It is easy to understand why the Germans attached so much importance to the Varreddes position.
The slopes west of the hollow (they form the background on the left of the panorama) were protected from the blows of the French artillery, and by availing themselves of this protection the Germans could easily bring up supplies or relieve the defenders on the crests, facing Chambry-Barcy. This ensured their resistance until the moment when the general trend of the action forced them to fall back.
After having examined panorama E, continue the descent towards Varreddes (12 km.). Before crossing the canal one can see, on the right, a '75' shell which has remained fixed in the wall of an inn, of which the sign has now become: "A l'obus."
We now enter the High Street of Varreddes.
At the entrance of the village is a certain number of houses that were damaged by the bombardment.
GERMAN WOUNDED IN FRONT OF VARREDDES TOWN-HALL
The German wounded, forsaken during the hasty retreat of September 9, were sheltered and nursed at the town-hall. They are seen in the opposite view. When leaving the village the Germans took twenty hostages with them, all very old, among them being the vicar. Three succeeded in escaping, but, for the others, the retreat proved (as will be seen) a veritable torture. Seven of them were murdered.
On the first day they were forced to march seventeen miles. M. Jourdain, aged 77, and M. Milliardet, aged 78, taken away with only slippers on their feet, were the first to fail from exhaustion: they were shot point-blank. Soon after, M. Vapaillé suffered the same fate.