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diff --git a/old/55048-8.txt b/old/55048-8.txt deleted file mode 100644 index c01be15..0000000 --- a/old/55048-8.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,7040 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Retreat from Mons, by A. Corbett-Smith - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - -Title: The Retreat from Mons - By one who shared in it - -Author: A. Corbett-Smith - -Release Date: July 5, 2017 [EBook #55048] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE RETREAT FROM MONS *** - - - - -Produced by Al Haines - - - - - - - - - -[Frontispiece: GENERAL SIR H. SMITH-DORRIEN. _From the Painting by -Arnold Mountford._] - - - - The - Retreat from Mons - - BY ONE WHO SHARED IN IT - - - - BY - A. CORBETT-SMITH - (_Major, R.F.A._) - - - - _With Three Plates and Map_ - - - - For who is he, whose chin is but enrich'd - With one appearing hair, that will not follow - These cull'd and choice-drawn cavaliers to France? - - - - CASSELL AND COMPANY, LTD - London, New York, Toronto and Melbourne - 1916 - - - - - To - - GENERAL SIR H. L. SMITH-DORRIEN, - G.C.M.G., G.C.B., D.S.O., ETC. - -DEAR GENERAL SMITH-DORRIEN, - -When, some few months ago, you honoured me by your acceptance of this -dedication I had in mind to make a single volume which should trace the -course of the War during the period of your command of the Second Army, -the unforgettable days from Mons to Ypres. - -Since then I have found that there is one phase of the operations which -has gripped the imagination of the public more than any other event of -the past two years: the "Retreat from Mons." It is, indeed, almost -incredible how little the people know of this, and how splendidly they -respond to the telling of the story. - -But it seems to me that the story can never be told as it should be. -Only those who actually experienced the horror and the splendour of -those ten days could hope to tell it, and for them the facts are -blurred and distorted by the nightmare through which they passed. - -Still, I am rashly making the attempt, and in doing so I try to write -of the big, human side of things. For it is the trivial, homely -incidents in the daily life of the British soldier, and the stories of -noble devotion and chivalry of gallant gentlemen like Francis Grenfell -and Bradbury, which fire the imagination. I know that you will -understand and appreciate my motives. - -For the rest, should the public be kind to this trivial volume I shall -hope later to continue the narrative as I had originally intended. - -Will you, then, accept my book, not in tribute of a Command which must -remain indelibly scored in letters of gold on the page of our country's -history so long as Britain endures, but as a memory of the two or three -years of peace when I was privileged to work with you and of the year -of war when I had the honour of serving, one of that "band of -brothers," in your Command? - -I am, - Very faithfully yours, - A. CORBETT-SMITH. - -THE MIDDLE TEMPLE, - LONDON. - - - - -AUTHOR'S ACKNOWLEDGMENT - -I tender my very grateful thanks to GENERAL SIR HORACE SMITH-DORRIEN -for his kindness in reading the proof-sheets of the book and for -several most valuable items of information. - -My thanks are also due to CAPTAIN C. T. ATKINSON, of the Historical -Section, Committee of Imperial Defence, for his courteous help in the -task of compiling the Roll of Honour. Also to the SECRETARY, K.A. -Institution, for the loan of material for the same purpose. - -I have availed myself to some extent of the researches of MR. HILAIRE -BELLOC in my estimates in Chapter V.; while my details of the German -Army are taken from German sources, "Deutsche Land- und Seemacht," by -Rabenau, and other volumes. - -To my comrades-in-arms (few, alas! remain), whose deeds and experiences -have contributed to the writing of the story, I hold out a hand of -greeting. I salute in reverence the immortal souls of the gallant dead. - -A. C.-S. - - - - -CONTENTS - -Roll of Honour - -CHAPTER - - 1. Mobilisation - 2. The Sailing of the Force - 3. The Landing of the Force - 4. Up Country - 5. The Marshalling of the Armies - 6. Mons - 7. Mons (_continued_) - 8. The Retreat Begins - 9. The Second Day - 10. An Interlude - 11. Wednesday, the 26th of August - 12. Wednesday, the 26th of August (_continued_) - 13. The Retreat Continues - 14. Past Compiègne - 15. The Final Stages - -Appendix I. - -Appendix II. - - - - -LIST OF PLATES - -General Sir H. Smith-Dorrien . . . _Frontispiece_ - -Field-Marshal Viscount French - -General Sir Douglas Haig - -Map of Country from Mons to Paris - - - - - The Roll of Honour - - OF THE - - FIRST EXPEDITIONARY FORGE - - _General Officer Commanding-in-Chief the British Forces:_ - FIELD-MARSHAL SIR J. D. P. FRENCH. - - _Chief of the General Staff:_ - LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR A. J. MURRAY. - - _Adjutant-General:_ - MAJOR-GENERAL SIR C. F. N. MACREADY. - - _Quartermaster-General:_ - MAJOR-GENERAL SIR W. R. ROBERTSON. - - - - _FIRST ARMY CORPS_ - - _General Officer Commanding-in-Chief_-- - LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR DOUGLAS HAIG. - - - 1st DIVISION - - _General Officer Commanding_--MAJOR-GENERAL S. H. LOMAX. - - - 1st Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL F. I. MAXSE. - 1st Batt. Coldstream Guards. - 1st Batt. R. Highlanders. - 1st Batt. Scots Guards. - 2nd Batt. R. Munster Fusiliers. - - - 2nd Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL E. S. BULFIN. - 2nd Batt. R. Sussex Regt. - 1st Batt. Northampton Regt. - 1st Batt. N. Lancs. Regt. - 2nd Batt. K. R. Rifle Corps - - - 3rd Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL H. J. S. LANDON. - 1st Batt. R. W. Surrey Regt. - 1st Batt. Gloucester Regt. - 1st Batt. S. Wales Borderers. - 2nd Batt. Welsh Regt. - - CAVALRY (attached) - C Squadron 15th Hussars. - - ROYAL ENGINEERS - 23rd and 26th Field Companies. - - ROYAL ARTILLERY - R.F.A. Batteries--113, 114, 115, 116, 117, 118, 46, 51, 54; - (Howitzer) 30, 40, 57. - _Heavy Battery R.G.A._--26. - An Ammunition Column and an Ammunition Park. - - - - 2nd DIVISION - - _General Officer Commanding_--MAJOR-GENERAL C. C. MONRO. - - - 4th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade-Commander_--GENERAL R. SCOTT-KERR. - 2nd Batt. Grenadier Guards - 3rd Batt. Coldstream Guards - 2nd Batt. Coldstream Guards - lst Batt. Irish Guards. - - - 5th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL R. C. B. HAKING. - - 2nd Batt. Worcester Regt. - 2nd Batt. Highland L.I. - 2nd Batt. Oxford and Bucks L.I. - 2nd Batt. Connaught Rangers - - - 6th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL R. H. DAVIES. - 1st Batt. Liverpool Regt. - 1st Batt. R. Berks Regt. - 2nd Batt. S. Staffs. Regt. - lst Batt. K. R. Rifle - - CAVALRY (attached) - B Squadron 15th Hussars. - - ROYAL ENGINEERS - 5th and 11th Field Companies. - - ROYAL ARTILLERY - - _R.F.A. Batteries_--22, 50, 70, 15, 48, 71, 9, 16, 17; - (Howitzer) 47, 56, 60. - _Heavy Battery R.G.A._--35. - An Ammunition Column and an Ammunition Park. - - - - CAVALRY - - _A Division_ (_Four Brigades_) - - General Officer Commanding--MAJOR-GENERAL E. H. H. ALLENBY. - - - 1st Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL C. J. BRIGGS. - - 2nd Dragoon Guards. - 5th Dragoon Guards. - 11th Hussars. - - - 2nd Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL H. DE B. DE LISLE. - - 4th Dragoon Guards. - 9th Lancers. - 18th Hussars. - - - 3rd Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL H. DE LA POER GOUGH. - - 4th Hussars. - 5th Lancers. - 16th Lancers. - - - 4th Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL HON. C. E. BINGHAM. - - Household Cavalry (composite Regiment). - 6th Dragoon Guards. - 3rd Hussars. - - And-- - - the 5th Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL SIR P. W. CHETWODE. - 12th Lancers. - 20th Hussars. - 2nd Dragoons. - - - ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY - _Batteries_ "D," "E," "I," "J," "L." - - - - SECOND ARMY CORPS - - _General Officer Commanding-in-Chief_-- - GENERAL SIR H. L. SMITH-DORRIEN. - - - 3rd DIVISION - - _General Officer Commanding_--MAJOR-GENERAL H. I. W. HAMILTON. - - - 7th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL F. W. N. McCRACHEN. - - 3rd Batt. Worcester Regt. - 1st Batt. Wilts Regt. - 2nd Batt. S. Lancs. Regt. - 2nd Batt. R. Irish Rifles. - - - 8th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL B. J. C. DORAN. - - 2nd Batt. R. Scots. - 4th Batt. Middlesex Regt. - 2nd Batt. R. Irish Regt. - 1st Batt. Gordon Highlanders. - - - 9th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL F. C. SHAW. - 1st Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers. - 1st Batt. Lincolnshire Regt. - 1st Batt. R. Scots Fusiliers. - 4th Batt. R. Fusiliers. - - - CAVALRY (attached) - A Squadron 15th Hussars. - - ROYAL ENGINEERS - 56th and 57th Field Companies. - - ROYAL ARTILLERY - - _R.F.A. Batteries_--107, 108, 109, 6, 23, 49, 29, 41, 45; - (Howitzer) 128, 129, 130. - _Heavy Battery R. G. A._--48. - An Ammunition Column and an Ammunition Park. - - - - 5th DIVISION - - _General Officer Commanding_--MAJOR-GENERAL SIR C. FERGUSSON. - - - 13th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL G. J. CUTHBERT. - 2nd Batt. K. O. Scottish Borderers. - 1st Batt. R.W. Kent Regt. - 2nd Batt. Yorks L.I. - 2nd Batt. W. Riding Regt. - - - 14th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL S. P. ROLT. - 2nd Batt. Suffolk Regt. - 1st Batt. Duke of Cornwall's L.I. - 1st Batt. East Surrey Regt. - 2nd Batt. Manchester Regt. - - - 15th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL COUNT A. E. W. GLEICHEN. - - 1st Batt. Norfolk Regt. - 1st Batt. Cheshire Regt. - 1st Batt. Bedford Regt. - 1st Batt. Dorset Regt. - - CAVALRY (attached) - A Squadron 19th Hussars. - - ROYAL ENGINEERS - 17th and 59th Field Companies. - - ROYAL ARTILLERY - _R.F.A. Batteries_--11, 52, 80, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124; - (Howitzer) 37, 61, 65. - _Heavy Battery R.G.A._--108. - An Ammunition Column and an Ammunition Park. - - - 19th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--MAJOR-GENERAL L. G. DRUMMOND. - 2nd Batt. R. Welsh Fusiliers. - 1st Batt. Middlesex Regt. - 1st Batt. Scottish Rifles. - 2nd Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders. - - - ROYAL FLYING CORPS - - Aeroplane Squadrons Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5. - - - - ARMY SERVICE CORPS - - Horsed and Mechanical Transport. - - - ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS - - - There came into line at Le Cateau on August 25th the-- - - 4th DIVISION - - _General Officer Commanding_--MAJOR-GENERAL T. D. O. SNOW. - - - 10th Infantry Brigade - - Brigade Commander--BRIGADIER-GENERAL J. A. L. HALDANE. - 1st Batt. R. Warwickshire Regt. - 1st Batt. R. Irish Fusiliers. - 2nd Batt. Seaforth Highlanders. - 2nd Batt. R. Dublin Fusiliers. - - - 11th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL A. G. HUNTER-WESTON. - 1st Batt. Somersetshire L.I. - 1st Batt. Hampshire Regt. - 1st Batt. E. Lancs. Regt. - 1st Batt. Rifle Brigade. - - - 12th Infantry Brigade - - _Brigade Commander_--BRIGADIER-GENERAL H. F. M. WILSON. - 1st Batt. R. Lancs. Regt. - 2nd Batt. R. Inniskilling Fusiliers. - 2nd Batt. Lancashire Fusiliers. - 2nd Batt. Essex Regt. - - CAVALRY (attached) - B Squadron 19th Hussars. - - ROYAL ENGINEERS - 7th and 9th Field Companies. - - ROYAL ARTILLERY - - _R.F.A. Batteries_--39, 68, 88 (xiv. Brigade); 125, 126, 127 (xxix - Brigade); 27, 134, 135 (xxxii. Brigade); 31, 35, 55 (xxxvii. Brigade). - - _Heavy Battery R.G.A._--31. - - LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND ARMY TROOPS - - 1st Batt. Devonshire Regt. - 1st Batt. Cameron Highlanders - - - - -The Retreat from Mons - - - -CHAPTER I - -MOBILISATION - - _Now all the youth of England are on fire, - And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies; - Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought - Reigns solely in the breast of every man._ - - -August 5th, 1914! "Who would have dreamed of such a thing!" exclaimed -the big majority. "So it has come at last," said the small minority. - -Broadly speaking, there you have the country's opinion during those now -dimly remembered days which followed immediately upon Germany's -throwing down of the gauntlet. - -Officers and men of our once-upon-a-time professional Army did not -bother very much about it either way. War was their job. Active -service was to be welcomed as a picnic change from the monotony of -soldiering in England. Also, to the man keen on his profession (and -since the Boer War such men have been steadily increasing in numbers) -it meant the chance of promotion and of showing what he was made of. - -A war, even long foreseen, must inevitably come as a surprise when it -does actually break out, and this one was no exception. During the -last week of that July there were very, very few in Aldershot who felt -certain that the hour was at last striking. - -But Aldershot was ready for it. For many a long year past Aldershot -had existed for the Army. Latterly it had been the forge where -Britain's little striking force, the spear-head of her armies, had been -welded, sharpened and tested, made ready for instant launching. So, -with the Fleet, were we prepared to fulfil our pact with France; or, if -the summons came, to stand by Belgium. - -Aldershot existed for war, and the comings and goings of troops passed -almost unnoticed. True, it now became increasingly difficult to find -rooms in the town, and the local outfitters promptly set to work to -reap a golden harvest from the fantastic prices which they put upon war -gear of all kinds, but that was all--at least to the eye of a casual -observer. - -There was Fritz, the doyen of Aldershot hairdressers. I wonder how -much he learned in those days of the movements of units. Fritz had -been an institution in the camps when present-day G.O.C.'s, grizzled -and weather-beaten, had, as junior subalterns, sought his advice upon -the training of incipient moustaches. Fritz remembered them all, could -instantly reel off details of their careers, their regiments or -stations, from the time they had left Aldershot until they had returned -in senior commands. All duly pigeonholed in Berlin together with -seemingly trivial incidents in their private lives. - -Later on, sometime at the Aisne, rumour came round that Herr Fritz had -been up to mischief of a more serious nature and that he had been duly -lodged in prison, or shot, or something equally suitable. - -Those were happy if very strenuous days at Aldershot that week or so -before the embarkation. Men talked very little about the future, -everyone was really too busy. Thoughts naturally flew back to the -South African War when they did talk. - -"Nobody was particularly keen on that," was the generally expressed -opinion; "nobody wanted to kill the Boers; too one-sided. This--oh! -this is the real thing. We've got our work cut out." - -The very day after the mobilisation the Officers' Mess showed signs of -packing up. It reminded one so much of the third act in _The Second in -Command_. Two notices in the hall brought things home:-- - -"Officers may wear Service dress or blue undress jackets in Mess." - -"Officers are particularly requested to pay their mess bills before -leaving." - -Packing-cases and parcels began to drift in and lie about: dozens of -telegrams passed in and out: a smaller variety of dishes appeared at -luncheon and dinner: the regimental band came and played to us every -night (the cheerier spirits all took a hand at conducting, especially -rag-time). - -Everybody had his job, and nobody knew what anyone else was doing. -Right at the beginning we experienced a curious feeling of secrecy. -You would see an officer at lunch and miss him at dinner. - -"Oh yes! I believe he has gone this afternoon," someone remarks. - -"When are you off?" Colonel X. would say to an officer in a moment of -forgetfulness, hastily adding, "No, I don't want to know--but, mind you -pay your mess bill before you go." - -This secrecy of movement was certainly the most striking feature of -those early days: that, and the splendid organisation. We have got -accustomed to it since, but at the time, and to men used to the -happy-go-lucky methods of this dear, lovable, muddle-headed old country -of ours, that organisation struck one as amazing. - -On August 5th every C.O. was handed a file of documents. In these were -given the most precise directions as to times, places and dates when -his unit was to leave Aldershot. For instance: - -"Train No. 463Y will arrive at siding B at 12.35 A.M., August 10th. - -"You will complete loading by 3.40 A.M. - -"This train will leave siding C at 9.45 A.M., August 10th. - -"You will march on to the platform at 9.30 A.M. and complete your -entraining by 9.40." - -And I believe it is a fact that every train left five minutes ahead of -its scheduled time. The London and South Western Railway was given -sixty hours in which to send to Southampton 350 troop-trains. They did -it in forty-five hours. "Some" hustle! The astonishing efficiency of -it all, and the admirable co-operation between military and civil -authorities. I very much doubt if there were more than two officers of -the Staff at Aldershot H.Q. who knew details of the intended movements. -Fritz must have been annoyed. C.O.'s, and other individual officers, -who knew when their own unit was timed for departure, entered -splendidly into the spirit of the game and loyally kept the information -to themselves; would not even tell their people, nor their best girls. - -One day the King came down. The visit was as secret as everything -else. Each unit received about a quarter of an hour's warning of His -Majesty's approach, and the men turned out of their tents or broke off -their work to line up by the road. A few words of "good-bye, and good -luck" to the men, a warm hand-clasp to the officers, three cheers, and -the Royal car slipped forward to the next unit. One could hear the -ripple of cheering flow round the camps as His Majesty passed. - -By the way, it is a little curious how, from the very beginning, there -have been just three words used by everyone in bidding "good-bye." -"Good-bye, and good luck." A kind of spontaneous, universal formula. -Officers used it, the men, mothers, wives and sweethearts. - - "Good-bye, and good luck" to our sailors - (It's a big debt we owe you to-day), - "Good-bye, and good luck" to our soldiers - (Some day we shall hope to repay). - Though anxious the hearts left behind you, - And a tear from the eye seems to fall, - Yet--"good-bye"--God be with you, "good luck attend you, - "Good-bye, and good luck to you all"-- - -as the refrain of a popular song had it later. - -Impressions of those few hurried days are blurred. In a sense one had -been through it all many times before. It differed but little from -moving station or preparing for manoeuvres. And yet there was -something of the glamour of an unknown future before one: an -instinctive feeling that this was the end of soldiering as we had known -it. Not that anyone dreamed of the war lasting beyond Christmas; there -are no pessimists in the Army. We were all at school breaking up for -the holidays, and I think that just about sums up the situation as we -saw it at Aldershot. The unknown future was more on the lines of -"Shall we get any skating?" "Will there be some good shows at the -theatres?" "What sort of fun will the Pytchley give us?" "Shall I be -able to get in the Hunt Ball?" - -And so one has little enough to say about the days of mobilisation and -packing up. Besides, quite enough has already been written to satisfy -an interested public. One little adventure, however, seems worth -recording. It befell a certain Gunner captain who was detailed to -conduct a draft of men from one unit to another. The yarn has the -merit of being true in every particular. It may form a small chapter -to itself. - - -A TOURING COMPANY - -"Putting two and two together," said the A.S.C. major, "I imagine that -you're to take this draft on to Portsmouth and hand over to the O.C. of -the company down there." - -Why a Gunner captain should have to conduct a draft of Field Gunners to -a place like Portsmouth and hand them over to the tender mercies of an -A.S.C. Company Commander, I couldn't imagine. Nor indeed why a Gunner -should take his instructions from an A.S.C. major at all. But the -Divisional C.R.A. had sent me up to him with the remark, "It looks as -though you ought to report there," and that was all about it. - -Mobilisation is responsible for a good many queer happenings, and here -at Aldershot on the third day of it most men were rather at sea. - -Even in those few hours one had learned not to ask questions. There -was no objection to the asking, but the answer was usually a vacant, -far-away look over the shoulder and "Eenteenth Brigade Office? Oh, -it's over there"; and a wave of the arm would comprehensively include -Farnborough, Deepcut and the Town Station. - -And that was how the trouble began. If only the A.S.C. major had -exercised a little imagination and made five out of his addition sum: -if only he had read his own instructions a little more carefully -(although we didn't know that till afterwards), a draft of tired -Gunners would not have spent the next week trailing about the South of -England looking for an A.S.C. company which didn't want them, and their -officer would not have received a black mark which nearly damned his -future chances at the very outset. But that by the way. - -"The men had their breakfast at three this morning," and the cheery -little subaltern, who had brought the draft down from Newcastle, -saluted and discreetly made himself still smaller by vanishing hastily -round the nearest corner. - -I took my railway warrant and went out to have a look at the draft. - -A fresh-looking lot they were; young, most of them, averaging about -twenty-three years old; special reservists the senior sergeant told me. -The few old hands, who sadly needed a shave and a wash, showed how -young the rest of them were. I didn't take much stock of them, then. -One doesn't when it's just a conducting job of a few hours, handing -over, and back to Headquarters right away. - -The men stood to attention, picked up their kits, and, with a "Fours -left," we were off to the station down the shimmering, dancing, sandy -roads of the Aldershot camps. The A.S.C. major returned to his ledgers -and more arithmetic, and the cheery subaltern reclined at lordly ease -in a Gunner Mess arm-chair, with a tinkling glass of gin and ginger -beer at his elbow, and discussed the striking results of the previous -day's battle in the North Sea--which had not taken place. - -The station-master, who didn't look as worried as he felt, touched his -cap. - -"A local to ----, then change and go on to Reigate" (was it Reigate? I -forget now, one visited so many out-of-the-way places), "and from there -you'll probably get a through train to Portsmouth. If there isn't room -in the train you can always turn people out." - -Visions of burly, homespun-clad farmers and comfortable market-women -being turned out, protesting, by a mere Gunner captain danced through -my brain. Actions for assault and battery, damages, bail, prison. - -"How an if they will not turn out?" said I. - -And then I realised. This was War, red War; and Great Britain was -mobilising. The needs of the State were paramount. - -"You shall bid them turn out in the Prince's name," and, unlike -Dogberry, shall see that you are obeyed. - -And I made myself two inches taller because after all a Gunner captain -was somebody in the world now. And people looked with a new interest -at the lads in khaki and began to realise, perhaps for the first time, -that they would have to count on the British Army even though it were -"such a little one." - -To do the good folk justice there was never a word of protest at the -idea of having to turn out. And we had to invite them to do so a good -many times before the company finished its tour of the Southern ports. -Really it might have been a railway in Germany from the way the -civilians gave road to the uniform. This change of attitude was -certainly a vivid contrast to the days--last week was it?--when a man -in His Majesty's uniform was looked at askance in crowded street and -bar. - -At Reigate, where we had to wait an hour, a bombardier, one of the old -hands, begged leave to visit a certain hotel outside the station to buy -some bread and cheese. - -He was a man who hardly gave the appearance of being bread-and-cheese -hungry, if you quite take my meaning, and the glassy stare with which -this ancient tried to fix me augured ill for discipline if there were -many others in the draft like him. Permission was refused. It was a -trivial point gained but it had its consequences. - -Portsmouth was reached in some five hours; and twenty minutes' march -brought us to the A.S.C. barracks where a hot dinner would cheer us -all; for I had remembered to send a telegram _en route_ to tell them to -expect us. - -We were received with cordiality by a decrepit old store-keeper, and -the stables' cat. Otherwise the barracks looked as though an army had -lately sacked the place from floor to basement. - -The men looked glum, and there was more than a hint of a move to a -near-by hotel for "bread and cheese." Well, they were only young -reservists and discipline was an almost unknown quantity. - -But dinner had to materialise somehow. So, demanding the keys of the -castle from the unwilling seneschal, the senior sergeant, the -bombardier, the stables' cat and myself started on a tour of inspection. - -Good! The kitchen contained a sack of flour and most of a sheep. -Apparently the sheep was intended to last the decrepit servitor and his -struggling family for the rest of the week. But we paid no heed to -tearful entreaties and ruthlessly tore the meat away from their very -mouths. - -"This is War," said I. - -Soon dinner was well on the way, blankets were found for the men, and -off I went to report to Headquarters. - -H.Q. "received me most politely," as Harry Fragson used to sing, and -didn't think they wanted me nor my company for any performance in -Portsmouth. - -"Come back to-morrow morning," said H.Q., "and we'll tell you." - -The next day. "Oh, yes!" said H.Q., "you're Field Gunners, you're -evidently sent here for Hilsea (two miles out): you'd better move on at -once." - -"Parade with kits in half an hour," I ordered. - -Merrily we marched forth from the castle gates. Were we not wanted at -Hilsea? - -A cyclist orderly threw himself, panting, from his machine. - -"H.Q.'s compliments and will you please report there at once." - -"Halt! Fours about! Quick march!" - -H.Q. again received me most politely. - -"No, you're not to go to Hilsea. You've evidently got to join the -Eenty-eenth A.S.C. Company which has gone on to Bristol. You'll just -catch the 5.0 train if you're sharp." - -"We're to go to Bristol," said I to the senior sergeant, "and you've -got to get a move on or we'll miss the train." - -"I've heard tell of Bristol," he ruminated; "nice place, so my wife's -cousin's husband used to say. He did tell as how----" - -But I cut the soliloquy short and got the draft out of the castle again. - -A few minutes later peaceable citizens fled into doorways and up -courts, electric cars pulled up short with a grinding of brakes, -policemen held up traffic. The R.F.A. draft approached at a steady -double. - -"Where's the fire?" yelled some. - -"The Germans have captured the 'Hampshire Arms,'" said others. - -"It's for a cinema show," screamed a ragged urchin. Everyone gave us -kindly encouragement, and girls waved merrily as we flew past. The -bombardier, who was on the pavement side, threw an arm gallantly round -the waist of a stout matron of some forty summers and dragged her, not -unwillingly, half a dozen yards before he could get home with a kiss on -the cheek. - -But we caught that train with five minutes to spare. The men were now -beginning to see the joke. As yet it had escaped me. Of course it was -not the first time I had seen "Tommy" at his cheeriest under -misadventures; but this cheeriness now struck me vividly for the first -time. To-day it is world-famous. - -They certainly made that journey a lively one. Six hours in a slow -train across country--it is apt to become somewhat tedious. I tried to -look like the man who owns a dog which persists in nibbling the -trousers of total strangers--to pretend they (the men, not the -trousers) didn't belong to me. It was no good. They might have been -Lancashire lads off to Blackpool for the "wakes." - -So with imitations of Harry Tate, George Robey and other well-known -favourites of the music-halls, the railway officials at the various -stations being made the butt of the jokes; with a weird medley of -harmony and melody, from "Hallo, hallo, who's your lady friend?" to -"Sun of my Soul," the journey passed happily enough until the first of -the Bristol stations was reached about 11.45 P.M. - -As no one knew where the A.S.C. barracks were I got through on the -telephone to H.Q. - -"This is Captain Estcourt, R.F.A., speaking. I've got----" - -The orderly evidently went to fetch someone else. It turned out to be -an adjutant, who listened to me most politely. - -"No, we've got no A.S.C. here. I don't think there are any in Bristol. -But you might ring up ---- Barracks and see." Prrr. - -"Hallo! Is that ---- Barracks? I'm Captain----" - -The orderly went to fetch someone. This time, after a long wait, it -was evidently an irascible senior officer. - -"No. No A.S.C. here. Try Avonmouth." Prrr. - -This looked like bedding down in the station waiting-rooms. Still we -would try Avonmouth. - -Avonmouth Headquarters received me over the telephone most politely, -considering the time of night. - -"No, we've got no A.S.C. here; but you might ring up the Embarkation -Office." Prrr. - -"Hallo! Embarkation Office? I'm ----, etc." - -The Embarkation Office was not quite so polite in its reception. It -sounded very worried. - -"No. We've got no A.S.C. here. You can come along down if you like in -case the company should turn up." - -Luckily the last train had not gone. When it drew up in the station -the men greeted it as a long-lost friend. To the strains of "All -aboard for Dixie" they clambered in, more cheery than ever. - -At Avonmouth we came out into a wilderness of mighty sheds. The night -breeze from the Bristol Channel carried with it the pungent, cleanly -smell of tarred rope. - -"This is Avonmouth," said I to the senior sergeant, "and we can't go -any farther unless a ship is waiting for us. I'm going to see where we -can bed down." - -The Embarkation Office had had time to recover from its worries and -received me very politely. - -Eventually we got the men into one of the sheds where hundreds of sacks -of oats lay about. In ten minutes they had made themselves amazingly -comfortable and peace reigned. - -But I'm glad we went to Avonmouth. It gave me my first real glimpse of -the astonishing organisation under which the Expeditionary Force was to -take the field; and also of the methods of supply. - -Outside the dock gates, by all the approach roads into the little town, -there were streaming in hundreds upon hundreds of great motor lorries, -the majority of them built to carry three tons. - -From all parts of England and Scotland dozens were arriving every hour. -The organisation of it! Here was the third or fourth day from -mobilisation and there were a couple of thousand ready for -transportation. - -You picture a vividly green lorry of a big whisky distillery up North -axle to axle with the scarlet of a Brixton firm with its blatant -advertisement of somebody's corsets. The cockney driver from a London -furnishing house exchanged honeyed words with a colleague from "'twixt -Trent and Tweed" in a polite inquiry as to why the hell he couldn't let -his tail-board down without using his (the Londoner's) radiator to -scrape his boots on. - -"Can't you imagine Tommy's comments when he finds a 'Johnny Walker' van -bringing up his ammunition in the wilds of Belgium," was the general -remark, "but I suppose they'll give them a coat of paint first." - -They didn't, as a matter of fact; at least not for several months, so -that Tommy was able to indulge his gift of language to the full. - -And so nearly two days passed. The men amused themselves by wandering -about the docks, wondering at the shipping, and making sarcastic -remarks about the lorry drivers who were being taught how to handle a -rifle. - -Then came a telegram from H.Q., Aldershot. - -"Return and report here immediately." - -"Good," said the senior sergeant to me, "I always did like Aldershot. -But we've had quite a pleasant holiday seeing the country." - -The draft duly paraded again, and when they learned their next -destination their remarks were a joy to listen to. - -We caught a 9.0 train in the evening into Bristol. Then we marched -across the city, a matter of, say, three miles. It was a Sunday night, -the good citizens were abed. But my lads were determined to show that -they were by no means downhearted. - -The march across was one long pageant of melody. "I'm going home to -Dixie" was prime favourite, and splendidly they sang it in harmony. -Then some evening hymns, then more rag-time--they were really excellent -exponents of that difficult art--then "Onward, Christian Soldiers"; but -never a note of "Tipperary." That immortal chorus had not yet -"arrived." - -The midnight train from Bristol to Reading. A wait of three hours. -Finally, Aldershot (the wrong station) at 6.30 A.M. A march of four -miles into camp somewhat took the spirit out of the men, breakfastless -and carrying heavy kits. But we rallied them at the last post and came -in singing "Somewhere the sun is shining," like a choir of Welsh -colliers. We certainly looked the part. - -"We've been looking for you for a week; where on earth have you been?" -was hurled at us as we marched in. - -The bombardier started upon a story which would have made that intrepid -explorer Captain de Rougemont green with envy. I left him to his -astonished audience and went off for a bath and shave before attending -my own funeral at H.Q. - -It will have been observed that there were varying degrees in the -politeness with which successive H.Q.s greeted my touring company. The -politeness with which Aldershot Headquarters now greeted me was well -below freezing-point. - -"I received your telegrams from Portsmouth and various other places," -was the Chief's opening. "You appear to have been taking your men upon -an extended holiday round the southern coast health resorts. May I -inquire, without appearing too inquisitive, your authority for this -expenditure of public money?" - -"Will you allow me to explain, sir?" - -"I am waiting for your explanation." - -I began. When I had recounted the story of the A.S.C. major's -arithmetical problem I saw that I had the Great Man's attention. As -soon as I had caught the 5 P.M. train from Portsmouth---- - -"Sit down, won't you," said the Great Man; "cigarette?" - -I took one from his proffered case and lit it carefully. - -"If only I can hold him," thought I, "I shall pull through." - -I did hold him, and I did pull through. - -"I don't know that I can compliment you on your perspicacity," said the -Great Man, "but I can see now where the blame lies. I had intended to -withdraw your name from the Expeditionary Force, but----" - -I got up, mouth open. - -"Expeditionary Force?" It can only have been a feeble gasp which the -Great Man heard. "Am I going out with the Force?" - -The Great Man smiled and put his hand on my shoulder. - -"We'll overlook it this time. Let's see how well you can do your job. -And if you send in your claim for travelling expenses, send it to me -and I'll countersign it." - -I suppose I must have said something by way of thanks. I suppose I -must have saluted, and closed the door behind me. I know that I -cleared half a dozen or so of the stairs down at a bound and fell over -an astonished sentry at the bottom. It must have looked most -undignified in a Gunner captain, but--I had actually been selected to -join the British Expeditionary Force with a command of my own and---- - -I leaped into the waiting taxicab in a state of delirium. - -The driver touched his cap. - -"Where to, sir?" said he. - -"Where to? Where to? Oh! Brussels; anywhere." - -The driver grinned in sympathetic understanding and got on to third -speed in as many seconds. - - -And that is how I very nearly missed the most gorgeous adventure of my -life. - - - - -CHAPTER II - -THE SAILING OF THE FORCE - - _Follow, follow! - Grapple your minds to sternage of this navy; - And leave your England as dead midnight still. - * * * * * - For who is he, whose chin is but enrich'd - With one appearing hair, that will not follow - These cull'd and choice-drawn cavaliers to France?