Chapter 14

DOORWAY OF CHURCH HUIRON

On leaving Sompuis, continue straight alongG. C. 12toHumbauville.

On September 8 the heights seen on the right were gallantly defended against Saxon attacks by a detachment of Bretons.

On the 9th the latter were thrown back in disorder by the 13th Division, which had been sent as a reinforcement.

CHURCH AND ANCIENT ABBEY HUIRON

At the entrance to Humbauville (42 km.) turn to the right, then, at the church, take on the leftG. C. 14in the direction ofHuiron.We are now on the battlefield of the 17th Corps. G. C. 14 formed the French position at the beginning of the battle; on the 6th the road was left behind, and the Germans driven back northwards as far as the railway line going from Sompuis to Huiron. But on the 8th the 17th Corps was repulsed in its turn, and G. C. 14 became the German line. The French troops clung to the heights to the south of the road and particularly to Certine Farm, where General Dupuis was killed. The fighting was of a desperate character. The Germans, in their fury, revenged themselves on the wounded; eight badly hurt soldiers of the 88th Infantry Regiment, whom Sub-Lieutenant Baudens had been obliged to leave behind, were afterwards found with hands tied behind their backs, their bodies riddled with bullets and bayonet wounds.

On the 9th and 10th the 17th Corps counter-attacked vigorously and, with the aid of the Goullet Division which had been attached to it, succeeded on thenight of the 10-11th in re-crossing the railway line.

NAVE OF CHURCH HUIRON

RUINS AT COURDEMANGES

We reachHuiron(53 km.) which was completely destroyed by the fire kindled by the Germans on September 7, after having taken the village from the 12th Corps. The interesting twelfth century church, and the ruins of the abbey buildings backing up to it, have been ravaged by the flames. The pillars of the nave have crumbled away, and in the photograph opposite fragments of broken columns may be seen scattered about. Huiron was only retaken on the night of the 10-11th.

FLOODS AT FOOT OF MONT-MORET

400 yards from the church turn to the right intoG. C. 2;then after about 700 yards, turn to the left in order to enter the village ofCourdemanges.This has suffered much from fire and bombardment. Onthe right of the street stood the castle, which has been completely destroyed.

GRAVES NEAR FRIGNICOURT

Courdemanges, which was occupied on the 6th by the 12th Corps, was attacked with great violence. It was abandoned at 5 p.m., and retaken during the night. Continuously shelled by the Germans on the 7th and 8th, it fell on the latter day into their hands. The 12th Corps counter-attacked energetically, but succeeded only on the 11th in re-entering the village.

After going as far as the church, return again by the same road toG. C. 2and cross it in order to go straight towards Frignicourt. On the right is Mont-Moret which played an important part in the fighting in this region. The batteries of the 12th Corps were installed there on September 6. After heavy shelling and infantry attacks, Mont-Moret fell on the morning of the 8th, but units of the 12th Corps, aided by the Colonial Corps, counter-attacked with determination, and in the evening obtained possession of the ridge, capturing a few machine-guns. They remained there in spite of fierce assaults, which caused heavy losses to the Germans and gave no result.

The road crosses the railwayin a low-lying plain often flooded by the Marne, as seen in the photograph on p.216; Mont-Moret can be distinguished in the background.

100 yards before arriving at Frignicourt, on the right and on the left of G. C. 14, are the graves depicted in the photos on this page. The soldiers who lie buried there are those who gallantly defended the passage of the Marne on September 6. The French troops, overwhelmed by the fire of the German artillery at Vitry, were obliged to fall back on Courdemanges and Mont-Moret. The Germans in their turn were violently shelled by the French guns, but succeeded in holding out in Frignicourt until the 11th.

GRAVES NEAR FRIGNICOURT

After crossing the Marne, enterFrignicourt(60 km.), whose ruins are being gradually reconstructed.Turn to the left to reach Vitry-le-François(plan p.218).Passing through the toll-gate, take the Rue du Passage-Supérieur on the left, then, after crossing the railway, turn again to the left into the Avenue du Colonel-Moll. Cross the Boulevard François I, and take the Petite-Rue de Frignicourt on the left, which leads into the Rue de Frignicourt. Along this main road turn to the right to reach the hotel (62 km.).

