The Battle of Le Cateau was fought on the Western Front during the First World War on 26 August 1914. On the right flank, west of Le Cateau, the Germans marched along the road from the north to Le Cateau. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army had retreated after their defeats at the Battle of Charleroi (21–23 August) and the Battle of Mons (23 August). Both British and German troops were moving at impressive speeds, with some units marching more than twenty miles in a day. Coordonnées GPS : 50.105401, 3.542871 The town of Le Cateau was engulfed by the war as early as 26th August 1914 and found itself subjected to a very harsh occupation. Smith-Dorrien did not choose positions with adequate fields-of-fire and with prepared and hidden routes of withdrawal. The Battle of Le Cateau (29 March 1794) saw three Republican French divisions led by Antoine Balland, Jacques Gilles Henri Goguet and Jacques Pierre Fromentin attack a Habsburg Austrian force commanded by Pál Kray. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army had retreated after their defeats at the Battle of Charleroi (21–23 August) and the Battle of Mons (23 August). [6], That night, the Allies withdrew to Saint-Quentin. German satisfaction in part arose from a mistaken belief that they had defeated the BEF, not II Corps and a cavalry brigade. — The Second Battle of Le Cateau — and the Battle of the Selle", "Chapter XIV. The battle of Beaumont-Inchy will always be one of the most glorious days in the history of the regiment, which demonstrated that in a frontal attack against an enemy that was heretofore considered unbeatable, the crack troops of the British Army, the 93rd was not merely their equal, it was superior." Explore the map for similar events [13], For the battle during the War of the First Coalition, see, Modern map of the Le Cateau area (commune FR insee code 59136), Modern map of the St. Quentin area (commune FR insee code 02691), "Chapter XVI. [5], Holding their ground despite many casualties, the British right and then the left flank began to collapse around noon. The Battle of Le Cateau (26 August 1914) The Race to the Sea (September and October 1914) The Battles of La Bassée, Messines and Armentières (12-18 October 1914) The Battle of Givenchy (18-22 December 1914) The Christmas Truce of 1914; The Battle of Neuve-Chapelle (10-13 March 1915) The Second Battle of Artois (9 May to 18 June 1915) Nor were the conditions of a doctrinal delay observed, such as refusing to let British units be pinned down. The Austro-Hungarians were forced out of Galicia and for almost nine months the Russians ruled Eastern Galicia, until their defeat during the … One was the abandonment of Le Cateau by the British forces as the Germans entered the town. The 26 August 1914 battle of le Cateau was the last of the old style 'one day' battles.. 75 per cent of the troops of IV Corps were in contact before they received the order and the rest never made it to the battlefield. [5] The delaying action never occurred because the order to defend arrived at the front line at about the same time as the Germans, in some places later. [9] German losses were 2,900. The Battle of Mons (August 24) and the Battle of Le Cateau three days later, represented a chance for the German Army to defeat the British and quickly win the war. The British were on a forward slope and suffered many casualties during the withdrawal. It was this mistake which allowed II Corps to retire as German troops were given a night of rest instead of being sent to pursue the British forces. The somewhat pointless action took place during the War of the First Coalition, part of the French Revolutionary Wars. The Battle Honour LE CATEAU is emblazoned on The Queen's Colours of The Royal Irish Regiment. The Austrians drove off the French and inflicted four French casualties for every Austrian casualty. The Battle of Mons comprises one of the so-called Battles of the Frontier that took place during August 1914, at Mulhouse, Lorraine, the Ardennes, Charleroi - and Mons. 23–24 August — The BEF is involved in the Battle of Mons. The town remained in German hands from that date until the evening of 10 October 1918, when it was rushed by the 5th Connaught Rangers and finally cleared a week later. The next battle in the First World War is the Battle of Étreux. 7–10 September — Battle of the Marne – German advance halted. The opened up the whole area on the British right flank to enfilade fire from the town and nearby. The order was confirmed by a colonel from the II Corps staff. Field Marshal Sir John French was pulling troops back ami… First Battle of the Marne, an offensive during World War I by the French army and the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) against the advancing Germans who had invaded Belgium and northeastern France. A "hold at all costs" mentality was evident in the 5th Division on the British right flank. — The Second Battle of Le Cateau", Armistice between Russia and the Central Powers, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Le_Cateau&oldid=997060249, Battles of World War I involving the United Kingdom, Battles of the Western Front (World War I), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, This page was last edited on 29 December 2020, at 20:37. After the Battle of Le Cateau (26 August 1914), the town remained in German hands until the middle of October 1918. Date of the Battle of Le Grand Fayt: 26 th August 1914. Following the BEF's defeat in its first battle of the war at Mons, the British fell back to the south pursued by the Germans.. Just after dawn three confused days later, on the anniversary of the battle of Crecy, von Kluck's army caught Smith-Dorrien's tired II Corps at le