*The Battle of the Aisne.*
8th October, 1914.
My Lord: I have the honor to report the operations in which the British
forces in France have been engaged since the evening of Sept. 10:
1. In the early morning of the 11th the further pursuit of the enemy was
commenced, and the three corps crossed the Ourcq practically unopposed,
the cavalry reaching the line of the Aisne River, the Third and Fifth
Brigades south of Soissons, the First, Second and the Fourth on the high
ground at Couvrelles and Cerseuil.
On the afternoon of the 12th, from the opposition encountered by the
Sixth French Army to the west of Soissons, by the Third Corps southeast
of that place, by the Second Corps south of Missy and Vailly, and
certain indications all along the line, I formed the opinion that the
enemy had, for the moment at any rate, arrested his retreat and was
preparing to dispute the passage of the Aisne with some vigor.
South of Soissons the Germans were holding Mont de Paris against the
attack of the right of the French Sixth Army when the Third Corps
reached the neighborhood of Buzancy, southeast of that place. With the
assistance of the artillery of the Third Corps the French drove them
back across the river at Soissons, where they destroyed the bridges.
The heavy artillery fire which was visible for several miles in a
westerly direction in the valley of the Aisne showed that the Sixth
French Army was meeting with strong opposition all along the line.
On this day the cavalry under Gen. Allenby reached the neighborhood of
Braine and did good work in clearing the town and the high ground beyond
it of strong hostile detachments. The Queen's Bays are particularly
mentioned by the General as having assisted greatly in the success of
this operation. They were well supported by the Third Division, which on
this night bivouacked at Brenelle, south of the river.
The Fifth Division approached Missy, but were unable to make headway.
The First Army Corps reached the neighborhood of Vauxcéré without much
opposition.
In this manner the battle of the Aisne commenced.
2. The Aisne Valley runs generally east and west, and consists of a
flat-bottomed depression of width varying from half a mile to two miles,
down which the river follows a winding course to the west, at some
points near the southern slopes of the valley and at others near the
northern. The high ground both on the north and south of the river is
approximately 400 feet above the bottom of the valley, and is very
similar in character, as are both slopes of the valley itself, which are
broken into numerous rounded spurs and re-entrants. The most prominent
of the former are the Chivre spur on the right bank and Sermoise spur on
the left. Near the latter place the general plateau, on the south is
divided by a subsidiary valley of much the same character, down which
the small River Vesle flows to the main stream near Sermoise. The slopes
of the plateau overlooking the Aisne on the north and south are of
varying steepness, and are covered with numerous patches of wood, which
also stretch upward and backward over the edge on to the top of the high
ground. There are several villages and small towns dotted about in the
valley itself and along its sides, the chief of which is the town of
Soissons.
The Aisne is a sluggish stream of some 170 feet in breadth, but, being
15 feet deep in the centre, it is unfordable. Between Soissons on the
west and Villiers on the east (the part of the river attacked and
secured by the British forces) there are eleven road bridges across it.
On the north bank a narrow-gauge railway runs from Soissons to Vailly,
where it crosses the river and continues eastward along the south bank.
From Soissons to Sermoise a double line of railway runs along the south
bank, turning at the latter place up the Vesle Valley toward Bazoches.
The position held by the enemy is a very strong one, either for delaying
action or for a defensive battle. One of its chief military
characteristics is that from the high ground on neither side can the top
of the plateau on the other side be seen, except for small stretches.
This is chiefly due to the woods on the edges of the slopes. Another
important point is that all the bridges are under direct or high-angle
artillery fire.
The tract of country above described, which lies north of the Aisne, is
well adapted to concealment, and was so skillfully turned to account by
the enemy as to render it impossible to judge the real nature of his
opposition to our passage of the river or accurately to gauge his
strength; but I have every reason to conclude that strong rearguards of
at least three army corps were holding the passages on the early morning
of the 13th.
3. On that morning I ordered the British forces to advance and make good
the Aisne.