VITRY-LE-FRANÇOIS

NOTRE-DAME

Vitry-le-François dates from the sixteenth century. The town was built in 1545 by order of Francis I. in order to replace Vitry-en-Perthois, burned the year before by Charles V. The ruins of old Vitry were utilised for the construction of the new, which was named after its founder. This complete rebuilding explains the remarkable regularity of the town, plans of which were drawn up by an Italian architect, Marino. Vitry was fortified, but its ramparts were condemned and demolished in the nineteenth century.

At the beginning of the war, Vitry was the seat of the French General Headquarters Staff. On September 5, almost the whole of the population evacuated the town, together with the civil authorities. Out of a population of 8,500, barely 500 to 600 persons remained. In the morning a rearguard action commenced to the north and east of Vitry. About 5 p.m., German shells began to fall in the suburbs, and in the evening Uhlans entered the town by the Châlons Road. In default of the mayor, the curé, M. Nottin, and his curate were at once arrested as hostages, and M. Nottin was directed to find two more. Two patriotic citizens, M. Paillard and M. Bernat, offered themselves for this onerous duty. Together with M. Foureur, the schoolmaster, they took upon their shoulders the charge of maintaining order, ensuring requisitions, the victualling of the inhabitants, and the treatment of the wounded. MM. Nottin, Paillard and Foureur, were amongst the first civilians to be mentioned in dispatches.

Up to September 10 the battle raged round Vitry. The allied and enemy shells crossed one another over the town: the German batteries established on the heights to the north replying to the French guns on Mont-Moret. The wounded came crowding in. On the third day, they numbered 2,500, of whom 200 were French. The hospital being full the church was then transformed into one, as well as all the teaching establishments and the savings bank.

On the evening of the 10th the evacuation by the Germans began. It took place in an orderly manner. The next evening the French re-entered the town.

Apart from the gas works, which suffered from the shelling, and a few burnt houses, the events of September have left few traces at Vitry. A few houses and shops were pillaged, but, thanks to the influence and activity of Abbé Nottin and his companions, the town was spared the horrors which the surrounding villages experienced.

(See map p.218)

Leaving the hotel, follow the Rue de Frignicourt to the Place d'Armesin which is the Church of Notre-Dame, shown above. The first stone of this edifice was laid in 1629. The king gave 300,000 livres (about £12,000) towards the cost of construction, and numerous families in the neighbourhood subscribed also. They bought, by means of a heavy burial duty, the right to be buried in the church itself. The subsoil ofNotre-Dame became on this account a veritable ossuary.

GATEWAY OF BRIDGE

When the high altar was moved about twenty skulls were unearthed. In 1850, when the present paving was laid, thirty-two mortuary stones were removed from the nave. The chapels were built by rich parishioners, who placed their tombs there and dedicated the altar to the patron saint of their family. The apse was constructed in 1835, and the work of building finished in 1895.

Notre-Dame recalls Saint-Sulpice in Paris, and its interior is worth visiting. The first chapel on the left has a fine eighteenth century railing. In the last chapel, off the nave on the left, the reredos above the altar should be noted. A bas-relief depicts Saint-Jerome kneeling beside a lion.

In the south branch of the transept is a fine mortuary stone in black marble, showing a knight standing with hands joined, his foot on a greyhound.

The four pillars at the intersection of the choir and of the transept are decorated with sculpture.

MILLS AND OLD RAMPARTS

After having visited the church, take on the opposite side of the Square the Rue du Pont leading to the monumental gatewayreproduced above, which dates from the seventeenth century and formed part of the old enclosure.Turn to the right along the side of the Marne by the Quai des Fontaines as far as the mills. Turn to the right again, take a few steps from the Place des Moulins alongside the river in order to obtain the picturesque view of the old ramparts shown in the photo below. Take the Rue des Moulins, which is continued by the Rue d'Enfer, and at the barracks turn to the right into the Rue des Minimes, then into the Rue des Sœurs. In the middle of the latter turn to the left, in order to glance at the old wooden market-buildings. Pass round them to the left and regain the Place d'Armes by the street opening on to the market on the opposite side to that by which we entered. Cross the "Place," and take the Rue Domine de Verzet which skirts Notre-Dame on the left. Opposite the town-hall(the old monastery of the Récollets, which dates from the end of the seventeenth century and contains the Library and Museum),turn to the right, into the Petite Rue de l'Hôtel de Ville, then to the left into Boulevard Carnot. Leave this in the middle of the Place Carnot in order to take the Faubourg de Saint-Dizier on the left.

