SECTION DECIMATED BY A SHELL
FROM MARCILLY TO ÉTRÉPILLY
(45 km.)
via Puisieux, Nogeon, Acy, Étavigny, Betz, Acy, Vincy
Étrépilly is 4 km. from Marcilly by the direct route, but we take the tourist round a loop of 45 km. before reaching Étrépilly, so that he may visit the front of the French left wing.
Arriving at a beetroot factory we come to a fork in the road and take the left branch. Around this factory desperate battles were fought between the troops of the 56th (Reserve) Division (who, having taken Marcilly, were trying to take Étrépilly) and the Germans, who defended this advance guard of their main position foot by foot.
The road crosses the Thérouanne; 50 yards further on, at the cross-roads, we take the road on the right which rises towards the Farm of Champfleury (5 km.). From this front, extending from the factory to the Champfleury farm, the 56th Division made many attacks on the strong line formed by Étrépilly and the plateau which spreads out north of the village, being also successful in shattering all the German counter-attacks.
CHAMPFLEURY FARM