ACTION AT NÉRY
Western Front 1 September, 1914
BACKGROUND
Following the Battle of Mons, the BEF began their long retreat. The rearguard action at Le Cateau offered little respite and both Corps continued towards the River Marne. On 29th August, the German Second Army attacked Lanrezac's Fifth Army in the battle of Guise. As Lanrezac fell back, von Kluck grasped the opportunity to swing his First Army across north of Paris to trap and destroy the Fifth Army. The 30th August was the fateful day upon which von Kluck's army changed direction and began crossing in front of the newly-forming French Sixth Army and the BEF.
General von der Marwitz's Second Cavalry Corps was tasked with protecting von Kluck's left flank. Von der Marwitz began to pursue Lanrezac but then diverted his cavalry southwards on 31st September on hearing of strong forces massing near Soissons. Leading the Corps, the German 4th Cavalry Division began to cross the River Oise that same day. The wooden suspension bridge forced the commander of the 4th Cavalry Division, General von Garnier, to leave behind his regimental and first-line transport, including the light ammunition column. At 6pm, his cavalry turned south at Offremont and crossed the River Aisne. During the night, the division wound it's way through the dense Compiègne Forest. The cavalrymen and their mounts were just as weary as the BEF: "lances dropped from tired hands and fell clattering to the ground, the horses showed signs of exhaustion, but still the advance went on." The division had already covered 400 miles in 23 days.
Meanwhile, the British 1st Cavalry Brigade was billeted overnight in the small village of Néry, on the southern edge of Compiègne Forest. They did not realise that they were the only British troops in the 4.5 mile gap between 5th Division and 19th Brigade. Neither side realised the other was so close until very early on the morning of the 1st September. The British were scheduled to move out at about 5 am. However they were delayed and had unsaddled and were waiting when a small British patrol entered the forest in the thick morning mist and immediately contacted Uhlans. After a brief skirmish, the British patrol raced back to Néry to warn their colleagues who were just making preparations to leave. Initially, the Colonel of the 11th Hussars refused to believe that the Germans were so close. He accused the subaltern of 'seeing spooks'. Fortunately, the subaltern had had the presence of mind to bring back a trophy - a German cavalryman's heavy green-gray cloak. Immediately, the Brigade began defensive preparations at the same time as German artillery commenced firing.
Inside the forest, despite having exhausted troops and limited ammunition, von Garnier decided to attack the 'uncovered and unsuspected' British force at Néry. One of the few World War 1 battles between cavalry was about to begin. Reinforcements were on the way but would they arrive in time to save the British 1st Cavalry Brigade. Due to very thick and persistent fog and mist the Action commenced and continued with severely limited visibility. As one can see from John Fawkes excellent map below, the initial contacts occurred at under 500 yards.
