After the victory of the Marne, the French 6th Army on the Ourcq,
keeping touch with the British on the right, advanced towards the
Aisne. On September 11, the townspeople showed signs of uneasiness. The
45th Division, which formed the right wing of General Maunoury’s Army,
was marching up the Ourcq and Savière valleys against Soissons, having
crushed the enemy’s attempted resistance at Chaudun.
On the following day, African troops, assisted by the fire of British
artillery stationed at Buzancy, entered the town. As the bridges had
been blown up by the retreating enemy, the night had to be spent in the
construction of foot-bridges, the work being carried out under fire
from the German heavy artillery.
On September 13, the Zouaves and Tirailleurs, under the command of
General Quiquandon, attacked Hill 132, which dominates Soissons on the
immediate north, but were unable to eject the strong enemy detachments
there. Repeated attacks on September 14, 17, 23 and 30 were not
more fortunate. The Germans could not be dislodged from these hills
which, on account of their many deep quarries and horizontal shafts,
formed natural fortresses, and gave them a vantage ground for the
indiscriminate bombardment of Soissons.
_These bombardments will be dealt with further on. They aimed almost
exclusively at the destruction of the town, and as they served no
military purpose, they need not be included in this account of the
military operations._