In 1918, Soissons had again to face the horrors of invasion. On May 27
1918, after the failure of the two German offensives against Paris and
Amiens, the Crown Prince threw his divisions forward in a formidable
attack along the Aisne Front. The Germans, taking full advantage of the
surprise which gave them an absolute numerical superiority, crossed the
Chemin-des-Dames in the early hours of the morning. Then, while east
of Soissons they were crossing the Aisne in the direction of Vailly
and advancing along the left bank of the river as far as the Vesle,
they made progress to the north-east in the direction of the undulating
plains which sheltered the town.
On the 28th, despite the bitter resistance of the few French units
in this sector, they succeeded in getting a footing in the plains of
Vregny and Crouy, and crept along the southern bank of the Aisne to the
very gates of Soissons, the east and south-east suburbs of which this
converging movement enabled them to attain.
The next day, May 29, they captured the suburbs of Saint-Waast and
Saint-Médard on the right bank. Then a party of Brandeburg sappers,
advancing in front of the attacking force, captured the bridges, and
prevented the French from destroying them. About noon, the Germans
entered the town, and after street-fighting which lasted several hours,
drove back the French into the western suburbs. The French however,
still held Pasly Hill to the north-east of Soissons. Throughout the
night, French artillery bombarded the approaches of the town and all
the places where the Aisne could be crossed, while enfilading fire from
the machine-guns prevented the German soldiers from using the streets.
Not until nine o’clock on the morning of the 30th did the enemy capture
Pasly Hill and thus secure entire possession of Soissons.
For two days the French clung desperately to the western approaches of
the town, but to the south, the Germans established themselves in the
angle formed by the Aisne and the Crise, and succeeded in capturing
Vierzy and Chaudun. The French positions were thus taken in the rear,
and had to be abandoned, step by step, after stubborn fighting.
The arrival of reinforcements at the beginning of June, enabled the
French definitely to check the enemy, who by this time was exhausted.
Though the Germans launched many violent attacks west of Soissons, they
were unable to advance beyond the Amblény-Longpont line, six or seven
miles from the town, which left the Allies free possession of the Paris
road through Villers-Cotterets Wood.
[Illustration: GERMAN PILLAGING.
(_see text opposite_).]
During the second period of occupation, which lasted from May 29 till
August 2, the Germans systematically pillaged the city. Every house
was emptied of its contents. Before being despatched to Germany, the
plunder was centralized in certain places indicated by signs bearing
the words “Zur Beutesammelstelle” (to the booty-collecting-centre),
with an arrow (_photo opposite_).
Objects which, by reason of their weight or bulk, could not be
transported, were destroyed or spoilt.
From July 18 onwards, General Mangin successfully attacked the right
flank of the German Army, with the result that on August 2, Soissons
was once more in French hands. At 6 p.m. on that day, French Chasseurs
under General Vuillemot crossed the burning town and reached the Aisne
bridges, beyond which, in the Saint-Waast suburb, the enemy rear-guard
made a last stand (_photo p._9). One of the pivots of the wedge driven
between the Marne and the Aisne by the German Armies, had given way,
and the enemy was soon forced to retire as far as the Vesle.
[Illustration: _Sarcophagus in the Cathedral broken open by the
Germans._]
[Illustration: FRENCH REPLY TO GERMAN PILLAGING.
_The first French soldiers to enter Soissons on August 2, 1918,
«pillaged» a German kitchen-garden, in which a notice signed by the
Kommandantur prohibited the entry of troops other than the 3rd. Co. of
the 43rd regt of Field Artillery._]
The offensive was stayed for a moment in front of the strong hill
positions on the north bank of the Aisne, where the Germans had
entrenched themselves. An intense bombardment then completed the city’s
ruin. The French advance began again at the end of August. On the
30th and 31st, Cuffies and Crouy were retaken while on the following
days the battle continued furiously on the heights north and east of
Soissons. General Mangin’s Army succeeded in advancing as far as the
plains of Vauxaillon, Laffaux and Vregny, whence it soon dislodged the
enemy.
[Illustration: THE ENEMY’S LAST EFFORTS AT RESISTANCE.
_German barricade at the exit of the Pont des Anglais in the faubourg
Saint-Waast, August 1918_.]