The Battle of Villers Cottrts

The fierce rear-guard action fought by 4th (Guards) Brigades (2nd Grenadier Guards, 2nd
and 3rd Coldstream Guards and 1st Irish Guards) against the German III Corps in the Forest
of Retz, to the north of Villers Cottrts, leading to substantial casualties on each side.
Date: 1st September 1914.
Place: In the North of France

Irish Guards machine gun detachment At Wellington
Barracks in August 1914 before leaving for France
War: The First World War also known as The Great War.
Contestants: 2nd Division of I Corps of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF): comprising
4th (Guards) Brigade and 5th and 6th Brigades, with supporting units of artillery (XLI RFA
Brigade) and cavalry and 3rd and 5th Cavalry Brigades, against the German III Corps of
General von Klucks First Army, comprising 5th and 6th Divisions.
Generals: Field Marshall Sir J ohn French commanded the BEF. Lieutenant-General Sir
Douglas Haig commanded I Corps. Major-General Monro commanded 2nd
Division. Brigadier-General Scott-Kerr commanded 4th (Guards) Brigade, the main British
formation committed to the fighting.
General von Lochow commanded the German III Corps.
Size of the Armies: The British 2nd Division comprised around 18,000 men, 40 guns and 18
machine guns. 4th (Guards) Brigade comprised around 4,000 men and 8 machine guns. 9th
and 17th Batteries RFA each comprised 6 18th pounder field guns.
The German III Corps comprised around 35,000 men, 140 guns and 40 machine guns.

2nd Grenadier Guards parading at Wellington Barracks before leaving for France in
1914.
Winner: During the course of the battle, the British 4th (Guards) Brigade, with the rest of
the 2nd Division, II Corps, was forced back through the forest into Villers Cottrts, and
compelled to continue the retreat, but heavy casualties were inflicted on the pursuing German
III Corps and its pursuit delayed.

Coldstream Guards recruiting poster, 1914.
Account: As the BEF, with the French 5th Army under General Lanrezac on its right,
retreated before the German First and Second Armies (General von Kluck and General von
Blow), 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 5th Army.
Following the battle of Guise on 29th August 1914, after which the French 5th Army of
General Lanrezac pulled back towards the south east, the German High Command considered
the French 5th 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.
Map of Battle of Villers Cottrts by John Fawkes
The change of direction by von Kluck would, within a few days, give General J offre his
opportunity to launch the French 6th Army, under General Manoury, with the Paris garrison,
under General Gallieni, from the west against von Klucks 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 31st August 1914, the BEFs alignment had I Corps to the south west of Soissons, II
Corps to its west, the newly formed III Corps, comprising 4th Division and 19th 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 3rd Cavalry
Brigade the western flank of I Corps.
On 1st September 1914, the BEFs retreat was to be resumed before first light. The fighting
that broke out around dawn, involving the British 1st Cavalry Brigade at Nry (see the Battle
of Nry at http://www.britishbattles.com/firstww/battle-of-nery.htm), delayed the move for
the whole BEF.
German attacks on units of the 5th Division (II Corps), in the area of Crpy, were halted by
artillery fire and that Division did not move off until around 10am.
I Corps, accompanied by the 3rd and 5th Cavalry Brigades, resumed its march at 4am,
passing through the Retz Forest (full name: La Fort Dominiale de Retz) to Villers
Cottrts. The 1st Division marched down the east side of the Retz Forest, by the main road
from Soissons, turning to the south east at Villers Cottrts, in the direction of La Fert
Milon.
2nd Division took a more indirect route to Villers Cottrts, through Vivires, which took it
through the middle of the Retz Forest, coming into Villers Cottrts from the north.
3rd Cavalry Brigade:
To the west of 2nd Division, at Taillefontaine, the British 3rd Cavalry Brigade (GOC:
Brigadier-General Gough, with 4th (Queens Own) Hussars, 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers, 16th
(The Queens) Lancers and 3rd Signal Troop) was attacked by the German 6th Division; the
British 4th Hussars being engaged for most of the morning.
The 4th Hussars spent the night of 31st August in Roye St Nicholas. The regiment began the
march at 4am on 1st September, passing through Mortefontaine, and halting at Taillefontaine,
a distance of 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 regiments A Squadron,
although inflicting only slight casualties.
The 3rd Cavalry Brigade withdrew through the western part of the Retz Forest in a south
westerly direction, towards Vez, where the brigade was to remain, in order to maintain
contact between I and II Corps. A and C Squadrons, 4th Hussars, were left as a dismounted
rear guard, holding a mile front in a ride in the forest. The order to the 4th 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 4th Hussars. The commanding officer of the
4th Hussars, Lieutenant-Colonel Hogg, was directing the withdrawal and was severely
wounded. Left with the regiments medical officer, and captured by the Germans, Colonel
Hogg died 3 days later.
The 4th Hussars rejoined the brigade and marched south from Vez, arriving at Thury at 8pm,
a distance of 12 miles.

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

Irish Guards practising bayonet fighting at Wellington Barracks in 1914, before leaving
for France.Under heavy pressure from the overwhelming number of Germans pressing
through the wood, the 3 battalions of 4th Brigade fell back, south towards Villers
Cottrts.
At around midnight, the 4th Brigade was directed to form the rearguard for I Corps, with 9th
Battery from XLI Brigade RFA, and B Squadron, 15th Hussars, the Divisional Cavalry.
In accordance with this direction, 4th Brigade dug entrenched positions just north of Soucy,
3rd Coldstream on the left and 2nd Grenadiers on the right, with Number 4 Company, 2nd
Grenadier Guards, detached to form a flank guard on the edge of the ravine above
Montgobert. The other 2 battalions of the brigade, 1st Irish Guards and 2nd Coldstream,
prepared positions to the rear, on the northern edge of the Retz Forest.
During the early hours of 1st September, the rest of 2nd Division marched through the 4th
Brigade positions, taking the road through the forest to Villers Cottrts.
During the morning of 1st September, the pursuing German formations, from 5th and 6th
Divisions of General Lochows III Corps (General von Klucks 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 Cottrts,
previously taken by the rest of 2nd Division.
During the course of this disengagement, a cart drove up to the 3rd Coldstreams 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 Cottrts, 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 Cottrts, one
heading roughly to the north (to Vivires), 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 Cottrts was fought on 1st September 1914.

