  into  the 
minds  of  the  executants. 

"  To  ensure  liaison,  to  keep  the  troops  where  they  were,  to  prevent 
voluntary  retreat,  above  all,  to  avoid  effecting  relief  during  the  battle, 
to  throw  the  divisions  into  the  Hne  of  fire,  as  they  arrived  — 
such  were  the  orders  which  were  constantly  on  his  lips  during  the 
days   which   followed  ".     {La  bataille  de   Foch,  by  Raymond   Recouly). 

On  March  28,  General  Pershing  offered  Foch  the  direct  and  immediate 
help  of  the  American  Forces  :  /  come  to  tell  you  that  the  American  people 
would  consider  it  a  great  honour  for  our  troops  to  take  part  in  the  present 
battle.  I  ask  this  of  you  in  my  name  and  theirs.  At  this  time,  the  only 
question   is    to    fight.    Infantry,    artillery,  aviation,  all  we    have   is  yours. 

Henceforth,  the  battle  was  directed  from  Foch's  head-quarters,  tem- 
porarily installed  at  Beauvais.  Twice  a  day,  courriers  maintained  com- 
munications between  Foch  and  the  British  and  French  G.  H.  Q's. 


J. INK    OK    UIUTISH    ANll    KKENCH    SHAUPSHOOTEU  S.      il'liiila    f  III  pi-rilll     W'lir    MuseUW). 


24 


organized  their  defences.   Gen 
the  bastions  of  the   He  de 
France,  repulsed  the   ene- 
my's repeated    assaults. 

Five  attacks  on  Mont 
Renaud  were  broken. 

From  Canny  to  the  Oise, 
the  Allies   stood  firm. 

Held  on  this  front,  the 
enemy  deviated  towards 
Montdidier,  overwhelming 
Gen.  RobiUot's  forces, 
which  fell  back  on  Rollol. 
The  Germans  reached 
Montdidier,  Piennes, 
Hubescourt     and      Rollot. 


Felly's 


The   Fall  of   Montdidier. 

The       Qrowing       Resistance 

on   the   Wings. 

By  the  27th,  the  German  at- 
tacks had  lost  much  of  their 
earlier  sting.  The  French,  whose 
resistance  was  stiffening  steadily, 
harassed  the  enemy  unceasingly. 

Their  infantry,  now  thirty-six 
miles  from  their  base,  could  only 
be  revictualled  with  great  diffi- 
culty. The  Allied  airmen  bombed 
their  convoys  and  the  railway 
stations    incessantly. 

Their  artillery  had  difficulty 
in  keeping  up  with  the  infan- 
try, and  the  latter  were  not 
always  efficiently  supported. 

Meanwhile,  the  Allies  steadily 
group,  with   strong  positions  on 


iie77x)7/ro/i- 


Montdidier  fell,    hut   in    face    of   the  Allies'  incrensinij 
resistance,   the  enemy  could  advance  no  further. 


Oeneral 
Debeney. 


25 


A  wide  breach  was  thus  made  be- 
tween Gen.  Humbert's  left  and  the 
right  of  Gen.  Debeney's  Army,  then 
taking  up  its  positions  on  the  table- 
lands   before    the    valley  of    the    Avre. 

It  was  a  tragic  moment.  Gen.  Debeney 
telegraphed  to  Gen.  Fayolle  :  There 
is  a  gap  of  nine  miles  between  the  two 
armies,  with  nobody  to  fill  it.  I  ask 
General  Faijolle  to  have  troops  brought 
up  in  motor-lorries  and  despatched  north 
of  Floyron,  to  resist  at  least  the  passing 
of  the  Cavalry. 


General   Rawlison. 
Photo     Russell,     London. 

A  few  hours  later,  two  divisions 
of  Humbert's  Army  filled  the  breach. 

Exhausted  by  their  terrible  losses^ 
the  enemy  were  brought  to  a  stand. 

East  of  Rollot,  the  essential  por- 
tions of  the  massif  of  Boulogne-Ia- 
Grasse   were  strongly  held. 

Behind  the  Avre,  trains  and  lorries 
were  bringing  up  the  divisions  of 
Debeney's   Army. 

The  British  received  reinforce- 
ments, and  stayed  their  retreat  in 
the  outskirts  of  Albert. 

The  thrust  against  their  line  was 
now  less  violent,  the  enemy  forces 
converging  towards  Montdidier. 

Gen.  Rawlinson  replaced  Gen, 
Gough. 


Beaiarujnf  -        ' 


I  I 

I 

25/3 


March     26--27. 

British  reinforcements  arrived   north  of  the 

Somme.  The  Germans  converged  towards  Montdidier. 


The 

Anckb 

AT 

Albert. 


26 


Cambrai/ 


The    Battle    for    Amiens. 

The    Allies    consolidate    their 

front    and    counter-attack. 

After  the  fall  of  Montdidier, 
the  fourteen  divisions  of  von  Hu- 
tier's  army  converged  towards 
the    pocket   to  the   southwest. 

Seven  other  divisions,  marching 
against  the  British  front  between 
the  Somme  and  Arras,  suddenly 
turned  south.  On  the  28th, 
80,000  Germans  made  for  the 
gap,  through  which  160,000  men 
of  von  Hutier's  army  were  already 
pressing.  In  all,  240,000  men 
were  about  to  attack  on  a  seven- 
teen-mile front. 

General  Humbert's  left  main- 
tained an  aggressive  defensive. 
On  March  28,  they  counter-at- 
tacked. The  4th  Zouaves  captured  Orvillers  and  Boulogne-la-Grasse,  threa- 
tening the  enemy  on  the  flank  at  Montdidier.  Seeing  the  danger,  the  Ger- 
mans retook  part  of  the  conquered  positions.  The  moral  effect  was,  however, 
considerable,  indicative  as  it  was  of  the  Allies'  determination  to  re-act. 
On  the  29th,  these  counter-attacks  were  continued,  thus  mobilising  many 


Barricade  at  the  entrance  to  A[ERviT,T/E-An-Bni^ 
'0  knix.  lit  Iho  irexl  »/   Muretiil). 


French  artillery  in  Moreuil. 


enemy  units  on  this  front,  which  were  preparing  to  attack  on  the  Avre. 
During  these  two  days,  General  Debeney,  further  north,  was  concen- 
trating his  forces  along  the  front  of  Le  Quesnel,  Hangest,  Pierrepont, 
Mesnil-Saint-Georges,  Rubescourt.  There  can  be  no  question,  he 
declared,  oj  crossing  to  the  left  bank  of  the  Avre. 

The  Germans  attacked  at  dawn  on  the  28th.  To  the  west  of  Moiit- 
didier,  Mesnil- St -Georges  was  cap- 
tured. The  166th  Division,  which 
had  just  detrained,  stayed  the 
thrust  at  Grivesnes  and  Plessier. 
A  battalion  of  the  5th  Cav.  Div. 
fighting  on  foot,  recaptured  Mesnil 
and    Fontaine-sous-Montdidier. 

At  the  junction  with  the  British, 
the  attack  was  more  violent. Captur- 
ing Hangest,  the  Germans  slipped 
along  the  valley  of  the  Luce,  driv- 
ing back  the  British.  The  resist- 
ance of  the  latter  stiffened,  however, 
and  they  maintained  their  positions 
on    the  right  bank  of  the  Avre. 

On   the   29th,  the  enemy  renewed 
the     attack     with    fresh     divisions, 
especially   at     Dcinuin   and    M^zieres,   on  March   29,   the    Germans  were    nrml'j   held 
where  the  defenders  were  driven  back  aJt  the  bottom  of  the  pocket. 

along    the     Avre.      However,    Gen. 

Debeney's  Army  was  now  completed  by  the  arrival  of  the  127th,  29th 
and  163rd  Divisions.   Its  junction  with  the  British,  was  strongly  reinforced. 

Before    Arras,    astride   the    Scarpe,    the    British    fell    back    into    line 
with  Byng's  Army,    repulsing  several    violent    attacks.   {Sketch,   p.  26). 

On   the    evening  of  March   29,  the    enemy  were    firmly   held    at    the 
bottom    of   the    pocket,   the  sides  of    which    stood   firm. 


^Zihescotiit      '  Zaj^irjnz/ 


-JcreL 


•sn.f.M 


28 

The    General    Attack    at    the    bottom    of    the     Pocket    and    the    holding 

of    the    German    Advance. 


On    March    30,    the    Germans 
launched  a  general  attack  along  a 
thirty-mile  front,  from  Moreuil  to 
Noyon,against  the  armies  of  Hum- 
bert and  Debeney.    This  was  their 
last  effort  in  the  southward  push. 
In     many    places,   the    French 
heavy  artillery  had  not  yet  taken 
up   its  new  positions.    The  battle 
was  therefore  mainly  one  of  infan- 
try.   To  the   Air  Service  fell  the 
task  of    making    good    the   defi- 
ciency,     and     throughout       the 
battle,      bombs      were     rained 
upon     the    railway-stations,   col- 
umns    of    German  infantry,  and 
enemy   supply   convoys,     whilst 
the    fighting    section,    skimming 
over  the  enemy   masses,   riddled 
them   with   machine-gun   fire. 
In  front    of    Humbert's  Army, 
the    French     lines      were    practically    intact.      Homeric     combats    were 
delivered    at  Le  P16mont,   Plessis-de-Roye    and  before    Orvillers. 

In  the  region  of  Orvillers-Sorel,  the  38th  Div.  repulsed  four  assaults 
delivered  by    the  4th    Div.   of  the   Prussian   Guards. 

The   attack  against  the  front  of  Debeney's   Army    was  dehvered  with 
equal  fury. 

On    its    right,    not     an    inch    of    ground    was    lost.      All    assaults    on 

Mesnil- Saint-  Geor- 
ges were  repulsed. 
The  6lh  Corps  main- 
tained practically  all 
its  positions  intact, 
except  before  Hill 
104,  where  a  slight 
withdrawal  was 
necessary. 

On  the  left  wing, 
the  36th  Corps  (Nol- 
let)  was  forced  to  give 
way,  and  fell  back  on 
the  Avrc.  Moreuil 
was  lost  in  the  even- 
ing of  the  30th. 

March  31  waS 
marked  by  ex t  reniely 
violent  local  actions, 
es])ecially  at  Mesnil- 
Sl-(ieorges  and  Gri- 
vesnes,  willioul  aj)- 
lireciablc  result  for 
cither    side. 


m>/t//f 


■de-Jicyc)'^     RrfjJd 

rl'-^fT'ont 


TKK    KNKMV'S    riNAI.    KKFllltT    SaUTHW  All  US. 

March  \W-AiiTil  .'>, 


29 


AloM'UIUlEJi,   IN    UEHMAN    HANIiS. 

The  I'dlain  dc  Justice  isee  p.  99).  Across  the  street  '   .1   German  Notice- Jiuiinl. 


On  the  evening  of  the  31st,  the  French  front,  practically  intact, 
passed  west  of  Moreuil,  skirted  the  high  ground  on  the  left  bank  of 
the  Avre,  running  thence  west  of  Cantigny,  round  Montdidier,  along 
the  suburbs  of  Orvillers,  through  Roye-sur-Matz,  Le  P16mont  and 
the  hills  to  the  south  of  Noyon,  where  the  Germans  had  been 
unable  to   gain   a  footing. 

April  1st.  The  enemy  sounded  the  French  lines  at  Rollot,  south- 
east of  Montdidier,  but  were  smartly  checked  by  a  vigorous  counter- 
attack.    Three    attacks    in    front  of   Grivesnes  were  likewise  repulsed. 

April  2  and  3  were  fairly  quiet,  being  the  prelude  to  the  final  effort 
against  Debeney's  Army. 

April  4th.  At  day-break,  an  intense  artillery  preparation  began, 
extending  from  the  north  of  Hangard  to  the  south  of  Grivesnes. 
At    7.30    a.   m.,  the  attack  was  launched  with  unheard  —  of  violence. 

Against  this  front,  only  nine  miles  wide,  fifteen  divisions  —  seven 
of  which  were  composed  of  fresh  troops  —  attacked  ten  times  in 
the   course   of   the   day. 

Before  Grivesnes,  four  attacks  were  repulsed,  whilst  all  the  enemy's 
efforts  against  Cantigny  and  Hill  104  broke  down.  Further  north 
the    Germans   captured    Mailly-Raineval,   Morisel    and    Castel. 

The  next  day  (April  5th),  counter-attacks  checked  the  Germans, 
prevented  them  exploiting  their  success  north  of  Montdidier,  and 
drove  them  back  into  Mailly-Raineval  and  Cantigny. 

On  the  following  days,  fighting  took  place  at  different  points,  which 
changed  hands  several  times,  but  these  actions  were  of  a  local  nature 
only. 


:iu 


The    Results    of    the    German     Offensive    of     March    21. 


The  great  German  allack  was  over.  The  roads  to  the  south-west 
were  barred,  as  those  to  the  south,  at  Noyon,  had  been,  and  Gen. 
Debeney   was   able  to   address   the   following   order   to   his   troops : 

Soldiers   of  the   1st   Army, 

You  have  carried  out  your  arduous  task  well. 

Your  tenacious  resistance  and  vigorous  counter-attacks  have  broken 
the  onrush  of  the  invader,  and  ensured  the  liaison  with  our  brave  Allies, 
the  British.  The  great  battle  has  begun.  At  this  solemn  hour,  the  whole 
country   is    with    us.     The    soul    of    the    Mother-land    uplifts    our    hearts. 

On  April  4,  the  great  battle  —  of  which  the  battles  for  Amiens,  Mont- 
didier  and  Compiegne  were  only  episodes  —  came  virtually  to   an  end. 

For  ten  days,  after  breaking  the  Allies'  front,  the  Germans  were 
able  to  change  the  war  of  positions  into  one  of  movement,  but  by  a 
tremendous  effort  the  French  Army  threw  itself  across  their  i)atli  and, 
as   at   Verdun  in   1916,   checkmated   them. 

This  warfare  in  the  open  did  not  give  the  results  expected  by  the 
enemy,  who  failed  either  to  separate  the  Allies,  or  to  rout  them.  On 
the  contrary,  by  bringing  about  Allied  unity  of  command,  they 
strengthened   the    hands    of   their    adversaries,    to    their    own   undoing. 

Although  the  Germans  captured  Montdidier,  they  failed  to  reach 
either  Amiens  or  Compiegne,  and  whereas  the  British,  at  first  severely 
shaken,  fully  recovered,  whilst  only  a  portion  of  the  French  reserves 
were  engaged,  the  enemy  used  up  a  considerable  part  of  their  finest 
troops  and  shock  divisions,  mown  down  in  tens  of  thousands  along  the 
road  to   Paris,  by  the  Allies'  machine-guns  and  field  artillery. 

By  March  31,  ninety  enemy  divisions  had  been  engaged,  twenty- 
five  of  which  had  to  be  withdrawn  on  account  of  excessive  casualties, 
some  of  them  (e.  g.  the  45th  Reserve,  certain  units  of  the  2nd  Guards 
and  5th  Infantry)  having  lost  50  "/o  of  their  effective  strength.  The 
casualties  of  the  6th,  195th,  4th,  and  119th  divisions  attained  75  °/c. 
At  the  very  lowest  estimation,  the  Germans  lost  at  least  250,000  men. 

The  Kronprinz  had  promised  his  men  that  the  Easter  bells  would 
ring  in  the  long-expected  peace,  but  Easter  Sunday  found  the  Allies 
more  closely  united  than  ever,  awaiting  with  confidence  the  end  of 
the  battle,  and  determined  to  win  through  to  victory. 

The  check  of  April  4  saw  the  end  of  von  Hutier's  reserves.  All 
the  divisions  of  the  XVII Ith  Army  had  been  engaged,  most  of  them 
with  heavy  casualties.  Unwilling  to  take  any  of  the  divisions  from 
the  army  group  under  the  Bavarian  Crown  Prince  — reserved  for  the 
proposed  offensive  in  Flanders  —  or  the  inferior  and  less  trained 
troops  on  the  Champagne  and  Lorraine  fronts,  the  German  lligli 
Command,  realising  that  the  struggle  must  develop  into  one  of 
attrition,  like  the  first  battle  of  the  Somme,  gave  up  for  the  time 
being   all  idea  of  an   offensive  on  the  Somme-Oise  front. 

A  document  of  the  German  XVIIlthArmy  refers  to  the  operations 
prior  to  April  6  under  the  name  of  "  The  Battle  of  Disruption  "  and 
to  those  which  followed,  under  the  name  of  "  The  Fighting  on  the 
Avre  and  in   the  region  of   Montdidier-Noyon.  " 

The  divisions  forming  von  Hutier's  shock  troops  were  willidrawn 
fairly  quickly.  By  the  end  of  May,  only  two  out  of  the  twenty-three 
divisions  which,  on  March  21,  had  formed  the  XVIIIMi  Arniy,  were 
still    ill    line    on    the    Moreuil-Uise    front. 


31 


f 

tr-r-. 

Ui-Sl-.i«^p.: 

fy-v.    ^-■ 

fefe^'V 

d 

British  Baxteeies  in  action  in  the  open.  CPhoio    Imperia    War  Mtiseur 


British  tkoops  going  up  the  line  nrar  Albert.  (Photo  Imperial  War  Mmeum). 


32 


Ahieks. 
Shell 
bursting 

IX  THE 

Rue  de 
Beauvais. 

[Photo 
Imperial 

War 
Museum). 


Mm 


The    Trench    Warfare    Period. 

I'loiii  April  onwards,  trench  warfare  began  again.  The  AUied 
front  was  reformed,  consisting  of  a  continuous  line  of  hastily  dug  tren- 
ches and  rapidly  constructed  works,  held  by  resolute  troops,  whose 
morale  was  intact   and  whose  fighting  spirit  had  never  been  better. 

Once  more  the  heavy  artillery  came  into  requisition,  for  the  prepar- 
atory   pounding    of    the    adversaries'    positions. 

In  April-May,  sharp  engagements  frequently  took  place  at  certain 
points.      On   the   Luce,   in   the  region   of   Hangard,   on  the  Avre,    from 

Thennes  to  Mailly-Raineval,  at 
Grivesnes,  on  the  west  bank  of  the 
]\Iatz,and  around  Orvillers-Sorel.  Of 
these,  the  attack  of  April  24,  by 
its  violence  and  scope,  constituted  a 
veritable   offensive  against  Amiens, 

The    Attack    of    April    24 
on     Vi  I  le  rs- B  reton  ne  ux  , 

See  sketch  opposite. 

The  plateau  of  Villers-Bretonneux 
dominates  the  ground  between  the 
Avre  and  the  Somme. 

It  was  held  by  the  British.  Shght- 
ly  to  the  south,  in  Hangard  Woods, 
close  to  Hill  99,  was  the  point  of 
junction  of  the  Allied  Armies. 


Anchin 

Farn-i 


One 

OF    THE 
llIN.  QUNS 

WHICH 
BOMBAIiCED 

Amiens. 


33 

The  enemy's  main  effort  was  made  at  this  point,  as  being  the  wealcest. 

The  French  line  started  at  Anchin  Farm,  west  of  Moreuil,  followed 
the  western  and  northern  outskirts  of  Castel,  joined  up  with  Hill  63 
on  the  right  bank  of  the  Avre,  took  in  Hangard,  and  linked  up  with 
the  British  near  Hill  9^  to  the  south  of  Hangard  Wood.  From 
this  point  the  British  line  crossed  the  plateau  between  the  Avre  and 
the  Somme,  between  Marcelcave  and  Villers-Bretonneux,  and  pass- 
ed the  eastern  outskirts  of  Hamel. 

At  5  a.  m.,  after  an  artillery  preparation  lasting  an  hour,  the  German 
infantry  attacked. 

After  a  desperate  struggle,  the  enemy  captured  Villers-Bretonneux. 
Hangard  fell  during  the  night  and  Cachy  was  threatened. 

The  next  day,  a  Franco-British  counter-attack  won  back  the  most 
important  part  of  the  lost  ground.  Villers-Bretonneux,  Hangard  and 
Hangard  Wood  were  recaptured  and  held,  in  spite  of  all  the  subse- 
quent efforts  of  the  enemy,  who  finally  abandoned  this  sector  in  favour 
of  Flanders. 


French  Trenches  in  the  suburbs  of  Cachy  i««e  p.  59). 


Ludendorff's    Opinion. 

In  his  "  Memoirs  ",  Ludendorff  wrote  :  The  battle  endea  on  April  4. 
//  was  a  brilliant  feat  of  arms  and  will  always  be  so  considered  in  history. 
What  the  British  and  French  had  been  unable  to  do,  we  accomplished 
in  the  fourth  year  of  the  war. 

Strategically,  we  did  not  attain  what  the  events  of  March  23,  24  and 
25  justified  our   hoping  for. 

That  we  failed  to  take  Amiens,  which  would  have  rendered  the  commu- 
nications of  the  enemy  forces  astride  the  Somme  extremely  difficult,  was 
especially  disappointing. 

Long  distance  bombardment  of  the  railways  could  not  be  considered  an 
equivalent. 


34 


ti-^ 


French  6in.  Battery  in  action  at  Rocquencourt. 
(7   miles  to  the  west  of  Mnntdidier). 


German  heavy  opn  at  FaverolTiES  (2  mileg  east  of  Montdidier). 
Captured  on  Augutl  9,  1918,  during  the  offensive  of  General  Debeney's  Army.  (See  p.  42j. 


35 


CLEMENCEAtJ  AT  THK    G.    H.    Q.    OF    A    BRITISH    DIVISION    IN"    1918. 

(P/ioto   fmpi-rifil    Wnr   Miixnim). 


A  German  Tank  Trap.    Australian  and  American  soldiers  examine  the,  charges  nt  explosive  with 
vliich  this  trap  was  fitted.  One  of  them  is  looking  through  a  German   periscope.  (July   11,  1918). 


36 

THE  ALLIES'  OFFENSIVES  IN  PICARDY. 

August-September    1918. 
After    the    German    Offensive    of    March. 

AftiT  Hir  clieek  of  their  offensive  in  Picardy,  the  Germans  allenipl- 
iil,  by  means  of  secondary  offensives,  to  attain  those  results  which 
liiey   had   failed    to   obtain   in   the   first  instance. 

On  April  9,  they  attacked  in  Flanders,  from  B^thune  to  the  north 
of  Ypres,  in  the  direction  of  the  Channel  Ports,  but  failed  to  take 
Ypres,   or   to   reach    llazebrouck.     {See  the   Guide  :   Ypres.) 

