At the Battle of Le Cateau (26 August) Sordet's men were deployed on the British left. Sordet moved off south very early on 26 August. 1st Cavalry Division moved to Villers-Guilain, 14 miles south of Cambrai and the same distance from 4 Division's left; it later moved forward to Cambrai. Sordet only moved up after receiving a message from Joffre timed 1pm ordering him not just to cover the British left flank but "to intervene in the battle with all the forces at [his] disposal". Spears wrote that after a march of 30 miles the previous day Sordet's artillery and cyclists attacked the flank of German forces attacking 4th Division, using their 75mm guns. Sordet's artillery fought from Séranvillers and Florenville south of Cambrai. Smith-Dorrien heard Sordet's guns around 4.30pm.