SgtPrice Posted 1 April , 2021 Share Posted 1 April , 2021 (edited) Dear Forum Pals, I am trying to determine if there is an accepted point where the 1914 Great Retreat ended. I have seen Meaux mentioned but is there a memorial etc that is seen as the point where it ended and advance to the Marne started? Grateful for any suggestions. regards, PrivatePrice Edited 2 April , 2021 by SgtPrice Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 1 April , 2021 Share Posted 1 April , 2021 For 1 Bn Lincolns of 9 Infantry Brigade, 3 Div, it was south of Meaux at Chatres and Liverdy. In 1987 I retraced the route from Frameries using Simpson's History of the Lincolnshire Regt as my guide. I did not have IGN maps then, I used motoring maps and Liverdy was not on the ones I had. I had to ask the locals in franglais. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Black Posted 1 April , 2021 Share Posted 1 April , 2021 You'd need to decide how to frame the definition. Furthest from mons, nearest to Paris, distance travelled, which division? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gabelou Posted 1 April , 2021 Share Posted 1 April , 2021 For me the point begin with the observation of the change in Von Klug army direction to the East and the fight on the marais de St Gond. Then began the German retreat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtPrice Posted 2 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 2 April , 2021 Gentlemen, Many thanks for the replies and their contents. I am planning at some stage to trace the route from Mons down to the Meaux area. I think having read your thoughts it would be best to follow the route of an individual unit to get a better idea of what happened. I have the medals of an Old Contemptible who served in the RFA and was in II Corps so that could be a starting point. Best wishes, PrivatePrice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianmorris547 Posted 2 April , 2021 Share Posted 2 April , 2021 (edited) 1 hour ago, PrivatePrice said: Gentlemen, Many thanks for the replies and their contents. I am planning at some stage to trace the route from Mons down to the Meaux area. I think having read your thoughts it would be best to follow the route of an individual unit to get a better idea of what happened. I have the medals of an Old Contemptible who served in the RFA and was in II Corps so that could be a starting point. Best wishes, PrivatePrice. That's what I did. I had Simpson's History of the Lincolnshire Regt and at the time I thought my gf had served in the 1st Bn. (I later found out he was in the 8th and was captured at Loos on 26/09/1915). On the way back I used the book again and went to the Aisne via Bezu where there was a brief action and from slopes below the Chemin des Dames to the area of Aubers Ridge where the Bn made a charge at Herlies in October1914. I finished off in Ypres and the area to the south near Kemmel and Wijtschate where the Bn was in December 1914. It was my first drive on the Western Front and I was hooked. Hope you get there. Brian Edited 2 April , 2021 by brianmorris547 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EDWARD1 Posted 3 April , 2021 Share Posted 3 April , 2021 This map is from Mons by John Terraine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtPrice Posted 3 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2021 On 02/04/2021 at 15:21, brianmorris547 said: That's what I did. I had Simpson's History of the Lincolnshire Regt and at the time I thought my gf had served in the 1st Bn. (I later found out he was in the 8th and was captured at Loos on 26/09/1915). On the way back I used the book again and went to the Aisne via Bezu where there was a brief action and from slopes below the Chemin des Dames to the area of Aubers Ridge where the Bn made a charge at Herlies in October1914. I finished off in Ypres and the area to the south near Kemmel and Wijtschate where the Bn was in December 1914. It was my first drive on the Western Front and I was hooked. Hope you get there. Brian Brian, Thanks for the kind words. Just negotiated 2 weeks near Ypres with the CO so it looks like the northern part of the retreat will be covered in that trip! I will be getting the diaries of the Old Contemptible I will be following from the National Archives and use them as the basis for the trio. I found out last year I have a family member, Bertie Nelson Clem, buried in Mons Communal Cemetery, so will also be paying my respects there. regards, Stuart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SgtPrice Posted 3 April , 2021 Author Share Posted 3 April , 2021 7 hours ago, EDWARD1 said: This map is from Mons by John Terraine Edward, Many, many thanks for posting the map, it is appreciated. It is the first time that I have seen it but it helps make sense of where the B.E.F. ended up before the tide turned it started to move north before ending up around Ypres. I will look for the book by John Terraine as well. Thanks for your help, Stuart. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 3 April , 2021 Share Posted 3 April , 2021 (edited) Extract from the British Official History, Military Operations, France and Flanders, 1914 volume I. Red shows position of BEF on 5 September 1914. Edited 3 April , 2021 by Chris_Baker Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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