On  May  27,  the  front  of  the  Chemin  des  Dames  was  attacked  by 
surprise,  the  enemy  reaching  the  banks  of  the  Marne.  {See  the  Guide  : 
The    Second    Battle    of    the    Marne. 

From  June  'J  lo  18,  their  elTorts  were  turned  against  the  salients  of 
the  Aisne  and  Rheims.  On  June  11,  they  captured  the  massif  of 
Thiescourt,  but  were  held  before  (-ompiegne.  In  front  of  Rheims  the 
road  was  barred  by  the  French  Colonial  troops.  {See  the  Guide  :  Rheims). 

Lastly,  seeking  a  prompt  decision  at  all  cost,  and  hypnotised  by 
Paris,  the  Germans  ])lanned  a  still  more  formidable  offensive  :  the 
"  Friedensturm  "  or  Peace  Battle.  However,  the  French  High  Com- 
mand were  not  taken  unawares.  The  scope  and  time  of  the  offensive 
were  known,  and  the  (iermans  failed. 

The    Strategy    and    Tactics    of    the     Allies. 

The  hour  of  the  counter-offensive  was  about  to  strike.  The  Allies  had 
overcome  the  crisis  due  to  the  shortage  of  men.  The  British  Army 
had  been  reorganized.  The  American  forces  had  greatly  increased  in 
numbers.  The  fighting  spirit  of  the  French  was  higher  than  ever. 
The  material  strength  of  the  Allies  was  satisfactory,  and  included 
large  numbers  of  the  new  offensive  arm  :  the  tank,  destined  to  relieve 
and  support  the  infantry,  and  combat  the   German  shock   troops. 

Lastly,  the  Allies  were  now  grouped  under  a  single  chief:  Foch, 
who  knew  where  and  when  to  strike. 

The  Allied  Armies,  he  declared,  have  arrived  at  the  turning  of  the 
ways  ;  in  the  thick  of  battle  they  have  regained  the  initiative,  and  their 
strength  enables  them  to  retain  it  ;  the  principles  of  war  command  them 
to  do  so.  The  time  has  come  to  abandon  the  defensive  attitude  neces- 
sitated till  noip  by   numerical  inferiority,   and  to  take  the  offensive. 

The  action  of  the  Commander-in-chief  of  the  Allied  Armies  will,  in 
future,  aim  at  maintaining  his  liold  on  the  German  Commandment, 
giving  liim  no  rcspitr  ivliich  would  allow  him  to  recover  ami  reconstitute 
his  forces.  Tn  lluit  end,  separate  sur[)rise  altacks  will  be  made  succes- 
sively, as  rapidly  as  possible,  so  as  to  augment  progressively  tlie 
disorganization  of  tlie  encnuj's  armies  and  the  confusion  of  llie  (lernuni 
Commandment,  until  tlie  day  of  the  general  offensive,  and  of  tlic  final 
attack  which  will   crumble   up   tlie   wliole  of  tlie   adversary's   front. 

A  comi)arison  of  this  conception  of  Foch's  with  that  of  Ludemlorff 
brings  out  all  its  suppleness  and  power. 

The  countcr-olTensive  by  the  armies  of  Mangin  and  Degoulte  in 
llie  Chateau-Thierry  pocket,  begun  on  July  1(S,  was  scarcely  over, 
when   the   Second   Battle  of   the   Somme   broke  out. 


37 


II 


The  Allied  Military  Chiefs. 
From   left  to  rljht  :  I'STAIN,  HAIG,  FOCH  iiml  PERSHING. 


In  this  new  battle  of  the  Somme,  the  retreat  oi  Lhe  German  armies 
on  the  Hindenburg  Line,  in  August-September  1918,  was  effected 
under   the   pressure   of   four   successive   thrusts  : 

I.  —  The  operations  carried  out  simultaneously  by  the  Britlsii  4lh 
Army  and  the  French  1st  and  3rd  Armies  against  the  Albert,  Montdi- 
dier,  Lassigny  salient,  to  clear  the   Paris-Amiens  railway.   [Pages  38-45.) 

II.  —  The  British  offensive  north  of  the  Somme,  coinciding  with  the 
French  offensive  between  the  Oise  and  the  Aisne.  [Pages  46-49.) 

III.  —  The  British  offensive  on  the  Scarpe  and  the  French  offensive 
on  the  Ailette.    [Page   50.) 

IV.  —  The  Franco-British  offensive  against  the  advanced  defences 
of   the   Hindenburg  line.   [Page  51.) 


3S 


I.    —    THE     ATTACK     ON    THE    SALIENT    OF 

ALBERT-MONTDIDIER-LASSIGNY. 

August    8-13,    1918. 

Preliminary    Operations   of     July. 

Throuf^'hoiit  July,  the  Allies  carried  out  different  local  operations, 
in  order  to  improve  their  positions  and  prepare  for  the  coining 
offensive. 

As  early  as  July  4,  Australians  supported  by  Americans,  had  be.qun 
to  advance  between  Villers-Bretonneux  and  the  Somme,  by  capturing 
the  village  and  wood  of  Hamel. 

On  July  9,  after  a  brilliant  attack  between  Castel  and  the  north  of 
Muilly-Raineval,  the  French  captured  Castel,  and  on  the  23rd,  Mailly- 
Raincval,    which    brought    them    nearer   the   Avre. 

These  different  actions,  and  the  flattening  of  the  Cantigny  sahiiil 
li\    the  American  1st  Div.   on   May  28,   had  warned  the  enemy. 

On  August  2,  the  Germans  fell  back  on  the  Ancre,  and  on  the  3r(l 
to  the  Avre.  The  bulk  of  their  forces  were  withdrawn  east  of  these 
rivers,    leaving    only    light    forces    on    the    west    bank. 

On  the  Marne,  Ludendorff  had  just  suffered  a  severe  defeat.  From 
July  18  to  August  4,  his  armies  had  been  driven  back  from  the  Marne 
to  the  Vesle,  where  they  organized  new  positions.  (See  the  Guide  : 
The  Second  Battle  of  the  IVlarne.)  In  the  belief  that  this  effort  had 
temporarily  exhausted  the  Allies,  Ludendorff  was  planning  new  opera- 
tions in  Flanders,  when  he  was  surprised  by  a  new  and  powerful 
Allied  Offensive.      From  that  point,  the  initiative  remained  with  Foch. 


/A/     O 


French 

10*^  Army 

Mangln 


me  I' funL  Line  on  August  S,  aiul  l/ie  Opposing 
Forces, 


The     Front    Line 
and    the   Opposing     Forces. 

On  August  8,  the  front  line 
passed  west  of  Albert,  east  of 
Villers-Bretonneux,  then  follow- 
ed the  left  bank  of  the  Avre, 
and  the  Doms  stream,  west  of 
Montdidier,  running  thence 
towards  the  Matz  and  the 
Oise,  via  Assainvillers,  west  of 
Cuvilly   and    Clievincourt. 

From  north  to  south,  the 
enemy  front  was  held  by  the 
Ilnd  Army  (von  Marwltz)  (10 
Divns.  in  line  from  Albert  lo 
Moreuil),  and  by  the  XVllIth 
Army  (von  Hutier)  (11  Divns. 
from    Moreuil    to   the   Oisc). 

These  two  armies,  with  21 
divisions  in  line,  engaged  17 
other  divisions  during  the 
course  of  the  battle,  i.  e.  38 
divisions   in    all. 


39 


■*-  ?''iJ^J^ 


ti' 


w^^. 


m 


-^  -i-  - ..-     ^        ■  ■■*.»• 

Thk     Amkkicjans  attacking  Cantiqny  (May  28,  191S). 
Photographed  from  titi   accompanying  aeroplane.   At  the  top   of  photo  :    Cuntiyiiy     village. 
At  bottom  of  photo  :  Tank   trucks.     The   white   dots   and   dashes  spread  over  the  photo  are 
the   American     Infantry.     Two     larger     dashes    about    three-quarters     of     an    inch     below 
Cantigny,  on  the  right,  arc  tanks. 

The  undermentioned  forces  were  grouped  under  the  command  of 
Field-Marshal   Haig   : 

The  British  4th  Army  (Rawlinson),  comprising  the  3rd  Corps 
(3  divisions),  the  Australian  Corps  (4  divisions),  the  Canadian  Corps 
(4  divisions),  and  3  divisions  of  British  Cavalry,  2  brigades  of  armoured 
cars  and  1    battahon  of  Canadian  Cyclists   in   reserve. 

The  French  1st  Army  (Debeney) ,  comprising  the  31st  Corps 
(4  divisions;,  9th  Corps  (2  divisions),  10th  Corps  (3  divisions),  35th 
Corps  (4   divisions),   and   the    2nd  Cavalry   Corps  in  reserve. 


4d 


The    Franco-British    Attack    of    August    8,    1918. 

These    armies    attacked   on    August   8,   along   a    15-mile  front,    from 
the  Ancre  to  the  Avre. 

"  At  4.  20  a.  m.,  after  three  formidable  cannon-shuts,  — the  sig/iul  for  the 
opening  of  the  attack, —  the  rolling  barrage  broke  nut  before  tlw  Australian 
and  Canadian  troops,  who  immediately  dashed  forward.  At  the  same 
lime,  the  heavg  and  ligld  tanks,  armoured  cars  and  nwtor-lorries,  loaded 
ivith  supplies  and  ammuniton,  set  out.  At  certain  ]}oints,  the  cavalrij, 
followed  bij  the  artillery  and  the  aeroplanes,  guarded  or  speeded  up  the 
advance.  Tlie  enemy  were  taken  completely  by  surprise.  The  troops 
and  staffs  were  taken  prisoners  before  they  realized  what  liad  happened. 
One  after  another,  the  villages  were  surrounded  and  captured.  Forging 
ahead  of  the  infantry,  the  cavalry  and  tanks  spread  f)anic  everywhere.  " 
The  British  advanced  rapidly  in  the  direction  of  Rosieres,  along 
both  sides  of  the  Amiens-Chaulnes  railway. 

Towards   evening,  the  advanced  line   passed   through    Mezieres,    Caix 
and  Cerisy.  Everywhere,  except   at   Morlancourt,   north   of   the  Somme, 
where  the   enemy   resisted  desperately,    the    Germans   were  routed. 
More   than    13,000    prisoners,    a    general    and  the    staff    of   an   army 

corps,  and  300  guns  had  fallen 
into  the  hands  of  the  British 
by  9  a.   m. 

Along  the  front  of  Debeney's 
Army,  the  artillery  prepara- 
tion was  short  but  violent, 
(45  minutes).  The  infantry 
attacked  about  five  o'clock 
i.e.  after  the  British.  The 
ground,  divided  for  the  greater 
part  by  the  valley  of  the  Avre, 
was  more  difficult,  and 
General  Debeney  counted 
rather  on  maoeuvering,  than 
on   surprise. 

The  attack  began  on  a 
front  of  2  i  miles,  south 
of  the  Amiens-Roye  road, 
debouching  from  the  valley 
of  the  Luce  towards  ground 
suitable  for  the  tanks,  the 
troops  being  gradually  engag- 
ed on  their  right,  along  the 
Avre. 
August  8.  \^^    X   a.    m.,   two   divisions 

turned  Moreuil  Wood,  from 
the  north-east  and  south-west.  On  the  Avre,  another  division 
captured  Morisel,  whilst  to  tlu'  soulli  of  IMoreuil  a  battalion  crossed 
the  river.  Moreuil,  turned  from  the  north  and  south,  fell.  South  of 
Moreuil,  two  fresh  divisions  crossed  the  Avre,  opposite  Braches,  open- 
ing up  a  way  for  the  tro()|)s  who  had  to  fight  on  the  plateaux. 

M  the  end  of  llie  day,  after  an  advance  of  about  five  miles,  the 
French  reached  tiie  line  Braches,  I. a  Neuviile-Sire-Bernard,  and 
joined  hands  with  the  British  near  Mezieres.  3,300  prisoners,  including 
three     regimental     commanchmts,     were     taken. 


■il 


Gerjiax     attery  captured  by  the  British,  who     iji.mediately  turned 

IT  ON  the  Enemy. 
The  third  (/un  is  still  pointing  towards   the  Allies'  lines.  (Photo  Imp.    War  Museum). 

"It  was  a  black  day  for  the  German  Army"  wrote  Ludendorfl,  "the 
blackest  of  all  the  ivar,  except  September  15,  ivhich  saw  the  defection  of 
Bulgaria,    and  sealed  the  destinies   of  ttie   Quadruple   Alliance ". 


German  Artillery  Position  in  Sunken  Koad.    (Photo   Imp.   War  Museum). 


42 


From    August    9    to    12. 
On   August     9-10,     I  lie      liiilish   lluiisl     and    Lhe    Frcucli    luaiKcuvre 


developed. 


The     British    Advance. 


ALbet-i 


Between  Albert  and  the  Amiens-Roye  road,  the  Canadians  and 
Australians  harassed  the  enemy  without  respite,  and  advanced  several 
kilometres,  capturing  Bouchoir,  Meharicourt,  Rosieres,  Lihons  and 
Proyart. 

North    of    the   Somme,    in  co-operation  with    American    troops,   they 

captured  Morlancourt  village 
and  plateau  to  the  south- 
east, where  the  enemy  resist- 
ed desperately. 

On  the  11th,  in  spite  of 
stubborn  resistance,  the 
British  reached  the  Dernan- 
court  crossroads,  about  a 
mile  west  of  Bray,  Chilly, 
Fouquescourt  and  the  west- 
ern suburbs  of  Villers-les- 
Roye. 

On  the  12th,  they  drove 
the  enemy  for  good  out  of 
Proyart.  On  the  13th,  they 
reached  the  suburbs  of  Bray- 
sur-Somme  and  the  cross- 
roads of  ChuignoUes.  The 
front  now  ran  along  the  old 
German  lines  of  the  Somme 
Battlefield  of  1916,  where 
the  enemy,  thanks  to  a 
number  of  strong  points  of 
support,  succeeded  in  stay- 
ing the  advance.  In  five 
tiays,  the  British  had  scored 
a  fine  victory,  their  forces 
(13  infantry  divisions,  one 
regiment  of  the  American 
33rd  Division,  3  divisions 
of  cavalry,  and  40U  tanks) 
The  Allies  Advance  from  lhe  mornin,j  of  Au,just  »  defeating  20  German  divi  • 
(dash  line)  to  lhe  evening  o/  the  same  day  {dot-  sions,  advancing  I-  miles, 
and-dash  line).  The  thick  full  line  shows  the  front  and  capturing  22,000  pris- 
on August  12.  oners  and  400   guns. 


/orne* 


The     French     Manoeuvre.    Liberating    Montdidier. 

Meanwhile,  (,enerai  Debeney,  by  a  series  of  turning  movements, 
brought  about  the  fall  of  important  sections  of  the  German  front,  without 
frontal  attacks. 

Constantly  extending  his  attacks  along  the  Avre,  the  approaches 
to  the  river  on  the  north  and  north-east,  as  far  as  the  confluence  with 
the  Doms  stream,  were  cleared,  whilst  his  hold  on  Montdidier,  from 
the    north-east,    gradually    tightened. 


43 


f^ 


-t 


BlUTlsH   Cavalrv    near   Albert.   {Photo    Imperial    War  Museum). 


On  August  9,  the  French  hne  was  advanced  as  far  as  the  station 
of    Hangest-en-Santerre,    on    the     Albert-Rosieres-Montdidier    railway. 

In  order  to  force  the  enemy  to  aLandon  Montdidler,  without  a  frontal 
attack,  General  Debeney  began  a  turning  movement  at  about  4  p.  m. 
A  secondary  attack  was  launched  in  the  direction  of  Roye,  between 
Domelieu  and  Le  Ployron.  The  station  of  Montdidier  and  Faverolles 
Village  on  the  Montdidier-Roye  line,  were  reached  that  evening. 

Throughout  the  day,  the  French  airmen  bombed  Roye  undisturbed 
by  the  enemy's  planes  or  air-defence  guns. 

By  evening,  the  1st  Army  had  taken  5,000  prisoners.  From  Fave- 
rolles, they  threatened  to  join  up  with  the  men  who  had  advanced 
north,   via   Davenescourt,   and  to    cut  off  the   Germans  in    Montdidier. 

The  latter  was  evacuated  in  great  disorder  the  same  night  and  on 
the  following  morning,  only  a  few  machine-gunners  being  left  behind 
to  retard  the  French  advance  as  long  as  possible. 

On  August  10,  at  noon,  the  French  entered  the  ruined  town,  and 
advanced  rapidly  eastward,  beyond  Fescamps,  on  both  sides  of  the 
road  to  Roye.  In  the  evening,  they  reached  the  line  Villers-les-Roye 
(where  they  joined  hands  with  the  British)   and  Grivillers. 

On  the  11th,  they  captured  the  park  and  village  of  Tilloloy.  By 
the  evening  of  the  12th,  the  1st  Army  had  taken  8,500  prisoners 
(including  181  officers),  250  guns,  numerous  minenwerfer,  1,600  ma- 
chines-guns,  and  huge  quantities  of  stores. 


44 


^■ 


*.»..-• 


<'y^ftu 


*  ■   ^     S*H|0.-^*^*^* 


'■  ^r. 


^■*^ 


*  •*. 


~N»  'V     ._^;j 


Photos,  p.  44  : 

(1)  Australian  Senjeant    examining  a  German  Machine-t/un  captured   bji  the  Md/i    lirujade 

(2)  Near  Warfusie-Abancourt,  August  8.  Infantri/  of  the  Australian  \sl  Division 
advancing  on  Harhonnieres,  after  a  tank  had  cleaned  up  a  line  of  German  Machine-guns 
which  was  holding  them  (:})  The  Shelters  of  the  above  line  of  machine-guns-light 
constructions  compared  with  the  poiverful  trench  organisations,  yet  strong  enough  to  require 
tank  treatment. 

Photos  above: 
(1)  Australians  in  German  trench,  with  field-guns  just  captured  (August  1918).  (2)   British 
lorries   in  Villers-Bretoniieux   \August  17,  1018). 


4() 


•  I.    —    THE    BRITISH    OFFENSIVE     NORTH     OF   THE    SOMME     AND 
THE     FRENCH     OFFENSIVE     BETWEEN     THE     OISE     AND     AISNE. 

August     18-29. 

The    tirst    phase    of    the    Battle    of    Picardy    was    ended,   but    a    great 

new   effort,  between  the  Somme  and  I  lie    Scarpe,   was    being   prepared. 

lielween  the  Aisne  and  tlie  (Mse,  Mangin"s  Army  attacked  the  plateaux 

on  August  l(Sth,  advancing  to  the 
Ailette  on  the  23rd.  {Skclcli  opposite). 

Following  up  this  advance,  Iluni- 
bert's  Army  continued  its  offensive 
vigorously  on  the  21st,  conquered 
the  northern  slopes  of  Le  Pleniont, 
crossed  the  Divette,  and  occujiied 
Lassigny.   {Sketch  opposite). 

By  their  advance,  these  two  armies 
threatened  the  right  of  the  German 
XVIIIth  Army,  established  on  the 
Chaulnes-Roye  line. 

At  the  same  time,  Byng's  Army 
attacked  between  the  Ancre  and  Croi- 
silles,  whilst  Rawlinson's  left  attacked 
north  of  the  Somme. (SAt/c/!  opposite). 

i'/if  Attack  between  the  Oise  and  Aisne 
iiy  the  Armies  o/  Generals  Mangin 
and  Humbert,  August  18-23. 


Arra  s|^ 


At  dawn,  on  August  21,  the  4th  and 

6th  Corps   of  Byng's  Army   attacked 
between  Miraumont  and  Moyenneville. 

Supported  by  tanks,  they  captured  MoyameviJlc/^ 
the  advance  defences  in  brilliant  style. 

The  fighting  was  particularly  severe 
around  Achiel-le-tirand  and  Logeasl 
Wood,  where,  however,  the  advance 
continued  steadily.  The  .\rras-.\lberl 
railway  which  was  the  enemy's  prin- 
cipal line  of  defence,  was  reached. 
2, ()()()   prisoners   being  taken. 

.After  this  preparatory  attack,  (lie 
offensive  was  launched  on  August 
22,  along  a  thirty-two  mile  fionl,  iie- 
Iweeii  l.ihons  and  iMercatel. 

South  of  the  Somme,  the  Austra- 
lians (  ai)ture(i  1  lerlevilleaiid  ("Jiuignes, 
with  2,0()U  prisoners.  Uawlinson's  left 
crossed  the  Ancre,  took  Albert,  and 
advanced  its  front  to  the  hills  east 
of  the  Albert  Braye  road,  capturing 
2,400  prisoners. 

But  the  hardest  blow  was  struck 
further  north  by  Byng's  Army. 
Advancing  beyond  the  principal  line 
of  defence  (the  .Xrras-.Mbert  railway). 


O  V 

•  D  •  O 


The  Attack  between  the  Somme  and  Scarpe 
by  Byng  and  Rawlim-on,  August  21-29 


47 


the  4th  and  6th  Corps  took  Gomi6court,  Ervillers,  Boyelles,  many 
guns,  and  more  than  5,000  prisoners,  then  pushed  on  towards 
Bapaume  and  Croisilles.  The  6th 
(^^orps,  astride  the  Arras-Bapaume 
road,  marched  on  Bapaume,  threaten- 
ing to  cut  off  the  Germans  who 
were  hanging  on  to  the  Heights  of 
Thiepval.  The  latter,  attacked  at 
the  same  time  further  south,  fell. 
Bray-sur-Somme    was    also  captured. 

The  battle  continued  from  the  25th 
to  the  29th,  the  enemy's  resistance 
stiffening    steadily. 

Counter-attacking,  the  Germans 
defended  this  old  battlefield  of  1916, 
strewn  with  obstacles,  with  great  des- 
peration. 

On  the  29th,  Bapaume  fell,  and  the 
Germans  retreated  from  the  north  of 
that  town  to  the  Somme,  on  the  line 
Cl^ry,  Combles,  Fr6micourt,Bullecourt, 
and  Heudecourt. 

Threatened  by  the  British  to  the 
north  of  the  Somme,  and  by  the 
French  on  the  banks  of  the  Oise, 
the  Germans  began  their  retreat 
in   the    bend    of   the  Somme.  Closely 

pursued  by  the  British  4th  Army  and  the   French  1st  and    3rd   Armies, 
they   withdrew   to  the  river,  from   Peronne  to   Ham. 

Chaulnes  and   Nesle  were  occupied  by   the  Allies. 