VISIT TO THE FIELD OF OPERATIONSOF THEFOURTH AND THIRD FRENCH ARMIES

(82 km.)viaVauclerc,Écriennes,Favresse,Étrepy,Heiltz-le-Maurupt,Pargny,Maurupt,Cheminon,Trois-Fontaines,Sermaize,Vassincourt.

(82 km.)

viaVauclerc,Écriennes,Favresse,Étrepy,Heiltz-le-Maurupt,Pargny,Maurupt,Cheminon,Trois-Fontaines,Sermaize,Vassincourt.

(See map inserted between pp.212-213)

After leaving Vitry by N. 4, crossing the Marne and a level-crossing,Marolles(3 km.) is reached. In this village an old man of 70 years, M. Mathieu Coche, was seized by German cavalrymen and led away tied to a horse, with which he was obliged to keep pace. On arriving in the neighbourhood of Vitry-en-Perthois (nearly 30 km. to the north of Marolles) the poor old fellow's strength gave out, he fell and was dragged along by the horse until death ensued. His body was then left behind, and could not be buried until after the German retreat.

N. 4 next passes throughVauclerc(6 km.).On the left of the road a great number of new roofs are to be seen, although many of the houses are still in the same state as that in which the shelling and the fire left them. During the whole of the battle this village was the objective of the Lejaille Brigade. It was only retaken, by the Colonial Corps, on September 11.

About 1,300 yards beyond Vauclerc, where graves border the road on either side, is, on the right, a road leading to Écriennes. Before taking it, follow N. 4 for 400 yards further, in order to see a burying-place of the Colonials, shown in the photo below. The view gives an idea of the immense plain, where furious encounters took place between this crack corps and the troops of the Duke of Wurtemberg.

BURYING-PLACE OF THE COLONIALS ALONG N. 4

In that part of the plain which lies to the right of the road, beyond Écriennes, near Matignicourt, there took place in 1891 the famous review of troops by President Carnot. It was the first important military demonstration since the war of 1870. It signalised the resurrection of the national spirit, and because of this fact it produced a very deep impression both in France and in foreign countries. Monuments to the memory of President Carnot have been raised on the field of the review, at Vitry; in the Carnot Square; and at Châlons in the Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville.

CHURCH ÉCRIENNES

Taking the road leading toÉcriennes(10 km.) we arrive at this village, which has been completely devastated, as may be seen in the photos on this page. The church, the upper part of which is of timber-work, was blown in by shells.

Écriennes was hotly disputed from September 6 to 11. It was taken on the 6th by the Germans, in spite of an heroic defence by the 21st Colonials; then retaken only to be lost again by the French on the 8th, and retaken finally on the 11th.

After passing in front of the church, turn to the left in order to rejoin N. 4, along which turn to the right in the direction of Farémont.The road is bordered on both sides by graves, for the fighting here was very violent. On the road and to the south of it the Colonial Infantry fought doggedly, sometimes gaining, sometimes losing ground. To the north of N. 4 the Lejaille Brigade tried to push towards Vauclerc.

We enterFarémont(12½ km.), some of the houses of which have been burned.On emerging, leave N. 4 and turn to the left in order to reachThiéblemont(13½ km.). This village was also completely devastated by shells and fire, but the church is still standing.This side of the church, turn to the left into G. C. 60 leading to Favresse.Graves may be seen along this road. On September 6, that portion of the Colonial Corps which held Favresse followed G. C. 60 in the opposite direction, falling back on Farémont, while the Lejaille Brigade came to take their place at Favresse.