_ - -"_I consider that I have command of the sea when I am able to tell my -Government that they can move an expedition to any point without fear -of interference from an enemy's fleet._"--SIR GEOFFREY HORNBY. - - -Train No. B46 had slipped unostentatiously into its appointed siding -precisely on its scheduled time. For a couple of hours the men had -been working like galley-slaves to get the ammunition on board in time. -The C.O. and two other officers with their coats off were working as -hard as the rest. And it is no joke heaving up and packing neatly -cases of 18-pr. and howitzer shell, especially when you are not used to -it. - -Finished at last, and with half an hour to the good. Another four -hours and they will be on the road themselves, the first step into the -unknown. - -A couple of hours' sleep, a shave and a bath, a final look round the -battery office, a last hurried breakfast in the Mess, and a last -handshake with the colonel. - -"You off? Well, good-bye, and good luck to you. We shall meet over -the other side, I expect." - -The battery parades. "Battery all present, sir," reports the -sergeant-major. The report runs through until it reaches the C.O. A -few minutes to ride round the teams and then: - -"Column o' route from the right. Walk--march!" and the battery is off -through the early morning quiet of the Aldershot streets, bound for the -port of embarkation. - -Thus the mounted units, or most of them. Others by train. A few lines -will serve as description for all these. - -A Railway Transport Officer meets the C.O. on the platform as the men -march in. - -"Get your men in as quickly as you can, please; we always get off five -minutes ahead of time." - -"What's our port?" asks the C.O. - -"No idea. Push on, please." - -The C.O. "pushes on." - -"All in," he reports to the R.T.O., and turns for a final shake of the -hand. - -"Well, good-bye, and good luck" (always that phrase); "wish I was -coming with you." - -The R.T.O. gives the signal and looks wistfully for a moment after the -train before he clambers across the metals to dispatch another dozen or -so units from other sidings. - -"Where are we embarking?" asks everyone. Not a soul knows. I don't -believe the engine-driver himself knew. He just went gaily forward -following the points or stopping for signals. - -"Through Winchester! Why, it must be Southampton. Wonder what our -port will be the other side?" - - -Detraining and embarkation at Southampton were carried out under the -same admirable conditions of efficiency and speed, and with never a -single hitch. It seems little enough to read the sentence in cold -print, but the more one thinks about it the more wonderful appears the -organisation. Had it been the German War Staff directing movements the -affair would have seemed no more than an ordinary episode. But with -memories of the South African War, and a hundred everyday incidents -constantly revealing muddling, red-tape methods, one can find no words -in which to express adequately one's admiration for this astonishing -volte-face. One single incident, one of fifty like it, will show to -what excellent purpose the Authorities had profited by experience, even -in those early days. - -An A.S.C. motor transport unit was detailed to embark upon a certain -ship. Nearly a day's warning had been given to the O.C. The lorries -were driven to the dock-side and were just being got on board. The -Embarkation Officer, who was standing quietly by, suddenly informed the -C.O. that his ship was not that one but another due to sail from -another dock some distance away. - -The C.O. had barely time in which to get his lorries across, and the -ship sailed the moment all was reported clear. - -An incident trivial enough, and how un-English it seemed at the time. -But after the secret landing of the 9th Army Corps at Suvla, and the -subsequent evacuation of Gallipoli, it would appear that we have -nothing to learn in the art of ruse. - -The weather in those early days of August was perfect: the sea so calm -that there was no discomfort even, with the men and horses packed on -board like sardines in a tin. If it was a night crossing, the men -bedded down in rows out on the decks just as they had filed on board. -The transports were of all kinds, from an Atlantic liner to a coasting -tramp. - -The ship's officers did more than their best for everybody's comfort, -giving up their cabins to the officers, sharing their meals and -refusing to accept any payment for food and drinks. If the skipper of -a certain ship of the Royal Mail Company, which sailed on the early -morning of August 16th from Southampton, chances to see these lines I -would tell him how gratefully his kindness is remembered, and how the -little mascot, in the shape of a tiny teapot from the steward's pantry, -brought the best of luck through ten months' hard service, always made -excellent tea whenever called upon, and now occupies a place of honour -in my china cabinet. Here's wishing everything of the best to those -who carry on the fine traditions of the blue or red ensign! - -"Well, where are we bound for?" This to the First Officer. - -"Don't know a bit," he replies. "The skipper may know, but I'm not -sure. Anyway he's as close as a barnacle about it." - -We steamed across Channel with all lights on. It was another of those -astonishing facts which didn't strike one until later. We were off the -mouth of the Seine exactly twelve hours after sailing. And all that -time we only once sighted anything in the shape of a convoy, and that -was a T.B.D. for about twenty minutes a couple of miles to starboard. - -At this stage it seems almost invidious to say anything more about the -work of the Grand Fleet during that first fortnight. And yet, even -now, the public is amazingly ignorant of what the Navy has -accomplished, or, indeed is still accomplishing. Ignorant, not through -indifference, but because the Authorities still steadily refuse to take -seriously in hand the work of education in war facts and ideas. - -How the Navy succeeded in sweeping the enemy flag from the North Sea -and the Channel in a couple of days, apparently without firing a shot, -we cannot pretend to guess. Some day the story will be told. But the -result was the most astonishing manifestation of the real meaning of -naval supremacy that the world has ever seen, or is ever likely to see. -And Germany, by her naval inaction, lost for ever her great chance of -the War, and so, in failing to intercept or damage the British -Expeditionary Force, failed also to enter Paris and to end the war upon -her own terms within the period she had intended. The British Army may -have saved Paris, but the British Navy enabled it to do so. - -Entering the Seine the skipper revealed the name of our destination, -Rouen. Another instance of organisation and forethought on the part of -the Authorities in using small ships so as to get right up the river -and disembark troops and stores well inland. - -Again, this has become a matter of everyday routine, but in those days -each such new manoeuvre was sufficiently remarkable for admiring -comment. - -Here the pilot came on board. A typical old son of Normandy he was, -grizzled and weatherbeaten, clambering aboard with stiff heavy gait. - -On to the bridge he climbed: saw our lads clustered thick as bees in -the fo'c'sle and lower deck. Up went his cap into the air, tears -sprang to his eyes. - -"Vivent les Anglais!" he shouted, "vive l'Angleterre! A--ah" (with an -instinct of triumph), "ça va bien. Ils arrivent." - -How the lads yelled in answer. - -"Cheer-o, moossoo. Veeve France! 'Who's your lady friend?' 'For he's -a jolly good fellow,'"--and other pertinent observations. - -Then, to my astonishment, they burst into the "Marseillaise." How and -where they had learned it I have no idea. But sing it they did, and -very well too. They took that little curly bit in the middle, where a -B flat comes when you least expect it, just like an old hunter clearing -a stiff post-and-rails. And that old chap stood on the bridge and -mopped his eyes, and didn't care who saw him do it. The English had -really come to stand by his beloved France. _Comme ça va bien!_ - -That was the first hint we had of the reception which awaited us. - -You picture the transport steaming slowly up river between the high, -wooded banks. Little houses, such as Peter Pan might have built for -Wendy, seem to sway dizzily in the tree-tops. Out on to the verandas, -down to the river path run the women and children, and the few old men -who remain. Everyone carries a little flag; not the French tricolour, -but the British Jack--or rather an excellent substitute. - -Dimly one can see the waving hands, faintly across the water echo the -treble voices. But know now what it means, and gallantly our lads -respond to this welcome of our future hosts, who, with true French -courtesy, have met their guests at the very entrance gates. - -Far up the hill-side, close under the ridge, there nestles a tiny -cottage. A blot of deep crimson staining the deeper green of the trees -makes me take out my binoculars. The good house-wife, with no British -flag available, yet determined to do honour to her country's allies, -has taken the red tablecloth, has stitched long bands of white across -it to form a St. Andrew's Cross, and flung it proudly across the -balustrade. What monarch ever had truer-hearted welcome from his own -people? Well, the sight brought a lump to the throat of at least one -Englishman. - -And so slowly we steamed up the historic river. France had indeed -flung wide her gates in welcome. Here we found ourselves moving in a -small procession of transports. Greetings swung across from one ship -to the next, to combine and roar out a British answer to our French -friends on shore. - -Ah! but it was good to feel that Britain had not failed France, though -the obligation were no more than a moral one. It was good to be an -Englishman that day; good to feel that Englishmen then in France could -now look Frenchmen squarely in the face and say: - -"You thought we were going to stand aside, didn't you? Well, you see -we are coming in with you and you can bet that means that we intend to -see it through." - -Yes, one felt proud as never before. - - - - -CHAPTER III - -THE LANDING OF THE FORCE - -"_Shall not thou and I, between Saint Dennis and Saint George, compound -a boy, half French, half English, that shall go to Constantinople, and -take the Turk by the beard?_" - - -The dominant note in the reception which the French gave to the Force -on landing was undoubtedly that of _relief_. Happy in showering little -courtesies, surprised and delighted with everything British--all these, -but it was relief which came uppermost in their minds. The feeling -which the old pilot had expressed in his "comme ça va bien, maintenant." - -And as transport after transport slid quietly to her berth alongside -the broad Rouen quays, discharged her freight of men, horses, guns, -stores, lorries, and the countless trappings of a modern army, and then -as quickly and noiselessly vacated the berth for her successor, so -increased the wonder and delight of the good Normandy folk. - -That _les anglais_ should really have arrived was splendid enough, but -that they should also bring with them their own food and cooking -arrangements--"mais c'est tonnant! et quelle organisation!" - -Everyone spoke in admiring comment about it. And how Rouen crowded -down to the quays or out to the rest camps to watch _les anglais_ -cooking their dinners! Army stores those few days were sadly depleted -of tins of jam, biscuits and "grocery ration." How could one refuse -the hungry look in the eye of a motherly matron as she espied a packet -of the famous English tea? - -And the children! We learned for the first time how hungry children -could be when they saw biscuits and jam. - -Make a fuss of the kiddies and you have won the mothers! And if you -have won the mothers and women of France you have conquered "la belle -France" herself. And _les anglais_ conquered France in those few days -at the French ports. The happiest of victories, and one which augured -well for the future. - -Nothing pleased the French more than British courtesy and gentleness to -women and children; and their kindness to and care of their horses. -British love of personal cleanliness, and the unfailing cheeriness of -the men, these have, of course, long since become proverbial. But then -it was all new to France, almost to the world, and so one records these -things as first impressions. - -And the Scotties. Everyone knows how the lads from north of the Tweed -made sad havoc among French hearts. Have they not always done so since -Frenchmen and Scotsmen first clasped hands in alliance? - -If a Scotsman was asked once a day whether he wore anything under his -kilt he was asked a hundred times. And truth compels me to add that it -was generally the ladies who put the question. What the answer was I -never found out. I imagine that our lads were not sorry to hide their -blushes in the troop trains which carried them forward to the frontier. - -But all these little details have been so admirably recorded by Philip -Gibbs in his masterly book, "The Soul of the War," that there is really -not much more to tell. I shall have still a little to add in the next -chapter, when it comes to trekking up country. - -I had some little cause on the first day of landing to regret the -exuberance of French hospitality. Half my men, they were mostly -Special Reservists, suddenly disappeared into the unknown directly they -set foot on shore. And they hadn't a week's pay in their pockets -either. - -Eventually I got them rounded up and next morning there were -twenty-five prisoners, "caps off," for "office." To say they were -surprised is to give a very poor indication of their feelings when they -found varying degrees of punishment awarded to them. - -But this was nothing to the ludicrous expressions of the men when all -the remainder were paraded and informed what they had to expect on -active service. It ran somewhat as follows: - - "When a sentry, sleeping upon his post." - Punishment--DEATH. - "Leaving his C.O. to go in search of - plunder." Punishment--DEATH. - "Forcing a safeguard."--DEATH. - "Quitting his guard without leave."--DEATH. - "Disobeying the lawful command of his - superior officer."--DEATH. - -And so on, the lightest punishment being about fourteen years' Rigorous -Imprisonment. - -Their faces got longer and longer as the list proceeded, and it was a -very meek detachment who turned to their dinners on the quay-side. And -that was the beginning and end of any trouble with those good lads -until the day when they, or the poor remnant who pulled through, -crowded round to sing "Auld lang syne" and give me a farewell cheer. -Fine work they did, and always as cheery and lovable as any unit in the -Force. - -Disembarkation was carried on with the same admirable efficiency which -had characterised embarkation. A large number of British Staff -officers had, I believe, crossed to France immediately upon -mobilisation. There, in collaboration with French colleagues, every -possible arrangement was made for the reception of the Force. - -Rest camps were pitched or billets were allotted, branches of the Army -Post Office were established, a field cashier was installed at the -Banque de France and imprests in French notes for the men's pay could -be obtained on demand. - -Of course everybody had seized the few hours' holiday on board ship to -write more or less lengthy letters home, hoping, in their innocence, -that the ship's officers would post them on returning to England. - -Alas! before ever the ship was berthed, an all-powerful bogy swarmed up -the companion way and greedily snatched away the ship's correspondence. -Calling for a brush and a barrel of black fluid, he gleefully set to -work upon the letters and postcards. When he had finished with them -(and it took him a good couple of hours on our ship) they looked like -the slips of paper you use in the parlour round-game where the first -player writes a line and leaves the next to continue the sentence. - -We had all given the most vivid description of our adventures, filling -page after page. When the precious documents ultimately reached their -destination, our fond parents, or best girls, must have been gratified -to find that their four-page letter had dwindled down to: - - -"MY DEAR FATHER,-- - -(Four pages of brush and fluid work.) - -"Well, I think I have told you all the news now. My love to the Mater -and, cheer-oh, we shall soon be home again. - -"Your affect. son, - "----" - - -It was very interesting to compare the way in which French and British -temperaments expressed themselves; intensely interesting to note how -each so quickly became the complement of the other. - -One knew so well the attitude of disdain of anything foreign which -invariably characterises the Briton abroad; an unfortunate attitude -which has been encouraged, or so it would almost seem, by the -invariable courtesy, under the most irritating conditions, of men and -women of the Latin races. - -Here were some seventy or eighty thousand men thrust headlong into a -strange country. Probably at least two-thirds of that number had never -been out of England before. Everyone knows the impression which your -average Englishman of the middle and lower classes has of French men -and French women. Certainly it has not been very complimentary. How -would our men now bear themselves? - -And if our attitude to the French has for the most part been one of -cold disdain and amusement, the French would seem to have regarded us, -as a race, with incredulity, tempered by such a degree of irritation as -their native courtesy would permit. This, together with an under -current of admiration. - -"_Que j'aime la hardiesse anglaise!_" says Voltaire, "_que j'aime les -gens qui disent ce qu'ils pensent._" - -During those early August days before the Retreat there was little real -opportunity to modify racial opinions. But if British disdain was not -yet effaced, the overwhelming reception by the French went far to break -it down. Soon it was to be washed clean away in the blood sacrament -which united French and English in a closer tie than that of -brothers-in-arms. - -French methods and customs still amused our men, but the amusement -became that light-hearted gaiety, in tackling and surmounting trifling -difficulties in a foreign country, which is quite irresistible. Here -the British soldier or sailor is always at his very best, and the -anecdotes of his adventures in French villages and towns would fill a -volume. - -Wiseacres who try to invent some universal language should certainly -base it upon that of Thomas A. in a strange country. He is equally at -home in China, Peru, the wilds of Africa or Spain. - -The fact which astonished him more than anything else about the French -language was that all the children spoke it. He could understand -grown-ups learning it in time; but how the kiddies were able to talk it -with such amazing fluency, that was quite beyond him. - -As for the French attitude of mind, I am inclined to think that their -incredulity, admiration and irritation were all intensified; the last -named, however, being even less in evidence than before. - -The attitude of the French women is easier to define. It is literally -true to remark that, from highest to lowest in the land, there were no -half measures in their welcome. One can say this now because the fact -has long since been recognised and openly discussed in France. This, -however, is not the place in which to make more than passing reference -to a subject which, apart from the purely human aspect, is more a -matter for the student of physiology or psychology. - -"Combien de coeurs vous avez ravagé dans un si petit délai que vous -avez stationné ici," a French girl once remarked, "et cependant on ne -devrait pas refuser aux anglais les baisers qu'ils nous demandent -puisqu'ils se donnent pour nous." - -And the last half of the sentence admirably sums up the French woman's -point of view. - -This landing of the portion of the Force at Rouen was typical of what -happened at Boulogne or Havre. John Buchan, in his first volume of the -"History of the War," has given a most interesting glimpse of incidents -at the former port. - -In no case did the troops remain at these bases for more than a couple -of days. Nobody appeared to have the least idea of what was going on -up at the frontiers, but time was obviously of importance. - -No one knew where they were bound for; no one appeared to have the -slightest presentiment of the tragedy, and the magnificence of the days -which were so soon to crowd upon them. Still the cheery, -light-hearted, end-of-term spirit. A summer holiday on the Continong! -Cheer-oh! - -And so they were merry parties of men which boarded the funny French -trains; where you had to clamber up the sides of the carriages from -platforms which didn't really exist, and where you were packed in like -a Cup Tie crowd returning from the Crystal Palace. - -How the horses hated those French trucks. Never before had they -suffered such indignity. I would not have been a stableman on duty in -one of those trucks for many a month's pay. - -"Mais, quelles bêtes!" said the railway officials. And the porters -would run and fetch the stationmaster and gesticulate at the -Compagnie's trucks, which had begun to look like bundles of firewood -long before the frontier was reached. - -"Third return Clapham Junction, please," said the company wag. - -"Wotto! Berlin! Not 'arf," shouted the rest.... - -And off the trains would steam, every compartment labelled "Berlin." -It's rather pathetic how history repeats itself. This time the French -were silent. They _knew_. - -So, forward into the unknown! - - - - -CHAPTER IV - -UP COUNTRY - - _So be there 'twixt your kingdoms such a spousal, - That never may ill office, or fell jealousy, - * * * * * - Thrust in between the paction of these kingdoms, - To make divorce of their incorporate league: - That English may as French, French Englishmen, - Receive each other!_ - - -Patience, still a little patience! The stage is not yet set. The -actors have not yet reached the theatre. Very soon now shall you see -unfolded the opening scenes of the Great Drama, and hear the first -clash of the armies. Soon shall you have your fill of the horror and -splendour of modern warfare. - -We have seen the Force into the French troop trains, horse, guns and -foot. But not all journeyed thus to the frontier. Some of the units, -the most mobile, went by road. Units which were intended to take their -places in the reserve lines, and especially the A.S.C. motor transport, -ammunition or supplies. Let us move forward with one of these and see -a little of the France through which so soon the armies will come -rolling back. - -Out from Rouen and across the lovely Normandy country. You picture the -excitement and amusement of the country folk as a great procession of -those motor lorries, which we have seen coming into Avonmouth, pants -heavily through the towns and villages. - -Here is a part of a letter, from an officer in one of those units, -which appeared in the _Times_ towards the end of August. It seems to -give a very happy picture of the French reception of our men. - - -ROSES, ROSES, ALL THE WAY - -I can, of course, tell you nothing of our movements, nor where we are. -I can, however, say something of the reception we have met with moving -across country. It has been simply wonderful and most affecting. We -travel entirely by motor transport (if the censor will allow that), and -it has been flowers all the way. One long procession of acclamation. -By the wayside and through the villages men, women, and children cheer -us on with the greatest enthusiasm, and everyone wants to give us -something. Even the babies in arms have been taught to wave their -little hands. - -They strip their flower gardens, and the cars look like carnival -carriages. They pelt us with fruit, cigarettes, chocolate, bread, -anything, and everything. It is simply impossible to convey an -impression of it all. One village had stretched across the road a big -banner, "Honour to the British Army." Always cries of "Vivent les -anglais, vive l'Angleterre," etc., and often they would make the sign -of hanging, and cutting the throat (the Kaiser), pointing forward along -the road. This always struck me as so curious. - -Yesterday, my own car had to stop in a town for petrol. In a moment -there must have been a couple of hundred people round, clamouring. -Autograph albums were thrust in front of me; a perfect delirium. A -tray of wine and biscuits appeared, and before we started again the car -had come to look like a grocery delivery van with a florist's window -display in front. - -In another town I had to stop for an hour and took the opportunity to -do some shopping. I wanted some motor goggles, an eye bath, some -boracic, provisions, etc. They would not let me pay for a single -thing, and there was lunch and drinks as well. - -The farther we go the more enthusiastic is the greeting. What it will -be like at the end of the war one cannot attempt to guess. - -This all sounds like a picnic, but the work is hard and continuous. -One eats and sleeps just when one can. There is no division between -night and day. But we are all very fit and well, and the men, who have -an easy time compared to the officers, look upon it as a huge joke--at -present. - -My French is, of course, simply invaluable, and each day I can -understand and talk better and better. It is extraordinary that I am -absolutely the only officer I have come across (except one or two Staff -men) who can speak it with any fluency. Well, this will surely be the -last of war amongst civilised peoples, and the dreams of the idealists -will be fulfilled. The French seem to think that it will all be over -certainly by Christmas. I wonder? - - -Thus the men came to see something of French life away from the beaten -track of the tourist, and, needless to say, they made friends at every -stopping-place. - -"Mais, si polis, ces messieurs anglais," everyone remarks. And how -could "ces messieurs" refuse some little trifles in return for such -hospitality? The word "souvenir" soon became a nightmare in their -dreams. There was a peculiar bleat in the intonation of the word which -was, after a time, positively hateful. But during the first few days -the men gave readily enough all sorts of little articles for which they -had no immediate use, and others for which they had. - -Before a week had elapsed very few had any buttons left. It was a -mystery how they kept their trousers up. Regimental badges on caps and -shoulder-straps were much appreciated, especially the Gunners' letters. -It did not take long for the quick-witted French girl to discover that -R.F.A. was obviously intended to represent the Triple Entente--Russie, -France, Angleterre. - -When these units eventually rolled up at their destination it was found -that about half the men had lost not only all their buttons and badges -but their caps as well, getting in exchange some horrible provincial -product in the shape of a rakish tweed cap. Bits of tape and string -held coats and trousers together. - -But long ere this Thomas Atkins was fed up with souvenir-hunters, and -one recalls a _Punch_ picture which showed a weary and wounded soldier -sitting by the roadside with what remained of his kit and