diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'old/53762-0.txt')
| -rw-r--r-- | old/53762-0.txt | 4648 |
1 files changed, 0 insertions, 4648 deletions
diff --git a/old/53762-0.txt b/old/53762-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index 1d6a1f8..0000000 --- a/old/53762-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,4648 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Somme, Volume 2. The Second Battle of -the Somme (1918), by Michelin & Cie - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Somme, Volume 2. The Second Battle of the Somme (1918) - -Author: Michelin & Cie - -Release Date: December 18, 2016 [EBook #53762] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOMME, VOLUME 2 (1918) *** - - - - -Produced by Brian Coe, Brian Wilsden and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - - - - - - - - - - ILLUSTRATED MICHELIN GUIDES - TO THE BATTLE-FIELDS (1914-1918) - - - THE - SOMME - - VOLUME 2. - THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE SOMME - (1918) - (AMIENS, MONTDIDIER, COMPIÈGNE) - - - MICHELIN & C^{IE}--CLERMONT-FERRAND. - MICHELIN TYRE C^O L^{TD}--81, FULHAM ROAD, LONDON, S. W - MICHELIN TIRE C^O--MILLTOWN. N.J. U.S.A. - - - - -HOTELS - - -AMIENS - - Hôtel du Rhin, 4, _rue de Noyon_. Tel. 44. - Belfort-Hôtel, 42, _rue de Noyon_. Tel. 649. - Hôtel de l'Univers, 2, _rue de Noyon_. Tel. 2.51. - Hôtel de la Paix, 15, _rue Duméril_. Tel. 9.21. - Hôtel de l'Ecu de France, 51, _place René-Goblet_. Tel. 3.37. - -[Illustration: - - Hôtel de la - Paix - - H. de l'Ecu - de France - - Hôtel de - l'Univers - - Hôtel du - Rhin - - Belfort - Hôtel -] - - -COMPIÈGNE - - Hôtel du Rond-Royal, _av. Thiers_. I Rond-Royal. Tel. 4.15. - Palace-Hôtel, _place du Palais_. I Palace, Tel. 1.15. - Hôtel de la Cloche, 27, _place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville_. Tel. 0.85. - Hôtel de Flandre, 2, _rue d'Amiens_. Tel. 36. - -[Illustration: - - H. de Flandre - Poste - H. de la Cloche - Palace-Hôtel - H. du Rond-Royal -] - - -_The above information, extracted from the_ MICHELIN TOURIST GUIDE -(1920), _may no longer be exact when it meets the reader's eye. -Tourists are therefore recommended to consult the_ MICHELIN TOURING -OFFICES, _81, Fulham Rd., London. S.W. 3, or 99, Boulevard Pereire, -Paris, 17^e_. - - - - -_AN INDISPENSABLE AUXILIARY_: - -The Michelin Map - - - _On sale - at booksellers - and - MICHELIN - stockists._ - -[Illustration] - - _For the - present - GUIDE, - take sheet - n^o =6=._ - - -_MOTORISTS_ - - _this map - was made - specially - for you._ - - - - -The "Michelin Wheel" - -BEST of all detachable wheels because the least complicated - -[Illustration] - - -_Smart_ - - It embellishes even the finest coachwork. - - -_Simple_ - - It is detachable at the hub and fixed by six bolts only. - - -_Strong_ - - The only wheel which held out on all fronts during the War. - - -_Practical_ - - Can be replaced in 3 minutes by =anybody= and cleaned still quicker. - - It prolongs the life of tyres by cooling them. - - -AND THE CHEAPEST - - - - - IN MEMORY - OF THE MICHELIN WORKMEN AND EMPLOYEES - WHO DIED GLORIOUSLY FOR THEIR COUNTRY. - - - THE - - SOMME. - - VOLUME II. - - THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE SOMME - - (1918) - - AMIENS--MONTDIDIER--COMPIÈGNE. - - [Illustration] - - - Compiled and published by - MICHELIN & CIE., Clermont-Ferrand, France. - - - _All rights of translation, adaptation or reproduction (in part or - whole) reserved in all countries_ - - -[Illustration: The Front Line, March 21, 1918. - -THE BATTLEFIELD.] - - - - -THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE SOMME. - - -At different periods during the War, important events took 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 German -Retreat of March 1917, are described in the Michelin Guide "=The First -Battle of the Somme=, 1916-1917", which includes carefully prepared -itineraries, enabling the reader to cover the whole battlefield of that -period. - -The present guide describes the operations which took place in Picardy -in March-April 1918 (=The German Offensive=), and in August 1918 (=The -Franco-British Offensive=); in a Word, the ebb and flow of the German -Armies in 1918, from St. Quentin to Montdidier. - - -THE BATTLEFIELD. - -Driven from the banks of the Somme by the Franco-British Offensive of -1916, the Germans were compelled, in March 1917, to retreat, before the -menace of the Allied offensives on their flank. - -They then established themselves on the Hindenburg Line, and in -1917, in consequence 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 Cambrai-La Fère road, via Le 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 Michelin Guide "=The Hindenburg Line=".) - -But in the early days of 1918, having crushed Russia, Germany decided -to assume the offensive, using the Hindenburg positions as a kind of -spring-board, from which her mighty armies rushed forward to conquer -France. - -In February 1918, the British positions extended in front of the -Hindenburg Line, as far as the village of Barisis, opposite the Forest -of St. Gobain, to the south 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, Frières and La Cave, and -to the west of the bend in the Oise, by the hills of Porquericourt -and the wooded _massif_ of Le Plémont, with its promontory, 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 Le Plémont 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 tablelands of Santerre. Further -north, stretches the old battlefield 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 BATTLE OF THE SOMME (1918). - -The German Offensive: Formation of the Montdidier Pocket (March -21-April 24.) - -[Illustration: _Disruption of the British Front (March 21-22.)._] - -[Illustration: _Widening the Breach._] - -[Illustration: _The fall of Montdidier (March 27.)._] - -[Illustration: _The fixing of the new front-line._] - -The Allied Offensive: Reducing the Pocket as far as the Hindenburg Line -(August 8-September 25.). - -[Illustration: _The Offensive of August 8-12. Liberation of -Montdidier._] - -[Illustration: _Combined Offensives on the Somme and Oise, August -18-29._] - -[Illustration: _Combined Offensives on the Scarpe and Aisne, August -25-Sept. 8._] - -[Illustration: _In contact with the Hindenburg Line (September -10-25)._] - -[Illustration: GENERAL PÉTAIN.] - -[Illustration: FIELD-MARSHAL HAIG.] - -_In March 1918, the British and French Armies, under separate commands, -opposed the furious attacks of numerically superior and more powerfully -equipped enemy forces, grouped under the command of a single chief: -Ludendorff._ - - - - -THE GERMAN OFFENSIVE OF MARCH 21. - -The Opposing Forces--Their Material and Moral Strength. - -Towards the end of 1917, the abandonment of the Allies, by Russia, was -consummated by the Russo-German Armistice of December 20, followed by -the Peace of Brest-Litowsk, of February 9, 1918. As early as November -1917, Germany began to transfer her legions from the eastern to the -western front. Arriving, via Belgium, in ever-increasing numbers, -sixty-four new divisions were thus added to her Western Armies, already -one hundred and forty-one divisions strong, giving a total strength of -205 German divisions against the Allies' 177 divisions. - -The material resources, accumulated on the Russian front, were likewise -transferred to the western front. The enemy's artillery was reinforced -all along the line, the number of heavy batteries being doubled in many -of the sectors. - -[Illustration: LUDENDORFF. - -_From General Buat's_ "LUDENDORFF" (_Publishers: Payot. Paris._)] - -Besides this numerical and material superiority, Germany possessed -the 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 -independant units, separately commanded, each having its own reserves -concentrated behind its particular front. - -[Illustration: GENERAL PÉTAIN AMONG HIS "POILUS"] - -On February 3, 1917, the United States of America ranged themselves 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 Army. -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 equipment, the Allies had acquired -moral superiority. - -[Illustration: DRIVEN FROM HOME BY THE GERMAN PUSH. (_Photo Imperial -War Museum_).] - - -The German Strategy and Tactics. - -In all the previous offensives, especially that of the Somme in 1916, -the artillery had been used, prior to the attack, to destroy the -adversary's defences. The great number of fortified works and their -ever increasing strength necessitated a proportionately longer and more -intense artillery preparation. Thus warned, the enemy were able to make -dispositions to counteract the effects of the attack, and to bring up -reinforcements. - -Moreover, the tremendous pounding of the ground greatly hampered the -advance of the storming troops, who were hindered at every step by the -enormous shell-holes and craters. - -Breaking away from past errors, and adopting and perfecting the methods -inaugurated the previous year before Riga, the German High Command -attacked by surprise, in March 1918, thereby securing a crushing -numerical superiority. The Allies were thrown into confusion, and -all attempts at resistance were unavailing, until the arrival of the -reserves. During this period of complete demoralisation, the enemy were -able to exploit their initial success to the full. - -The method employed was that of a sudden, violent shock, preceded by a -short artillery preparation, mostly with smoke and gas shells, the aim -of which was to put the men out of 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 quickly and secretly -at the presumed weak part of the Allies' front. - -The semi-circular disposition of the front facilitated the enemy's -task, as the German reserves, grouped in the Hirson-Mézières region, -in the centre of the semi-circle, could be used with the same rapidity -against any part of the front-line from Flanders to Champagne. - -The point chosen by Ludendorff was the junction of the Franco-British -Armies. To separate these two groups, by driving back the British, on -the right, and the French, on the left; to exploit the initial success -in the direction of the sea, isolating the British and forcing them -back upon their naval bases of Calais and Dunkirk; then, having crushed -the British, to concentrate the whole of his efforts against the -French, who, unsupported and demoralized, would soon be driven to their -knees,--such was apparently the strategical conception of the enemy's -"Kaiserschlacht" or "Emperor's Battle". - - -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 IInd Army (von -Marwitz) attacked on either side of the Cambrai salient, but the main -effort was made by the XVIIIth Army (von Hutier), which stretched from -the north of St. Quentin to the Oise. - -[Illustration] - -Facing these armies were: the right of the British 3rd Army (Byng), -extending from the Scarpe to Gouzeaucourt, and the British 5th. Army -(Gough), from Gouzeaucourt to south of the Oise. - -The British expected the brunt of the attack to fall between the river -Sensée and the Bapaume-Cambrai road, i.e. on the right of Byng's Army, -which was reinforced accordingly, whilst the sector in front of the -Oise, south of St. Quentin, against which von Hutier's huge army had -been concentrated, was only held by 4 divisions. - -More than 500,000 Germans were about to attack the 160,000 British -under Gough and Byng, whilst from the outset of the battle, large enemy -reserves swelled the number of the attacking divisions to 64, i.e., -more than the total number of British divisions in France. In all, no -less than 1,150,000 Germans were engaged in these tremendous onslaughts. - -During the five nights which preceded the attack, the German divisions -had been brought up secretly, the artillery having previously taken up -its positions and corrected its range, without augmenting the volume of -firing, so that nothing revealed the increased number of the batteries. - -The shock troops, 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 troops and most of the officers were -kept in ignorance of their destination. - -These huge forces moving silently under the cover of night, -symbolized the enemy's might and cunning. "_It is strange_", wrote a -German officer in his note-book, "_to think of these huge masses of -troops--all Germany on the march--moving westward to-night_". - - - - -THE BATTLE. - - -On March 21, during this, the "Einbruch" or piercing stage, the -enormous enemy mass crushed, in less than 48 hours, the three British -positions situated in front of St. Quentin. Carrying the battle into -the open country beyond, the enemy transformed the "piercing" into a -break-through ("Durchbruch"). - -This sudden, powerful thrust was followed by a "tidal wave" of German -infantry which at first submerged all before it, but which, dammed by -degrees, finally spent itself, a week later, against the Allies' new -front. - - -THE DISRUPTION OF THE BRITISH FRONT. - -On March 21, at daybreak (4.40 a.m.) a violent cannonade broke out, -and for five hours the intensity of this drum-fire steadily increased. - -First, a deluge of shells, mostly gas, pounded the British batteries, -some of which were silenced. Then the bombardment ploughed up the first -positions, spreading dense clouds of gas and fumes over a wide zone. - - -"Michael" hour. - -Under cover of the smoke and fog, the German Infantry speedily crossed -No-Man's Land, and at 9.30 a.m. ("Michael" hour) penetrated the -British defences. - -[Illustration: GENERAL GOUGH. - -_Photo "Daily Mirror Studios"._] - -[Illustration: GENERAL BYNG. _Photo Russell, London._] - -The front assigned to each attacking 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 of non-commissioned officers, -advanced in waves, shoulder-to-shoulder, preceded by a rolling barrage -some 300 yards ahead of the first line. This barrage afterwards moved -forward at the rate of about 200 yards every five minutes. - -The waves advanced resolutely, protected first by the rolling barrage, -then by the accompanying artillery and _Minenwerfer_. Wherever the -resistance was too strong, a halt was made, allowing the neighbouring -waves to outflank the obstacle on either side, and crush it. - -The Germans straightway threw the greatest possible mass of infantry -into the Allies' defences. - -Amid clouds of gas, smoke and fog, the British in the advanced -positions were surrounded and overwhelmed, often before they had -realized what was happening. - -Nearly all their machine-guns, posted to sweep the first zone, were put -out of action. - - -The First Day (March 21). - -The first day of the attack, General Byng's Army from -Fontaine-les-Croisilles to Demicourt, withstood the shock steadily, the -Germans penetrating the first lines only. - -In the centre, before St. Quentin, and to the south, in front of -Moy and La Fère, General Gough's Army, overwhelmed by numbers, and -notwithstanding the courage of the men, was broken early in the attack. - -Opposite Le Catelet, the enemy storm divisions advanced 6 to 8 -kilometres, penetrating at noon the second-line positions along the -Epéhy-Le Verguier line. Further south, in front of Moy, they reached -Essigny-Fargnières. - -General Gough withdrew his right behind the water-line of the Crozat -and Somme Canals. - -[Illustration: _The Disruption of the Front. March 21-22._] - - -The Second Day--March 22. - -Tergnier fell, and the water-line was turned from the right. Still -favoured by the fog, the Germans crossed the Crozat Canal. Fresh -divisions harassed the British without respite, 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 (Byng) was forced to -fall back, pivoting on 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. - - -THE INTERVENTION OF THE FRENCH. - -[Illustration: _Arrival of the first French Divisions. (March 22)._ - -_Humbert's Army barring the road to Paris. (March 24)._ - -_Debeney's Army holding the enemy on the west. (March 28)._ - -PHASES OF THE FRENCH INTERVENTION.] - -The crushing of the right and centre of the British 5th Army opened a -large breach north of the Oise, through which, as early as March 21, -the Germans streamed south and west. The situation was critical, as the -enemy hordes, having broken through the fortified zone, threatened to -submerge all before them. Prompt intervention was imperative, in order -to retard the enemy at all cost. - -[Illustration: GENERAL PELLÉ REVIEWING THE TROOPS OF THE 5TH CORPS IN -1917.] - -As early as the evening of the 21st, General Pétain made dispositions -to support the British right. The 9th and 10th Div. (5th Corps) and the -1st Div. of unmounted Cuirassiers (Pellé), in reserve near Compiègne, -received orders to hold themselves in readiness. At the same time, the -staff of Gen. Fayolle's Army Group, and that of Gen. Humbert's Army, -prepared to take over the direction of the operations. - -The 125th Inf. Div. was pushed forward to the Oise, whilst the -22nd, 62nd, and 1st. Cavalry. Divn. (Robillot's Group) were rapidly -despatched to the weak points of the battle line. - -This newly formed group was placed under the command of Gen. Robillot -of the 2nd Cavalry Corps. - -Rushed up in lorries, the first French divisions were thrown into the -thick of the battle without waiting for their artillery. Heroism often -made good the lack of equipment and munitions. - - -THE BATTLE OF DISRUPTION. - -Once the fortified zone crossed, the German armies pushed westward -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 fire. 