There I exchanged my old bike for a new one which had been discovered in
a cottage. Nothing was wrong with my ancient grid except a buckled back
rim, due to collision with a brick when riding without a lamp. One of
the company rode it quietly to Serches, then it went on the side-car,
and was eventually discarded at Beuvry.

I found the Division very much in action. The object of the Germans was,
by an obstinate rearguard action, to hold first the line of the Petit
Morin and second the line La Ferté to the hills north of Méry, so that
their main body might get back across the Marne and continue northward
their retreat, necessitated by our pressure on their flank. This retreat
again was to be as slow as possible, to prevent an outflanking of the
whole.

Our object was obviously to prevent them achieving theirs.

Look at the map and grasp these three things:--

1. The two rivers--the Petit Morin debouching so as to cover
the German left centre.

2. From La Ferté westwards the rivers run in deep ravines,
hemmed in by precipitous thickly-wooded hills.

3. Only two bridges across the Marne remained--one large
one at La Ferté and one small one at Saacy.

When I arrived at Doué the Germans were holding the Forest of Jouarre in
force. They were in moderate force on the south bank of the Petit Morin,
and had some guns, but not many, on the north bank.