4

August 29

It was nearly a fortnight ago that the Germans concentrated their heaviest forces upon Namur, and began to press southwards and over the Meuse Valley.  After the battle of Dinant the French army, among whom, at this point, were the 2nd and the 7th Corps, were heavily outnumbered at the time, and had to fall back gradually in order to gain time for reinforcements to come up to their support.  The French artillery was up on the wooded heights above the river, and swept the German regiments with a storm of fire as they advanced.  On the right bank the French infantry was entrenched, supported by field guns and mitrailleuses, and did very deadly work before leaping from the trenches which they occupied and taking up position in new trenches further back, which they held with great tenacity.  In justice to the Germans, it must be said that they were heroic in their courage.  They were reckless of their lives, and the valley of the Meuse was choked with their corpses.  The river itself was strewn with dead bodies of men and horses, and literally ran red with blood.  The most tremendous fighting took place for the possession of the bridges, but the French engineers blew them up one after the other as they retired southwards.  No fewer than thirty-three bridges were destroyed in this way before they could be seized by the German advance guard.  The fighting was extended for a considerable distance on either side of the Meuse, and many engagements took place between the French and German cavalry and regiments working away from the main armies.

There was, for instance, a memorable encounter at Merville which is one of the most heroic episodes of the war.  Five thousand French soldiers of all arms, with quick-firers, engaged twenty thousand German infantry.  In spite of being outnumbered in this way, the French dash and “bite,” as they call it, was so splendid that they beat back the enemy from point to point in a fight lasting for twelve hours, inflicting a tremendous punishment, and suffering very few losses on their own side.  A German officer captured in this engagement expressed his unbounded admiration for the valour of the French troops, which he described as “superb.”  It was only for fear of getting too far out of touch with the main forces that the gallant five thousand desisted from their irresistible attack, and retired, with a large number of German helmets as trophies of their victorious action.  Nevertheless, in accordance with the general plan which had been decided upon by the French generals in view of the superior numbers pressing upon them, the French troops retreated and the Germans succeeded in forcing their way steadily down the Meuse as far as Mezieres, divided by a bridge from Charleville on the other side of the river.  This is in the neighbourhood of Sedan, and in the hollow or trou as it is called which led to the great disaster of 1870, when the French army was caught in a trap, and threatened with annihilation by the Germans, who had taken possession of the surrounding heights.  There was to be no repetition of that tragedy.  The French were determined that this time the position would be reversed.