Debouching from Assevillers (carried on July 3, 1916) and progressing
north of Estrées, a number of French units reached the outskirts of
Belloy-en-Santerre on July 4; this village was powerfully fortified and
formed an important strong-point in the German second line defences.
[Illustration: +FAY VILLAGE, AS THE WAR LEFT IT, SEEN FROM THE
ASSEVILLERS ROAD+ _(Itinerary)_.
_On the left: Road to Estrées; In front: Road from Dompierre._]
That famous regiment, the Foreign Legion, whose flag is decorated with
the _Legion d'Honneur_, and whose innumerable exploits have won for it
many mentions in the Orders of the Army, was ordered on July 4, at 6
p.m., to carry the position immediately at the point of the bayonet.
Deployed in battle formation, they charged across a flat meadow 900
yards broad. When 300 yards from their objective, machine-guns hidden
in the path from Estrées to Belloy were suddenly unmasked, and a
deadly fire mowed down the French ranks. The 9th and 11th Companies
sustained particularly heavy losses, all the officers falling. One of
these companies reached the objective under the command of the mess
corporal. Belloy was captured and 750 Germans were taken prisoners.
[Illustration: BELLOY-EN-SANTERRE, SEEN FROM THE SITE OF THE CHURCH.
_In the middle: Road from Assevillers; At the back: Belloy Wood._]
The enemy immediately launched counter-attack upon counter-attack.
Terrible fighting went on throughout the night. In the early morning,
the Germans regained a footing in Belloy, and entered the park of the
Castle, where three sections of the Legion were surrounded.
A second-lieutenant received orders to restore the situation with the
remnants of a company. Posting his men along the Belloy-Barleux road
(G.C. 79), he cut the line of retreat of the Germans, who had entered
the park. The latter endeavoured to break through, with a detachment of
disarmed prisoners in their midst.
The lieutenant shouted to the prisoners to lie down, then ordered his
men to fire on the standing Germans. The latter surrendered, with the
exception of a handful who attempted to carry away a wounded French
officer. The newly-released prisoners, although unarmed, dashed to the
rescue of the commander and brought him back in triumph.
Belloy was almost entirely reconquered, and when in the evening a new
counter-attack was launched, their assaulting waves were literally
mowed down.
The terrific bombardments which took place before and after the capture
of Belloy-en-Santerre entirely annihilated the village.
The road at Belloy passes by a large French cemetery and, a little
further on, the ruins of the church. _Take a newly-made road leading
to the Amiens-St. Quentin road. Turn to the right, towards Estrées
(3 km.)_ and pass _(on the right)_, a British then a large French
cemetery. _=Estrées= is next reached._
[Illustration: MILITARY CEMETERY TO THE EAST OF ESTRÉES.]