Crepy Air reconnaissance on the fronts of the VII Corps and X Reserve Corps on 31 August reported that the British were retreating south of the Aisne towards Cr py en Valois The five of the II Cavalry Corps were sent towards Cr py on 1 September and encountered British troops who repulsed an attack on the village The 1st Army had attempted to trap British rearguards at Cr py and Villers Cotter ts but they had slipped away Air reconnaisssance revealed that British olumns were moving south from the area south west of Villers Cotter ts south of Cr py and from Creil