THE GRAND’ PLACE OF BAZOCHES.
The ruined Church is seen at the back.
Fismes in 1918.
The town was again occupied by the Germans on May 28, 1918, after stiff fighting.
On May 27, 1918, the first day of their great offensive, the Germans reached the Vesle at about 7.30 in the evening, on both sides of Fismes. At one in the morning, on the 28th, the Germans crossed the Vesle, outflanking the town on the west. Other enemy troops, who only forced the passage of the river towards noon, were supported on their left and progressed dangerously. A frontal attack forced the French, who were defending Fismes, to retire, in order to avoid being surrounded.
Fismes was delivered on August 4 and 5 by the Americans (3rd Corps), who had reached the outskirts of the town on the evening of the previous day. On the 4th, street by street, at the bayonet’s point, they captured the town. From the 6th to the 10th the fighting continued to be extremely violent along the river, and in front of Fismettes. On the 6th American units crossed the Vesle near Fismettes, but on the 8th and 9th the Germans counter-attacked vigorously to the east of Fismes and before Fismettes. After breaking down the German resistance, the Americans occupied Fismettes definitely on the 10th. On the following days, especially on the 12th and 28th, furious counter-attacks by the Germans failed to retake Fismettes.
The offensive by General Mangin’s army against the tablelands to the north-east of Soissons, from August 30, made itself felt along the Vesle front. Fearing to be outflanked, and in order to shorten his front, the enemy abandoned the heights overlooking the river, and retreated to the Aisne during the night of September 3-4. On the 4th, Franco-American troops crossed the Vesle along an eighteen-mile front, advancing on an average about two and a half miles to the north. On the 5th they reached the Aisne.
After visiting Fismes, if the tourist desires to go to Rheims, he should continue in the direction taken to go to the cemetery, following N. 31.
To continue the itinerary of the American battle, return to the Hôtel-de-Ville and follow N. 31 towards Bazoches. Cross the railway (level-crossing), the river in the middle of the marshes, then the bridge over the railway. The bombardment did great damage here. On arriving at Bazoches, take the road which branches off N. 31 and leads to the village. The walls of the cemetery on the left are in ruins. By the side of the cemetery are the graves of the American soldiers who fell in the vicinity.