RUINS OF ÉCRIENNES

Favresse(16½ km) was gallantly defended on the 7th; taken and retaken several times on the 8th, and finally remained in the possession of the Lejaille Brigade, whose chief was wounded by a shell-splinter during the afternoon.

The village, which was violently shelled, suffered heavily, but has been partly rebuilt. The beautiful little church, of whichthe photos on this page give a general view, as well as a detailed one of the Romanesque doorway, bears traces of numerous shells. As at Écriennes, and in many little country churches in this region, the upper part of the walls of the nave is of timber work.

DOORWAY OF CHURCH FAVRESSE

Turn to the right alongside the church and leaving it on the left, take G. C. 16 to Haussignémont and Blesmes.

On this ground on September 8 the Eighth German (reserve) Corps tried to break through between Favresse and Blesmes. At one time this effort seemed about to be successful, but, reinforcements having been opportunely sent to Haussignémont, the Lejaille Brigade was able to hold the position.

CHURCH FAVRESSE

InHaussignémont(17½ km.), turn to the left near the church, and continue along G. C. 16 to Blesmes, which is reached after passing over a level-crossing.

In the centre ofBlesmes(20 km.), turn to the left in order to pass in front of the church.Numerous houses in the village were destroyed by shells, and the roof of the church was damaged; but most of this damage has been repaired.

SORTON FARM

On leaving Blesmes, pass over a level-crossing, then under the railway. At the cross-roads immediately beyond turn to the right, then at the fork in the road, turn to the right again into G. C. 14 in the direction of Étrepy.

Half-waythither, on the right, isSorton Farm, which was fiercelydisputed. As may be seen in the photo on p.223, it was completely destroyed. The Eighth German (reserve) Corps managed to take it on September 8, but, on the following day, the troops of the Second French Corps re-took possession of the ruins and held them. Along the road in front of the farm are the graves of some of its defenders.

CHURCH AND RUINS, ÉTREPY

AtÉtrepy(25 km.),we pass in front of the church (see above). There are numerous ruins in this village, which was set on fire by the Germans on September 7.

Of the seventy families who remained at Étrepy during the battle, sixty-three were homeless after the incendiaries had passed by. Two old people, more than eighty years of age, M. and Mme. Miliat, were led away almost naked to a distance of 3 km. from the village and horribly ill-used. In order to quicken their pace, rendered slow by age, they were struck with the flat of swords. Mme. Miliat died four days afterwards as a result of this treatment. On leaving the village, on the right is the entrance to the castle of the Morillot family. (The son of Count Morillot, a naval lieutenant and commander of the submarine "Monge," went down with her, after having made the crew put off in their boats, rather than surrender to the enemy.) The castle, which is built at the meeting place of the Saulx and the Ornain, and is surrounded by a moat, dates from the seventeenth century. It was set on fire by the Germans.

The position of Étrepy is important, being a bridgehead on the waterway formed by the Saulx, the Ornain, and the canal from the Marne to the Rhine. The passage was defended on September 6 by the Third Division of the Second French Corps, but the bridges were forced in the evening, and at dawn on the 7th the village fell into the hands of the Germans. It was only retaken on the 11th.

CHURCH, HEILTZ-LE-MAURUPT

After crossing in succession the Saulx, the canal, and then the Ornain, which flows through a frequently flooded plain, we arrive atHeiltz-le-Maurupt(29½ km.) and, after turning to the right, take the left towards the church.

On September 6, on the arrival of the Duke of Wurtemberg's troops, the beautiful Romanesque church was devastated by fire, at the same time as the little town. Before setting fire to the houses, the Germans pillaged them. The spoils were placed onwaggons under the superintendence of an officer. These removals having been effected, German soldiers were next seen, two by two, carrying buckets slung on poles and filled with inflammable liquid, which they threw on the houses. The result was a huge outburst of fire, in which the church, the town-hall, the school, and 187 houses out of 210, were destroyed.

