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.