Germany's entry into France Aug 1914 - help reading placename

[A Lancashire Fusilier by Proxy]

Anybody who has read my previous posts will know that I am editing the diary of my grandfather, Captain Norman Hall, 5^th LF, with a view to publication. Printing is now quite imminent, so hopefully I will soon be able to move from rather dry pleas for help with specific queries to contributions of more general interest.

For now, I wonder if anyone can help with the name beginning with C in the third line of the text photographed below, which is extracted from my grandfather’s introduction to his diary, briefly detailing the reasons for the outbreak of war as he saw it, and the very early mobilization of troops.

My grandfather’s spelling of foreign names is not perfect, but usually it is fairly obvious where he means. In this case, I initially read the word as “Ciry”, but can’t find anywhere of that name on or near the Luxembourg/French border. The best guess I have been able to come up with is Ciney, but I am not at all confident, as it is now, at least, in Belgium, not France, and I have only been able to find one rather tangential reference in an article in Wikipedia about Dinant, dealing with a slightly later period (22/23 August 1914. Can anyone with a better knowledge of history and/or geography than mine help with an opinion as to whether it is indeed Ciney, or some other place?

My transcript of the photographed extract at present reads:

On August 2nd early German troops had invaded Luxembourg – later on this date they were reported to be across the French Frontier at Ciney and near Longwy. On August 3rd (war having been declared on France) the German advanced guard was at Gemmerich in Belgium.

[sdparker]

Hi

My French atlas has a place called Cutry , about 5km south of Longwy

Regards

Geoff

[AOK4]

11 minutes ago, sdparker said:

Hi

My French atlas has a place called Cutry , about 5km south of Longwy

Regards

Geoff

 

Yes, but that place isn't known by anyone. I think the writer has his information from newspapers etc, so one should look at a newspaper from the third, see

 

One can clearly see in the 6th column Luxemburg mentioned as well as Longwy. The other place name should be mentioned a bit lower. I think it is Cirey (sur-Vezouze).

 

Jan

 

[JWK]

From "De Surinamer", a Dutch-language newspaper from Surinam, 3rd August 1914:

 

"It is reported from London that the Germans have crossed the French border near the village of Cirey[-sur-Vezouze], between Nancy and Strassbourg.

Germany had before occupied independent Luxemburg"

 

 

 

 

[brianmorris547]

From The Times 03/08/1914 p 5

[A Lancashire Fusilier by Proxy]

That's wonderful, thank you everybody for your contributions, and yes, the last three have definitely nailed it, and I shall amend my text accordingly - I'm glad I asked!