Beyond, lie the _faubourgs_: to the west and south, the modern faubourgs of Saint-Christophe, Crise, and Rheims; to the east, on the right bank of the Aisne, the old faubourgs: Saint-Waast (named after the Bishop who converted Clovis to Christianity), and Saint-Médard (after the Bishop who was buried there during the Merovingian epoch). Before the War, Soissons was an important provision centre for Paris (corn and haricot beans). In its suburbs were numerous industrial concerns: boiler manufactories, mechanical workshops and various factories, distilleries, sugar-refineries, etc ... [Illustration: SOISSONS IN THE 16TH CENTURY. _Model_ (1560) _kept in the Cathedral. Inside the battlemented walls, six collegiates or abbeys were grouped around the Cathedral._] [Illustration: _Twice occupied by the Germans_ (1914 & 1918), _Soissons was two and a half years in the front line._] THE GERMAN OCCUPATION IN 1914 After the battle of Charleroi, despite the vigorous and determined counter-offensive launched from Guise to Saint-Quentin on August 29–30, the Franco-British Armies continued their retreat southwards. During the evening of August 31, the Valabrègue group of reserve divisions holding the Vauxaillon-Laffaux-Vaudesson sector, and acting as flank-guard to the French 5th Army, remained as a covering force to the north-east of Soissons. It was not, however, intended to defend the town, and the only object in resisting the enemy at this point was to cover the French retirement and ensure the safe passage of the Aisne. Soissons thus became momentarily of primary importance. Large detachments of enemy cavalry wedged themselves between the British and French Armies, and advancing from Noyon towards Soissons, became a formidable menace to the French retirement across the Aisne. During the night of August 31, a cavalry division was ordered to proceed with all despatch from Craonne to Soissons. Next morning a portion of this division took up a position north of the town, in the neighbourhood of Cuffies, with orders to hold it so long as the reserve divisions east of the town had not crossed the Aisne. The remainder halted on the Belleu Hills, with a view to guarding the river on either side of the town. At about 10 a.m., the enemy came within sight of Soissons and was brought to a standstill for two hours by French cavalry and cyclist scouts. Early in the afternoon, the rear-guard of the holding force being informed that the French army had succeeded in crossing the Aisne, retired in an orderly manner towards Septmonts and Buzancy. On September 2, the Germans occupied the town, but though they levied heavy requisitions, did not commit any act of pillage or vandalism. [Illustration: DEAD HORSES BELONGING TO UHLANS, IN THE PLACE DE L’HOTEL-DE-VILLE IN 1914.] THE GERMAN EVACUATION