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 Pétain gave orders for every -available bombing plane to be used to retard the enemy advance, until -reinforcements could be brought up. The air squadrons met a few hours -later at the assigned point, 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 retarding the advance of two -enemy divisions which were preparing to outflank the British. - -On the 23rd, at noon, a hundred aeroplanes, skimming just over the -Germans' heads, wrought indescribable havoc and confusion in their -ranks. Priceless hours were thus gained. - -[Illustration: THE EFFECTS OF AERIAL BOMBARDMENT. - -_Photographed 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._] - - -Crossing the Water-line of the Crozat Canal, Somme and Tortille (March -23-24). - -[Illustration] - -Whilst Byng's Army withstood the enemy's onslaughts, that commanded by -Gough was dislocated by the powerful thrust of von Hutier's 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 between the Somme and -Oise, and with which they were assimilated. - -Further north, his divisions heavily depleted, and reinforcements -coming up only slowly, General Gough 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 between -Crozat Canal and the woods of Genlis and Frières, linking up, on their -right, with the 125th Division, detached from the left of the 6th Army, -and established astride of the Oise, in front of Viry. (_Sketch below_). - -The 1st Division of dismounted Cuirassiers (Brécart) vigorously -attacked the enemy, and succeeded in staying their thrust towards the -Oise. The 9th Division (Gamelin) barred the Ham-Noyon road, along a ten -mile front. On their left, the 10th Division (Valdant) held the zone -north of Guiscard. - -[Illustration: _The French Divisions were engaged from the Oise to -Nesle, before Noyon, which the British retreat left unprotected._] - -On the evening of the 23rd, the situation was critical. General Pellé's -divisions retarded the German advance in front of the Chauny-Noyon -region, which they were covering, but the enemy held Ham. In their -retreat, the British constantly bore to the north-west. - -The 1st Cavalry Division (Rascas), and the 22nd (Capdepont) and 62nd -(Margot) Divisions arrived, and were thrown into the battle between -Guiscard and Nesle, where they attempted to join hands with the French -10th Division on their right and with the British on their left. - -[Illustration: _Converging on Noyon, the Germans effected a breach -north of Nesle._] - -The same day, the German long range "Bertha" guns began to bombard -Paris, in the hope of spreading panic and disorder there. - -[Illustration: GENERAL HUMBERT.] - -On =March 24=, the crushing effect of the German 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 weak places in the thin French line. - -All the attacks converged towards Noyon. At 9 a.m., in the valley of -the Oise, the capture of Viry-Noureuil 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 Caillouel Hill. The divisions on the left took up positions south of -Guiscard. In spite of the unequal struggle, the fighting spirit of the -troops remained admirable. - -On the left of General Pellé's group, between Nesle and Guiscard, the -situation was still more desperate, as, having crossed the Somme, the -Germans now greatly intensified their thrust. The depleted British -units continued their retreat westward, leaving a gap north of Nesle. -The 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 Péronne, the German IInd Army crossed with -difficulty the marshy valley of the Somme, then pushing on towards -Chaulnes, opened a gap at Pargny. - -North of Péronne, the enemy reached Sailly-Saillisel, Rancourt and -Cléry in the morning, and pushed west with 3,000 cavalry. In danger of -being turned, Byng's Army, which had abandoned the Havrincourt Salient -during the night of the 22nd, evacuated Bertincourt and retreated -westward. - -[Illustration: SHARPSHOOTERS AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD.] - -[Illustration: FRANCO-BRITISH LINE OF INFANTRY IN WHICH "TOMMIES" -MINGLED WITH "POILUS" (_Photo Imperial War Museum_). - -_One of the gravest consequences of the retreat of Gough's Army was -the temporary severance of the French from the British. To restore and -consolidate the liaison was the constant aim of the French General -Staff._] - -_These units coolly withdrew, whenever they found themselves outflanked -and in danger of being cut off, often fighting furious rearguard -actions, and repulsing the enemy with heavy loss, each time a frontal -attack was attempted. (Field-Marshal Haig)._ - -On the contrary, we read in Ludendorff's Memoirs that _the German -XVIIth Army was exhausted, having suffered too heavy losses before the -Cambrai Salient on March 21 and 22_. - -[Illustration] - -During the night, the enemy continued to press forward in the fog, in -an attempt to rout the precariously installed and ill-supplied French -units, and to harass Gough's Army, in retreat towards the Santerre -Plateau. On this, Palm Sunday evening, Holy Week opened tragically. - - -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 Pellé's group in the centre. - -In face of the increasing danger, General Pellé received orders to -"check the enemy advance, whatever the condition of the men might be". - -The 1st Inf. Div. (Grégoire), 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 Germans attacked, only to be repulsed. 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 Brétigny. Pushing on, the -Germans captured Babœuf, but a British counter-attack forced them to -fall back slightly. - -[Illustration] - -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 Pellé 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 now fighting against odds of four to one. - -[Illustration: - - _The enemy threatened Noyon, through the valleys of the Oise and - Verse. To the north of Nesle, the Montdidier road was open._] - -[Illustration: - - _Fall of Noyon. Gen. Pellé's Group organized positions on - Porquericourt Hill and Mont-Renaud. Gen. Robillot's forces fell back - on Roye._] - -On the =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 Porquericourt Hill -and Mont Renaud, at Pont-l'Évêque, thence following the Oise. It was -along this line that Gen. Pellé's Corps had orders to hold the German -advance, and bar the road to Paris. - -General Humbert declared on the evening of the 25th: _The troops of the -5th A.C. and of the 2nd C. of unmounted Cavalry are defending the very -heart of France. The consciousness of the grandeur of their task will -point out the 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. Pellé'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. - -[Illustration: GENERAL FAYOLLE, IN COMMAND OF THE HUMBERT-DEBENEY ARMY -GROUP] - -Despite their desperate resistance and the untiring activity of the -1st Cav. Div. and 2nd Corps--units of which galloped from breach to -breach to re-establish the liaison and retard the enemy onrush--General -Robillot's group fell back towards Roye. - -[Illustration: MARCH 25. - -THE ROAD TO AMIENS OPEN TO THE ENEMY.] - -South of the Somme, the situation 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-Rosières. 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-Rosières 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 Engineers 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 Pétain issued a stirring appeal to the men: - -_The enemy is attacking in a supreme effort to separate us from the -British, and open the road to Paris. At all cost, he must be held. -Stick to the ground, stand firm, reinforcements are at hand. United, -you will fling yourselves on the invader. Soldiers of the Marne, Yser -and Verdun, 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 Montdidier. -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 formation), divisions of which arrived each day. - -[Illustration] - -The 77th. Inf. Div. (d'Ambly) was added to the 3rd Army (Humbert). The -operations of these two armies, whose task it was to bar the road to -Paris and cover Amiens, were co-ordinated by Gen. Fayolle. - - -The Push towards Montdidier and Fall of Roye. - -The Push towards Amiens and Fall of Albert. - -On the =26th=, Gen. Pellé's group occupied Mont Renaud--a natural -rampart protecting the valley of the Oise. - -Determined to 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. Pellé. Trenches were -dug, and Mont Renaud organised. The road to Compiègne was barred and -the hills to the south and south-west of Noyon became the pivot of the -defences. Repeatedly attacked, Mont Renaud changed hands several times, -finally resting with the French. The exhausted 10th Div. fell back on -the _massif_ of Le Plémont, 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. -Fighting 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. - -[Illustration: _The Germans attempted with their left to turn General -Humbert's Army, strongly established at Le Plémont. Roye fell._] - -The exhausted 22nd Div. fell back, carrying with it the 62nd on its -right. Roye, outflanked from the south and attacked 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 established on the line -Echelle-St.-Aurin, Dancourt, Plessis-Cacheleux. - -[Illustration: ROYE. THE PLACE D'ARMES AT THE END OF THE WAR.] - -General Humbert made a strong appeal to his men: _Let all commanding -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. - -[Illustration: THE MONT RENAUD.] - - -Allied Unity of Command. - -Events had forcibly demonstrated the urgent necessity for Allied unity -of command. On March 26, a War Council, composed of M.M. Poincaré, -Clemenceau, Lord Milner, Haig, Pétain 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 Pétain and Haig, -what was the position of the armies, as regards the directives of the -High Command? In other words, how was the Anglo-French battle being -directed? The position is defined in the General Orders of Pétain and -Haig, the former of whom prescribed: - -"To keep 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 Channel -Ports_. - -"If we place these two orders side by side, _their divergence strikes -us painfully_. 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 Channel Ports. -Each would evidently consecrate the 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 the ports_. Had this situation -continued, our defeat was certain. - -[Illustration: BRITISH AND FRENCH REINFORCEMENTS IN A VILLAGE. (_Photo -imperial War Museum_).] - -"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-chief he prescribed the maintenance, at all cost, of the -liaison 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, Pétain, Gough, the latter's successor, -Rawlinson, 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 line 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: _I 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 headquarters, -temporarily installed at Beauvais. Twice a day, couriers maintained -communications between Foch and the British and French G.H.Q's. - -[Illustration: LINE OF BRITISH AND FRENCH SHARPSHOOTERS. (_Photo -Imperial War Museum_).] - - -The Fall of Montdidier. - -The Growing Resistance on the Wings. - -[Illustration] - -By the =27th=, the German attacks 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 difficulty. The Allied airmen bombed their -convoys and the railway stations incessantly. - -Their artillery had difficulty in keeping up with the infantry, and the -latter were not always efficiently supported. - -Meanwhile, the Allies steadily organized their defences. Gen. Pellé's -group, with strong positions on the bastions of the Île de France, -repulsed the enemy's repeated assaults. - -Five attacks on Mont Renaud were broken. - -From Canny to the Oise, the Allies stood firm. - -[Illustration: _Montdidier fell, but in face of the Allies' increasing -resistance, the enemy could advance no further._] - -[Illustration: GENERAL DEBENEY.] - -Held on this front, the enemy deviated towards Montdidier, overwhelming -Gen. Robillot's forces, which fell back on Rollot. The Germans reached -Montdidier, Piennes, Rubescourt and Rollot. A wide breach was thus -made between Gen. Humbert's left and the right of Gen. Debeney's Army, -then taking up its positions on the tablelands before the valley of the -Avre. - -[Illustration: GENERAL RAWLINSON. - -_Photo Russell, London._] - -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 Fayolle to have troops brought up in -motor-lorries and despatched north of Ployron, to resist at least the -passing of the Cavalry._ - -[Illustration: _March 26-27._ - -_British reinforcements arrived north of the Somme. The Germans -converged towards Montdidier._] - -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 portions of the massif of -Boulogne-la-Grasse were strongly held. - -Behind the Avre, trains and lorries were bringing up the divisions of -Debeney's Army. - -The British received reinforcements, 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. - -[Illustration: THE ANCRE AT ALBERT.] - - -The Battle for Amiens. The Allies consolidate their front and -counter-attack. - -[Illustration] - -After the fall of Montdidier, the fourteen divisions of von Hutier's -army converged towards the pocket to the south-west. - -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 -seventeen-mile front. - -General Humbert's left maintained an aggressive defensive. - -On =March 28=, they counter-attacked. The 4th Zouaves captured -Orvillers and Boulogne-la-Grasse, threatening the enemy on the flank at -Montdidier. Seeing the danger, the Germans retook part of the conquered -positions. The moral effect was, however, considerable, indicative as -it was of the Allies' determination to re-act. - -[Illustration: BARRICADE AT THE ENTRANCE TO MERVILLE-AU-BOIS. - -(_6 kms. to the west of Moreuil_).] - -On the 29th, these counter-attacks were continued, thus mobilising -many enemy units on this front, which were preparing to attack on the -Avre. - -[Illustration: FRENCH ARTILLERY IN MOREUIL.] - -During these two days, General Debeney, further north, was -concentrating his forces along the front of Le Quesnel, Hangest, -Pierrepont, Mesnil-Saint-Georges, Rubescourt. _There can be no -question,_ he declared, _of crossing to the left bank of the Avre_. - -[Illustration: _On March 29, the Germans were firmly held at the bottom -of the pocket._] - -The Germans attacked at dawn on the 28th. To the west of Montdidier, -Mesnil-St.-Georges was captured. 