Battle of Le Cateau facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Battle of Le Cateau
Part of the Great Retreat on the Western Front of the First World War
Date 26 August 1914 Location Le Cateau-Cambrésis, France 50°06′15″N 03°32′40″E / 50.10417°N 3.54444°E / 50.10417; 3.54444 Result German victory
Belligerents
German Empire	United Kingdom
Commanders and leaders
Friedrich Bertram Sixt von Armin  Georg von der Marwitz	Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien
Units involved
IV Corps Höhere Kavallerie-Kommando 2	II Corps
Strength
23 infantry battalions 18 cavalry regiments (9 at half strength) 6 divisional cavalry squadrons 162 guns (27 batteries) 84 machine-guns	40 infantry battalions 12 cavalry regiments 2 divisional cavalry squadrons 246 guns (41 batteries) c.  80 machine-guns
Casualties and losses
2,900	7,812 (700 killed, 2,600 captured) 38 guns

The Battle of Le Cateau was a fight during the First World War on August 26, 1914. It happened on the Western Front. The British and French armies were retreating after losing battles at Charleroi and Mons. British soldiers from II Corps decided to stop and fight at Le Cateau. Their goal was to slow down the German army chasing them. This allowed most of the British forces to keep retreating safely.

Why the Battle Happened

After retreating from Mons, the British II Corps was very tired. They had marched about 25 miles (40 km) in two days. The commander, General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, saw his troops were exhausted. He knew they couldn't keep marching without falling apart.

A Difficult Decision

General Smith-Dorrien's cavalry commander, Edmund Allenby, said his men and horses were "almost finished." He believed a battle was unavoidable because the German army was so close. So, Smith-Dorrien decided to stand and fight.

At 7:00 AM, he received an order from the main British headquarters. They told him to keep retreating. But Smith-Dorrien refused. He said his soldiers were already fighting.

The Battle Begins

On the morning of August 26, the Germans arrived and attacked the British II Corps. This battle was different from the earlier Battle of Mons. At Mons, British rifle fire caused many casualties. But at Le Cateau, it was mostly an artillery battle.

Artillery's Impact

Modern artillery guns could fire quickly and use shrapnel shells. These shells were very destructive against soldiers in the open. The British placed their artillery close behind their infantry. This was about 50 to 200 meters away.

The German artillery, however, fired from hidden spots. They used indirect fire, meaning they couldn't see their targets directly. Because the British guns were so close to their infantry, German shells aimed at the soldiers could also easily hit the British guns. This made the German artillery even more effective.

British Positions

The British 5th Division was on the right side of the battle line. They were south of the Le Cateau–Cambrai road. The 3rd Division was in the middle. The 4th Division was on the left side.

Some parts of the road were sunken. This meant soldiers couldn't see far enough to shoot at the Germans. In many places, the Germans could get very close to the British without being seen. On the right side, the British were on a forward slope. This made them easy targets, and they lost many soldiers when trying to pull back.

Holding the Line

At 3:30 AM, Smith-Dorrien had decided to "strike the enemy hard" and then continue retreating. But his officers on the front lines weren't sure about this plan. Some units, like the 5th Division, were told to "hold at all costs." An order even said, "There will now be NO retirement for the fighting troops."

This order arrived at the front lines at the same time as the Germans, or even later. The British soldiers held their ground, even with many casualties. Around noon, the British right side and then the left side started to break.

French Help

Just in time, the French Cavalry Corps, led by General André Sordet, arrived. They helped protect the British left side. This allowed the British soldiers to slip away from the battle. The Germans tried to sneak around them, but the French cavalry stopped them. That night, the British and French armies successfully pulled back to St Quentin.

What Happened Next

Battle Losses

In 1926, the British historian James Edmonds reported the losses. Out of 40,000 British soldiers at Le Cateau, 7,812 were casualties. This included 2,600 who were captured. The British also lost 38 guns. Most of these guns had their important parts removed by their crews so the Germans couldn't use them.

Some historians believe German casualties were around 2,000. Another historian, Terry Zuber, wrote in 2011 that the Germans had 2,900 casualties. The British Commonwealth War Graves Commission counted 1,200 British soldiers killed.

Later Events

The British II Corps continued its retreat on August 27. After two days of marching, they managed to get away from the Germans. Another battle, the Second Battle of Le Cateau, happened in the same area much later. This was from October 5 to 11, 1918. In that battle, the Allied forces captured a railway, 12,000 prisoners, and 250 guns. They only had 536 casualties.

See also

• Retreat from Mons
• La Ferté-sous-Jouarre memorial
• Le Cateau

Images for kids

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  Modern map of the Le Cateau area (commune FR insee code 59136)