Battle of the Serre


The Battle of the Serre was a battle of the First World War which took place in Aisne from 20 to 30 October 1918.

Context

Beginning October 1918, Foch resumed his general offensive, breaking the Hindenburg Line, forcing the German armies to take refuge behind the banks of the Selle, the Oise, the Serre, the Aisne, amidst the fortified lines of the Hermann Stellung, Hunding Stellung, Brunhilde Stellung and Kriemhilde Stellung.
On the Chavignon-Laon axis, Mangin dislodged the Germans from the Saint-Gobain forest massif and on 13 October entered Laon. On the 19th, it is located on the edge of the Hunding Stellung.
In a position that dominated the Mont d'Origny bridgehead and the Renansart plateau, Debeney faces a slip road of the Hermann Stellung between Origny and Mesbrecourt.

Opposing Forces

France

German Empire

Course of the battle

Mangin in front of the Serre marshes

Between Debeney and Guillaumat, Mangin and his 10th Army approached the Sissonne marshes; opposite him, von Eberhardt's 7th Army. From October 19, between Liesse-Notre-Dame and Verneuil-sur-Serre, he approached the overflowed Serre and the drainage canal: broken bridges and flooded meadows battered by machine guns.
On the 25th, the 16th and 18th Corps gained a foothold on the north bank between Crécy-sur-Serre and Mortiers, Aisne; the 35th Corps crossed the marshes north of Pierrepont, Aisne.
On 27 October, Mangin and his 10th Army were secretly relieved by Humbert's 3rd Army to attack east of Metz. On the 28th, the 3rd Army, Lœuilly's Army, received the order to await the results of Debeney's attack before emerging from La Serre.

Debeney north of Serre

To outflank the Serre from the north, Debeney chose to bypass the massif of Villers-le-Sec, Pleine-Selve, Parpeville on both flanks: the 8th Corps to the east, the 20th Corps to the north and the 31st Corps further north.
After a long artillery preparation, the attack began on 24 October. Lucy and Ferrière farm were captured with 3,000 prisoners. On the 26th, the 20th and 8th corps seized the massif of Villers-le-Sec, Pleine-Selve, Parpeville and to the south, Chevresis-les-Dames.

Outcome

During the night of October 26-27, the armies of von Hutier and von Eberhardt retreated to the second Hermann position, from Guise to Dercy. On the 27th, the two French armies seized the plateaus of Jonqueuse, Landifay and Montigny-sur-Crécy. Debeney was at the gates of Guise.

Battle Honour

LA SERRE 1918 is emblazoned on the flags of those French regiments that were present during this battle.

Voir aussi