Picardy

The First Battle of Picardy (22–26 September 1914) took place during the Race to the Sea (17 September – 19 October) and the First Battle of the Aisne (13–28 September). The "race" was a Franco-British counter-offensive, which followed the Battle of the Frontiers (7 August – 13 September) and the German advance into France during the Great Retreat, which ended at the First Battle of the Marne (5–12 September). The term describes reciprocal attempts by the Franco-British and German armies to envelop the northern flank of the opposing army, through Picardy, Artois and Flanders. The first outflanking attempt resulted in an encounter battle in Picardy. The French Sixth Army attacked up the Oise river valley towards Noyon, as the Second Army assembled further north, ready to attempt to advance round the northern flank of the German 1st Army. Both French armies managed to advance successively on a line from Roye to Chaulnes, until the German 6th Army and other reinforcements arrived from Lorraine and halted the French advance. Both sides then attempted another flanking move to the north, which merged into the Battle of Albert (25–29 September).

The Great Retreat (French: Grande Retraite), also known as the retreat from Mons, was the long withdrawal to the River Marne in August and September 1914 by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) and the French Fifth Army. The Franco-British forces on the Western Front in the First World War had been defeated by the armies of the German Empire at the Battle of Charleroi (21 August) and the Battle of Mons (23 August). A counter-offensive by the Fifth Army, with some assistance from the BEF, at the First Battle of Guise (Battle of St. Quentin 29–30 August) failed to end the German advance and the retreat continued over the Marne. From 5 to 12 September, the First Battle of the Marne ended the Allied retreat and forced the German armies to retire towards the Aisne River and to fight the First Battle of the Aisne (13–28 September). Reciprocal attempts to outflank the opposing armies to the north known as the Race to the Sea followed from (17 September to 17 October).

Marest-sur-Matz is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.

Chevincourt (French pronunciation: [ʃəvɛ̃kuʁ]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.

Mélicocq (French pronunciation: [melikɔk]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.

Élincourt-Sainte-Marguerite (French pronunciation: [elɛ̃kuʁ sɛ̃t maʁɡərit]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France. Élincourt-Sainte-Marguerite is situated between Paris and Lille in the region of Hauts-de-France, 100 km from Paris, 80 km from Amiens, and 145 km from Lille.

Giraumont (French pronunciation: [ʒiʁomɔ̃]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.

Villers-sur-Coudun (French pronunciation: [vilɛʁ syʁ kudœ̃], literally Villers on Coudun) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.

Vandélicourt (French pronunciation: [vɑ̃delikuʁ]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.

Longueil-Annel (French pronunciation: [lɔ̃ɡœj anɛl]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.

Machemont (French pronunciation: [maʃmɔ̃]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.

Coudun (French pronunciation: [kudœ̃]) is a commune in the Oise department in northern France.