NAVE OF CHURCH, HEILTZ-LE-MAURUPT

The photos opposite show that the roof of the church has disappeared, exposing the nave. The vaults of the transept and of the apse have resisted the flames. The Romanesque apse is very interesting; the vaulting is round-arched, and on the exterior are sixteen blind windows, also round-arched, separated from each other by small pillars. The old Romanesque tower was surmounted by a spire about 100 feet high built in the sixteenth century. It collapsed in the flames. The western doorway is also in the Romanesque style (photo below). The work of restoration is in progress, as may be seen in the photo opposite.

APSE OF CHURCH

The Germans had installed at Heiltz-le-Maurupt an important heavy battery which, during the whole of the battle, seriously tried the French troops entrusted with the defence of Pargny, Maurupt, and Sermaize.

In order to regain the line of the Ornain and the Saulx, take the street on the right a little to the east of the church. On reaching the fork, again take the right, and follow the line of telegraph posts as far as Pargny.

DOORWAY OF CHURCH

THE CANAL AT PARGNY (looking westwards)

THE CANAL AT PARGNY (looking eastwards)

The road passes over the Ornain then over the canal from the Marne to the Rhine, of which the two photographs oppositeandbelowgive two views: the first to the west, the second to the east. The struggle was violent on the banks of the canal. The infantry of the Third Division was guarding the bridges, which were taken by the Germans on September 6, but the French, entrenched in Pargny (towards which the road leads the tourist), held out during the whole of the day of the 7th in spite of the terrific shell fire, which completely destroyed the little town. On the 8th, attacked on the north and east, Pargny fell. The next day, the valiant troops of the Second Corps re-took it. On the 10th it fell again into the hands of the Germans, to be definitely retaken by the French on the 11th.

CHURCH AND RUINS OF PARGNY

Pargnychurch (33½ km.), in front of which we pass, had its roof pierced, and the vaulting broken in. The spire was truncated by shells.

After havingpassed the church, we reach the principal street, in which we turn to the left.The scene is very desolate (see pp.226-227).

RUINS OF PARGNY

Having followed the principal street, we take the first turning on the right towards the level-crossing. Immediately beyond the crossing, we turn to the right in order to reachMauruptbyG. C. 61.

INTERIOR OF CHURCH, PARGNY

Before reaching the village, thetile-field of Pargnycomes into view, as seen in the photograph at the foot of this page. The fighting here assumed a particularly violent character, as the French, having lost Pargny, endeavoured to check the German advance on Maurupt. A large grave contains the remains of the brave fellows of the 72nd Line Regiment who fell on this part of the battlefield. The tile-field was for many days an important position of the French artillery which swept the line of the Saulx and the Ornain from this point.

The supplying of the tiles and bricks necessary for the reconstruction of the whole region gives occupation to these works, now reorganised.

TILE-FIELD, PARGNY

Maurupt is separated from the tile-field by a dip in the ground, clearly visible in the panorama on p.228. The road, bordered by telegraph poles, which traverses the region from right to left, is G. C. 61, which the tourist is following. It is thus easy to realise the importance of the tile-field as an advanced position. Whilst the French held it they were able to utilise the valley (out of sight of the enemy coming up from Pargny) for massing reserves of troops and artillery. The position once captured, Maurupt became singularly exposed.

In point of fact, Maurupt fell on September 8, the same day as the tile-field. The German attack came, not only from Pargny, but from the east; the loss of Sermaize by theright of the Second Corps having made this flanking movement possible to the enemy. On the 9th, the French threw the Germans back on Pargny, but on the 10th, the tile-field and the village were lost anew. Violent hand-to-hand fighting took place in the streets of Maurupt, and in one hour the ruins were taken and retaken. The Germans were making progress to the west of Maurupt, however, and the French troops, in order to avoid being enveloped, were obliged to abandon the position and retire towards Cheminon. On the 11th Maurupt was definitely regained.

MAURUPT SEEN FROM THE TILE-FIELD

CHURCH, MAURUPT

RUINS OF TOWN-HALL, MAURUPT

G. C. 61comes out intoMauruptopposite the church (36½ km.); visible in the photo on p.228.This fine Romanesque edifice, restored in the fifteenth century, is classed as an historical monument.

It has suffered greatly.

