Belloy Plateau.

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.

To reachBelloy Plateau, on which violent fighting took place in June 1918,keep straight on the road from Cuvilly toLataule.

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.

Statues in Cuvilly Church.

Turn to the right, skirting the park of the Château, to reachHill 132, on which are a cemetery, an observation-post, and some trenches.

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 fiercebattle 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.

Lataule. the Chateau in ruins.

The road leads toBelloy,which pass through, leaving the pond on the left. Just outside the village, there isa "Calvary",whilst a little further on, arebattery positions with shelters.Méry, whose church is inthe third street on the left, is next reached.

Ruins of Belloy Church.

Barricade in Méry village.

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, ancientsarcophagihave been discovered at Méry.

Méry.A corner of the village.

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

Artillery passing through Ressons-sur-Matz.

At the crossing of the road with N. 17, on the left, istheChateau 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-Matzis reached. Turn left to reach the church.

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 whichMarquégliseis reached. (See sketch-map, p. 114.)

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.

Marquéglise.The Church and French Military Graves.

A foot-path nearly opposite the church leads toHill 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.

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 toMargny-sur-Matz. (See map, p. 124.)

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 stonePietaand 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 toÉlincourt-St.-Marguerite.

Élincourt-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 astheMonastery 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.

Élincourt-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 toMarfontaine 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. TheChâteau of Bellinglise, abutting on Marfontaine Manor, was built in the 16th century.

Bellinglise Chateau.

The left-hand road passes nearSt. 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).

The Massif of Thiescourt.The eastern portion of the massif and the fighting which took placethere, 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.

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 throughMarest-sur-Matz.The road skirts theChateau of Rimberlieu,opposite which isa tower—all that remains of an old fortified castle.Villers-sur-Coudunis 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 toCoudun, 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 theplateau 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.

Villers-sur-Coudun.—The Main Street.

Although the nave and aisles ofSt. Hilaire Churchare 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-rafteredtoriwith 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. 142toBienville, 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.

Map of Compiègne.

C.G. 142 first skirts, then crosses the railway (l. c.), afterwards joining N. 32, at which point turn to right.Compiègneis 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.

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.

Compiègne.—Fire at the corner of Rue desTrois-Barbeaux and Place du Marché aux Herbes.Extracted from the Michelin Guide: Compiègne before and during the War.

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