"  On  the  same  ground  which  had  seen  their  stubborn  defence,  the  British 
troops    went    up    to    the    attack    with    untiring    vigour    and    unshakeable 
determination,    which    neither  the    difficultij  oj  the   ground,   nor  the  obstin 
ate  resistance  of  the  enemg  could  break  or  diminish   " .    (Haig). 


The  GerinoH  Retreat,  south  of  the  Somme, 
under  the  double  menace  of  the  British 
and  French  Advance. 


I 

German  long-range  Gun  captured  by  the  Australians  at  Proyart. 


48 


Photo  Imperial    War  Museum. 


40 


(1)  The   2 
Albert, 


lliert,  seen  f. 


Photos,  p.  48  .• 
nd    German  line   near  Albert,  occupied   hy  the   Brilish.  (2)  The  Railway  Station  at 
a  few  minutes  after  the  German  retreat.  (3;  Railway  destroyed  by  the  British  artillery, 
during  the  advance  on  Bapaume. 
Photo  above: 
rom  the  interior  of  the  Church,  the  day  the  town  was  liberated   (Photo  Imp.  War  Museum). 


50 


III.     _    THE     OFFENSIVES    ON     THE    SCARPE    AND    AILETTE. 

August    25-September    8,    1918. 

Pursuing  his  plan  of  offensive,  Focli  exlentled  the  field  of  opera- 
tions. Writing  to  Field-Marshal  Haig,  he  said:  Continue  your  opera- 
tions, leaving  the  enemy  no  respite,  and  developing  the  scope  of  your 
aetions.  It  is  this  increasing  breadth  of  the  offensive,  fed  from  the  rear 
and  strongly  pressed  in  front,  without  limitation  of  objective,  without 
consideration  for  the  alignment  and  too  close  liaison,  which  will  give 
us  the  greatest  results  with  the  least  losses...  The  armies  of  General  Pc- 
lain   are    going   forward   again    in   the   same   manner. 

At  the    time    Mangin's  Army    was    preparing    to  crush   the  enemy's 

front  between  the  Aisne  and 
St.  Gobain,  Home's  Army, 
on  the  Scarpe,  attacked  the 
salient  east  of  Arras. 

On    August    25,    the     Can- 
adians,   astride     the     Scarpe, 
and  the  left  of  Byngs  Army 
captured  the  difficult  positions 
of    Monchy-le-Preux,      Gu6- 
mappe    and    Rceux,    bringing 
their   line   into   contact    with 
the    redoubtable    position    of 
Qudant-Drocourt,  a  ramifica- 
tion of  the  Hindenburg  Line. 
On  September  2,   the   Can- 
adians   attacked,    progressing 
rapidly      along     the     Arras  - 
Cambi-ai     road.      Penetrating 
the  German  lines  to  a  depth  of 
6  miles,  they  reached  Buissy. 
On  the  night  of  August  30, 
the  Australians,  in  the  centre. 


furiously  attacked  and  captured  the  for- 
midable bastion  of  IVIont-St-Quentin. 
On  September  1,  they  entered  P^ronne, 
after  desperate  fighting.  To  flank  this 
attack  on  the  north,  Bouchavesnes  and 
Fr6gicourt  were  cai)tured. 

Further  south,  on  the  Oise,  Hum- 
bert's Army,  in  spite  of  the  enemy's 
resistance,  took  Noyon  and  the  high 
ground  dominating  the  town.  Advanc- 
ing from  the  Ailetle,  towards  Chauny, 
Mangin's  left  reached  the  outskirts  of 
St.  Gobain  Forest,  in  the  old  lines  of 
March  1918. 

Outfianked  on  the  iioilii,  towards 
Cambrai,      ami     on     Hie     south     along 


the  Oise,  in  the  direction  of  La  Fere,  and  violently  attacked  at  the 
same  time  in  the  centre  at  P6ronne,  the  Germans  retreated  towards 
the  Hindenburg  positions.  The  British  and  French  forces  drove 
back  the  enemy  rear-guards,  which  were  unable  to  hold  the  line  of 
the  Tortille  and  the  Canal  du  Nord. 

On  Sept.  8,  the  Allied  front  ran  west  of  Arleux  and  Marquion,  through 
Havrincourt,    fipdhy   and   Vermand,   then    followed    the  Crozat  Canal. 


Cainbrai 


IV.       —     THE    OFFENSIVES     AGAINST    THE     OUTWORKS   OF    THE 

HINDENBURG     LINE. 
September   10-25. 

The  Germans  had  reached  the  advanced  defences  of  their  famous 
Hindenburg  Line,  consisting  of  the  old  British  lines  lost  in  March. 
These  formidable  positions  protected  the  ramparts  of  the  Hinden- 
burg   Line,    said    to    be    impregnable. 

On  September  10,  the  British  3rd  and  4th  Armies  (Byng  and 
Rawlinson)  attacked  between  Havrincourt  and   Holnon. 

The    4th    Army    took    Vermand,    the    western    outskirts  of  Holnon 
Woods,  and  gained  a  footing  in  fipehy  and  Jeancourt.      On  the  13th, 
after  desperate  fighting,  it  captured 
the  woods  and    village    of    Holnon. 

The  3rd  Army  crossed  the  Canaf 
du  Nord,  south  of  the  Bapaume- 
Cambrai  road,  turned  the  positions 
from  Havrincourt  to  Gouzeaucourt, 
and  captured  the  greater  part  of 
them,  the  enemy  resisting  desper- 
ately. 

The  same  day  (Sept.  12),  the 
American  1st  Army  captured  the 
whole  of  the  St.  Mihiel  Salient,  with 
15,000  prisoners  and  200  guns.  (See 
the  Guide. -The  Battle  of  St.  Mihiel.) 

On  the  18th,  a  general  attack 
was  launched  by  the  British  3rd 
and  4th  Armies,  in  haison  with  the 
French  1st  Army.  All  the  enemy's 
positions  between  Gouzeaucourt 
and  Holnon  were  captured,  with 
10,000  prisoners  and  150  guns. 

To  the  south,  Debeney's  Army 
took  over  the  front  of  Humbert's 
Army  —  transferred  to  the  sector 
of  the  10th  Army  —  the  latter, 
due  to  the  shortening  of  the  front, 
being  sent  to  Lorraine,  for  a  new 
offensive. 

Debeney's  Army,  extending  south 
of  the  Oise,  attacked,  and  after 
capturing  Dallon  Spur,  Castres  and 
Essigny-le-Grand,  reached  the  valley 
of  the  Oise,  from  Vendeuil  to  La  Fere. 


52 


Pbace  aftek  strife,  life  in  the  ruins. 
Miharicourt,  .between  Chaulnes  and  Caix,  in  1919 


Disorganized  and  exhausted,  their  ranks  depleted,  the  enemy  were 
now  incapable  of  attempting  a  counter-offensive. 

To  avoid  this  continuous,  exhaustive  battle,  the  Germans  sought 
refuge  in  positions  which  they  believed  to  be  impregnable,  and  where 
they  hoped  to  rest,  reorganize  and  reconstitute  their  reserves. 

This  was  an  imperious  necessity,  as  from  July  15  to  September  25, 
163  of  their  divisions  had  been  engaged,  75  of  them  two  or  three  times. 

On  September  26,  despite  a  reduction  of  120  miles  in  the  length  of 
the  front,  they  were  forced  to  maintain  practically  the  same  number 
of  divisions  in  line  as  on  July  15,  owing  to  their  decreased  effective 
strength   and   fighting   value. 

Moreover,  to  keep  these  forces  effective,  ten  divisions  had  to  be 
dissolved,  and  the  battalions  of  fifty  others  reduced  from  four  to  three 
companies.  Large  numbers  of  men  were  called  up  from  the  works, 
in   order  to  husband  their  last  resources  —   the   1920  recruits. 

Everywhere,  the  Allied  armies  were  in  contact  with  the  Ilindenburg 
Line,  ready  for  the  grand  assault  against  the  formidable  positions 
from  which  the  enemy  had  set   out   on  March  21  for  Paris  and  victory. 


5.-^ 


ki^^'':^^^ht^^^^  i. 


iS^fiSliT^v 


r/ie    a6o«e    photojraph   represents    an    assemblage    of    the    maps   on 
which  the  Staff  of  the  French  ZJth  Corps  traced  the  front  from  day  to  day. 

By    bringing  out  the  two   lines  of  July  15  and  November  2    (exactly 
reproduced),  and  by  adding  a  few  unimportant  touches  inside   and  the  spike   of  the  helmet, 
one  of  the   Staff   draughtsmen   obtained    this  curious  figure    of    Oermania    on    her    knees. 

With   the  lielp  of  the  inset    sketch-map,  it  is   easy  to  trace  the  salients  of   Ypres,  Arras 
Montdidier,  Chateau-Thierry  (crossed  by    Die    Vesle),  Rheims,   Verdun,  and   St.   Mihiel. 


In  six  weeks,  by  repeated,  inter-related  attacks,  vigorously  executed 
without  respite,  the  Allies  had  flattened  out  the  salient  from  St.  Quen- 
tin  to  beyond  Montdidier  and  Albert,  produced  by  the  German  push. 

The  end  was  near.  To  avoid  a  mihtary  disaster  without  precedent 
in  the  world's  history,  the  enemy  soon  afterwards  sued  for  an  armistice 
and   peace. 


54 


W3ri  ■-. 
Ginchy  {between  Bapaume  and  Pi'ronne)  bombarded  by  the  British    {July  11,    1916). 


Ginchy,  ten  days  later  {July  21,  1916). 


Oinchy,  two  days  before  Us  capture  by  the  British   (Sept.   7,    J'.tie). 

iLLUSTRATINa   THE  PROGRESSIVE    DESTRUCTION*  OF    .K    VI[,I,AGE    BY   .ARTILLERY. 

Tiiki'il   from   Ihf   Miihillii    diiidi' :  ■'  'VUV.    KlItST   li  \TTI.i:   ')K   Till     SiiMMK". 


55 


Modern  wak  Weapons. 

A  heavy  trench-mortar  of  the  3rd  Australian  Medium  Trench-Mortar  Battery  in  action 
at  Ville-sur-Ancre.  on  May  29,  191S,  when  the  German  front  line  was  only  4'JO  y  irds  beyond 
this  farm-house. 


PfiRONNE  IN  1918.  The  Grande  Place.  Captured   German  Gtrss. 

Tuhen  from  the  Guide  :  THE  FlKST  BATTLE  OF  THK   Somme, 


AMIK.VS,    DURING    THK    (JERMAN    OiFEXSIVKS    OF    1913. 

(1)     Fire    at    the    Saint-Frires    Works,    April    23,    1918. 

(2)  Platforms  at  the  Gare  dii  Xord,  Mail.  lOlS.  (3)  One  of  the   Warehouses  at  the  Goods  StatUin 

(4)  One  of  the  buildings  at  the  Saint-Fr^res  Works.  (5)    The  Rue  de  la  Holoie. 

(6)  The  Rue  des  Jacobins  and  the  Passage  du  Commerce  connecting  it  with 

the  Rue  des  Trots  Cailloux. 


To    visit   AMIENS, 
centre    of    the    itineraries    for    Bapaume    and    P6ronne    ("  The 
First  Battle  of  the  Somme  ")   and  Montdidier  and  Compiegne 
("  The  Second  Battle  of  the   Somme  "),   sec  the    MICIIi:r,IN 

Illustrated    Guide  : 

"AMIENS,   before  and  during  the  AVar.  " 


S7 


FROM    AMIENS    TO    COIVIPIEGIME 

Lunch  at  Montdidier. 


The  roads 

to  he 

folio  ii-Pd 

are  shown 

by  heavy 

lines 

Detailed  shelch 

maps  are 

incorporaled 

ill  Die  text. 


Thiescb'JrC-'^ 


AMIENS    TO    COMPIEGNE 


See  route-map,  p.  57. 

From      Amiens     to     Vi  Her  s  -  B  r  e  t  on  n  eux 
via    Longueau,  Gentelles   and    Cachy. 

Leave  Amiens  by  Exit  V  (Michelin  Tourist  Guide)  {Rue  Jules-Barni, 
Chauss^e  Peri gord  and  X.  35).  Cross  the  railivai]  twice  (I.e.)  or  if  preferred, 
lake  the  road   on    the  right  under  the    railway.      Longueau  is  soon  reached. 

The  road  from  Amiens  to  the  crossing  over  the  river  Avre,  before 
reaching  Longueau,  follows  the  left  bank  of  the  Somme.  Market- 
gardens  famous  for  their  fertility  and  known  locally  as  " /ior/i7?onnag'es  " 

lie  in  the  valley,  especially  around 
C.amon.  Formerly,  the  river-side  sei- 
gneurs above  Amiens,  met  once  a  year 
for  wild  swan-shooting  in  the  valley 
of  the  Somme.  The  custom  died  out 
in  the  18th  century,  poaching  having 
Ijy   then  exterminated  the  swans. 

It  was  at  Longueau  that  the  Roman 
roads  from  Amiens  to  Rheims  and  to 
St.  Quentin  crossed  the  river  Avre. 
Gallo-Roman  tombstones  were  discover- 
ed in  1848,  while  excavating  near  the 
first  bridge  at  Longueau.  In  1590,  the 
Leaguers  held  the  village  to  ransom,  and  the  Spaniards  burnt  it  in  1636. 

Beyond  Longueau,  leave  the  Montdidier  road  on  the  right,  and  keep 
straight  along  the  road  to  Roye  for  4  1/2  kms.  Take  the  second  road  on 
the  left,  to  Gentelles.  Gun  emplacements,  shelters  and  trenches  are 
met  with  on  both  sides  of  the  road.  Gentelles  Wood  is  on  the  right. 
'See  sketch-map,  p.   59). 

Pass  through  Gentelles  village,  entirely  destroyed.  11/2  kms.  beyond 
Gentelles  stands  a  ])artly  destroyed  monument  to  the  memory  of  the 
French  who    fell     in    I  lie   Franco-German   War    of    1870     (photo  below). 


Monument 

TO  THE 

French  de.\d 
OF  1870, 

.^T     ENTRANCE 

TO    CmHV. 


59 


RmNS   OF 

Cachy 
Church. 


Leave  the  monument  on  the  right,  and  enter  Cachy    (completely  ruined). 

At  the  fork  beyond  Cachy,  take  the 
middle  road,  between  the  Woods  of  Aquenne 
and  Abbe,  in  which  are  trenches,  wire 
entanglements  and  shelters.  Coming  out 
into  the  main  road  from  Amiens  to 
Yillers-Brctonneux  (G.  C.  201),  take  same 
on   the   right.  {See  sketch-map,  p.  62). 

After   passing    over   the    railway,   Villers-Bretonneux    is   reached. 


Cmtcllcs 


VlI.I.EKS-HliETONNETTX.  —     RCINS   OF    THK  VlU.AGE   AND    CHTTRCH. 


60 


Villers-Bretonneux.    The   Church,   in   May   1918. 

Foniifiiy  a  country  village,  the  cotton-spinning  industry  later 
transformed  it  into  a  small  town.  The  war  has  left  it  in  ruins.  (See 
p.    til.) 


From  Villers-Bretonneux  to  Moreuil, 
via     Oemuin,    Hill    104,    M6zieres    and    Villers-aux-^rabies. 

Leave  Villers-Bretonneux  by  the    road  to  Demuin,  on  the  right  (G.  C.  23). 

See  route-map,   p.   62. 

Fro/71  Hill  98,  1  km.  bcijond  the  railwaij,  near  the  junction  with 
the  mad  leading  to  Caclu/,  and  close  to  a  Franco-British  cenieteri],  there 
IS    an    extensive   view    of    I  lie   battlefield    around    Villers-Bretonneux. 


til 

VlLLERS- 

Bretonneux. 

Chttrch 
IN  Nov    1918. 


Street 

IN 
VlLLERS- 

Bretonneux 

AFTER 

RECAPTURE 

OF  THE  VILLAGE. 


Franco- 
British 

Cemetery 

NEAR 

Hill  98. 

In  the 

background: 

VlLLERS- 

Bretonneux. 


62 


The    Battle  of   1870. 


It  was  around  Villers-Bretonneux  that  on  November  27,  1870,  part 
of  the  battle  known  as  the  "  Battle  of  Amiens  ",  was  fought  between 
the  Prussians  and  the  French  Army  of  the  North. 

The  French  troops,  about  10,000  in  number,  under  the  command 
of  General  Farre,  were  deployed  from  the  railway  (between  Villers- 
Bretonneux  and  Marcelcave)  to  Cachy  and  Gentelles  (on  the  Boves 
road),  and  on  the  high  ground  dominating  the  valleys  of  the  Somme, 
Luce  and  Avre.  The  Prussians,  under  General  Manteuffel,  far  more 
numerous  and  better  equipped  with  artillery  than  the  French,  de- 
bouched from  the  valley  of  the  Luce  and  the  roads  from  P6ronne 
and  Roye  to  Amiens,  the  battle  opening  on  the  two  wings. 

The  enemy  partly  took  Cachy  and  approached  Gentelles,  but  were 
driven  back  towards  the  river  Luce,  after  the  brilliant  capture  of  Do- 
mart  Wood  by  the  French.  Cachy,  partly  abandoned  by  the  French 
after  desperate  resistance  and  heavy  losses,  was  afterwards  cleared 
of   the    enemy    with    great    dash. 

Unfortunately  the  French  line  from  Cachy  to  Villers-Bretonneux 
was  too  weakly  held  to  stay  the  Prussians,  who  got  the  upper  hand 
in  the  afternoon  and  forced  the  French  back.  To  the  enemy's 
forty  guns  the  French  could  only  oppose  sixteen  (four  batteries),  and 
they    were,    moreover,    short    of    ammunition. 

A  Prussian  battery,  which  had  succeeded  in  taking  up  a  position 
near  Cachy,  enfiladed  the  French  line.  In  Villers-Bretonneux,  detach- 
ments of  French  Marines  fought  a  violent  engagement  in  the  streets, 
giving  ground  only  step-by-step.  The  enemy  sustained  heavy  losses 
and  were  unable  seriously  to  hamper  the  French  withdrawal  towards 
Corbie  and  Amiens. 

A  monument  was  erected  at  Villers-Bretonneux,  south  of  the  rail- 
way, to  the  memory  of  the  French  soldiers  who  fell  in  this  battle. 

Fierce  fighting  took  place  in  1918  around  the  monument,  which 
was    completely    destroyed. 


ii.i 


GEKMA>f    PUISONERS    ENTERINQ    VILLERS-BRETONNEUX.    (August   1918.) 


The     Battles    of     1918. 

Prolonged  and  violent  engagements  were  fought  from  March  to  Au- 
gust, 1918,  in  the  vicinity  of  Villers-Bretonneux,  for  the  possession  of 
Amiens.  The  battlefield  consisted  of  a  plateau  occupied,  from  north- 
east to  south-west,  by  Villers-Bretonneux,  Abb6  Wood,  Cachy  and 
Gentelles.  This  plateau  was  the  last  dominating  position  in  front  of 
Amiens.  From  Villers-Bretonneux,  situated  on  the  main  road  from 
St.  Quentin  to  Amiens,  and  ten  miles  from  the  latter,  the  ground  slopes 
gradually  down  towards  the  great  Picardian  City  and  the  confluence  of 
the  rivers  Avre  and  Somme. 

From  March  28  onwards,  this  plateau  was  held  by  Australian  divi- 
sions, the  famous  Anzacs,  who  covered  themselves  with  glory  there 
by  staying  the  Germans.  At  the  beginning  of  April,  the  latter  attempt- 
cd  to  outflank  Villers  from  the  north   and   south,    with  but    little  suc- 


Franco-British   Cemetkry   at  "  Crucifix   Corner  ' 
ON  the  Villers-Bretonneux-Demuin  road. 


(54 


'J^i^  ^;?vr 


Hangaed   Village,   in   ritins.  The  Church   is  on   the   hight. 

cess.  On  the  24th,  after  a  bombardment  with  high  explosive  and  gas 
shells,  lasting  the  whole  of  the  previons  night,  they  threw  four  divi- 
sions (50,000  men),  supported  by  five  tanks  each  fitted  with  three 
guns  and  a  central  turret,  against  the  Fouilloy-Cachy  front,  barely 
three  miles  wide.  From  7  to  10  a.  m..  the  attacking  waves  went 
forward  unceasingly  in  the  morning  mists.  At  about  11  a.  m.,  the 
British  had  to  give  way,  under  an  intensely  fierce  onslaught,  and  the 
Ciermans  entered   Villers   from   the  north  and  south. 

Clinging  to  the  western  approaches  of  the  village,  the  British, 
throughout  the  afternoon  and  night  of  the  24th,  prevented  the  enemy 
from  debouching,  while  their  artillery  fire  made  the  position  practically 
untenable.  Two  German  battalions  only  were  able  to  maintain  them- 
selves   in    the   cellars   and   ruins   of  the  houses.      In  the  evening  of  the 


Iwji'^***^ 


■Aij,*^.- "*'*•.  ..  •>,. 


■    I 


Entrance  to   DEiimN   village. 


( 

'.I'll 

lei 

es 

lliiiiUMril 

I)( 

mail. 

Iiein 

nil . 

W 

O0( 

. 

11, 

"n 

iinl. 

Wocid. 

1 

j 

t 

1 

Panorama    seen    from   Him,   102. 


25th,  while  troops  of  the  Moroccan  Division  recaptured  the  monument 
south  of  the  Vlllers  railway.  British  units  debouched  from  Abbe  Wood, 
and  advancing  via  the  ravine  north  of  Vlllers,  Aquenne  Wood  and  the 
station  to  the  south,  surrounded  and  recaptured  the  village  afterahand-to- 
hand  fight  lasting  all  night.  A  3-gun  tank  and  over  700  prisoners  were 
taken.  To  the  south-west,  in  the  vicinity  of  Cachy  and  Gentelles,  the 
enemy  check  was  equally  severe.  On  the  24th,  a  regular  battle  of 
tanks  took  place  near  Cachy,  in  which  the  Germans  were  routed  and 
Cachy  reoccupied.  The  four  German  divisions  lost  the  battle,  and  left 
the  ground  covered  with   their  dead. 

On  May  2,  there  was  again  sharp  fighting  near  the  Monument,  but 
during  the  following  weeks,  the  enemy  ceased  their  attacks.  The 
Australians,  by  local  operations,  enlarged  their  positions  north-east 
of  Villers-Bretonneux  and  between  Vlllers  and  the  Somme.  On  the  night 
of  May  23,  the  enemy  violently  bombarded  Vlllers,  and  on  the  25th 
made  another   powerful  effort  south  of  the  village,  but  without  success. 