Cateau. Unlike the Battle of Mons, where the majority of casualties inflicted by the British were from rifle fire, Le Cateau was an artilleryman's battle, demonstrating the devastating results which modern quick-firing artillery using shrapnel shells could have on infantry advancing in the open. The Memorial to the soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) who fell during the Battle of Le Cateau on 26th August 1914 is in the Chemin de Reumont to the west of the town. [2] With the guns so close to the infantry, the British had unintentionally increased the effectiveness of the German artillery-fire, because shells aimed at the British infantry could just as easily hit the British guns. On August 26, 1914, General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien had a problem. The Battle of Le Cateau was one of the events that made up the Great Retreat of World War I which lasted from the 24 th of August to the 1 st of September 1914. The arrival of the Corps de cavalerie Sordet (French Cavalry Corps, General André Sordet) provided a shield for the British left flank and enabled the British to slip away, despite German attempts to infiltrate and outflank them. The historian of Infantry Regiment 93 wrote. The British II Corps fought a delaying action at Le Cateau to slow the German pursuit. On the morning of 26 August, the Germans arrived and heavily attacked II Corps (General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien). During the battle, the Russians defeated the Austro-Hungarians and captured the city of Lemberg, today known as Lviv and located in western Ukraine. Unlike the Battle of Mons, where the majority of casualties inflicted by the British were from rifle fire, Le Cateau was an artilleryman's battle, demonstrating the devastating results which modern quick-firing artillery using shrapnel shells could … Coordinates: 50°06′15″N 3°32′40″E / 50.10417°N 3.54444°E / 50.10417; 3.54444, Articles incorporating text from Wikipedia, Battles of the War of the First Coalition, https://military.wikia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Le_Cateau_(1794)?oldid=2512517. Le Cateau-Cambrésis and the country to the west of it was the scene of a battle fought by the British II Corps on 26 August 1914 against a greatly superior German force. Which is probably why it wasn’t until October 17th, 1918 that Douglas Haig, in his night report at the beginning of the Battle of the Selle, wrote: The battle of Le Cateau took place during the retreat of the BEF in the aftermath of the battle of Mons (First World War). [8], II Corps retreated on the morning of 27 August and in two days of marching, broke contact with the Germans. The 3rd Division was in the centre, between Caudry and Inchy and the 4th Division was on the left flank, on the north bank of the Warnelle. 75th Field Artillery Regiment said that the battle "strengthened the self-confidence of the German troops … all the more so because the British army was made up almost exclusively of long-service active army troops, who were superbly trained and equipped. MM01 - The Battle of Le Cateau - 26 August 1914. According to the detailed account provided by British Battles.com, the respective "strengths" at Le Cateau were 160,000 German vs 68,000 BEF; and "casualties" were >15,000 German vs 8500 BEF - figures which are much more consistent with the known size of the respective armies and the course of the encounter. [10], The Germans were pleased with their victory. Le Cateau had been lost to the Allies in August 1914. However, its strategic position caused the Germans to dig in. As one of the commanders in the BEF, he had orders, but he could not fulfill them. The road was sunken in places, providing inadequate long-range firing positions and in many places the Germans could close up to the British positions unobserved. It was first re-taken during the Second Battle of Le Cateau on October 10th, 1918. The previous battle in the British Battles sequence is the Battle of Le Cateau. The town remained in German hands from that date until the evening of 10 October 1918, when it was rushed by the 5th Connaught Rangers and finally cleared a week later. [1] The British deployed their artillery about 50–200 metres (55–219 yd) behind the infantry, while the German artillery used indirect fire from concealed positions. Of the 40,000 British troops who fought at Le Cateau, 7,812 became casualties, 2,600 being taken prisoner. Hamish. 50km south of Mons II Corps turned to deliver a ‘stopping blow’ to their pursuers. [3], The British 5th Division was on the right flank, on the southern side of the Le Cateau–Cambrai road between Inchy and Le Cateau. Le Cateau-Cambrésis is located 24 kilometres (15 mi) southwest of Cambrai. 12–15 September — Battle of the Aisne – German army goes on the defensive Three weeks later, the Coalition army would launch its spring offensive in the Siege of Landrecies. Le Cateau-Cambrésis and the country to the west of it was the scene of a battle fought by the British II Corps on 26 August 1914 against a greatly superior German force. The battle of Le Cateau was fought on the 568th anniversary of Crécy. The Battle of Le Cateau (29 March 1794) saw three Republican French divisions led by Antoine Balland, Jacques Gilles Henri Goguet and Jacques Pierre Fromentin attack a Habsburg Austrian force commanded by Pál Kray. [5] Having lost 7,000 men and another 2,500–3,000 footsore and exhausted men who had to be evacuated to Le Mans to recuperate, II Corps was not battleworthy for at least two days. [11], A second battle of Le Cateau took place in much the same area from 5 to 11 October 1918. By nightfall of the 25 August 1914 the retreating British II Corps was being closely pursued by the