Battle of Villers Cottérêts

The fierce rear-guard action fought by 4^th (Guards) Brigade’s (2^nd Grenadier Guards, 2^nd and 3^rd Coldstream Guards and 1^st Irish Guards) against the German III Corps in the Forest of Retz, to the north of Villers Cottérêts, leading to substantial casualties on each side

The previous battle in the First World War is the Battle of Néry

The next battle in the First World War is the Battle of the Marne

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Date of the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:  1^st September 1914.

Place of the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:  In the North of France

War:  The First World War also known as ‘The Great War’.

Contestants at the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:  2^nd Division of I Corps of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF): comprising 4^th (Guards) Brigade and 5^th and 6^th Brigades, with supporting units of artillery (XLI RFA Brigade) and cavalry and 3^rd and 5^th Cavalry Brigades, against the German III Corps of General von Kluck’s First Army, comprising 5^th and 6^th Divisions.

Commanders at the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:  Field Marshall Sir John French commanded the BEF.  Lieutenant-General Sir Douglas Haig commanded I Corps.  Major-General Monro commanded 2^nd Division.  Brigadier-General Scott-Kerr commanded 4^th (Guards) Brigade, the main British formation committed to the fighting.

General von Lochow commanded the German III Corps.

Size of the Armies at the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:  The British 2^nd Division comprised around 18,000 men, 40 guns and 18 machine guns.  4th (Guards) Brigade comprised around 4,000 men and 8 machine guns.  9^th and 17^th Batteries RFA each comprised six 18 pounder field guns.

The German III Corps comprised around 35,000 men, 140 guns and 40 machine guns.

Winner:  During the battle, the British 4^th (Guards) Brigade, with the rest of the 2^nd Division, II Corps, was forced back through the forest into Villers Cottérêts, and compelled to continue the retreat, but heavy casualties were inflicted on the pursuing German III Corps and its pursuit delayed.

Uniforms and equipment at the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:  See this entry on the ‘Battle of Mons’

Background to the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:   See this entry on the ‘Battle of Mons’.

Account of the Battle of Villers Cottérêts: As the BEF, with the French Fifth Army under General Lanrezac on its right, retreated before the German First and Second Armies (General von Kluck and General von Bülow), von Kluck ceased his advance to the south west and swung his First Army round to the south east, aiming at the left flank of the French Fifth Army.

Following the battle of Guise on 29^th August 1914, after which the French Fifth Army of General Lanrezac pulled back towards the south east, the German High Command considered the French Fifth Army to have been defeated, and the BEF to be in a state of rout, and no longer a viable fighting entity.  Von Kluck described these formations as a beaten and disorganised horde.

The change of direction by von Kluck would, within a few days, give General Joffre his opportunity to launch the French 6^th Army, under General Manoury, with the Paris garrison, under General Gallieni, from the west against von Kluck’s open right flank, in the battles of the Marne and the Aisne.
In the meantime, the BEF and the French armies continued to retreat towards the Marne River.

On 31^st August 1914, the BEF’s alignment had I Corps to the south west of Soissons, II Corps to its west, the newly formed III Corps, comprising 4^th Division and 19^th Brigade, positioned along the Oise River at Verberie, and the brigades of the Cavalry Division dispersed along the line.  5th Cavalry Brigade guarded the eastern flank and 3^rd Cavalry Brigade the western flank of I Corps.

On 1^st September 1914, the BEF’s retreat was to be resumed before first light.  The fighting that broke out around dawn, involving the British 1^st Cavalry Brigade at the Battle of Néry, delayed the move for the whole BEF.

German attacks on units of the 5^th Division (II Corps), in the area of Crépy, were halted by artillery fire and that Division did not move off until around 10am.

I Corps, accompanied by the 3^rd and 5^th Cavalry Brigades, resumed its march at 4am, passing through the Retz Forest (full name: ‘La Forêt Dominiale de Retz’) to Villers Cottérêts.  The 1^st Division marched down the east side of the Retz Forest, by the main road from Soissons, turning to the south east at Villers Cottérêts, in the direction of La Ferté Milon.

2^nd Division took a more indirect route to Villers Cottérêts, through Vivières, which took it through the middle of the Retz Forest, coming into Villers Cottérêts from the north.

3^rd Cavalry Brigade:
To the west of 2^nd Division, at Taillefontaine, the British 3^rd Cavalry Brigade (GOC: Brigadier-General Gough, with 4^th (Queen’s Own) Hussars, 5^th (Royal Irish) Lancers, 16^th (The Queen’s) Lancers and 3^rd Signal Troop) was attacked by the German 6^th Division; the British 4^th Hussars being engaged for most of the morning.