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. -Capturing Hangest, the Germans slipped along the valley of the Luce, -driving back the British. The resistance 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 Demuin and Mézières, where the defenders were driven back -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. - - -The General Attack at the bottom of the Pocket and the holding of the -German Advance. - -[Illustration] - -On =March 30=, the Germans launched a general attack along a -thirty-mile front, from Moreuil to Noyon, against the armies of Humbert -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 infantry. To the Air -Service fell the task of making good the deficiency, and throughout -the battle, bombs were rained upon the railway-stations, columns 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 Plémont, 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 delivered with equal -fury. - -[Illustration: THE ENEMY'S FINAL EFFORT SOUTHWARDS. - -_March 30-April 5._] - -On its right, not an inch of ground was lost. All assaults on -Mesnil-Saint-Georges were repulsed. The 6th Corps maintained -practically all its positions intact, except before Hill 104, where a -slight withdrawal was necessary. - -On the left wing, the 36th Corps (Nollet) was forced to give way, and -fell back on the Avre. Moreuil was lost in the evening of the 30th. - -=March 31= was marked by extremely violent local actions, especially at -Mesnil-St-Georges and Grivesnes, without appreciable result for either -side. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER IN GERMAN HANDS. - -_The Palais de Justice (see p. 99). Across the street a German -Notice-Board._] - -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 Plémont 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 daybreak, 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. - - -The Results of the German Offensive of March 21. - -The great German attack 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, -Montdidier and Compiègne 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 path 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 Compiègne, 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% of their effective strength. The casualties -of the 6th, 195th, 4th, and 119th divisions attained 75%. 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 XVIIIth 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 High 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 XVIIIth Army 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 withdrawn fairly -quickly. By the end of May, only two out of the twenty-three divisions -which, on March 21, had formed the XVIIIth Army, were still in line on -the Moreuil-Oise front. - -[Illustration: BRITISH BATTERIES IN ACTION IN THE OPEN. (_Photo -Imperial War Museum_).] - -[Illustration: BRITISH TROOPS GOING UP THE LINE NEAR ALBERT. (_Photo -Imperial War Museum_).] - -[Illustration: AMIENS. SHELL BURSTING IN THE RUE DE BEAUVAIS. - -(_Photo Imperial War Museum_).] - - -The Trench Warfare Period. - -From April onwards, trench warfare began again. The Allied front was -reformed, consisting of a continuous line of hastily dug trenches 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 -preparatory 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 Matz, -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 Villers-Bretonneux. - -_See sketch below._ - -[Illustration] - -The plateau of Villers-Bretonneux dominates the ground between the Avre -and the Somme. - -It was held by the British. Slightly to the south, in Hangard Woods, -close to Hill 99, was the point of junction of the Allied Armies. - -[Illustration: ONE OF THE 11IN. GUNS WHICH BOMBARDED AMIENS.] - -The enemy's main effort was made at this point, as being the weakest. - -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 99, 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 passed 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 subsequent -efforts of the enemy, who finally abandoned this sector in favour of -Flanders. - -[Illustration: FRENCH TRENCHES IN THE SUBURBS OF CACHY (_see p. 59_).] - - -Ludendorff's Opinion. - -In his "Memoirs", Ludendorff wrote: _The battle ended on April 4. -It 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 -communications of the enemy forces astride the Somme extremely -difficult, was especially disappointing._ - -_Long distance bombardment of the railways could not be considered an -equivalent._ - -[Illustration: FRENCH 6IN. BATTERY IN ACTION AT ROCQUENCOURT. - -(_7 miles to the west of Montdidier_).] - -[Illustration: GERMAN HEAVY GUN AT FAVEROLLES (_2 miles east of -Montdidier_). - -_Captured on August 9, 1918, during the offensive of General Debeney's -Army. (See p. 42)._] - -[Illustration: CLEMENCEAU AT THE G.H.Q. OF A BRITISH DIVISION IN 1918. - -(_Photo Imperial War Museum_).] - -[Illustration: A GERMAN TANK TRAP. _Australian and American soldiers -examine the charges of explosive with which this trap was fitted. One -of them is looking through a German periscope. (July 11, 1918)._] - - - - -THE ALLIES' OFFENSIVES IN PICARDY. - -August-September 1918. - - -After the German Offensive of March. - -After the check of their offensive in Picardy, the Germans attempted, -by means of secondary offensives, to attain those results which they -had failed to obtain in the first instance. - -On April 9, they attacked in Flanders, from Béthune to the north of -Ypres, in the direction of the Channel Ports, but failed to take Ypres, -or to reach Hazebrouck. (_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 9 to 18, their efforts were turned against the salients -of the Aisne and Rheims. On June 11, they captured the _massif_ of -Thiescourt, but were held before Compiègne. 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 planned a still more formidable offensive: the -"Friedensturm" or Peace Battle. However, the French High Command were -not taken unawares. The scope and time of the offensive were known, and -the Germans 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 -necessitated till now 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 hold on the German Commandment, giving -him no respite which would allow him to recover and reconstitute -his forces. To that end, separate surprise attacks will be made -successively, as rapidly as possible, so as to augment progressively -the disorganization of the enemy's armies and the confusion of the -German Commandment, until the day of the general offensive, and of the -final attack which will crumble up the whole of the adversary's front._ - -A comparison of this conception of Foch's with that of Ludendorff -brings out all its suppleness and power. - -The counter-offensive by the armies of Mangin and Degoutte in the -Château-Thierry pocket, begun on July 18, was scarcely over, when the -Second Battle of the Somme broke out. - -[Illustration: THE ALLIED MILITARY CHIEFS. - -_From left to right: PÉTAIN, HAIG, FOCH and PERSHING._] - -In this new battle of the Somme, the retreat of the 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 British 4th Army -and the French 1st and 3rd Armies against the Albert, Montdidier, -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._) - - - - -I.--THE ATTACK ON THE SALIENT OF ALBERT-MONTDIDIER-LASSIGNY. - -August 8-13, 1918. - -Preliminary Operations of July. - -Throughout July, the Allies carried out different local operations, in -order to improve their positions and prepare for the coming offensive. - -As early as July 4, Australians supported by Americans, had begun 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 Mailly-Raineval, the French captured Castel, and on the 23rd, -Mailly-Raineval, which brought them nearer the Avre. - -These different actions, and the flattening of the Cantigny salient by -the American 1st Div. on May 28, had warned the enemy. - -On August 2, the Germans fell back on the Ancre, and on the 3rd 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 Marne=.) In the belief that this effort -had temporarily exhausted the Allies, Ludendorff was planning new -operations in Flanders, when he was surprised by a new and powerful -Allied Offensive. From that point, the initiative remained with Foch. - - -The Front Line and the Opposing Forces. - -[Illustration: _The Front Line on August 8, and the Opposing Forces._] - -On August 8, the front line passed west of Albert, east of -Villers-Bretonneux, then followed 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 Chevincourt. - -From north to south, the enemy front was held by the IInd Army (von -Marwitz) (10 Divns. in line from Albert to Moreuil), and by the XVIIIth -Army (von Hutier) (11 Divns. from Moreuil to the Oise). - -These two armies, with 21 divisions in line, engaged 17 other divisions -during the course of the battle, i.e. 38 divisions in all. - -[Illustration: THE AMERICANS ATTACKING CANTIGNY (MAY 28, 1918). - - _Photographed from, an accompanying aeroplane. At the top of photo: - Cantigny village. At bottom of photo: Tank tracks. 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, - are 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 battalion 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. - - -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-shots,--the signal for -the opening of the attack,--the rolling barrage broke out before the -Australian and Canadian troops, who immediately dashed forward. At the -same time, the heavy and light tanks, armoured cars and motor-lorries, -loaded with supplies and ammunition, set out. At certain points, the -cavalry, followed by the artillery and the aeroplanes, guarded or -speeded up the advance. The enemy were taken completely by surprise. -The troops and staffs were taken prisoners before they realized what -had happened. One after another, the villages were surrounded and -captured. Forging ahead of the infantry, the cavalry and tanks spread -panic everywhere._" - -The British advanced rapidly in the direction of Rosières, along both -sides of the Amiens-Chaulnes railway. - -Towards evening, the advanced line passed through Mézières, 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. - -[Illustration: _August 8._] - -Along the front of Debeney's Army, the artillery preparation 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 manœuvering, than on surprise. - -The attack began on a front of 2½ miles, south of the Amiens-Roye -road, debouching from the valley of the Luce towards ground suitable -for the tanks, the troops being gradually engaged on their right, along -the Avre. - -At 8 a.m., two divisions turned Moreuil Wood, from the north-east and -south-west. On the Avre, another division captured Morisel, whilst to -the south of Moreuil a battalion crossed the river. Moreuil, turned -from the north and south, fell. South of Moreuil, two fresh divisions -crossed the Avre, opposite Braches, opening up a way for the troops who -had to fight on the plateaux. - -At the end of the day, after an advance of about five miles, the -French reached the line Braches, La Neuville-Sire-Bernard, and joined -hands with the British near Mézières. 3,300 prisoners, including three -regimental commandants, were taken. - -[Illustration: GERMAN BATTERY CAPTURED BY THE BRITISH, WHO IMMEDIATELY -TURNED IT ON THE ENEMY. - -_The third gun is still pointing towards the Allies' lines. (Photo Imp. -War Museum)._] - -"_It was a black day for the German Army_" wrote Ludendorff, "_the -blackest of all the war, except September 15, which saw the defection -of Bulgaria, and sealed the destinies of the Quadruple Alliance_". - -[Illustration: GERMAN ARTILLERY POSITION IN SUNKEN ROAD. (_Photo Imp. -War Museum_).] - - -From August 9 to 12. - -On =August 9-10=, the British thrust and the French manœuvre developed. - - -THE BRITISH ADVANCE. - -Between Albert and the Amiens-Roye road, the Canadians and Australians -harassed the enemy without respite, and advanced several kilometres, -capturing Bouchoir, Méharicourt, Rosières, 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 -resisted desperately. - -On the =11th=, in spite of stubborn resistance, the British reached the -Dernancourt crossroads, about a mile west of Bray, Chilly, Fouquescourt -and the western 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 crossroads -of Chuignolles. 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 staying the advance. In five -days, the British had scored a fine victory, their forces (13 infantry -divisions, one regiment of the American 33rd Division, 3 divisions of -cavalry, and 400 tanks) defeating 20 German divisions, advancing 12 -miles, and capturing 22,000 prisoners and 400 guns. - -[Illustration: - - _The Allies Advance from the morning of August 8 (dash line) to the - evening of the same day (dot-and-dash line). The thick full line shows - the front on August 12._] - - -The French Manœuvre. Liberating Montdidier. - -Meanwhile, General 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. - -[Illustration: BRITISH CAVALRY NEAR ALBERT. (_Photo Imperial War -Museum_).] - -On =August 9=, the French line was advanced as far as the station of -Hangest-en-Santerre, on the Albert-Rosières-Montdidier railway. - -In order to force the enemy to abandon Montdidier, 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 Faverolles, -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 -machines-guns, and huge quantities of stores. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - -PHOTOS, _p. 44_: - -[Illustration: (1) _Australian Sergeant examining a German -Machine-gun captured by the 15th Brigade._] [Illustration: (2) _Near -Warfusée-Abancourt, August 8. Infantry of the Australian 1st Division -advancing on Harbonnières, after a tank had cleaned up a line of German -Machine-guns which was holding them._] - -[Illustration: (3) _The Shelters of the above line of -machine-guns--light constructions compared with the powerful trench -organisations, yet strong enough to require tank treatment._] - -PHOTOS ABOVE: - -[Illustration: (1) _Australians in German trench, with field-guns just -captured (August 1918)._] - -[Illustration: (2) _British lorries in Villers-Bretonneux (August 17, -1918)._] - - - - -II.--THE BRITISH OFFENSIVE NORTH OF THE SOMME AND THE FRENCH OFFENSIVE -BETWEEN THE OISE AND AISNE. - -August 18-29. - - -The first phase of the Battle of Picardy was ended, but a great new -effort, between the Somme and the Scarpe, was being prepared. - -Between the Aisne and the Oise, Mangin's Army attacked the plateaux on -August 18th, advancing to the Ailette on the 23rd. (_Sketch above_). - -[Illustration: - - _The Attack between the Oise and Aisne by the Armies of Generals - Mangin and Humbert, August 18-23._] - -Following up this advance, Humbert's Army continued its offensive -vigorously on the 21st, conquered the northern slopes of Le Plémont, -crossed the Divette, and occupied Lassigny. (_Sketch above_). - -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 -Croisilles, whilst Rawlinson's left attacked north of the Somme. -(_Sketch above_). - -At dawn, on =August 21=, the 4th and 6th Corps of Byng's Army attacked -between Miraumont and Moyenneville. - -Supported by tanks, they captured the advance defences in brilliant -style. - -The fighting was particularly severe around Achiet-le-Grand and Logeast -Wood, where, however, the advance continued steadily. The Arras-Albert -railway which was the enemy's principal line of defence, was reached, -2,000 prisoners being taken. - -After this preparatory attack, the offensive was launched on =August -22=, along a thirty-two mile front, between Lihons and Mercatel. - -South of the Somme, the Australians captured Herleville and Chuignes, -with 2,000 prisoners. Rawlinson's left crossed the Ancre, took Albert, -and advanced its front to the hills east of the Albert-Braye road, -capturing 2,400 prisoners. - -[Illustration: _The Attack between the Somme and Scarpe by Byng and -Rawlinson, August 21-29._] - -But the hardest blow was struck further north by Byng's Army. Advancing -beyond the principal line of defence (the Arras-Albert railway), the -4th and 6th Corps took Gomiécourt, Ervillers, Boyelles, many guns, -and more than 5,000 prisoners, then pushed on towards Bapaume and -Croisilles. The 6th Corps, astride the Arras-Bapaume road, marched on -Bapaume, threatening 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 desperation. - -On the =29th=, Bapaume fell, and the Germans retreated from the north -of that town to the Somme, on the line Cléry, Combles, Frémicourt, -Bullecourt, and Heudecourt. - -[Illustration: - - _The German Retreat, south of the Somme, under the double menace of - the British and French Advance._] - -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 Péronne 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 difficulty of the ground, nor the -obstinate resistance of the enemy could break or diminish_." (Haig). - -[Illustration: GERMAN LONG-RANGE GUN CAPTURED BY THE AUSTRALIANS AT -PROYART.] - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration: _Photo Imperial War Museum._] - -PHOTOS, p. 48: - -[Illustration: (1) _The 2nd German line near Albert, occupied by the -British._] - -[Illustration: (2) _The Railway Station at Albert, a few minutes after -the German retreat._] - -[Illustration: (3) _Railway destroyed by the British artillery, during -the advance on Bapaume._] - -PHOTO ABOVE: - -[Illustration: _Albert, seen from the interior of the Church, the day -the town was liberated (Photo Imp. War Museum)._] - - - - -III.