tradition, the monks of the Abbey of Corbie kept Didier, King of the
Lombards, whose name was given to the town. The first houses sprang
up in the fertile valley, whilst a _castrum_ was built on the hill.
Owing to its situation on an oft-disputed frontier, Montdidier was
destined to have a stirring history. Of the fortifications which
Philippe-Auguste caused to be erected there, and which were terminated
in 1210, nothing remains but a few fragments of walls covered by the
gardens. At various periods the town was besieged, pillaged and burnt.
Under Charles VIII and Louis XII the walls were rebuilt and the city's
life began anew, only to be disturbed again by war under François I.
After repulsing a band of adventurers in 1522, it was besieged in 1523
by 30,000 English and Germans, led by the Duke of Norfolk and Count de
Bure. Although a breach was opened in the city's walls, the burghers
refused to capitulate. The place had therefore to be carried by storm,
and the enemy burnt it on October 29.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER.--THE ST. MÉDARD QUARTER.]
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER, SEEN FROM THE MOREUIL ROAD.]
After the town had been rebuilt, the Reform quickly gained ground, in
spite of persecutions and the burning of Pastor Michel de la Grange.
In 1636, a powerful Spanish army, under the command of Jean de Werth
and Piccolomini, captured Roye and summoned Montdidier to surrender.
The burghers refused and, almost unsupported, kept the enemy at bay and
made a number of successful sorties. A narrow valley on the road to
Breteuil has retained the name of "cut-throat", in remembrance of one
of these sorties, during which 200 Spaniards were slain. After a siege
lasting 34 days, the approach of the Royal Army compelled the Spaniards
to retreat, and Louis XIII thanked the burghers in person for their
courage and loyalty.
From that time forward the town lived in peace. Louis XIV often stayed
there on his way to Flanders.
On March 19, 1814, the Cossacks, coming from Roye, entered the town.
The next day a large detachment of Cossacks and Prussian Hussars,
infantry and artillery, under the Russian Baron de Geismar, took
possession and exacted heavy requisitions in kind.
The Cossacks bivouacked in the streets, with their horses in full
harness, and cooked their food in the open. An attack by the combined
garrisons of Amiens and Beauvais on March 24 drove out the Cossacks,
but the latter returned on the 27th, with the intention of plundering
and burning the town. In response to a petition from the chief
citizens, Baron de Geismar consented not to burn the town, but allowed
his soldiers to pillage it for one hour. On the 28th, the Cossacks
withdrew towards Compiègne, to join the Allies in their march
on Paris.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER, PHOTOGRAPHED FROM AN AEROPLANE.
_On the left_: _The Three-Doms Stream, crossed by the road followed by
the itinerary_ (_see p. 98_);
_In the middle_: _Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville_;
_On the right_: _Place Faidherbe and the Compiègne road._]
[Illustration:
The Station.
Royaucourt.
Morlière Wood.
Mesnil-St. Georges.
Wood, south of Fontaine.
Cantigny.
Courtemanche.
Grivesnes.
PANORAMIC VIEW TO THE WEST AND SOUTH OF MONTDIDIER SEEN FROM THE
ESPLANADE DU PRIEURÉ.]
After Easter, the Prussians held the garrison at Montdidier and in 1815
a Prussian garrison occupied the town for three months.
On October 15, 1870, the Prussians again appeared before Montdidier,
held only by a few regular troops and some National Guards.
After a short bombardment, which caused the death of several citizens,
the Prussians entered the town.
[Illustration: CHAPEL BUILT BY THE SOLDIERS IN THE RUINS OF
MONTDIDIER.]
[Illustration: SAVING THE TOWN RECORDS OF MONTDIDIER.]
[Illustration: THE ROADS TO BE FOLLOWED ARE SHOWN BY THICK LINES.]
MONTDIDIER IN 1918.
Of Montdidier, hardly anything remains but ruins, caused by the
terrible battles fought around the town in March-August 1918.
