It was in the region of Villeneuve and Soisy that General Grossetti's Division had fought so heroically for four days. Absolutely decimated, it was replaced on the morning of the 9th by one of the neighbouring army corps under Franchet d'Esperey. This corps advanced during the day but, further to the right, the Germans forced back the French from the Woods of Botrait and from the crest of the Poirier, capturing the heights of Mondement.
Mondement is situated on a narrow plateau, the last counterfort before reaching the vast plain of the Aube. On the opposite side of this plateau are to be seen the villages of Allemant and Broyes.
If the Germans, in possession of Mondement, had succeeded in reaching these two villages on the day of the 9th, they would have attacked in the rear those forces under Foch which were fighting in the plain. Mondement had, therefore, to be held at all costs. Thus the battle pivoted on this axis. In accordance with Foch's instructions, the Moroccan Division under General Humbert, was placed there and, with the help of the 77th Infantry, not only held its ground but, recapturing the castle during the day, forced the Germans back on the Marshes in the evening.
At the foot of the villages of Allemant and Broyes, the vast plain of the Aube spreads itself out, and it was there that things were going badly with Foch, the loss of ground being serious. The colonials under General Humbert, who were hanging on grimly to the Plateau of Mondement, could see their comrades on the right falling back as far as Mount Chalmont, while the enemy fire reached successively Linthes and Pleurs.
ALB. VON WURTEMBERG
If the centre had given way completely, the defenders of Mondement would have been taken in the rear, and obliged to abandon the plateau. In other words, it would have meant complete defeat.
To avert this terrible danger, Foch had only Grossetti's Division which, as mentioned a few moments ago, had been decimated by four days of the fiercest fighting, and which he had that morning taken from his left wing and sent to the rear to rest.
Foch recalled this division, and hurled it against the most critical point of his line between Linthes and Pleurs. He hoped it would be in a position to attack about noon, but at three in the afternoon it had not yet been reformed. These were hours of mortal suspense along the whole front.