Follow  G.  C.  23,  which  runs  close  to  Hangard  Wood,  the  trees  of 
which  were    devasted   by   the    shells.    {See  map,  p.  62.) 

Descend  from  the  plateau  to  Demuin,  visible  at  tlic  bottom  of  the 
valley  of  the  Luce.  There  is  a  large  British  cemetery  on  the  right. 
Tourists   may  here  turn  to  the  riglit  as  far   as   Hangard.      {See  p.  66.) 

After  visiting  the  village  (completely  devas- 
tated), re/;///! /o  Demuin.  Take  tlw  main  street, 
then  the  last  street  of  the  village  and  the  uphill 
road  indicated  in  tlw  sketch-map  opposite,  to 
Hill  102,  from  wliich  there  is  a  fine  view  of 
Demuin,  the  valley  of  the  Luce,  Hangard, 
Domart  and    Gentelles   Wood   (plioto   above). 

Return  to  Demuin,  and  take  G.  C.  23  to  Hill 
104    {See  map,  p.  62). 


66 

Amiens  Gentelles 
Koad.    Wood.    Iiomart.   Jrcncli. 


Anueniie 
Cacliv.  Wood. 


Hang;ii'd 
Hansard.  Wood- 


Villers- 
Brelonneux. 


PANORAMA  OP  THE  LUCE  VAL 


Hill  104. 

Hill  104,  at  the  crossing  of  the  Demuin-Moreuil  road  with  the 
Roye-Amiens  road,    commands   the  valleys   of  the  Luce  and  the  Avre. 

Hangard  and  Hangard  Wood,  seen  to  the  north,  were  the  scene  of 
furious  fighting  in  1918.  This  vital  position  enabled  the  Germans 
to  hold  the  river  Luce,  which  they  needed  to  consolidate  the  Montdi- 
dier-Moreuil  salient,  and  for  their  advance  south-east  of  Amiens. 

As  early  as  March  27,  units  of  Debeney's  Army,  under  the  command 
of  General  Mesple,  were  pushed  south  of  the  Luce  in  support  of  the 
British  who  were  holding  the  line  :  Le  Quesnel,  Beaucourt,  Cayeux, 
Guillaucourt  and  Proyart.  However,  on  the  28th,  the  Germans  carried 
Guillaucourt,  north  of  Cayeux,  descended  to  the  woods  in  the  Luce 
Valley,  and  drove  back  the  British  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Cayeux. 
Meanwhile,  General  Mesple's  detachment,  in  accordance  with  instruc- 
tions, stubbornly  held  their  positions  on  the  Caix-Le  Quesnel  plateau, 
although  unprotected  on  their  left.  The  first  battalions  of  the  French 
22nd  Division  were  despatched  immediately  on  arrival  to  Hangard 
and  Domart,  in  support  of  the  British.  On  the  29th,  the  Germans 
attacked  Demuin  on  the  Luce  and  forced  the  Allies  to  abandon 
M^ziferes  and  to  fall  back  on   Moreuil  and  the  Avre. 


67 


Deniuin. 


Marxclcave. 


Corner  of  Woort. 
South  of  Demuiii 


.-iaJ.  •L«T«-(^-' 


-^•^ 


iEN   FROM   HILL    1U4. 


On  the  31st,  they  gained  a  footing  in  Hangard  after  prolonged 
efforts.  In  the  evening  and  throughout  the  night  they  vainly  attempt- 
ed to  enlarge  their  gains  to  the  west.  The  Franco-British  troops 
repulsed  all  assaults  and  prevented  the  enemy  debouching  from 
the  village,  which  the  French  soon  afterwards  recaptured  in  a  dashing 
counter-attack.  On  April  4,  the  Germans  attempted  to  turn  Hangard 
from  the  south  and  attacked  Hill  104.  After  getting  to  within 
50  yards  of  it,  they  were  checked  at  the  foot  of  the  hill,  and  fell  back 
in  disorder.  They  then  attempted  to  slip  in  along  the  ravines,  but 
the  Allied   artillery   drove  them   back  with  very  heavy  losses. 

On  the  6th  and  8th,  fighting  was  resumed  in  the  vicinity  of  Han- 
gard, where  the  French  29th  Division  held  their  ground.  On  the  9th, 
Hangard  was  lost  and  retaken,  together  with  the  cemetery  situated 
about  200  yards  east  of  the  village.  On  the  11th,  a  fresh  German 
attack  was  made  against  the  Hangard-Hourges  front.  The  enemy, 
held  before  Hourges,  gained  a  footing  in  Hangard,  where  the  fighting 
was  desperate.  On  the  morning  of  the  12th,  the  Germans  surrounded 
the  chateau  and  occupied  the  whole  of  the  wood  on  Hill  104.  A 
single  French  battalion  in  the  village  held  out  against  four  German 
battalions.      In   the   direction   of   Hourges   the  enemy  was  held. 

In  Hangard  Chateau,  the  French  battalion,  although  surrounded 
since  10  a.  m.,  was  still  holding  out  at  6.30  p.  m.,  in  spite  of  repeated 
attacks.  At  night-fall,  a  counter-attack  by  one  French  and  one  Bri- 
tish battalions  recaptured  the  village  and  castle,  and  drove  back  the 
enemy  to  the  cemetery.  127  men,  3  officers  and  15  machine-guns 
were  captured,  and  35  Allied  prisoners  released.  On  April  15,  before 
it  was  relieved,  the  29th  Division,  which  had  performed  prodigies  of 
valour  in  its  efforts  to  save  Hangard,  made  it  a  point  of  honour  to 
clear  the  village  entirely  before  leaving.  One  company  carried  the 
cemetery  in  briUiant  style.  On  the  19th,  a  German  effort  against  the 
village  and  wood  failed.  On  the  24th,  the  fighting  was  again  fiercest 
around  Hangard,  which  was  defended  by  only  one  battalion.  A  whole 
German  division  attacked  and  after  carrying  the  wood  boarded  the 
village  from  the  north.  At  the  same  time  they  attacked  Hill  104 
from    the  south,  at  the  foot   of  which   they  had    been  held  on   the  4tli, 


68 


Maiso.v    Blanche.    —  British   Tanks   going   into    action. 


Enfiladed  by  machine-guns  posted  in  front  of  Tlienncs,  tlie  Germans 
failed  to  reach  that  village,  but  persisted  in  their  efforts  against 
Hangard.  After  seven  furious  onslaughts,  from  6.30  a.  m.  to  4.30  p.  m.. 
they  occupied  the  cemetery,  in  which  a  single  company,  entirely  cut 
off  from  all  support,  held  out  all  that  day.  Units  of  the  battalion,  hard 
pressed  from  the  north,  east  and  south,  shut  themselves  up  with  their 
Commandant  in  the  Chateau,  and  made  a  vigorous  defence.  Between 
3  and  5  p.  m.,  the  following  message  was  signalled  three  times  :  "  Sur- 
rounded in  Hangard  but  still  holding  out  ".  At  6  p.  m.  the  Chateau 
was  stormed,  and  the  commandant  taken  prisoner  with  the  remain- 
ing survivors.  Taking  advantage  of  the  confusion  caused  by  the 
French  bombardment  among  his  captors,  he  escaped  with  his  men 
and  re-entered  the  castle,  where  he  continued  lo  hold  oul  until  night- 
fall,     lie  was  finally  captured  in  the  course  of  another  attack. 

In  spite  of  their  strenuous  efforts,  the  Germans  were  unable  to  de- 
bouch from  Hangard  iluring  the  night.  On  the  25th,  the  French 
counter-attacked,  and  after  crossing  the  Luce  at  various  points,  reoc- 
cupied  Verger  hamlet,  Hangard  village,  and  part  of  Hangard  Wood, 
repulsing    all    German    counter-attacks. 

On  the  26th,  the  4th  Regiment  of  the  Moroccan  Division  complet- 
ed the  clearing  of  the  wood.  Although  the  British  attack  on  their 
right  was  unsuccessful,  a  battalion  of  "  Legionnaires  "  succeeded  in 
outllanking  the  north-eastern  corner  of  the  wood,  in  which  they  gained 
a  fooling.  They  were  followed  soon  afterwards  by  a  second  battalion 
siip])ortc(l  by  P>rilisli  tanks  which  undertook  the  destruction  of  the 
(icrmaii  machine-guns  nests.  Driven  from  the  wood,  the  Germans 
bombarded  it  heavily  with  (iin.  and  Sin.  shells,  but  could  not  drive 
out  the  l'"rciich.  Finally  the  Germans  retreated  2  kms,  two  of  their 
divisions  being  thrown  into  disorder.  One  of  them,  which  had  just 
relieved  the  other,  suffered  such  heavy  losses  that  it  had  to  be  sent  to 
the  rear  two  days  after  coming  into  line.  On  the  28th,  the  Germans 
launched  unsuccessful  counler-attacks  against  the  wood,  which  was 
finally  cleared  by  l-'rciicii  Infantry  and  liritish  tanks.  Thereafter, 
the    enemy  were  unable  to  make  any  advance  in  this  region. 

At  Hill    104,   lake  on  the  left  the  road  to    Roije   (G.   C.  203),  and  cross 


69 


IVIaison  Blanche.  Take  the  first  road  on  the  left  (G.  C.  28),  and  skirt  the 
Chdteau  of  Beaucuiirl,  in  the  park  of  which  there  is  a  French  cemetery. 
Go  through  Beaucourt,  and  keep  along  the  road  to  Caix  (See  map,  p. 
66).  Saps,  battery  positions,  and  a  German  cemetery  are  to  be  seen 
along  the  road.  Caix  is  an  ancient  market-town.  Objects  dating  from 
the  Bronze  Age  have  been  discovered  there.  The  15th-16th  century 
Sainte-Croix  Church  [Hist.  Mon.),  standing  half-way  up  the  hill,  is 
of  archteological  interest.  The  famous  square  belfry  on  the  left  is 
flanked  to  the  top  by  buttresses  surmounted  by  four  low,  massive 
corbel-turrets  with  bell-shaped  roofs.  A  door  in  the  western  front 
forms  a  low  overhanging  arch  with  accolade-shaped  archivolts, 
ornamented    with    inset     pinnacles. 

A  large  doorway  in  the  fafade,  comprising  two  elliptical  leaves,  is 
surmounted  by  high,  pointed  arcading  forming  a  tympanum.  On  the 
lirst  story,  a  delicate,  open-work  balustrade  recalls  that  of  Tilloloy  ; 
above  is  a  fine  rose  window.  The  roof  was  rebuilt  on  modified  lines 
after  the  terrible  fire  of  April  1768,  which  practically  destroyed  the 
whole  village.  The  south  front  doorway  dates  from  1530.  Its  arch  is 
ornamented    with     delicately    carved    vine-foliage. 

The  16th  century  pillars,  without  capitals,  in  the  nave,  are  decor- 
ated with  finely  carved  canopies,  several  of  which  are  mutilated.  The 
present  consoles  and  statues  standing  against  the  pillars  are  unfortun- 
ately not  the  original  ones.  In  the  aisles,  the  brackets  on  which  the 
springing  of  the  pointed  arches  rests,  are  ornamented  with  figures  of 
persons,  lizards  and  dHcmons...  The  pillars  of  the  choir  with  their 
foliate  capitals,  and  the  transept  and  chancel  are  14th:century.  The 
high  altar  comprises  a 
reredos.  The  carved  pulpit 
and  confessional  are  in  the 
Renaissance  style.  The 
richly  ornamented  font  has 
disappeared.  A  large  holy- 
water  basin  of  unusual 
shape  (truncated  cone)  is 
adorned  with  several  black 
circles. 

All  the  zinc  and  lead- 
work  was  stripped  off  and 
taken  away  by  the  Ger- 
mans during  the  occupa- 
tion of  1918.  The  wooden 
leaves  of  the  entrance  door 
were  removed.  The  build- 
ing suffered  severely  from 
the  bombardments.  The 
upper  part  of  the  belfry 
fell  down  and  the  stained 
glass  was  destroyed.  Part 
of  the  cornice  and  the 
frame-work  of  the  chevet 
were  ruined. 

The  fortified  chateau  ot 
Caix,  vestiges  of  which 
still  remain,  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  1400. 


; 


»-  \ 


\ 


(_AI-\     CHUKCli. 


70 


MftZtfiRES     CHUBCH. 

The  village  did  not  suffer  greatly  from  the  bombardments. 

Caix  was  captured  by  the  Germans  on  March  28,  1918,  and  retaken 
by  the  British  at  the  same  time  as  Beaucourt-en-Santerre,  on  the  even- 
ing of  August  8,  i.  e.,  the  first  day  of  the   British  offensive  in  Picardy. 

Leave  the  village  by  the  road  taken  on  entering.  Beyond  Beaucourt, 
keep  straight  on  as  far  as  Mezidres,  where  take  the  second  road  on  the 
right  to  the  church  {See  map,  p.  66). 

The  village  of  MeziSres  was  attacked  by  the  Germans,  on  March  28, 
1918,  after  the  withdrawal  of  the  British.  On  the  29th,  units  of  the 
French  133rd  Division,  which  were  defending  Mdzieres,  were  unable 
to    hold   the   overwhelming  numbers   of  the   enemy,    who    captured  the 


•«*> 


VILLKRS-Atrx-EKAISLES.     --    TUK     RUINKU    (  lIATEAf. 


71 


village.  On  August  8,  at  the  beginning  of  the  offensive  by  Debeney's 
Army,  the  village  was  recaptured  by  the  42nd  Division,  while 
the   37th    Division    progressed    east  of  Genonville  "Wood. 

At  the  church,  take  the  street  on  tl\e  left,  then  the  first  on  the  right  (G.  C. 
28),  to  Villers-aux-Erables.  The  village  was  almost  entirely  des- 
troyed ;   its    Chateau   is   in   ruins. 

The  road,  alony  which  are  numerous  graves,  trenches  and  shelters, 
next  crosses  the  plateau,  where  the  133rd  Infantry  and  4th  Cavalry 
Divisions  so  heroicallv  retarded  the  German  onrush  of  March  26-28,  1918. 


Moreuil. 

Moreuil,  next    reached,  was    fortified   in  the  Middle-Ages,  but  to-day 
nothing  remains   of   the  former    ramparts.      The   Chateau   alone  is   still 
existent,  and   is   reached  by    taking 
the    third    turning  on    the     left     {See 
slietcli-map  opposite). 

The  Chateau,  comprising  the  ruins 
of  four  bastions  with  very  thick 
walls,  was  rebuilt  in  the  14th  or 
15th  century  on  the  site  of  a  pre- 
vious castle  which  probably  stood 
near  the  church.  In  1434,  it  was 
besieged  and  captured  by  the  Anglo- 
Burgundians.  In  1588,  it  was 
occupied     by     the     Leaguers.       In 

1636,  during  the  disastrous  "Corbie  year",  it  was  taken  by  the  Span- 
iards, from  whom  the  French  wrested  it  shortly  afterwards.  In  1791, 
it  was  |)illagcd  by  the  people,  like  the  ChMeau  of  Mailly-Raineval. 
Ancient  cannon  from  the  Chateau  are  now  in  the  Museum  of  Picardy 
at  Amiens.  The  modern  portion,  which  served  as  a  living  apartment, 
stood      between  ■    the*^  two     western     towers,      and     was     built     under 


iHh;    AVKK    Al'    MOREITIL. 


1i 


-MOKEUIL. 


Tub  l'hukcu  before  the  w.u:. 


Louis  XVIII.  It  is  now  in  ruins  [phulu  p.  28).  A  large  stone  cross, 
wlilch  formerly  stood  before  the  doorway  of  the  parisli  church,  was 
removed  and  erected  near  the  chapel  of  the  Chateau.  This  14th  century 
monument  comprised  a  pedestal  of  three  superimposed  stories,  and  a 
columnar  shaft  and  cross,  slightly  more  modern  than  the  pedestal. 
The   cross   has   disappeared,   and   only  part   of  the  pedestal  remains. 

Turn  hack  and  follow  the  street  straight  to   the  church. 

I-"ormerly  the  old  abbey  church  of  a  Benedictine  Monastery  which 
stood  within  the  castle  walls,  it  was  rebuilt  in  modern  times  in  15th 
century  style  —  except  the  facade  which  dates  from  the  latter  part  of 
the  16th  century  —  when  Ihe  place  belonged  to  the  Crecpu  family. 
The  facade  {Hist.  Mon.)  bears  a  great  likeness  to  that  of  St.  Peter's 
Church   at    Montdidier.      It   comprises    two  large  porches,   above   which 


MoREUiL.       The  Chi  hch  in   1919. 


rose  the  square  tower  of 
the  belfry  and  the  gable  of 
the  nave. 

The  left-hand  doorway 
comprises  six  pointed  arches, 
the  third  one  from  the  in- 
side being  the  most  richly 
ornamented.  This  arch  com- 
prises a  series  of  ten  carved 
subjects,  each  under  a  ca- 
nopy. 

The  right-hand  doorway 
is  a  replica  on  a  larger  scale 
of  the   left-hand    one. 

A  Flamboyant  gallery 
runs  above  the  doors.  At 
the  base  of  the  belfry,  on 
the  northern  front,  is  a 
beautiful  pointed  window 
with  rich  IGlh  century 
ornamentation. 

The  church  was  severely 
damaged  during  the  battles 
of  1918.  The  tower  was 
destroyed  and  the  porches 
were   badly   mutilated. 

The  interior  collapsed  ; 
the  pillars  alone  remain 
standing. 

Turn  lejt   into  the  road  which  descends  to  the   Aore. 
destroyed  in  1918,  and  replaced  by  two  wooden  ones. 

Morisel    is  next  reached,   which   pass  through.     (See   sketch-map,  p. 


MoRETTiL  Church. 


The    bridge  was 


71.) 


Building  a  Bridge  across  tui:  Avue,  near  Moueuil. 


Mailly-Raineval,  seen  from  the  Road  to  Hill   103. 

From  Moreuil  to  Montdidier, 

via    Mailly-Raineval,    Qrlvesnes    and    Cantigny. 
Mailly-Raineval    and    Hill    103 

On  leaving  Morisel,  there  is  a  large  German  cemetery,  from  which  a 
very  fine  view  of  Moreuil  and  the  valley  of  the  Avre  may  be  had.  Take 
the  G.  C.  14,  on  the  left,  as  far  as  Mailly-Raineval,  entering  the  village 
by  the  road  on  the  left.  {See  sketch-map,    p.   77.) 

This    village,   first    known    as    Raineval,   took    the    name    of  Mailly- 


f - 

rtii  'x 


*\. 


Ks.^.'!Wi^ 


Maii,ly-Raineval.  —    Ruins  of   the   Chateau. 


75 


.Mailly-Raineval,  seen  from  the  West  side  of  Hill  103. 
On  the  right  :   The  Church  and  Chateau  ;  in  the  background  .-  ArriSke-Coue  Wood. 


Raineval  in  1744,  when  it  became  ttie  property  of  tlie  illustrious  house 
of  Mailly.  The  Chateau,  in  ruins  since  1879,  was  mostly  built  in  the 
16th  century,  on  the  site  of  the  former  castle,  destroyed  at  the  time  of 
the  Jacquerie.  The  ruins  of  the  Chateau  include  a  broken  tower  dat- 
ing from  the  end  of  the  14th  century,  and  substructures  still  measur- 
ing 250  feet  in  length.  The  latter,  which  were  severely  damaged  by 
the  bombardments,  used  to  support  the  three  stories  of  the  imposing 
Chateau   {photo  opposite).  The  village  is  now  a  complete  ruin. 

200  yards  further  on,  the  road  leads  to  the  foot  of  Hill  103  which 
can    be    ascended   on   foot. 

From  this  hill,  there  is  a  fine  view  of  Moreuil  Village  and  Wood, 
Sauvillers  {to  the  south-east)  and  Arriere-Cour    Wood.  (See   map,    p.  77.) 

On  March  26,  1918,  the  French  133rd  Division,  brought  up  in  lor- 
ries, and  the  4th  Cavalry  Division,  had  orders  to  protect  the  approaches 
to  Moreuil  and  the  Avre,  and  to  join  hands  with  the  British,  but 
were  forced  to  give  way  under  the  pressure  of  the  enemy's  overwhelm- 
ing numbers.  On  the  29th,  the  French  163rd  Division  had  scarcely 
detrained  when  it  received  orders  to  defend  Moreuil,  under  the  direc- 
tion of  the  General  commanding  the  36th  Corps,  forming  the  left 
of  Debeney's  Army.  The  attack,  led  by  two  German  divisions, 
began  on  the  night  of  the  29th.  Moreuil,  as  the  nearest  point  to 
Amiens,  was  particularly  aimed  at  by  the  enemy,  but  the  Canadians 
and  French  repulsed  all  assaults.  Finally,  after  changing  hands 
several  times,  the  village  was  occupied  by  the  Germans  who  were, 
however,  unable  to  debouch,  although  they  lost  half  of  their  effective 
strength  in  their  attempts  to  do  so.*  On  April  1st  the  British,  support- 
ed by  the   French,   counter-attacked   in   the   woods  north   of   Moreuil. 