GRAVES, MAURUPT

The spire has been smashed, the tower torn open, the roof and the barrel-vaulting have given way. The town-hall, near the church, met with the same fate (view above).

Turn to the right opposite the church, and then proceed for 800 yards towards the Hill of Le Montois.

GRAVES, MAURUPT

Half-way up is to be seen the burial-place reproduced below.Farther along the road other graves are visible on the left, for at this point the 128th Line Regiment put up a splendid resistance against superior German forces.

VIEW OF CHEMINON (looking east)

These attacks on the west, joined to those on the north and east, led as we have seen to the fall of Maurupt.

Return to the village, which is in course of reconstruction,and at the church go straight on, then turn to the right, towards Cheminon, intoG. C. 16,which follows the line of telegraph posts.

On arriving inCheminon(43 km.), turn to the left to descend the principal street, shown in the photo above. Cheminon did not experience the German invasion, and, after the desolation of the villages which we have traversed, this little township gives an impression of repose, with its picturesque houses sloping down towards the old thirteenth-sixteenth century church, which is classed as an historical monument.

We pass under the market (beware of the depression in the ground), then turn to the right towards Trois-Fontaines.

Reaching the fork in the road, go straight on. Pass throughLe Fays(47½ km.). 800 yards further on, leaving the road to Saint-Dizier on the right, turn to the left to enter the village ofTrois-Fontaines(49 km.).At the end of it the monumental doorway of the old abbey of Trois-Fontaines is visible, as shown in the photograph on next page.

VIEW OF CHEMINON (looking west)

ENTRANCE TO THE OLD ABBEY

The Germans did not get as far as Trois-Fontaines, but fighting took place to the north and to the north-east, in the forest.

This region, where the Fourth and Third French Armies linked up, was particularly important. At Trois Fontaines, the Germans would have been 9 km. from Saint-Dizier, from whence they would have been able to outflank the whole of the Army of Langle de Cary. The Second Corps' admirable resistance, and the aid given by the flank attack of the Fifteenth Corps of Sarrail's Army, brought about the German defeat.

The abbey is at the present time the property of the Count of Fontenoy.After asking permission to visit, cross the court to the left, in order to view the ruins of the church which are still standing in the corner of the park.

The photos on pp.231, 232 and 233 depict the interior and the exterior.

RUINS OF THE CHURCH

The abbey was founded in the beginning of the twelfth century by Saint Bernard.

The major portion of the church dates back, however, a century earlier. It was sacked during the Revolution, but the ruins now covered with verdure have an impressive grandeur.

Enter the principal nave by the doorway seen on the left in the view opposite.

After traversing the body of the church, consisting of the central nave and two side aisles, we see enormous fragments of the arches strewn on the ground. As seen in the photographs on p.232.Nature has resumed her sway, and tall trees rise from what was the choir and the apse of the old church.

RUINS OF THE CHURCH

By way of the small but charmingly planned park, we arrive at the abbey buildings proper(see p.233), which form the habitation of the proprietor. They are formed of two wings, built in the eighteenth century, and united by a charming arched gallery covered with climbing plants. These buildings were much more extensive before the Revolution, and several hundred monks devoted themselves in the calm of this remote forest-valley to a life of contemplation, interrupted only by rural tasks.

A river traverses the abbey from one end to the other, but the monks made important works in order to render it subterranean for a portion of its length. Thus it passes under the buildings and crosses the centre of the park, flowing through underground arches, so solidly constructed that the passage of centuries has left no apparent weakness.

EXTERIOR OF THE CHURCH

RUINS OF THE CHURCH

At the end of the park, the river comes again to the surface in order to form part of a skilfully arranged decorative scheme in which water, trees, and lawns combine to make a harmonious whole.

After this short inroad into the far past,the tourist takes once more the road toCheminon(55 km.). In this village, pass under the market again, then turn to the right into the road(visible in the photograph at the foot of p.230)opposite the inn.

Cross the river Bruxenelle, then, on reaching the fork, turn to the left towards Sermaize.The way lies through woods into which part of the extreme right of the Second Corps retreated after abandoning Sermaize. The pursuing Germans began to creep towards Cheminon and Maurupt, and, as we have seen, succeeded in reaching the latter village, but Cheminon did not fall into their hands.

