On entering Grivesnes, take the first road on the left to the Chateau—a 17th century pile, comprising a central main building and two wings—in the yard of which are a large shelter and several graves. The church is a little farther on. Both buildings were severely damaged. Return to the road, and proceed towards Cantigny, past the ruins of a mill which was blown up by the Germans, and the Chapelle de St. Aignan, near which is a large Franco-German cemetery. (See map p. 84.)
Grivesnes Church.
The Weather-cock of the Church Steeple at Grivesnes.
The chapel is now a heap of ruins.
The village, château and park of Grivesnes now come into view. The latter lies to the north-east of the village.
Franco-German Cemetery on the
Grivesnes-Cantigny road.
On March 28, 1918, the first units of the French 166th Division, on detraining, took up positions along the Coullemelle-Thory line, while their artillery was posted on the Grivesnes-Coullemelle line. On the 29th, the 4th and 5th battalions of the 350th Regiment, which had already been fighting the two previous days, occupied Grivesnes, one of them having lost two-thirds of its effective strength. Reinforced by a few units of Chasseurs and a company of Engineers, this handful of men repulsed five successive assaults next day (March 30), after the fall of Malpart.