The First Corps and the cavalry advanced on the river. The First
Division was directed on Chamouille via the canal bridge at Bourg, and
the Second Division on Courteçon and Presles via Pont-Arcy, and on the
canal to the north of Braye via Chavonne. On the right the cavalry and
First Division met with slight opposition and found a passage by means
of the canal, which crosses the river by an aqueduct. The division was
therefore able to press on, supported by the cavalry division on its
outer flank, driving back the enemy in front of it.
On the left the leading troops of the Second Division reached the river
by 9 o'clock. The Fifth Infantry Brigade were only enabled to cross, in
single file and under considerable shell fire, by means of the broken
girder of the bridge, which was not entirely submerged in the river. The
construction of a pontoon bridge was at once undertaken, and was
completed by 5 o'clock in the afternoon.
On the extreme left the Fourth Guards Brigade met with severe opposition
at Chavonne, and it was only late in the afternoon that it was able to
establish a foothold on the northern bank of the river by ferrying one
battalion across in boats.
By nightfall the First Division occupied the area of
Moulins-Paissy-Geny, with posts at the village of Vendresse.
The Second Division bivouacked as a whole on the southern bank of the
river, leaving only the Fifth Brigade on the north bank to establish a
bridge-head.
The Second Corps found all the bridges in front of them destroyed except
that of Condé, which was in possession of the enemy, and remained so
until the end of the battle.
In the approach to Missy, where the Fifth Division eventually crossed,
there is some open ground which was swept by a heavy fire from the
opposite bank. The Thirteenth Brigade was therefore unable to advance;
but the Fourteenth, which was directed to the east of Venizel at a less
exposed point, was rafted across, and by night established itself with
its left at St. Marguérite. They were followed by the Fifteenth Brigade;
and later on both the Fourteenth and Fifteenth supported the Fourth
Division on their left in repelling a heavy counter-attack on the Third
Corps.
On the morning of the 13th the Third Corps found the enemy had
established himself in strength on the Vregny plateau. The road bridge
at Venizel was repaired during the morning, and a reconnoissance was
made with a view to throwing a pontoon bridge at Soissons.
The Twelfth Infantry Brigade crossed at Venizel, and was assembled at
Bucy le Long by 1 P.M., but the bridge was so far damaged that
artillery could only be man-handled across it. Meanwhile the
construction of a bridge was commenced close to the road bridge at
Venizel.
At 2 P.M. the Twelfth Infantry Brigade attacked in the direction of
Chivres and Vregny with the object of securing the high ground east of
Chivres, as a necessary preliminary to a further advance northward. This
attack made good progress, but at 5:30 P.M. the enemy's artillery and
machine gun fire from the direction of Vregny became so severe that no
further advance could be made. The positions reached were held till
dark.
The pontoon bridge at Venizel was completed at 5:30 P.M., when the Tenth
Infantry Brigade crossed the river and moved to Bucy le Long.
The Nineteenth Infantry Brigade moved to Billy-sur-Aisne, and before
dark all the artillery of the division had crossed the river, with the
exception of the heavy battery and one brigade of field artillery.
During the night the positions gained by the Twelfth Infantry Brigade to
the east of the stream running through Chivres were handed over to the
Fifth Division.
The section of the bridging train allotted to the Third Corps began to
arrive in the neighborhood of Soissons late in the afternoon, when an
attempt to throw a heavy pontoon bridge at Soissons had to be abandoned,
owing to the fire of the enemy's heavy howitzers.
In the evening the enemy retired at all points and intrenched himself on
the high ground about two miles north of the river, along which runs the
Chemin-des-Dames. Detachments of infantry, however, strongly intrenched
in commanding points down slopes of the various spurs, were left in
front of all three corps with powerful artillery in support of them.
During the night of the 13th and on the 14th and following days the
field companies were incessantly at work night and day. Eight pontoon
bridges and one foot bridge were thrown across the river under
generally very heavy artillery fire, which was incessantly kept up on to
most of the crossings after completion. Three of the road bridges, i.e.,
Venizel, Missy, and Vailly, and the railway bridge east of Vailly, were
temporarily repaired so as to take foot traffic, and the Villiers Bridge
made fit to carry weights up to six tons.
