_Turn to the right at the end of the village, leaving on the left the road which continues to follow the edge of the marshes in the direction of Broussy._ This village fell at the same time as Oyes and Reuves, having been attacked by the German troops coming down from Joches and Coizard. _Immediately on leaving the village, take, on the left_, G. C. 45 _and make towards =Mondement=._ [Illustration: REUVES CHURCH AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT] We are following the last stage of the German advance. On the morning of September 9, the troops which had taken Oyes and Reuves, after having been reinforced during the night, assailed the Heights of Mondement and wrenched from the grasp of the few remaining Zouaves and sharp-shooters the castle, the church and the village. _The road passes before the castle_ (56 km.) whose fame since the war has become worldwide. [Illustration: THE CASTLE, NORTH FRONT] On September 6, 1914, the owners, Mme. Jacob and one of her sons, were still at Mondement. The bombardment by the German big guns on the north of the marshes began on the morning of the 7th. The inhabitants of the castle, together with the "curé" of Reuves, who had come to join them, passed many anxious hours. The cellar, in which they had taken shelter, almost fell in on them. It was useless to think of seeking refuge in the neighbourhood of the castle, for the shells fell like hail. Their motor-car had been destroyed (as may be seen in the photograph at the foot of p. 178) and the only horse in the stable had been killed. [Illustration: A CORNER OF THE CASTLE PARK] There was nothing left for it but, at night, to set out on foot along the road to Broyes, in spite of the feeble state of M. Jacob, who was suffering from heart-disease. They were picked up fortunately by a motor-car sent by General Humbert, but M. Jacob died a few days afterwards, as a result of the shock and of the fatigues which he had experienced. [Illustration: THE MARSHES SEEN FROM A WINDOW IN THE NORTH-EAST TOWER] On the 7th, General Humbert established his headquarters in the castle, which made a splendid observation post. He followed the course of the battle through his field-glasses from the foot of the towers. [Illustration: NORTHWESTERN ANGLE OF THE CASTLE] When the shells fell too thickly on the castle, he gained the little church near at hand (from which the panorama on pp. 182-183 is taken), and came back to the castle when the Germans began to direct their fire on the church-tower. During these comings and goings, a shell fell among his escort and killed several horsemen. As the bombardment continued to increase in violence, the headquarters were transported to the "Castle des Pucelles" at Broyes, which we have already seen (_p. 159_).