Fortunino Matania, R.I. (1881-1963)

Grivesnes which lies in the north-west of Montdidier was the scene of severe fighting during the first phase of the attack at the end of March. On Easter Sunday (March 31) the enemy was finally beaten off. "The fight for the place", says an account in "The Daily Telegraph" "was typical of the battles now almost of daily occurrence. The village was held by 500 French infantry at the outside, commanded by a colonel, who blocked off the windows of the chateau with mattresses and himself took a rifle to defend his position. With his 500 men he repulsed the First Prussian Guard Division, which engaged three of its regiments, usually counted to be the best in the German Army. the Germans came on in waves, pushed and fed by thick columns of infantry. The French fought them from tree to tree of the park back to the walls of the chateau. The colonel from his window then gave the order for the counter-attack, and the poilus, to the cry of 'Vive La France' charged and after a hideous mélée among the trees drove the Germans from the park."