From the end of Rue du Collège, there is a fine view of the whole
battlefield: Mesnil-St-Georges and Fontaine-sous-Montdidier _to the
west_; Courtemanche and Framicourt _to the north-west_; Gratibus,
Pierrepont and Contoire _to the north_, and Ayencourt and Monchel _to
the south_.
The German offensive--March 27.
On March 27, the German hordes were held on the French right, but
overran the plain on the left, where the lack of natural defences made
resistance more difficult. The front-line there was very thin, and the
Germans captured Cessier and Tilloloy.
The French 22nd I.D. fell back on Bus, then lost this village and the
neighbouring woods. For two hours, the enemy were unable to debouch,
being held in check mainly by the fire of batteries in Marotin Wood.
Near by, the 22nd Territorials, with a squadron of divisional artillery
and two companies of engineers, were thrown into the battle. Fighting
stubbornly against odds of ten to one, they retreated only step by
step. The Germans advanced only with very heavy loss, and they had
scarcely entered Marotin Wood when a concentration of artillery fire
scattered them.
Held before the _massif_ of Boulogne-la-Grasse, they wedged themselves
in between the latter and Montdidier. There was a gap here between the
left of Humbert's Army and Debeney's right, then being brought up,
and of which only a part, i.e. the 56th Division (Demetz) had taken
up its positions. This division, with the 5th Cavalry Division (De la
Tour) and two battalions of the 97th Territorials, had to defend a
twelve-mile front, extending from Pierrepont to the outskirts of Roye.
Attacks by three German Divisions, supported by a powerful artillery,
were repulsed.
Throughout the morning, the 69th Battalion of Chasseurs fought along
the Echelle-St.-Aurin-Dancourt-Grivillers line. The latter village only
fell at 12.45 p.m.
After the capture of Erches and Saulchoy the 65th Battalion of
Chasseurs held the enemy in check for some time on the Guerbigny line,
but on being attacked on the flank by enemy forces which had crossed
the Avre beyond Guerbigny, they were compelled to fall back, but only
after inflicting very heavy losses on the enemy. This withdrawal
brought about that of the 49th Battalion, above Becquigny.
Before Marquivillers, two battalions of the 105th line Regt. held their
ground for a long time, and withdrew only after being overwhelmed.
Fighting rearguard actions, they fell back on the crest south of
Lignières, then to the plateau east of Etelfay. A battalion of the
132nd line Regt., which had been unable to reach Fescamps, fought with
the Territorials of the 97th between Piennes and Forestil Farm. At 3 p.
m., a battalion of the 132nd was thrown against Etelfay which had been
captured by the Germans, thus enabling two battalions of the 106th and
one of the 132nd to reform on the plateau to the west, where they kept
the enemy in check until 6.30 p.m.
South of Montdidier, the enemy advanced rapidly towards Rollot and
Rubescourt.
The defence of Montdidier was abandoned, and the enemy entered the town
at 6.30 p.m. The 56th I.D. and the 5th Cav. Div. reformed to the west
of Montdidier and the Avre, without losing a single gun.
The Enemy's Advance held.
In the evening, the French held the line: Ayencourt,
Mesnil-St.-Georges, Gratibus, Pierrepont and Contoire. General de
Mitry (6th Corps) gave orders to hold at all costs the line of hills
which dominate the Three-Doms stream on the west, between Pierrepont
and Domfront. The 56th Div. defended the line Framicourt, north of
Courtemanche and Domfront.
March 28.
On the morning of the 28th, the German 9th Div. entered Courtemanche,
Framicourt and Fontaine-sous-Montdidier, scattered the units of
Engineers who were holding the road to Mesnil, then occupied Mesnil,
Ayencourt and Monchel.