Preparations were also made for the repair of the Missy, Vailly and
Bourg bridges so as to take mechanical transport.
The weather was very wet and added to the difficulties by cutting up the
already indifferent approaches, entailing a large amount of work to
repair and improve.
The operations of the field companies during this most trying time are
worthy of the best traditions of the Royal Engineers.
4. On the evening of the 14th it was still impossible to decide whether
the enemy was only making a temporary halt, covered by rearguards, or
whether he intended to stand and defend the position.
With a view to clearing up the situation I ordered a general advance.
The action of the First Corps on this day under the direction and
command of Sir Douglas Haig was of so skillful, bold, and decisive a
character that he gained positions which alone have enabled me to
maintain my position for more than three weeks of very severe fighting
on the north bank of the river.
The corps was directed to cross the line Moulins-Moussy by 7 A.M.
On the right the General Officer commanding the First Division directed
the Second Infantry Brigade (which was in billets and bivouacked about
Moulins), and the Twenty-fifth Artillery Brigade (less one battery),
under Gen. Bulfin, to move forward before daybreak, in order to protect
the advance of the division sent up the valley to Vendresse. An
officer's patrol sent out by this brigade reported a considerable force
of the enemy near the factory north of Troyon, and the Brigadier
accordingly directed two regiments (the King's Royal Rifles and the
Royal Sussex Regiment) to move at 3 A.M. The Northamptonshire Regiment
was ordered to move at 4 A.M. to occupy the spur east of Troyon. The
remaining regiment of the brigade (the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment)
moved at 5:30 A.M. to the village of Vendresse. The factory was found to
be held in considerable strength by the enemy, and the Brigadier ordered
the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment to support the King's Royal Rifles
and the Sussex Regiment. Even with this support the force was unable to
make headway, and on the arrival of the First Brigade the Coldstream
Guards were moved up to support the right of the leading brigade (the
Second), while the remainder of the First Brigade supported its left.
[Illustration: Map 8.--Sept. 10 to 12. Showing the Germans' headlong
retreat to their intrenched positions beyond the Aisne.]
About noon the situation was, roughly, that the whole of these two
brigades were extended along a line running east and west, north of the
line Troyon and south of the Chemin-des-Dames. A party of the Loyal
North Lancashire Regiment had seized and were holding the factory. The
enemy had a line of intrenchments north and east of the factory in
considerable strength, and every effort to advance against this line was
driven back by heavy shell and machine-gun fire. The morning was wet and
a heavy mist hung over the hills, so that the Twenty-fifth Artillery
Brigade and the divisional artillery were unable to render effective
support to the advanced troops until about 9 o'clock.
By 10 o'clock the Third Infantry Brigade had reached a point one mile
south of Vendresse, and from there it was ordered to continue the line
of the First Brigade and to connect with and help the right of the
Second Division. A strong hostile column was found to be advancing, and
by a vigorous counterstroke with two of his battalions the Brigadier
checked the advance of this column and relieved the pressure on the
Second Division. From this period until late in the afternoon the
fighting consisted of a series of attacks and counter-attacks. The
counter-strokers by the enemy were delivered at first with great vigor,
but later on they decreased in strength, and all were driven off with
heavy loss.
On the left the Sixth Infantry Brigade had been ordered to cross the
river and to pass through the line held during the preceding night by
the Fifth Infantry Brigade and occupy the Courteçon Ridge, while a
detached force, consisting of the Fourth Guards Brigade and the
Thirty-sixth Brigade Royal Field Artillery, under Brig. Gen. Perceval,
were ordered to proceed to a point east of the village of Ostel.
The Sixth Infantry Brigade crossed the river at Pont-Arcy, moved up the
valley toward Braye, and at 9 A.M. had reached the line
Tilleul-La-Buvelle. On the line they came under heavy artillery and
rifle fire, and were unable to advance until supported by the
Thirty-fourth Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, and the Forty-fourth
Howitzer Brigade and the Heavy Artillery.
