Champ de bataille de la Vaux-Marie

Fighting in La Vaux-Marie begins on 6 September and ends on 11 September. It takes place as part of the Battle of the Marne, on the far right of the front, with the aim of putting an end to the German advance. Maurice Genevoix and Those of 14 take part in this fighting, near the old Meusien railway, in collaboration with the 29th Battalion of Hunters.
Night of 9 to 10 September: They suffer a violent attack during which Maurice Genevoix is nearly killed. At the end of the battle, the German army is defeated and repelled, at the cost of heavy losses. Of these 70 men, Maurice Genevoix finds only 21 left. This decisive victory stops the Germans’ attempt at encircling Verdun. After a few day’s rest, they pursue the enemy.
The Battlefield: “…dark silhouettes loomed into view on the nearby ridge, barely visible in the dull sky. They were barely thirty metres away when I saw the tips of their helmets. So I ordered repeat fire, shouting at the top of my lungs.” (Quote from the book by Maurice Genevoix, Ceux de 14, Editions Flammarion)