[Illustration]
The 56th Div. immediately counter-attacked. While a battalion of the
132nd Regt. recaptured Fontaine-sous-Montdidier, and the 65th Batn. of
Chasseurs advanced in the wood and on the hill near Mesnil, the 3rd
Batn. of the 132nd, supported by a Batn. of the 350th, drove back the
enemy to Mesnil and Monchel, and carried these villages. On the right,
General Humbert's Army recaptured Assainvillers.
March 29.
On the 29th, the 56th Div. received orders to advance as far as the
railway, between Courtemanche and Monchel. The attack was launched at
6 p.m., at the very moment chosen by the enemy for their own attack.
The fighting at once became very desperate. On the left, a company
of the 69th Batn. of Chasseurs succeeded in entering Framicourt,
but was overwhelmed and partly taken prisoners. The 49th Batn. of
Chasseurs, after advancing as far as the Chapelle de St. Pierre,
west of Courtemanche, was outflanked and forced to withdraw beyond
Fontaine-sous-Montdidier. The 65th Batn. of Chasseurs and the 3rd Batn.
of the 132nd Regt. progressed to the east of Mesnil, as far as Hill 97,
but were decimated by a violent artillery and machine-gun barrage, and
had to fall back.
March 30.
At dawn, on the 30th, after a violent artillery preparation,
a fresh German attack was launched. To the north, in front of
Fontaine-sous-Montdidier and Hill 104, the 49th Batn. of Chasseurs,
supported by units of the 54th Regt., repulsed seven assaults.
Two German air-squadrons having swept the French lines with machine-gun
fire, the attack was renewed with fresh troops, but without result. At
3.45 p.m., a new attack by strong enemy columns succeeded in turning
the exhausted French forces on both flanks. To avoid being surrounded,
the French fell back on the crest east of Villers-Tournelle, and clung
desperately to their new positions. On that day, they threw over 1,500
grenades and fired over 50,000 cartridges. From Mesnil to Royaucourt,
the battle was equally desperate. The German 9th Division had orders to
push forward as far as Elevation 136, i.e. 2½ kms. south-west of
Royaucourt.
In front of Mesnil, the French 106th Regt. broke four attacks in the
morning, but at about 5 p.m., the French left having given way under
a terrific bombardment, the Germans reached the northern outskirts of
the village. The French only abandoned the village, in flames, at 6.30
p.m., taking up fresh positions 200-300 yards in the rear.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER. RUE BECQUEREL. (_See p. 98._)]
On the right, the Germans took Monchel and Ayencourt, but were unable
to debouch, which prevented them from reaching the south-western
outskirts of Mesnil and the approaches to Royaucourt.
At 7 p.m., a counter-attack by units of the 153rd Regt., a batn. of
cavalry on foot, a section of armoured-cars, and a group of artillery
took the enemy by surprise. Ayencourt and Monchel were recaptured, and
the French line advanced from Monchel to Hill 98.
Exhausted by their efforts and heavy losses, the enemy now consolidated
their slight gains.
The French 56th Div. had fought unceasingly for five days and lost the
greater part of its effective strength, but had fixed the enemy.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER. RUE BECQUEREL IN 1919.]
[Illustration: LIBERATING MONTDIDIER.
_The front on August_ 8th. (_morning_) _and_ 10th (_evening_).]
The Liberation on Montdidier. (_August 8-10, 1918._).
During the following months the enemy remained on their positions, the
sector being disturbed only by local attacks and raids on either side.
In the region of Mesnil-St.-Georges, held mainly by the 60th Div., the
extreme German right broke down during the offensive of June 9 against
the resistance of the French. In front of a single company of the 248th
line Regiment, over 200 German dead were counted.
On August 1, the enemy made many unsuccessful efforts in the
neighbourhood of Mesnil. From August 3, the French progressed slowly to
the east of the village, and prepared starting positions for Debeney's
offensive of August 8. On the 4th the Germans, sensing the coming
attack, abandoned part of their positions. The French occupied Braches,
gained a footing in Hargicourt, and reached Courtemanche.