German First Army. [12] The Allies captured the St. Quentin-Cambrai railway, 12,000 prisoners and 250 guns, but suffered 536 casualties. Corps Commander Horace Smith-Dorrien ordered II Corps to sta… Le Cateau was a battle that was primarily fought with artillery, demonstrating the devastating results which modern quick-firing artillery using shrapnel shells could have on infantry advancing in the open. The Mons battle signified the first engagement between British and German forces on the Western Front, and began on 23 August 1914. Battle of Le Cateau Three days after the Battle of Mons the retreating British Army found itself split in two and with the German First Army in close pursuit. Battles - The Battle of Mons, 1914. The other factor was the ability of German heavy guns to get forward onto the forward slope, in the opposite direction from Le Cateau. Every British history of Mons and Le Cateau makes mention of these historic associations. (Credit: Public Domain) World War I battles often started with tactical objectives and devolved… I Corps was some way away to the east, and although the newly-arrived 4th Division was moving up alongside II Corps it was clear that the disorganised and greatly fatigued units faced a calamity the next day if the withdrawal was forced to continue. Erich von Falkenhayn. It is a reminder of the fierce fighting waged by the 2nd Corps under the command of General Smith-Dorrien. Now they had been caught by surprise, as German forces came through a forested region the Allies had considered impassable to armies. To the First World War index. These battles conjured up the names of the most famous of British commanders: Edward III, the Black Prince, Henry V, the Duke of Marlborough and the Duke of Wellington. During the retreat from the area south of the Mons-Condé canal the inevitable fog of war had separated the 2nd Battalion The Royal Irish Rifles from its parent 7 Brigade. Battle of Le Cateau Part of the Battle of the Frontiers: The British and French fight a successful holding action at Le Cateau during the Retreat from Mons. It all began with the Battle of Frontiers, a conflict that pitched France, Belgium, and the United Kingdom against the German Empire. The British II Corps fought a delaying action at Le Cateau to slow the German pursuit. The Battle of Le Cateau was essentially a rearguard action fought by the British in late August 1914, during the general Allied retreat along the Western Front in the face of sustained German successes at the four Battles of the Frontiers. They had marched from France to Belgium, fought, and then marched away again. 26 August — Battle of Le Cateau – successful rear guard action by BEF II Corps. Find helpful customer reviews and review ratings for Gentlemen, We Will Stand and Fight: Le Cateau 1914 at Amazon.com. The Allied victory thwarted German plans for a quick and total victory on the Western Front. [5], According to Der Weltkrieg, the German official history, Lieutenant-General Sixt von Armin, the commander of IV Corps, issued an order at 11:15 that co-ordinated the encounter battle but there is no evidence of German command above the divisional level. Kew has the map folder WO153/324 (Battle of Le Cateau and Selle:Allied Offensive and German Order of Battle,Oct 1918). These map series usually show the whole of the Front with who is facing who,the relative strengths of each enemy unit,how long it has been at the front,how experienced etc,and if you are really lucky it will have maps over several dates to show the changing … The battle was fought on August 26 1916. THE BATTLE OF LE CATEAU . The town remained in German hands from that date until the evening of 10 October 1918, when it was rushed by the 5th Connaught Rangers and finally cleared a week later. The commander of the 2nd Battalion, King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, was given a written order that "There will now be NO retirement for the fighting troops; fill up your trenches, with water, food and ammunition as far as you can". Smith-Dorrien’s troops, like many in the BEF, had been through a grueling two weeks. Battle of Le Cateau The second major battle of the First World War for the British Expeditionary Force; fought on 26th August 1914, the BEF escaped the advancing German First Army Battery of British Royal Field Artillery 18 pounder field guns moving up: Battle of … However, at Mons, and especially at Le Cateau, the British fought with such skill and determination that the army survived and became a crucial factor in the war's continuation. The Battle of Le Cateau was fought on the Western Front during the First World War on 26 August 1914. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. General Horace Smith-Dorrien’s II Corps had taken the brunt of the fighting at Mons and was again forced to stand and fight a much larger force. On the morning of 26 August, the Germans arrived and heavily attacked II Corps (General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien). Le Cateau-Cambrésis and the country to the west of it was the scene of a battle fought by the British II Corps on 26 August 1914 against a greatly superior German force. Since the very first beginning of WWI, Le Cateau-Cambrésis inhabitants suffered a lot of German occupation. [5] Although credited at the time by Field Marshal Sir John French for having saved the BEF, he later criticised Smith-Dorrien. Most of the BEF was able to continue its retreat to Saint-Quentin. The Austrians drove off the French and inflicted four French casualties for every Austrian casualty. Place of the Battle of Le Grand Fayt: In the North of France War: The First World War also known as ‘The Great War’. 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