On  April  4th,  a  violent  German  effort  on  the  left  bank  of  the  Avre, 


76 


against  the  36th  Corps,  was  twice  checked,  but  the  enemy  finally  suc- 
ceeded, at  very  heavy  cost,  in  capturing  Mailly-Raineval,  Arriere- 
Cour  Wood,  Morisel  and  Castel.  On  April  5,  under  the  command  of 
General  Robillot,  the  French  counter-attacked  :  the  127th,  166th  and 
59th  divisions  towards  Mailly-Raineval,  and  the  17th  division  in 
the  direction  of  Moreuil.  After  driving  the  enemy  from  Arriere-Cour 
Wood,  they  returned  to  the  outskirts  of  Mailly-Raineval.  In  front 
of  Sauvillers,  where  the  tanks  did  good  work,  they  advanced  along 
the  plateau.  To  the  west  of  Castel,  in  S^necat  Wood,  a  furious  engage- 
ment took  place,  in  the  course  of  which  the  enemy  were  driven  back 
with  a  loss  of  100  prisoners.  On  April  17,  the  French  attacked  from 
Mailly  to  Castel,  captured  the  greater  part  of  S^necat  Wood,  gained 
a  footing  in  Gros  Hetre  Wood,  reached  the  outskirts  of  Castel  — 
bristling  with  machine-guns  —  and  on  the  south  attained  the  heights  which 
dominate  the  Avre,  after  taking  over  650  prisoners,  including  20  offi- 
cers. The  same  day,  a  single  French  battalion  thrown  against  the 
village  of  Castel  — •  held  by  five  companies  of  infantry  and  two  compan- 
ies of  machine-gunners,  of  the  German  389th  regiment  of  shock 
troops  —  advanced  1,400  yards,  capturing  several  redoubts,  254  pri- 
soners (including  10  officers),  3nd  31  machine-guns.  On  this  day  also, 
the  tanks  played  a  great  part  in  the  capture  of  Senecat  Wood. 
The  commanding  officer  of  a  company  of  tanks  personally  took  over 
one  of  the  machines,  the  crew  of  which  had  been  put  out  of  action. 
Making  straight  for  Castel,  he  swept  the  streets  of  the  village  with 
his  machine-gun,  then  returned  safely  to  the  French  lines.  Another 
tank,  in  hot  pursuit  of  a  retreating  German  battery  of  77's,  penetrated 
over  600  yards  into  the  enemy's  lines,  where  it  broke  down.  The 
gallant  crew  thereupon  got  out  their  machine-guns  and  held  off  the 
enemy  until  their  ammunition  ran  out.  On  April  24,  an  enemy 
attack  on  Senecat  Wood  failed.  On  May  11.  during  a  violent  attack, 
the  Germans  temporarily  gained  a  footing  in  the  woods  to  the  south- 
west of  Mailly,  but  counter-attacks  drove  them  out.  On  July  12,  the 
French  attacked  near  Castel  and  to  the  south-east  of  Rouvrel,  capturing 
Castel  and   500   prisoners.      On   the   23rd    they   took    Mailly,    Sauvillers, 


.MAlLLVJiAINi:\  AL      IN      FLAMES. 


'3ois  ' 


and  Aubvillers,  capturing  1,800  men,  54  officers,  four  77's,  45  minen- 
werfer,  and  300  machine-guns.  On  August  8,  Debeney's  offensive 
cleared  Morisel,   and  the  66th   Division  captured  Moreuil. 

Return  to   and  keep  along  the  road. 

Trenches,  saps  and  battery  positions  are  met  with.  After  crossing 
the  Louvrechij-Thori]  road,  the  Aillij-siir-Noye-Montdidier  road  is  reached.. 
At  the  crossing,  and  before  talking  G.  C.  26,  on  the  left,  to  Grivesncs,  tourists 
interested  in  arcliasology  should  ialce  it  on  the  right  to  visit  the  church 
of  Ailly-sur-Noye  (5  |  Arms.)  Otherwise,  keep  straight  on  to  Folleville 
(4  i  ^kms.)    {See  sketch-map,   p.    79.) 


AlLLY-StTR-NOYE.    —     THE    PfifiVOTK. 


AlLLY- 

SUR- 
NOYE. 

Interior 

OF    THE 

Church 

IN 

1918. 


Ailly-sur-Noye. 

The  village  of  Ailly-sur-Noye  used  to  possess  a  13th  century 
church,  replaced  a  few  years  ago  by  a  new  edifice,  in  which  the 
following  portions  of  the  ancient  building  were  retained  (under  the 
first  window  of  the  right-hand   aisle)  : 


AiLLY-sua-NovE.  —  The  Tomb  of  the  "  Bastard  of  St.  Pol  ". 


79 


-surJVoi/e 


1)  A  bas-relief  crowned  with  pointed 
trefoil  arcading,  divided  into  three  com- 
partments, depicting  from  right  to  left : 
St.  Martin  cutting  his  mantle,  The  Cru- 
cifixion, and  The  presentation  of  the  donor 
to  Christ,  by    John-the-Baptist. 

2)  The  tomb  of  Jean  de  Luxembourg, 
known  as  the  Bastard  of  St.  Pol.  This 
tomb  {Hist.  Mon.),  comprises  a  blue- 
stone  sarcophagus,  the  front  of  which 
is  ornamented  with  five  mourners,  and 
each  end  with  three  other  mourners 
sheltered  under  arcades.  The  covering 
stone  is  carved  with  the  statues  of  Jean 
de  Luxembourg  and  his  wife,  Catherine 
de  la  Tremouille,  in  demi-relief.  Unfor- 
tunately, the  upper  part  of  these  sta- 
tues  is   damaged. 

Folleville. 

Folleville,  with  the  ruins  of  its  Chateau 
and  its  church,  is  one  of  the  most  inter- 
esting places  in  Picardy,  for  archu'o- 
logists.  The  ruins  of  the  Chateau  (late 
14th  and  early  15th  century),  situated 
on  a  hill,  from  which  there  is  a  very  extensive  view,  are  most  impos- 
ing. The  corner  towers  are  round  ;  that  in  the  middle  of  the 
northern  curtain  is  over  80  feet  high,  and  is  first  round,  then  hexa- 
gonal, and  finally  twelve-sided.  In  proportion  as  it  rises,  it  over- 
hangs by  means  of  moulded  corbels,  which  bold  design  gives  it  a 
larger  diameter   at  the  top  than  at  the  base. 

The  castle,  which  began   to  fall  into  ruins  in   the   17th    century,  was 
further  damaged  at  the  time  of  the  Revolution.      It  is  rich  in  historical 


Folleville  Chatkau 


S(l 


Tomb 

OF 

Raoul 

DE 

Laxxoy 

AND 

HIS 

WIFE. 


^■^4^.     A 


i  I' 


f  r 


y^z 


im 


Tomb 

OF 

Kkascois 

PK 

L AS soy 

A  SI) 

HIS 

WIFE. 


81 


FOLLEVILLB    CHIIRCH. 


memories.  In  1440,  it  was  taken 
by  the  English,  under  Counts 
Somerset  and  Talbot,  and  served 
for  a  long  time  as  their  head- 
quarters. Under  Charles  IX, 
the  castle  served  as  a  meet- 
ing-place for  the  Protestants. 
Later,  the  Leaguers  had  a  gar- 
rison there.  In  February  1592, 
Henri  IV  fought  a  battle  in  the 
neighbourhood,  against  the  troops 
of  the  Duke  of  Parma.  St. 
Vincent-de-Paul  lived  there  as 
tutor  to  M.  de  Bondi's  children, 
and  it  was  at  Folleville  that 
he  inaugurated  the  missions 
which  were  the  chief  aim  of  the 
Congregation  founded  by  him. 

The  church  {Hist.  Mon.)  stand- 
ing near  the  ruined  Chateau, 
comprises  a  late  14th  century 
nave  and  an  early  16th  century 
choir.  The  latter,  intended  as  a 
burial  chapel  for  the  owners  of 
the    castle,    is     the    more   richly 

decorated.  Its  buttresses  are  surmounted  with  pinnacles,  on  one  of  which 
is  a  niche  containing  a  statue  of  the  Virgin.  The  pointed  timber-work 
vaulting  of  the  nave  is  among  the  finest  in  the  Departement  of  the 
Somme,  and  is  decorated  with  satirical  and  chimerical  carvings.  The 
pulpit  is  the  one  from  which,  on  January  25,  1671,  St. -Vincent-de-Paul 
preached  the  sermon  which  was  the  starting-point  of  his  Missions. 
The  wooden  seats  in  the  nave  are  ancient.  The  white  marble  font 
is  girt  with  the  historical  chain  of  the  de  Lannoy  family,  connected 
by  four  shields  bearing  the  arms  of  Folleville,  Lannoy,  Broix  and 
Hangest.  It  stands  on  a  small  pedestal  of  grey  stone,  ornamented  at 
the  corners  with  four  carved  acanthus  leaves.  The  arches  of  the 
stone  vaulting  of  the  choir  rest  on  small  brackets  carved  with  various 
motifs. 

Of  the  two  chapels  on  either  side  of  the  choir,  that  on  the  left, 
known  as  the  Virgin  Chapel,  was  used  by  the  owners  of  the  castle. 
The  right-hand  one  (St.  Vincent-de-Paul),  is  modern  in  its  fittings 
and  decoration  (1868). 

The  choir  contains  several  very  famous  monuments,  the  finest 
being  the  mausoleum  of  Raoul  de  Lannoy  and  Jeanne  de  Broix  ; 
the  white  marble  sarcophagus  is  the  work  of  Italian  artists  (the  de  Por- 
tas)  ;  the  stone  niche  which  shelters  the  sarcophagus  contains  delicate 
French  carvings.  The  whole  forms  one  of  the  most  remarkable  works 
of  the  Renaissance  period.  The  neighbouring  tomb  is  that  of  Francois 
de  Lannoy  and  Marie  de  Hangest  ;  some  of  the  carvings  greatly 
resemble  those  of  Cardinal  H^mard  de  Denonville's  tomb  in  the 
Cathedral  of  Amiens. 

An  ancient  stained-glass  window  near  the  tomb  of  Raoul  de  Lannoy 
is  dedicated  to  St.  Anthony  and  St.  John-the-Evangelist.  Above  the 
door  of  the  sacristy  are  carved  marble  medallions.  The  church  used 
to  possess  a  very  ancient  pall,  now  in   the   Museum  at  Amiens. 


82 


French  Lines  in  the  Quarries  at  Grivesnes. 


Grivesnes. 

Return  to  the  crossing  of  the  Grivesnes,  Folleville  and  Ailly-sur-Noye 
roads,  and  take  the  road  leading  to  Grivesnes.  (See  sketch-map    p.  84.) 

'Before  reaching  the  latter,  note  the  cemetery  of  the  Frencli  114th 
Infantry  Regiment,  on  the  right,  and  a  little  further  on,  on  the  other 
side,  a  quarry    containing   shelters. 

On  entering  Grivesnes,  take  the  first  road  on  the  left  to  the  Chateau 
—  a  17th  century  pile,  comprising  a  central  main  building  and  two 
wings  —  in  the  yard  of  which  are  a  large  shelter  and   several   graves. 

i 


Grivesnes  Chateau. 


83 


Grivesnes 
Church. 


The  church  is  a  little  farther  on.  Both  buildings  were  severely  damaged. 
Return  to  the  road,  and  proceed  towards  Cantigny,  past  the  ruins 
of  a  mill  which  was  blown  up  by  the  Germans,  and  the  Chapelle  de 
St.  Aignan,  near  which  is  a  large  Franco-German  cemetery.  {See  map  p.  84 . ) 

The  chapel  is  now  a  heap  of  ruins. 

The  village,  chateau  and  park  of  Grivesnes  now  come  into  view. 
The   latter  lies  to   the   north-east   of  the   village. 

On  March  28,  1918,  the  first  units  of  the  French  166th  Division,  on 
detraining,  took  up  positions  along  the  Coullemelle-Thory  line,  while 
their  artillery  was  posted  on  the  Grivesnes-Coullemelle  line.  On  the 
29th,  the  4th  and  5th  battalions  of  the  350th  Regiment,  which 
had  already  being  fighting  the  two  previous  days,  occupied  Grivesnes, 
one  of  them  having  lost  two-thirds  of  its  effective  strength.  Rein- 
forced by  a  few  units  of  Chasseurs  and  a  company  of  Engineers,  this 


Franco- 
German 
Cemetery 

ON  THE 

(jrivesses- 
Cantign  y 

ROAD. 


S4 


handful   of   men  repulsed   five    successive    assaults    next    day    (March 
30),  after  the  fall  of  Malpart. 

On  the  31st  (Easter  Sunday),  the  enemy  attacked  with  the  1st 
Division  of  the  famous  Prussian  Guards.  At  7  a.  m.,  French 
observers  saw  the  storm-waves  assembling  in  the  shell-holes  to  the 
east  and  north-east  of  the  park.  From  10.30  to  11.30  a.  m.,  the  German 
artillery  pounded  the  French  lines  with  rafale  fire  from  6  in.  guns.  The 
German  foot-grenadiers  advanced  by  companies,  in  aligned  platoon 
columns.  The  first  French  line  was  decimated,  and  broke  under  the 
repeated  onslaughts.  The  Germans  turned  the  park  from  the  north 
and  east,  and  contenting  themselves  for  the  time  being  with 
surrounding  the  castle  —  from  which  a  murderous  fire  was  poured  on 
them   —   entered   the   village. 

The  commanding  officer,  who  had  shut  himself  up  in  the  castle, 
was  using  a  rifle  with  his  men.  At  noon,  he  despatched  a  cyclist 
with  a  report  on  the  situation,  to  the  officer  in  command  of  the  Di- 
visional Infantry  at  Plessier.  The  report  ended  with  the  words  : 
/  am  in  the  castle,  and  shall  hold  on  till  death.  The  cyclist  managed 
to  get  through  the  German  lines,  crossed  Grivesnes  —  already  occupied 
by  the  Germans  —  and  delivered  the  report.  All  available  units  were 
immediately   got   together  and    despatched    to    Grivesnes. 

Meanwhile,  a  reserve  battalion  at  the  crossing  of  the  Montdidier 
and  Plessier  roads  counter-attacked  the  German  Grenadiers  who 
were  entering  the  Rue  de  Montdidier.  While  the  men  were  clearing 
the  houses  one  by  one  and  freeing  a  number  of  prisoners,  the  bat- 
talion c-onunander  and  his  cyclist  went  forward,  with  two  armoured 
cars,  the  machine-guns  of  which  scattered  the  German  columns.  The 
Rue  do  Montdidier  was  quickly  cleared  of  the  enemy  and  the  French 
entered  the  Chiiteau.  .\t  2.30  p.  m.,  the  detachment  from  Plessier 
arrived,  and  the  German  Grenadiers  were  quickly  driven  out  of  the 
park.  In  spite  of  counter-attacks,  the  French,  with  the  help  of  a 
battalion  from  a  neighbouring  regiment,  debouched  from  Coullemelle 
Wood  and  fully  maintained  their  positions.  The  Prussian  Guard  was 
thus  not  only  soundly  beaten,   but   also  suffered  very   heavy  losses. 

The  enemy  attacked  again  on  April  1  and  3,  but  without  success. 
On   the   4tli,   the    French   67lli   Infantry   Regiment  captured  St.  Aignan 


85 


A    FEW   OF   THE    HEROES   OF    THE    350th    LINE    REGIMENT   AND 

THEIR  Commandant,  Lieut. -Col.  Lagarde. 

in  the  course  of  a  dashing  counter-attack,  and,  in  spite  of  repeated 
enemy  attempts  to  reconquer  the  village,  maintained  themselves 
there.  On  the  5tli  the  Germans  made  anotlier  powerful  but  futile 
effort  against  Grivesnes.  The  67th  Regiment  of  the  line  stubbornly 
held  its  own  at  St.  Aignan,  while  to  the  east  of  Grivesnes,  the  25th 
battalion  of  Chasseurs  repulsed  four  attacks  by  two  regiments  of  the 
Guard,  who  were  decimated  by  barrage  and  machine-gun  fire.  Later, 
the  same  battalion  succeeded  in  ^clearing  the  eastern  approaches  to 
the  village.  On  May  9  the  French  captured  the  park,  taking  258 
prisoners  and  a  large  quantity  of  stores,  and  beating  off  all  enemy 
counter-attacks. 


Grivesnes.  —    B\ttery  of  m/,   in.  Moktaks  taking   up  position. 


86 


\ 


mf- 


....  ff  l"«J 


THE  Weather-cock  of  the  Church  Steeple  at  Grivesnes. 


Continue  along  G.   C.   26  to  Cantigny. 

The  village  and  its  surroundings  were  attacked  by  the  Germans  at 
the  end  of  March  1918.  Sharp  fighting  occurred  there  on  the  night 
of  the  29th  and  the  whole  of  the  following  day.  Cantigny  fell  in  the 
evening  of  the  30th.  On  April  4  and  5,  a  counter-attack  in  this  region 
by  the  French  45th  Division,  drove  back  the  enemy  and  gave  the 
French  the  northern  and  western  outskirts  of  the  village,  which 
they  were,  however,  unable  to  hold.  On  May  28,  the  American  1st 
Division,  supported  by  a  regiment  of  the  French  60th  Division  and 
a  group  o!  tanks,  brilliantly  carried  the  village  and  salient  of  Cantigny 
along  a  2  km.    front,  capturing  170  prisoners  and  a  large  quantity  of  stores. 


Wayside  Cross  at  Grivesnes. 


87 


>        % 


-.A    i:. 


»      --PSWciJt 


^;' I 


f^f  ^Y'-^^it 


«4 


^?., 


The  American  Attack  on  Cantigny,  May  28,  1918.  (Se«  p.  39.) 


The  village  was  razed  to  the  ground.  The  ruins 
of  the  church  and  Chateau  may  be  reached  by  taking 
the  street  on  the  left,  in  the  middle  of  the  village. 

FoNTAiNE-sous-MoNTDiDiER,  in  ruins,  is  next 
reached.  3  kms.  further  on,  take  the  left-hand  road  to 
Montdidier.  Skirt  the  foot  of  the  hill,  as  far  as  the 
Montdidier- Amiens  road  {N.  35),  which  lake  on  the  right. 
On  entering  Montdidier,  turn  into  Rue  du  College 
which   leads  to  the  Esplanade   du  Prieure  (Seep.  98). 


^C^ 


Cantigny 

Entrance 

to  the 

Chateau 

Park. 


88 


MONTDIDIER. 


The  St.   MfiDARD   Quarter. 


MONTDIDIER 


Valiant  City,  martyrised  by  the  War.  After  sustaining  the  fire  of  the 
enemy's  guns  for  more  than  two  years,  experienced  in  turn  the  joys  of 
deliverance  and  the  horrors  of  a  brutal  occupation.  An  important  position, 
bitterly  disputed,  it  suffered  total  destruction,  paying  with  its  ruins  the 
Victory  of  the  Mother-land.  (Croix    t\c    Guerre.) 


The  town  stands  at  the  extremity  of  the  Plateau  of  Santerre,  half- 
way between  Amiens  and  Compiesne,  in  the  valleys  of  the  Somme 
and  Oise.  Rising  in  tiers,  from  south  to  north,  on  the  limestone  cliffs, 
its    highest    point  is  occupied  by    the  Palais-de-Justice. 

The  town  probably  first  grew  up  around  a  farm  in  which,  according 
to  tradition,  the  monks  of  the  Abbey  of  Corbie  kept  Didier,  King  of 
the  Lombards,  whose  name  was  given  to  the  town.  The  first  houses 
sprang  up  in  the  fertile  valley,  wiiilst  a  caslrum  was  built  on  the  hill. 
Owing  to  its  situation  on  an  oft-disputed  frontier,  Montdidier  was 
destined  to  have  a  stirring  history.  Of  the  fortifications  which  Philippe- 
Augustc  caused  to  be  erected  tiiere,  and  which  were  terminated  in  1210, 
nothing  remains  but  a  few  fragments  of  walls  covered  by  the  gardens. 
At    various    periods    the   town    was    besieged,    pillaged    and  burnt. 

Under  Charles  VIII  and  Louis  XII  tlie  walls  were  rebuilt  and  the 
city's  life  began  anew,  only  to  be  disturbed  again  by  war  under  Fran- 
cois I.  After  rejiulsing  a  band  of  adventurers  in  1522,  it  was  besieged 
in  ir)23  by  30,000  Hnglish  and  Oermans,  led  by  the  Duke  of  Norfolk 
and  Count  de  Dure.  Although  a  breach  was  opened  in  the  city's 
walls,  the  burghers  refused  to  capitulate.  The  place  had  therefore 
to  be  carried   i)V  storm,  and   the  enemv  burnt    it   on   October  20. 


89 


MONTDIDIER,    SEEN    FROM    THE    MOREOTL    ROAD. 


After  the  town  had  been  rebuilt,  the  Reform  quickly  gained  ground, 
in  spite  of  persecutions  and  the  burning  of  Pastor  Michel  de  la 
Grange. 

In  1636,  a  powerful  Spanish  army,  under  the  command  of  Jean  de 
Werth  and  Piccolomini,  captured  Roye  and  summoned  Montdidier 
to  surrender.  The  burghers  refused  and,  almost  unsupported,  kept 
the  enemy  at  bay  and  made  a  number  of  successful  sorties.  A  narrow 
valley  on  the  road  to  Brcteuil  has  retained  the  name  of  "  cut-throat  ", 
in  remembrance  of  one  of  these  sorties,  during  which  200  Spaniards 
were  slain.  After  a  siege  lasting  34  days,  the  approach  of  the  Royal 
Army  compelled  the  Spaniards  to  retreat,  and  Louis  XIII  thanked 
the   burghers  in   person  for  their  courage  and  loyalty  . 

From  that  time  forward  the  town  lived  in  peace.  Louis  XIV  often 
stayed  there  on  his  way  to  Flanders. 

On  March  19,  1814,  the  Cossacks,  cominsj;  from  Roye,  entered  the 
town. 

The  next  day  a  large  detachment  of  Cossacks  and  Prussian 
Hussars,  infantry  and  artillery,  under  the  Russian  Baron  de  Geis- 
mar,  took  possession  and  exacted  heavy  requisitions  in   kind. 

The  Cossacks  bivouacked  in  the  streets,  with  their  horses  in  full 
harness,  and  cooked  their  food  in  the  open.  An  attack  by  the  com- 
bined garrisons  of  Amiens  and  Beauvais  on  March  24  drove  out  the 
Cossacks,  but  the  latter  returned  on  the  27th,  with  the  intention  of 
plundering  and  burning  the  town.  In  response  to  a  petition  from  the 
chief  citizens.  Baron  dc  Geismar  consented  not  to  burn  the  town,  but 
allowed    his    soldiers    to    pillage   it   for    one    hour.        On    the  28th,    the 


90 


The 

SUilioi). 


Rovaucourt. 


Morliere 
Wood. 


L^.'r  -r.^-AJ 


^^-r^-i-     "^ 


. -^. 


-  i. 


Taxokamic  view  to  tht!  west  and  south  of  Montdidier 


■^^ 


.\1()N TIUDIKR,     PUOTOdRAPHKI)     KKOM     AN'    AKKOIM.ANK. 

On  the  left:  The  Thre^-Doms  Stream,  crossed  by  the  road  followed  by  tlte  itinerary  (see  p.   '.»8)  ; 
In  the  middle  :  Place  de  I'Hdtel-de-VUle  ;  On  the  right  :  Place  Faidherbe  and  the  Compiigne  road. 


Mesiiil- 
St.  Georges. 


Wood,  sou  III 
of  Fontaine. 