--THE OFFENSIVES ON THE SCARPE AND AILETTE. -August 25-September 8, 1918. - - -Pursuing his plan of offensive, Foch extended the field of operations. -Writing to Field-Marshal Haig, he said: _Continue your operations, -leaving the enemy no respite, and developing the scope of your actions. -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 -Pétain are going forward again in the same manner._ - -[Illustration] - -At the time Mangin's Army was preparing to crush the enemy's front -between the Aisne and St. Gobain, Horne's Army, on the Scarpe, attacked -the salient east of Arras. - -On =August 25=, the Canadians, astride the Scarpe, and the left of -Byng's Army captured the difficult positions of Monchy-le-Preux, -Guémappe and Rœux, bringing their line into contact with the -redoubtable position of Quéant-Drocourt, a ramification of the -Hindenburg Line. - -On =September 2=, the Canadians attacked, progressing rapidly along the -Arras-Cambrai road. Penetrating the German lines to a depth of 6 miles, -they reached Buissy. - -[Illustration] - -On the night of August 30, the Australians, in the centre, furiously -attacked and captured the formidable bastion of Mont-St-Quentin. On -=September 1=, they entered Péronne, after desperate fighting. To flank -this attack on the north, Bouchavesnes and Frégicourt were captured. - -Further south, on the Oise, Humbert's Army, in spite of the enemy's -resistance, took Noyon and the high ground dominating the town. -Advancing from the Ailette, towards Chauny, Mangin's left reached the -outskirts of St. Gobain Forest, in the old lines of March 1918. - -Outflanked on the north, towards Cambrai, and on the south along -the Oise, in the direction of La Fère, and violently attacked at the -same time in the centre at Péronne, 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, Épéhy and Vermand, then followed the Crozat Canal. - - - - -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 Hindenburg -Line, said to be impregnable. - -On =September 10=, the British 3rd and 4th Armies (Byng and Rawlinson) -attacked between Havrincourt and Holnon. - -[Illustration] - -The 4th Army took Vermand, the western outskirts of Holnon Woods, and -gained a footing in Épéhy and Jeancourt. On the 13th, after desperate -fighting, it captured the woods and village of Holnon. - -The 3rd Army crossed the Canal 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 desperately. - -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 liaison 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 Fère. - -[Illustration: PEACE AFTER STRIFE. LIFE IN THE RUINS. - -_Méharicourt, 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 Hindenburg Line, -ready for the grand assault against the formidable positions from which -the enemy had set out on March 21 for Paris and victory. - -[Illustration: _The above photograph represents an assemblage of the -maps on which the Staff of the French 20th 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 Germania on her knees._ - -_With the help of the inset sketch-map, it is easy to trace the -salients of Ypres, Arras, Montdidier, Château-Thierry (crossed by the -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. -Quentin to beyond Montdidier and Albert, produced by the German push. - -The end was near. To avoid a military disaster without precedent in the -world's history, the enemy soon afterwards sued for an armistice and -peace. - -[Illustration: _Ginchy (between Bapaume and Péronne) bombarded by the -British (July 11, 1916)._] - -[Illustration: _Ginchy, ten days later (July 21, 1916)._] - -[Illustration: _Ginchy, two days before its capture by the British -(Sept. 7, 1916)._] - -ILLUSTRATING THE PROGRESSIVE DESTRUCTION OF A VILLAGE BY ARTILLERY. - -_Taken from the Michelin Guide_: "THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE SOMME." - -[Illustration: MODERN WAR WEAPONS. - -_A heavy trench-mortar of the 3rd Australian Medium Trench-Mortar -Battery in action at Ville-sur-Ancre, on May 29, 1918, when the German -front line was only 400 yards beyond this farm-house._] - -[Illustration: PÉRONNE IN 1918. THE GRANDE PLACE. CAPTURED GERMAN GUNS. - -_Taken from the Guide_: THE FIRST BATTLE OF THE SOMME.] - -[Illustration: AMIENS, DURING THE GERMAN OFFENSIVES OF 1918. - -(1) _Fire at the Saint-Frères Works, April 23, 1918._ - -(2) _Platforms at the Gare du Nord, May, 1918._ - -(3) _One of the Warehouses at the Goods Station._ - -(4) _One of the buildings at the Saint-Frères Works._ - -(5) _The Rue de la Hotoie._ - -(6) _The Rue des Jacobins and the Passage du Commerce connecting it -with the Rue des Trois Cailloux._] - - -_To visit AMIENS_, - -centre of the itineraries for BAPAUME and PÉRONNE ("THE FIRST BATTLE -OF THE SOMME") and MONTDIDIER and COMPIÈGNE ("THE SECOND BATTLE OF THE -SOMME"), see the MICHELIN Illustrated Guide: - -"=AMIENS, before and during the War.=" - -[Illustration: FROM AMIENS TO COMPIÈGNE - -Lunch at Montdidier. - -_The roads to be followed are shown by heavy lines. Detailed sketch -maps are incorporated in the text._] - - - - -AMIENS TO COMPIÈGNE - -_See route-map, p. 57._ - -From Amiens to Villers-Bretonneux - -=via Longueau, Gentelles and Cachy=. - - -_Leave Amiens by Exit V_ (Michelin Tourist Guide) (_Rue Jules-Barni, -Chaussée Périgord and N. 35_). _Cross the railway twice (l.c.) or if -preferred, take 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 "_hortillonnages_" -lie in the valley, especially around Camon. Formerly, the river-side -_seigneurs_ 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 by then exterminated the swans. - -[Illustration] - -It was at Longueau that the Roman roads from Amiens to Rheims and -to St. Quentin crossed the river Avre. Gallo-Roman tombstones were -discovered 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 4½ 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. _1½ kms. -beyond Gentelles stands_ a partly destroyed monument to the memory of -the French who fell in the Franco-German War of 1870 (_photo below_). - -[Illustration: MONUMENT TO THE FRENCH DEAD OF 1870, AT ENTRANCE TO -CACHY.] - -_Leave the monument on the right, and enter_ =Cachy= (completely -ruined). - -[Illustration: RUINS OF CACHY CHURCH.] - -_At the fork beyond Cachy, take the middle road, between the Woods -of Aquenne and Abbé, in which are_ trenches, wire entanglements -and shelters. _Coming out into the main road from Amiens to -Villers-Bretonneux_ (G.C. 201), _take same on the right. (See -sketch-map, p. 62)._ - -[Illustration] - -_After passing over the railway_, =Villers-Bretonneux= _is reached_. - -[Illustration: VILLERS-BRETONNEUX.--RUINS OF THE VILLAGE AND CHURCH.] - -[Illustration: VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. THE CHURCH, IN MAY 1918.] - -Formerly a country village, the cotton-spinning industry later -transformed it into a small town. The war has left it in ruins. (_See -p. 61._) - -[Illustration: VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. CHURCH IN NOV. 1918.] - -[Illustration: STREET IN VILLERS-BRETONNEUX AFTER RECAPTURE OF THE -VILLAGE.] - - -From Villers-Bretonneux to Moreuil, -via Demuin, Hill 104, Mézières and Villers-aux-Érables. - -_Leave Villers-Bretonneux by the road to Demuin, on the right_ (G.C. -23). - -_See route-map, p. 62._ - -_From Hill 98, 1 km. beyond the railway, near the junction with the -road leading to Cachy, and close to a Franco-British cemetery, there -is_ an extensive view of the battlefield around Villers-Bretonneux. - -[Illustration: FRANCO-BRITISH CEMETERY NEAR HILL 98. _In the -background_: VILLERS-BRETONNEUX.] - -[Illustration] - - -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, debouched from the valley of -the Luce and the roads from Péronne 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 Domart 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, detachments -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 railway, 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. - -[Illustration: GERMAN PRISONERS ENTERING VILLERS-BRETONNEUX. (_August -1918._)] - - -The Battles of 1918. - -Prolonged and violent engagements were fought from March to August, -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, Abbé 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. - -[Illustration: FRANCO-BRITISH CEMETERY AT "CRUCIFIX CORNER" ON THE -VILLERS-BRETONNEUX-DEMUIN ROAD.] - -From March 28 onwards, this plateau was held by Australian divisions, -the famous Anzacs, who covered themselves with glory there by staying -the Germans. At the beginning of April, the latter attempted to -outflank Villers from the north and south, with but little success. -On the 24th, after a bombardment with high explosive and gas shells, -lasting the whole of the previous night, they threw four divisions -(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 Germans 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 -themselves in the cellars and ruins of the houses. In the evening -of the 25th, while troops of the Moroccan Division recaptured the -monument south of the Villers railway, British units debouched from -Abbé Wood, and advancing via the ravine north of Villers, Aquenne Wood -and the station to the south, surrounded and recaptured the village -after a hand-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 re-occupied. The four German divisions lost the battle, and -left the ground covered with their dead. - -[Illustration: Domart. - -Demuin. - -Gentelles Wood. - -Hangard. - -Hangard Wood. - -PANORAMA SEEN FROM HILL 102.] - -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 Villers and the Somme. On the night -of May 23, the enemy violently bombarded Villers, 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 devastated by the shells. (_See map, p. 62._) - -_Descend from the plateau to_ =Demuin=, _visible at the bottom of the -valley of the Luce. There is_ a large British cemetery _on the right. -Tourists may here turn to the right as far as_ =Hangard=. (_See p. 66._) - -[Illustration: HANGARD VILLAGE, IN RUINS. THE CHURCH IS ON THE RIGHT.] - -[Illustration: ENTRANCE TO DEMUIN VILLAGE.] - -[Illustration] - -_After visiting the village_ (completely devastated), _return to -Demuin. Take the main street, then the last street of the village and -the uphill road indicated in the sketch-map above, to_ =Hill 102=, -_from which there is_ a fine view of Demuin, the valley of the Luce, -Hangard, Domart and Gentelles Wood (_photo above_). - -_Return to Demuin, and take G.C. 23 to_ =Hill 104= (_See map, p. 62_). - - -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 Montdidier-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 instructions, 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 Mézières and to fall back on Moreuil and -the Avre. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration: Amiens Road. - -Gentelles Wood. - -Domart. - -Trench. - -Cachy. - -Aquenne Wood. - -Hangard. - -Hangard Wood. - -Villers-Bretonneux. - -Demuin. - -Marcelcave. - -Corner of Wood, South of Demuin. - -PANORAMA OF THE LUCE VALLEY SEEN FROM HILL 104.] - -On the 31st, they gained a footing in Hangard after prolonged efforts. -In the evening and throughout the night they vainly attempted 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 Hangard, -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 château 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 Château, the French battalion, although surrounded since -10 a.m., was still holding out at 6.30 p.m., in spite of repeated -attacks. At nightfall, a counter-attack by one French and one British -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 brilliant -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 4th. Enfiladed by machine-guns -posted in front of Thennes, the 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 Château, -and made a vigorous defence. Between 3 and 5 p.m., the following -message was signalled three times: "_Surrounded in Hangard but still -holding out_". At 6 p.m. the Château was stormed, and the commandant -taken prisoner with the remaining 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 to -hold out until nightfall. He was finally captured in the course of -another attack. - -[Illustration: MAISON BLANCHE.--BRITISH TANKS GOING INTO ACTION.] - -In spite of their strenuous efforts, the Germans were unable to -debouch from Hangard during the night. On the 25th, the French -counter-attacked, and after crossing the Luce at various points, -re-occupied Verger hamlet, Hangard village, and part of Hangard Wood, -repulsing all German counter-attacks. - -On the 26th, the 4th Regiment of the Moroccan Division completed the -clearing of the wood. Although the British attack on their right was -unsuccessful, a battalion of "Légionnaires" succeeded in outflanking -the north-eastern corner of the wood, in which they gained a footing. -They were followed soon afterwards by a second battalion supported -by British tanks which undertook the destruction of the German -machine-guns nests. Driven from the wood, the Germans bombarded it -heavily with 6in. and 8in. shells, but could not drive out the French. -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 -counter-attacks against the wood, which was finally cleared by French -Infantry and British tanks. Thereafter, the enemy were unable to make -any advance in this region. - -_At Hill 104, take on the left the road to Roye_ (G.C. 203), _and -cross_ =Maison Blanche=. _Take the first road on the left_ (G.C. 28), -_and skirt the Château of Beaucourt, 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 halfway -up the hill, is of archæological 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 façade, comprising two elliptical leaves, is -surmounted by high, pointed arcading forming a tympanum. On the first -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 decorated -with finely carved canopies, several of which are mutilated. The -present consoles and statues standing against the pillars are -unfortunately 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 dæmons... 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 -Germans during the occupation of 1918. The wooden leaves of the -entrance door were removed. The building 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 château of Caix, vestiges of which still remain, was -destroyed by fire in 1400. - -[Illustration: CAIX CHURCH.] - -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 evening 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_ =Mézières=, _where take the second road on -the right to the church (See map, p. 66)_. - -[Illustration: MÉZIÈRES CHURCH.] - -The village of Mézières 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 Mézières, were unable to hold the -overwhelming numbers of the enemy, who captured the 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 the left, then the first on the -right_ (G.C. 28), _to_ =Villers-aux-Érables=. The village was almost -entirely destroyed; its Château is in ruins. - -[Illustration: VILLERS-AUX-ERABLES.