Boulogne-la-Grasse.
Boulogne-la-Grasse is situated on the top and along the middle slopes of a kind of small broken massif. Before the War, the village consisted of a number of independant quarters intersected by picturesque, winding streets, the whole hidden from view by gardens and orchards.
Boulogne-la-Grasse.—The ruined Church.
The Choir of the above Church.
The church, access to which is gained by a flight of 34 steps, overlooks the main street. The choir alone is ancient.
Take the street on the left of the church, then the first on the left which leads to the top of the massif overlooking the village.
The moats surrounding the site of the old fortified Château are still visible. The latter was replaced by a modern Château, now in ruins.
The telegraph-station, which used to stand on the top of the hill, to the west of the village, was destroyed by the Prussians in 1814.
Boulogne-la-Grasse Chateau (1914).
The Courtyard of the Chateau (1918).
From here, there is a fine panorama of the battlefield. On March 27, 1918, the Germans attacked Boulogne and the villages to the east, i. e. Conchy-les-Pots, Roye-sur-Matz, and Canny-sur-Matz, held by part of the French 38th Division which had been brought up to reinforce the 62nd Division, seriously depleted by several days' fighting. The Germans captured Boulogne and Conchy, but the next day (28th), the French counter-attacked and retook both villages. Having, after two unsuccessful assaults, gained a footing in Canny-sur-Matz, the enemy launched repeated violent counter-attacks against Conchy and Boulogne, reoccupying the former, but recapturing only part of the latter. On the 29th, the French progressed beyond Boulogne and again reached the outskirts of Conchy without, however, being able to capture Canny or dislodge the Germans from the eastern part of Boulogne. That night, Boulogne was crushed by the French artillery and made practically untenable, but on the 30th, the German offensive, debouching from Conchy, drove back the French who were occupying the massif. During the following months, the Germans organized a line of support in this region known as the "Rheinlandstellung". General Humbert's offensive of August 10, freed the entire massif. The same evening the line ran through Orvillers, Boulogne-la-Grasse, La Poste, north of Conchy, through Conchy-les-Pots and the railway-station of Roye-sur-Matz. On the 11th, in spite of fierce counter-attacks, the French reached the wood north of La Poste, Hill 81 to the east of Roye-sur-Matz, and the outskirts of Canny and La Berlière. On the following days, their advance definitely freed the region. Canny was re-occupied on the 17th.
Return to the church, keeping straight on as far as the first road on the left (G.C. 27) which leads to Conchy-les-Pots. Before reaching this village, a Franco-German cemetery will be seen on the right. A little further on, turn left. At the fork, the left-hand road leads to the ruins of the parish church dating from the 11th (square choir), 12th and 15th centuries. The church was practically razed. The road on the right leads to the St. Nicaise Chapel, situated immediately beyond the light railway. This chapel contained fine 15th or 16th century stained-glass windows, depicting the story of St. Nicaise, which were placed in safety during the War.
Conchy-les-Pots, at the crossroads of Boulogne-la-Grasse.
Conchy-les-Pots, a corner of the ruins.
Return to the entrance to the village. By G.C. 27, on the left, tourists may proceed to Roye-sur-Matz, whose church (Hist. Mon.) was partly 12th century. It was rebuilt in the 16th-17th centuries, except the doorway, nave, northern transept and tower which were in a remarkably good state of preservation. Previous to the offensives of 1918, the church had been for three years in the firing line, and was seriously damaged between 1914 and 1917. Its ruin was completed in 1918. A few fragments of walls belonging to the chevet are all that remain.
Roye-sur-Matz.—The Church.
From Roye-sur-Matz return to Conchy-les-Pots, where take the left-hand (paved) N. 17 to Orvillers-Sorel. On the left, between Conchy-les-Pots and Orvillers-Sorel, is the village of Biermont, which was desperately defended by the French 62nd Division on March 30, 1918.
Orvillers-Sorel Church in Ruins.
This district suffered severely from the fierce fighting of March-August 1918. On March 30 two German divisions, including one of the Guard, attacked Orvillers-Sorel, defended by a portion of the French 38th Div., the 4th Regt. of Zouaves and the 8th Regt. of Tirailleurs, the heroes of Douaumont, Hurtebise and La Malmaison. These two regiments, overwhelmed by numbers, were forced to fall back, but only after desperate fighting. Units of the 4th Regt. of Zouaves, greatly outnumbered and cut off, fought to the last man. Others managed to cut their way through, falling back only to reform and counter-attack, sometimes without an officer. As far as the northern outskirts of Orvillers, the ground was defended, inch by inch, and the enemy were unable to enter the village. During the night, the 4th Regt. of Zouaves reformed in the ruins, and on the following day (31st) counter-attacked between 1.30 and 2.30 p.m., reconquering Epinette Wood and taking a number of prisoners. Until May 3, when they were relieved, they maintained their positions. On April 12 and May 11, the French delivered two local attacks and progressed to the north-west of Orvillers. On May 12 and 14, a German attack against the new positions failed with heavy losses. On August 10, the 34th Corps of Humbert's Army cleared Orvillers-Sorel, and captured the "Gothenstellung", which formed the third main fighting line of the German defences.
Orvillers-Sorel. View of the Village.
Beyond the village, a small chapel is passed, on the right, the tourist coming out opposite Sorel Château (late 17th century), which stands in a closed park. The Château was seriously damaged during the attacks.
Sorel Chateau.
Take the avenue facing the Château, which was bordered with trenches, then N. 17 on the left, to Cuvilly.
This village is situated on the old Flanders road, formerly used by the stage-coaches. The latter used to stop at the Post-House, the old buildings of which were still standing before the War. The church, heavy in style, probably dates in part from the end of the 16th century. Only the walls and tower remain.
Cuvilly.
The Church, South-West façade.
To reach the church take Rue de Matz, on the right, and on reaching the square, bear to the left.