On the Western Front during World War I, the British Expeditionary Force paid the price of glory at the Battle of Néry on September 1, 1914, where the corpses of artillerymen were found in Nelle village with their arms raised in rigor mortis.

　One of the most heroic actions performed by the British Expeditionary Force during the retreat from Mons to the Marne on the Western Front in World War I was the Battle of Neilly near Compiègne on September 1, 1914. As the price of glory, the body of a British soldier from the Neilly Artillery, killed in action, lay in Neilly village with his arms raised in rigor mortis. A single battery of the Royal Horse Artillery, supporting the retreat of the Third Corps alongside the British 1st Cavalry Brigade, held off the entire German 4th Cavalry Division—twice its strength—for several hours. This battery, equipped with six 13-pounder guns in 1914, was known as “L (Nery) Battery, Royal Horse Artillery.” Casualties at the Battle of Nelle were 135 British killed or wounded, with German casualties unknown. 

　The Royal Horse Artillery's L Battery accompanied the cavalry brigade to Nelle. They received orders to block two roads extending east and south from the sugar factory. The unit continued its march at 0430 hours on September 1st. Exhausted soldiers and horses rested under the scorching sun. A quiet stillness hung over the small village, the encampments, and the narrow valley bottom flanked by hills to the east and west. The artillerymen were grouped together, their horses tethered, awaiting orders. Just before 5:00 AM, the unit's sole hope was “a hearty breakfast.”

　The moment they stepped inside the houses, high-explosive shells exploded overhead, and the roar of artillery and rifle fire erupted from the heights overlooking the eastern side of Nelli. A reconnaissance unit sent to scout the high ground north of Nelli encountered German cavalry in the fog and was forced to retreat under pursuit. By approximately 0505, the 1st Cavalry Brigade was under complete surprise attack. British cavalry and horse artillery were caught at a disadvantage as heavy artillery, machine guns, and rifle fire rained down on the encampments surrounding the village. Each unit attempted effective resistance, holding out until reinforcements arrived from neighboring units.