arms. - -"'Souvenir' is it you want?" he remarks in reply to a little urchin who -is bleating the hateful word at him. "Here, you can take the ---- -lot." And he pitches his rifle and kit at the youngster's head. - -The officers and men who came up by road must have had a very cheery -time in the various towns where they were billeted. The route lay, I -believe, by way of Amiens, and so up through St. Quentin and Bohain to -Le Cateau. - -Hardly was there a hint of war in all that lovely country-side. What -war could ever touch those glowing cornfields, those orchards heavy -with plum and apple, the stately châteaux or dim cloisters of mediæval -church or convent? As little can we conceive our fragrant villages of -Kent or Surrey blasted and devastated by poisonous shells. - -Very, very few men were to be seen anywhere; only Government officials -and others over military age. Such guards or sentries as were posted -were somewhat decrepit-looking Territorials, with arms and -accoutrements which looked as if they had done good service in 1870. -But they made up for their deficiencies in other respects by an excess -of zeal in carrying out imaginary orders. - -Their method of challenging, in particular, had the merit of simplicity -and, at the same time, involved no undue straining of the vocal powers. -It was merely the thrusting of a rifle-barrel into the face or chest of -the passer-by. And when there is a very shaky hand on the trigger you -don't lose much time in getting out your credentials. - -One of these men caused much excitement one evening by holding up and -clapping into the guardroom every single individual who attempted to -pass him. He was performing sentry duty across a certain main road. - -This went on for a couple of hours, and the guardroom was becoming -uncomfortably crowded with a very miscellaneous assortment of -travellers. In fact, when a particularly plump matron, carrying a -basket of particularly evil-smelling cheeses, was incontinently thrust -in, to fall heavily across the toes of an already irate railway porter, -there was very nearly a riot. - -At length a gilded Staff officer came along. He too was held up. But -this time the sentry met his match. The officer demanded to see the -N.C.O. of the guard. Whereupon the sentry, who was really somewhat the -worse for drink, fell down upon his knees in the road, and with salty -tears coursing down his cheeks piteously besought the officer to allow -him to go home and get his supper. - -But French Territorials did their "bit" gallantly enough a few days -later, away on the British left. Old reservists as they were, they -hung on splendidly at Tournai, and, led by de Villaret, fought -gallantly against overwhelming numbers until they were surrounded, -killed, or captured. - -So, on through the golden August sunshine or beneath the heavy harvest -moon. Interminable processions of columns, horsed and petrol-driven, -threading their way along the endless, poplar-lined roads of France; -the white dust churned up and drifting over men and vehicles until they -look like Arctic adventurers. - -No one knows what is happening in the great "beyond." No one very much -cares. "Let's get on and have it over," is the philosophy of the hour. -"Expect those Germans are being held up a bit in Belgium; wonder where -we shall come in?" - -The enemy had marched in triumph through Brussels on August 20th. The -British Force was not actually in position until two days later: and -Brussels is only 30 odd miles from Mons. - -After it was all over; after the tide of war had crashed forward almost -to the gates of Paris and then rolled sullenly back, one saw a little -of the devastation it had left behind. Here are two pictures. - - * * * * * - -_August_ 20_th_. Can you, too, see that little vicarage hard by the -tiny church? (Think, it might have been plucked from a Surrey hamlet.) -The cool, veranda-shaded rooms filled with a hundred homely treasures; -the tiled kitchen with its winking copper pots and pans. Out through -the flagged yard, where pigeons coo in gentle defiance of predatory -sparrows, and down to a miniature farmstead. The pretty alleyed garden -of roses, hollyhocks and the flowers and sweet herbs of English -garden-lovers. - -Can you see the old curé as he browses over a volume of Renan? He has -tended his flock in that village for a quarter of a century. A pretty -niece keeps house for him; and her dainty herb-potions and unwearied -nursing have saved many a life in the little community. They think of -her as of an angel from heaven. - - -_September_ 7_th_. A fortnight later! The village street has -disappeared beneath the debris of what was once the village. One -cow-shed is still miraculously intact, and from it creeps a gaunt, -haggard old crone. They have not touched her. She was too old and -infirm to make good fun, even for the rank and file. - -She points with shaking finger to the wayside crucifix from which the -Christ looks down with infinite patience. He also has been -miraculously preserved. He gazes still over His tiny sanctuary, now -but two blackened, battered walls. The vicarage has disappeared as -though in an earthquake. The incendiary tablets have done their work -well. The little garden with its pretty rose trees has been ploughed -up, it would seem, by giant shares. - -Stay, in one corner, down by the brook, there is planted a rough wooden -cross. - -The old curé had refused to leave his post when the stream of refugees -had passed through. They told him of the horror behind them. He stood -firm. Jeannette, too, would stay with her uncle. - -_They_ came. The curé, they said, must be a spy left behind by the -French troops. Besides, he had carrier-pigeons. "What need have we of -further witnesses?" - -And so they tied him against the stem of his pigeon-cote. He met his -death as a gallant gentleman of France. - -The girl. Ah, young and tender! Good sport for the plucking! First -let her bury the old man. "Rather hard work using a spade when you're -not used to it, isn't it?--Done? Good, now get us dinner." - -After dinner, a dance--Eastern slave fashion. First, good sport for -the officers. "When we have finished throw her to the men." - -What need to tell the horrors of it? The village marked the ebb of the -tide. The French and British had turned at last. Hurried orders came -to retire at dawn. The girl had not been such good sport after -all--fainted too easily. - -A leering, drunken satyr slashes at her naked breasts with his bayonet -and Jeannette falls dead over the threshold. The house is fired, the -body is pitched on to the pyre. - -One village in France? No, one of a hundred where such things were -done. And this is almost as nothing beside such as this England of -ours has, by God's gracious mercy, been spared. What does England know -of this war? - - * * * * * - -Now the various units begin to converge and concentrate on the French -frontier. "Each unit," says the G.O.C.-in-Chief in his first dispatch, -"arrived at its destination in this country well within the scheduled -time." - -For some days past the French troop trains have been disgorging their -living freight at a number of stations and sidings, most of them -hastily improvised, within a few miles' radius on a line -Valenciennes-Maubeuge. - -The columns which came by road halted in various little villages about -the town of Le Cateau. You will get the general lie of the land and -the principal points of interest from the picture-map. - -Now to set the stage. - - - - -CHAPTER V - -THE MARSHALLING OF THE ARMIES - - _Now entertain conjecture of a time, - When creeping murmur, and the poring dark, - Fills the wide vessel of the universe. - From camp to camp, through the foul womb of night, - The hum of either army stilly sounds,_ - * * * * * - _..... and from the tents, - The armourers, accomplishing the knights, - With busy hammers closing rivets up, - Give dreadful note of preparation._ - - -A well-known American, it was probably Roosevelt, remarked à propos of -the outbreak of the War that Germany's readiness would redound to her -eternal dishonour, while Britain's unreadiness would be to her eternal -honour. - -The term "unready" applies to the nation as a whole. Fortunately for -civilisation the British Navy and the little striking Force were, as we -have seen, kept trained to an hour. And so it was that, upon a single -word, the whole machine moved precisely as the admirable organisation -had planned for it. - -It must also be remembered that for some years past everybody who had -studied international affairs with any intelligence knew precisely how -and where Germany would attack; that even in 1908 it was possible to -give the approximate date of such attack; and that when the attack came -the position of the British Expeditionary Force would be in the post of -honour upon the left of the French line in, approximately, the district -in which it actually deployed. - -Thus, up to a certain point, events fell out as anticipated. But one -or two big factors were not foreseen, or, at least, not sufficiently -appreciated. These were the amazing speed and mobility with which the -German initial attack was destined to develop; the overwhelming numbers -of the enemy; and, lastly, the astonishing effect of big gun fire, as -instanced at Liége and other fortresses. This lack of foresight came -within an ace of losing the war for the Entente Powers. - -It was not until Saturday, August 15th, that the gates into Belgium by -way of Liége were fully opened for the German armies, although Liége -itself had been entered on the 7th. - -The immediate effect, apart from the great moral value, of Belgium's -heroic and successful resistance of those two or three days was to give -to the British Force at least a sporting chance. The Force was late; -those three days allowed it to get into position. It needs no great -effort to imagine what would otherwise inevitably have happened. - -Now let me at this point disclaim any intention of giving details of -strategy and tactics, even were I sufficiently competent to do so. So -far as I can I shall try to tell the story as simply as possible, -omitting everything which may tend to confusion or which may render -necessary continuous reference to maps. In a word, I am making this -record of facts and impressions for the public, not for the experts. -It is the human side and not the military which I would emphasise. - -It is, however, necessary at the outset to get a good general idea of -numbers, and the disposition of the armies on August 22nd in the -particular area, if we wish fully to appreciate the events, and their -significance, of the succeeding ten days. For the sake of convenience -I will make sub-headings: - - -_The German Forces_ - -The total strength, all ranks, of a German _Army Corps_ is, roughly, -45,000; of a _Division_, roughly, 17,500. We may take this as a -minimum. - -Each Corps and each Division has, respectively, about 160 and 72 -field-guns, and 48 and 24 machine-guns. The numbers of the latter arm -were materially increased during 1913-14. - -The German forces which concentrated on this far Western front, from -Namur to about Tournai, consisted of no fewer than 13 Army Corps, _each -Corps being augmented by an extra Division_. These Reserve Divisions -were, I believe, combined into separate "Reserve Corps." - -The Corps were divided up:-- - - 5 under von Kluck (First German Army), - attacking British. - 4 under von Buelow (Second German - Army), attacking 5th French Army. - 4 under von Hausen (Third German - Army), attacking 4th French Army. - - -The general lines of advance will be seen in plan A (page 71) and plan -B (page 98). - -Thus, the total German force concentrated on or about this immediate -front must have numbered at least 812,500, with, say, 3,010 field-guns -and 936 machine-guns. - -It is not unreasonable to add to this total the not inconsiderable -number of cavalry which operated, more or less independently, on the -extreme flanks, and particularly from Tournai down through Amiens -towards Le Havre. - - -_The French Forces_ - -The total strength, all ranks, of a French Army Corps is, roughly, -40,000, with, say, 160 field- and 48 machine-guns. - -In this area there were present 3 corps under Lanrezac (5th French -Army) holding the line Charleroi-Namur, and 3 corps under de Langle de -Gary (4th French Army) holding a line west of the River Meuse -south-west from Namur. - -Away on the left flank of the British was another Corps, of -Territorials, under d'Amade; and near Maubeuge, in reserve, were two or -three Cavalry Divisions. These last did not, I believe, operate; and -the Territorials were also fully occupied in their own area. - -Reckoning up, then, we get an approximate total of, say, 240,000 men, -960 field- and 288 machine-guns. - - -_The British Forces_ - -A British Army Corps, of two Divisions, contains about 36,145, all -ranks, with 152 field- and 48 machine-guns. - -A Cavalry Division contains about 9,270, all ranks, with 24 field- and -24 machine-guns; a Cavalry Brigade about 2,285, all ranks, 6 field- and -6 machine-guns. - -This is not revealing State secrets, because the numbers may be -obtained from any military reference books. - -Now it was, I believe, originally intended that the Expeditionary Force -should be about 120,000 strong, or half the strength of the army with -the colours. - -The force actually present at Mons on August 22nd consisted, nominally, -of two Army Corps, a Cavalry Division and a Cavalry Brigade. But -several authorities, including Mr. Hilaire Belloc, assert that one of -these corps was considerably below strength, and that, in round -numbers, the strength of the Force was no more than 75,000, with 250 -guns. - -If we calculate up the _official_ strength the numbers should work out -at 83,845 all ranks, 334 field- and 126 machine-guns. - -Another Infantry Brigade came up on the 23rd and joined the Second -Corps, and another Division (the 4th) also arrived.[1] - -Taking everything into account it is, I think, reasonable to put the -British strength at about 80,000 men, 300 field- and 100 machine-guns -when battle was first joined. - -Let me put these figures in tabular form so that we can get a -comparison at a glance. - - _Machine-_ - _All ranks. Field-guns. guns._ - - _Actual Approximate Numbers on August_ 22_nd_ - - _British_ . . . 80,000 300 100 - _French_ . . . 240,000 960 288 - _German_ . . . 812,500 3,016 936 - - _Excess German - strength over - Franco-British_ 492,500 1,756 548 - - -It is always rather difficult to grasp the _meaning_ of big numbers -like these, so let me put it another way. - -Place one German against each man in the Franco-British Force, and one -German field-gun against each field-gun on our side. Now take all the -German soldiers and guns still remaining over and imagine that you are -watching them march past you down Whitehall, the men in fours all doing -their "goose" parade step and the guns going by at a trot. - -The army, marching night and day, without a moment's halt, would take -just about three days to pass you. - -Such then was the enemy superiority; about four or five times as great -as the most pessimistic prophets had anticipated. We shall see shortly -what this superiority developed into against the British Force. - - -_The Position of the Forces_ - -British.--The general position of the opposing forces before battle was -joined, at least for the British, will be realised from plan A (page -71), and there is little need to add anything by way of explanation. - -It will be noted that the British line extended along a front of about -25 miles, with Mons near the centre of the line. On Saturday, August -22nd, Sir John French disposed the Force into its positions. The -Second Corps, under Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, held the canal line from -Condé, on the west, to Mons, on the east. The First Corps, under Sir -Douglas Haig, extended from Mons, on the west, to Binche, on the east. - -As there were no British reserves, the Cavalry Division, under General -Allenby, was detailed to act as such and to be ready to move forward -where and as required. - -The 5th Cavalry Brigade, under Sir Philip Chetwode, was posted in and -around Binche. - -French.--I have indicated the composition of the French force, and plan -A (page 71) will show how it was disposed on the morning of the 22nd; -i.e. 5th French Army from Charleroi to just south of Namur, and 4th -Army down the River Meuse to south of Dinant. - -Similarly, there is nothing further to add about the German -dispositions if the general lines of the enemy advance be noted: an -attempted out-flanking movement on the extreme west, and the driving in -of a wedge in the neighbourhood of Namur. These, together with heavy -frontal attacks. - - -In all that follows it is necessary to add in, by way of reinforcements -on the German side, the very great moral encouragement which the enemy -had received by their triumphal passage through Belgium. They were in -overwhelming strength; their heavy guns had crushed the fortresses in a -few hours like so many egg-shells; they had, for many a long year, -believed themselves invincible as against the world; and now they were -marching directly upon Paris with the confident hope that within three -months France would have ceased to exist as a nation, and that by the -end of the year the war would be finished, with terms of peace dictated -by their all-highest and supremely-powerful deity, the Kaiser. - -It was, too, not merely an army disciplined and trained in the minutest -details of war which was thus bludgeoning forward into France; it was, -in effect, a nation in arms. A nation which, for many a long year -past, had been educated to regard war as the greatest of all earthly -things---a supreme issue to which all the sciences and arts of the -preliminary years of peace were to be directed. - -It was a nation which regarded as fully legitimate any means whatever -to the supreme end desired. - -I recall a remark made to me during the South African War by a Prussian -naval officer. - -"You English," he said, "do not know the rudiments of war. When the -day comes for us to go to war you shall see how we deal with the men, -women and children. With us terror is our greatest weapon." - -To-day the world knows how that weapon has been mercilessly wielded; -and how impotent it has been. - -On her side Britain was equally united, but in a different sense. She -had taken up the gauntlet because her people were assured that the -cause was a just one. In those early days the Expeditionary Force was -not concerned one way or the other with the reasons for its presence in -France. The men were, for the most part, quite ignorant of the facts; -they were there as a professional army to do their "bit," as they had -often had to do it before, and I cannot recall a single instance during -the first month where the men spoke of the meaning of the war. - -In numbers they were hopelessly insignificant beside the enormous -masses ranged against them, but, for its size, the army with the -colours has always been recognised the world over as without a peer. - -There was, however, one factor which in no small degree tended to level -the balance. Discipline in the Germany Army meant discipline in the -mass, by regiments or companies, under constant supervision of officers -and N.C.O.'s. In the British Army it meant discipline of the -individual. In a word, if a British soldier finds himself alone in a -tight corner he generally knows how to get out, if it is humanly -possible. The German, accustomed from his childhood to be dry-nursed -in every trivial detail of his every-day life, would be hopelessly at -sea when forced to act on his own initiative. When properly led the -German is splendidly courageous, and in this respect, quite apart from -numbers and moral, it was an exceedingly tough proposition which French -and British were up against at Mons. - -As regards the French it is rather more difficult to estimate their -outlook in the early days. From their experience in 1870 they knew -what war with Germany meant, both in the actual fighting and in the -nameless atrocities which the enemy committed on the civil population. -Thus they wanted their revenge. - -But France had not yet suffered in this war. She had not yet seen her -borough officials taken as hostages and murdered in cold blood; her -older men sold into slavery; her women raped and mutilated; her infant -children impaled upon the bayonet and thrown into the fire; her -Cathedral of Rheims tortured and desecrated. All this was yet to come. - -At the beginning they fought valiantly but blindly. The shock was too -sudden and overwhelming. Mistakes were made in the higher commands. - -But within the month France awoke. The Soul of her still lived; and it -was the Soul of a nation which was mighty many a generation before ever -Germanic tribes had banded together in primitive community. - -The Soul of France awoke in every one of her children. Not one, man, -woman or child, but saw the way clear before him, but felt the grip of -steel-cold determination to follow that path straight to the end. - -Such was the France which turned at bay before the very gates of her -capital, to show the world that the doom of civilisation's enemy was -irrevocably sealed. - - - -[1] Until Wednesday the 26th, the 19th Brigade was acting directly -under orders from G.H.Q. On that date, being isolated it was -appropriated by the Second Corps. The 4th Division detrained at Le -Cateau and took up position in and about Solesmes to cover the -retirement. - - - - -CHAPTER VI - -MONS - -"_If the English had any apprehension they would run away._" - - * * * * * - -"_That island of England breeds very valiant creatures: their mastiffs -are of unmatchable courage._" - - -The dawn of Sunday, the 23rd, broke dim and misty, giving promise of -heat. From the late afternoon of the previous day squadrons and -reconnaissance patrols from Chetwode's Cavalry Brigade had been pushing -well forward on the flanks and front of the British line. They were -regiments with names "familiar in our mouths as household words": 12th -Lancers, 20th Hussars and Scots Greys. - -It was pretty though delicate work this feeling forward to get into -touch with enemy outposts and patrols. Nor was there a troop which did -not have some story to tell that evening of a tussle with enemy -cavalry, with its ending, happy or otherwise, determined by the more -wide-awake patrol. - -In one place an officer's patrol, moving quietly out from a grassy -forest track, stumbled straight upon a dozen Uhlans having a meal. The -British had no time to draw swords, and certainly the Uhlans hadn't, it -was just a question of riding them down, and swords and pistols out -when you could. - -In another place a German and a British patrol entered a village -simultaneously from either end, unbeknown to each other. The turn of a -corner and they were face to face. Our men were the more wide-awake, -and they got spurs to their horses and swords out before the enemy -grasped the situation. The little affair was over in five minutes. - -But as our cavalry pushed farther and farther northwards they found -themselves confronting ever-increasing numbers, and retirement became -necessary. - -Thus were the first shots fired. - -At six in the morning of this Sunday, Sir John French held a "pow-wow" -with the three G.O.C.'s, Generals Haig, Smith-Dorrien and Allenby, and -discussed the situation, somewhat in these terms:[1] - -"So far as I can see from the messages I've had from French H.Q. I -don't think we've got more than a couple of Corps in front of us, -perhaps a Cavalry Division as well.[2] And it doesn't look as though -they are trying to outflank, because the cavalry have been right out -there and didn't meet with much opposition; nor do the aircraft appear -to have noticed anything unusual going on. It'll be a big enemy -superiority, but I don't think too big if we've got dug in properly and -the lines are all right. We ought to hold them when they come on. The -French, as you know, are holding our right, Namur, and down the Meuse." - -Here is a plan to show the situation as it was known at G.H.Q.: - -[Illustration: PLAN A] - -The morning wears on. You picture the country-side as not unlike one -of our own mining districts, the little villages and low-roofed houses -giving that curious smoky, grimy effect of mean suburbs bordering on a -large industrial town. Here and there great heaps of slag or disused -pits and quarries; gaunt iron stems carrying great wheels and heavy -machinery. - -The soldiers are billeted all through the houses or make a shake-down -in odd barns and yards. Look over the garden gate of one little house -and you will see the company cooks of one regiment getting the Sunday -dinner ready, peeling the potatoes, swinging the pots on to the camp -fires. - -From a barn hard by you'll hear the sound of singing. A padre has -looked in as the rollicking chorus of "Who's your lady friend?" swung -out into the roadway, and with gentle interruption has improvised a -short service, suggesting "Rock of Ages" as a substitute for the -music-hall ditty. - -Down the road a couple of sergeants of the West Ridings lean idly over -a gate smoking and watching the folk going off to Mass. - -Out over the canal line the men are hard at work trench-digging, -pausing now and again to look skywards as the drowsy hum of an -aeroplane propeller sounds over them. Whether the machine is friend or -foe they have no idea. - -Three girls saunter down the road, arms round waists, and stop to look -with interest and amusement at some of the West Kents washing out their -shirts. One of the men is stripped for a wash and Marie exchanges a -little repartee with him, to run off laughing as a burly lance-corporal -plants a sounding kiss on her cheek, by way of finishing the argument. - -So peaceful it all is, with just that under-current of excitement which -the presence of strange troops would give. Imagine a Lancashire or -Yorkshire village on a summer Sunday morning and you have the picture. - -It is now eleven o'clock and the people are streaming home from church. -The service seems to have been cut rather shorter than usual and there -is just a hint of anxiety to be seen on their faces. What was it the -curé had said, something about keeping quietly in their homes and -trusting _le bon Dieu_? But there is no danger, the English are here -to protect us. Still, those aeroplanes have an ugly sound, something -of _un air menaçant_. - -Another aeroplane--and look, it has a great black cross under the -wings! Un Boche? No, it cannot be. Ah, see, see, a French one, ours! -It goes to meet it. Mon Dieu! they fight! And dimly from the sunny -heaven there falls the crackle of revolvers. - -A motor dispatch-rider hurls himself from his machine straight upon the -astonished group of West Kents. - -"Where's the officer? Get moving; you're wanted up there!" and he -jerks a thumb over his shoulder. - -The men rush for their kit and rifles. Away to the west there is the -crack of an 18-pounder. - -Down the street the cyclist pants. A subaltern bursts in on the Sunday -dinner of the Bedfords. - -"Fall in outside at once!" - -Another aeroplane sails over. It hovers for a moment over the Scottish -Borderers in their trenches. A trail of black smoke drops down, and -instinctively the men cower below the parapet. Slowly it falls. -Nothing more. The men raise their heads. - -"Eh, man, but a thocht yon werre one o' thae----" - -A sudden, odd hum in the air, and then--crash! - -The Scots corporal slowly and painfully drags himself out from the pile -of earth and debris and looks round. There is a curious numb feeling -in his right arm. He sits up with a dazed gasp. There is a hand by -him on the ground. His? He looks at his arm, and realises. Near by -five of his pals are laid out. He seems to have escaped. - -"The Lord ha' maircy--but the regiment's fair blooded this day," and he -falls back in a faint. - -More aeroplanes, more trails of smoke; and, wherever they fall, within -twenty odd seconds a German shell bursts fair and true. - -All down the line there springs the crack of rifles. Beyond the canal -the outposts of the Lincolns, Royal Scots and others are coming in at -the double. A curtain of shell-fire is lowered behind them as the -British batteries come into action. A curtain of fire rolls down -before them as the German guns take the range. - -It is now close upon one o'clock, and enemy shells have begun to creep -nearer and nearer in from the suburbs upon Mons itself. The good curé -and his words are forgotten, for what living things can remain? And so -there begins that pitiable exodus of old men, women and children which -streamed steadily southwards, ever increasing as it crowded through the -villages and towns. - -But there is no time to-day to think of them. They must go, or stay -and perish--anything so long as they do not interfere with the great -game of War. - -North of the town, where our lines necessarily bulged out, making a -salient, the fighting was becoming desperate. Here three regiments -especially (the Middlesex, Royal Irish and Royal Fusiliers) lost very -heavily as they sturdily contested every yard of ground. This -particular point had, from the first, been recognised as the weakest in -the British lines. - -Barely an hour since the first shots were fired, and now by one o'clock -practically every gun and every rifle of the British Force is blazing -away as though the powers of hell were set loose. - -As yet it would seem that the ammunition is being merely wasted for the -sake of making a noise. There is no enemy in sight save in the air the -circling aeroplanes, and away on the flanks dimly-seen clouds of -horsemen. A modern battlefield with its curious emptiness has so often -been described that here one need only record the fact in passing. -There is nothing to be seen. The men are firing, in the first flush of -excitement, at corners of possible concealment--the line of a hedge, -the edge of a wood, the very occasional flash of a field-gun. On the -left, in the Second Corps, the British fire slackens somewhat as the -men pull themselves together. No one has the foggiest notion of what -is really happening. It is the officers' business of the moment to -steady the ranks and keep them under cover. - -But away on the right, out by Binche, where the Guards are, the storm -has burst in fullest fury. No slackening there. The extreme right was -held by battalions of historic regiments, names to conjure with: -Munster Fusiliers, Black Watch, Scots and Coldstream Guards. Ah, those -Guards! The glorious discipline of them! But how distinguish between -any of the regiments that day, and after? - -Almost from the first the senior officers began to realise that -something was wrong, especially on the right. The Divisional -Commanders and their immediate staffs, to whom the general idea of -strengths and dispositions was known, began to wonder whether a big -mistake had not been made. "Well, never mind, we're in for it now, we -must do the best we can. But, those guns! There certainly should not -be so many out there." - -And it was positively uncanny how the German guns got their range. -That fact struck everybody almost more than anything else. There -appeared to be no preliminary ranging, as was always usual, but guns -got direct on to the target at once. - -It is difficult at times to avoid launching out into details which are -of more interest to soldiers than to the general public, but as -everything at this time was so new an occasional lapse may perhaps be -excused. - -Again, one's brain is so confused with such a mass of detail that it -becomes most difficult to disentangle impressions and note them down in -dispassionate language. If, however, the reader will take the little -pen-pictures of incidents which are given and imagine them, not as -isolated facts but as being reproduced fifty times all through the -fighting lines, he may get a fair idea of the course of events. - - * * * * * - -As the day wore on that uncanny effect of the German fire increased. -There is no doubt that it was mainly due to the amazingly efficient -secret service of the