--THE RUINED CHATEAU.] - -_The road, along which are numerous graves, trenches and shelters, -next crosses the plateau_, where the 133rd Infantry and 4th Cavalry -Divisions so heroically 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 Château alone is still -existent, and is reached by taking _the third turning on the left (See -sketch-map below)_. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration: THE AVRE AT MOREUIL.] - -The Château, comprising the ruins of four bastions with very thick -walls, was rebuilt in the 14th or 15th century on the site of a -previous 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 Spaniards, from whom the French wrested it shortly -afterwards. In 1791, it was pillaged by the people, like the Château of -Mailly-Raineval. Ancient cannon from the Château 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 -Louis XVIII. It is now in ruins (_photo p. 28_). A large stone cross, -which formerly stood before the doorway of the parish church, was -removed and erected near the chapel of the Château. 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. - -[Illustration: MOREUIL.--THE CHURCH BEFORE THE WAR.] - -_Turn back and follow the street straight to_ the church. - -[Illustration: MOREUIL.--THE CHURCH IN 1919.] - -Formerly 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 façade which dates from the latter part of the 16th -century--when the place belonged to the Créqui family. The façade -(_Hist. Mon._) bears a great likeness to that of St. Peter's Church -at Montdidier. It comprises two large porches, above which rose the -square tower of the belfry and the gable of the nave. - -[Illustration: MOREUIL CHURCH.] - -The left-hand doorway comprises six pointed arches, the third one from -the inside being the most richly ornamented. This arch comprises a -series of ten carved subjects, each under a canopy. - -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 16th -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 left into the road which descends to the Avre._ The bridge was -destroyed in 1918, and replaced by two wooden ones. - -[Illustration: BUILDING A BRIDGE ACROSS THE AVRE, NEAR MOREUIL.] - -=Morisel= _is next reached, which pass through. (See sketch-map, p. -71.)_ - - -From Moreuil to Montdidier, - -via Mailly-Raineval, Grivesnes 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.)_ - -[Illustration: MAILLY-RAINEVAL, SEEN FROM THE ROAD TO HILL 103.] - -[Illustration: MAILLY-RAINEVAL.--RUINS OF THE CHATEAU.] - -This village, first known as Raineval, took the name of -Mailly-Raineval in 1744, when it became the property of the -illustrious house of Mailly. The Château, 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 Château -include a broken tower dating from the end of the 14th century, and -substructures still measuring 250 feet in length. The latter, which -were severely damaged by the bombardments, used to support the three -stories of the imposing Château (_photo above_). The village is now -a complete ruin. - -[Illustration: MAILLY-RAINEVAL, SEEN FROM THE WEST SIDE OF HILL 103. - -_On the right_: THE CHURCH AND CHATEAU; _in the background_: -ARRIÈRE-COUR WOOD.] - -_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 Arrière-Cour Wood. (_See map, p. -77._) - -On March 26, 1918, the French 133rd Division, brought up in lorries, -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 overwhelming -numbers. On the 29th, the French 163rd Division had scarcely detrained -when it received orders to defend Moreuil, under the direction 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, supported by the French, counter-attacked in the woods -north of Moreuil. - -[Illustration: MAILLY-RAINEVAL IN FLAMES.] - -On April 4th, a violent German effort on the left bank of the Avre, -against the 36th Corps, was twice checked, but the enemy finally -succeeded, at very heavy cost, in capturing Mailly-Raineval, -Arrière-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 Arrière-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 Sénecat Wood, a furious engagement -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 Sénecat Wood, gained a footing -in Gros Hêtre 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 officers. -The same day, a single French battalion thrown against the village -of Castel--held by five companies of infantry and two companies of -machine-gunners, of the German 389th regiment of shock troops--advanced -1,400 yards, capturing several redoubts, 254 prisoners (including 10 -officers), and 31 machine-guns. On this day also, the tanks played a -great part in the capture of Sénecat 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 Sénecat 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, and Aubvillers, capturing 1,800 men, 54 officers, -four 77's, 45 minenwerfer, and 300 machine-guns. On August 8, Debeney's -offensive cleared Morisel, and the 66th Division captured Moreuil. - -[Illustration] - -_Return to and keep along the road._ - -Trenches, saps and battery positions are met with. _After crossing the -Louvrechy-Thory road, the Ailly-sur-Noye-Montdidier road is reached. At -the crossing, and before taking_ G.C. 26, _on the left, to Grivesnes, -tourists interested in archæology should take it on the right to visit -the church of_ =Ailly-sur-Noye= _(5½ kms.) Otherwise, keep straight -on to_ =Folleville= _(4½ kms.) (See sketch-map, p. 79.)_ - -[Illustration: AILLY-SUR-NOYE.--THE PRÉVOTÉ.] - -[Illustration: AILLY-SUR-NOYE. INTERIOR OR THE CHURCH IN 1918.] - - -Ailly-sur-Noye. - -[Illustration: AILLY-SUR-NOYE.--THE TOMB OF THE "BASTARD OF ST. POL".] - -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): - -1. A bas-relief crowned with pointed trefoil arcading, divided into -three compartments, depicting from right to left: _St. Martin cutting -his mantle_, _The Crucifixion_, 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 bluestone 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. Unfortunately, the upper part of these -statues is damaged. - - -Folleville. - -[Illustration] - -Folleville, with the ruins of its Château and its church, is one of -the most interesting places in Picardy, for archæologists. The ruins -of the Château (late 14th and early 15th century), situated on a hill, -from which there is a very extensive view, are most imposing. The -corner towers are round; that in the middle of the northern curtain -is over 80 feet high, and is first round, then hexagonal, and finally -twelve-sided. In proportion as it rises, it overhangs by means of -moulded corbels, which bold design gives it a larger diameter at the -top than at the base. - -[Illustration: FOLLEVILLE CHATEAU] - -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 memories. In 1440, it was taken by the English, under -Counts Somerset and Talbot, and served for a long time as their -headquarters. Under Charles IX, the castle served as a meeting-place -for the Protestants. Later, the Leaguers had a garrison 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. - -[Illustration: TOMB OF RAOUL DE LANNOY AND HIS WIFE.] - -[Illustration: TOMB OF FRANÇOIS DE LANNOY AND HIS WIFE.] - -[Illustration: FOLLEVILLE CHURCH.] - -The church (_Hist. Mon._) standing near the ruined Château, 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 -_Département_ 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 Portas_); 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 François de Lannoy and Marie -de Hangest; some of the carvings greatly resemble those of Cardinal -Hémard 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. - -[Illustration: 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 French 114th -Infantry Regiment, _on the right, and a little further on, on the other -side_, a quarry containing shelters. - -[Illustration: GRIVESNES CHATEAU.] - -_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. 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._) - -[Illustration: GRIVESNES CHURCH.] - -The chapel is now a heap of ruins. - -The village, château and park of Grivesnes now come into view. The -latter lies to the north-east of the village. - -[Illustration: FRANCO-GERMAN CEMETERY ON THE GRIVESNES-CANTIGNY ROAD.] - -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 been fighting the two previous days, occupied Grivesnes, one of -them having lost two-thirds of its effective strength. Reinforced by a -few units of Chasseurs and a company of Engineers, this handful of men -repulsed five successive assaults next day (March 30), after the fall -of Malpart. - -[Illustration] - -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 Divisional -Infantry at Plessier. The report ended with the words: _I 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 battalion commander and -his cyclist went forward, with two armoured cars, the machine-guns of -which scattered the German columns. The Rue de Montdidier was quickly -cleared of the enemy and the French entered the Château. At 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 -4th, the French 67th Infantry Regiment captured St. Aignan in the -course of a dashing counter-attack, and, in spite of repeated enemy -attempts to reconquer the village, maintained themselves there. On -the 5th the Germans made another 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. - -[Illustration: A FEW OF THE HEROES OF THE 350TH LINE REGIMENT AND THEIR -COMMANDANT, LIEUT.-COL. LAGARDE.] - -[Illustration: GRIVESNES.--BATTERY OF 8½ IN. MORTARS TAKING UP -POSITION.] - -[Illustration: THE WEATHER-COCK OF THE CHURCH STEEPLE AT GRIVESNES.] - -[Illustration: WAYSIDE CROSS 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 of -tanks, brilliantly carried the village and salient of Cantigny along a -2 kms. front, capturing 170 prisoners and a large quantity of stores. - -[Illustration: THE AMERICAN ATTACK ON CANTIGNY, _May 28, 1918_. (_See -p. 39._)] - -[Illustration: CANTIGNY ENTRANCE TO THE CHATEAU PARK.] - -The village was razed to the ground. The ruins of the church and -Château 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 take on the -right. On entering Montdidier, turn into Rue du Collège which leads to -the Esplanade du Prieuré_ (_See p. 98_). - -[Illustration] - - - - -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 de Guerre.) - - -The town stands at the extremity of the Plateau of Santerre, halfway -between Amiens and Compiègne, 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, whilst a _castrum_ 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-Auguste caused to be erected there, 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 the walls were rebuilt and the city's -life began anew, only to be disturbed again by war under François I. -After repulsing a band of adventurers in 1522, it was besieged in 1523 -by 30,000 English and Germans, led by the Duke of Norfolk and Count de -Bure. Although a breach was opened in the city's walls, the burghers -refused to capitulate. The place had therefore to be carried by storm, -and the enemy burnt it on October 29. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER.--THE ST. MÉDARD QUARTER.] - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER, SEEN FROM THE MOREUIL 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 -Breteuil 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, coming from Roye, entered the town. - -The next day a large detachment of Cossacks and Prussian Hussars, -infantry and artillery, under the Russian Baron de Geismar, 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 combined -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 de Geismar consented not to burn the town, but allowed -his soldiers to pillage it for one hour. On the 28th, the Cossacks -withdrew towards Compiègne, to join the Allies in their march -on Paris. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER, PHOTOGRAPHED FROM AN AEROPLANE. - -_On the left_: _The Three-Doms Stream, crossed by the road followed by -the itinerary_ (_see p. 98_); - -_In the middle_: _Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville_; - -_On the right_: _Place Faidherbe and the Compiègne road._] - -[Illustration: - - The Station. - Royaucourt. - Morlière Wood. - Mesnil-St. Georges. - Wood, south of Fontaine. - Cantigny. - Courtemanche. - Grivesnes. - - -PANORAMIC VIEW TO THE WEST AND SOUTH OF MONTDIDIER SEEN FROM THE -ESPLANADE DU PRIEURÉ.] - -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 Montdidier, -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. - -[Illustration: CHAPEL BUILT BY THE SOLDIERS IN THE RUINS OF -MONTDIDIER.] - -[Illustration: SAVING THE TOWN RECORDS OF MONTDIDIER.] - -[Illustration: THE ROADS TO BE FOLLOWED ARE SHOWN BY THICK LINES.] - - -MONTDIDIER IN 1918. - -Of Montdidier, hardly anything remains but ruins, caused by the -terrible battles fought around the town in March-August 1918. - -From the end of Rue du Collège, there is a fine view of the whole -battlefield: Mesnil-St-Georges and Fontaine-sous-Montdidier _to the -west_; Courtemanche and Framicourt _to the north-west_; Gratibus, -Pierrepont and Contoire _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 Cessier 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 the 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 Marotin 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 the -left of Humbert's Army and Debeney's right, then being brought up, -and of which only a part, i.e. the 56th Division (Demetz) had taken -up its positions. This division, with the 5th Cavalry Division (De la -Tour) and two battalions of the 97th Territorials, had to defend a -twelve-mile front, extending from Pierrepont to the outskirts of Roye. -Attacks by three German Divisions, supported by a powerful artillery, -were repulsed. - -Throughout the morning, the 69th Battalion of Chasseurs fought along -the Echelle-St.-Aurin-Dancourt-Grivillers line. The latter village only -fell at 12.45 p.m. - -After the capture of Erches and Saulchoy the 65th 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 time, and withdrew only after being overwhelmed. -Fighting rearguard actions, they fell back on the crest south of -Lignières, 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.m. - -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. - - -March 28. - -On the morning of the 28th, the German 9th Div. entered Courtemanche, -Framicourt and Fontaine-sous-Montdidier, scattered the units of -Engineers who were holding the road to Mesnil, then occupied Mesnil, -Ayencourt and Monchel. - -[Illustration] - -The 56th Div. immediately counter-attacked. While a battalion of the -132nd Regt. recaptured Fontaine-sous-Montdidier, and the 65th Batn. of -Chasseurs advanced in the wood and on the hill near Mesnil, the 3rd -Batn. of the 132nd, supported by a Batn. of the 350th, drove back the -enemy to Mesnil and Monchel, and carried these villages. On the right, -General Humbert's Army recaptured Assainvillers. - - -March 29. - -On the 29th, the 56th Div. received orders to advance as far as the -railway, between Courtemanche 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 Batn. of Chasseurs succeeded in entering Framicourt, -but was overwhelmed and partly taken prisoners. The 49th Batn. 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 65th Batn. of Chasseurs and the 3rd Batn. -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 Batn. 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 forward as far as Elevation 136, i.e. 2½ 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 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. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER. RUE BECQUEREL. (_See p. 98._)] - -On the right, the Germans took Monchel and Ayencourt, but were unable -to debouch, which prevented them from reaching the south-western -outskirts of Mesnil and the approaches to Royaucourt. - -At 7 p.m., a counter-attack by units of the 153rd Regt., a batn. 