The 4^th Hussars spent the night of 31^st August in Roye St Nicholas.  The regiment began the march at 4am on 1^st September, passing through Mortefontaine, and halting at Taillefontaine, some 5 miles.  At around 9am a large German force of cavalry, infantry and guns appeared from Roye St Nicholas and opened fire on the regiment’s A Squadron, although inflicting only slight casualties.

The 3^rd Cavalry Brigade withdrew through the western part of the Retz Forest in a south westerly direction, towards Vez, where the brigade was to remain, to maintain contact between I and II Corps.  A and C Squadrons, 4^th Hussars, were left as a dismounted rear guard, holding a mile front in a ride in the forest.  The order to the 4^th Hussars was to remain in this position until 12.30pm.

At 12.30pm, as C Squadron was preparing to withdraw, the German infantry came through the dense undergrowth in force and attacked the 4^th Hussars.  The commanding officer of the 4^th Hussars, Lieutenant-Colonel Hogg, was directing the withdrawal and was severely wounded.  Left with the regiment’s medical officer and captured by the Germans, Colonel Hogg died 3 days later.

The 4^th Hussars re-joined the brigade and marched south from Vez, arriving at Thury at 8pm, a distance of 12 miles.

4^th (Guards) Brigade:
The 4^th (Guards) Brigade of 2^nd Division, I Corps, commanded by Brigadier-General Scott-Kerr, arrived in the area of Soucy, 5 miles to the north-east of Villers Cottérêts, on 31^st August 1914.  5^th Cavalry Brigade was in Montgobert, 1 mile to the south east of Soucy.

Under heavy pressure from the overwhelming number of Germans pressing through the wood, the 3 battalions of 4^th Brigade fell back, south towards Villers Cottérêts.

At around midnight, the 4^th Brigade was directed to form the rear-guard for I Corps, with 9^th Battery from XLI Brigade RFA, and B Squadron, 15^th Hussars, the Divisional Cavalry.

In accordance with this direction, 4^th Brigade dug entrenched positions just north of Soucy, 3^rd Coldstream on the left and 2^nd Grenadiers on the right, with Number 4 Company, 2^nd Grenadier Guards, detached to form a flank guard on the edge of the ravine above Montgobert.  The other 2 battalions of the brigade, 1^st Irish Guards and 2^nd Coldstream, prepared positions to the rear, on the northern edge of the Retz Forest.

During the early hours of 1^st September, the rest of 2^nd Division marched through the 4^th Brigade positions, taking the road through the forest to Villers Cottérêts.

During the morning of 1^st September, the pursuing German formations, from 5^th and 6^th Divisions of General Lochow’s III Corps (General von Kluck’s First Army), appeared before the positions north of Soucy, and the 2 Guards battalions disengaged and withdrew to the south, following the road through the middle of the Retz Forest towards Villers Cottérêts, previously taken by the rest of 2^nd Division.

During this disengagement, a cart drove up to the 3^rd Coldstream’s position, apparently containing civilian refugees.  The refugees suddenly fled the cart, from which a German machine gun opened fire at close quarters.  The cart turned and made its escape.  No casualties were caused.

The Retz Forest covers a large area around the north, east and south of Villers Cottérêts, and is divided up by a network of rides and some roads.  The rides cross each other, with the major intersections called ‘Ronds’ or circles.  3 roads radiate from Villers Cottérêts, one heading roughly to the north (to Vivières), one to the north-north-east (to Soucy and Puiseux) and the third to the north east (to Soissons).  The Soucy/Puiseux road runs through the middle of the forest.  Halfway through the forest, the Soucy/Puiseux road kinks around a rond called ‘Le Rond de la Reine’.  At this point one of the main forest rides runs west to east through Le Rond de la Reine.  Some accounts take Le Rond de la Reine as the name of this ride.

It was in this area that the Battle of Villers Cottérêts was fought on 1^st September 1914.

Neither the Germans nor the British were familiar with the forest.  The Rides did not follow a strict pattern and this, with expanses of dense forest, created a confusing milieu in which to fight a close and intense battle, causing both sides difficulty.  Sub-units became intermingled and lost, and, by the end of the battle, was marked by German units attacking each other in the forest.

