The whole, which joined up with the defence works of Trocy, constituted a position of withdrawal for the Étrépilly-Varreddes line, seen in panorama B (_pp. 90-91_). This was the first stage of the retreat on September 9. [Illustration: HOLLOW WHERE THE GERMAN ARTILLERY WAS PLACED.] This panorama was taken at the intersection of the Meaux-Soissons road (N 36) and a track which leads to Étrépilly, in the field bordering the road and where German machine-guns were established in order to sweep with their fire the Route Nationale and the bottom of the hollow. [Illustration: Varreddes Road from Meaux to Soissons The Ourcq Canal Road to Étrépilly E. +PANORAMA OF THE VARREDDES HOLLOW+] It is easy to understand why the Germans attached so much importance to the Varreddes position. The slopes west of the hollow (they form the background on the left of the panorama) were protected from the blows of the French artillery, and by availing themselves of this protection the Germans could easily bring up supplies or relieve the defenders on the crests, facing Chambry-Barcy. This ensured their resistance until the moment when the general trend of the action forced them to fall back. After having examined panorama E, _continue the descent towards =Varreddes= (12 km.). Before crossing the canal_ one can see, on the right, a '75' shell which has remained fixed in the wall of an inn, of which the sign has now become: "A l'obus." _We now enter the High Street of Varreddes._ At the entrance of the village is a certain number of houses that were damaged by the bombardment. [Illustration: GERMAN WOUNDED IN FRONT OF VARREDDES TOWN-HALL] The German wounded, forsaken during the hasty retreat of September 9, were sheltered and nursed at the town-hall. They are seen in the opposite view. When leaving the village the Germans took twenty hostages with them, all very old, among them being the vicar. Three succeeded in escaping, but, for the others, the retreat proved (as will be seen) a veritable torture. Seven of them were murdered. On the first day they were forced to march seventeen miles. M. Jourdain, aged 77, and M. Milliardet, aged 78, taken away with only slippers on their feet, were the first to fail from exhaustion: they were shot point-blank. Soon after, M. Vapaillé suffered the same fate. The next day M. Terré, an invalid, fell, and was killed with revolver-shots; M. Croix and M. Llévin stumbled in their turn and were also shot. [Illustration: TREE PIERCED BY A 75 SHELL] All three were from 58 to 64 years of age. Finally, M. Mesnil, aged 67, utterly exhausted, gave in: his skull was smashed in with blows from the butt end of a rifle. The other hostages, better able to endure, held on as far as Chauny and were sent to Germany by rail. They were repatriated five months later.