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. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER. RUE BECQUEREL IN 1919.] - -[Illustration: LIBERATING MONTDIDIER. - -_The front on August_ 8th. (_morning_) _and_ 10th (_evening_).] - - -The Liberation on Montdidier. (_August 8-10, 1918._). - -During the following months the enemy remained on their positions, the -sector being disturbed only by local attacks and raids on either side. -In the region of Mesnil-St.-Georges, held mainly by the 60th 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 248th -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 progressed 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 Courtemanche. - -On August 8, the 3rd Div. 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 Montdidier. On the morning of the 9th the 152nd Div., instead -of attempting to cross the marshy stream, inclined to the left, crossed -at Neuville-Sire-Bernard, and thus enabled the 166th Div. to force the -passage by a frontal attack opposite Gratibus. While the 126th and -153rd Div. carried Hangest village and plateau, the 152nd Div. advanced -to Contoire and Pierrepont. The 166th Div., which had met with great -difficulty in crossing 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 from 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. - -[Illustration: GERMAN PRISONERS PASSING THROUGH MONTDIDIER (1918).] - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER. BUILDING A BRIDGE IN FRONT OF THE STATION.] - -The attack was a complete success. In the evening, from Faverolles -to Piennes, Montdidier was turned from the south. Assainvillers, -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 they -evacuated Montdidier in the greatest confusion. While the French were -entering the town, which was entirely in their possession by noon on -the 10th, the whole of Debeney's forces thrust eastwards: the 47th and -56th Div. advanced to the east of Villers-les-Roye, the 166th from -Gratibus to Lignières, the 60th to the outskirts of Dancourt, the 46th -to the east of Tilloloy, the 133rd to the north-east of Fescamps, and -the 169th to before Cessier. Montdidier was now largely cleared. - -[Illustration: _The roads to be followed are indicated by thick lines -and arrows._] - - -A VISIT TO MONTDIDIER. - -_Abutting on the Esplanade du Prieuré is_ the BENEDICTINES' -PRIORY 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 Château of -the Counts of Montdidier. The entrance was all that remained of the -Château at the beginning of the 14th century. The remains of this door -were used in the construction of the building known as the SALLE DU ROY. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER. THE PALAIS-DE-JUSTICE. (1919.)] - -The Salle du Roy is built over a vaulted passage, situated opposite -the Esplanade du Prieuré. 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. - -[Illustration: THE PALAIS-DE-JUSTICE IN 1917.] - -The entrance to the Palais-de-Justice is below the vaulted passage. -On the first story, the Entrance Hall and the corridor leading -to the Audience Chamber were decorated with six large Brussels -tapestries, believed to be work of Henry Reydams (17th century). Made -originally for the town of Douai, they were taken from the Château -of Ferrières--pulled down in 1809--in the Department of Oise. The -subjects, taken from the Book of Exodus, depicted: _The Crossing 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 of tapestries -in the Cathedral of Chartres, said to have been made after drawings by -Raphael. - -[Illustration: THE TOMB OF RAOUL DE CRÉPY.] - -The other public buildings of Montdidier stood in the 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 of the Palais-de-Justice and following Rue -St. Pierre_. - -[Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH.] - -Of this church hardly anything remains except the walls and débris. -Portions of the building were 14th 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 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 Médicis. 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 near the -doorway--appeared somewhat heavy in style. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER CEMETERY (_north-east of the town_). _See -Itinerary, p. 98._] - -[Illustration: PLACE FAIDHERBE. - -(_At the end of Rue de Roye, which comes out into Place de -l'Hôtel-de-Ville. See p. 98_).] - -At the bottom of the left aisle, a reclining statue was said to depict -Count Raoul de Crépy, and to have formed part of the tomb which the -Count had built in the 11th century, while still alive. 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 Crépy. - -In the adjoining chapel is a _Burial Scene_ comprising seven figures -grouped around that of Christ. As in the Tomb of St. Germain-les-Fossés -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 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 Crépy, the "Burial Scene" and the -font are believed to lie buried under the débris. - -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 the -pedestal remains. Parmentier, who introduced and popularized potato -growing in France, was a native of Montdidier. - -[Illustration: THE STATUE OF PARMENTIER (1914).] - -[Illustration: THE STATUE OF PARMENTIER AND A CORNER OF THE TOWN, IN -1919 _looking towards St. Peter's Church, seen behind. Tourists follow the -road on the left_.] - -_Rue de la Croix-Bleue leads to Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville. On the -right stands_ the modern =Hôtel-de-Ville= 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. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER.--THE HOTEL-DE-VILLE.] - -_Rue Parmentier is next reached, at the entrance to which is_ the 16th -century =Church of the Holy Sepulchre=. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER.--RUE PARMENTIER AND THE CHURCH OF ST. -SEPULCHRE (1914).] - -Its modern flamboyant Gothic doorway replaced the old portal which, -jutting out in front of the church, was ornamented with a hanging -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 vaulting -of the choir remains. - -[Illustration: THE CHURCH OF ST. SEPULCHRE IN 1919.] - -[Illustration: CHURCH OF ST. SEPULCHRE, THE CHANCEL.] - -[Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF ST. SEPULCHRE. - -(_Seen from the Chancel, near the Porch_).] - -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 _Ecce Homo_ at the top of -the 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 -Morlière. At the other end of the right aisle stood the baptismal font -(1539), mutilated and covered with whitewash in 1870. The church -of La Boissière possesses an identical font dating from the same -period, but much better preserved. The font probably lies buried under -the débris. In the font chapel there is a stone bas-relief (protected -during the war), said to have come from the old church. It was -consecrated 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 enfants -qui pissent_, were mutilated because of their realism. - -[Illustration: MONTDIDIER.--THE LOWER TOWN, SEEN THROUGH A SHELL-HOLE -IN THE CHURCH OF ST. SEPULCHRE.] - -_Go down Rue Parmentier, then turn left into Boulevard Béjot, in the -direction of Compiègne._ - - -From Montdidier to Cuvilly, - -=via Assainvillers, Piennes, Rollot, Boulogne-la-Grasse, -Conchy-les-Pots and Orvillers-Sorel=. - -_Follow Boulevard Béjot, then take Boulevard de Compiègne, on -the right, and a little further on, N. 35, also on the right, to_ -=Assainvillers=, entirely razed. _Take the second road on the left and -cross the light railway, 0 km. 700 beyond which are_ several lines -of trenches. _Take the left-hand street, which leads straight to the -church and village of_ =Piennes=. (_See sketch-map below._) - -[Illustration: ASSAINVILLERS IN RUINS.] - - -Piennes. - -[Illustration] - -The church of Piennes (_Hist. Mon._) dating from the end of the 15th or -beginning of the 16th century, was a remarkable structure. - -The tierce-point doorway comprised two round-arched bays, with a blind -Flamboyant tympanum. The dividing pillar was surmounted by a statue of -the Virgin resting on a crescent. - -[Illustration: ASSAINVILLERS CHURCH.] - -Between the doorway and the buttresses framing it, an elaborate Gothic -canopy sheltered an empty niche on either side. The front of each -buttress was ornamented with a niche under a Gothic canopy containing -mutilated statues of St. Catherine and St. Marguerite. - -[Illustration: PIENNES CHURCH.] - -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 architects of Beauvais Cathedral. The pretty 16th century font -was ornamented with angels' heads and fantastic figures arranged -alternately and linked together by festoons of leaves. The remarkable -churchwardens' bench of carved wood in Renaissance style was one of the -finest in the _Département_ of the Somme. The wood-work of the pulpit -dated from the same period and was in the same style. - -The church was almost entirely destroyed in 1918, but a portion of the -doorway and a buttress with a niche still remain. The gables of the -side-aisles, three of which have retained their roofing, are still -standing. The font near the entrance, on the left, is partly hidden -under the débris. 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-Compiègne road on -the 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. - -[Illustration: ROLLOT.--RUE DE L'ÉGLISE.] - -[Illustration: THE ROAD FROM ROLLOT TO BOULOGNE-LA-GRASSE.] - -_On leaving Rollot, take_ G.C. 27 _on the left_; the CHATEAU OF BAINS, -in the woods skirting the road on the left, was greatly damaged during -the fighting. _Keep straight on to_ the church of =Boulogne-la-Grasse=. - -[Illustration: CHATEAU OF BAINS.] - - -Boulogne-la-Grasse. - -Boulogne-la-Grasse is situated on the top and along the middle -slopes of a kind of small broken _massif_. Before the War, the -village consisted of a number of independant quarters intersected by -picturesque, winding streets, the whole hidden from view by gardens and -orchards. - -[Illustration: BOULOGNE-LA-GRASSE.--THE RUINED CHURCH.] - -[Illustration: THE CHOIR OF THE ABOVE CHURCH.] - -The church, access to which is gained by a flight of 34 steps, -overlooks 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 Château are still -visible. The latter was replaced by a modern Château, 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. - -[Illustration: BOULOGNE-LA-GRASSE CHATEAU (1914).] - -[Illustration: THE COURTYARD OF THE CHATEAU (1918).] - -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' fighting. The -Germans captured Boulogne and Conchy, but the next day (28th), the -French counter-attacked and retook both villages. Having, after two -unsuccessful assaults, gained a footing in Canny-sur-Matz, the enemy -launched repeated violent counter-attacks against Conchy and Boulogne, -reoccupying the former, but recapturing 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 Berlière. On the following days, their -advance definitely freed the region. Canny was re-occupied on the 17th. - -[Illustration] - -_Return to the church, keeping straight 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), 12th and 15th centuries. The church was practically -razed. _The road on the right leads to the_ St. Nicaise Chapel, -_situated immediately beyond the light railway_. This chapel contained -fine 15th or 16th century stained-glass windows, depicting the story -of St. Nicaise, which were placed in safety during the War. - -[Illustration: CONCHY-LES-POTS, AT THE CROSSROADS OF -BOULOGNE-LA-GRASSE.] - -[Illustration: CONCHY-LES-POTS, A CORNER OF THE RUINS.] - -_Return to the entrance to the village. By G.C. 27, on the left, -tourists may proceed to_ =Roye-sur-Matz=, whose church (_Hist. Mon._) -was partly 12th century. It was rebuilt in the 16th-17th centuries, -except the doorway, nave, northern transept and tower which were in a -remarkably good state of preservation. Previous to the offensives of -1918, the church had been for three years in the firing line, and was -seriously damaged between 1914 and 1917. Its ruin was completed in -1918. A few fragments of walls belonging to the chevet are all that -remain. - -[Illustration: ROYE-SUR-MATZ.--THE CHURCH.] - -_From Roye-sur-Matz return to Conchy-les-Pots, where take the -left-hand (paved) N. 17 to_ =Orvillers-Sorel=. _On the left, between -Conchy-les-Pots and Orvillers-Sorel, is_ the village of BIERMONT, which -was desperately defended by the French 62nd Division on March 30, 1918. - -[Illustration] - -[Illustration: ORVILLERS-SOREL CHURCH IN RUINS.] - -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, and on the following day (31st) -counter-attacked between 1.30 and 2.30 p.m., 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 to the north-west 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. - -[Illustration: ORVILLERS-SOREL. VIEW OF THE VILLAGE.] - -_Beyond the village, a small chapel is passed, on the right, the -tourist coming out opposite_ =Sorel Château= (late 17th century), -_which stands_ in a closed park. The Château was seriously damaged -during the attacks. - -[Illustration: SOREL CHATEAU.] - -_Take the avenue facing the Château_, 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. - -[Illustration: CUVILLY. - -THE CHURCH, SOUTH-WEST FAÇADE.] - -_To reach the church take Rue de Matz, on the right, and on reaching -the square, bear to the left._ - - -Belloy Plateau. - -_To reach_ Belloy Plateau, on which violent fighting took place in June -1918, _keep straight on the road from Cuvilly to_ =Lataule=. - -The church of Lataule, although modern, has retained some of the -windows of the 15th century edifice. Opposite, stands the Château, -built at the end of the 17th century, after the Spanish wars. Of the -old Château, destroyed in the 17th century, traces still remain near to -the road. - -_Turn to the right, skirting the park of the Château, to reach_ =Hill -132=, on which are a cemetery, an observation-post, and some trenches. - -[Illustration: STATUES IN CUVILLY CHURCH.] - -From there, the view extends over Belloy and Méry 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 footing on -this bare plateau on June 10, 1918, capturing the villages of Lataule, -Méry, Belloy, St. Maur and Cuvilly, after a fierce battle lasting -two days, in which they engaged large forces. Méry 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 Méry 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 -Méry and Genlis Wood, before Belloy, and as far as the outskirts of -St. Maur. The line was advanced 2 kms., east of Méry, as a consequence -of this thrust, and German counter-attacks failed to win back the -lost ground. Cuvilly remained in the possession of the enemy, who -consolidated it. On August 10, when 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. - -[Illustration: -LATAULE. THE CHATEAU IN RUINS.] - -[Illustration: RUINS OF BELLOY CHURCH.] - -[Illustration: BARRICADE IN MÉRY VILLAGE.] - -[Illustration: MÉRY. A CORNER OF THE VILLAGE.] - -_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. =Méry=, 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 16th century. The rest is 18th century. There are underground -shelters in the village and surroundings, the entrances to which are -nearly all blocked up. As in the other villages on this plateau, -ancient _sarcophagi_ have been discovered at Méry. - -_Turn back and take G.C. 146 to_ RESSONS-SUR-MATZ. Trenches with wire -entanglements are to be seen along the road. - -[Illustration: ARTILLERY PASSING THROUGH RESSONS-SUR-MATZ.] - - -From Belloy Plateau to Compiègne, - -=via Ressons-sur-Matz, Marquéglise, Margny-sur-Matz, Élincourt-St. -Marguerite, Marest-sur-Matz, Coudun and Bienville.= - -_At the crossing of the road with N. 17, on the left, is_ the CHATEAU -OF SÉCHELLES. _Continue along G.C. 146; 2 kms. further on, there is a -very bad level-crossing over a narrow-gauge railway. After crossing -a normal gauge railway (l. c.) and another narrow-gauge line_, -=Ressons-sur-Matz= _is reached. Turn left to reach the church._ - -[Illustration: RESSONS-SUR-MATZ.