Fleury, a small town located a few kilometers east of Ruān, had seen its inhabitants forcibly displaced. It now served as the defensive zone for the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions of the German 1st Army Corps. Their orders were clear: to establish a stronghold here and prevent the Anglo-French forces from advancing westward.
Behind their lines lay the remnants of over four hundred tanks from the German 1st and 8th Armored Divisions. Should the Allied forces initiate an assault, the 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions would be tasked with holding them back. Meanwhile, other units of the German 1st and 8th Corps would swiftly begin encircling the area north and east of Fleury. To the south, a few kilometers away, lay the Seine River; should the Anglo-French forces manage to cross it, they could attempt to break through in that direction.
At noon on April 7th, the advance elements of the Anglo-French forces, specifically the 22nd Infantry Division of the British Expeditionary Force, arrived at Fleury. Upon discovering that the town had already fallen to the Germans, they immediately halted their advance and reported the situation to the corps headquarters, seeking further instructions.
Upon receiving this report, General Benson, commander of the British Expeditionary Force's 3rd Army Corps, ordered an immediate assault by the 22nd Infantry Division and instructed other units to hasten their advance to reinforce the attack, emphasizing the urgent need to defeat the Germans and secure Fleury to open the way to Ruān.
Benson's decision stemmed from his belief that the German offensive at Ruān had reached a critical juncture, compelling them to dispatch a limited force to obstruct the Allies, thereby buying time to crush the British 1st Army and seize Ruān. Time was of the essence; they could not afford to delay.
Following Benson's command, the 22nd Infantry Division launched an attack on Fleury. However, it soon became apparent that they were facing insurmountable odds. The German forces deployed in the town were formidable, both in numbers and combat effectiveness, far surpassing that of the British infantry division.
"Open fire!"
The British artillery, comprising eighteen 114mm howitzers and fifty-four 83.8mm field guns, began bombarding the German defenses outside Fleury. Yet, mere minutes later, they were met with a ferocious counter-barrage from the Germans.
The German 2nd and 3rd Infantry Divisions boasted thirty-six 150mm howitzers, seventy-two 105mm howitzers, and one hundred eight 75mm field guns. The total number of their artillery was three times that of the British, not to mention the significant advantage in caliber.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
As shells rained down upon the British artillery positions, silencing their guns, the commanding general of the 22nd Infantry Division stood in stunned disbelief.
"Sir, judging by the scale of the German artillery deployed here, their forces must be considerable. We may not stand a chance against them!" the artillery brigade commander remarked.
The general of the 22nd Infantry Division, fully aware of the dire situation, felt a bitter sense of resignation. However, with Benson's orders firmly in place, he had no choice but to press forward with the assault.
"Order the troops to prepare for an attack. Furthermore, send a telegram to headquarters; we need reinforcements!"
Thus, the 22nd Infantry Division commenced its attack, but faced with the overwhelming German firepower, they gained no ground and instead suffered devastating losses, forcing a hasty retreat.
By afternoon, the 23rd and 24th Infantry Divisions arrived on the battlefield, bolstering the British forces and offering a glimmer of hope. Nevertheless, even with their arrival, three consecutive assaults yielded no breakthroughs against the German lines, inflicting heavy casualties upon the British.
Reluctantly, the British forces had to cease their offensive and report the situation back to General Benson.
By evening, Benson's 3rd Army Corps headquarters had reached Fleury, with the bulk of the thirty thousand Anglo-French troops concentrated in the area. Frustrated by the failure of the three infantry divisions to penetrate the German defenses, Benson issued a stern order for them to resume the attack at dawn the following day, insisting that they must breach the German lines before sunset and advance to Ruān.
Unbeknownst to him, the forces of the German 1st and 8th Army Corps were already in motion. Numerous units were en route from Ruān to the north and east of the British main body. Farther east, the 1st and 34th Infantry Divisions were being transported by truck.
"General Ludendorff, have the elements of the 8th Army Corps reached their designated positions?" General Kluck inquired.
"Yes, sir. The seven infantry divisions and one armored division of the 8th Army Corps have all arrived and are ready to launch an assault at any moment," replied General Ludendorff.
Kluck nodded in agreement. "The 1st Army Corps has left two infantry divisions as reserves; the remaining thirteen infantry divisions and one armored division have also positioned themselves as planned. Tomorrow morning, the two armored divisions will initiate the attack. After dismantling the Anglo-French forces, the remaining units will steadily advance, ensuring that the thirty thousand Allied troops are entirely annihilated here!"
"Understood, sir," Ludendorff replied, fully supportive of the strategy.
This time, to encircle the thirty thousand strong Anglo-French forces, both the 1st and 8th Army Corps committed their main forces. Conversely, the units assigned to assault Ruān were few, totaling only eight infantry divisions, numbering just over one hundred thousand troops.
On the morning of April 8th, the British 22nd, 23rd, and 24th Infantry Divisions busily prepared for the upcoming assault. General Benson's orders were clear: they had to breach the German defenses before sunset that day. Aware of the formidable challenge ahead, they nevertheless steeled themselves for the confrontation.
At eight in the morning, the three British infantry divisions completed their preparations and were poised to attack. However, they soon found themselves compelled to halt their advance; the Germans had struck first.
The 1st and 8th Armored Divisions of the Germans, with their four hundred tanks, surged forth, charging toward the British positions. This steel tide left no room for thought of resistance.
"Oh God! The German armored forces are here!"
"Curse it! This is a trap; it's a trap set by the Germans," General Benson exclaimed, his shock mingling with rage upon realizing the dire situation.