Canligin . 


91 

(loirlemanehe.     Grivesncs. 


N  FROM  THE   ESPLANADE   DU   PRIEITR^. 


Cossacks  withdrew  towards  Compiegne,  to  join  the  Allies  in  their  march 
on    Paris, 

After  Easter,  the  Prussians  held  the  garrison  at  Montdidier  and  in  1815 
a  Prussian   garrison  occupied  the  town  for  three  months. 

On  October  15,  1870,  the  Prussians  again  appeared  before  Montdi- 
dier,   held   only   by   a  few   regular  troops  and   some     National    Guards. 

After  a  short  bombardment,  which  caused  the  death  of  several 
citizens,    the    Prussians    entered   the   town. 


Chapel  built  by  the   soldiers  in  the  rui.ns  ov  .Montdidier. 


O^nc-la  Grasre- 
Concht^-les'Pots 


The  roads  to  nt:  followed  ake  shown-  by  thick  lines. 


MONTDIDIER       IN       1918. 

Of  Montdidicr,  hardly  anything  remains  but  ruins,  caused  by  the 
terrible  battles  fought  around  the  town  in   March- August  1918. 

From  the  end  of  Rue  du  College,  there  is  a  fine  view  of  the  whole 
battlefield  :  Mcsnil-St-Georges  and  Fontaine-sous-Montdidier  to  the  west  ; 
Courtemanche  and  Framicourt  to  the  north-west  ;  Gratibus,  Pierrcpont 
and    Contoirc  to  the  north,  and  Ayencourt  and  Monchel  to  the  south. 


The    German    offensive 


March    27. 


On  March  27,  the  German  hordes  were  held  on  the  French  right,  but 
overran  the  plain  on  the  left,  where  the  lack  of  natural  defences  made 
resistance  more  difficult.  The  front-line  there  was  very  thin,  and  the 
Germans   captured   Cessicr   and   Tilloloy. 

The  French  22nd  I.  D.  fell  back  on  Bus,  then  lost  this  village  and 
the  neighbouring  woods.  For  two  hours,  the  enemy  were  unable  to 
debouch,  being  held  in  check  mainly  by  tiie  fire  of  batteries  in 
Marotin  Wood.  Near  by,  the  22nd  Territorials,  with  a  squadron 
of  divisional  artillery  and  two  companies  of  engineers,  were  thrown 
into  the  battle.  Fighting  stubbornly  against  odds  of  ten  to  one,  they 
retreated  only  step  by  step.  The  Germans  advanced  only  with  very 
heavy  loss,  and  they  had  scarcely  entered  :\larotin  Wood  when  a 
concentration  of  artillery  fire  scattered  them. 

Held  before  the  massif  of  Boulogne-la-Grasse,  they  wedged  themselves 
in  between  the  latter  and  Montdidier.  There  was  a  gap  here 
between  tlie  left  of  Humbert's  Army  and  Debeney's  right,  then  being 
brought  up,  and  of  which  only  a  part,  i.  e.  the  5()th  Division  (Dcmetz) 
had  taken  up  its  positions.  This  division,  with  the  5th  Cavalry  Divi- 
sion (Dc  la  Tour)  and  two  battalions  of  the  97th  Territorials,  had  to 
defend  a  twelve-mile  front,  extending  from  PierreponI  to  the  out- 
skirls  of  Roye.  Attacks  by  three  German  Divisions,  supported  by  a 
powerful  artillery,    were  repulsed. 


93 

Throughout  the  morning,  the  69th  Battalion  of  Chasseurs  fought 
along  the  Echelle-St.-Aurin-Dancourt-Grivillers  line.  The  latter  vil- 
lage only  fell  at  12.45  p.  ni. 

After  the  capture  of  Erches  and  Saulchoy  the  G5th  Battalion  of 
Chasseurs  held  the  enemy  in  check  for  some  time  on  the  Guerbigny 
line,  but  on  being  attacked  on  the  flank  by  enemy  forces  which  had 
crossed  the  Avre  beyond  Guerbigny,  they  were  compelled  to  fall  back, 
but  only  after  inflicting  very  heavy  losses  on  the  enemy.  This 
withdrawal  brought  about  that  of  the  49th  Battalion,  above  Becquigny. 

Before  Marquivillers,  two  battalions  of  the  105th  line  Regt.  held 
their  ground  for  a  long  lime,  and  withdrew  only  after  being  overwhelmed. 
Fighting  rearguard  actions,  they  fell  back  on  the  crest  south  of 
Lignieres,  then  to  the  plateau  east  of  Etelfay.  A  battalion  of  the 
132nd  line  Regt.,  which  had  been  unable  to  reach  Fescamps,  fought 
with  the  Territorials  of  the  97th  between  Piennes  and  Forestil 
Farm.  At  3  p.  m.,  a  battalion  of  the  132nd  was  thrown  against 
Etelfay  which  had  been  captured  by  the  Germans,  thus  enabling  two 
battalions  of  the  106th  and  one  of  the  132nd  to  reform  on  the  plateau 
to   the   west,   where   they   kept    the    enemy    in    check    until    6.30  p.   ni. 

South  of  Montdidier,  the  enemy  advanced  rapidly  towards  Rollot 
and   Rubescourt. 

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. 


Saving  tuk  iuwn  rkcokiis  i.>ir  .MoNTiauiKi:, 


04 


('■orit/Ttre       '    = 

Grvoesnes'    'si      \ 

J    "=i  -i"^ 

■■"■    ^  of-  '•§1/    "7/  «■ 

i^;^^^ 

^INTDTDTT^ 

C 
Ai/tTinnirt 

Zf^'/'/z^V^ 

/ttrymicou/f^             J 

y  A'.siu/i  in/lcS^ 

1 

//oni/ronl 

March    28. 

(-)ii  llie  luorniiig  of  I  lie  'i8lh,  the  German  9Lh  Div.  entered  Cour- 
leinanche,  P'ramicourl  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  bat- 
tahon  of  the  132nd  Regt. 
recaptured  Fontaine-sous-Mont- 
didier, and  the  65th  Battn.  of 
Chasseurs  advanced  in  the  wood 
and  on  the  hill  near  Mesnil,  the 
3rd  Battn.  of  the  132nd, supported 
by  a  Battn.  of  the  350th,  drove 
back  the  enemy  to  Mesnil  and 
Monchel,  and  carried  these 
villages.  On  the  right.  General 
Humbert's  Army  recaptured 
Assainvillers. 

March     29. 

On  the  29th,  the  56th  Div. 
received  orders  to  advance  as 
far  as  the  railway,  between  Cour- 
temanche  and  Monchel.  The  attack  was  launched  at  6  p.  m.,  at  the 
very  moment  chosen  by  the  enemy  for  their  own  attack.  The  fighting 
at  once  became  very  desperate.  On  the  left,  a  company  of  the  69th 
Battn.  of  Chasseurs  succeeded  in  entering  Framicourt,  but  was  over- 
whelmed and  partly  taken  prisoners.  The  49th  Battn.  of  Chasseurs,  after 
advancing  as  far  as  the  Chapelle  de  St.  Pierre,  west  of  Courtemanche, 
was  outflanked  and  forced  to  withdraw  beyond  Fontaine-sous-Montdidier, 
The  65lh  Battn.  of  Chasseurs  and  the  3rd  Battn.  of  the  132nd  Regt. 
progressed  to  the  east  of  Mesnil,  as  far  as  Hill  97,  but  were  decimated 
by  a  violent  artillery  and  machine-gun  barrage,  and   had  to  fall  back. 

March    30. 

At  dawn,  on  the  30th,  after  a  violent  artillery  preparation,  a  fresh 
German  attack  was  launched.  To  the  north,  in  front  of  Fontaine- 
sous-Montdidier  and  Hill  104,  the  49th  Battn.  of  Chasseurs,  supported 
by  units  of   the  54th    Regt.,  repulsed  seven  assaults. 

Two  German  air-squadrons  having  swept  the  French  lines  with 
machine-gun  fire,  the  attack  was  renewed  with  fresh  troops,  but 
without  result.  At  3.45  p.  m.,  a  new  attack  by  strong  enemy  columns 
succeeded  in  turning  the  exhausted  French  forces  on  both  flanks. 
To  avoid  being  surrounded,  the  French  fell  back  on  the  crest  east 
of  Villers-Tournelle,  and  clung  desperately  to  their  new  positions. 
On  that  day,  they  threw  over  1,500  grenades  and  fired  over 
50,000  cartridges.  From  .Mesnil  to  Royaucourt,  the  battle  was 
equally  desperate.  The  German  9th  Division  had  orders  to  push  for- 
ward   as    far    as     Hill    136,  i.   e.  2  1/2  kms.  south-west  of  Royaucourt. 

In  front  of  Mesnil,  the  French  106th  Regt.  broke  four  attacks  in 
the  morning,  but  at  about  5  p.  m.,  the  French  left  having  given 
way  under  a  terrific  bombardment,  the  Germans  reached  the  northern 


montdidier. 

^     '.         Rue 
j     :   Becquerel. 
(See  p.  98.) 


outskirts'  of  the  village.  The  French^only  abandoned  the  village,  in 
flames,  at  6.30  p.  m.,  taking  up  fresh  positions  200-300  yards  in 
the    rear. 

On  the  right,  the  Germans  took  Monchel  and  Ayencourt,  but  were 
unable  to  debouch,  which  prevented  them  from  reaching  the  soulli- 
western   outskirts   of   Mesnil   and  the   approaches   to   Royaucourt. 

At  7  p.  m.,  a  counter-attack  by  units  of  the  153rd  Regt.,  a  battii. 
of  cavalry  on  foot,  a  section  of  armoured-cars,  and  a  group  of 
artillery  took  the  enemy  by  surprise.  Ayencourt  and  Monchel  were 
recaptured,  and   the   French   line   advanced   from  Monchel  to  Hill   98. 

Exhausted  by  their  efforts  and  heavy  losses,  the  enemy  now 
consolidated  their  slight   gains. 

The  French  56th  Div.  had  fought  unceasingly  for  five  days  and 
lost  the  greater  part  of  its  effective  strength,  but  had  fixed  the  enemy. 


mostdidiek. 

Rue 

Becquerel 

IN  1919. 


90 


Liberating    Montdidier. 
The  front  on  August  8th.  {morning)  and  10th   (evening). 


The    Liberation    on    IVIontdidier.    (August   8-lU,    1918.). 

During  the  following  months  the  enemy  remained  on  their  posi- 
tions, the  sector  being  disturbed  only  by  local  attacks  and  raids  on 
cither  side.  In  the  region  of  Mesnil-St. -Georges,  held  mainly  by  the 
GUth  Div.,  the  extreme  German  right  broke  down  during  the  offensive 
of  June  9  against  the  resistance  of  the  French.  In  front  of  a  single 
company  of  the  218th  line  Regiment,  over  200  German  dead  were 
counted. 

On  August  1,  the  enemy  made  many  unsuccessful  efforts  in  the 
neighbourhood  of  Mesnil.  From  August  3,  the  French  i)rogressed 
slowly  to  the  east  of  the  village,  and  prepared  starting  positions  for 
Debeney's  offensive  of  August  8.  On  the  4th  the  Germans,  sensing 
the  coming  attack,  abandoned  part  of  their  positions.  The  French 
occupied  Braches,  gained  a  footing  in  Hargicourt,  and  reached  Cour- 
temanche. 

On  August  8,  the  3rd  Uiv.  of  the  9th  Corps  crossed  the  Avre 
to  the  north,   captured   and  enlarged  the   bridgehead  of    Neuville-Sire- 


Bernard  and  occupied  the  western 
outskirts  of  Contoire  and  Hamel.  The 
9th  Corps  was  then  replaced  by  the 
10th,  the  three  divisions  of  which  were  in 
the  line  :  the  152nd  and  166th  behind 
the  Doms  stream,  and  the  60th  in 
front  of  JNlontdidier.  On  the  morning 
of  the  9th  the  152nd  Div.,  instead 
of  attempting  to  cross  the  marshy 
stream,  inclined  to  the  left,  crossed  at 
Neuville-Slre-Bernard,  and  thus  enabled 
the  166th  Div.  to  force  the  passage 
by  a  frontal  attack  opposite  Gratibus. 
While  the  126th  and  153rd  ^^  Uiv. 
carried  Hangest  village  and  plateau, 
the  152nd  Div.  advanced  to  Contoire 
and  Pierrepont.  The  166th  Div.,  which 
had  met  with  great  difficulty  in  cross- 
ing the  Doms  stream,  was  unable  to 
gain  a  footing  on  the  plateau  to  the 
east.  Montdidier,  already  outflanked 
from  the  north,  was  now  being  turned 
from    the     south.        General     Debeney 

rapidly  transferred  his  artillery  froiu  his  left  to  his  right,  and  began  a 
new  attack.  The  60th  Div.  advanced  against  Montdidier,  and  the 
169th  made  a  north-easterly  thrust  towards  Faverolles,  to  cut  the 
Montdidier-Roye  road,  the  enemy's  main  line  of  retreat.  The  133rd 
Div.  attacked  eastwards,  to  mask  the  massif  of  Boulogne-la-Grasse 
and  cover  the  flank  of  the  offensive.  Behind  followed  the  46th  Div. 
and   2nd    Cavalry    Corps,   in   readiness   to   exploit   any   gains. 

The  attack  was  a  complete  success.  In  the  evening,  from  F'ave- 
rolles  to  Piennes,  Montdidier  was  turned  from  the  south.  Assainvil- 
lers,  Piennes  and  Faverolles  were  recaptured,  and  the  enemy  fell  back 
along  the  Montdidier-Andechy  road,  which  their  desperate  resistance 
before   Gratibus  had   enabled   them   to   keep   open.      During    the    night 


German  prisoners 
passing  through  montdidier  (1918). 


Montdidier. 
Building  a 
bridge  in 

FRONT  OF 
THE  STATION. 


98 


The  roads  to  be  /olluwed  are   indicated  by  luich  lines  and  arrows. 


llicy  evacuated  MonUlidicr  in  the  greatest  confusion.  While  llie  French 
were  entering,the  town,  wliicli  was  entirely  in  their  possession  by  noon 
on  the  10th,  the  whole  of  Debeney's  forces  thrust  eastwards  :  the  47th 
and  5Gth  Div.  advanced  to  the  east  of  Villers-les-Hoye,  the  166th 
from  (Iratibus  to  Lignieres,  the  60th  to  the  outskirts  of  Dancourt,  the 
4Glii  lo  the  east  of  Tilloloy,  the  133rd  to  the  north-east  of  Fescanips, 
and    llie   169tli    to  before  Cessier.      Montdidier  was  now  largely  cleared. 


A     VISIT    TO     MONTDIDIER. 

'  Abuttiiuj  uii  the  Esplanade  du  I'rieurd  is  the  Benedictines'  1'iuohy 
which,  before  the  war,  was  a  college.  Opposite  is  the  Palais-de- 
JusTiCE.      These  two  buildings  suffered  severely  from  the  bombardments. 

The  Palais-de-Justice  was  built  on  the  site  of  the  old  Chateau  of  the 
Counts  of  iMontdiilicr.  The  entrance  was  all  that  remained  of  the  Chateau 
at  tiie  beginning  of  the  14th  century.  The  remains  of  this  door  were 
used  in  the  construction  of  the  building  known  as  the  Salle  du  Roy. 


99 


montdiuiek. 
The  Palais- 

DE-JtrSTICK. 

(1919.) 


The  Salle  du  Roy  is  built  over  a  vaulted  passage,  situated  opposite 
the  Esplanade  du  Prieure.  To  the  west,  an  imposing  gable  rises 
above  the  cliffs,  its  thick  walls  reinforced  in  the  centre  by  an  enormous 
buttress,  at  the  northern  corner  by  a  smaller  buttress,  and  at  the 
southern  corner  by  an  octagonal   turret. 

The  entrance  to  the  Palais-de-Justice  is  below  the  vaulted  pas- 
sage. On  the  first  story,  the  Entrance  Hall  and  the  corridor  leading 
to  the  Audience  Chamber  were  decorated  with  six  large  Brussels  ta- 
pestries, believed  to  be  work  of  Henry  Reydams  (17th  century).  Made 
originally  for  the  town  of  Douai,  they  were  taken  from  the  Chateau 
of  Ferrieres  —  pulled  down  in  1809  —  in  the  Department  of  Oise. 
The  subjects,  taken  from  the  Book  of  Exodus,  depicted  :  T/ie  Cross- 
ing of  the  Red  Sea  ;  the  Hebrews  glorifying  God  ;  Gathering  Manna; 
Moses  striking  the  Rock  :  Making  the  Golden  Calf  ;  Worshipping  the 
Golden     Calf.      The!   1st,     3rd     and     4th     were    faithful     reproductions 


The  Palais 

ue-justioe 

IN  1917. 


100 


The  Tomb  of  Raoul  de  Cr^py. 

of   tapestries   in   the   Catliedral   of^(^hartrt'S,    said    to    have    been    made 
after   drawings    i)y    Raphael. 

The  other  public  buildings  of  .Monldidier  stood  in  Ihe  main  road  which 
divides  the  town  from  north  to  south  into  two  unequal  parts.  The  first 
of  these  was  the  Church  of  St.  Pierre  {Hist.  Mon.)  reached  by  passing 
under  the  archway  u(  the   Palais  dc-.Justicc  and  following  Rue  St.  Pierre. 

Of  this  church  hardly  anything  remains  except  the  walls  and  debris. 
Portions  of  the  building  were  14lh  century,  but  most  of  it  dated 
from  the  16th  century.  The  tower,  now  in  ruins,  was  added  in  1742. 
The  doorway  was  the  most  remarkable  part  of  the  building.  The 
plans  were  the  work  of  Chaperon  (1538),  the  master-mason  of  Beauvais 
Cathedral.  The  style  is  a  combination  of  flamboyant  Gothic  (central 
dividing  pillar,  archways,  springing  of  the  archways,  and  niches  with 
socle  and  canopy  at  the  base  of  the  main  pillars),  and  Renaissance 
(voluted  niches  and  trefoiled  bell-turrets,  at  the  top  of  the  pillars).  At 
the  top  of  the  accolade-shaped  arch  was  a  shield  bearing  the  arms 
of   France,    surrounded     by     St.    Michael's    collar,    the    three    crescents 


I  Ml      I  \  1  l.iaoil    OF    ST.    J'KTKK'S    OHUKCH. 


101 


ilONTDlDlER  CEMETERY   (nort/i-east  of  the  toivn). 
See  Itinerary,  p.  98. 

of  Henri  II.  and  a  monogram  combining  the  "H"  of  Henri  II,  the 
double  "  D  "  of  Diane  de  Poitiers,  and  the  double  "  C  "  of  Catherine 
de  Medicis.  The  side-walls  of  the  church  are  sustained  by  buttresses. 
In  accordance  with  a  custom  fairly  common  in  Picardy,  each  bay  of 
the  side-aisles  had  its  own  separate  roof  forming  a  right-angle  with  that 
of  the  great  nave.  The  interior,  with  its  three  naves,  massive  pillars 
and  low  15th  century  vaulting  —  lower  at  the  choir  end  than  ne  r 
the   doorway   —    appeared  somewhat  heavy  in  style. 

At  the  bottom  of  the  left  aisle,  a  reclining  statue  was  said  to    depict 


'Wscr  '-•.=''  '-- 


SAi*-. 


J^- 


'■'''^I'^'ii^, 


Place  F.\idherbe. 
(At  the  end  of  Rue  de  Roi/e,  ivhich  comes  out  into  Place  de  I'Hdtel-de-Ville.    See  p>  98). 


102 


The  Statue  of  Parmentiek  (1914). 

Count  Raoul  de  Crdpy,  and  to  have  formed  part  of  the  tomb  which 
the  Count  had  built  in  the  11th  century,  while  still  aiive.  This  statue 
escaped  destruction  during  the  Revolution,  and  was  deposited  in  the 
church  in  1862.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  probably  dates  from  the  13th 
or   14th  century,   and     does  not  represent   Raoul   de   Crdpy. 

In  the  adjoining  chapel  is  a  Burial  Scene  comprising  seven  figures 
grouped  around  that  of  Christ.  As  in  the  Tomb  of  St.  Germain-les- 
Foss6s  at  Amiens,  Mary  Magdalene  occupies  the  centre  of  the  group, 
whereas  this  place  is  usually  reserved  for  the  Virgin. 

The  font  (probably  11th.  century)  is  the  oldest  known  specimen 
of  the  type  used  in  Picardy  between  the  11th  and  16th  centuries.     The 


THE  Statue  of  rAiuiENTiKii  and  a  corner  of  the  town,  in  19H). 
looking  towards    SI.  Peter's  Church,  seen  behind.      Tourists  follow  the  road  on  the  le/t.) 


103 

low,  square  basin  rests  on  five  supports,  the  principal  one  being  in 
the  centre,  the  other^four  lesser  columns  at  the  corners.  The  columns, 
originally  in  stone,  were  replaced  in  the  course  of  time  by  wooden  ones. 
A  belt  ornamented  with  eight  heads  of  rather  primitive  design  runs 
round  the  basin.  The  rest  of  the  decoration,  much  defaced,  includes 
two   entwined  heads,  grapes,  and  doves  drinking  out  of  a  vase. 

The  tomb,  said  to  be  that  of  Raoul  de  Crdpy,  the  "  Burial  Scene  " 
and  the  font  are  believed  to  lie  buried  under  the  d6bris. 

The  organ  loft,  composed  of  the  remains  of  fine  Renaissance  wood 
carving    of    uncertain    origin,    was    destroyed. 

Keep  along  Rue  St.  Pierre  to  Place  de  la  Croix-Bleue,  in  which  stood 
the  Statue  of  Parmentier  (by  Malknecht),   erected    in    1848.      Only 


P^~~'      n\       ,'•».      /••. 


I 

AloNriuiiiKit.  —    The   Hotel-de-Ville. 


the  pedestal  remains.  Parmentier,  who  introduced  and  popularized 
po^tato  growing  in  France,  was  a  native  of  Montdidier. 

Rue  de  la  Croix-Bleue  leads  to  Place  de  VHotel-de-Ville.  On  the 
right  stands  the  modern  H6tel-de-Vllle  which  replaced  the  old  Louis  XIII 
building  and  a  Renaissance  house  on  its  right.  The  automaton  bell- 
striker  of  the  old  tower,  known  as  Jean  Duquesne,  which  used  to  strike 
the  hours  with  a  hammer,  was  erected  on  the  top  of  the  new  belfry. 

