The Battle of Guise (also called the Battle of St Quentin) was a battle between French and German forces on the 29th and 30th of August 1914 during the Great War. The retreating French 5th Army under General Charles Lanrezac had fallen back to Guise when it was ordered to attack St Quentin some 25 km away, in order to relieve pressure on the British at Mons and buy time for the French 6th Army to assemble near Paris. The attack was mounted, but the force's open flanks were immediately threatened by German attacks, forcing Lanrezac to abandon the St Quentin objective and concentrate instead on a frontal holding battle against whatever forces the Germans sent. He met and drove back an attack from General Karl von Billow's army, but the danger of his flank being turned by General Alexander von Kluck's forces was such that he could not pursue his victory. He had no choice but to break off and re- start his retreat. Nevertheless, his action caused some 6, 000 German casualties and upset the German plans. Research Battle of Guise
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