On August 8, the 3rd Div. of the 9th Corps crossed the Avre to the
north, captured and enlarged the bridgehead of Neuville-Sire-Bernard
and occupied the western outskirts of Contoire and Hamel. The 9th Corps
was then replaced by the 10th, the three divisions of which were in
the line: the 152nd and 166th behind the Doms stream, and the 60th in
front of Montdidier. On the morning of the 9th the 152nd Div., instead
of attempting to cross the marshy stream, inclined to the left, crossed
at Neuville-Sire-Bernard, and thus enabled the 166th Div. to force the
passage by a frontal attack opposite Gratibus. While the 126th and
153rd Div. carried Hangest village and plateau, the 152nd Div. advanced
to Contoire and Pierrepont. The 166th Div., which had met with great
difficulty in crossing the Doms stream, was unable to gain a footing
on the plateau to the east. Montdidier, already outflanked from the
north, was now being turned from the south. General Debeney rapidly
transferred his artillery from his left to his right, and began a new
attack. The 60th Div. advanced against Montdidier, and the 169th made
a north-easterly thrust towards Faverolles, to cut the Montdidier-Roye
road, the enemy's main line of retreat. The 133rd Div. attacked
eastwards, to mask the _massif_ of Boulogne-la-Grasse and cover the
flank of the offensive. Behind followed the 46th Div. and 2nd Cavalry
Corps, in readiness to exploit any gains.
[Illustration: GERMAN PRISONERS PASSING THROUGH MONTDIDIER (1918).]
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER. BUILDING A BRIDGE IN FRONT OF THE STATION.]
The attack was a complete success. In the evening, from Faverolles
to Piennes, Montdidier was turned from the south. Assainvillers,
Piennes and Faverolles were recaptured, and the enemy fell back
along the Montdidier-Andechy road, which their desperate resistance
before Gratibus had enabled them to keep open. During the night they
evacuated Montdidier in the greatest confusion. While the French were
entering the town, which was entirely in their possession by noon on
the 10th, the whole of Debeney's forces thrust eastwards: the 47th and
56th Div. advanced to the east of Villers-les-Roye, the 166th from
Gratibus to Lignières, the 60th to the outskirts of Dancourt, the 46th
to the east of Tilloloy, the 133rd to the north-east of Fescamps, and
the 169th to before Cessier. Montdidier was now largely cleared.
[Illustration: _The roads to be followed are indicated by thick lines
and arrows._]
A VISIT TO MONTDIDIER.
_Abutting on the Esplanade du Prieuré is_ the BENEDICTINES'
PRIORY which, before the war, was a college. _Opposite is_ the
PALAIS-DE-JUSTICE. These two buildings suffered severely from the
bombardments.
The =Palais-de-Justice= was built on the site of the old Château of
the Counts of Montdidier. The entrance was all that remained of the
Château at the beginning of the 14th century. The remains of this door
were used in the construction of the building known as the SALLE DU ROY.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER. THE PALAIS-DE-JUSTICE. (1919.)]
The Salle du Roy is built over a vaulted passage, situated opposite
the Esplanade du Prieuré. To the west, an imposing gable rises above
the cliffs, its thick walls reinforced in the centre by an enormous
buttress, at the northern corner by a smaller buttress, and at the
southern corner by an octagonal turret.
[Illustration: THE PALAIS-DE-JUSTICE IN 1917.]
The entrance to the Palais-de-Justice is below the vaulted passage.
On the first story, the Entrance Hall and the corridor leading
to the Audience Chamber were decorated with six large Brussels
tapestries, believed to be work of Henry Reydams (17th century). Made
originally for the town of Douai, they were taken from the Château
of Ferrières--pulled down in 1809--in the Department of Oise. The
subjects, taken from the Book of Exodus, depicted: _The Crossing of
the Red Sea_; _the Hebrews glorifying God_; _Gathering Manna_; _Moses
striking the Rock_; _Making the Golden Calf_; _Worshipping the Golden
Calf_. The 1st, 3rd and 4th were faithful reproductions of tapestries
in the Cathedral of Chartres, said to have been made after drawings by
Raphael.
