After 2 days of lovely spring sunshine, normal service resumed with a damp grey ‘mizzle’ cloaking Reims. The Ibis Styles, our compact and bijoux home for the night, provided us with an unexpectedly good breakfast and the opportunity to make our jambon et fromage sandwiches for lunch. At various times when things have felt a bit of a slog we have fantasised at the thought of a “cup of tea, slice of cake” upon arrival to keep us going, of course all the time aware of our inevitable disappointment to come. We were therefore delighted at the ‘Brucie Bonus’ of being able to pack up a slice of banana bread in addition to our sandwiches to be eaten upon arrival, as our reward for another long day walking. Back to those small things again – ‘dry matches’. We had also managed to purchase Snickers and Mars bars in a Tabac just round the corner from the Ibis, so finally felt well provisioned as we set off for the day.
When General Robert Nivelle was appointed head of the French Army in late 1916, he formulated a plan that would launch three French Armies in the attack along a 50km front. Today we were walking through what had been the right flank of this attack, the responsibility of the 5th French Army. Courcy, at the extreme right of the 5th’s line was captured but the attack was stopped just 800m northeast at the Aisne-Marne Canal. North of here the 5th made more progress crossing the canal and capturing Bermericourt.
As we made our way along the towpath (a pedestrian motorway) the weather improved, or at least the ‘mizzle’ stopped. We made good progress, and it wasn’t too long before we reached the small, destroyed village of Sapigneul, which lay in the centre of the 5th Army’s area of resposnibility. Sapigneul lies 3 km north of Cormicy on the banks of the river Aisne and was to become vital ground for both the French and Germans. In September 1914, the Germans captured the village and the crossings over the canal. The French counterattacked in November and managed to drive the Germans back over the canal towards Mont de Sapigneul, which they fortified. The line stabilised after this and except for routine shelling and the odd trench raid, remained this way until 1917. On 5th April 1915 the Germans conducted a ‘trench raid’ on Sapigneul and managed to capture a French NCO, who was carrying a complete set of battle orders for the upcoming Nivelle offensive.
When the French attacked on 16th April 1915, the Germans were therefore ready, and although the French crossed the canal north of Bermericourt and managed to secure the high ground, the German’s counterattacked in force and drove the French back to their original positions on the south bank of the Aisne-Marne canal and the village of Sapigneul.
We crossed the Aisne-Marne canal and the river Aisne at Berry-au-Bac, the left flank of the 5th Army’s attack where, the most gains were made and headed north towards Corbeny through the village of Juvincourt. Despite the intense fighting that took place here in 1917, there is little physical evidence, with the land either side of the river now cultivated. A cemetery at Courcy and a memorial at Sapigneul are the only clues to the extent of the 5th Armies sacrifice.
Arriving in Corbeny late in the afternoon we wearily made our way to the Hotel Chemin des Dames, the only accommodation available.
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