Rue  Parmentier  is  next  reached,  at  the  entrance  to  which  is  the  16th 
century    Church   of    the    Holy    Sepulchre. 

Its  modern  flamboyant  Gothic  doorway  replaced  the  old  portal 
which,  jutting  out  in  front  of  the  church,  was  ornamented  with  a  hang- 
ing garden.  On  this  side,  the  square  tower  of  the  belfry  only  is  ancient. 
The  five-sided  chevet  overlooks  the  small  court  of  the  presbytery. 

The  interior  comprises  a  central  and  two  side  naves.  Only  the  vault- 
ing of  the  choir  remains. 

At  the  end  of  the  right  aisle  is  an  Entombment  (1549-1582),  a  gift 
of  the  De  Baillon  family.  The  Tomb,  which  was  protected  during  the 
war,  comprises  The  Burial  Scene  and  an  Eccc  Homo  at  the   top    of  the 


104 


MONTOIDIEK.  —    KTJE    PAUMENTIEK    AND    THE    CHrKCH   OF    ST.    SEPULCHRF.    (1914). 


arch  over  the  former.  The  latter  group  was  finished  long  before  the 
other  one,  and  is  more  natural  and  of  finer  finish  than  that  of  the 
Tomb.  The  figures  kneeling  at  the  praying-desks  on  the  front  of  the 
Tomb  represent  Pierre  de  Baillon  and  his  wife,  Marguerite  de  la  Mor- 
liere.  At  the  other  end  of  the  right  aisle  stood  the  baptismal  font 
(1539),  mutilated    and   covered   with   whitewash   in    1870.      The  church 


Thk  church  of  St.  Sepclchre  ix  1919. 


105 


Church  of  St.  Ski'ulchrb,  the  Chancel. 


of  La  Boissiere  possesses  an  identical  font  dating  from  the  same  period, 
but  much  better  preserved.  The  font  probably  lies  buried  under 
the   ddbris.      In  the   font  chapel  there   is   a   stone  bas-relief  (protected 


The  interior  of  thk  i  in  m  h  of  St.  Sepulchre. 
(Seen  from  the   Chancel,   near  the    Porch). 


106 


|f*A 

1 

HflH||^|fl^^^^^|Hul||^^H^^B|^^ 

■iW^ 

£^Hi           fl 

MoNTDiDiER.  —  The  lower  town,  seen  through  a  shell-hole 

IN    THE   CHURCH    OF  ST.  SEPDXCHRE. 


during  the  war),  said  to  have  come  from  the  old  church.  It  was  con- 
secrated to  the  Virgin,  who  is  seen  receiving  the  benediction  of  the 
Eternal  Father.  The  carvings  and  inscriptions  around  the  Virgin, 
symbolically  recalling  the  principal  episodes  in  her  life,  are  taken  from 
the  Song  of  Solomon.  Unfortunately,  this  bas-relief  was  daubed  over 
in  1870,  and  some  of  the  carvings,  particularly  Les  trois  en/ants  qui 
pissenl,  were  mutilated  because  of  their  realism. 

Go  down  Rue  Parmentier,  then  turn  left  into  Boulevard  Bejot,  in  the 
direction  of  Compiigne. 

From  Montdidier  to  Guvilly, 

via  Assalnvlllers,  Piennes,  Rollot,  Boulogne-la-Qrasse,  Conchy-les-Pots 

and     Orvlllers-Sorel. 

Folloui  Boulevard  Bejot,  then  take  Boulevard  de  Compiigne,  on  the 
right,  and  a  Utile  jurtluT  on,  N.  35,  also  on  the  right,  to  Assainvillers, 
entirely  razed.  Take  the  second  road  on  the  left  and  cross  the  light 
railwag,  0  km.  700  beyond  ivhich  arc  several  lines  of  trenches.  Take 
the  left-hand  street,  ivhicli  leads  straight  to  the  church  and  village  of 
Piennes.   (.See  sketch-map   opposite.) 


101 


ASSAINVILLERS    IX    RUINS. 


Piennes. 


The  church  of  Piennes  {Hist. 
Mon.)  dating  from  the  end  of  the 
15th  or  beginning  of  the  16th  cen- 
tury, was  a    remarkable   structure. 

The  tierce-point  doorway  com- 
prised two  round-arched  bays,  with 
a  blind  Flamboyant  tympanum. 
The  dividing  pillar  was  surmounted 
by  a  statue  of  the  Virgin  resting 
on  a  crescent. 

Between  the  doorway  and  the 
buttresses  framing  it,  an  elaborate 
Gothic  canopy  sheltered  an  empty 
niche  on  either  side.     The  front  of 


>Piennes 
l&Lundfy 


AxTi 


JloIZot^ 


ASSAINVILLERS    CHURCH. 


108 


PlENNKS    I   HIKCH. 

each    bullress   was  onianienli'd    willi  a   iikiu'   under     a    (iothic    canopy 
containiiiti   mutilated   statues  of  SI.  Catherine   and    SI.   .Marguerite. 

The  side-aisles  were  very  picturesque  with  their  live  gables  and  five 
separate  roofs  at  right-angles  to  that  of  the  great  nave. 

The  vaulting  is  said  to  have  been  designed  by  Jean  Vaast,  one  of  the 
archileels  of  Beauvais  Cathedral.  The  pretty  lOth  century  font 
was  ornamented  willi  angels'  heads  and  fantastic  figures  arranged 
alternately  and  linked  together  by  festoons  of  leaves.  The  remark- 
able churchwardens'  bench  of  carved  wood  in  Renaissance  style  was 
one  of  the  finesL  in  the  Defxirtemeiit  of  the  Somme.  The  wood-work 
of  the  pulpit  dated  from   the  same   |)eriod  and  was  in  the  same   style. 

The  church  was  almost  entirely  destroyed  in  191.S,  but  a  portion  of 
the  door-way  and  a  but  tress  with  a  niche  still  remain.  The  gables  of  the 
side-aisles,  three  of  which  have  retained  their   roofing,  are  still  standing. 


ROLLOT.  —  Rue  1)e  l'Cglisk. 


109 


The  road  from  Rollot  to  Bouxogne-la-Grassf. 


The  font  near  the  entrance,  on  the  left,  is  partly  hidden  under  the 
debris.      The  pulpit  was   destroyed  by  the    falling  tower    and   vaulting 

Leave  Piennes  and  pass  through  the  hamlet  of  Le  Lundi.  Trenches  may 
be  seen  alongside  the  railway.  Take  the  Montdidier-Compiegne  road 
on  tlie  left  to  Rollot,  where  Antoine  Gallant,  the  Oriental  writer  and 
translator  of  the  French  version  of  "  The  Arabian  Nights  ",  was  born 
in  1646.  Of  the  monument  erected  to  his  memory  in  the  village,  only 
the  pedestal  remains. 

On  leaving  Rollot,  take  G.  C.  27  on  the  left;  the  Ch.\teau  of  Bains,  in 
the  woods  skirting  tlie  road  on  the  left,  was  greatly  damaged  during 
the   fighting.      Keep  straight  on  to  the  church  of  Boulogne-la-Grasse. 


t^HAitAL     Ul'     liAlNs. 


110 


Bottloone-la-Grasse.  —  The  ruined  Chukch. 

Boulogne-la-Grasse. 

Boulogne-la-Grasse  is  situated  on  tlic  top  and  along  the  middle 
slopes  of  a  kind  of  small  broken  massil.  Before  the  War,  the  village 
consisted  of  a  number  of  independant  quarters  intersected  by  picturesque, 
winding  slrci'ls,  the   whole  hidden  from  view   by  gardens  and  orchards. 


i' 


The  Choir  of  thk  amove  Chukch 


Ill 


bouloonk- 

la-Grassi:. 

Chateau 

(1914). 


The  church,  access  to  which  is  gained  by  a  flight  of  34  steps,  over- 
looks the  main  street.     The  choir  alone  is  ancient. 

Take  the  street  on  the  left  of  the  church,  then  the  first  on  the  left  which 
leads  to  the  top  of  the  massif  overlooking  the  village. 

The  moats  surrounding  the  site  of  the  old  fortified  Chateau  are  still 
visible.     The  latter  was  replaced  by  a  modern  Chateau,  now  in  ruins. 

The  telegraph-station,  which  used  to  stand  on  the  top  of  the  hill, 
to  the  west  of  the  village,  was  destroyed  by  the   Prussians  in   1814. 

From  here,  there  is  a  fine  panorama  of  the  battlefield.  On  March 
27,  1918,  the  Germans  attacked  Boulogne  and  the  villages  to  the 
east,  i.  e.  Conchy-les-Pots,  Roye-sur-Matz,  and  Canny-sur-Matz,  held 
by  part  of  the  French  38th  Division  which  had  been  brought  up  to 
reinforce  the  62nd  Division,  seriously  depleted  by  several  days'  fight- 
ing.    The    Germans    captured    Boulogne    and    Conchy,    but    the    next 


The 

Courtyard 

OP  THE 

Chateau 
(1918). 


112 


(lay  (28111).  I  he  French 
counter-attacked  and 
retook  both  villages. 
Having,  after  two 
unsuccessful  assaults, 
gained  a  footing  in 
Canny -sur-]\Iatz,  the 
enemy  launched  re- 
jieated  violent  counter- 
attacks against  Conchy  and  Boulogne,  reoccupying  the  former,  but  re- 
capturing only  part  of  the  latter.  On  the  29th,  the  French  progressed 
beyond  Boulogne  and  again  reached  the  outskirts  of  Conchy  without, 
however,  being  able  to  capture  Canny  or  dislodge  the  Germans  from 
the  eastern  part  of  Boulogne.  That  night,  Boulogne  was  crushed 
by  the  French  artillery  and  made  practically  untenable,  but  on  the 
30th,  the  German  offensive,  debouching  from  Conchy,  drove  back  the 
French  who  were  occupying  the  massif.  During  the  following  months, 
the  Germans  organized  a  line  of  support  in  this  region  known  as  the 
"  Rheinlandstellung".  General  Humbert's  offensive  of  August  10,  freed 
the  entire  massif.  The  same  evening  the  line  ran  through  Orvillers, 
Boulogne-la-Grasse,  La  Poste,  north  of  Conchy,  through  Conchy-les-Pots 
and  the  railway-station  of  Roye-sur-Matz.  On  the  11th,  in  spite  of 
fierce  counter-attacks,  the  French  reached  the  wood  north  of  La  Poste, 
Hill  81  to  the  east  of  Roye-sur-.Matz,  and  the  outskirts  of  Canny  and 
La  Berliere.  On  the  following  days,  their  advance  definitely  freed  the 
region.     Canny  was  re-occupied  on  the  17th. 

licturn  to  the  church,  keeping  straic/ht  on  as  far  as  the  first  road  on  the 
left  (G.  C.  27)  which  leads  to  Conchy-les-Pots.  Before  reaching  this 
village,  a  Franco-German  cemetery  will  be  seen  on  the  right.  A  little 
further  on,  turn  left.  At  the  fork,  the  left-hand  road  leads  to  the  ruins 
of  the  parish    church    dating  from   the   11th    (square  choir),   r2th    and 

church   was   practically   razed.      The  road    on    the 

Nicaise  Chapel,    situated    immediately    beyond    the 

chapel     contained    fine     15th    or    16th    century 


15th  centuries.  The 
right  leads  to  the  St. 
light    railway.      This 


C'O.N'CHY-l,KS-l'lll>,    M      llll;    IHIlSSKdMi^    111      {;oi   l.(Mi\  l.-l.  \-(  .KAfiSK, 


113 


CU.NCHV-LES-I'UTS,    A     L.JKM.IL    UL      THE    RUISS. 

stained-glass  windows,   depicting    the  story  of   St.  Nicaise,  which  were 
placed  in  safety  during    the  War. 

Return  to  the  entrance  to  the  vilkujc.  Bii  G.  C.  27,  on  tlie  left,  tourists 
may  i^roceed  to  Roye-sur-IV!atz,  whose  churcli  (Hist.  Mon.)  was  partly 
I'itli  century.  It  was  rebuilt  in  tlie  16tli-17th  centuries,  except  tlie 
doorway,  nave,  nortliern  transept  and  tower  which  were  in  a  remarkably 
good  state  of  preservation.  Previous  to  the  offensives  of  1918,  the 
church  Iiad  been  for  tliree  years  in  the  firing  line,  and  was  seriously 
damaged  between  1911  and  1917.  Its  ruin  was  completed  in  1918. 
A  few  fragments   of   walls   belonging  to  the   chevet  are  all  that  remain. 

From  Roye-sur-Mat:  return  to  Concliij-les-Pots,  where  take  the  Icjt-hand 
(paved)  N.  17  to  Orvillers-Sorel.  On  the  left,  betiveen  Coneluj-les-Pots 
and  Orvillet  ^-Sorel,  is  the  village  of  Biermont,  which  was  desperately 
defended   by    the   French    G2nd   Division   on    March   30,   1918. 


Roye-sur-Matz. 


The  Church. 


114 


This  district  suffered  severely  from  the  fierce  fighting  of  March- 
August  1918.  On  March  30  two  German  divisions,  including  one 
of  the  Guard,  attacked  Orvillers-Sorel,  defended  by  a  portion  of  the 
French  38th  Div.,  the  4th  Regt.  of  Zouaves  and  the  8th  Regt.  of 
Tirailleurs,  the  heroes  of  Douaumont,  Hurtebise  and  La  Malmaison. 
These  two  regiments,  overwhelmed  by  numbers,  were  forced  to  fall 
back,  but  only  after  desperate  fighting.  Units  of  the  4th  Regt. 
of  Zouaves,  greatly  outnumbered  and  cut  off,  fought  to  the  last  man. 
Others  managed  to  cut  their  way  through,  falling  back  only  to  reform 
and  counter-attack,  sometimes  without  an  officer.  As  far  as  the 
northern  outskirts  of  Orvillers,  the  ground  was  defended,  inch  by 
inch,  and  the  enemy  were  unable  to  enter  the  village.  During  the 
night,  the  4th  Regt.  of  Zouaves  reformed  in  the  ruins,  an  on  the 
following  day  (31st)  counter-attacked  between  1.30  and  2.30  p.  in.. 
reconquering  Epinette  Wood  and  taking  a  number  of  prisoners.  Until  May 
3,  when  they  were  relieved,  they  maintained  their  positions.  On  April  12 
and   May   11,   the  French   delivered    two  local    attacks    and    progressed 


OllVILLERS- 
SOREL 

Church 
IN  Rmxs, 


I  in 


Orvillers- 

SOREL. 

View 

OP  THE 
V^ILLAGE. 


to  the  norlh-wcst  of  Orvillers.  On  May  12  and  14,  a  German  attack 
against  the  new  positions  failed  with  heavy  losses.  On  August  10,  the 
34th  Corps  of  Humbert's  Army  cleared  Orvillers-Sorel,  and  captured 
the . "  Gothenstellung  ",  which  formed  the  third  main  fighting  line  of 
the   German   defences. 

Beyond  the  village,  a  small  chapel  is  passed,  on  the  right,  the  tourist 
coming  out  opposite  Sorel  Chateau  (late  17th  century),  which  stands  in 
a   closed  park.   The  Chateau  was  seriously  damaged  during  the  attacks. 

Take  the  avenue  facing  the  Chateau,  which  was  bordered  with 
trenches,  then  N.   17  on  the   left,  to  Cuvilly. 

This  village  is  situated  on  the  old  Flanders  road,  formerly  used  by 
the  stage-coaches.  The  latter  used  to  stop  at  the  Post-House,  the 
old  buildings  of  which  were  still  standing  before  the  War.  The  church, 
heavy  in  style,  probably  dates  in  part  from  the  end  of  the  16th  century. 
Only    the    walls    and    tower    remain. 


Sorel 

CHATEAU. 


116 


C0VILLY. 

The 

Chubch, 

South-west 

FATAPE. 


To  reach  the  church  take  Rue  dc  Malz.  mi  the  right,  and  on  reaching 
the  square,   bear  to   the   Icjl. 

Belloy  Plateau. 

Tn  reach  Belloy  Plaleau.  on  which  violent  fightinii  took  place  in 
June   1918.   keep  siraiglit  on  the  road  from   ('Aivillij  to  Lataule. 

The  church  of  Lataule,  although  modern,  has  retained  some  of  the 
windows  of  the  15th  century  edifice.  Opposite,  stands  the  Chateau,  built 
at  the  end  of  the  17Lh  century,  after  the  Spanish  wars.  Of  the  old 
Chateau,  destroyed  in  the  17th  century,  traces  still  remain  near  t  o  t  he  road. 

Turn  to  the  right,  skirting  the  park  of  tlie  Chateau,  to  reach  Hill  132, 
on   which   are    a    cemetery,    an    observation-post,    and   some  trenches. 

From  there,  the  view  extends  over  Belloy  and  INI^ry  to  the  west, 
Cuvilly  to  the  north,  Lataule  and  Lataule  Wood  to  the  east,  Genlis 
Wood  to  the  south,  and  St.  Maur  to  the  south-east.  The  Germans 
gained  a  fooling  on  this  bare  plateau  on  June  10,  1918,  capturing  the 
villages  of  Lataule.   MC-vy,   Belloy,  St.  :Maur  and  Cuvilly,  after  a  fierce 


Statfes 

IN 

Cuvilly 
Chukch. 


ir 


Lataule. 

THE 
I      CHATEAn 
IN    RUINS. 


battle  lasting  two  days,  in  whicli  they  engaged  large  forces.  Mery 
especially,  was  fiercely  disputed  and  changed  hands  twice  that  day. 
On  the  following  day  (11th),  the  Germans  had  scarcely  installed 
themselves  on  the  newly  conquered  ground,  when  they  were  thrown 
into  confusion  and  defeated  by  the  sudden  counter-attack  of  a  group 
of  divisions  under  General  Mangin.  All  available  tanks  had  been 
assembled  within  twelve  hours,  in  support  of  this  counter-attack, 
and  thanks  to  their  clearly  visible  line,  the  French  aviators  were  able, 
throughout  the  battle,  to  follow  the  advance  of  the  infantry  with 
accuracy.  The  tanks  attacked  and  cut  off  the  villages  of  Mery  and 
Belloy,  enabling  the  infantry  to  capture  the  entire  German  garrisons 
without  striking  a  blow.  On  the  12th  they  reformed,  and  went 
forward  again  with  the  infantry,  advancing  east  of  Mery  and  Genlis 
Wood,  before  Belloy,  and  as  far  as  the  outskirts  of  St.  Maur.  The 
line  was  advanced  2  knis.,  east  of  Mery,  as  a  consequence  of  this 
thrust,  and  German  counter-attacks  failed  to  win  back  the  lost  ground. 


Ruins 

OF 

Belloy 
Church. 


118 


Barricade 
IN  MteT 

VILLAGE. 


Cuvilly  remained  in  tlie  possession  of  the  enemy,  wlio  consolidated  it. 
On  August  10,  wlien  the  offensive  by  Humbert's  Army  began,  the 
German  line  of  support  known  as  the  "  Vandalenstellung ",  which 
passed  south  of  the  village,  was  carried  by  the  French  in  a  single  rush. 
The  road  leads  to  Belloy,  which  pass  through,  leaving  the  pond  on 
the  left.  Just  outside  the  village,  there  is  a  "Calvary",  whilst  a  little 
further  on,  are  battery  positions  with  shelters.  IVI6ry,  whose  church 
is  in   the  third  street  on  the   left,  is  next  reached. 

The  oldest  parts  of  the  church  (choir,  left  transept  and  tower)  date 
from  the  IGlh  century.  The  rest  is  18th  century.  There  are  under- 
ground shelters  in  the  village  and  surroundings,  the  entrances  to  which 
are  nearly  all  blocked  up.  As  in  the  other  villages  on  this  plateau, 
ancient   sarcopliagi   have   been   discovered   at    .Mery. 

Turn  back  and  take  G.  C.  146  to  Ressons-sur-Matz.  Trenches 
with   wire   entanglements   are  to   be  seen   along  the  road. 


M4ry. 

A     CORNEB 
OP  THE 
VILLAGE. 


U9 


Artilleky  passing  thkol-gh   Ressons-suk-Matz. 


From  Belloy  Plateau  to  Compiegne, 

via    Ressons-sur-lVlatz,    Marqueglise,    IVIargny-sur-IVIatz, 
Elincourt-St.    Marguerite,       Marest-sur-Matz,    Coudun    and    Bienville. 

At  the  crossing  of  the  road  with  N.  17,  on  the  left,  is  the  Chateau  of 
S6CHELLES.  Continue  along  G.  C.  146  ;  2  kms.  further  on,  there  is  a 
very  bad  level-crossing  over  a  narrow-gauge  railway.  After  crossinq 
a  normal  gauge  railway  {I.  c.)  and  another  narrow-gauge  line,  Ressons- 
sur-Matz   is  reached.  Turn   left  to  reach  the  church. 

Ressons  is  a  very  ancient  marlvet-town.  St.  Amand,  bisliop  of 
Maestricht,  preached  the  Gospel  there  about  the  year  632.  It  was 
formerly  a  fairly  important  place,  especially  in  the  16th  century. 
A  fortified  castle,  standing  at  the  end  of  the  village  on  the  road 
to  S^chelles,  was  taken    by   the    Burgundians  in  1430,  and  afterwards 


7,"H 


IIC1^#' 


Ressons-suk-Matz.  —  The  Main  Street. 


120 


Marqu£glise.  —  A  Corner  of  the  Village. 


recaptured  by  the  Freneli.  The  church  (Hist.  Man.)  dates  from  various 
periods  :  the  nave  and  side-aisle  with  their  richly  ornamented  buttresses 
were  rebuill  in  the  middle  of  the  16th  century  ;  the  most  ancient 
parts  (cornices  of  the  nave,  and  the  northern  transept  and  choir) 
are    12th    century  ;    fragments  of    the    stained-glass   windows    bear    the 

date  "1561".  The  building 
was  considerably  damagecl 
in  1918:  the  stained-glass 
windows  were  destroyed  and 
the  bell  disappeared. 

Turn  hack,  and  beyond 
Place  du  Marchc  lake  G.  C. 
41  on  the  left.  On  leaving 
Jicssons,  there  is  a  bad  level- 
crossing  over  a  narrow-gauge 
railiiKifi,  another  in  very  bad 
condition  beyond  Bayencourt 
Farm,  and  a  third  1  km. 
furl  her  on,  after  ivhich 
Marqueglise  is  reached.  {See 
sketc'i-map,   p.  111.) 

