FROM JULY 27 TO 29 (27/7 TO 29/7) THE GERMANS RETREATED AGAIN,
THEN MADE A STAND UNTIL JULY 31.
From July 26 to 29.
On the evening of the 26th and on the 27th, in consequence of the Franco-American push threatening, from the east and south, Fère-en-Tardenois, with its vital network of roads and railways, the Germans again retreated, this time on a larger scale, to the south of the Ourcq and north of the Marne. They were pursued by the Allies who, on the evening of the 27th, lined the Ourcq as far as Fère and, to the north of the Marne, occupied the line: Champvoisy, Passy-Grigny, Cuisles, La Neuville-aux-Larris, Chaumuzy; the British capturing Bligny. French mounted patrols pushed forward to the line Villers-Agron, Romigny, Ville-en-Tardenois, where the enemy trenches, lined with machine-guns, seemed to indicate that a stand was to be made.
On the 28th, the 62nd Division, in liaison on its right with the 42nd American Division, entered Fère-en-Tardenois. Meanwhile, north of the Marne, Franco-American forces made good progress in the region of St. Croix and near Neuville Castle. On the extreme right the Germans were driven across the Vesle.
Withdrawing their exhausted divisions, the enemy, from the 28th to the 30th, engaging six fresh divisions, supported by numerous machine-guns, made vigorous counter-attacks which retarded the Franco-American advance. Only little progress was made on the 29th between Le Plessier-Huleu and the Ourcq, the extreme points reached being Saponay and Seringes. However, in the centre, the Ourcq was crossed from Fère to Ronchères.
From Ronchères to Vrigny progress was again very slow. On the 30th and 31st the Germans counter-attacked north of Fère and in the valley of the Ardre, where they burnt Poilly Village. However, the Americans captured Cierges, while the French made progress towards Nesles Wood and in Meunière Wood.