| Battle of Rossignol | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Battle of the Frontiers of the First World War | |||||||
 The village of Rossignol after the battle | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 France |
 German Empire | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Jules Lefèvre |
Kurt von Pritzelwitz | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
| Colonial Corps | VI Corps | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 11,388 | 3,473–3,984 | ||||||
The Battle of Rossignol (22 August 1914) one of the first battles of the First World War, was part of the Battle of the Frontiers on the Western Front between the German and French armies. To counter the German invasion of Belgium, the French commander-in-chief, General Joseph Joffre, ordered an attack upon the centre of the German front. The attack was to be conducted by the French Fourth Army comprising the Colonial Corps and II Corps. Simultaneously, the German army turned the 5th Army southwards towards the French border. The French Colonial Corps advanced towards Neufchâteau expecting the nearest German forces to be several days march away.
Advanced elements of the 3rd Colonial Infantry Division (Léon Amédée François Raffenel) marching column clashed with German cavalry north of Rossignol and soon found themselves facing a strong defensive German position. After several bayonet charges through dense woods failed to make progress, French troops retreated southwards to Rossignol. The German 11th Division and 12th Division pushed around both flanks and engaged that part of the Colonial Corps still on the march. With the French II Corps behind schedule and unable to offer any support, German artillery destroyed the bridge at Breuvanne. The bridge was on the only route by which the 3rd Colonial Division at Rossignol could be reinforced. The Germans then defeated the French remaining in the village, the rest of the Colonial Corps pulled back to defensive positions.
The 3rd Colonial Division was destroyed as a fighting force, with casualties of about 10,520. Raffenel was killed as was Charles Rondony one of his brigade commanders; Charles Montignault, the other brigade commander, was captured. Another 868 men were lost from the supporting 2nd Colonial Division; German casualties were between 3,473 and 3,984 men. The alleged involvement of francs-tireurs at Tintigny and Rossignol resulted in reprisals in which German troops killed 63 civilians shortly after the battle; another 122 were court-martialed and shot.