[Illustration: THE TOMB OF RAOUL DE CRÉPY.]
The other public buildings of Montdidier stood in the main road which
divides the town from north to south into two unequal parts. The first
of these was the =Church of St. Pierre= (_Hist. Mon._) _reached by
passing under the archway of the Palais-de-Justice and following Rue
St. Pierre_.
[Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF ST. PETER'S CHURCH.]
Of this church hardly anything remains except the walls and débris.
Portions of the building were 14th century, but most of it dated from
the 16th century. The tower, now in ruins, was added in 1742. The
doorway was the most remarkable part of the building. The plans were
the work of Chaperon (1538), the master-mason of Beauvais Cathedral.
The style is a combination of flamboyant Gothic (central dividing
pillar, archways, springing of the archways, and niches with socle
and canopy at the base of the main pillars), and Renaissance (voluted
niches and trefoiled bell-turrets, at the top of the pillars). At
the top of the accolade-shaped arch was a shield bearing the arms of
France, surrounded by St. Michael's collar, the three crescents of
Henri II, and a monogram combining the "H" of Henri II, the double "D"
of Diane de Poitiers, and the double "C" of Catherine de Médicis. The
side-walls of the church are sustained by buttresses. In accordance
with a custom fairly common in Picardy, each bay of the side-aisles
had its own separate roof forming a right-angle with that of the
great nave. The interior, with its three naves, massive pillars and
low 15th century vaulting--lower at the choir end than near the
doorway--appeared somewhat heavy in style.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER CEMETERY (_north-east of the town_). _See
Itinerary, p. 98._]
[Illustration: PLACE FAIDHERBE.
(_At the end of Rue de Roye, which comes out into Place de
l'Hôtel-de-Ville. See p. 98_).]
At the bottom of the left aisle, a reclining statue was said to depict
Count Raoul de Crépy, and to have formed part of the tomb which the
Count had built in the 11th century, while still alive. This statue
escaped destruction during the Revolution, and was deposited in the
church in 1862. As a matter of fact, it probably dates from the 13th or
14th century, and does not represent Raoul de Crépy.
In the adjoining chapel is a _Burial Scene_ comprising seven figures
grouped around that of Christ. As in the Tomb of St. Germain-les-Fossés
at Amiens, Mary Magdalene occupies the centre of the group, whereas
this place is usually reserved for the Virgin.
The font (probably 11th. century) is the oldest known specimen of the
type used in Picardy between the 11th and 16th centuries. The low,
square basin rests on five supports, the principal one being in the
centre, the other four lesser columns at the corners. The columns,
originally in stone, were replaced in the course of time by wooden
ones. A belt ornamented with eight heads of rather primitive design
runs round the basin. The rest of the decoration, much defaced,
includes two entwined heads, grapes, and doves drinking out of a vase.
The tomb, said to be that of Raoul de Crépy, the "Burial Scene" and the
font are believed to lie buried under the débris.
The organ loft, composed of the remains of fine Renaissance wood
carving of uncertain origin, was destroyed.
_Keep along Rue St. Pierre to Place de la Croix-Bleue, in which stood_
the STATUE OF PARMENTIER (by Malknecht), erected in 1848. Only the
pedestal remains. Parmentier, who introduced and popularized potato
growing in France, was a native of Montdidier.
[Illustration: THE STATUE OF PARMENTIER (1914).]
[Illustration: THE STATUE OF PARMENTIER AND A CORNER OF THE TOWN, IN
1919 _looking towards St. Peter's Church, seen behind. Tourists follow the
road on the left_.]