After withdrawing from Soucy, 4^th (Guards) Brigade took up position in the Retz Forest, covering the retreat of the rest of 2nd Division through Villers Cottérêts to the south.  1^st Irish Guards and 2^nd Coldstream Guards remained on the northern edge of the forest, under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. George Morris of the Irish Guards; 1^st Irish Guards on the Vivières side of the north-south road from Soucy to Villers Cottérêts and 2^nd Coldstream on the Puiseux side of the road.

2^nd Grenadiers and 3^rd Coldstream withdrew down the north-south road through the middle of the forest, passing through the Irish Guards and 2^nd Coldstream, halting at Le Rond de la Reine, the crossing point for the road and the main west-east ride through the forest.  The Grenadiers took up positions on the south side of the ride, to the east of the ‘Rond’ while the 3rd Coldstream occupied equivalent positions to the west of the rond.

At around 10am, Morris’s 2 battalions on the northern edge of the Retz Forest were threatened by a German force of cavalry, infantry and guns advancing from the north-west.  This was the advance force of the German III Corps.

The British Foot Guards battalions were supported by 9^th Battery RFA, firing from positions in a ride in the forest.  The German advance came to a halt, and Morris, in compliance with the division’s orders, directed 2^nd Coldstream and 9^th Battery to withdraw down one of the north-south rides to the railway line to the north of Villers Cottérêts.  The 2^nd Coldstream took one of the rides leading south from their position, leading them directly to the railway line north of Villers Cottérêts, about 3 ½ miles.

After the Coldstream moved off and before the Irish Guards began their withdrawal through the Forest, Morris received orders from the brigade commander to maintain his position, as the rest of 2^nd Division were being given a long halt until 1pm, to recover from the rigours of the previous days’ marches.  The Irish Guards prepared to hold their positions.

At around 10am the regiments of the German 5^th and 6^th Divisions (III Corps) began their attack on the 4^th Brigade positions.  The German advance was obliquely from the north-west, and struck the Irish Guards’ positions, and penetrated through the forest to the western end of the 3^rd Coldstream’s positions, along the central ride, at around the same time.

Heavy and confused fighting took place through the woods, as the Irish Guards fell back to the area of the Rond de La Reine.  It was while leading his battalion in this fighting that Colonel Morris was killed.

3rd Coldstream realised that the German infantry was heading to pass their left flank, and extended their line along the east-west ride to cover more of the north-south rides.  Brigadier-General Scott-Kerr attempted to move the whole brigade further to the left, but the German attack came on too quickly for any controlled move.  The Grenadiers were soon engaged as the Irish Guards fell back on their positions.

The retreating parties of Irish Guards joined the main brigade line, as and where they arrived, so that the regiments became heavily intermingled.  Officers took control of the men in their area, regardless of cap badge; a process eased by the close relationship between Brigade of Guards battalions.

Heavy exchanges of fire took place over short ranges along the rides and in the woods, with hand to hand fighting.  A German machine gun took position in the east-west ride firing down the ride, causing casualties.

At a critical point in the battle, Brigadier-General Scott-Kerr was severely wounded.  The brigade major ensured that the brigadier was safely evacuated.  The absence of both the brigadier-general and the brigade major at the height of the battle created difficulties.  Lieutenant-Colonel Cory of the 2nd Grenadiers took command of the brigade and Major Jeffreys the battalion, although he did so on his own initiative and without explicit orders.  It would be hard to fault Jeffreys’ positive and decisive handling of the battalion during the rest of the battle and the next few days.

At the beginning of the attack, it was reported that the Scots Greys and 12^th Lancers, from 5^th Cavalry Brigade, moved from east to west, through the centre of the woods, to the left of 4^th Brigade.  It is not clear whether these 2 regiments took any active part in the fighting.

In the rear, Major-General Munro, GOC of 2^nd Division, organised support to enable 4^th Brigade to retreat through Villers Cottérêts.

The 6^th Brigade (1^st King’s, 2^nd South Staffs, 1^st Royal Berkshires and 1^st KRRC) was to the south of the town.  9^th Battery RFA had fallen back to a position to the north of the town, on the edge of the forest, firing in support of the Guards and protected by companies of 2^nd Royal Berkshire Regiment.  2^nd Coldstream was deployed to the area of the Villers Cottérêts railway halt.  The remaining 3 battalions of 6^th Brigade were brought through the town to the northern side, to support the withdrawal of 4^th Brigade from the forest.

