Part 19

Chapter 193,027 wordsPublic domain

_Pass straight through Génicourt, go over a level-crossing, then over the river, and 200 yards beyond, at the entrance to Condé, turn to the right into G. C. 28 leading to =Hargeville= (54½ km.)._

We are leaving the zone of the fighting of September. _Turn to the right in Hargeville to cross the river, then to the left towards the church and continue straight on._

_On leaving Hargeville, cross the railway twice by level-crossings. At =Vavincourt= (58 km.), turn to the right in order to pass the church, and go through the village to the far end. On leaving it, take the road on the right (I. C. 16), which branches off from G. C. 28. I. C. 16 goes through =Behonne= then descends into the valley of the Ornain and =Bar-le-Duc=. At the foot of the slope, cross the railway and the canal, then again the railway. Turn to the left immediately afterwards into the Rue des Romains; then take the Rue Couchot (3rd on right). Leave it to follow the Rue de l'Hospice on the left, which passes Notre-Dame. On arriving at the church, turn to the right towards Notre-Dame Bridge by Rue de Bar-la-Ville. After crossing the bridge take the Rue Notre-Dame which is a continuation, then Rue d'Entre-deux-Ponts on the left. On the left is the Boulevard de la Rochelle, where the hotel will be found (65 km.)._

FIELD OF OPERATIONS

OF THE

THIRD FRENCH ARMY

=IV.--FROM BAR-LE-DUC TO VERDUN= (63 km.)

(See map inserted between pp. 212-213)

Via +Naives+, +Vavincourt+, +Marats+, +Rembercourt-aux-Pots+, +Vaux-Marie+, +Beauzée+, +Amblaincourt+, +Seraucourt+, +Issoncourt+, +Heippes+, +Souilly+.

_Leave Bar-le-Duc by the Boulevard de la Rochelle, at the east end of which, before St. John's Church, turn to the left and cross the Pont-Neuf. Then turn to the right into the Rue Ernest Bradfer; 300 yards further on, turn to the left into the Rue du Passage-Inférieur. After crossing the railway, turn to the left into the Rue de Popey. 250 yards farther on the Rue de Saint Mihiel will be found on the right, and this is continued by the G. C. S. 1 bis._

_At =Naives= (5 km.), turn to the left and take G. C. 28, which climbs the plateau, at whose foot we have been travelling since leaving Bar-le-Duc. Pass straight through =Vavincourt= (8 km.) and take I. C. 16, a hilly road, leading to =Marats-la-Grande= (14½ km.). Descend into the village, turn to the left; and on leaving it by its western end, take, on the right, I. C. 48 leading to =Rembercourt-aux-Pots= (18½ km.)._

We are entering the zone of action of the Sixth Corps. Rembercourt was attacked on September 7, but held out, thanks to the defences which had been strongly organised round it. It was abandoned on the 10th and retaken on the 12th.

_The road passes in front of the church, which is classed as an historical monument (photo below)._ It is one of the most remarkable in the Department of the Meuse. It dates from the fifteenth century, but its beautiful front is Renaissance. The roof of the nave and that of the left aisle have been destroyed by German shells, but fortunately the front only suffered slightly. _Take the street on the right on leaving the church; it leads out of Rembercourt by G. C. 35._

_3 km. farther, turn to the left in order to pay a visit to =Vaux-Marie= Farm (22 km.)_, which was one of the most important centres of resistance in this part of the battlefield.

A few yards from the cross-roads, on the right, is a large common grave, of which the photograph is given below. Soldiers belonging to the 132nd Line Regiment and the 26th Battalion Light Infantry are buried there. _The farm stands at a distance of 1,500 yards from the cross-roads._ As shown in the photos on pp 256-257, its buildings have suffered badly from the violent shell-fire to which they were subjected, particularly on September 8. The attacks were fierce, but the defences which the Light Infantry had established round the farm enabled them to hold out until the 10th. The farm was abandoned at the same time as Rembercourt, and retaken on the 12th with the latter village. The whole of the plateau extending from Rembercourt to Vaux-Marie was the scene of combats which were among the most violent of the Battle of the Marne.

_Continuing along the road, after leaving the farm, go over first one level-crossing, then another._ The line runs between embankments, and was utilised as a line of defence. French and German graves (seen in centre of this page) were dug along the slope. On the right of the road is Hill 302, on the left Hill 293, which were comprised in the line of resistance of the Twelfth Division of the Sixth Corps on September 6, and of the 107th Brigade on September 7.