_Rue de la Croix-Bleue leads to Place de l'Hôtel-de-Ville. On the
right stands_ the modern =Hôtel-de-Ville= which replaced the old Louis
XIII building and a Renaissance house on its right. The automaton
bell-striker of the old tower, known as JEAN DUQUESNE, which used to
strike the hours with a hammer, was erected on the top of the new
belfry.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER.--THE HOTEL-DE-VILLE.]
_Rue Parmentier is next reached, at the entrance to which is_ the 16th
century =Church of the Holy Sepulchre=.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER.--RUE PARMENTIER AND THE CHURCH OF ST.
SEPULCHRE (1914).]
Its modern flamboyant Gothic doorway replaced the old portal which,
jutting out in front of the church, was ornamented with a hanging
garden. On this side, the square tower of the belfry only is ancient.
The five-sided chevet overlooks the small court of the presbytery.
The interior comprises a central and two side naves. Only the vaulting
of the choir remains.
[Illustration: THE CHURCH OF ST. SEPULCHRE IN 1919.]
[Illustration: CHURCH OF ST. SEPULCHRE, THE CHANCEL.]
[Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF THE CHURCH OF ST. SEPULCHRE.
(_Seen from the Chancel, near the Porch_).]
At the end of the right aisle is an _Entombment_ (1549-1582), a gift
of the De Baillon family. The Tomb, which was protected during the
war, comprises _The Burial Scene_ and an _Ecce Homo_ at the top of
the arch over the former. The latter group was finished long before the
other one, and is more natural and of finer finish than that of the
Tomb. The figures kneeling at the praying-desks on the front of the
Tomb represent Pierre de Baillon and his wife, Marguerite de la
Morlière. At the other end of the right aisle stood the baptismal font
(1539), mutilated and covered with whitewash in 1870. The church
of La Boissière possesses an identical font dating from the same
period, but much better preserved. The font probably lies buried under
the débris. In the font chapel there is a stone bas-relief (protected
during the war), said to have come from the old church. It was
consecrated to the Virgin, who is seen receiving the benediction of
the Eternal Father. The carvings and inscriptions around the Virgin,
symbolically recalling the principal episodes in her life, are taken
from the Song of Solomon. Unfortunately, this bas-relief was daubed
over in 1870, and some of the carvings, particularly _Les trois enfants
qui pissent_, were mutilated because of their realism.
[Illustration: MONTDIDIER.--THE LOWER TOWN, SEEN THROUGH A SHELL-HOLE
IN THE CHURCH OF ST. SEPULCHRE.]
_Go down Rue Parmentier, then turn left into Boulevard Béjot, in the
direction of Compiègne._
From Montdidier to Cuvilly,
=via Assainvillers, Piennes, Rollot, Boulogne-la-Grasse,
Conchy-les-Pots and Orvillers-Sorel=.
_Follow Boulevard Béjot, then take Boulevard de Compiègne, on
the right, and a little further on, N. 35, also on the right, to_
=Assainvillers=, entirely razed. _Take the second road on the left and
cross the light railway, 0 km. 700 beyond which are_ several lines
of trenches. _Take the left-hand street, which leads straight to the
church and village of_ =Piennes=. (_See sketch-map below._)
[Illustration: ASSAINVILLERS IN RUINS.]
Piennes.
[Illustration]
The church of Piennes (_Hist. Mon._) dating from the end of the 15th or
beginning of the 16th century, was a remarkable structure.
The tierce-point doorway comprised two round-arched bays, with a blind
Flamboyant tympanum. The dividing pillar was surmounted by a statue of
the Virgin resting on a crescent.
[Illustration: ASSAINVILLERS CHURCH.]
Between the doorway and the buttresses framing it, an elaborate Gothic
canopy sheltered an empty niche on either side. The front of each
buttress was ornamented with a niche under a Gothic canopy containing
mutilated statues of St. Catherine and St. Marguerite.
[Illustration: PIENNES CHURCH.]
The side-aisles were very picturesque with their live gables and five
separate roofs at right-angles to that of the great nave.