The Fourth Guards Brigade crossed the river at 10 A.M. and met with very
heavy opposition. It had to pass through dense woods; field artillery
support was difficult to obtain; but one section of a field battery
pushed up to and within the firing line. At 1 P.M. the left of the
brigade was south of the Ostel Ridge.
At this period of the action the enemy obtained a footing between the
First and Second Corps, and threatened to cut the communications of the
latter.
Sir Douglas Haig was very hardly pressed and had no reserve in hand. I
placed the cavalry division at his disposal, part of which he skillfully
used to prolong and secure the left flank of the Guards Brigade. Some
heavy fighting ensued, which resulted in the enemy being driven back
with heavy loss.
About 4 o'clock the weakening of the counter-attacks by the enemy and
other indications tended to show that his resistance was decreasing, and
a general advance was ordered by the army corps commander. Although
meeting with considerable opposition and coming under very heavy
artillery and rifle fire, the position of the corps at the end of the
day's operations extended from the Chemin-des-Dames on the right,
through Chivy, to Le Cour de Soupir, with the First Cavalry Brigade
extending to the Chavonne-Soissons road.
[Illustration: Map 9.--Sept. 13 and 14. Passage of the Aisne, when
bridges were constructed under great difficulties.]
On the right the corps was in close touch with the French Moroccan
troops of the Eighteenth Corps, which were intrenched in echelon to its
right rear. During the night they intrenched this position.
Throughout the battle of the Aisne this advanced and commanding position
was maintained, and I cannot speak too highly of the valuable services
rendered by Sir Douglas Haig and the army corps under his command. Day
after day and night after night the enemy's infantry has been hurled
against him in violent counter-attack, which has never on any one
occasion succeeded, while the trenches all over his position have been
under continuous heavy artillery fire.
The operations of the First Corps on this day resulted in the capture of
several hundred prisoners, some field pieces and machine guns.
The casualties were very severe, one brigade alone losing three of its
four Colonels.
The Third Division commenced a further advance, and had nearly reached
the plateau of Aizy when they were driven back by a powerful
counter-attack supported by heavy artillery. The division, however, fell
back in the best order, and finally intrenched itself about a mile north
of Vailly Bridge, effectively covering the passage.
The Fourth and Fifth Divisions were unable to do more than maintain
their ground.
5. On the morning of the 15th, after close examination of the position,
it became clear to me that the enemy was making a determined stand; and
this view was confirmed by reports which reached me from the French
armies fighting on my right and left, which clearly showed that a
strongly intrenched line of defense was being taken up from the north of
Compiègne, eastward and southeastward, along the whole Valley of the
Aisne up to and beyond Rheims.
A few days previously the Fortress of Maubeuge fell, and a considerable
quantity of siege artillery was brought down from that place to
strengthen the enemy's position in front of us.
During the 15th shells fell in our position which have been judged by
experts to be thrown by eight-inch siege guns with a range of 10,000
yards. Throughout the whole course of the battle our troops have
suffered very heavily from this fire, although its effect latterly was
largely mitigated by more efficient and thorough intrenching, the
necessity for which I impressed strongly upon army corps commanders. In
order to assist them in this work all villages within the area of our
occupation were searched for heavy intrenching tools, a large number of
which were collected.
In view of the peculiar formation of the ground on the north side of the
river between Missy and Soissons, and its extraordinary adaptability to
a force on the defensive, the Fifth Division found it impossible to
maintain its position on the southern edge of the Chivres Plateau, as
the enemy in possession of the Village of Vregny to the west was able to
bring a flank fire to bear upon it. The division had, therefore, to
retire to a line the left of which was at the village of Marguérite, and
thence ran by the north edge of Missy back to the river to the east of
that place.
With great skill and tenacity Sir Charles Fergusson maintained this
position throughout the whole battle, although his trenches were
necessarily on lower ground than that occupied by the enemy on the
southern edge of the plateau, which was only 400 yards away.
Gen. Hamilton with the Third Division vigorously attacked to the north,
and regained all the ground he had lost on the 15th, which throughout
the battle has formed a most powerful and effective bridge-head.