The fighting, along the ride at the Rond de la Reine, and as the 3 Guards battalions fell back from the ride towards Villers Cottérêts, was extremely confused.  2 platoons of 2^nd Grenadiers, commanded by Lieutenants Manners and Needham, were ordered by the GOC of the brigade to intercept an outflanking threat by German infantry down one of the rides.  These 2 platoons were cut off and fought it out until all the officers and men were killed or disabled. Lieutenant Manners was killed and Lieutenant Needham wounded and captured.

By the time the 3 Guards battalions fought their way clear of the south of the Retz Forest, the German attack was in considerable confusion, German units roaming the woods and firing on each other, subject to the punishing gunfire from 9^th and 17^th Batteries.

The battalions of 4th Brigade marched through Villers Cottérêts, with 2^nd Coldstream as the rear guard.  As the brigade left the town, heading south, it was halted.  The 2 RFA batteries were having difficulty bringing up teams to extract the guns, due to heavy German gun and small arms fire.  2^nd Coldstream was ordered back through the town, to assist in extricating the batteries.  In the event they were not needed.  The German units were in such confusion, after the fighting in the forest that their attack was not pressed.  The batteries were extracted with only the loss of a limber and few casualties.

6^th Brigade, with the guns, followed 4^th Brigade through Villers Cottérêts and headed south, bringing the battle to an end.

Casualties at the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:  
4^th Hussars:  1 officer killed and an unknown number of officers and soldiers killed, wounded and missing (dead or captured).
2^nd Grenadiers:  2 officers killed, 2 officers missing: 2 soldiers wounded and 147 soldiers missing (dead or captured).
2^nd Coldstream:  no casualties.
3^rd Coldstream:  1 officer killed, 2 officers missing: 7 soldiers killed, 16 soldiers wounded and 14 soldiers missing (dead or captured)
1^st Irish Guards:  2 officers killed, 5 officers wounded: 4 soldiers killed, 36 soldiers wounded and 64 soldiers missing (dead or captured).

All the battalions in 6^th Brigade suffered casualties as did 9^th Battery.  The total casualties in 2^nd Division on 1^st September 1914 were 20 officers and 471 soldiers killed, wounded or missing.  Among these, Brigadier-General Scott-Kerr, the 4^th brigade commander, was severely wounded.

German casualties are unknown, but British soldiers captured by the Germans, and released by the French later in the month, reported that the Germans suffered heavy casualties in the day’s fighting in the Retz Forest.

Aftermath to the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:  
The BEF’s retreat was approaching its end, but it was still an arduous undertaking for the soldiers.  2^nd Grenadiers and 2^nd Coldstream took the wrong road during the evening of 1^st September, causing them to march away from the brigade supply point.  Major Jeffreys, in a vigorous display of initiative, sought out the divisional commander, Major-General Munro, and pointed out the parlous state of his soldiers after the day’s fighting.  Munro directed that the battalion be supplied from another dump, ensuring that the Grenadiers received their evening meal.  2^nd Coldstream were not so lucky and spent the night lying in the streets, unfed.

Decorations and campaign medals for the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:
See this entry under the Battle of Mons.

Anecdotes and traditions from the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:

• Lance Corporal GH Wyatt of 3^rd Coldstream Guards received his Victoria Cross primarily for his conduct in putting out the burning hay stack at Landrecies on 25^th August 1914.  The commendation also relied upon his conduct at Villers Cottérêts.  Wyatt was wounded in the head, received treatment, and returned to the firing line.
• The Regimental Medical Officer of 2^nd Coldstream Guards, Captain Sinclair RAMC, left his battalion at the Villers Cottérêts Halte to assist with the large number of casualties in the other battalions fighting in the forest.  In the course of this duty, Captain Sinclair was captured by the Germans.  After the battle the Germans established a hospital in Villers Cottérêts, to hold the wounded British prisoners. Captain Sinclair worked in this hospital.  Later in the month, when the French re-occupied Villers Cottérêts, the German army left, leaving the British wounded in the hospital to be released, along with Sinclair.

References for the Battle of Villers Cottérêts:

• Official History of the Great War Volume 1
• History of the 2^nd Division 1914-1918 Volume 1 by Wyrall
• The Grenadier Guards in the Great War of 1914-1918 Volume 1 by Ponsonby
• The Coldstream Guards 1914-1918 Volume 1 by Ross of Bladensburg
• The Irish Guards in the Great War 1^st Battalion by Kipling

The previous battle in the First World War is the Battle of Néry

The next battle in the First World War is the Battle of the Marne

To the First World War index