Before descending from the plateau into Beauzée, there is a very fine view. The photograph at the foot of this page shows the valley of Seraucourt, which the tourist will visit after Beauzée. It was there that the 40th Division of the Sixth Corps manœuvred. The photo at the top of p. 258 was taken looking towards Beauzée, whose steeple is visible. The numerous graves on either side of the road recall the violence of the struggle on September 6, when German pressure obliged the Twelfth Division to evacuate Beauzée and fall back on Hills 302 and 293, which the tourist has just passed.

_Before entering =Beauzée=, go over two level-crossings. Follow the principal street, and turn to the right in order to arrive at the church (27 km.)._

The photographs on pp. 258-259 give some idea of the state in which the German bombardment left this fine building. The church dates from the sixteenth century, as is shown by the rich ornamentation of the west front (see at the top of p. 259). This part of it received several shells, and in the photograph the shattered fragments resulting from this may be seen strewn on the ground. The nave, the apse, and the transept suffered most of all. The tower, restored in modern times and crowned by a spire, escaped destruction. It will, perhaps, be possible to save the panellings of the stalls and confessionals, which date from the eighteenth century.

A large number of houses in the village, and particularly around the church, were destroyed by shells.

_Turn to the right in front of the church, into the street shown in the photograph at the foot of p. 259. Then turn to the left towards the river and cross it. There is a very picturesque view of the village from this spot (photograph p. 260)._ Immediately after passing the Aire, turn to the right into I. C. 26, which goes up the valley towards =Amblaincourt= (29 km.).

This little village was destroyed. The view in the centre of p. 260 shows what remains of the town-hall, which was formerly a church. _In Amblaincourt, turn first to the right and then to the left, without crossing the railway. I. C. 26 going to Seraucourt follows the valley which appears on the panorama on p. 257._ A tributary of the Aire and the little railway from Bar-le-Duc to Verdun follow the windings of this valley.

The 40th Division of the Sixth Corps fought on the two heights which command the valley to the north and to the south. The southern one (and especially Chanet Wood, which we can see on the right) served as a place of retreat when the attacks of September 6-10, which aimed at taking the northern crest, failed. On the 10th, in spite of an heroic resistance, the 40th Division was obliged to abandon Chanet Wood and to retire for several kilometres. On the night of the 12-13th the Germans, having been completely beaten on all other points of their front, evacuated their positions, which the French re-occupied the next day.

_Pass straight through =Seraucourt= (31½ km.)._ Part of its houses were destroyed by shell-fire.

From Seraucourt to Lemmes we are going over the battlefield of the reserve divisions placed at the disposal of the Third Army, in order to strengthen and prolong its right wing, and to attempt to outflank the enemy's left.

Tn the neighbourhood of Seraucourt the 65th (reserve) Division linked up with the 40th Division of the Sixth Corps.

_Still following the valley, we reach_ =Rignaucourt= (33½ km.). To the north of the village, on the plateau, is Blandin Wood, which was occupied until September 10 by the 65th (reserve) Division. From there it hurled its daily attacks to the west against the flank of the enemy. On the 10th it was thrown back violently to the south-east, beyond Landlut Wood, which crowns the plateau to the south, and lies to the right of the road. The German retreat took place on the night of the 12th.

_In Rignaucourt, turn to the right in order to pass in front of the church; descend towards the railway, and beyond the level-crossing go over the river, and turn at once to the left towards Issoncourt (35½ km.). At the entrance to the village, turn to the left into G. C. D. 6, which is the main road from Bar-le-Duc to Verdun. After two railway-crossings we arrive at_ =Heippes= (39½ km.). The 65th and 75th (reserve) Divisions fought desperately to the west of this road in Ahaye Wood, until September 10, endeavouring to give relief to the Sixth Corps by an attack on the German flank.

_Leaving Heippes church behind_, I. C. 24 leading to Saint-André comes into view on the left. This road formed the pivot of the attacks of the 75th Division, one part of which was operating to the south, with the 65th Division in Ahaye Woods; the other to the north in the Woods of Châtel and Moinville. After a fierce struggle the reserve divisions were forced to retire. Whilst the 65th Division clung for a time to Hill 342 or the Signal d'Heippes, which commands the village to the south-west beyond the railway, the 75th held out in Heippes, but on the 10th both were driven back to the east of G. C. D. 6.

_After Heippes the road goes towards_ =Souilly= (43½ km.). On the heights to the left of the road the 75th (reserve) Division fought, Souilly was abandoned by it on September 10.

During the great battle of Verdun in 1916 General Pétain had his headquarters at Souilly Castle. The photograph opposite shows the victor of Verdun in company with General Joffre.

_Go straight through Souilly to reach =Lemmes= (48 km.), after twice crossing the railway._ To the west of the road is the battlefield of the 67th (reserve) Division and the mobile defences of the entrenched camp of Verdun which, during the Battle of the Marne, worried the German communications by frequent raids against their flank.