enemy. The H.Q. of a division or a brigade, for -instance, does not blatantly advertise its position, and yet time and -time again shells were dropped clean on to the particular building -where the Staff happened to be. And when they got into another -building, plump would come more shells. - -Looking back it is a little curious to remember that even in that first -week a very considerable percentage of our total casualties were caused -by high explosive shell, and the shooting of them was astonishingly -accurate. - -Yes, the German guns did their work well, but they did not fully -succeed in their object. Their local successes were great, especially -against British guns and batteries. - -Here is a British battery which has made two mistakes--it is not -sufficiently concealed, the battery commander is perched up on an -observation limber, and the guns are not far enough back behind the -crest. (The Germans always "search" for some 300 yards behind crests -of hills.) The B.C. is quickly spotted by an aeroplane observer and a -perfect hell of fire is switched on by the enemy. In a moment -telephone wires are cut, communications are broken, and within five -minutes the gun detachments are wiped out. - -The effect of a shell from the enemy heavier guns is overwhelming. The -flank gun of the battery is hit, practically "direct." Some R.A.M.C. -men double up a few minutes later to help out the wounded. There is -nothing, save a great hole, fragments of twisted steel, and--a few -limbs of brave men. Nothing can be done except, later, dig in the -sides of the pit to cover the remains. - -The rest of the guns remain, but there is no one to work them. The -horses, a little way to the rear, have also suffered badly. A -subaltern officer staggers painfully through the tornado of fire from -one gun to the next, slowly, deliberately putting them out of action, -rendering them useless should the enemy come up to capture them. - -Early in the afternoon Brigade Commanders have got orders round to the -British lines to hold up the infantry fire as far as possible. It is -now all well under control, for everyone realises that the artillery -bombardment was a preliminary only, that the real attack is yet to -come. The men have had their baptism of fire and magnificently have -they stood it. This is discipline, and now they are ready for anything -which may come along. - -[Illustration: FIELD-MARSHAL VISCOUNT FRENCH.] - -But already the casualties have been very heavy. Early in the day you -have seen that company of the West Kents double up to the support of -their battalion entrenched about half-way along the Second Corps line. -I find a note in my diary: "W. Kents, Middlesex and Northumberlands" -(they were all in the Second Corps) "decimated by shell fire." One or -two companies of the W. Kents were, I believe, on outpost duty, which -would mean that they were literally wiped out. - -And, remember, the British trenches were not those of later days round -Ypres. They had all been hastily dug in extremely hard and difficult -ground, so that there were none of the niceties of snug dug-outs and -bomb-proof shelters. In many places it was just a matter of scratching -up the soil behind a hump of shale and cramming oneself in as far as -one could go. To imagine, as one is led to do by some writers, that -our men sat snugly in deep trenches through all that shell fire waiting -calmly for the infantry attack is to get a hopelessly wrong idea. And -if this was so on the first day when the men started in fresh, the -conditions during the days which followed may be vaguely guessed. - -Think for a moment of the splendid work the R.A.M.C. were doing all -this time. I wonder how many V.C.'s were earned by that -self-sacrificing corps during the week. It is easy enough to do what -people call a gallant deed with arms in your hands when the blood is -up, to pick up a live bomb and hurl it away--little trifles of the -moment which no one thinks twice about,--but the courage demanded in -walking quietly into a hail of lead to bandage and carry out a wounded -man, a feat which the R.A.M.C. men in the firing lines do a dozen times -a day, _that_ is worth talking about. - -On our right the fight does not go well for us, and the suspicion that -some mistake has been made becomes a certainty. If it is only a matter -of two German corps and a Cavalry division in front of our position -where on earth have all those guns come from? - -Still the British guns out towards Binche go pounding gallantly on, -hopelessly outmatched though they are. It's pretty shooting, for our -18-prs. can get in six or seven shots a minute more than the German -field-guns, but we cannot compete against their heavier metal. And, -just as in a naval fight, it is the heavier metal which tells. - -The fighting on the right where General Lomax has the 1st Division has -not slackened for a moment, but steadily becomes more intense. Now, -for the first time, the enemy is really seen. And as his infantry -begin an advance the German shell-fire redoubles in intensity. Every -house where British can be concealed, every possible observation post, -every foot of trench, every hill-crest and 400 yards behind it is swept -and devastated by the tornado. - -What communication between units is possible in such a storm? Now -battalions and batteries find themselves cut off from their neighbours, -each fighting and carrying on by itself. - -Chetwode's Cavalry Brigade is caught in the thick of it. The Guards -are out there and they hold on almost by their teeth. The 1st Irish -are in action for the first time since their formation. They'll see -the Germans in hell before they're going to quit. The Munsters are in -the hottest corner, if indeed you can see any degrees of difference. - -The cavalry have to go; and the Munsters and Black Watch lose horribly -as they cover the retirement. No finer fighting regiments in the world -than these on the right, but nothing human can stay there and live. -The little town of Binche is abandoned; the first enemy success that -day. The First Corps has had to swing back its outer flank. - -But if you think that the Black Watch, or the Guards, or any of them, -have been sitting there quietly to be shot at when there's an enemy in -sight, you know little of those regiments. And you don't imagine that -the Scots Greys, or Lancers, or Hussars, with such a reputation behind -them, are going to sneak out of Binche by a back way without first -getting a little of their own back. - -No, if the Germans have got to have Binche they must bring up a great -many more men than that to take it. There has been much talk of a -repetition of that famous charge of the Greys, with the Black Watch -hanging on to the stirrup-leathers. If indeed it was repeated that -August then this must have been the moment. I am sorry to say that I -have never been able to obtain any real confirmation of the story, so I -shall not set it down. - -But it might well have happened, and one likes to think that it did. -Anyway, during that hour or so, there was many a gallant, desperate -charge in that corner. A charge against overwhelming odds, when the -utmost to be expected was the breaking and rout of the first two or -three lines of the advance. - -It needs no vivid flight of imagination to picture it. On the far -outskirts of the town a railway line runs. Under the lee of a -sheltering embankment and bridge the officers collect and re-form some -of the squadrons, now grown pitiably less in numbers. Words of command -are almost inaudible, but the men understand. Hard by, on their left, -you have the flanking companies of the line regiments. One or two -brief messages pass to and fro between cavalry and infantry. - -"The Greys and Lancers are going to charge the left of infantry -advancing beyond the wood. Give them all the support you can!" - -The British fire slackens from loophole and broken window. The -Scottish regiment and the Coldstream Guards insist on taking a share. -They cut out through the leaden hail and make some yards' advance, -dropping again under what cover they can. - -A last look round, a final pull at girth-straps, and the word is -passed. The enemy infantry is 300 yards away. - -"Tr-rot!" They are clear of the embankment. All well in hand. The -enemy guns have not yet got them. - -The Scots and Coldstream Guards make another rush and again drop. - -"Can-ter!" And men and horses settle down into the steady swing. The -infantry who have got the orders to support start blazing away again as -fast as they can get the magazine clips home. - -Now the German gunners see what is happening and one gun after another -drops its range and fuse. The German infantry is 250 yards away. - -"Cha-arge!" No need to sound it. The officers are in front, and where -the officers go their men will follow. Anywhere! - -The Scots and Coldstreamers are after them as hard as they can leg it. - -The enemy on the flank try to swing round to meet the charge, but there -is no time. The German guns mercilessly drop the range still -more--what matter if they sweep away their own men as well. - -One hundred yards! Fifty yards! A long, sickening crash--and the -Greys and Lancers are in them. Hacking, slashing, hewing! The Scots -are hard on their heels just to their left. A mighty heave as the -bayonets get home. The first rank is through. There are no more -ranks, only a vast confusion. - -Five little minutes (it seems an eternity) and the enemy flank is -crushed in, smashed to pulp as a block of stone smashes in the head of -a man. - -"Who goes home?" Who can? Ten men, a dozen, perhaps twenty have -struggled through. A few will cover again the ground over which they -charged. A few, such a tiny few, will get back under cover again. -"The rest is silence." - -But they have done it. The enemy have learned what a British charge is -like. They know now what bayonet work is, and the lesson sinks deep. -They will not face the steel again. Ask the men who fought at the -Aisne, at Ypres. - - - -[1] I have simply turned paragraphs of Sir John French's dispatch into -imaginary spoken words. - -[2] A German Cavalry Division numbered, approximately, 5,200, all -ranks, including 2 batteries Horse Artillery and 1 machine-gun battery. - - - - -CHAPTER VII - -MONS (_continued_) - - _But pardon, gentles all, - The flat unraised spirits that have dar'd, - On this unworthy scaffold to bring forth - So great an object: can this cockpit hold - The vasty fields of France?_ - - -It may be of interest at this point if the narrative be broken off for -a few minutes to give some details of the methods the Germans employ in -their infantry attack, especially as they differ so greatly from our -own. - -The two main features are (_a_) they consider rifle work as of -comparatively little value and rely mainly on machine-gun fire, and -(_b_) they attack in dense masses, shoulder to shoulder. - -British methods are, or were, precisely the opposite. Our men have -brought musketry to such perfection that an infantryman will get off in -one minute almost double the number of rounds that a German will; and, -what is more to the point, they will all hit the mark. Let it be noted -that the British Army owes this perfection to the wise foresight of -Lord Roberts. (Ah, if only the nation, too, had listened to him!) - -British troops, adopting the lessons of the Boer War, attack with an -interval between the files, i.e. in extended order. - -Now at Mons, and after, a German battalion generally attacked in three -double ranks. The rear double rank had with it four or six -machine-guns. They count upon the first three or four ranks stopping -the enemy's bullets, but, by the time these are swept away, the last -ranks (with the machine-guns) should be sufficiently near to carry the -position attacked: say about 300 yards. - -This reckless sacrifice of life is typical of the German "machine," as -opposed to the British "individual." - -As a matter of fact their method never succeeded over open ground -before the British fire, for the front ranks were always swept away at -the very beginning of the attack, and so they did not get near enough -with the rear ranks. - -The German officer who gave me these details remarked that the rapidity -and accuracy of the British fire were simply incredible, that they -never had a chance. - -"Our men," he said, "have come to believe that every one of you carries -a portable Maxim with him." - - * * * * * - -It must have been about 2.30 in the afternoon that Binche had to be -abandoned. But it was before this that the German infantry attacks -began all along the line. - -For nearly two hours our men had somehow or other been weathering the -storm of shrapnel, and we have seen that they had by now settled down -under it. Let us get back to the Second Corps and see what is -happening. You have got some idea of the look of the country in front -of our positions, all broken up, uneven ground, little woods here and -there. Out on the left flank there are county regiments, men of -Dorset, Norfolk, Suffolk, Cheshire, Surrey. They know something about -"ground" work, and they have learned a deal more with their regiments. - -One end of the Yorks L.I. trench ends in a little stone-walled pigsty. -At least it was a pigsty about church time that morning, but a German -gunner thought it would look better without any roof or walls. - -There is still a fragment three feet high on the weather side, and the -Yorks C.O. finds it a convenient shelter for the time being. He is not -attending church-parade that day, so it doesn't matter about lying full -length in the filth on the ground. The last remaining company -colour-sergeant is with him--also embedded in the manure. They are -both nibbling chocolate. Tobacco would be particularly useful just -now, but they have both run out of it. - -For some minutes the C.O. has been intently watching through his -glasses the corner of a wood about 500 yards in front. He hands the -binoculars to the sergeant. - -"What do you make of it? That corner over the little shed." - -The sergeant has a look. He returns the glasses and slowly nods. - -"It might be a brigade, sir, from the number of them." - -"Yes," says the C.O., "I thought it was about time. Get word along -that there is to be no firing till the order's given." - -"Very good, sir!" And the sergeant scrambles to his feet, salutes, -ducks hastily as a shell seems to whistle past unnecessarily close, and -dives into the rabbit-burrow in which his men are squatting. The C.O. -returns to his glasses. - -The C.O. of a British battery, in position some distance to the rear, -has evidently also spotted that particular target, for puffs of -bursting shrapnel have begun to appear over the wood and round the -edges. - -Now there is a distinct movement of troops emerging from behind the -wood. It is a movement only which can be seen, for the men themselves -can scarcely be distinguished against the grey-green country-side. - -At the very same moment it seems as though all the guns in the world -have been turned on to those few miles of British front, and to the -batteries behind. - -The British gun-fire wavers for a minute or so; but soon it picks up -again though, alas! not so strongly as before. - -The Yorks C.O. has lost his enemy infantry for a minute; they are -working forward under the edge of a rise in the ground. - -Now the front ranks appear, and the C.O. gives a sharp whistle of -astonishment. Four hundred yards off, and it looks like a great -glacier rolling down a mountain-side. - -Nearer still it creeps, and the German guns have raised their range to -give their infantry a chance. "Besides, there will probably be nothing -but empty trenches to take anyway," they say. - -Fifty yards nearer, and the temptation is too great. - -"Let it go, Yorkshires!" he yells down the trench. (The command is not -in the drill-book, but it serves very well.) - -And the Yorkshires "let it go" accordingly. - -"Eh, lads," sings out a lad from Halifax, "'tis t' crowd coom oop for -t' Coop Day! And t' lads yonder can't shoot for nuts," he blithely -adds as myriads of rifle bullets whistle high overhead. - -And he and the lads from Trent-side proceed very methodically to give -"t' lads" from Spreeside a lesson in how shooting should be done. - -Very methodically; but that means something like 16 shots a minute each -man, and you may be sure that very, very few bullets go off the target. -No one dreams of keeping cover. Indeed, the men prop their rifles on -the parapet and pump out lead as hard as their fingers can work bolt -and trigger. - -Miss? It's impossible to miss. You can't help hitting the side of a -house--and that's what the target looks like. It is just slaughter. -The oncoming ranks simply melt away. - -And now through the unholy din you can hear a cracking noise which is -quite distinct in the uproar. Something like the continuous back-fire -of a mammoth motor-cycle. Machine-guns. - -The Dorsets have got a man who is a past-master in the use of these -infernal engines. How he escaped that day no one can tell. But for -many an hour he sat at the gun spraying the enemy attack with his steel -hose. His "bag" must have run into thousands. - -The attack still comes on. Though hundreds, thousands of the grey -coats are mown down, as many more crowd forward to refill the ranks. - -Nearer still, and with a hoarse yell the Yorkshires, Dorsets, Cornwalls -and others are out of the trenches, officers ahead of them, with -bayonets fixed and heading straight at the enemy. A murderous Maxim -fire meets them but it does not stop them, and in a minute they are -thrusting and bashing with rifles, fists, stones, in amongst the enemy -ranks. - -Again the German gunners drop their range and pour their shells -indiscriminately into friend and foe. It is too much for the attacking -regiments and they break up hopelessly, turn and begin to struggle -back. It is impossible to attempt any rally of our men. They must go -on until they are overwhelmed by sheer numbers, or they must straggle -to the lines as best they can in knots of twos and threes, or wander -aimlessly off to the flanks and get lost. - -Such was one single attack. But no sooner was it broken than fresh -regiments would march out to begin it all over again. And here is no -Pass of Thermopylae where a handful of men can withstand for indefinite -time an army. What can the British hope to do against such -overwhelming numbers? The end, you will say, must be annihilation. - -The cavalry, the only reserves, are working, surely, as no cavalry has -ever worked before. Squadrons are everywhere at once. Wherever a gap -is threatened they are there in support. And wherever they go there -also go the Horse Gunners working hand and glove with them. Charge and -counter-charge upon the flanks of the attacking infantry, dismounting -to cover with their fire a British infantry rally, fierce hand-to-hand -encounters with enemy squadrons. Wherever they are wanted, each man -and horse is doing the work of ten. - -But this cannot last for long. Now it is becoming only too evident -that far from there being a reasonable superiority against us the -British are everywhere along the line hopelessly outnumbered in every -arm. And at 5 P.M. there happened one of the most dramatic incidents -of the war, that day or afterwards. You will find the bare recital of -the event set forth in cold official language in the G.O.C.-in-Chief's -dispatch, beginning: "In the meantime, about 5 P.M., I received a most -unexpected message from General Joffre." - -It will be remembered that from information received from French G.H.Q. -the previous night, and from his own reconnaissance reports, the -Commander-in-Chief had concluded that his right flank was reasonably -secured by the French armies, that the fortress of Namur was still -being held, and that the enemy strength in front of him was about -134,000 men and 490 field-guns, at an outside estimate. - -All the afternoon the enemy had been attacking, and the British right -had had to give ground before it, with the consequence that Mons itself -had to be abandoned. - -Now, like a bolt from the blue, came the message from the French. -"Unexpected," one would think, is a very mild term:-- - -"Namur has fallen. The Germans _yesterday_ won the passages over the -River Sambre between Charleroi and Namur. The French armies are -retiring. You have _at least_ 187,500 men and 690 guns attacking you -in front; another 62,500 men and 230 guns trying to turn your left -flank; and probably another 300,000 men" (the victorious army in -pursuit of the French) "driving in a wedge on your right." - -This is what the message would look like:-- - -[Illustration: Attacking and defending forces] - - -But we have seen that there were really thirteen German corps attacking -the positions Tournai--Namur--Dinant. - -Thus the _real_ figures would probably look like this:-- - -[Illustration: Attacking and defending forces] - - -We may, of course, take it that by the end of the day the figures were -somewhat reduced all round, British and German; the German losses being -"out of all proportion to those which we have suffered." - -[Illustration: PLAN B. Position as it appeared at 5 pm Aug 23.] - -Such then was the situation at 5.0 P.M. on that eventful Sunday. An -average of nearly four times our number of guns against us all along -the position. No wonder that senior officers had guessed from the -first that "something was wrong." - -And G.H.Q.? You imagine, perhaps, that the municipal offices where the -General Staff had its abode would now be seething with excitement. You -will picture Staff officers rushing from room to room; orders and -counter-orders being reeled off; the Intelligence and Army Signals -Departments looking like Peter Robinson's in sales week; an army of -motor-cyclist dispatch riders being hurled from the courtyard towards -every point of the compass. - -Wrong! G.H.Q. that day, and the next, was less concerned than a little -French provincial mairie would be on France's national fête day. The -casual visitor would have seen less bustle of activity than at the -Liverpool offices of a shipping firm on mail day. - -The Postal Department: "Business as usual." Army Censor: Not much -doing. Intelligence: Half a dozen red-tabbed officers looking at big -maps with blue and red chalk-marks on them. Director of Ordnance -Supplies: "Better see about moving rail-head a few miles farther -south." A.G.'s (Adjutant-General) Office: "We shall want orders out -about stragglers, what they are to do." And so on, all through the -list. If this was an instance of that British phlegm which so amuses -the French, then commend me to it! If anybody wanted a tonic against -pessimism these days of the Retreat he only had to drop in at G.H.Q. -He would certainly come out with the conviction that we should indeed -be home by Christmas, with the German Army wiped off the map. - - -Yes, that week which followed, indeed, welded into one "band of -brothers" all the officers and men in the little Force. In those days -everybody seemed to know everybody else. Regimental jealousy (if it -ever existed) was obliterated completely, and every officer and man, -from the General Officers Commanding Corps down to the bus drivers who -drove the A.S.C. lorries, worked shoulder to shoulder. And so we -pulled through. - - -Now there were other units in the Force besides those in the -firing-line. There were all those columns which trekked up by road. -Normally, most of these should be something like 15 miles to the rear. -They know very little of what is going on ahead of them, though the -ammunition columns can gauge fairly well by the demands made on them. - -So it was that about midnight on that Sunday they began to realise back -there that things were moving by a sudden and insistent demand for -every scrap of rifle and 18-pr. ammunition they carried. - -No sooner was that sent than there came more demands, and there was -nothing to send. Wagons and lorries had trundled off at once to -rail-head, but it would be hours before they could get back. Thus, on -the very first day, the overwhelming nature of the situation pulled at -and snapped the slender threads of communication. The threads were -soon mended, but, as will be seen later, they never got properly into -working order until the Marne. - -Nor did those columns altogether escape disaster even at the very -outset of the fighting. One, out towards the flank, was attacked and -practically destroyed by raiding cavalry, for they do not work with -escorts. - -In one column, about 10.0 P.M., the alarm was given by an imaginative -A.S.C. subaltern. What the men were to fight with is not clear, for -only about 25 per cent. of the detachment had ever handled a rifle, and -no ammunition was issued. - -"It's Germans crawling through that field," said the subaltern. "I saw -their electric-torch flashes." - -The men stood to, peering into the darkness, and feeling certain that -their last hour had come. - -A farmer came slowly out of the field-gate and begged two of the men to -come and help him round up his cows. - -So the detachment turned in again, cursing heartily. - -But soon the A.S.C. bus drivers were "doing their bit" under fire as -gallantly as everybody else. How and when you shall hear in another -chapter. - - -6.0 P.M.--The enemy have concentrated their fire upon the town of Mons -and it has become untenable. - -Only six hours, six little hours since the Belgian townsfolk had come -peacefully home from Mass to their Sunday _déjeuner_, proud and hopeful -in the presence of their British allies. And now their houses, their -town, a heap of smoking ruins. - -In those short hours how many women have seen their children crushed by -falling walls or blown to atoms by bursting shells? How many children -are left helpless and alone in the world, with no mother or father to -take them by the hand and guide them from the hell of destruction? - -Is there no thought for them, you who have been following the fortunes -of the day for the British? Many have escaped, with such few household -treasures as they can carry in perambulators and little handcarts. -They, at least, have some hope of life. These may struggle on for a -little while--to faint or die of hunger and exhaustion by the roadside. -The strongest may get through. - -For the rest, their lives are sacrificed to make a German holiday. -They die, but in their death the battalions of these innocents have -joined the mighty, mysterious army of souls who shall haunt the German -people until Germany ceases to be. - - _C'est l'armée de ceux qui sont morts_ - _En maudissant les Allemands,_ - _Et dont les invincibles renforts_ - _Vengeront le sang innocent._[1] - - -With such an overwhelming attack working forward in front and on both -flanks the only problem left was how to get the British force away with -the smallest loss. To remain obviously meant certain annihilation -sooner or later. As a matter of course, possible positions in rear had -long since been reconnoitred. They were not particularly good ones, -but the best that were available. - -From earlier in the afternoon the Sappers had been at work on all the -bridges crossing the canal, laying mines ready to blow them up in front -of a possible successful enemy advance. By no means a pleasant task -this, for the men were working under heavy fire practically all the -time. But the Sappers are another of those corps of the Service which -are well used to the kicks without the ha'pence, and nothing comes -amiss to them. There is no regiment in the Army whose work merits -recognition more than the R.E.; there is no regiment more surprised and -pleased at receiving it. - -As the dusk draws on the enemy fire has slackened a little, and the men -in their trenches are here and there able to snatch mouthfuls of any -food they happen to have handy. Most of them have not tasted anything -since early morning, and they have been fighting hard all day. But -there is no thought of rest. - -The darkening night becomes red day as the glare of burning houses and -buildings everywhere mounts to heaven in great shafts of light. It is -such a picture as only a Rembrandt could give us on canvas. - -The men sit or crouch wearily in their burrows, rifles always ready, -heads sunk forward over the butts. Now and again there is a momentary -stir as a doctor or stretcher-bearers scramble through the debris to -get at the wounded. The fantastic, twisted shapes of the dead are -reverently composed and laid down on the ground. The belongings of -them are carefully collected, with the little metal identity disc. So -far as possible these will reach the wife, mother, or sweetheart at -home. - -Perhaps those evening hours of the first day's fighting were the most -terrible the men were ever to know. The tension had very slightly -relaxed, and the brain began once again something of its functions. -They began to _feel_ things. No one ever gets accustomed to being -under the fire of modern warfare, and this was the first day of it. -The horror of everything began to crush the senses. Soon physical and -mental action became purely mechanical; men ceased to feel, but moved, -fired a rifle, fed themselves, with the grotesque jerks of children's -toys. But this was not yet. Now they were conscious, if but a little. - -One man, a bugler in a county regiment, little more than a child in -years, went raving mad as he staggered across a trench and fell, -dragging with him a headless Thing which still kept watch with rifle -against shoulder. His shrieks, as they pulled the two apart, ring even -now in the ears. He died that night, simply from shock after the awful -tension of the day. - -Consciousness came to the men, yet with it came also amazing -cheerfulness even in the midst of the horror. But it was the -cheerfulness not of high spirits but of determination, and of pity. -They had fought through the day against an enemy which, even to men who -did not understand, was in overwhelming strength; and yet they had been -able to hold their ground. It was the cheerfulness which, at a word -from their officers, would have taken them straight at the enemy's -throat. - -And pity, if it is to be helpful and sincere, must have behind it a -gaiety of heart. No man in the world is more tender to helpless or -dumb creatures than the British soldier or sailor; no man more -cheerful. And no man in the Force but felt his heart wrung by the -infinite pathos of the folk of Mons and round it. History will never -record how many soldiers lost their lives that day in succouring the -people who had put such trust in their presence. - -And how many won such a distinction as no king can bestow--the love and -gratitude of little children? One man, at least, I knew (I never -learned his name) who, at the tears of two tiny mites, clambered into -the ruins of a burning outhouse, then being shelled, to fetch something -they wanted, he could not understand what. He found a terror-stricken -cat and brought it out safely. No, not pussy, something else as well. -Back he went again, and after a little search discovered on the floor -in a corner a wicker cage, in it a blackbird. Yes, that was it. And, -oh, the joy of the girl mite at finding it still alive! - -"Well, you see, sir," he said afterwards, "I've got two kiddies the -image of them. And it was no trouble, anyway." - - -About 2 A.M. (the 24th) orders to begin retiring were issued from -G.H.Q. Some four hours before a few of the units--those north of the -canal--had begun to fall back; and so the beginning of the move was -made. As the last of these crossed the bridges the detonator fuses -were fired and the bridges blown up. - -For the rest, the men crouched ever in their places, bayonets fixed, -rifles always ready--waiting, waiting. - - - -[1] 'Tis the army of those who in dying - Have cursed the German flood-- - And whose growing invincible forces - Will avenge all innocent blood.--EMILE CAMMAERTS. