[Illustration: THE CROSS-ROADS AT CROIX-DE-FER, AT THE INTERSECTION OF THE N. 2 (PARIS-SOISSONS) AND THE CHAUDUN-DOMMIERS ROAD.
In the background: Cravançon Farm in ruins.]
[Illustration: TANK DAMAGED BY ENEMY SHELL-FIRE NEAR THE CROSS-ROADS AT CROIX-DE-FER.
On the right is the N. 2 leading to Soissons.]
_Turn to the right into N. 2._ In May, 1919, three wrecked tanks were still to be seen there.
_A little further on_ (_rather more than half a mile from the fork_) there is a large American cemetery (photo below). The Americans who fell in the vicinity during the fighting in July were buried there. _Return to the “Croix-de-Fer” and take the road on the right towards Dommiers_, which crosses the table-land attacked by the tanks.
[Illustration: AMERICAN CEMETERY ALONGSIDE THE N. 2, ABOUT HALF A MILE FROM THE CROIX-DE-FER CROSS-ROADS TOWARDS SOISSONS.
It was from this immense plateau that the Americans set out to attack the German lines on June 18, 1918, with General Mangin’s Army.]
[Illustration: DAMAGED TANK NEAR DOMMIERS, SEEN FROM THE BRITISH CEMETERY NEAR DOMMIERS.
Dommiers Road in the background where the motor-car is standing.]
About half a mile before reaching Dommiers the tourist comes to the British Cemetery, from which the above photograph was taken in April, 1919. The tanks seen in the picture have since been removed.
At the entrance to =Dommiers= (in ruins) is an enormous heap of shells, shell-cases, rifles, etc. (photo below). _Pass through the village_, leaving the church on the left. Built in the 12th and 13th centuries, the steeple and roof of the church have fallen in. The choir contained some fine woodwork, which originally came from the Church of St. Jean-des-Vignes at Soissons. Most of it was destroyed by shell-fire, three panels only remaining uninjured.
[Illustration: EMPTY SHELL CASES OF ALL CALIBRES COLLECTED ON THE BATTLEFIELD NEAR DOMMIERS.
In the background is seen the village of Dommiers.]
[Illustration: TANKS CROSSING DOMMIERS VILLAGE.]
[Illustration: AMERICAN SOLDIER’S MASCOT (YOUNG WILD BOAR) IN A FARMYARD AT DOMMIERS.]
[Illustration: DOMMIERS CHURCH IN RUINS.]
[Illustration: ST. PIERRE-AIGLE VILLAGE, SEEN FROM THE ROAD COMING FROM DOMMIERS.]
[Illustration: THE VALLEY OF THE RU-DE-RETZ SEEN FROM THE RUINS OF THE CHURCH OF ST. PIERRE-AIGLE.