_G. C. D. 6 rejoins N. 3 beyond the hamlet of =Moulin-Brûlé= (54 km.). The railway is again traversed by two level-crossings._

This little line, which comes from Bar-le-Duc, and which we have followed from Beauzée, was at the beginning of the Battle of Verdun the only one possible for victualling the troops. The main line from Châlons to Verdun was under the fire of the German artillery, and that from Bar-le-Duc or from Toul to Verdun was occupied in its centre, at Saint-Mihiel, by the enemy. The capacity of this single branch was so small that all the heroism of the defenders would have been vain, and the Germans would have entered as conquerors into the old city, if, by a remarkable feat, motors had not been able to replace the feeble railway. The road which the tourist followed on leaving Bar-le-Duc, and which he rejoined at Issoncourt, has been known since that epoch as the "Voie Sacrée" (the Holy Way). An average of 1,700 motors transporting troops, ammunition and stores, went by each day in both directions, making one vehicle every twenty-five seconds. The view below gives an idea of this line of cars winding across the country.

_At the junction with N. 3, shortly after passing the spot where the railway crosses the road, turn to the right in the direction of =Verdun= (63 km.)._ This town and its entrenched camp, whose renown has become worldwide, are the subject of a special volume.

INDEX OF NAMES AND LOCALITIES MENTIONED IN THIS WORK

_The figures in heavy type indicate the pages on which there are illustrations._

PAGES

Acy-en-Multien, =99=, =100=, =103=

Allemant, 13, =159=, =161=, =163=, 184

Andernay, =236=

Asquith, =90=, =91=

Barcy, =90=, =93=, 104, 106, 111, 113, 114

=Bar-le-Duc=, 10, 17, 19, 236, =238= to =255=

Baron, =68=

Beaufort (Commandant de), 177, 178, 181

Beauzée, =257= to =260=

Brabant-le-Roi, 247, =248=, 250

Broyes, 13, =159=, 162, 163, 172 to 184

Chambry, =85= to =89=, 92, 107, 108, 113

=Châlons-sur-Marne=, 17, 19, 196, =198= to =209=

Champaubert, 165, 169, 184

Champfleury (Ferme de), =93= to =95=, 103, 106

=Chantilly=, =20= to =37=

Cheminon, 228, =230=, 233

=Coulommiers=, 7, 8, 17, =115= to =126=

Courdemanges, =216=

Crécy-en-Brie, 18, 48, =116= to =121=

Dourlent (Abbé), =46= to =48=

Écury-le-Repos, 189, 190, =194=

Esternay, 9, =150=, =153=, 168

Étrepy, =224=

Étrépilly, 95, 97, 103, 105, =107=, =113=, =114=

Favresse, =222=, =223=

Fère-Champenoise, 19, 162, 163, 170, 185, 189, 193, 194

Ferté-Gaucher (La), 18, 126, 148, 150

Ferté-sous-Jouarre (La), 11

Foch (Général), =7= to =16=, 160, 180, 186, 189

Franchet d'Esperey (Général), =7= to =16=, 161

French, =7= to =16=

Frignicourt, =217=

Gallieni (Général), 5, =6= to 16, 98

Grossetti (Général), =10= to =16=

Guerre (Sergeant-major), 188

Haig, (Douglas) (Général), =8=

Hausen (Von), =7= to =16=

Hauts de Meuse, 11 to 16

Heiltz-le-Maurupt, =224=, =225=

Huiron, =215=, =216=

Humbauville, 215

Humbert (Général), 13 to 16, 159, 175, 181

Joffre, =5= to =16=, 187, 260

Kluck (Von), =5= to =16=

Kronprinz, =7= to =16=, 237, 238, 247

Laimont, =246=

Langle de Cary (Général), =7= to =16=, 213, 231

Lenharrée, =191=, =193=, =194=

Linthes, 14, 163, 185

Louppy-le-Château, =252= to =254=

Louppy-le-Petit, =254=

Magnard (Albéric), 68, 69

Mangin (Général), 149

Marcilly, 93, =94=, =95=, 104 to 107

Maunoury (Général), =5= to =16=

Maurupt, =225= to =233=

=Meaux=, 17, 18, =74= to =80=, 114, 116

Mondement, 13, 14, 159, 162, =171= to =184=

Mont-Août, 162 to 164, 185, =195=

Monthyon, =82= to =86=, 91, 106