The  old  Chateau  opposite 
the  church  is  in  ruins;  the 
surrounding  walls  and  out- 
lying pavilions  alone  remain 
slaiiding. 

1  he  cliurch  is  mainly  IGth 
century.  The  ciioir  vaulting 
contains  several  key-stones 
bearing  coats-of-arms.  A 
l)retty  loth  or  16th  century 
cross  with  a  Virgin  on  one 
of  its  sides,  which  used  to 
MARQUfioLisE.  Stand  in    the   cemetery,  was 

The  t'HCKcu  AND  FRK.Ncii   .MiiMAKY  (iKAVEs.  dcstroyed. 


121 


The  Battlefield 
to   the   south-west  of   hill  77. 


A  foot-path  nearly  oi>i>ositc 
the  church  leads  to  Hill  77. 
From  there  a  fine  panoramic 
view  may  be  had  of  tlie 
battlefiekl  on  both  sides  of 
the  Amiens-Compiegne  road, 
as  far  as  the  Aronde,  parti- 
cularly to  the  south-west, 
where  the  view  takes  in 
Antheuil,  Loges  Farm  (an  old 
dependency  of  Ourscamps 
Abbey),  and  Porte  Farm, 
formerly  belonging  to  Elin- 
court-St.-.Marguerite  Priory.  This  region  was  the  scene  of  desperate 
fighting    during    the    German    offensive  of  June  9-11,   1918. 

On  the  night  of  the  10th,  the  Germans  captured  Anlheuil  and  the 
two  farms,  advancing  as  far  as  the  Aronde.  They  were  already  shout- 
ing victory,  in  the  belief  they  were  outflanking  Compiegne  from  the 
north-west  and  would  soon  reach  Estrees-St.  Denis,  when  the  counter- 
attack of  June  11  drove  them  back.  Anlheuil  was  retaken  and  held; 
the  two  farms  were  likewise  recaptured,  but  the  French  were  unable 
to  hold   them. 

On  the  14th,  although  the  enemy  failed  in  front  of  Antheuil, 
they   resumed   their   advance  towards    Lcs    Loges   and   Porte   Farm. 

During  the  rest  of  the  month*  this  sector  remained  agitated.    On  several 
occasions    the   Germans    at- 
tempted to  retake  Antheuil, 
but  were  each  time  repulsed. 

A  surprise  attack  by  the 
French  on  July  9  resulted  in 
the  capture  of  the  two  farms 
in  the  early  morning,  with 
500  prisoners.  On  the  13th, 
they  improved  their  posi- 
tions and  advanced  500  yards 
to  the  north  of  Porte  Farm. 
On  August  10,  the  whole 
district  was  cleared  by  the 
advance  of  Humbert's  Army. 

Return  to  the  car  and  after 
turning  it  round,  take  the 
first  road  on  the  left  to 
Margny-sur- IVIatz.  (See 
map,  p.  124.) 

The  door  and  choir  of  the 
church  are  Norman.  Some 
of  the  capitals  in  the  choir 
(those  behind  the  altar) 
attest  to  the  primitive  Nor- 
man style.  A  stone  Pieta  and 
a  small  ovoid  stoup  dating 
from  1603  have  disappeared. 
A  "  glory  beam  "  depicts 
Jesus-Christ,  the  Virgin  and  Margny-slk-.Matz.  —  Jntkihhk  m-  mr.  church. 
St.    John.  j^ale  the   "Glory  Beam''. 


122 


Klixcockt- 

St.- 

Marguerite. 

TUE  Church. 


1! 


I      I' 


'v-Ai    "l*"    >>-i    T- 


Continue  along  the  road.  On  leaving  Margnij,  there  is  a  bad  level- 
crossing  over  a  narrow-gauge  railway.  Take  the  first  road  on  the  left  to 
El  I  ncourt-St.- Marguerite. 

This  is  a  very  old  village,  in  the  neighbourhood  of  which  are  several 
lonibs  dating  from  a  very  remote  period.  The  country  was  occcupied 
by  the  Romans.  Gallo-Roman  remains  have  been  discovered  around 
the  Chateau  of  Bellinglise.  Under  Charles-le-Simple,  the  village  and 
chapel  of  St.  Marguerite  were  given  to  the  Abbey  of  St.  Corneille  at 
Compiegne.  The  Priory  of  St.  Marguerite,  founded  by  the  Benedic- 
tines at  the  end  of  the  11th  or  beginning  of  the  12th  century,  was 
rebuilt  in  the  13th  century.  The  district  hereabouts  suffered  severely 
during  the  Hundred  Years  War.  According  to  a  local  tradition, 
the  old  Chateau  of  Beauvoir,  on  the  left  of  the  Thiescourt  road  and 
now  entirely  overrun  with  vegetation,  gave  shelter  one  night  to  Joan 
of  Arc,  then  a  prisoner.  This  is  not  improbable,  but  the  tablet  in 
the  church,  bearing  the  following  inscription  :  Joan  of  Arc,  before 
shutting  herself  up  in  Compiegne,  in  MCCCCXXX,  made  a  pilgrimage 
to  St.  Marguerite  and  communicated  in  the  church  of  Elincourt,  is  not 
borne  out  by  history,  as  she  could  not  have  gone  to  Elincourt  —  occu- 
pied by  the  English  —  seeing  that  she  left  Cr6py  to  go  to  Compiegne. 

Parts  of  the  church  are  early  12th  century,  the  aisles  and  belfry 
18th.  The  doorway  includes  three  accoladed  windows,  with  two 
other  windows  above  surmounted  by  diamond-pointed  moulding. 
In  the  interior,  there  is  an  18th  century  marble  altar.  A  marble  statue 
of  St.  Marguerite  was  placed  in  safety  during  the  war,  but  another 
of  St.  John  (15th  century)  also  in  marble,  has  disappeared,  together 
with  the  two  shrines  of  St.   Barbe  and  St.   Marguerite. 

The  church  was  seriously  damaged,  most  of  the  vaulting  being 
destroyed.  At  the  eastern  termination,  the  partial  collapse  of  two 
buttresses  laid  bare  some  small  12th  century  columns  which  formerly 
ornamented  the  choir  and  which  were  walled  in  at  the  time  the  but- 
tresses were  reconstructed,   probably  in  the  15th  century. 

Leaving  the  church  on  the  left,  follow  the  road  as  far  as  the  first 
crossing.  Leave  the  car  and  climb  the  hill-side  on  foot,  as  far  as  the 
Monastery  of  St.  Marguerite,  which  dominates  the  whole  valley 
of  the  Matz,  aiul  from  which  there  is  a  fine  view  extending  from 
Ressons  Wood  to  the  Soissonnais  hills.  Only  fragments  of  the 
surrounding  walls,  a  deep  well,  some  cellars  (which  were  transformed 
into  shelters),  and  a  number  of  old  yew-trees  remain. 


123 


Elincoukt-St.-Margueritk  and  the  Valley  of  the  Matz, 
seen  from  the  monastery  of  st.  margtjerite. 


On  the  way  back,  take  the  lejl-hand  road,  which  joins  G.  C.  142.  At 
the  fork,  take  the  right-hand  road  to  IVIarfontaine  Manor  —  practically 
intact  —  built  in  the  13th  century  on  a  Gallo-Roman  mound,  to  the 
north  of  the  Priory  Garden.  The  great  hall  has  low  vaulting,  the  cen- 
tral springing  of  which  rests  on  a  round  pillar;  the  keystones  repre- 
sent three  entwined  fishes.  Tlie  Chateau  of  Bellinglise,  abutting  on 
Marfontaine    Manor,    was    built    in    the    16th    century. 

The  left-hand  road  passes  near  St.  Claude  Farm,  at  the  crossing  of 
G.  C.  142  (from  Elincourt  to  Lassigny)  with  G.  C.  82  (from  Mareuil  to 
Thiescourt.  From  here,  there  is  a  fine  view  over  the  battlefield  from 
the  Matz  to  the  Oise  :  Gury  (to  the  north),  the  valley  of  the  Matz  and 
Ressons  (to  the  west),  Marcuil-la-Motte,  Marqueglise  and  Vignemont 
(to  the  south),  filincourt,  Chevincourt,  Mdlicocq  and  Ribdcourt  (to  the 
south-east),    and   the   Thiescourt   Woods   {to   th^    east). 


Bellinglise 
Chateau. 


124 


The  Massif  of  TniESCoruT. 

The  eastern  /lorlion  uf  tlie  massif  and  the  fighting  which   took  place  there,  are  descri pted 

in  the   Miihelin  Guide:  Noi/un,  Roi/e,  Lassiany. 


During  the  baUk-  of  Marcli  :U),  191S,  the  headquarters  of  General 
d'Aiiibly  (77lli  Division)  were  at  l'-:iincourt.  while  those  of  General 
Giiilleniin  (53rd  Division)  were  al  ChevincoiuL.  At  that  time,  these 
divisions  were  barring  the  road  from  Plessis-de-Roye  to  the  Oise.  Until 
.June  9,  the  enemy  attempted  local  operations  only.  On  June  9,  they 
attacked  in  massed  formation,  capturing  Gury  Heights,  Kictiuebourg 
Wood,  and  .Mareuil-la-Motte.  The  village  of  Ressons-sur-Matz,  in  which 
they  gained  a  footing,  was  disi)uted  foot  by  foot.  St.  Claude  Farm, 
whicii  also  fell,  was  in  the  thick  of  the  battle.  It  was  an  important 
position  overlooking  the  plateau,  from  which  the  enemy,  from  the 
outset  of  the  attack,  had  an  extensive  view  over  a  large  part  of  the 
French  rear  positions,  and  its  loss  meant  the  withdrawal  of  the  artillery. 
The  brunt  of  the  German  attack  was  directed  against  this  observation- 
post,  which  had  to  be  abandoned,  the  French  being  overwiielmed. 
On  the  10th  the  Germans  reached  Ressons  Wood  and  Bellinglise 
I'iateau,  gained  a  footing  in  Marqueglise,  and  captured  the  farms  of 
Altiche,  Monolithe,  Hibecourt  and  .\nt0Yal.  On  the  12th,  after  repeated 
attempts,  they  gained  a  footing  in  M^licocq,  carried  the  heights  of 
Croix-Ricard,  and  crossed  the  Matz.  However,  on  June  13,  a  French 
counter-attack  drove  them  back  across  the  river  ;  Melicocq  and  Croix- 
Ricard  were  recaptured,  together  with  a  hundred  prisoners  and  a  number 
of  guns.     In  spile  of  several  violent  counter-attacks,  the  enemy  were  held. 

On  August  10,  an  offensive  by  Humbert's  Army  began  to  clear 
Ike  whole  region.      .\t    A.2i)  a.    iii,.    Ihe   129lh.    lG5th,   Gth.    121st,    74th, 


125 


St.  Claude  Farm. 


123rd,  GVth,  3.Slh  and  15th  "^Div.  attacked  from  Courcelles  to 
Antheuil  and  from  Antheuil  to  the  Oise.  At  7  a.  m.  the  first 
objectives  were  reached.  Ressons,  through  which  ran  the  enemy's  main 
line  (the  "  Gothenstellung  ")  was  passed,  whilst  Marqueglise,  the  Cha- 
teau of  Sechelles,  Chevincourt  and  Bourmont  were  captured.  Tlie 
whole  of  a'.Regimental  Staff  was  captured  at  the  Chateau  of  Sechelles. 
At  Ressons  tlie  tanlvs  threw  the  Germans  into  confusion.  On  the 
11th,  Vignemont,  Margny,  Le  Plessier,  Hill  179,  Mareuil-la-Motte, 
Bellinglise  Chateau  and  Elincourt  were  captured.  The  French  advanced 
in  the  direction  of  Gury  and  St.  Claude  Farm,  which  formed  the  key 
of  the  "  Gothenstellung  "  position,  and  by  evening  had  reached  the 
western  outskirts  of  Gury,  a  point  south  of  La  Berliere  and  Hill 
143,  and  approached  St.  Claude  Farm,  Hill  166,  Samson,  Cense 
Farm  and  the  quarries  of  Montigny  and  Antoval.  On  the  12th, 
they  captured  and  progressed  beyond  Gury  and  St.  Claude  Farm, 
and  took  Ecouvillon  and  Loges  Wood,  the  latter  being,  however, 
lost  again  in  the  afternoon.  On  the  13th,  they  advanced  along 
the  plateau,  gained  a  footing  in  Plessis  Park,  reached  the  eastern 
outskirts  of  Belval,  and  attained  a  point  800  yards  north-east  of  Gury. 
Entering  Ribecourt  on  the  14th,  they  re-occupied  the  Attiche  and  Mo- 
nolithe  Farms  on  the  15th,  as  well  as  the  quarries  situated  2  kms. 
north-west  of  Ribecourt.  On  the  17th,  the  Germans  delivered  several 
powerful  attacks  near  Monolithe  and  Attiche  Farms,  but  failed  to 
drive  back  the  French,  who  strongly  held  the  newly  conquered  ground. 

From  St.  Claude  Farm,  return  to  Elincourt.  Near  the  church, 
take  Rue  de  I'Escalier  (G.  C.  142)  and  the  road  on  the  left  of  the  Calvary. 
1  km.  further  on,  near  a  block  of  houses,  follow  the  right-hand  road,  pass- 
ing through  IVFarest-sur-IVIatz.  The  road  skirts  the  Chateau  of  Rim- 
BERLiEU,  opposite  ti'hicli  is  a  lovvcr  —  all  that  remains  of  an  old  fortified 
castle.  Villers-sur-Coudun  (s  next  reached,  whose  church  is  situated 
on  the  left,  near  the  end  of  the  village.  The  end  of  the  chancel  is 
12th-13th  century,  the  fafade  and  vaulting  ]5th-16th  century,  the 
remainder    modern. 

Continue  along  the  road  to  Coudun,  formerly  the  Head-Quarters  of 
the  Training  Camp  built  in  1698  for  the  Duke  of  Burgundy,  grand-son 
of  Louis  XIV.  The  king,  accompanied  by  James  II  of  England,  paid  a 
visit  to  this  camp  in  August,  to  attend  the  military  manoeuvres.  The 
camp,   under  the   command    of    Marshal   de   Boufflers,   extended   along 


126 


r 


VlI-LERS-STni-COUDTTN. 


The  Main  Street. 


the  plateau  which  dominates  the  right  banlv  of  the  Oise  from  Lachelle 
to  Margny  and  from  Baugy  to  the  Chateau  of  Bienville.  50  battalions 
of  Infantry,  52  squadrons  of  Cavalry  and  40  guns  were  stationed  there. 


Although  the    nave    and    aisles     of    St. 


r;(  ompje 


IIiLAiRE  Church  are  modern,  the  facade, 
arched  doorway  and  choir  date  from  the 
Norman  period  (11th  or  12th  century).  The 
doorway  is  ornamented  with  an  archivolt 
formed  by  raftered  and  counter-raftered 
tori  with  a  tympanum  of  diamond-moulding. 
One  of  the  cornices  of  the  choir  is  supported 
by  Norman  arcading  with  figured  mod- 
illions.  Inside  the  church  are  a  stoup  and 
a  7-branched  chandelier  (both  made  out  of 
a  single  piece  of  wrought-iron),  and  a  17th 
century  painting  above  the  high  altar  depict- 
ing :  The  Crowning  of  the  Virgin.  The 
bronze  bell   (761)   was    saved. 

Keep  along  G.  C.  142  to  Bienville,  situated 
to  the  west  of  a  long  hill  —  the  Ganelon  —  which  stretches  from 
the  south-east  to  the  north-west,  and  whose  south-western  side  is 
sharply  indented.  From  the  top  of  this  hill  (altitude  :  480  feet) 
consisting  of  a  plateau  which  dips  slightly  down  towards  the  Oise,  there 
is  a  fine  view  over  the  whole  of  the  surrounding  country:  Laigue  Forest, 
Aisne  Valley,  Compiegne  Forest,  Oise  Valley  as  far  as  Verbcrie,  and  the 
hills  of  Liancourl,  between  Creil  and  Clennonl.  At  the  north-weslcrn 
end  of  Ganelon  Hill,  many  Roman  medals  and  antiquities  have  been 
discovered,  and  it  is  believed  that  a  Roman  camp  formerly  occupied  this 
site.  Tradition  has  it  that  a  fortified  castle  stood  there  in  the  Middle-Ages. 
C.  G.  142  first  skirts,  llicn  crosses  tlic  railwaij  {I.  c),  afterwards  join- 
ing N.  32,  at  which  point  turn  to  right.  Compiegne  is  entered  bij  the 
Avenue  de  Clairoix  and  Rue  de  Noyon.  At  the  end  of  the  latter,  take 
Rue  d' Amiens  on  the  left,  cross  the  Oise,  and  follow  Rue  de  Solfdrino 
which   leads  li>   Place  dc   I'lIotel-dr-Ville. 


12"; 


The  French  G.  H.  Q.  at  Compi£gne,  in  1917. 
General  P^tain  making  his  report  in  a  room  op  the  Chateau. 

To  visit  Compiegne,  use  the  Michelin  Guide  : 
CompiSgne,  before  and  during  the  War. 


CoMPiiiGNE.   —    Fire  at  the  corner  of  Rue  des  Trois-Barbeacx 
AND  Place  du  MarchS  aux  Herbes. 

Extracted  from  the  Michelin  Guide  :  Complfigne  before  and  during  the  War. 


I2S 


ALPHABETICAL       INDEX 

of  the  places  mentioned  in  this  Guide. 


Ailly-snr-Noyc 18    19 

Aqnenno  \Vooil 5'.^     fio 

Arri6re-Coiir  W'ooil..  15    IG 
Assainvillers 'J-1.01  101 


B 

Bains    Chateau 109 

Beaiicourl 66     09 

Bellinylise  (Cliaieau  .. ..    123 

Bellov; 116.111   118 

Bienville   1-26 

Boulogne-la-Grasse.   110-112 
Boves t)2 

C 

Cachy .^)8.59.62    64 

Caix 66.69    70 

Canny-siu'-.Matz Ill  112 

('antigny 86    81 

Concliy-lcs  I'ols 111   113 

Coudun 12.5 

Cuvilly .    115  116 

D 

Demiini 61.65  66 

iJoniart i;5  C.G 

E 

Elincourt-Ste-Marg.  122  125 

Erches 93 

Etelfay 9:! 


F 

Folleville 19. SO    81 

Fontaine  -  sous-  Montdi  - 
dier 81     94 

G 

Genlis   ^Vood 116  111 

Gentellos 58.62     65 

Grivesoes 82-86 

Grivillers 92 

Guillaucourt^ 66 

H 

Hangard 64-68 

L 

La     Xeuvillo- sire-Ber- 

ua  d 96    91 

Lataule. 116  111 

L'Echelle  St-Aurin 93 

Le  Lundi 109 

Longueau 58 

IVI 

Mailly-Kaiueval 14-17 

Maison-Blanclie 68 

.Marfniitaine  Mannr-Ilouse 123 

Margny-sur-.Malz 121 

Mar.|uegl  se 120.123  125 

Mory 116  118 

Mt'zieres 66     'O 

Montdidier 88-106 

Moreuil 66.11.12     17 

Morisel 73.16     77 


o 

Orvillers-Soiel..   112.114   115 

P 

Picnues 93.97.107  108 

Pierrepont 93     97 

Plessier 81 

R 

Ressons-sur-.Maiz. . .  119 

124 l-r, 

Rimljerlieu   (Chateau...  125 

KoUot 93.108  K9 

Uoyaucourt 94     95 

Roye-sur-.Matz 11)    113 

8 

St-Aii;nan  Chapel...   83     85 

St-Claude  Farm 123  125 

Sechelles    Cliateau).    119  125 

S6necat   Wood 76 

Sorel  (Chateau 115 

T 

Tliennes 68 

Thory 17    83 

V 

Villcrs-aux-Erahles. .  70  71 
Villers-Bretouneux.  .  59-65 
Villers-sur-Coudun.   125  126 


OEK.MAN  Tank  captured  near  Villeks-JIkktonnkix  in  191S. 


XXIII  bls.2.13a-10-2()ir> 


I\ll'.     Kaim'.    I'AKIS 


MICHELIN  DURING  THE  WAR 


THE  MICHELIN  HOSPITAL 

When  the  Great  War  broke  out,  Michelin  at  once  converted 
an  immense  new  four-storied  warehouse  into  an  up-to-date 
Hospital,  with  Operating  Theatre,  X-Ray,  Bacteriological 
Laboratory,  etc.  Seven  weeks  later  (September  22,  1914) 
Doctors,  Dispensers,  Nurses,  Sisters  of  Mercy,  and  auxiliaries 
were  all  at  their  posts.  The  first  wounded  arrived  the  same 
night.      In  all,  2,993  wounded  were  received. 

All  expenses   were  paid  by  Michelin. 

The  story  of  how  Michelin  did  "  his  bit "  during  the  war 
is  told  briefly  and  simply  in  the  illustrated  booklet,  "  The 
Michelin  Hospital",    sent  post  free  on  application. 


A  VIEW  OF  ONE  OF  THE  WARDS 


MICHELIN     &    Cie.,    Clermont-Ferrand,   France. 

MICHELIN  TYRE  Co.,  Ltd.,  81,  Fulham  Road, 

London,   S.   W.   3. 


THE 


MiCHELIN 


THE  LIBRARY 
UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara 


THIS  BOOK  IS  DUE  ON  THE  LAST  DATE 
STAMPED  BELOW. 


APR  4  1985 


I'.^iiil 


k1 


JANS  1989 

RET'D  JUH23B94^ 


i? 


Series  9482 


-\ 


3  1205  00633  5663 


Copies    of  any    of    the 

IMPERIAL  WAR  MUSEUM  PHOTOGRAPHS 


»l: 


reproduced   ir 

by    permiss^ 

Imperial    War    Museum 


UC  SOUTHERN  REGIONAL  LIBRARY  FAaLIIY 

AA      000  335  982    5 


can  be   purchased    from   the 
Photographic    Section    of    the    Museum 
at  the  Crystal-Palace,  London  S.  E.  19. 


MiCHELiN  Touring  Maps, 

as  under,  can  be  obtained  from  Michelin 
Stockists  and  booksellers  in  Great  Britain, 
France,    Belgium,   Switzerland  and  Spain  : 


Map  of  Great  Britain 
France..  ..  . 
Belgium  .  . .  . 
Switzerland  . 
Spain 


3 1    sheets 
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