--THE MAIN STREET.] - -Ressons is a very ancient market-town. St. Amand, bishop 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 Séchelles, was taken -by the Burgundians in 1430, and afterwards recaptured by the French. -The church (_Hist. Mon._) dates from various periods: the nave and -side-aisle with their richly ornamented buttresses were rebuilt 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 damaged in 1918: the stained-glass windows were destroyed -and the bell disappeared. - -_Turn back, and beyond Place du Marché take G.C. 41 on the left. On -leaving Ressons, there is a bad level-crossing over a narrow-gauge -railway, another in very bad condition beyond Bayencourt Farm, and a -third 1 km. further on, after which_ =Marquéglise= _is reached. (See -sketch-map, p. 114.)_ - -[Illustration: MARQUÉGLISE.--A CORNER OF THE VILLAGE.] - -The old Château opposite the church is in ruins; the surrounding walls -and outlying pavilions alone remain standing. - -The church is mainly 16th century. The choir vaulting contains several -keystones bearing coats-of-arms. A pretty 15th or 16th century cross -with a Virgin on one of its sides, which used to stand in the cemetery, -was destroyed. - -[Illustration: MARQUÉGLISE. - -THE CHURCH AND FRENCH MILITARY GRAVES.] - -_A foot-path nearly opposite the church leads to_ =Hill 77=. From there -a fine panoramic view may be had of the battlefield on both sides -of the Amiens-Compiègne road, as far as the Aronde, particularly to -the south-west, where the view takes in Antheuil, Loges Farm (an old -dependency of Ourscamps Abbey), and Porte Farm, formerly belonging to -Élincourt-St.-Marguerite Priory. This region was the scene of desperate -fighting during the German offensive of June 9-11, 1918. - -[Illustration: THE BATTLEFIELD TO THE SOUTH-WEST OF HILL 77.] - -On the night of the 10th, the Germans captured Antheuil and the -two farms, advancing as far as the Aronde. They were already -shouting victory, in the belief they were outflanking Compiègne from -the north-west and would soon reach Estrées-St.-Denis, when the -counter-attack of June 11 drove them back. Antheuil 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 Les Loges and Porte Farm. - -During the rest of the month this sector remained agitated. On several -occasions the Germans attempted 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 positions 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-Matz=. (_See map, p. 124._) - -[Illustration: MARGNY-SUR-MATZ.--INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH. - -_Note the "Glory Beam"._] - -The door and choir of the church are Norman. Some of the capitals in -the choir (those behind the altar) attest to the primitive Norman -style. A stone _Pieta_ and a small ovoid stoup dating from 1603 have -disappeared. A "glory beam" depicts Jesus-Christ, the Virgin and St. -John. - -_Continue along the road. On leaving Margny, there is a bad -level-crossing over a narrow-gauge railway. Take the first road on the -left to_ =Élincourt-St.-Marguerite=. - -[Illustration: ELINCOURT-ST.-MARGUERITE. THE CHURCH.] - -This is a very old village, in the neighbourhood of which are several -tombs dating from a very remote period. The country was occupied by the -Romans. Gallo-Roman remains have been discovered around the Château of -Bellinglise. Under Charles-le-Simple, the village and chapel of St. -Marguerite were given to the Abbey of St. Corneille at Compiègne. The -Priory of St. Marguerite, founded by the Benedictines 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 Château 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 Compiègne, in -MCCCCXXX, made a pilgrimage to St. Marguerite and communicated in the -church of Élincourt_, is not borne out by history, as she could not -have gone to Élincourt--occupied by the English--seeing that she left -Crépy to go to Compiègne. - -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 buttresses 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, and 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. - -[Illustration: ELINCOURT-ST.-MARGUERITE AND THE VALLEY OF THE MATZ, -SEEN FROM THE MONASTERY OF ST. MARGUERITE.] - -_On the way back, take the left-hand road, which joins G.C. 142. At the -fork, take the right-hand road to_ =Marfontaine 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 central -springing of which rests on a round pillar; the keystones represent -three entwined fishes. The =Château of Bellinglise=, abutting on -Marfontaine Manor, was built in the 16th century. - -[Illustration: BELLINGLISE CHATEAU.] - -_The left-hand road passes near_ =St. Claude Farm=, _at the crossing -of G.C. 142 (from Élincourt 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_), Mareuil-la-Motte, Marquéglise and Vignemont -(_to the south_), Élincourt, Chevincourt, Mélicocq and Ribécourt (_to -the south-east_), and the Thiescourt Woods (_to the east_). - -[Illustration: THE MASSIF OF THIESCOURT. - -_The eastern portion of the massif and the fighting which took place -there, are described in the Michelin Guide: Noyon, Roye, Lassigny._] - -During the battle of March 30, 1918, the headquarters of General -d'Ambly (77th Division) were at Élincourt, while those of General -Guillemin (53rd Division) were at Chevincourt. 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, Ricquebourg -Wood, and Mareuil-la-Motte. The village of Ressons-sur-Matz, in which -they gained a footing, was disputed foot by foot. St. Claude Farm, -which 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 overwhelmed. On the 10th -the Germans reached Ressons Wood and Bellinglise Plateau, gained a -footing in Marquéglise, and captured the farms of Attiche, Monolithe, -Ribécourt and Antoval. On the 12th, after repeated attempts, they -gained a footing in Mélicocq, carried the heights of Croix-Ricard, and -crossed the Matz. However, on June 13, a French counter-attack drove -them back across the river; Mélicocq and Croix-Ricard were recaptured, -together with a hundred prisoners and a number of guns. In spite of -several violent counter-attacks, the enemy were held. - -On August 10, an offensive by Humbert's Army began to clear the whole -region. At 4.20 a.m., the 129th, 165th, 6th, 121st, 74th, 123rd, -67th, 38th and 15th Divs. 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 Marquéglise, the Château of Séchelles, Chevincourt -and Bourmont were captured. The whole of a Regimental Staff was -captured at the Château of Séchelles. At Ressons the tanks threw the -Germans into confusion. On the 11th, Vignemont, Margny, Le Plessier, -Hill 179, Mareuil-la-Motte, Bellinglise Château and Élincourt 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 Berlière 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 Écouvillon 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 Ribécourt on -the 14th, they re-occupied the Attiche and Monolithe Farms on the 15th, -as well as the quarries situated 2 kms. north-west of Ribécourt. 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. - -[Illustration: ST. CLAUDE FARM.] - -_From St. Claude Farm, return to Élincourt. Near the church, take Rue -de l'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, -passing through_ =Marest-sur-Matz=. _The road skirts the_ CHATEAU -OF RIMBERLIEU, _opposite which is_ a tower--all that remains of an -old fortified castle. =Villers-sur-Coudun= _is 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 façade and vaulting 15th-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, grandson of -Louis XIV. The king, accompanied by James II of England, paid a visit -to this camp in August, to attend the military manœuvres. The camp, -under the command of Marshal de Boufflers, extended along the plateau -which dominates the right bank of the Oise from Lachelle to Margny and -from Baugy to the Château of Bienville. 50 battalions of Infantry, 52 -squadrons of Cavalry and 40 guns were stationed there. - -[Illustration: VILLERS-SUR-COUDUN.--THE MAIN STREET.] - -Although the nave and aisles of ST. HILAIRE CHURCH are modern, -the façade, 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 modillions. 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 -depicting: _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, -Compiègne Forest, Oise Valley as far as Verberie, and the hills of -Liancourt, between Creil and Clermont. At the north-western 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. - -[Illustration] - -_C.G. 142 first skirts, then crosses the railway (l. c.), afterwards -joining N. 32, at which point turn to right._ =Compiègne= _is entered -by 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 -Solférino which leads to Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville._ - -[Illustration: THE FRENCH G.H.Q. AT COMPIÈGNE, IN 1917. GENERAL PÉTAIN -MAKING HIS REPORT IN A ROOM OF THE CHATEAU. - -_To visit Compiègne, use the Michelin Guide_: Compiègne, before and -during the War.] - -[Illustration: COMPIÈGNE.--FIRE AT THE CORNER OF RUE DES TROIS-BARBEAUX -AND PLACE DU MARCHÉ AUX HERBES. - -_Extracted from the Michelin Guide_: Compiègne before and during the -War.] - - - - -ALPHABETICAL INDEX - -of the places mentioned in this Guide. - - - A - - Ailly-sur-Noye, 78, 79 - - Aquenne Wood, 59, 65 - - Arrière-Cour Wood, 75, 76 - - Assainvillers, 94-97, 107 - - - B - - Bains (Château), 109 - - Beaucourt, 66, 68, 69 - - Bellinglise (Château), 123 - - Belloy, 116, 117, 118 - - Bienville, 126 - - Boulogne-la-Grasse, 110-112 - - Boves, 62 - - - C - - Cachy, 58, 59, 62, 64 - - Caix, 66, 69, 70 - - Canny-sur-Matz, 111, 112 - - Cantigny, 86, 87 - - Conchy-les Pots, 111, 113 - - Coudun, 125 - - Cuvilly, 115, 116 - - - D - - Demuin, 64, 65, 66 - - Domart, 65, 66 - - - E - - Élincourt-Ste-Marg., 122, 125 - - Erches, 93 - - Etelfay, 93 - - - F - - Folleville, 79, 80, 81 - - Fontaine-sous-Montdidier, 87, 94 - - - G - - Genlis Wood, 116, 117 - - Gentelles, 58, 62, 65 - - Grivesnes, 82-86 - - Grivillers, 92 - - Guillaucourt, 66 - - - H - - Hangard, 64-68 - - - L - - La Neuville-Sire-Bernard, 96, 97 - - Lataule, 116, 117 - - L'Echelle St-Aurin, 93 - - Le Lundi, 109 - - Longueau, 58 - - - M - - Mailly-Raineval, 74-77 - - Maison-Blanche, 68 - - Marfontaine Manor-House, 123 - - Margny-sur-Matz, 121 - - Marquéglise, 120, 123, 125 - - Méry, 116, 118 - - Mézières, 66, 70 - - Montdidier, 88-106 - - Moreuil, 66, 71, 72, 77 - - Morisel, 73, 76, 77 - - - O - - Orvillers-Sorel, 112, 114, 115 - - - P - - Piennes, 93, 97, 107, 108 - - Pierrepont, 93, 97 - - Plessier, 84 - - - R - - Ressons-sur-Matz, 119, 124, 125 - - Rimberlieu (Château), 125 - - Rollot, 93, 108, 109 - - Royaucourt, 94, 95 - - Roye-sur-Matz, 111, 113 - - - S - - St-Aignan Chapel, 83, 85 - - St-Claude Farm, 123, 125 - - Séchelles (Château), 119, 125 - - Sénecat Wood, 76 - - Sorel (Château), 115 - - - T - - Thennes, 68 - - Thory, 77, 83 - - - V - - Villers-aux-Érables, 70, 71 - - Villers-Bretonneux, 59-65 - - Villers-sur-Coudun, 125, 126 - -[Illustration: GERMAN TANK CAPTURED NEAR VILLERS-BRETONNEUX IN 1918.] - - - - -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. - -[Illustration: 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_ - -TOURING OFFICE - - -[Illustration: A VIEW OF THE MICHELIN TOURING OFFICE] - -Open to all Motorists seeking information and advice regarding Tours - - The MICHELIN Touring Office saves the intending Tourist time and - trouble, and generally assists him in mapping out his Tour free of - charge, and irrespective of the make of Tyres he uses. - - Send us a rough draft of your next proposed Tour and we will prepare a - complete and detailed itinerary and forward it on to you, within three - or four days. - - -MICHELIN TOURING OFFICE - - 81, FULHAM ROAD, LONDON, S.W.3. and - 99, BOULEVARD PEREIRE, PARIS, XVII. - - Telephone: Kensington 4400. Telegrams: "Pneumiclin, London." - - - - -_Copies of any of the_ - -IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM PHOTOGRAPHS - -reproduced in this guide - -_by permission of the_ - -IMPERIAL WAR MUSEUM - -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 31 sheets - -- FRANCE 48 -- - -- BELGIUM 3 -- - -- SWITZERLAND 4 -- - -- SPAIN 13 -- - - - * * * * * - - - -Transcriber's Notes. -1. Italic text is denoted by _underscores_ and bold text by - =equal signs=. -2. Silently corrected simple spelling, grammar, and typographical - errors. -3. Page 24: Illustration caption should read "General Rawlinson". - Caption corrected. -4. Page 96: The original reads "The Liberation [on] Montdidier. - (_August 8-10, 1918._)." This is probably an error and should read - "The Liberation [of] Montdidier. (_August 8-10, 1918._)." - Text not changed. -5. Page 123: (_from Mareuil to Thiescourt_). Missing bracket added. - - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Somme, Volume 2. The Second Battle -of the Somme (1918), by Michelin & Cie - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOMME, VOLUME 2 (1918) *** - -***** This file should be named 53762-0.txt or 53762-0.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/5/3/7/6/53762/ - -Produced by Brian Coe, Brian Wilsden and the Online -Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. Special rules, set forth in the General Terms of Use part -of this license, apply to copying and distributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works to protect the PROJECT GUTENBERG-tm -concept and trademark. Project Gutenberg is a registered trademark, -and may not be used if you charge for the eBooks, unless you receive -specific permission. If you do not charge anything for copies of this -eBook, complying with the rules is very easy. You may use this eBook -for nearly any purpose such as creation of derivative works, reports, -performances and research. They may be modified and printed and given -away--you may do practically ANYTHING in the United States with eBooks -not protected by U.S. copyright law. Redistribution is subject to the -trademark license, especially commercial redistribution. - -START: FULL LICENSE - -THE FULL PROJECT GUTENBERG LICENSE -PLEASE READ THIS BEFORE YOU DISTRIBUTE OR USE THIS WORK - -To protect the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting the free -distribution of electronic works, by using or distributing this work -(or any other work associated in any way with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg"), you agree to comply with all the terms of the Full -Project Gutenberg-tm License available with this file or online at -www.gutenberg.org/license. - -Section 1. General Terms of Use and Redistributing Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works - -1.A. By reading or using any part of this Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic work, you indicate that you have read, understand, agree to -and accept all the terms of this license and intellectual property -(trademark/copyright) agreement. If you do not agree to abide by all -the terms of this agreement, you must cease using and return or -destroy all copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in your -possession. If you paid a fee for obtaining a copy of or access to a -Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work and you do not agree to be bound -by the terms of this agreement, you may obtain a refund from the -person or entity to whom you paid the fee as set forth in paragraph -1.E.8. - -1.B. "Project Gutenberg" is a registered trademark. It may only be -used on or associated in any way with an electronic work by people who -agree to be bound by the terms of this agreement. There are a few -things that you can do with most Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -even without complying with the full terms of this agreement. See -paragraph 1.C below. There are a lot of things you can do with Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic works if you follow the terms of this -agreement and help preserve free future access to Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works. See paragraph 1.E below. - -1.C. The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation ("the -Foundation" or PGLAF), owns a compilation copyright in the collection -of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. Nearly all the individual -works in the collection are in the public domain in the United -States. If an individual work is unprotected by copyright law in the -United States and you are located in the United States, we do not -claim a right to prevent you from copying, distributing, performing, -displaying or creating derivative works based on the work as long as -all references to Project Gutenberg are removed. Of course, we hope -that you will support the Project Gutenberg-tm mission of promoting -free access to electronic works by freely sharing Project Gutenberg-tm -works in compliance with the terms of this agreement for keeping the -Project Gutenberg-tm name associated with the work. You can easily -comply with the terms of this agreement by keeping this work in the -same format with its attached full Project Gutenberg-tm License when -you share it without charge with others. - -1.D. The copyright laws of the place where you are located also govern -what you can do with this work. Copyright laws in most countries are -in a constant state of change. If you are outside the United States, -check the laws of your country in addition to the terms of this -agreement before downloading, copying, displaying, performing, -distributing or creating derivative works based on this work or any -other Project Gutenberg-tm work. The Foundation makes no -representations concerning the copyright status of any work in any -country outside the United States. - -1.E. Unless you have removed all references to Project Gutenberg: - -1.E.1. The following sentence, with active links to, or other -immediate access to, the full Project Gutenberg-tm License must appear -prominently whenever any copy of a Project Gutenberg-tm work (any work -on which the phrase "Project Gutenberg" appears, or with which the -phrase "Project Gutenberg" is associated) is accessed, displayed, -performed, viewed, copied or distributed: - - This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and - most other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no - restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it - under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this - eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the - United States, you'll have to check the laws of the country where you - are located before using this ebook. - -1.E.2. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is -derived from texts not protected by U.S. copyright law (does not -contain a notice indicating that it is posted with permission of the -copyright holder), the work can be copied and distributed to anyone in -the United States without paying any fees or charges. If you are -redistributing or providing access to a work with the phrase "Project -Gutenberg" associated with or appearing on the work, you must comply -either with the requirements of paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 or -obtain permission for the use of the work and the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark as set forth in paragraphs 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.3. If an individual Project Gutenberg-tm electronic work is posted -with the permission of the copyright holder, your use and distribution -must comply with both paragraphs 1.E.1 through 1.E.7 and any -additional terms imposed by the copyright holder. Additional terms -will be linked to the Project Gutenberg-tm License for all works -posted with the permission of the copyright holder found at the -beginning of this work. - -1.E.4. Do not unlink or detach or remove the full Project Gutenberg-tm -License terms from this work, or any files containing a part of this -work or any other work associated with Project Gutenberg-tm. - -1.E.5. Do not copy, display, perform, distribute or redistribute this -electronic work, or any part of this electronic work, without -prominently displaying the sentence set forth in paragraph 1.E.1 with -active links or immediate access to the full terms of the Project -Gutenberg-tm License. - -1.E.6. You may convert to and distribute this work in any binary, -compressed, marked up, nonproprietary or proprietary form, including -any word processing or hypertext form. However, if you provide access -to or distribute copies of a Project Gutenberg-tm work in a format -other than "Plain Vanilla ASCII" or other format used in the official -version posted on the official Project Gutenberg-tm web site -(www.gutenberg.org), you must, at no additional cost, fee or expense -to the user, provide a copy, a means of exporting a copy, or a means -of obtaining a copy upon request, of the work in its original "Plain -Vanilla ASCII" or other form. Any alternate format must include the -full Project Gutenberg-tm License as specified in paragraph 1.E.1. - -1.E.7. Do not charge a fee for access to, viewing, displaying, -performing, copying or distributing any Project Gutenberg-tm works -unless you comply with paragraph 1.E.8 or 1.E.9. - -1.E.8. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies of or providing -access to or distributing Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works -provided that - -* You pay a royalty fee of 20% of the gross profits you derive from - the use of Project Gutenberg-tm works calculated using the method - you already use to calculate your applicable taxes. The fee is owed - to the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm trademark, but he has - agreed to donate royalties under this paragraph to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation. Royalty payments must be paid - within 60 days following each date on which you prepare (or are - legally required to prepare) your periodic tax returns. Royalty - payments should be clearly marked as such and sent to the Project - Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation at the address specified in - Section 4, "Information about donations to the Project Gutenberg - Literary Archive Foundation." - -* You provide a full refund of any money paid by a user who notifies - you in writing (or by e-mail) within 30 days of receipt that s/he - does not agree to the terms of the full Project Gutenberg-tm - License. You must require such a user to return or destroy all - copies of the works possessed in a physical medium and discontinue - all use of and all access to other copies of Project Gutenberg-tm - works. - -* You provide, in accordance with paragraph 1.F.3, a full refund of - any money paid for a work or a replacement copy, if a defect in the - electronic work is discovered and reported to you within 90 days of - receipt of the work. - -* You comply with all other terms of this agreement for free - distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm works. - -1.E.9. If you wish to charge a fee or distribute a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work or group of works on different terms than -are set forth in this agreement, you must obtain permission in writing -from both the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation and The -Project Gutenberg Trademark LLC, the owner of the Project Gutenberg-tm -trademark. Contact the Foundation as set forth in Section 3 below. - -1.F. - -1.F.1. Project Gutenberg volunteers and employees expend considerable -effort to identify, do copyright research on, transcribe and proofread -works not protected by U.S. copyright law in creating the Project -Gutenberg-tm collection. Despite these efforts, Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, and the medium on which they may be stored, may -contain "Defects," such as, but not limited to, incomplete, inaccurate -or corrupt data, transcription errors, a copyright or other -intellectual property infringement, a defective or damaged disk or -other medium, a computer virus, or computer codes that damage or -cannot be read by your equipment. - -1.F.2. LIMITED WARRANTY, DISCLAIMER OF DAMAGES - Except for the "Right -of Replacement or Refund" described in paragraph 1.F.3, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation, the owner of the Project -Gutenberg-tm trademark, and any other party distributing a Project -Gutenberg-tm electronic work under this agreement, disclaim all -liability to you for damages, costs and expenses, including legal -fees. YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE NO REMEDIES FOR NEGLIGENCE, STRICT -LIABILITY, BREACH OF WARRANTY OR BREACH OF CONTRACT EXCEPT THOSE -PROVIDED IN PARAGRAPH 1.F.3. YOU AGREE THAT THE FOUNDATION, THE -TRADEMARK OWNER, AND ANY DISTRIBUTOR UNDER THIS AGREEMENT WILL NOT BE -LIABLE TO YOU FOR ACTUAL, DIRECT, INDIRECT, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR -INCIDENTAL DAMAGES EVEN IF YOU GIVE NOTICE OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH -DAMAGE. - -1.F.3. LIMITED RIGHT OF REPLACEMENT OR REFUND - If you discover a -defect in this electronic work within 90 days of receiving it, you can -receive a refund of the money (if any) you paid for it by sending a -written explanation to the person you received the work from. If you -received the work on a physical medium, you must return the medium -with your written explanation. The person or entity that provided you -with the defective work may elect to provide a replacement copy in -lieu of a refund. If you received the work electronically, the person -or entity providing it to you may choose to give you a second -opportunity to receive the work electronically in lieu of a refund. If -the second copy is also defective, you may demand a refund in writing -without further opportunities to fix the problem. - -1.F.4. Except for the limited right of replacement or refund set forth -in paragraph 1.F.3, this work is provided to you 'AS-IS', WITH NO -OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT -LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR ANY PURPOSE. - -1.F.5. Some states do not allow disclaimers of certain implied -warranties or the exclusion or limitation of certain types of -damages. If any disclaimer or limitation set forth in this agreement -violates the law of the state applicable to this agreement, the -agreement shall be interpreted to make the maximum disclaimer or -limitation permitted by the applicable state law. The invalidity or -unenforceability of any provision of this agreement shall not void the -remaining provisions. - -1.F.6. INDEMNITY - You agree to indemnify and hold the Foundation, the -trademark owner, any agent or employee of the Foundation, anyone -providing copies of Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works in -accordance with this agreement, and any volunteers associated with the -production, promotion and distribution of Project Gutenberg-tm -electronic works, harmless from all liability, costs and expenses, -including legal fees, that arise directly or indirectly from any of -the following which you do or cause to occur: (a) distribution of this -or any Project Gutenberg-tm work, (b) alteration, modification, or -additions or deletions to any Project Gutenberg-tm work, and (c) any -Defect you cause. - -Section 2. Information about the Mission of Project Gutenberg-tm - -Project Gutenberg-tm is synonymous with the free distribution of -electronic works in formats readable by the widest variety of -computers including obsolete, old, middle-aged and new computers. It -exists because of the efforts of hundreds of volunteers and donations -from people in all walks of life. - -Volunteers and financial support to provide volunteers with the -assistance they need are critical to reaching Project Gutenberg-tm's -goals and ensuring that the Project Gutenberg-tm collection will -remain freely available for generations to come. In 2001, the Project -Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation was created to provide a secure -and permanent future for Project Gutenberg-tm and future -generations. To learn more about the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation and how your efforts and donations can help, see -Sections 3 and 4 and the Foundation information page at -www.gutenberg.org - - - -Section 3. Information about the Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation - -The Project Gutenberg Literary Archive Foundation is a non profit -501(c)(3) educational corporation organized under the laws of the -state of Mississippi and granted tax exempt status by the Internal -Revenue Service. The Foundation's EIN or federal tax identification -number is 64-6221541. Contributions to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation are tax deductible to the full extent permitted by -U.S. federal laws and your state's laws. - -The Foundation's principal office is in Fairbanks, Alaska, with the -mailing address: PO Box 750175, Fairbanks, AK 99775, but its -volunteers and employees are scattered throughout numerous -locations. Its business office is located at 809 North 1500 West, Salt -Lake City, UT 84116, (801) 596-1887. Email contact links and up to -date contact information can be found at the Foundation's web site and -official page at www.gutenberg.org/contact - -For additional contact information: - - Dr. Gregory B. Newby - Chief Executive and Director - gbnewby@pglaf.org - -Section 4. Information about Donations to the Project Gutenberg -Literary Archive Foundation - -Project Gutenberg-tm depends upon and cannot survive without wide -spread public support and donations to carry out its mission of -increasing the number of public domain and licensed works that can be -freely distributed in machine readable form accessible by the widest -array of equipment including outdated equipment. Many small donations -($1 to $5,000) are particularly important to maintaining tax exempt -status with the IRS. - -The Foundation is committed to complying with the laws regulating -charities and charitable donations in all 50 states of the United -States. Compliance requirements are not uniform and it takes a -considerable effort, much paperwork and many fees to meet and keep up -with these requirements. We do not solicit donations in locations -where we have not received written confirmation of compliance. To SEND -DONATIONS or determine the status of compliance for any particular -state visit www.gutenberg.org/donate - -While we cannot and do not solicit contributions from states where we -have not met the solicitation requirements, we know of no prohibition -against accepting unsolicited donations from donors in such states who -approach us with offers to donate. - -International donations are gratefully accepted, but we cannot make -any statements concerning tax treatment of donations received from -outside the United States. U.S. laws alone swamp our small staff. - -Please check the Project Gutenberg Web pages for current donation -methods and addresses. Donations are accepted in a number of other -ways including checks, online payments and credit card donations. To -donate, please visit: www.gutenberg.org/donate - -Section 5. General Information About Project Gutenberg-tm electronic works. - -Professor Michael S. Hart was the originator of the Project -Gutenberg-tm concept of a library of electronic works that could be -freely shared with anyone. For forty years, he produced and -distributed Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks with only a loose network of -volunteer support. - -Project Gutenberg-tm eBooks are often created from several printed -editions, all of which are confirmed as not protected by copyright in -the U.S. unless a copyright notice is included. Thus, we do not -necessarily keep eBooks in compliance with any particular paper -edition. - -Most people start at our Web site which has the main PG search -facility: www.gutenberg.org - -This Web site includes information about Project Gutenberg-tm, -including how to make donations to the Project Gutenberg Literary -Archive Foundation, how to help produce our new eBooks, and how to -subscribe to our email newsletter to hear about new eBooks. - |