Montgivroux, 170, 172, 182, 184

Montmirail, 11

Mont-Chalmont, 14, 162, 163

Morains, 195

Moret (Mont), =216=, 217, 219

Morin (Grand), 10, 18, 117

Morin (Petit), 162 to 167

Nanteuil-le-Haudouin, =102=

Neufmontiers, =80= to =83=

Nogeon (Farm), =98=, 104

Normée, 187, 190, 192, 194

Notre-Dame-de-l'Épine, =210= to =212=

Odent (M.), =48= to =50=, 66

Oudin (Abbé), 214

Oyes, 170 to 173, 181

Pargny, =226= to =229=

Péguy (Ch.), 82

Penchard, 73, =82= to =86=, 106

Pétain (Général), 179, 180, 187, 260

Pleurs, 14, 162, 163

Poirier (Signal du), 13, 168 to 172, 181 to 184

=Provins=, 7, 17, =126= to =146=

Pucelles (Château des), 159, 175 to 178, 184

Puisieux, =96=, 97, 104

Rembercourt-aux-Pots, =255=, =256=

Reuves, 172, =173=

Revigny, 9, 236, 237, =248= to =251=

Rochelle (Plateau de), 179, =187= to =190=, 194

Saint-Gond (Bois de), 170, 182 to 184

Saint-Gond (Prieuré de), 172

Saint-Dizier, 231, 236

Saint-Mihiel, 7

Saint-Prix, 165, =167= to =169=, 172, 184

Sarrail (Général), =10= to =16=, 231, 236, 238

=Senlis=, 17, 18, =36= to =65=

Sermaize, =225= to =235=

Sézanne, 7, 13, 17, 18, 148, 153, =157=, 158, 162, 163, 166 to 169, 184

Sommesous, 19, 188 to 190

Sommeilles, =250= to =252=

Sompuis, =213= to =215=

Soizy-aux-Bois, 13, 169, 170, 184

Souilly, =260=

Toulon-la-Montagne, 164, 165

Trois-Fontaines, =230= to =233=

Trocy, 90, 95 to 98, 104, =108= to =111=

Troyon, 12

Varreddes, 86, 90, 92, 106, =111= to =118=

Vassimont, =190=, 191

Vassincourt, =236=, =237=

Vauclerc, 221, 222

Vaux-Marie (Farm), =256=, =257=

Verdun, 4, 7, 15, 16, 260, 261

Villeneuve-les-Charleville (La), 13, =156=, =157=, 168

Villers-aux-Vents, =246=, =247=

Villeroy, =82=

=Vitry-le-François=, 9, 17, =218= to =226=

Wurtemberg (Duc de), =7= to =16=

CONTENTS

=Foreword= 2

HISTORICAL PART 3 to 16

=Day of September 5, 1914= 7

= " September 6, 1914= 8

= " September 7, 1914= 9

= " September 8, 1914= 11

= " September 9, 1914= 12

=Days of September 10 to 13, 1914= 15

TOURIST'S GUIDE 17 to 261

=Practical Information= 18 to 19

=I.--THE OURCQ= 20 to 114

=Chantilly= 20 to 35

=From Chantilly to Senlis= 35

=Senlis= 37 to 65

=From Senlis to Meaux= 66 to 73

=Meaux= 74 to 79

=Visit to the Ourcq Battle-Fields= 80 to 114

=II.--THE MARSHES OF St.-GOND= 114 to 196

=From Meaux to Coulommiers= 116 to 121

=Coulommiers= 122 to 125

=From Coulommiers to Provins= 126 to 127

=Provins= 128 to 146

=From Provins to Sézanne= 147 to 157

=Sézanne= 158

=The Marshes of St.-Gond= 159 to 184

=From Sézanne to Châlons-sur-Marne= 185 to 196

=III.--THE PASS OF REVIGNY= 197 to 261

=Châlons-sur-Marne= 198 to 212

=From Châlons to Vitry-le-François= 213 to 217

=Vitry-le-François= 218 to 220

=From Vitry-le-François to Bar-le-Duc= 221 to 237

=Bar-le-Duc= 238 to 245

=Tour round Bar-le-Duc= 246 to 254

=From Bar-le-Duc to Verdun= 255 to 261

=Index of Names and Localities mentioned in this work= 262

PLANS AND MAPS

Plan of Bar-le-Duc (black) 239

" Châlons (2 colours) between 198/199

" Chantilly (black) 21

" Coulommiers (black) 122

" Crécy (black) 117

" Meaux (2 colours) between 74/75

" Provins " 128/129

" Senlis " 36/37

" Sézanne (black) 158

Map of the Region of Senlis (4 colours) between 66/67

" " the Ourcq " 80/81

" of the Excursion described in the part "The Marshes of St.-Gond" (4 colours) between 116/117

" of the Excursion described in the part "The Pass of Revigny" (4 colours) between 212/213

* * * * *

PRINTED IN GREAT BRITAIN BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON

Vc--2,109-6-1925