Built along the National road, 2 km. north of Péronne, on a hill having
an altitude of 325-390 ft., the village of Mont-St.-Quentin possessed,
until the Revolution, an important abbey, which was founded in the
early Middle Ages.
The hill, now famous, rises in front of Péronne, and forms the
immediate defence of the town. The Germans had, prior to the
Franco-British offensive of 1916, posted their heavy artillery there
and built powerful entrenchments.
From 1914 to 1917 the German pioneers consolidated the position.
The hill was pierced from all sides by subterranean timber-propped
galleries, some leading to immense and comfortable shelters, others
to numerous invisible observation-posts, so placed as to command an
extensive view in all directions.
A large number of camouflaged heavy guns were posted on the slopes of
the hill, the neighbouring observation-posts ensuring great accuracy of
fire.
Trenches had been dug all about, in the chalky soil. At the foot of
the slopes, two first-lines completely surrounded the hill, and two
similar lines ran round half-way up. Communication-trenches zig-zagged
transversely, connecting the various lines of main trenches, while the
intervening empty spaces were covered with deep entanglements of barbed
wire and _chevaux-de-frise_. Lines of barbed wire protected the winding
communicating trenches. At the corners, at regular intervals, concrete
observation and special posts, all strongly fortified, were built for
the machine-gunners and sharp-shooters.
[Illustration: GERMAN OBSERVATION-POST ON MONT-ST.-QUENTIN (IN THE
CHÂTEAU PARK).
_Péronne and Maisonnette Hill are in the background._]
[Illustration: SPY-HOLE OF THE OBSERVATION-POST.]
The village itself was powerfully fortified. An intricate system of
trenches entirely covered the place, the castle forming the main
strong-point. A maze of communication trenches and entrenchments ran
throughout the park. A concrete observation-post on the terrace, near
the enclosing wall, hidden among the lime-trees, commanded a view of
the whole battlefield north and south of the Valley of the Somme.
A subterranean shelter beneath this observation-post connected the
defences of the castle with those in the cellars of the village houses.
[Illustration: MONT-ST.-QUENTIN. RUINED HOUSES.]
These powerful entrenchments have almost completely disappeared.
Before evacuating the position in March, 1917, the Germans mined the
defence-works of the hill, blocking up the entrance to the underground
passages. They also set fire to the timber props which supported the
roof and walls of the galleries and shelters; an immense fire was thus
lighted inside the hill, which, for several days, had the appearance of
a volcano in eruption.
[Illustration: MONT-ST.-QUENTIN. GERMAN DEFENCES.]
Whilst in 1917 the Germans voluntarily evacuated Mont-Saint-Quentin,
they were driven from it by main force in 1918. During the night
of August 30, Australian units, slipping through the brushwood and
barbed-wire entanglements which covered the steep slopes of the hill,
succeeded in reaching the top, and quickly bombed the surprised
garrison into submission, about a third of the defenders being taken
prisoners. In spite of fierce counter-attacks, the Australians held
their ground the next day. Several assaulting waves, composed of
soldiers from the Prussian Guard, were successively launched against
the hurriedly consolidated positions, but were each time mowed down by
artillery barrages.
[Illustration: MONT-ST.-QUENTIN. VILLAGE IN RUINS.]
Of the village of Mont-Saint-Quentin, nothing remains but the basements
of the houses, with here and there bits of broken walls, tottering
beams and heaps of rubbish. The church, a favourite pilgrimage, in
memory of the former abbey, was totally destroyed, as was also the
castle.
The ruins of the castle, and a German observation-post of concrete,
with underground passages and shelters, are at the entrance to the
village, on the left, about 50 yards from N. 37.
There is a fine panoramic view over the Somme Valley and Péronne.
_On leaving Mont-Saint-Quentin, N. 37 descends to =Péronne=. Enter the
town by the Faubourg de Bretagne._
[Illustration: MONT-ST.-QUENTIN. RUINS OF THE CHÂTEAU.]
[Illustration: GERMAN SIGNS IN THE GRANDE PLACE.]