Montceaux, on account of its dominating position, had been organised as a defensive position by the Germans. The French artillery bombarded the whole village vigorously and especially the large farm whose entrance is visible at the end of the street in the above photograph. The Germans had established a heavy battery there, directing its fire from the top of the church tower. The church therefore received numerous projectiles, whose effects may be seen in the photograph below, which represents the chapel in the apse. The right of the 18th French Corps attacked the village on September 6, on the south and on the west, and carried it after a violent combat which lasted from 4 p.m. until nightfall. [Illustration: INTERIOR OF MONTCEAUX CHURCH] _We retrace our steps and turn to the left into_ D. 8 _in the direction of Courgivaux_. On the right of the main road, the Germans, holding the heights where stands the hamlet of =Les Châtaigniers=, offered a desperate resistance to the efforts of the Sixth Division of the Third French Corps commanded by General Pétain, afterwards Commander-in-Chief. On September 6 this division succeeded in taking the hamlet, but was not able to advance beyond it, in spite of the fact that the 18th Corps held Montceaux. On the following morning, the Germans counter-attacked unsuccessfully, and in the afternoon the French (whose 123rd Regiment had particularly distinguished itself at Montceaux) hurled their adversaries back on to the farther side of the Grand Morin. D. 8 _becomes_ G. C. 46 _on entering the Department of the Marne_. _Before arriving at =Courgivaux=, pass over a level-crossing, then turn to the right by the drinking-pond, and ascend the village, bearing to the left towards the cemetery (29 km.)._ The latter occupies a dominating position and played an important part in the actions engaged in by the Fifth Division, commanded by General Mangin, for the possession of Courgivaux. [Illustration: FARM AT COURGIVAUX] The German advanced defences around Escardes (about 2½ km. along this road) were carried after a stiff fight in which the two colonels of the Ninth Brigade were wounded. The Germans fell back on the line formed by the cemetery of Courgivaux and the farm of Bel-Air visible in the photograph above, and about 300 yards west towards the village. After a bombardment by "75's," the troops of the Third Corps, leaving the woods, crossed the open ground at a run, and after several fruitless attempts dislodged the Germans from the cemetery, then from the farm, and finally from the village. The French held these positions in spite of a counter-attack at night, and on the 7th the Germans were in retreat towards the north. [Illustration: COURTYARD OF ESTERNAY CASTLE FARM]