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII - -THE RETREAT BEGINS - - _The poor condemned English, - Like sacrifices, by their watchful fires - Sit patiently, and inly ruminate - The morning's danger._ - - -To follow now the fortunes of the British Force you must imagine it, if -you will, divided, like Caesar's Gaul, into three parts. There is the -First Corps, which still holds its position, save that extreme right by -Binche; there is the Second Corps, which has begun at 3 A.M. to retire -to a new position; and there is the Cavalry, Allenby's Division and the -remainder of Chetwode's Brigade, which turns up whereever it is most -needed to lend a helping hand. - -If you glance through Sir John French's dispatch (at the end of the -book) you will see that he had in mind to retire in what is called -"echelon" formation. That is, one-half retires and takes up a new -position, while the other half stays behind to act as a rear-guard and -hold up enemy attacks. Then, in turn, that other half retires behind -the first half, and so on. - -That was the idea, and on the first day it worked very well. But after -that it was found simply impossible to keep to it, partly through the -enemy's thunderbolt movements, and partly because our men became more -and more exhausted. - -Now, it is also a cardinal principle in rearguard fights that you must -not only check your enemy, but must also, whenever possible, make a -counter-attack. In fact, the counter-attacks are part and parcel of -the checking movements. This is where cavalry comes in very useful. - -Let us, then, take the three divisions of the Force separately. - - -_The First Corps_ - -Night attacks, especially in the early morning (it sounds rather -Irish), are horribly uncomfortable things. The nerves are continuously -on edge and you are apt to loose off guns or rifles at the merest -suspicion of a movement. - -"If ye should see a wee brrown beastie in frront o' ye," a canny Scot -sergeant told his men, "ye mauna fire, because likely it'll be a bit -rrabbit, and rrabbits are guid for the pot. But if the beastie should -walk upon twa legs, then ye may ken it's no a rrabbit, but a Gerrman, -an' ye will tak a verry quick but carefu' sicht o' him." - -All through that Sunday night the men had snatched odd minutes of sleep -just where they had fought through the day. And very little rest did -the enemy allow them. For one can well imagine how exasperated by this -time the enemy were at being held up by a handful of a "contemptible -little army." It was most difficult, too, to get any food up to the -lines, for the German guns had "registered" all the approaches and -persistently dropped their shells across them. - -But the men hung on cheerily enough, and if they couldn't get any sleep -they made up their minds that the Germans should not either, especially -where they were dug in only a few hundred yards in front. - -So the short summer night was passed. And with the first hint of dawn -the news ran quickly round that, far from dreaming of retiring, the -First Corps was going to attack. The news was as good as a big -breakfast. Somehow or other the A.S.C. got up rations to most of the -units, and so it was the cheeriest of 2nd Divisions which swung out of -their trenches and loop holed houses and headed for the enemy's left -flank in Binche. The 1st Division acted as supports. - -In the attack there was something more of a hint of that method and -timing which, eight months later, were brought to such perfection in -Flanders. The British batteries had by now recovered somewhat from -their severe handling during the day, and at the given moment every gun -got well to work in support of the infantry, and very fine practice -they made. - -Of course the attack was really no more than a ruse, daringly conceived -and successfully executed. Binche could not have been held even if it -had been recaptured. But it is not difficult to imagine the enemy's -astonishment at finding an Army Corps, which they had fondly imagined -as good as wiped out, coming to life again and actually having the -cheek to attack them. Kipling's remark about the Fuzzy-wuzzy who is -"generally shamming when 'e's dead" was an excellent motto for that -morning's work. - -When the attack was well launched General Lomax began to withdraw very -carefully some of his regiments from the supporting 1st Division. The -task of the British guns of the two divisions (working together) was to -lower such a curtain of fire in front of the 2nd Division as to make it -as difficult as possible for the enemy to counter-attack or, indeed, to -advance at all. As soon as the 1st Division have retired a little, it -will be the turn of the division which has made that excellent sortie. - -It is easy enough to say "the guns will check an enemy advance," but -think for a moment what that means. There is already a big enemy -superiority in guns, and, what is more, these have already got the -ranges to a nicety. - -Our batteries, or most of them, were in quite good positions, but at -this early date we had not yet learned the art of concealing them -sufficiently. The enemy aircraft were very active, and against them -our own aircraft were hopelessly outnumbered. And so it was not long -before our guns were "spotted," with the inevitable result. - -Imagine, then, how gloriously those gun detachments must have worked to -have accomplished what they did that day, "enabling Sir Douglas Haig, -with the First Corps, to reach the new line without much further loss -about 7 P.M." For it was undoubtedly the devotion of the guns which -made possible this and succeeding retirements. Unless facts like this -are realised, the astonishing work of the Force in its retreat can -never be appreciated. - - -_The Second Corps_ - -If that Monday was an anxious day for Sir Douglas Haig, what must it -have been for General Smith-Dorrien and his men? One looks hopelessly -at the blank writing-pad in despair of giving even the most primitive -description of the anxiety, the work, and the accomplishment of it. - -Here is a Corps which has gone through, for the first time, the awful -ordeal of a day's modern shell-fire and massed infantry attack. The -men have supped full of horrors, and, at 3 A.M., hungry, weary and with -nerves stretched to their utmost tension, they have received orders to -move. There is not a regiment which has not lost heavily, especially -in officers, and there is not a man but receives the command with his -senses tangled in bewilderment. - -Now it should be remembered that up to this time all our dispositions -had been made for an advance. The impedimenta to the rear of the -firing-line were so arranged that they might the more easily follow up -a British attack. There was no real thought of retiring. The British -were in the place of honour on the left of the line, and intended, with -our French comrades, to drive the enemy back again through Belgium. I -will not say that all this was a foregone conclusion, but at least it -was "confidently anticipated." Remembering this, you will perhaps -realise more vividly how staggering were the contents of that telegram -from French G.H.Q. The work, therefore, of clearing the roads of the -transport was exceedingly difficult. This devolves upon the Q.M.G.'s -department, and General Smith-Dorrien has placed on record the wholly -admirable way in which it was accomplished by General Ryecroft and his -Staff. But proper Staff work for all the retiring troops during the -hours of darkness was even more complicated. - -Thus some few of the companies, with no one to guide them, start off in -the wrong direction and march straight into the German lines; they are -shot or captured. Others wander off to the east, struggle painfully -through the shell-fire on Mons, and drift into their comrade ranks of -the First Corps. Others, again, march off to the west, and are -hopelessly lost; they are either captured by the flanking German corps -or they get through and meet with friendly peasants, to turn up -eventually at base ports or other towns. - -Night marching across unknown country is not always easy in peace time, -with guides at the heads of columns. Now there was the added confusion -of the crowds of emigrants, a perfect network of roads to choose from, -and, above all, continual alarms of enemy attacks which the British had -to turn to meet. The whole of the night and all the Monday was one -long period of marching, fighting, marching and fighting. - -Early in the morning another infantry brigade, the 19th, arrived by -railway, detraining at Valenciennes, and it is no exaggeration to say -that the men went straight off the trains into the thick of the fight. -It was a very welcome reinforcement of about 4,000 men. - -By 8 A.M. the enemy had burst through Mons, across the canal line, and -were in hot pursuit in overwhelming numbers. Away on the left flank -they had attacked Tournai, which was occupied by French Territorials -and also, I believe, by a British battery, though how it got there, or -why, I do not know. That bit of fighting was over by midday with the -capture of the town and the destruction or capture of its defenders. -The Germans were then free to resume their victorious advance. - -About the middle of the morning, then, the line of the Second Corps -extended from a little Belgian village called Frameries, five miles -S.W. of Mons, through the village of Dour. The right flank was the -more forward, partly because the regiments there had to encounter the -more furious attacks and could not break away. - -It was at this point that there was made one more of those splendid but -hopeless cavalry charges of which we so often read in military history. -It is, curiously enough, almost the only definite incident mentioned by -Sir John French in his dispatch. But the incident, or rather the -sequel to it, caught the public imagination, mainly because of the fine -work of that most gallant gentleman, Francis Grenfell. - -Of all the noble, lion-hearted men who have "gone west" in this bloody -war, no man more worthily deserves the description applied to the -Chevalier Bayard, "_sans peur et sans reproche_," than Francis -Grenfell--he and one other whom I shall name hereafter. Gallant -soldier, brilliant sportsman, graceful poet, and true lover of Nature, -a genuine statesman in his dealings with men, and the most loyal of -friends, he died later on the field of honour, and Britain--nay, the -world is the poorer for his loss. - -The charge was made by the 9th Lancers, which regiment, with others of -the 2nd Brigade, had been moved forward to ease the pressure on the -right flank. - -About 400 yards from the German infantry and guns the Lancers galloped -full tilt into barbed wire. There was nothing for it but to swerve -across the German front. How a single man or horse escaped the hail of -shell and bullets which was turned on them one can never understand. -But a poor remnant, under Captain Francis Grenfell, did indeed get -across, mercilessly pursued by that storm of lead, and eventually found -some little shelter under a railway embankment. - -A R.F.A. battery was in action here. At least, the guns were still -there, but officers and detachments had been gradually wiped out until -there were just one officer and two detachments left to work the -battery. It was only a matter of minutes before the remainder must be -killed and the guns fall into the hands of the enemy, for the German -guns had the range and the German infantry were crowding up. - -The 9th Lancers and the Gunners are old friends, and the Lancers do not -leave old friends (or new ones) to finish a losing fight alone. - -"The Germans don't get those guns while any of us are left," said -Grenfell. "I'm off to see how we can get them away." - -Now Grenfell was already badly wounded, but he stuck on his horse -somehow and _walked_ that gallant beast out into the storm to see where -he was to run the guns to. (Why does not His Majesty create a -decoration for horses? But I'll wager Grenfell hung his V.C. round his -charger's neck a month later.) - -Well, he walked him out and he walked him back, just to show his men -what poor shots the Germans were. - -"Now then," said Grenfell, "who's for the guns?" - -And, since (as I have said) the Lancers always stand by old pals, every -man of them was. - -They tied their horses up, and Lancers and Gunners set to work. One by -one of those guns they got at the wheels and trails and worked and -worked. Down went more gallant Lancers and more gallant Gunners, but -there were still a few left, and, by Heaven, those few stuck to it. - -"Come on, lads, just one more!" sang out Grenfell, with his coat off. - -And they worked and heaved, and did it. Every one of those guns they -saved. - -But then, be it repeated, the Lancers and Gunners always were good pals. - - -By midday General Smith-Dorrien's task had become one of the gravest -difficulty. And this was but the opening phase of a movement which, I -venture to think, will be accounted by the historian as one of the most -astonishing pieces of work in military history. I refer not to the -Retreat as a whole, but to the work of the Second Corps and its leader -from 3 A.M. of the 24th to about midnight of the 26th--27th. An -eternity of years was encircled by those few hours. - -The difficulties of the movement can probably be appreciated at their -full value only by the military student with a vivid imagination, so I -will just suggest what had to be done. First of all, General -Smith-Dorrien had to get his men away from the Mons line in the early -dawn in the face of overwhelming numbers, numbers which he could only -guess at, for at any moment a big attack might be made by another army -upon his left flank. This was very much complicated by his men having -been severely handled all through the Sunday, and getting no food nor -rest. In fact, it was the human element which really made all the -movement so difficult. The feeling that at any moment the tremendous -strain upon the men's endurance would stretch to breaking-point and -snap. - -Then the G.O.C. had not merely to get his men gradually back, but they -had to show a bold front the whole time. It was a matter of fighting -backwards without a moment's rest. A couple of regiments, say, with -some cavalry, would halt for half an hour on a certain line, and hold -up with the heaviest fire they could the attack on their particular -section. Then, when the enemy got nearer, up they would jump and go -straight at the Germans with the bayonet, the cavalry backing them up -all they knew. The same with the guns. - -A battery would manoeuvre into a position, come into action, and pound -away for a quarter of an hour. Then, at the right moment (and it -called for the nicest judgment to select that moment) four guns would -be run back, limbered up, and got away, while the remaining couple -would continue an intermittent fire to cover the retirement. These in -turn would slip away--if they could. - -The casualties under conditions like these must, of course, be very -heavy indeed. That they were not infinitely heavier was due to the -splendid use the men made of the ground, taking cover and so on, and to -the noble spirit of self-sacrifice for comrades which animated every -unit. - -Thirdly, the G.O.C. had to remember that he was not playing a lone -hand, but that he had to consider the retirement of the First Corps on -his right. He had to play the match for his side. Just at the moment -Jessop, in the person of Sir Douglas Haig, was in with him, and Jessop -had to hit out against time to make the runs while Leveson-Gower -(Smith-Dorrien) kept up his wicket at the other end. - -And, fourthly, to carry on the metaphor, when Jessop was forced to -"retire hurt" Leveson-Gower had to begin to hit at just that moment -when he felt that he had "collared the bowling." In other words, the -G.O.C., having held a certain line of defence for a couple of hours or -so, had to judge to a nicety the exact moment when he had, for the -time, broken the enemy's attack sufficiently to permit of retirement -another two miles to the next position. - -Those four points, then, constitute in very broad outline the task -which General Smith-Dorrien had to perform. Our people have not been -slow to recognise how magnificently he and his men accomplished it. - -The enemy were now, by accident or design, beginning to drive in a -wedge at Frameries between the two corps. Always a serious situation, -especially when, as now, units had become very scattered in the gradual -retirement. The gap was filled to some extent by the 5th Brigade, -which General Smith-Dorrien borrowed from the First Corps. - - * * * * * - -Impressions gleaned from the other side are always of interest. -Another German officer, whom we got a few days later, gave me his -opinion of the British work somewhat like this. - -"All our text-books," he said, "about rear-guard actions will have to -be rewritten, and you have certainly taught us a lesson. It has been -just like advancing into a wall of fog. The fog is elastic enough when -one enters it, but soon it clings all round and chokes you. We pushed -in all right, but never came out at the other side." - -Personally, I felt inclined to apply the metaphor the reverse way, and -that is how the men felt it. The dense, overpowering cloud rolling -down, the battling against it with impotent arms, and the fog -penetrating into every gap in the lines. - -The men were dazed, stunned by the continuous onslaughts. There seemed -no end to them. As fast as one German company was mown down another -would spring up. It was as though their aircraft flew over with -watchful eye to sow in every field another bushel of the mythical -dragon's teeth. And everywhere more and more German guns would come -into action to support their infantry, and everywhere more and more -machine-guns would be rushed up by their very mobile transport to rake -and enfilade the British companies or gun detachments. - -At the time all these things were not realised, for there was no -sitting down for five minutes to ruminate. But now, after eighteen -months, when one pieces together this fact and that, and learns -something of what the actual numbers were, one hesitates to set it down -on paper for fear of being flatly disbelieved. - - -Any record of feelings during those hours is blurred. But there was -one thought which, I know, was uppermost in every man's mind: "Where on -earth are the French?" - -When a thought like that has been born it is easy to guess how it will -grow and run through the ranks. If only now and again they had seen a -French squadron swoop down upon the enemy's flank in front of them -everything would have been well. They would have cheered their French -comrades on, and gone in for all they were worth to avenge their death, -if called upon. But never a French soldier did one of our lads see. - -So far as I know, our Allies have published no official account of -their retreat from Namur, although they have very frankly admitted, in -an official Government report, the mistakes which were then made and -have shown how they were since rectified. It is by no means clear what -happened to the 5th French Army on our right after Namur had fallen; we -only knew that we never saw them. - -But at the time it must be remembered that no one in the British Force, -save G.H.Q., knew what was happening even to themselves, so it was -hardly likely that they could learn anything definite about the French. -So there the subject may rest. - - -In the early afternoon General Smith-Dorrien learned that the First -Corps had "made good" during the morning, and were fighting their way -back with sufficient success to admit of his own retirement when he was -able to break away. - -Although, perhaps, too little space has been given in this chapter to -the work of the First Corps, they had nearly as hard a fight as the -rest of the Force. The task before Sir Douglas Haig was probably not -quite so delicate as General Smith-Dorrien's, but it was obviously one -of as grave a responsibility. However, in the late afternoon he got -safely back, as we have seen, to the position determined by the -Commander-in-Chief. - -The Second Corps then succeeded in breaking away, and by the evening a -new line of the entire Force was formed, reaching from the fortress of -Maubeuge on the right to two little villages, Bry and Jenlain, on the -left. The 19th Brigade, which had come into the fight in the morning, -was posted on and across the extreme left. - -It should be noted that, with the fall of Tournai and the destruction -of the French troops in that neighbourhood, the whole country on the -west was open to the invaders. Their victorious army corps operating -there was now able to swing round to attack the British left, and their -cavalry was already sweeping in flying squadrons and patrols over the -country-side. In fact, the French Channel ports, from Boulogne to -Havre, were there for the taking, and the French coast line, for which -the enemy fought so valiantly a few months later, would have been -theirs without a struggle. - -But these facts were only vaguely realised in the Force, and the men, -of course, knew nothing of doings save only upon their immediate front. -At every moment they fully expected to make a definite stand, with an -advance to follow, and thus they remained in good heart, secure in the -conviction that though badly mauled they were not even at the beginning -of a defeat. But some of us knew and realised, and it was a hard task -to keep the knowledge from the men and from the friendly country-folk. - - - - -CHAPTER IX - -THE SECOND DAY - - _Gloucester, 'tis true that we are in great danger; - The greater, therefore, should our courage be.-- - . . . . God Almighty! - There is some soul of goodness in things evil, - Would men observingly distil it out. - For our bad neighbour makes us early stirrers, - Which is both healthful and good husbandry._ - - -During the night of Monday the whole Force was on or about the line -already indicated, with the fortress of Maubeuge on their right flank. -But let it not be imagined that the men settled down quietly at 9 P.M. -to a cosy supper with a night's sleep to follow. There was no such -thing as a halt for any time. Incidentally, most of the horses went -through the whole business without being off-saddled once. The first -regiments in were the first to move off again. The men just dropped -down in the road where they halted and, if lucky, snatched ten minutes' -sleep. Many of the men seemed to sleep while they marched; although, -as one has often done it on night manoeuvres at home, there was nothing -curious about that. - -By midnight I do not think that anybody very much cared what happened. -There was a certain amount of trench digging going on, and there was, -in consequence, some idea that a stand would be made. But the men were -really too exhausted to care one way or the other. - -It is all very well to remark upon their invariable cheeriness, as most -writers seem to delight in doing, but it gives a hopelessly wrong -impression of the hardships. A certain form of "cheery spirit" is -inseparable from the British soldier when he is up against a tough job, -but you can't very well be lively and make funny remarks (as reported -in the Press) when you have become an automaton in all your movements. - -Had the French held firm, in all probability a stand would have been -made on this line. But there is no object in speculating about it now. -The view adopted by the Commander-in-Chief, which determined a further -retreat, may best be given in his own words: - -"The French were still retiring, and I had no support except such as -was afforded by the fortress of Maubeuge; and the determined attempts -of the enemy to get round my left flank assured me that it was his -intention to hem me against that place and surround me. I felt that -not a moment must be lost in retiring to another position." - -"I hoped," he adds, "that the enemy's pursuit would not be too vigorous -to prevent me effecting my object." - -This hope was, fortunately, fulfilled, and the second day's retirement -was, on the whole, less eventful. Later I will hazard a suggestion why -it was so. - -The necessary orders had been given overnight to be clear of the -Valenciennes--Bavai--Maubeuge road by 5.30 A.M. The Second Corps got -clear by the time specified, but the First Corps could only begin their -move at that hour, and so got behind. This fact tended to make -inevitable the fight which took place that evening at Landrecies. - -It was, as I remember, a baking hot day, with a blazing sun in a -cloudless sky. Along English country roads and through our own little -dappled-grey villages it would have been trying enough; but French -roads, built Roman fashion, do not try to be picturesque and charming, -and they certainly have no sense of humour like ours. Thus, the day's -march was simply purgatory to a tired force. The fruit trees with -their harvest really saved the situation. But, oh, those green apples -and pears! - -Once again, do not imagine the regiments trekking along straight for -their next destination. The day was less eventful only in comparison -with Monday and Wednesday. It was a rear-guard action most of the way, -and there was quite enough fighting to break the monotony, with some -big cavalry actions and the 5th Brigade heavily engaged. - -Take, for instance, a field battery in the 2nd Division. The -time-table would be something like this: 5.30 A.M., open fire; 6, cease -fire and limber up; 6.10, en route to new position; 6.30, halt, open -fire; 6.40, cease fire, limber up, and start off for new position; -7.15, halt, open fire; and so on all through the day. In fact, that -was the ordinary day's programme. The particular battery I have in -mind had a little adventure all to itself on Tuesday. It is of -interest as revealing another side of German thoroughness. - -The battery was in action, but had temporarily ceased firing, and the -detachments were lying by the guns. - -A big grey "Sunbeam" drew up on a road to the flank of the battery, and -a couple of red-tabbed Staff officers jumped out, walked up to the -nearest gun, and started to chat with one of the gunners. - -After a few remarks about how well the battery had been doing, they -asked some questions about casualties, positions of neighbouring -batteries, the infantry near them, and the usual facts which the Staff -come to inquire about. - -The major had been watching from the far flank, and, as the Staff -officers turned to get into their car, he remarked to the -sergeant-major: - -"I don't quite like the look of those two officers; there's something -wrong about them." And he had a look through his glasses. - -Some distance along the road there was marching down a company of -R.E.'s. - -"Call up those sappers (by flag) and tell them to hold up that car." - -The sergeant-major repeated the message to the flag-wagger. - -"Stop grey car--suspicious." - -The R.E. sergeant ran up to the subaltern in charge: - -"Battery signals 'stop grey car.'" - -"Well, stop it, then," replied the subaltern irritably. - -So the grey car was stopped, very much to the annoyance of two Staff -officers who were in a great hurry to get back to G.H.Q. - -"Very sorry, sir," said the subaltern, "but it's a telegraph message -from that battery. The O.C. has probably got something special to send -to G.H.Q." And the car was escorted back again. - -The O.C. had "something special to send" in the shape of a couple of -German officers, very carefully disguised as British. A drum-head -court-martial was held at Corps H.Q., and as the Germans in question -were hopelessly compromised by the very full notes which they had -managed to collect from various units about the Force, the case was -clear. - -"Guilty. To be shot at dawn." - -They were plucky fellows, but--well, a spy is a spy, and that's all -about it. - - -Less than a week before the country folk had watched with delight and -relief the passing of mighty transport columns of British, had welcomed -and cheered the men forward, proud and confident in the anticipation of -early victory. - -Now imagine their feelings, their alarm, at the sight of British -regiments, war-worn, weary and battered, trailing back as fast as they -could move. - -Of what use was it to tell them that this was only a strategical -retirement? Panic spreads quickly, and once the hint of calamity is -given it is impossible to check the alarm. - -But even then it was some little time before the stolid peasants of -Northern France could grasp the meaning of what they saw, and I -remember well how the inhabitants of a certain little village crowded -out to watch the extraordinary (to them) behaviour of a regiment which -was in the extreme rear of the retiring First Corps. - -The village overlooked a valley, and there was a splendid view of the -British lines retiring in open order up the hill towards the little -hamlet. They came up panting heavily and, just under the brow of the -hill, set to work to dig up some rough shelter. The folk stood -watching, laughing and talking, until an exasperated lance-corporal -threw his tool in front of an oldish man. - -"'Ere, it's about b---- well time _you_ did a bit"; and the corporal -sat down to wipe off some of the dirt from his face. - -In a few minutes all the men and women had started digging as though -for buried treasure, and the British sat still for a spell and -encouraged them with happy comments. - -Very soon down the opposite slope thousands of little grey-blue ants -came swiftly, and from the ridge behind them dim flashes shot out. - -"Now, then, you'd better 'op it!" said the lance-corporal. - -And even then they didn't understand what those ants really were. - -"Allmonds!" was the lance-corporal's laconic remark. - -The arrival of a shell settled it, and the villagers ran helter-skelter -for their houses and little treasures. In a quarter of an hour another -pitiable reinforcement had joined the ranks of the refugee army flying -southwards, and only the old curé remained, ever true to his charge. -They were gallant gentlemen those French curés, and bravely they faced -the death which nearly always overtook them at the hands of those -murderers. - -It was not until the British had turned to advance from the Marne that -they began fully to realise the nature of the Germans. As yet they -encountered no evidence of the atrocious, bestial work of the enemy. -But already rumour was busy, and even on this day I had recorded -authentic details that the Germans were placing women and children -before their advancing infantry, and that they were stabbing the -wounded with the bayonet. - - -On the Sunday another British Division, the 4th, had arrived at Le -Cateau, the little town to which the Force was now moving. This meant -a reinforcement of some 14,500 men, together with three field -batteries. They were there waiting to come into action on the -Wednesday, and in the meantime had begun to entrench. - -The general line of retirement on the Tuesday was: - -(_a_) First Corps, Bavai--Maubeuge, to Landrecies--Maroilles. - -(_b_) Second Corps, Bry--Bavai, to west of Le Cateau. - -A glance at the picture-map will show the position of these places. It -will be noted that the various divisions kept together pretty well. -Also that between Landrecies and Le Cateau there was a gap in the line -which the 6th Brigade could not properly fill. The Commander-in-Chief -remarks in his dispatch that the men in the First Corps were too -exhausted to march farther so as to cover this gap. - - -You picture, then, the regiments arriving one by one at the end of that -most exhausting day. The men dog-tired, hardly able to drag their feet -over the burning ground, no proper meal since a hasty breakfast at -dawn, fighting on and off all day, and now simply done to the world. - -Now, it is a golden rule in the Service that, however tired the men may -be, they must set to work at the end of their march to entrench -themselves or otherwise prepare against possible attack. I leave it to -your imagination to realise the meaning of "discipline" when you learn -that the men did entrench themselves that evening. And never was that -rule more finely vindicated. - -I conceive Marshal von Kluck at German G.H.Q. soliloquising that -Tuesday morning something in this wise: - -"My friends von Buelow and Hausen have between them settled with the -French on this side, and _they_ won't give any more trouble. Von -Buelow and I have pretty well pounded and demoralised the English, and -one more effort should finish _them_. Now, I will just give them -enough to keep them busy through to-day, keep them on the run and -exhaust them thoroughly, and then to-night we'll have a really hot -attack and crumple up the First Corps. They'll never stand that; and -we shall then have the rest of their army surrounded."