Ride in the Retz Forest at Villers Cottrts.
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, 4th (Guards) Brigade took up position in the Retz Forest,
covering the retreat of the rest of 2nd Division through Villers Cottrts to the south. 1st
Irish Guards and 2nd Coldstream Guards remained on the northern edge of the forest, under
the command of Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. George Morris of the Irish Guards; 1st Irish
Guards on the Vivires side of the north-south road from Soucy to Villers Cottrts and 2nd
Coldstream on the Puiseux side of the road.
2nd Grenadiers and 3rd Coldstream withdrew down the north-south road through the middle
of the forest, passing through the Irish Guards and 2nd 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, Morriss 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 9th Battery RFA, firing from positions
in a ride in the forest. The German advance came to a halt, and Morris, in compliance with
the divisions orders, directed 2nd Coldstream and 9th Battery to withdraw down one of the
north-south rides to the railway line to the north of Villers Cottrts. The 2nd Coldstream
took one of the rides leading south from their position, leading them directly to the railway
line north of Villers Cottrts, a distance of about 3 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 2nd 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 5th and 6th Divisions ( III Corps) began their
attack on the 4th 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 3rd Coldstreams 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.

Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon.
George Morris of the Irish Guards,
killed at Villers Cottrts on
1st September 1914.
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 J effreys the battalion, although he did so on his own initiative and without explicit
orders. It would be hard to fault J effreys positive and decisive handling of the battalion
during the rest of the battle and the next few days.
Lieutenant Colonel Corry leading 2nd Grenadier Guards in France in August 1914.
At the beginning of the attack, it was reported that the Scots Greys and 12th Lancers, from
5th Cavalry Brigade, moved from east to west, through the centre of the woods, to the left of
4th Brigade. It is not clear whether these 2 regiments took any active part in the fighting.
In the rear, Major-General Munro, GOC of 2nd Division, organised support to enable 4th
Brigade to retreat through Villers Cottrts.
The 6th Brigade (1st Kings, 2nd South Staffs, 1st Royal Berkshires and 1st KRRC) was to
the south of the town. 9th 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 2nd
Royal Berkshire Regiment. 2nd Coldstream was deployed to the area of the Villers Cottrts
railway halt. The remaining 3 battalions of 6th Brigade were brought through the town to the
northern side, to support the withdrawal of 4th 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 Cottrts, was extremely confused. 2 platoons of 2nd
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 9th and 17th Batteries.
The battalions of 4th Brigade marched through Villers Cottrts, with 2nd 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. 2nd 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.
6th Brigade, with the guns, followed 4th Brigade through Villers Cottrts and headed south,
bringing the battle to an end.

Lieutenant Alexander (later Earl Alexander of Tunis) with No 1 Platoon, 1st Irish
Guards,
at Wellington Barracks in August 1914.

Casualties:
4th Hussars: 1 officer killed and an unknown number of officers and soldiers killed,
wounded and missing (dead or captured).
2nd Grenadiers: 2 officers killed, 2 officers missing: 2 soldiers wounded and 147 soldiers
missing (dead or captured).
2nd Coldstream: no casualties.
3rd Coldstream: 1 officer killed, 2 officers missing: 7 soldiers killed, 16 soldiers wounded
and 14 soldiers missing (dead or captured)
1st 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 6th Brigade suffered casualties as did 9th Battery. The total casualties in
2nd Division on 1st September 1914 were 20 officers and 471 soldiers killed, wounded or
missing. Among these, Brigadier-General Scott-Kerr, the 4th 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
days fighting in the Retz Forest.
Aftermath:
The BEFs retreat was approaching its end, but it was still an arduous undertaking for the
soldiers. 2nd Grenadiers and 2nd Coldstream took the wrong road during the evening of 1st
September, causing them to march away from the brigade supply point. Major J effreys, 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 days fighting. Munro directed that
the battalion be supplied from another dump, ensuring that the Grenadiers received their
evening meal. 2nd Coldstream were not so lucky and spent the night lying in the streets,
unfed.

2nd Grenadier Guards, returning from a routine rout march, march past King George
V outside Buckingham Palace in London, in August 1914 before leaving for
France. The event was not arranged in advance. On being informed that the battalion
was about to pass the palace, the King and Queen went out to the gates to watch.

Lance Corporal GH Wyatt, 3rd
Coldstream Guards, who won the
Victoria Cross for bravery at
Landrecies and at Villers Cottrts.
Anecdotes:
Lance Corporal GH Wyatt of 3rd Coldstream Guards received his Victoria Cross
primarily for his conduct in putting out the burning hay stack at Landrecies on 25th
August 1914. The commendation also relied upon his conduct at Villers
Cottrts. Wyatt was wounded in the head, received treatment, and returned to the
firing line.
The Regimental Medical Officer of 2nd Coldstream Guards, Captain Sinclair
RAMC, left his battalion at the Villers Cottrts 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 Cottrts, to hold the wounded British prisoners.
Captain Sinclair worked in this hospital. Later in the month, when the French re-
occupied Villers Cottrts, the German army left, leaving the British wounded in the
hospital to be released, along with Sinclair.