The Retreat from Mons: By one who shared in itCorbett-Smith, Arthur
History
The Retreat from Mons: By one who shared in it
Corbett-Smith, Arthur
World War, 1914-1918 -- Campaigns -- Western Front
This battle, in so far as the 6th French Army, the British Army, the
5th French Army, and the 9th French Army were concerned, may be said to
have concluded on the evening of September 10th, by which time the
Germans had been driven back to the line Soissons--Reims, with a loss
of thousands of prisoners, many guns, and enormous masses of transport.
About the 3rd September the enemy appears to have changed his plans and
to have determined to stop his advance South direct upon Paris; for on
the 4th September air reconnaissances showed that his main columns were
moving in a south-easterly direction generally east of a line drawn
through Nanteuil and Lizy on the Ourcq. On the 5th September several
of these columns were observed to have crossed the Marne; whilst German
troops, which were observed moving south-east up the left bank of the
Ourcq on the 4th, were now reported to be halted and facing that river.
Heads of the enemy's columns were seen crossing at Changis, La Ferté,
Nogent, Château Thierry, and Mezy.
Considerable German columns of all arms were seen to be converging on
Montmirail, whilst before sunset large bivouacs of the enemy were
located in the neighbourhood of Coulommiers, south of Rebais, La
Ferté-Gauchér, and Dagny.
I should conceive it to have been about noon on the 6th September,
after the British Forces had changed their front to the right and
occupied the line Jouy-Le Chatel--Faremoutiers--Villeneuve La Comte,
and the advance of the 6th French Army north of the Marne towards the
Ourcq became apparent, that the enemy realised the powerful threat that
was being made against the flank of his columns moving south-east, and
began the great retreat which opened the battle above referred to.
_Here follows the account of the Battle of the Marne._
APPENDIX II
ORDER OF THE DAY
AUGUST 29TH, 1914.
_Issued to the Troops under his command by the General
Officer Commanding the Second Corps._
As it is improbable the troops of the 2nd Army Corps understand the
operations of the last few days, commencing on the 21st instant with
the advance to the line of the Mons Canal and ending with a retirement
to our present position on the River Oise about Noyon, the Commander of
the Corps desires to let troops know that the object was to delay the
advance of a far superior force of the enemy to enable our Allies to
conduct operations elsewhere. This object, owing to the skilful
handling of the Commanders of units and the magnificent fighting spirit
shown by all ranks against overwhelming odds, and in spite of very
heavy casualties, was achieved, and the French Army is now reported to
be advancing.
That the losses were not greater in the retirement from the
Hancourt--Caudry--Beaumont--Le Cateau position on the 26th instant is
due largely to the support given by French troops, chiefly General
Sordêt's Cavalry Corps, operating on the West flank of the British
troops, and we may well be thankful to our gallant comrades in arms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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