? - -And that is the suggestion about the day's work which I venture to -make. We have seen how the daylight hours went for the British, and -how the Force drifted in to their destinations. Now we will see how -von Kluck crumpled up the First Corps with his night attack. - -The 1st Division was halted in and about Maroilles, and the 2nd -Division at Landrecies. They were therefore on the extreme right of -the line, with their flank more or less "in the air," for no French -seemed to be near. Landrecies was held by the 4th Brigade, battalions -of the Foot Guards, Grenadiers, Coldstreams and Irish, under General -Scott-Kerr. - -The torrid heat of the day had been the prelude to a cool, rainy -evening. Room was found for about two-thirds of the Brigade in the -houses and halls of the little town--a typical French country-town, -with its straight streets and market-place. The remainder of the men -got what little comfort they could on a rainy night outside. - -By 9 P.M. they had hardly begun to settle down, after "clearing decks -for action"--in case. Outposts had been placed, and the men were -congratulating themselves on a comfortable shelter after so many nights -of foot slogging. At 9.30 lights were out, and town and country-side -were in pitch darkness. - -A battalion of the Coldstream Guards had not yet arrived, but was about -a quarter of a mile from the town, marching in. The colonel was at the -head of the column with the guide. This man persisted in flashing an -electric torch to and fro towards the left, and the C.O. peremptorily -ordered him to put it out. - -The man obeyed for a few yards, and then flashed the light again. - -The C.O. at once grasped the situation, drew his revolver, and shot the -spy dead. - -It was as though that bullet had been fired straight into a mountain of -gunpowder. - -With a terrific crash German guns opened fire. Simultaneously, on -front and flank, rifles and machine-guns blazed out. - -A German night attack is no question of feeling a way in open order -until the enemy's outposts are driven in; it comes down like a smith's -hammer on the anvil. - -The Coldstreamers, with miraculous discipline, swung round and got into -a kind of line with the outposts already there, then continued -retirement to the town at the double. - -The outpost line was crushed through almost in a moment like tissue -paper, and before anyone could grasp what was happening the Germans -were pouring their massed columns into the town. - -Thus began perhaps the most critical and certainly the most remarkable -fight in which British regiments have ever been engaged. - -Tired out, the men tumbled out of the houses; three privates and a -corporal here, a dozen men and a sergeant there, a subaltern, a private -and a machine-gun at another corner, half a dozen men at two -first-floor windows somewhere else. And the only light came from the -flash of the rifles. - -There was no idea of forming ranks, even had it been possible. Slowly, -steadily up the streets the great German mammoth crept, and, like -tigers at their prey, the men of the Guards sprang at head and flanks, -worrying with grim-set teeth to the heart of the beast. - -Now the British machine-guns opened fire straight upon the head of the -column, swept it away, swept the succeeding ranks, until the mass was -brought to a standstill. - -More Guardsmen threw themselves straight at the ranks, firing as they -could, crashing in with bayonet and clubbed rifle. - -Now the column shivers; but the Germans are brave men. They rally, for -their comrades are pouring into the town to help them. Up side streets -and lanes, by all the approaches they come, and everywhere the men of -the Guards spring at them. - -But surely numbers must tell. What can four battered regiments, -fighting by handfuls, do in face of such thousands of a fresh army -corps! - -From Maroilles right down the line the British are fighting for their -lives, for von Kluck has staked heavily on this throw, and it would -seem that the dice are loaded. He pushes his guns up still closer -until some are firing into the town almost at point-blank range. -Again, what does it matter if his own men are swept away? There are -thousands more to fill their places. - -The houses have begun to blaze fiercely in the torrents of rain, and -there is plenty of light at last. And now the Guards rally for a -supreme effort. The last, the forlorn hope--but it is the Guards, and -at least they will go down fighting to the last man. - -One mighty heave--in at them--again--they are breaking--heave! - -They have done it. Broken them. Driven them out. And behind them the -enemy leave close upon 1,000 dead. - -Away up by Maroilles Sir Douglas Haig has fought his men like one -possessed, and there, too, he has broken the German attack, just as two -French Reserve Divisions came up to his aid. - -Slowly, sullenly, von Kluck withdraws his legions. Slowly and fitfully -the firing dies away, and by 2 A.M. all is still once more. - - - - -CHAPTER X - -AN INTERLUDE - - _... As many ways meet in one town; - As many fresh streams meet in one salt sea; - As many lines close in the dial's centre; - So may a thousand actions, once afoot, - End in one purpose, and be all well borne - Without defeat._ - - -There is something more than magic in the poetry of Shakespeare's -_Henry V._ when it is read to illustrate the stirring events of these -opening phases of the War. To set it side by side with the recital of -the story is to listen to the voice of a singer supported by the -gravely-sounding, deep-toned brass instruments of an orchestra. - -There is more than beauty of accompaniment, there is the magic of -prophecy. I can hardly find an incident of those August days which was -not mirrored three centuries ago in the verse of this play. Thus, I -have sought in no other for the musical preludes of my chapters; and I -confess often to have rubbed my eyes in astonishment at the aptness of -the poetry to the incidents of the moment. - -Now those few bars of introduction suggest another _motif_; let me try -to expand the theme a little. - -In reading the cold, semi-official language which states that the -British Force halted at such and such an hour along a line extending -from So-and-So to Somewhere, one is apt to gain an impression which is -far removed from reality. - -You picture, perhaps, the various units retiring along routes carefully -assigned by gilded Staff officers, and duly arriving at the scheduled -times in various villages and hamlets. That there they are met by -courteous billeting parties, who proceed to allot the men to more or -less unwilling householders. That at the hour specified in the report -you find the Dorsets in one place, the Irish Guards next to them, the -batteries with their guns neatly parked, and so on all down the line. -The various H.Q.'s of Brigades, Divisions or Corps all in readily -accessible spots, and everybody connected up with everybody else by -telegraph or telephone, so that any unit can be set in motion at any -minute. - -That is the ideal. Well, that delightful ideal first assumed definite -shape after the Battle of the Marne and not before. Here is a little -sketch of a tiny village on the line of retreat on the evening of -Tuesday, August 25th: - - -M. le maire, old Pierre Godolphin, sat slowly pulling at a new clay -pipe as he looked with unseeing eyes up the long dusty road which led -out of the village away over the northern uplands. A trimly kept hedge -of privet bordered his rose-garden and the road, and his favourite seat -was set in a little niche of the greenery whence he could command all -that went on in his tiny kingdom and, without moving, could see exactly -what Madame la Femme du Maire was about in the stone-flagged kitchen. - -That afternoon an avalanche of three-ton motor lorries had descended -upon the village, weird vehicles which announced in blatant language -the superiority over all others of Mayflower's margarine or the -outstanding merits of Pulltite's corsets. The men in authority were -obviously, from their uniforms, English officers, and not travellers -for the firms in question. But, frankly, old Pierre was puzzled. They -had come from the south, and why did they not continue their journey? -Two of the officers were actually proposing to stay with him, for an -indefinite period. - -M. le boulanger walked slowly across the road to confer with him about -the baking of more bread. "But these English are like a locust swarm, -and I have no more flour," he explained. - -"A glass of cider for monsieur, Henriette." - -"I do not understand," Pierre went on, "what it is ces braves garçons -do here. It is the third week of war, and by now surely ces bêtes de -Boches should have been driven back into their own pigsties---- Mais, -nom de Dieu, qu'est ce que c'est?" - -Down the village street a four-seater car came lurching from side to -side like a drunken man. Crash! It has caught a stone post and turned -over. In an instant the road is full of people running. - -Two men lay dazed as they had been thrown out. Both in the -yellow-green uniform of the British, one, certainly, an officer. -Willing hands lift them tenderly, and someone dashes a jug of water -over their heads. Then one sees what has happened. - -Between the shoulders on the officer's tunic there is spreading a great -dark stain. Very carefully they take off the coat and shirt and try to -stanch the blood. But it is too late; there is a bullet through the -lungs, and, with a little gasp, the officer lies still. - -In a few minutes the other man recovers sufficiently to tell how they -were taking a dispatch through to the rear. The officer was driving -the car when they ran straight into a patrol of enemy cavalry. They -had got through, but the enemy opened fire, and now his officer lies -dead. Things are going badly up there--and the man vaguely indicates -the country up north: our men are retiring as hard as they can; whole -regiments are getting wiped out; and "Gawd knows where the French are." -Can he get a motor-bike to take on the message? - -An A.S.C. officer runs for his car, the man is put in, and off they -start again. - -Only the A.S.C. lorry drivers understood the story, but the villagers -were quick to realise that something serious was happening. Old Pierre -remembered 1870, and he knew what war meant; but to the rest it was a -new, hideous thing, dimly realised, but now, at last, with this mute -witness before them, very real. - -Then things began to happen. No one ever knows how a crowd will spring -up in a city street, apparently by magic, and here suddenly the village -began to fill with men. - -Four soldiers--two Scots, a Dorset and a Bedford man--black with grime, -three days' growth of beard, hollow-eyed and limping painfully, -appeared in front of Pierre and asked where they were to go. A captain -of the Guards, riding a tired farm-horse, with a colonel walking by his -side, one hand on the horse's flank, came behind, and, tackling the -A.S.C. captain, asked for something to eat. - -"We've been on the trudge for twelve hours," said the colonel, "and -could get nothing. No one knows where anyone is. The regiment? Badly -cut up last night and all scattered, heaven knows where." - -"Is the mayor about anywhere?" And a young Staff officer, with a -French interpreter, pushes his way through the crowd. - -"A cavalry brigade (or what's left of it"--he adds in an undertone) -"will be here to-night. What barns and houses have you available? How -much hay can you get?" - -Old Pierre is beginning to lose his wits in the amazing turn of events. - -"If monsieur will come into the house I will try to arrange." - -The officer follows, with a shrug of the shoulders which might have -meant many things. - -The long summer's day is closing, but there is no hint of the evening's -cool in the heavy air. All over the little village green, where the -church tower has thrown a grateful shadow, lie groups of men worn with -exhaustion and sleeping with gulping breaths. In one corner Henriette -is busy with water and clean linen, bathing and bandaging horrible, -staring wounds. And the men lie patiently, with now and then a moan of -pain, gazing up at her with the great round eyes of a hurt collie dog. - -And now the vanguard of the retiring army begins to stream in and -through--all arms, all regiments. Overhead a flight of aeroplanes -circle, like homing pigeons, seeking where they may alight. It is -incredible that these are the regiments which a little ten days ago -swung gaily down the Aldershot roads. - -At the head of the column there marches a field battery. Two days ago -the major took it into action six guns and wagons strong, with perhaps -a couple of hundred men; so proud in his command, his men, his horses. - -Now, stand by the path and watch the battery pass! And, as it passes, -uncover your head, for it has returned from the very gates of Death. - -Two guns--with three horses each to draw them. There are still four -drivers left, and there are still half a dozen gunners. On the first -limber ride a subaltern and the sergeant-major, and by the gun walk -another sergeant and the quartermaster-sergeant. That is the battery. - -On the second limber three men sit, swaying dizzily. A captain of a -cavalry regiment and two privates of a Scottish regiment. - -Here marches a battalion of the Guards. Two days ago it went into -action perhaps 1,100 strong. Uncover your head once again as it -passes, for these men too have looked Death in the face. - -At the head there paces slowly an ammunition mule. On it, wearing a -peasant's slouch hat, with breeches cut off above the knees, and with -left arm held close by a rough bandage, there rides the colonel. Count -the men as they march past in fours: 80, 120, 160, 180, 220. No, that -is the next regiment you are counting in. Just 200! That is the tale -of them. - -Blackened by dust and powder, bearded, breeches cut short like those of -their commanding officer, the few puttees that are left to them wrapped -round their feet for boots--otherwise bits of sacking or cloth, bloody -bandages round heads or arms, some with hats like the colonel's, most -with none at all slowly they limp by. And, as they pass, the A.S.C. -drivers silently offer such biscuits or bread as they have. God, how -they wolf the food! - -The colonel turns round on his "charger," and in a hoarse shout: - -"Battalion! 'Tention! Pull yourselves together, lads; a French -village!" - -Ah, the pride of them! The glory of race and blood! This is not the -Mons country, with its blood-soaked memories; 'tis the Horse Guards -Parade, and we're Trooping the Colour! - -The click of rifles coming to the slope runs down the ranks. The fours -line by magic as the men straighten themselves; it is a new regiment, -marching into action, which the French villagers see pass before them. - -"Defeat? Why, this is part of the joke! Just to draw the Germans on -into the trap." And at a word they would have turned to charge an army -corps. - -And so the regiments pass. And as the last of the Division goes -through, lights twinkle from the tiny windows of the cottages and the -great yellow moon climbs slowly over the poplar trees. An A.S.C. -sergeant mounts a lorry with a copy of the Paris _Daily Mail_ in his -hand, and entertains an ever-growing audience with the news that the -Russians have invaded Germany and are marching on Berlin. - -"It will be all over by Christmas--but I'd 'ave liked just one slap at -them Germans, so as I could tell the missis," says a late bus-driver. - -But on the outskirts of the crowd the Staff officer is talking to the -A.S.C. captain: - -"I've no orders for you, but you've evidently been forgotten. You -ought to have had your park fifteen miles farther south by now. Things -are bad, and there will be the hell of a scrap round here to-morrow -morning. I should clear out if I were you." - -Away up to the north there is a blinding electric glare coming fast -down the road. Nearer, and it is the headlight on the first of a long -train of R.F.C. light motor-lorries, slipping silently down on rubber -tires. The dust rises in clouds above and about them. Half-way -through the village a motor-cyclist rides, meeting them. The dust -takes his shadow, and as he approaches the headlight the silhouette -rises higher and higher until it mounts to the sky and disappears. -Just as when children play a shadow pantomime and vanish by jumping -over the lamp. - -The lorries pass, and the dust slowly settles once more. The little -lights twinkle clearly again, and the moon now floods the countryside -in a sheen of silver. - -But the A.S.C. captain talks earnestly with his sergeant-major and M. -le maire. - -"We must move, but how can we possibly carry all those wounded and -stragglers?" - -M. le maire is of opinion that as _les Boches_ are being driven back -into Germany, the wounded might well remain until ambulances can be got. - -The O.C. looks at his sergeant-major. They have both guessed the -meaning of that retirement, and they guess also something that they -dare not tell the mayor. - -A few minutes suffice to rouse all the men and to get the wounded made -as comfortable as possible in the lorries. Lights are switched on the -cars, and within half an hour the column is clear of the village on its -way south. - -An hour later the advance patrols of a German cavalry division ride in -from the north; and old Pierre finds that the hay he had collected for -_les anglais_ does not go very far with his new visitors. - -Poor old Pierre, and Madame the mayoress, and the pretty little -rose-garden! - -Such is a little pen-picture, not one whit exaggerated, of an evening -of the Retreat. And perhaps those few lines will serve to convey some -trifling idea of the wonder of the achievement. - -Everywhere regiments and units forgotten, or lost, or acting on their -own initiative. And yet, somehow or other, making a composite whole to -turn and repel the attacking hordes. Staff work practically ceased to -exist, and yet the threads of communication held fast, though only by a -little. - -Now you have had a glimpse of the men who, the very next day, fought -_and won_ perhaps the most glorious fight a British Army has ever -shared in. - - So may a thousand actions, once afoot, - End in one purpose, and be all well borne - Without defeat. - - - - -CHAPTER XI - -WEDNESDAY, THE 26TH OF AUGUST - - _We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; - For he to-day that sheds his blood with me - Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, - This day shall gentle his condition._ - -WESTMORELAND. _Of fighting men they have full three-score thousand._ - -EXETER. _There's five to one; besides, they all are fresh._ - -SALISBURY. _God's arm strike with us! 'tis a fearful odds._ - - -The night attack which the First Corps had so magnificently repulsed -was but the prelude to the greater attack of August 26th. So imminent -did the danger appear to the Commander-in-chief, so tense was the -anxiety, that immediately after the firing had died away at midnight -orders were issued to the First Corps to march again at daybreak. I -cannot attempt to dwell upon the condition of the men after the battle -of Sunday, the fighting and marching of Monday and Tuesday, and, -finally, the great fight of Tuesday night. One can but quote the words -of Sir John French: "They were too exhausted to be placed in the -fighting line," and "were at the moment incapable of movement," and so -leave the rest to the imagination. - -To that extent, then, had von Kluck succeeded in his scheme. The First -Corps were temporarily out of action; the French, as the -Commander-in-Chief remarks, "were unable to afford any support on the -most critical day of all"; and to the Second Corps was left the task of -withstanding the whole German attack, designed to outflank them on the -left and roll them up. And the odds against them were, as at -Agincourt, "five to one"; in guns, more than six to one. - -Apart from his 3rd and 5th Divisions, General Smith-Dorrien had taken -under his command the detached 19th Infantry Brigade (composed of the -2nd Royal Welsh Fusiliers, 1st Scottish Rifles, 1st Middlesex, 2nd -Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), the infantry and some of the R.F.A. -of the 4th Division, and two brigades of cavalry, out by Cambrai. - -The line of the Second Corps on the Tuesday night extended, roughly, -from Le Cateau on the east to a little south of Cambrai on the west, or -a front of about fifteen miles. Trenches had been hastily dug since -the previous afternoon. East of Le Cateau was a big gap between the -two Corps. This could not be bridged owing to the exhausted condition -of the regiments in the 2nd Division. - -Some hours before battle was joined General Smith-Dorrien realised that -it was absolutely impossible for him to carry out the -Commander-in-Chief's instructions and continue his retirement in -conjunction with the First Corps. A retirement in face of such -overwhelming numbers would have meant annihilation. At 2 A.M. he -decided to fight, and reported so to his Chief. Sir John French -replied that the retirement must continue. - -"My only chance," rejoined the General, "is to do my utmost in -weakening the enemy's attack, and then seize such a moment as I can to -retire." - -General Smith-Dorrien was on the field of action; Sir John French was -at G.H.Q., some twenty miles to the south. The man on the spot, -realising that the only hope of stopping the enemy lay in a successful -action, proceeded with his plans of battle. The fight began at -daylight. - -About 7 A.M. General Smith-Dorrien informed G.H.Q. by telephone that -the battle was in progress, and that he was confident that he could -deal the enemy a smashing blow sufficiently heavy to gain time to -withdraw his weary troops. - -"General," said the senior Staff officer over the telephone, "yours is -the cheeriest voice I've heard for three days. I'll go and tell the -Chief." - -The Commander-in-Chief, who did not approve of the decision to fight, -in reply instructed him "to use his utmost endeavours to break off the -action and retire at the earliest possible moment." - - -Le Cateau, after which this battle has come to be named, is a pleasant -enough little town set in a country-side not unlike the Sussex uplands -between Tonbridge and Hastings--broad, open pasture- and meadow-land, -cut by tiny valleys, rolling away south to the dip of St. Quentin. -Through the town runs one broad street, and here, in the town hall -offices, G.H.Q. had its habitation for a short spell earlier in the -week. Opposite there was a little bun-shop and cafè combined, which -proudly announced: "English five o'clock tea." The two buxom ladies -who dispensed the refreshing beverage must have overheard many a little -confidence exchanged between their unsuspecting officer clients, and we -heard later that one of the two had been shot as a German spy. - -With the earliest dawn the firing began along the front with such a -curious spitefulness (if one could so call it) that many of our men -afterwards remarked about it. There were evidently to be no half -measures about this attack, for the German infantry came on almost with -the first rounds from their guns, advancing in their usual masses and -making big play with their machine-guns. It was good country for this -kind of work, while the cover our men got was generally only such as -they could make for themselves by digging. - -The morning came on radiantly sunny, with the sky a lovely pale limpid -blue, washed clear by the downpour of the previous night. - -"'An' 'tis a foine morning they'll be having in Lismore for the fair -this day," remarked a lad from County Cork; "but I would not be missin' -the fair _we'll_ be having for all the porter in Daddy Breean's ould -tent. Ah, will ye look at that now! Shure, 'tis the bhoys are coming -early for the knocks they'll be getting. Will I be seeing how the -little gun is shooting this morning, yer honour?" - -The platoon commander nodded, for Jerry was a privileged favourite. He -was also a remarkably fine shot. - -So Jerry nestled his cheek cosily down to his little gun and took a -deep breath, while the two or three near him looked on with interest. -Jerry lifted his head again, for he was an artist and knew the value of -arousing expectation. - -"And will it be a golden sovereign if I take the coat-tails of the -little ould gentleman with the spy-glasses?" This was Jerry's way of -making a bet. - -"Yes; I'll bet you a sovereign you won't down that officer on the -right, and he looks like the colonel," said the platoon commander. It -was a 500 yards' shot, and hazy, too. - -Jerry carefully judged the distance by a half-way haystack, adjusted -his sight, and settled down once again. "For the ould counthry!" he -breathed, and slowly squeezed the trigger. - -The "little ould gentleman" was seen to clap his hand smartly to his -leg, while two men ran up to him. - -"Will ye double the stakes, yer honour, for me to take the three o' -them?" said Jerry over his shoulder, clicking his bolt back and forward -again. - -"A fiver, Jerry, if you do it." - -Jerry wedged his rifle between two stones, took a slightly fuller -sight, and almost before you could have counted them three shots -cracked out. - -"Have you that fiver on you, yer honour, or will I be taking an IOU?" -And Jerry leaned back with a sigh of satisfaction as a mighty cheer ran -down the trench, and the platoon officer shook him hard by the hand. -What the enemy thought about it one could only surmise, but a few of -the men shook their fists threateningly in the direction of the British -lines. - - -Now let us follow for a little the fortunes of a Brigade in a -particularly warm corner of the line close to a small town where a very -strong German attack soon developed. The guns of the Brigade opened -fire at daybreak. They had managed to dig some serviceable pits, and -were as snugly ensconced as time had allowed. - -[Illustration: GENERAL SIR DOUGLAS HAIG.] - -For an hour, perhaps, the German guns pounded steadily away without -making very much impression; and our R.F.A. as steadily replied. Many -of the outlying farms and houses were badly knocked about and began to -burn fiercely. About 7.30 the enemy made a determined attempt to get -hold of a flank position for their machine-guns to enfilade our -infantry; and it was then that one regiment lost horribly before our -cavalry could get round in a counter-attack. So heavy were their -casualties that, as a regiment, they were simply out of action, and an -urgent message was dispatched to the next Brigade for anything they -could possibly send in the way of reinforcements. Badly off though -they were, two battalions were promptly transferred. Just one more -instance of working shoulder to shoulder. - -It was curious how certain regiments suffered very heavily while other -units next to them got off comparatively lightly. One R.F.A. brigade, -for instance, was right in the thick of the fighting from Mons to the -Aisne, and yet had very few losses until the middle of September, while -the battery next on their left on this Wednesday suffered very badly. -Of two other batteries I came across, one was in action right through -to the Aisne, and did not have a single casualty, while a second (most -curious of all), in the First Corps, never fired a shot until the big -advance of the Corps at the Aisne on September 14th. - -About 9 A.M. things began to look serious. Several enemy infantry -attacks had been met by desperate counter-charges; but numbers were -bound to tell. A German cavalry regiment had succeeded in working -round to the flank, and now they made a gallant effort to capture the -British guns. - -This was, I believe, one of the very few occasions when the enemy -cavalry had a real chance of getting any of our batteries by a charge. -There was a clear field, and they had got to within 500 yards of the -battery, when the guns opened on them. Our men had heard about the -fatal charge of the 9th Lancers, and now it was their turn. The -battery commander dropped to "fuse o, open sights," and the detachments -worked as though the devil were behind them. In the next 250 yards the -cavalry lost a good two-thirds of the regiment, and they got no nearer -than 200 yards from the guns. A British squadron luckily came out at -the moment, and charged clean through the remnant, wheeled, and cut up -what still remained. And that was the end of that very game attack. - -If only the Germans would always play fair, there would be nothing to -grumble about. Their infantry cannot, of course, be compared with the -British, and our cavalry have always come out better than theirs in a -clean fight; but the Germans have always fought courageously when it -was a case of genuine fighting. Indeed, it is a very poor compliment -to our men to suggest otherwise. - -But the main attack, instead of being checked, seemed to gather -strength, until it became manifestly impossible to protect and hold the -little town any longer. The infantry accordingly gradually withdrew -under cover of the guns, and at last the guns were limbered up and -marched back to another position farther south, the Brigade having held -the corner for something like four hours. - -Most of the townsfolk had begun their flight late on the previous -evening, but a good many still remained. Had they only known the fate -in store for them, the invaders would have found an empty town. But, -at least in this case, vengeance was swift, as you shall hear. - -The Brigade, then, took up its new position, and the men were able to -make themselves fairly snug before the enemy had finished with the -town. Fortunately, too, many of our wounded were got away from the -hospital, for the Germans had begun to shell that some time before. -But it was a very trying business, as there were not enough ambulances -for the very large number of casualties, and many had to be carried on -the already overloaded regimental transport. - - -Now, it must be remembered that General Smith-Dorrien had absolutely no -reserves on which to draw if any part of his line began to bend back. -The usual plan is, of course, to keep certain fresh regiments -concentrated at given spots to move up in support as and when required. -But now, if the Inniskillings were getting badly cut up and a gap was -being made, the G.O.C. could only call upon the Cheshires, say, a mile -off, who were not being so strongly attacked, to send a company or so -to the help of their comrades. - -Another thing. I have hinted in a previous chapter that the threads of -communication with the ammunition supply were badly stretched to -breaking-point, owing to the astonishing speed at which the British had -to retire. Normally, the ammunition parks (motor transport) draw the -ammunition supplies from railhead, and carry it up to the divisional -ammunition columns. These, in turn, distribute to brigade columns, and -the actual units draw upon the last named. Thus there are several -links between railhead and the firing-line, and the motor-lorries -should not come within about eight miles of the line. - -But on this Wednesday and the two or three following days all this -arrangement literally went to pieces. How could it be otherwise? And -that is how the A.S.C. drivers came to do their bit with all the rest. -Speed was vital, and the lorries could cover the distance in a third of -the time taken by the horse transport. In fact, the horse transport -was ignored or forgotten, although there were exceptions. One saw the -divisional columns aimlessly trekking about the country, at one moment -under orders to go to a certain village, only to find on arrival that -the enemy were just a mile off; back they would come again as hard as -the tired horses could do it. - -Time and again an urgent message would go back from a battery for more -18-pr. or howitzer, and the dispatch-rider would have instructions to -get the stuff wherever he could lay hands on it. He generally managed -to find a few lorries of a "park," and so off the bus drivers would -start with their three-ton vehicles, little dreaming that they were -going under fire. - -"Gor blimey, sir," said one of them next day to his officer, "I tell -yer it wos a fair beano! We'd gone abaht a couple o' miles, when the -sergeant wot wos along o' me on the box 'e sez: 'Stevens,' sez 'e, 'can -yer knock anything more aht of 'er? 