OLD ABBEY BUILDINGS

RUINS OF SERMAIZE

Affording a fine view of the Valley of the Saulx, the road entersSermaize(61 km.).

The town was occupied on September 6 by the Fourth Division of the Sixth Corps. Violently attacked on the north and east, and threatened with being cut off from the rest of the French line by the German advance from the west, Sermaize, already set on fire by shells, was evacuated on the 7th by the French troops, who retired towards Maurupt and Cheminon. The Germans entered the little town and completed the work of the shells, but first they pillaged the houses. It was proved to the Enquiry Commission that "German Red-Cross nurses came with carts, in which they piled up the goods which the soldiers passed to them from the drapery and millinery establishment of M. Mathieu, a merchant serving with the colours." 505 houses were completely destroyed; only forty-four remained standing.

Numerous personal outrages were committed. About fifty hostages were taken; some, rigged out in cloaks and casques, were obliged thus to guard the bridges. Here is the declaration of the road-man of the district, Auguste Brocard: "My son and I, together with my grandson aged 5½ years, were led away on September 6 by the Germans, who shut us into the sugar factory, and kept us there under guard for four days. When they arrested us, my wife and my daughter-in-law, insane with fear, ran to drown themselves in the Saulx. I managed to run after them, and tried three times to rescue the unhappy creatures, but the Germans forced me away, and left the poor women struggling in the water. I ought to add that when we were set free four days afterwards, and went to find the corpses, the French soldiers who helped to bury them pointed out to us that both my wife and my daughter-in-law had bullet wounds in the head."

THE GRAND SQUARE, SERMAIZE

On arriving in the town, turn to the right. The street leads to the central square, which is adorned by a fountain (see below). The enormous rubbish heap which the town represented after the battle is gradually being cleared. The inhabitants have returned, and bravely set about the rebuilding of their homes. Helped by various organisations, French and foreign, and above all by bodies of Quakers known as the "Society of Friends," who have set up numerous wooden houses throughout the countryside, they are bringing this desolate region back to life.

RUINS AROUND THE GRAND SQUARE

Take the Rue Bénard, on the left of the Square, in order to visit the church, which is in the lower part of the town, near the Saulx. The photo below was taken from the right of this street. In the foreground is the doctor's house, of which only the brass plate remains; in the background is a temporary shanty run up by the chemist.

RUINS, RUE BÉNARD

We reach the Saulx, on the opposite side of which stands the church, which was shelled and then burned by the Germans. The Romanesque porch, which stood out from it, has been destroyed; the nave is open to the sky; and the spire has collapsed. The Romanesque vaulting of the transept and of the apse has alone survived.

CHURCH, SERMAIZE

A fine fifteenth century wooden carving of Christ has been burned, or perhaps more probably taken away by the Germans.

Retracing our steps, we take, on the left before arriving at the Place, the Rue d'Andernay, from number 35 of which the central photograph on the following page was taken.A little further on we rejoin the road (G. C. 15, which becomes G. C. 1 on leaving the county), andfollow it out of the town. On the right, two kilometres further, is the"Établissement thermal," whose waters are used for drinking purposes, as well as for baths and shower-baths.Pass throughAndernay(64½ km.), where a few houses were burned down.Cross over the Saulx, then, without entering Contrisson, turn to the right (66 km.) and follow the railway along the road.

INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH

Two kilometres further take the level-crossing, and then, leaving the railway, which breaks off to the right, follow G. C. 20. Continue straight along G. C. 1.

G. C. 20 follows the Valley of the Saulx, which, gradually narrowing, stretches southwards. The Germans came up the valley, driving in a wedge between the Fourth and Third French Armies. During September 9 and 10 the Fifteenth Corps was working astride this valley, trying to re-establish connection. On the evening of the 10th, the 30th Division of this Corps tookMognéville(2 km. distant along G. C. 20), and practically reached the spot where the tourist is now standing. The danger of a break through was thus averted.

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