Information Board 14-18 Sambre Rouge - Fighting In The Streets Of Roselies

Information board near the War Memorial of Roselies

Roselies lay in the sector of the 3rd Army Corps. The loop of the Sambre river and the bridges were held by two companies of the 74th Infantry Regiment (IR). In the afternoon of 21 August, they were attacked by units of the 10th German Army Corps, backed up by artillery. The enemy made civilians go ahead of them. After a number of onslaughts, the French were forced to withdraw to Aiseau.

Alarmed by the violence of the firing, the people of Roselies abandoned the village.

The 74th IR was then ordered to retake Roselies. The attack was to take place during the night of 21 to 22 August, without artillery support. At 1.00 am, the 1ste battalion of the 74th IR entered the village of Roselies, while the 3rd advanced through Broue Wood.

The village appeared to have been abandoned by the enemy. Suddenly, shots rang out. They were coming from the window and basements of the houses, where the Germans were firmly entrenched. The two battalions had to sustain deadly street fighting. Many houses were burned.

At 5.00 am, two battalions of the 129th IR rushed in from Broue Wood, attacking Roselies in support of the 74th IR. They were immediately set upon the German artillery. The losses were heavy. The Germans, who had just taken Pont-de-Loup, were threatening the French left flank, struggling to retake Roselies. Faced with this danger, the units were forced to give ground and withdraw as from 9.00 am.

By the time the fighting was over, 94 houses had been burned down. Two local residents were also killed, one of whom was the priest, Abbé Pollart, who was shot.

Franch losses : 293
German losses : 130

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