'Cos they're firing acrost the -road.' Lor lumme, I nearly put 'er in the ditch at the turn 'e giv me! -Yer see, sir, I didn't enlist to get knocked aht by no b---- German. -I'm a peaceable man, I am, wot likes my grub and pint o' bitter reg'lar -like, and the missus the same. But, as I wos a-sayin', I turned to the -sergeant an' I sez: 'Yer don't fink there's no danger, do yer?' An' -the sergeant, 'e sez, sarkastic-like: 'Ho no, they're only bustin' the -shells on the road, an' we've got a few tons of fireworks be'ind wot's -bahnd to bust too if we gits 'it!' S'welp me pink, sir, I turned that -cold you could 'ave 'eard my teeth going louder nor the enjin. - -"'E 'adn't 'ardly spoke when there was the 'ell of a bang somewheres -just be'ind, and--well, you can bet your life, sir, we did a guy for -all we wos worth. Lord, 'ow we 'opped it dahn that road! I tell yer, -sir, we knocked forty-five miles an hour aht o' that ole bus, and she -come up to it like as we wos knockin' spots orf of a pirit bus dahn -Piccadilly. - -"The sergeant, 'e jammed 'is 'eel dahn on the accelerator, an' I just -'eld on to the wheel wiv bofe 'ands. It wos a fair old Brock's benifit -we wos in. But we got frew orl right, and wen we got to the place -where we wos to drop the stuff, there weren't no guns wot wanted it. -An', as old G. R. Sims sez, 'hit wos the unkindest cut of orl.' Well, -I wasn't coming back agin frew that pyrriteknikle show not for the ole -bus full o' suvrins, an' so we come 'ome rahnd by a place I forgit the -name of, and that's 'ow we're late; but it was worf the hextra thirty -miles rahnd, an' I 'ope, sir, yer won't mind this time." - -There was another occasion on this day when three of these lorries went -forward under the charge of an officer. He was quite unaware that the -village whence the call for howitzer shell had come had been captured -by the Germans half an hour after the message had been sent. On the -way he picked up another officer who was lost. - -Rounding a corner by a wood, about a mile from the village, they came -straight upon a small German cavalry outpost. The Germans sprang to -their feet at the rumble of the approaching lorries, and a sergeant -stood in the road to bar the way. - -There was not a moment for thought, and the second officer whipped his -pistol out and took a snap shot. Luckily, he killed the sergeant -outright. The officer in charge jumped down into the road as the lorry -pulled up, with his own revolver in hand, and levelled it at the group -by the roadside. One of them got his carbine off from the hip, and the -shot just missed the first lorry driver on his seat. The officer -promptly sent a bullet through the man's chest. Over his shoulder he -shouted to the drivers to reverse the lorries, while he and the other -officer held up the Germans. - -Now, reversing three big lorries in not too wide a road needs some -doing; but they all backed and advanced and sidled and backed until it -was done. Then one officer jumped up behind the last one, the second -officer followed, and off the lorries went. - -There was nothing remarkable about the little experience, and it is -only recorded to show the difficulties in ammunition supply at this -time and also how the A.S.C. drivers were doing their job. - - -You must imagine that while we have been at the rear with the A.S.C., -the fighting all along the British line has been growing in intensity. -A big flank attack, with the idea of rolling up the whole line like a -ball of string, is always a favourite move of the Germans, and this -time they were trying to crush the British left. - -But although the left was the main objective, the enemy still had a big -superiority in numbers for frontal attacks, and these they kept up -without ceasing. It was just like the crashing of many mighty hammers -from one end to the other. - -Following up the policy of making counterattacks whenever possible, a -bold offensive was made against the little town from which we had just -been driven. The enemy had now been in possession for two or three -hours. So word was passed to the batteries, some of the indefatigable -cavalry was concentrated, and the infantry, with the two reinforcing -battalions, received the cheering news that they were to advance. - -How they all went at it! Under the heaviest fire our guns could pour -in, the infantry rushed the outlying houses, the main street, and the -town itself, the cavalry sweeping up on the flank. The gunners, after -raising the range to put a curtain before the infantry, limbered up, -and had the satisfaction of marching back through the town which they -had just been forced to evacuate. - -Then it was that our men first saw a little of the hideous work of the -invaders upon the civilian population. And if anything more were -needed to brace them up to fight to the last man, they had it in that -brief hour in the recaptured town. - -The hospital was burning fiercely, just as that at Mons had done. Such -a building, with its Red Cross flag, was always a convenient ranging -point for the enemy. In it there had been some 400 wounded and other -casualties. A large number of these had been got away, but a number -had, perforce, to be left. Their end must have been too cruel to dwell -upon. - -Up the main street everywhere was horrible evidence that _they_ had -been at work. Mingled with dead or wounded combatants were bodies of -women and children, many terribly mutilated, while other women knelt -beside them, with stone-set faces or gasping through hysterical -weeping. From behind shutters or half-closed doors others looked out, -blinded with terror. - -But there was one thing which, for the men who saw it, dwarfed all -else. Hanging up in the open window of a shop, strung from a hook in -the cross-beam, like a joint in a butcher's shop, was the body of a -little girl, five years old, perhaps. Its poor little hands had been -hacked off, and through the slender body were vicious bayonet stabs. - -Yes, close your eyes in horror, but it is right that our people should -hear and know these things. There must be no false, vapid sentiment in -refusing to think about them. There should not be a home in the -British Empire where the facts of German atrocities are not known, and -where, in realising them, hearts are not nerved to yield their last -drop of blood in stamping out from the world of men the hideous Thing -which has done them. - -After that the Brigade "saw red." There was no more talk of taking -prisoners, and if there was another ounce they could put into their -work they did it. The sight of those poor distracted women kneeling -down in the road before our men, or hanging round their knees praying -to be taken away, would have melted the stoniest hearts. The situation -was serious enough, for another German attack in force was bound to -follow, and the Brigade had little hope of getting away safely -themselves. But they could not possibly leave the women behind -again--nor did they. Somehow or other they escorted, on guns, limbers -and vehicles, all they could find safely on to the southward road, -sullenly retiring once more before the new counter-attack. - - - - -CHAPTER XII - - WEDNESDAY, THE 26TH OF AUGUST - (_continued_) - - _A many of our bodies shall, no doubt - Find native graves; upon the which, I trust, - Shall witness live in brass of this day's work; - And those that leave their valiant bones in France, - Dying like men, ... - They shall be fam'd._ - - -By midday the tide of battle had begun to roll southwards, though only -by a very little. The British lines were forced back, a mile here, -half a mile there, but they still held on with superhuman energy and -determination. And not only did they hold on, but, wherever there was -the least chance, a regiment or cavalry squadron would launch a -counter-attack. But it all seemed so hopeless, just as one might throw -pebbles into the waves of the sea as they break upon a beach. - -Some day it is to be hoped that an adequate record will be published of -the remarkable work which the cavalry performed during the Retreat. -Sir John French, perhaps because he was himself a cavalry leader, -hardly mentions them in his first dispatch. Wherever they were most -wanted, there they were in the thick of the fighting. How the horses -"carried on" and where and how fresh animals were obtained remains a -mystery, in view of the muddle in which everything was. - -But where every unit and every man worked as they did, it seems almost -invidious to single out for mention any particular regiment or episode. -Take a single half-hour of the fighting on the left, and you have an -example of what was repeated fifty times that day across the whole -British front. - -A blue-grey mass of enemy infantry appears advancing with steady, -swinging pace. At 500 yards or a trifle more one of our regiments -opens rapid fire upon them. You can actually see the lanes in the -German ranks ploughed through by the British rifle-fire. Still they -advance, for the gaps are filled almost immediately. Nearer and -nearer, until that regiment which began the advance has almost ceased -to exist. The remnant breaks and scatters in confusion, and as they -break away another new regiment is disclosed behind them. Such is the -method of the German massed attack, overwhelming by sheer numbers. - -But rarely did they get near enough to the British lines for a -hand-to-hand fight. Regiment after regiment would be held at bay by -the murderous rifle-fire of the little handful of British; regiment -after regiment would appear to fill the gap. Now and again the weight -of the attack would tell, and the Germans would get close enough for a -final rush on the British trench. Then, at the critical moment, a -British company, slightly forward on the flank, pours in a withering -enfilade fire, and while the German infantry stagger under this -unexpected attack the British cavalry charge through our own lines -straight on the front and flank of the enemy. There are a few minutes -of mad cut and thrust, and the Germans, who always dread the cold steel -as a Chinese dreads rain, break and run as though all the fiends of -hell were after them. - - -Just about this time General Smith-Dorrien and a couple of his Staff -officers were following the fortunes of the battle from some rising -ground not far from the centre of the line. A sudden outburst of heavy -and incessant firing was heard from the direction of Cambrai, where, it -will be remembered, the enemy were trying to outflank us. - -"Good heavens," cried the General, "the Germans have got round our -left!" And, jumping on to his horse, he galloped off towards the -firing. - -To his astonishment and delight he found, as he drew near the flank, -that the firing came not from victorious Germans, but from some of our -French comrades. - -Never was help more opportune; seldom can it have come in more dramatic -fashion. By all accounts General Sordêt with his cavalry should have -been sitting by the roadside, forty miles away on the British right, -tending his worn-out horses. Yet, at the call for help, by sheer grit -and determination he and his Corps had carried through that long forced -march (Heaven knows how the horses did it!), and swept up on our left -with his squadrons and horse artillery. Everyone knows what splendid -work the French gunners can do, and--well, this was one of their best -days. - -It was a thrilling episode, and why, in common justice to our gallant -Allies, the details have not been published I do not know. You will -find General Smith-Dorrien's record and appreciation of the invaluable -help thus given by General Sordêt in the second Appendix at the end of -the book. - -While such were the conditions about midday up with the front line, the -situation immediately in the rear was fast becoming indescribable in -its confusion and complexity. Looking back at it now, after the lapse -of so many months, it seemed very much like a theatrical performance -where a "front cloth" has been lowered to conceal from the audience a -strike of stage hands and the despair of the actors at setting the -stage and getting on with the play. Before the front cloth a special -"turn" is performing to gain time and appease the growing impatience of -the audience. - -There was, for instance, a particular centre of cross-roads, nearly a -mile beyond where German shells were bursting. It was just outside a -large village, and the inhabitants were streaming out with their -belongings, yet uncertain whether there was actual danger or no. - -At the cross-roads were gradually arriving ammunition columns, remnants -of battered regiments, motor-lorries, and odd cavalry patrols; and no -one had the vaguest idea as to why they were there nor where they were -to go next. A Staff officer standing there was as much at sea as the -rest. Every moment more and more transport would roll up, and more and -more stragglers, while hanging on to the outskirts of the crowd were -increasing numbers of frightened women and children. An old curé alone -seemed calm and collected. Over another village a little way back down -the road the German shells come bursting ever nearer. It must be -remembered that even the Staff had but a hazy idea of the trend of -events, and that outside the Staff not a soul had any notion of what -was really happening to the Force. It was just a matter of doing your -own special bit. - -Right into this confused mass came running some R..A.M.C. orderlies. -"The Germans are just behind!" they shouted. There might have been a -bad panic with all those civilians about, but there was only rather -more confusion. The Staff officer gave a general order to retire on -St. Quentin (a large town about seven miles to the south); and then -there was one mad rush. - -Motor-lorries blocked the whole road, trying to reverse, while wounded -and stragglers made a dash for the nearest vehicles. Ammunition -columns struck off the road on to the open down-land. The refugees -streamed straight across country. Down the road the heavy lorries went -pounding, and soon outdistanced everyone else. At one corner there -were two R.F.A. drivers in charge of five heavy draught horses. -"Germans be'ind us," yelled a lorry driver; "better move!" And they -did move. The sight of those old "hairies" clopping down the road at a -hand gallop after the disappearing lorries was too ludicrous for words. - - -By 3 P.M. the weight of the enemy's attack had begun to tell, and, to -quote the Commander-in-Chief's dispatch, "it became apparent that, if -complete annihilation was to be avoided, a retirement must be -attempted; and the order was given to commence it about 3.30 P.M." - -Now came the most critical time of all. At the beginning of the day -the enemy must have imagined that a retirement would be made at the -earliest opportunity. But as the hours passed, and the British line -still held, the impression may have spread that they intended to fight -the day to a finish where they stood. Certainly it is impossible to -think that had they realised a definite retirement to be in progress, -they would not have thrown every man they had upon the rear of the -Corps. - -Slowly and cautiously, then, regiment after regiment fell back. I have -tried to show in an earlier chapter what that means and how much -depends upon the guns at such a juncture. Again I can only quote the -Commander-in-Chief's words: "The movement was covered with the most -devoted intrepidity and determination by the artillery, which had -itself suffered severely." - -I will just give one instance of what that devotion meant, a devotion -which, as has everywhere been agreed, saved the situation. - -Close under a ridge a battery had been in action without a moment's -rest for the last six hours. One gun after another had been knocked -out, the battery commander and every officer save one killed, all the -men of the detachments killed or wounded, until there was left just one -gun, one subaltern, and one driver. And still they kept the battery in -action; still they loaded and fired, as they had been doing all through -that ghastly day. - -"Got a drink?" said the subaltern; "a cigarette? Good! Thank God for -a white man's cigarette again!" And he went on with his job. That was -what "covering the movement" meant. - -But the battle had been won. General Smith-Dorrien, his officers and -men, had accomplished the almost superhuman task thrust upon them. -They had not merely held the German attack through all the long hours -of that blazing August day; they had _broken_ it. For the remainder of -the Retreat it never recovered its sting and energy, and so the Force -and Paris were saved. - -Events have had time to shape themselves during the months that have -lapsed since August, 1914, and it is possible to view them in a certain -perspective. It has been urged that we British have exaggerated the -importance of the work of the Force in the Retreat; that while we were -holding a line of no more than 20 odd miles, the French were extended -over a front of 400 miles against an equally strong attack; that, by -the prominence given to the work of the Force to the neglect of that of -the French, a distorted picture has been given of the operations during -August from Alsace to the sea. - -To these arguments I would reply that Germany was staking everything -upon that rush to Paris. For years past we had known that her -intentions were to bring France to her knees within the first month or -so, to admit of turning to meet Russia before that country had fully -mobilised. And so, with this definite task in view, Germany -concentrated her main attack through Belgium and south by Mons. She -had not only her greatest strength in the armies of von Kluck and von -Buelow, but she included in these masses of troops the flower of the -German Army, picked regiments like the Prussian Guard, the "Iron" 3rd -Corps of Brandenburg,[1] and others. Add to these facts the sustained -violence of the invasion, and the concentrated hate which was levelled -against Belgians and British by the invaders when the attack was -continually and successfully checked, and I think that there is -sufficient evidence to indicate the vital importance of the work of the -British Force. - -Moreover, the French people themselves had, with fine generosity, -recognised that it was the British Force, under God's hand, which had -saved Paris: for on Sunday, August 30th, prayers of thanksgiving were -offered up in the churches on behalf of our troops. - - -And now, hopelessly inadequate as this record has so far been, words -utterly fail me in attempting to describe the events of the next twelve -hours, and how the Retreat was continued. It was one long, ghastly -nightmare. - -As regiment after regiment received its orders to retire, the survivors -staggered to their feet, blinded by the ordeal of the day, and crept -back until they reached a point where ranks could be formed. Then they -got moving. Their destination no one knew, no one cared.... Keep -moving! Men licked their blackened lips with parched tongues. "Any -chance of a drink?" "Not here; perhaps we shall pass a village." Keep -moving! "Got a fag on you?" "Smoked the last this morning; perhaps -get some in the village." "Where the b---- 'ell is your village?" -"Gawd knows." ... Keep moving! - -Ten minutes later. "Where the 'ell are we going? and why the ---- are -we retreating? Give 'em socks, didn't we? And where the ---- are them ----- Frenchies?" "Oh, shut yer 'ed, carn't yer?" ... Keep moving! - -There was a tiny village called Estrées in a hollow of the downs about -three miles out from St. Quentin. Here at 4 P.M. the confusion was -indescribable. Lorries, stragglers, refugees, transport columns, -guns--all inextricably mixed up. It was, I believe, supposed to be a -bivouac point for the night, but no one knew definitely. In any case, -they were all tightly wedged in that hollow, and the Germans were but a -very few miles behind. Had an enemy battery come within range, as it -might well have done, it would have meant certain death for every soul -there. Later in the evening news got to G.H.Q. of the position, and -rations were sent up to the starving troops, with definite orders about -further retirement. - -Staff work simply went to pieces. It was not that men lost their heads -or anything like that, but the various H.Q.'s found it impossible to -keep pace with events. A regiment would be in a certain position, then -it would be completely forgotten (or so it seemed), and no orders would -arrive to move. Many C.O.'s retired entirely on their own initiative, -and so got clear. Others decided to await instructions, and so got -wiped out or captured. - -As dusk gathered into darkness the confusion grew worse, while -discomfort increased (if possible) with the steady downpour of ram -which followed. But there was no moment's rest for the exhausted -troops, save when a regiment came up against an obstacle across the -road--a broken-down motor-van or gun-wagon. Then, if there were any -sappers handy, the vehicle would be blown up and the road cleared.... -Anyhow, keep moving! - -And the dreadful agonies of the wounded. At St. Quentin there was a -big hospital which had been gradually filling during the past -twenty-four hours. Now, on this afternoon, G.H.Q. found it advisable -to pack up in a hurry and leave for farther south. And the -hospital--would it share the same fate as those of Mons and Le Cateau? -Once again the movable cases were hastily got into ambulances and other -conveyances, and carried off in the wake of G.H.Q. But for hundreds of -men there was no chance of getting even so far as St. Quentin for -attention. Through the day the R.A.M.C. had worked as hard as the -fighters, but it was very little more than first aid which could be -given. No chance for deft operation, anti-tetanus serum or the like. - -So, mingled with the retreating army were the ghosts of men swathed in -bloody bandages, some clinging to vehicles on which they had found a -seat, others marching with vague, uncertain pace by the infantry, -others, again, just dropping out, to huddle exhausted by the roadside -waiting for dawn and a fate which now had no meaning for them. - -Keep moving! ... Horse after horse in the slowly trekking columns of -batteries or supply transport dropped down and fouled the wheels. -Unhook or cut the traces; push the poor beast out of the road. An old -pal, was he? Aye, he was a fine "wheeler," that dark bay! Remember -the first time we had him in at practice camp? Nothing matters now but -keeping on the move. Yes, better shoot him. He deserves a clean end. - - -Dozens, perhaps hundreds of men got cut adrift from their regiments -that day, adrift and hopelessly lost in a strange country. No house, -no village was safe as sanctuary, for the tide of invasion lapped at -the threshold and would presently overwhelm it. One trivial incident I -heard of seems worthy of record as an instance of "individuality" in -the training of the British soldier. - -A man---we will call him Headlam--got adrift by himself from the 3rd -Division out on the left flank. After many hours' wandering, he came -to a little farmhouse on the road. Here the good woman took him in, -fed him, and gave him a shakedown. There were also there a couple of -French stragglers. - -A few hours later the little son of the farm came running in with the -news that a patrol of the dreaded Uhlans was coming down the road. -That meant murder for everyone. There was no time to hide, and the -French were at their wits' end. - -Headlam's first thought was for cover. Out in the yard there was a big -rain-tub. Calling the two French soldiers to help, they rolled it out -longways on into the road, and one of them, with Headlam, got behind -with their rifles. The moment the patrol appeared, Headlam gave the -Uhlans an excellent example of rapid fire, and three saddles were empty -before they realised where the attack came from. Then they charged. -French and British, side by side, ground away with their rifles, and -when the Uhlans reached the little fortress there were only three left -out of the patrol of nine. The second Frenchman, by the side of the -road, accounted for another, and, with three to two, the Uhlans -surrendered. - -So our three musketeers found themselves with five excellent horses and -a couple of prisoners; and I leave you to picture the triumphal -procession which passed through the villages on the southward journey. -The order of march was: Jacques and a led horse, Pierre and a led -horse, two disconsolate Uhlans on foot (and hating it), and Headlam -(with female escort), as G.O.C., bringing up the rear.... - - -Keep moving! ... But oh, the inexpressible weariness of it! No torture -is more refined than that of preventing a worn-out human being from -sleeping; and here it was experienced to the full. The picture of the -Force that night might well have created for Dante the vision of one -more circle of Hell. - -Hunger was long since forgotten, but a red-hot thirst remained. One -could appreciate as never before how Dives thirsted when he asked for -Lazarus to touch his lips with a moistened finger. On, ever on, for -hour after eternal hour, riding or trudging through the inky darkness, -never a halt.... Keep moving! - -How the troops did it I cannot tell. It was not the triumph of will -over the exhausted body, for the sense of volition had fled, and men -were mere automata in their movements. The legs jerked forwards as -those of a clockwork toy. Had the men halted they could never have got -moving again; the clockwork would have run down. - -In the saddle it was little better. Every muscle of the body ached -with an intolerable dull throbbing; a deadly coma crept through the -brain and dragged at the eyelids. Nerveless fingers clutched at the -pommel of the saddle, and were pulled away by the drag of the heavy -arms. - -One knows how a single night of sleeplessness will tell its tale in the -face of a man or woman. Here was the fourth night of ceaseless -fighting and marching, with only an odd hour of rest now and again. - -All through the night and on into the daylight hours sounded the -plod-plod of marching men, the grumble--creak--grumble of transport or -guns. And in the far rear of the moving columns were more regiments -lined out, showing a bold front to the still advancing enemy, ever -guarding the backs of their comrades so far as was humanly possible. - - -One particularly sad disaster befell a regiment in the course of the -retirement; it is remarkable that there were not many others of a like -nature. The 1st Gordons lost their way after dark, and began to march -in a direction across the front of the German advance. About midnight -the regiment found itself moving into masses of troops. The first -thought was that they were amongst the French, for it was supposed that -they had been marching towards French support. - -Suddenly fire was opened upon the regiment from all sides, and though -the Gordons put up the gallant fight which they have ever done in a -tight corner, the odds were too impossible, and ten minutes saw the end. - -I think that disaster affected the Force more than anything else in -that opening month. Men spoke of it in hushed tones. A magnificent -regiment with glorious traditions, and to be crushed out as they were -in those few minutes. And yet not crushed out! Though the older -generation of the family may die, there is the younger generation which -follows, and their sons after them. And well do I remember that -younger generation at the Aisne, when the Regiment rose again -reincarnate from the ashes of the dead. I see now the stern-set faces -of the officers, proud in their determination to avenge their honour; -faces shaded and hallowed by the knowledge of what the Regiment had -done and suffered, what it must now do and suffer that their dead may -rest in peace. As it was, so shall it be, - - Rising, roaring, rushing like the tide, - (Gay goes the Gordon to a fight) - They're up through the fire-zone, not to be denied; - (Bayonets! and charge! by the right!) - Thirty bullets straight where the rest went wide, - And thirty lads are lying on the bare hillside; - But they passed in the hour of the Gordons' pride, - To the skirl of the pipers' playing. - - - -[1] This Corps is always regarded in Germany as the finest in the -German Army. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII - -THE RETREAT CONTINUES - - _We are but warriors for the working-day; - Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch'd - With rainy marching in the painful field; - There's not a piece of feather in our host, - * * * * * - And time hath worn us into slovenry; - But, by the mass, our hearts are in the trim._ - - -The following days saw no rest for the exhausted troops, and they were -compelled to plod on ever farther and farther south. If the rapidity -of the German advance was so astonishing, even more so was the speed at -which the British retired before them. For it is a hundred times more -easy to do the advancing than the retiring. In the former case there -is the confidence of success, with the feeling that at any moment the -coveted prize may be snapped up. In the latter there is the inevitable -feeling that things are going wrong, that the army is suffering defeat, -and the constant dread that the troops may not stand the tremendous -strain upon their powers of endurance. - -So it was that every encouragement was given to the rumour which ran -through the Force that this was but a strategical retirement, part of -the plan decided on years before between the French and British -Headquarters Staffs. And the idea of the Retreat was that the British -were to draw the Germans ever southward, while the Belgian forces were -gradually closing in behind the invaders on the west, and the French -doing the same on the east. Then at the psychological moment the -signal would be flashed round, the British would suddenly turn and -present a dead wall, the strings of the net would be pulled tight, -and--hey presto! we should all be home by Christmas. - -There was only one part of the scheme which everyone regretted, and -that was that we should be out of the entry into Berlin. It is all -very well to keep up your wicket while the other fellow makes the runs, -but then the other fellow gets all the credit. You see, everybody knew -for a fact that the Russians were only a couple of days from the German -capital, and that heartened the Force almost more than anything else. -However, one consoled the men by telling them that regiments were sure -to be picked by ballot to represent the British in the march through; -and as for the newspaper prizes to the first man or regiment in--well, -that regiment would surely be sporting and share the prize. - -How many times one must have explained this wonderful piece of strategy -to the good French folk I should not like to guess. On passing through -a little village, generally at dusk, one of the things one always had -to do, after dispelling the fears of the ancient policeman who tried to -hold up the battery with an antiquated fowling-piece, was to draw maps -on the sanded floor of the café for the edification of the local -magnates. - -"Why do we thus retire, madame? But it is so simple. It is a piece of -strategy of the most clever. The Allemands"--here the audience spit -profusely--"come thus, the Belgians are here, etc. etc. At any moment -we turn to attack, etc. How many English, madame? Ah, madame, it is -not permitted to tell; but for your ear, madame (and I would tell no -one else), they say that the second quarter of a million disembarked -yesterday." - -Perhaps our kindly hosts will by now have forgiven us, but at least -much of it we believed ourselves at the time. It all helped to keep -the men going and prevent sudden panic with the countryfolk. It is -difficult to say whether we did wrong. - -By 8 A.M. on the Thursday the retiring columns were well on their way -beyond St. Quentin. The First Corps, during the eventful Wednesday, -had also been steadily retiring, and had had comparatively little -fighting to do. The condition of the troops will be remembered. - -About half an hour later the rear-guard reached St. Quentin. The -batteries marched in, watered their horses in the square, and marched -out again immediately, the infantry covering them outside the town. - -It was a little curious in St. Quentin--the attitude of the -inhabitants. No one seemed to take any interest in the British -movements, and certainly no one appeared to bother himself one atom -about the German approach. St. Quentin is a big garrison town, with -fine open places and streets, excellent shops and stately buildings, -and the wealth of the place must be great. Yet there was never a hint -of an exodus, and the people accepted the whole situation with -astonishing sang-froid. I believe that when the Germans did arrive, a -little later in the day, they surrounded the town and marched in from -all sides at once, to find their triumphant entry opposed by--one -British soldier. This man had got lost or left behind in a house, and -now turned out with his rifle to defend the town. The German division -had to open fire with a machine-gun upon the gallant lad before he -fell, face to the enemy, riddled with bullets. The war can have -witnessed few more remarkable episodes. - -The fact that the R.F.A. with the rearguard were able to continue their -retirement throughout the day without having to fire a round will show -how well the Second Corps had smashed the German attack. - -It should also be recorded that on this Thursday and Friday the Force -had further help from the French. General Sordêt's cavalry continued -its excellent work in relieving the pressure on the left of the Second -Corps. - -G.H.Q. had moved from St. Quentin on the Wednesday afternoon, and taken -up their abode at Noyon, a cathedral town about 30 miles farther south. -Here, again, no one seemed to have the slightest inkling of impending -danger, and the business of the town was being carried on as usual. -The mayor certainly posted a proclamation imploring the "citoyens" to -remain calm and to pay no heed to rumours, and the citoyens obeyed by -wondering why M. le maire should have so put himself about as to issue -such a notice. - -That was on the Thursday. But on the Friday the citoyens received -something of a shock. A number of British regiments marched through in -broad daylight, and it was now plainly to be seen that something very -serious was happening. After the first gasp of astonishment and utter -incredulity, the people stood by the road in dead silence with tears of -pity running down their cheeks. So long as I live I can never forget -that scene, the intense drama of it, the tragedy, and the glory of -achievement which shone radiantly forth. - -The remnants of three gallant regiments we watched go by, and we could -look no longer. There is no need to say which they were, for they were -but typical of all the other regiments in the Force that day. Again -there were but a poor 200 men left of each 1,000. Officers and men -alike in their pitiable destitution. Barefooted, or shifts of bandages -round their swollen feet; torn breeches, cut short like football -knickers. Great bearded men they were, with the grime and dust of five -terrible days' incessant fighting and marching upon them; but in their -eyes the unquenchable light of their native pluck and steadfastness. -There was no trace of defeat there, only the hungry, dazed look of men -who long for a little sleep before they turn once more to crash their -way into an enemy's ranks. - -It is not such things as these that our people at home are told, and so -I set them down. Tales of gallant deeds in the fighting-line they have -now in plenty, but the great human side of this bloody war is passed -over in discreet silence. England knows nothing of the meaning of -modern war; she has not suffered invasion, save from the predatory -attacks of aircraft. Her sons are fighting for her, and the knowledge -thrills our womenfolk; but of the conditions under which they have -fought, and of the appalling sufferings of tortured Belgium and France -and Poland and Serbia, they are hopelessly ignorant. If but a tenth -part were thoroughly realised there would be one mighty irresistible -cry from the heart of the civilised world: - -"Stand at nothing to finish this war at once, and it shall be the last!" - -There are no such things as neutral nations. If a nation refuses to be -enrolled for Civilisation, then it is fighting by the side of the -obscene Horror which has plunged Europe into this carnival of blood and -misery. - -On the Friday afternoon some of us learned from a wounded French lancer -that the German centre had been badly smashed and was actually retiring -from St. Quentin, owing to a French counter-offensive; also some of our -cavalry had been doing specially good work south of that town. The 3rd -Cavalry Brigade broke and beat back the Prussian Guard and another -cavalry regiment, and the 5th Cavalry Brigade had a similar success -with other German cavalry. - -In the meantime G.H.Q. had removed still farther south to Compiègne, -and occupied Napoleon's magnificent palace, or a wing of it. - - -It had been intended to give the Force a really good rest when they -reached the River Oise on the Friday night. By that time the British -line (both Corps) ran along the river from La Fère to Noyon. But it -was, after all, little more than five or six hours which could be -spared; many of the regiments and batteries did not even get that brief -respite. "Keep moving" was still the order of the day. - -But for the fortunate it was a glimpse of Paradise. It meant, above -all else, a proper all-over wash and a clean shirt, even though you had -to wash it yourself. It meant the luxury of a shave, if you could -manage to get hold of anything in the shape of a razor. There was a -square meal served out, and there were two or three hours of blessed -sleep, when you lay with next to nothing on (for your shirt was drying) -under a shady tree. It was all little enough, and, truth to tell, most -of the men could only turn out of the ranks to fall straight into the -sleep of utter exhaustion, a sleep of the clock round had it been -allowed. - -Tobacco in those days was a luxury, and it was needed most. Now there -is a regular weekly ration, and in addition kind friends at home see -that the supply of cigarettes does not fail. But in the Retreat the -usual substitute was dried tea-leaves rolled in the parchment paper of -the emergency ration. Tea-leaves are very nasty to smoke, but I am not -sure that they are so nasty as brown paper or the seat of a -cane-bottomed chair; and I have tried them all. - -The men's equipment, too, was a constant source of trouble. They would -throw away their greatcoats and packs, anything to march as lightly as -possible. The Germans must have had a fine haul, and there were -several occasions when they dressed up their infantry companies in -British greatcoats and caps, and got well up to our lines before their -identity was discovered. - -And that reminds me that in Noyon we caught a German spy wearing no -fewer than three different uniforms. First, a French; over it a -Belgian; and on top of these a khaki greatcoat with cap. It was a very -hot day, and the man's obvious discomfort was the first thing to give -him away. It did not take ten minutes to settle that little affair. - -By the time the two corps joined up again the refugee problem had -become really serious. All the way back the army of unfortunates had -been steadily growing larger, and it was but natural that they should -hang on to the skirts of the Force for protection. How many of the -poor women and little children died of exposure and exhaustion, it is -impossible to tell. Our men were themselves badly off for food, but, -needless to say, they were always eager to share their emergency -rations with those who had nothing at all save what could be garnered -in wayside village or cottage. - -Rules about commandeering are most rigid; nothing must be taken without -payment, or at least a voucher. I remember one C.O. buying a couple of -fruit trees for his unit. But it went to the men's hearts to leave -behind them tender chickens and toothsome bunnies, even though there -was no chance of cooking them, to be snapped up by Germans with no such -qualms of conscience. - -Yet, to give the Germans credit, they did, in many cases, give written -receipts for provisions when it was a question of an odd duck or bale -of hay; but when a house was properly ransacked the receipt given more -usually bore the signature of that redoubtable warrior, Herr von -Koepenick. It was one of the very few occasions when they showed a -sense of humour, if one can call it so. - -Amongst those fortunate regiments which had been able to snatch the few -hours' rest there was a very general, and a very natural, impression -that a definite stand was now going to be made. The position was a -good one, and it was also confidently expected that more divisions were -being hurried out from England as fast as ship and train could bring -them. - -Perhaps, under other circumstances, the stand might indeed have been -made. But what we did not know was that the main French Armies away to -the east were being dealt a series of such smashing blows by the -Germans that they were retiring almost more quickly than we were. - - -Although we are concerned here solely with the fortunes of the British -Force, yet it must be remembered that the fighting on the west was only -a small part of the general engagement, and that the Force had -necessarily to conform with the main strategical idea. The capture of -Paris would have been of incalculable moral value to the Germans. They -recognised this, and therefore made that special bid for it. But the -triumphant entry into Paris would have possessed no _real_ value so -long as the French and British Armies were still "in being." Just as, -later, the capture of Warsaw was of little real value (save as a -strategic centre), because the Russian Armies had escaped. - -The position, then, on Saturday morning, the 29th, was: - -(_a_) The Force was retiring, not too severely pressed by the enemy, -but with continuous rear-guard actions. - -(_b_) Two new French Armies (the 6th and 7th) were coming into position -on our left, by Amiens and Roye. - -(_c_) On our immediate right was the 5th French Army, the one which had -suffered so badly after the fall of Namur. - -(_d_) Generally, the French forces on the east were being steadily -pushed back by the very strong enemy advance. - -On that morning the Commander-in-Chief received a visit from General -Joffre, and this is what took place. I quote from Sir John French's -second dispatch: - -"I strongly represented my position to the French Commander-in-Chief, -who was most kind, cordial and sympathetic, as he has always been. He -told me that he had directed the 5th French Army on the Oise to move -forward and attack the Germans on the Somme with a view to checking -pursuit. - -"I finally arranged with General Joffre to effect a further short -retirement towards the line Compiègne--Soissons, promising him, -however, to do my utmost to keep always within a day's march of him." - -It may be noted here (although, of course, we did not know it till much -later) that, owing to the German advance on the west, Le Havre was -evacuated as the British base, and the organisation, stores, hospitals -and everything, were rushed at half a day's notice right down to St. -Nazaire, at the mouth of the River Loire. It was an amusing episode in -the war, and quite a happy little yarn it would make; "but that is -another story," as Kipling says. - -On the Saturday evening the Force was got on the move again, heartened -and not a little refreshed. The country-side now was as lovely as any -district in France. Gentle, undulating downs, crowned by the beautiful -forest of Ligues, and besprinkled with dainty little villages and -stately châteaux. If these lines should chance to be read by the mayor -and mayoress of a certain little village hard by Compiègne, I would beg -them to believe that the officer whom they so graciously entertained -for those brief hours remembers their kindness with the deepest -gratitude, and records the day as one of the most perfect he has ever -spent. Officers and men made so many good friends even during those -crowded hours of life, only to realise with heartfelt sorrow that -perhaps half a day later their kindly hosts must have been engulfed by -the tide of invasion. - -I vividly recall how curious seemed that order to go on retiring when, -from all accounts, the German centre had the previous day been so badly -beaten. Madame's instincts, when the order came, were only too -correct. She guessed the truth; we continued our trek hopelessly blind -to the real facts. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV - -PAST COMPIÈGNE - -KING HENRY. _The sum of all our answer is but this: - We would not seek a battle, as we are; - Nor, as we are, we say we will not shun it. - * * * * * - We are in God's hand, brother, not in theirs. - March to the bridge; - Beyond the river we'll encamp ourselves, - And on to-morrow bid them march away._ - - -The destruction of a bridge, especially if it spans a river, always -seems to me so pathetic. Bridges are such companionable things; they -fall so readily into one's mood, and there are, I imagine, few persons -who do not possess pleasant memories of one or another. Whether in -town or country, there is always fascination in staying one's journey -for a few minutes to lean over the parapet and watch the stream--the -basking of a trout amongst the pebbles, the sway of the water-weeds, -the trailing of heavy barges, or the twinkling shore-lights. - -In Compiègne there is a particularly handsome structure which spans the -River Oise. The French people love a noble bridge to ferry their broad -highways over the rivers, and I cannot help thinking that it was not -alone special reliance upon the workmanship of our sappers which -induced the French authorities to resign to them the destruction. For, -whenever possible, British sappers were called in for the work. They -made such a clean job of it, the French would say. No; it was, I feel -sure, their affection and pride for beautiful works of art with tender -associations that made them reluctant to lay sacrilegious hands upon -them. - -It must have been on Sunday, the 30th, that the last of the Force -marched through or past Compiègne, and the bridge, besides many -another, was blown up. The R.F.A. of the rear-guard passed through the -town and halted, guns unlimbered, about 500 yards out the other side, -ready to open fire, if necessary, for they were being hard pressed. -The fuses were laid and lighted literally in face of the advancing -enemy, and two R.E. officers who were doing the work were killed by -enemy bullets. With a terrific crash the bridge fell, cut in two, and -the retirement was continued while the Germans hurled impotent curses -and (at that time) ineffectual shells after the column. - -The Second Corps had now reached country which was very difficult; not -only for manoeuvre, but especially so for transport. Immediately after -you leave Compiègne its glorious forest is entered, and directly that -is passed it is a country of very steep ravines, thickly wooded, with -little villages clinging limpet-like to the ridges. The heat of the -day, too, was most trying. - -The First Corps, which had joined up at Noyon, crossed the Aisne, and -continued its retirement via Soissons. - -The German pursuit, which during the last two or three days had seemed -to slacken off, began to get serious again on the afternoon of Monday, -the 31st. - -About 3 P.M. three field batteries and the Brigade of Guards (First -Corps) were out by Villers-Cotterets, and the Germans were pushing on -almost as fast as they did during the first days. Their guns came into -action at about 1,700 yards, and as our brigade there was far -outnumbered, orders were given to go on retiring. - -Well, the major of one of the batteries was "fed up" with retiring -without getting some of his own back, so he put his telescope (a -battery carries a telescope) to his blind eye and said he'd be hanged -before he retired (or words to that effect), and "let's give them a -dressing down first." - -So it was "Halt; action right!" and, after a couple of ranging shots, -"Two rounds gun-fire!" And that was all that battery got in. The -Germans put a couple of guns out of action, and then turned their -attention to the wagon line, where they made a considerable mess-up -with the teams. - -That settled it. "Signal the teams up and let's get out of it!" said -the major; and it was so. The quartermaster-sergeant put the fear of -God, not the Germans, into the drivers; up came the teams, "rear limber -up," and away they went, damaged guns and all. The Guards meanwhile -had gone on. - -There was nothing particularly heroic about it all, but it was very -excusable, and it certainly helped to buck the men up a little. - -The Guards, however, gave further excellent evidence of their fighting -qualities in a series of stiff hand-to-hand encounters in the forest -glades. While they suffered badly, they succeeded again and again in -beating back the enemy's attacks, and so further relieving the pressure -on the rear. - - -Now, despite the continuous fighting and marching, there was no doubt -whatever that the men were daily becoming more war-hardened and fit. -The worst was over, and with that firm conviction their spirits grew -lighter. During the first few days the troops were marching perhaps 25 -to 30 miles a day, apart from the fighting. Take, for instance, -Wednesday, the 26th. The men had begun that great fight practically -tired out. They fought all day, and then at the end of it did a -retirement of some 25 miles. Staff officers were simply worn out by -the nerve-racking ordeal, and General Smith-Dorrien himself says that -he did not average more than two hours' sleep during the first six days. - -But the week's campaigning had done more for the troops than ten years' -peace work. Their self-reliance, their confidence in and affection for -their officers were evidenced in a hundred ways; while officers, for -their part, had perfect confidence in their men and knew that, however -impossible an order might seem, it would be carried out. The Force -was, in short, one big happy family. Everybody seemed to know -everybody else, and that meant that everybody helped everybody else. -After the Marne it was never quite the same, because the Force began to -increase in size. New-comers were immediately recognised, and the old -hands could never resist a momentary exhibition of very pardonable -pride at having "been out since the beginning." - -The heavy losses in officers and N.C.O.'s had an inevitable effect on -discipline, though it might well have been worse had not the sense of -discipline amongst the rank and file been so strong. It must be -remembered that so soon as the vanguard of the retiring Force passed -through a village, practically the whole of the inhabitants would pack -up such few of their belongings as they could carry on light carts, -perambulators and any available vehicle, and then join the ever-growing -stream of refugees. So the next units to pass through would find -nothing but empty houses, and the temptation to carry away a few -"souvenirs" was very hard to check, especially in the case of food. - -One man of an infantry regiment "found" a horse wandering loose in a -field. He was very tired, so why, thought he, should he not take what -the gods sent him? He did, and rode the horse for a couple of days. -Knowing nothing about horses, the poor beast got little enough to eat, -and the man thought that the heaven-sent gift was becoming a nuisance. -So he talked the matter over with a pal, and swopped his charger for--a -packet of Woodbines! And I don't think the pal was a canny Scot either. - -I remember particularly the date September 1st, and going through the -little town of Crépy-en-Valois, because we then realised for the first -time that something was wrong about that "strategical retirement" -business. Our maps included Belgium and all N.E. France, but Compiègne -was the farthest point south; and when we had retired below that town -we knew that retreat so far south was not a part of the original scheme. - -Then most of us saw some French troops for the first time, and, ominous -sign, they were always engaged in barricading and mining the roads, -opening the barricades to let us pass through. - -But Tuesday, September 1st, must ever be a red-letter day in the annals -of the Royal Regiment, on account of the famous fight of L Battery, -R.H.A., at Nery, hard by Compiègne. I always regard that episode as -one of the most wonderful incidents in this war. Nor do I think so -because it was my own regiment, though naturally one can appreciate it -the more from being a Gunner. The story is, of course, well known, but -no repetition can mar the effect, however bald the telling of it may be. - -L Battery was working with the 1st Cavalry Brigade, which was made up -of the 2nd Dragoons (Queen's Bays), the 11th Hussars, and the 5th -Dragoons. For the benefit of the uninitiated it may be explained that -a horse artillery battery of six guns forms an integral part of a -cavalry brigade; wherever the cavalry go, there can go the "Horse -Gunners," for the gun is of lighter calibre than that of the field -batteries. - -About 2 o'clock in the morning word reached Second Corps H.Q. that a -strong force of Germans, 90 guns and cavalry, was moving towards the -1st Cavalry Brigade in bivouac at Nery. The Third Army Corps, which -was still included in General Smith-Dorrien's command, was also not far -away. Our cavalry were actually bivouacked within about 600 yards of -the Germans, and I believe that our outposts were, for some reason or -other, not sufficiently advanced. - -In an earlier chapter, writing of Captain Francis Grenfell, I have -remarked that there was one other to whose life might well be applied -the phrase: "_Sans peur et sans reproche_." That other was Captain E. -K. Bradbury, of L Battery. All that I have ventured to say of Grenfell -I would say also of Bradbury. I doubt whether there ever lived a -Gunner officer who was more beloved by his men, or one more worthy to -be so beloved. And when that is said, what else remains? - -Half-past four in the morning, and the mists have scarcely begun to -rise above the beech trees. You picture the guns of L Battery parked -in line just on the downward slope of a slight hill and in a little -clearing of the woods. The horses of the gun-teams are tethered to the -gun and limber-wheels; others are down at a little stream hard by, -where some of the men are washing and scrubbing out their shirts. The -Queen's Bays are in bivouac in a neighbouring field. - -"Some of our scouts out there, aren't they?" remarked a shoeing-smith, -pointing to some rising ground about 500 yards to the north; "or is it -French cursers?" (cuirassiers). - -"Looks more like Germans to me," said one of the gunners. "Let's have -a squint through the telescope." - -"What's up?" said the sergeant-major, passing at the moment. - -"Half a mo!" mumbled the gunner, eye glued to the battery telescope. -"Yes, it is--Germans--I can see the spiky helmets." - -"Rot," returned the sergeant-major; "can't be!" - -"Anyway, I'm off to report to the captain," said the gunner. - -Bradbury was talking to the horses by one of the guns when a breathless -gunner of the battery staff appeared with the telescope. - -"Beg pardon, sir, but there are----" - -CRASH! A percussion shell burst clean in the middle of the battery, -followed the next instant by a couple more. And in the few moments' -breathless pause it was realised that practically every horse and every -driver was either killed outright or wounded. - -"Action rear!" yelled Bradbury, who found himself in command. - -Their leader's voice above the unholy din pulled them together, and the -gun detachments, such as were left, leaped to the trails to get the -limbers clear. But no more than three guns could they get into action. - -Now a tornado of shell and machine-gun bullets from close range burst -over and through the devoted remnant--Bradbury, three subalterns -(Giffard, Campbell and Mundy), the sergeant-major, a sergeant, a couple -of gunners, and a driver. And in action against them were ten German -field-guns, and two machine-guns enfilading from the wood. - -Of their three guns, they had now to abandon two. - -"All hands number 2 gun!" called Bradbury, who, with the sergeant, had -already opened fire. - -The others rushed the few yards to Bradbury's gun; but even in that -short space Giffard was hit five times. Bradbury acted as No. 1 -(layer), the sergeant No. 2, while Mundy acted as observing officer. -One of the gunners and the driver carried across all the ammunition by -hand, through the hail of lead, from the firing battery wagons. - -The range was, say, 600 yards, but in such a nerve-racking storm it was -difficult for the little detachment to work clearly with no one to -observe the burst of the shells. There was only a little chance, but -Mundy took it, and stepped calmly out from the shelter of the -gun-shield to observe. - -Then No. 2 gun began its work in earnest. - -"Five minutes more left," said Mundy; "add twenty-five." - -Crack went the report. "One out!" said Mundy. - -"Ten minutes more right; drop twenty-five." - -Crack again! "Short," murmured Mundy; then, "add twenty-five." - -"Two out!" he counted. - -When three German guns had been counted out, Bradbury called over his -shoulder to the sergeant-major: - -"Take my place; I'll load for a bit." - -He had barely changed places when a bursting shell carried away a leg -at the thigh. Yet, by some superhuman will-power, he stuck to his post -and went on loading. - -Now Mundy was mortally wounded. Then Campbell fell. But still the gun -was served, laid, and fired. And as surely were the German guns being -counted out, one by one. - -Then there burst true another shell. The gallant Bradbury received his -death-wound, and his other leg was carried away. The rest of the -detachment were all wounded. Still that tiny remnant stuck to it -through the storm. - -Now only are left the sergeant-major, Sergeant Nelson, the gunner, and -the driver. Still they work. Still they watch one enemy gun after -another ceasing to fire, until all are counted out but one. - -All the ammunition is finished. Nothing left now but to crawl back out -of that hell. I Battery coming up? Well, they can finish it. Lend us -some "wheelers" to get our guns back. - -So were the six guns of L Battery brought out of action. Torn and -battered, but safe. Glorious relics of perhaps the most wonderful -action a battery of the Regiment has ever fought--and won. - -I Battery opened on the massed columns of the German cavalry now -appearing, and rent mighty lanes through their ranks, turned and -scattered them. The Queen's Bays, who had been working as infantry, -for their horses stampeded when the firing began, collected up, and -with I Battery and the Lincolns went over the hill after the retiring -enemy. - -There they found the German battery out of action and abandoned. - -And Bradbury? His last conscious words were an appeal for morphia and -to be carried away as quickly as possible that his men might not -witness his agony and be unnerved. - -So passed that heroic soul away. A life nobly spent, a death nobly -encountered. - - Nothing is here for tears, - ... nothing but well and fair - And what may quiet us in a death so noble. - - - - -CHAPTER XV - -THE FINAL STAGES - -FRENCH KING. _'Tis certain he hath passed the river Somme._ - -CONSTABLE OF FRANCE. _And if he be not fought withal, my lord, - Let us not live in France: let us quit all, - And give our vineyards to a barbarous people._ - - -The fighting in the neighbourhood of Compiègne developed into something -of a general action, an action in which the British more than held -their own. There was some doubt whether the 4th Division would be able -to shake off the heavy attack which was being made upon them, so -another brigade was ordered to their help. The retirement was then -easily effected. - -The 3rd Brigade was a little north of Crépy-en-Valois, and, without -waiting for the enemy, themselves made a spirited advance for a short -distance, and did excellent work with their R.F.A. against the German -infantry. - -Soon after midnight on Wednesday, September 2nd, the Force continued -its retirement. There may have been some little grumbling, and it -became increasingly difficult to keep up the old fiction--now indeed a -fact--about a "strategical retirement"; but, somehow or other, a -genuine conviction was stealing through the ranks that at any moment -the real end would come. If our men were very, very weary, so also -were the enemy, and every day brought fresh evidence of the fact. - -Then, too, news came to us that the French (the 7th Army) were really -tackling von Buelow's armies, and were doing well against them. That -had a very inspiriting effect. - -Now the Force, or rather our left, was actually in sight of the -outlying forts of Paris, about a dozen miles off. Great was the -excitement, for, of course, everyone jumped to the conclusion that we -were making for the capital. G.H.Q. was at Lagny-sur-Marne, just 15 -miles due east of Paris. They actually got as far south as Melun, on -the outskirts of the Forest of Fontainebleau, before the tide turned. - -If you look at these places on the picture-map you will see that, after -Senlis was passed, the Force, instead of retiring straight on towards -Paris, as it had been doing, now swung round, with the right flank of -the First Corps as pivot, and marched in a south-easterly direction. -Possibly the enemy imagined from this that their chance had come, and -that they would now be able to slip in between our left and Paris. But -the new French army was coming up from behind Paris, upon our left, to -fill the gap and cover the approaches to the city. - -That swinging round movement to cross the River Marne was rather a -risky business, for it meant marching for a certain distance across the -enemy's front. However, it was successfully accomplished, and by the -evening of September 3rd the Force was south of the river. That same -afternoon our aircraft reported that the Germans had also swung -eastwards, and were now apparently making for the large town of -Château-Thierry, the point of division between our extreme right and -the 5th French Army. - -The position in which the Force found themselves that evening was -wellnigh hopeless from a defensive point of view. To make matters -worse, we were very badly off for entrenching tools, the men having -lost the greater part in the hurried retirement after the hard battle -at the Wednesday. This question of entrenching tools was further -complicated by the removal of our base to St. Nazaire, for that meant a -much more serious difficulty in getting up supplies. - -I forgot to mention that when orders reached the Second Corps and 4th -Division on the Thursday night to keep on the move, instructions were -given by G.H.Q. to abandon everything, even the ammunition, which might -retard the transport, and so to leave the vehicles free for wounded or -the more exhausted of the men. Only one Division carried out the -order, and that only partially, before the G.O.C. Second Corps on the -spot realised it was unnecessary and countermanded it. - - -During and after the battle of Le Cateau, as I have said the fight of -the Wednesday has come to be spoken of, a rather curious adventure -befell one of the motor transport ammunition parks About ten of the -lorries, under an A.S.C. subaltern, had been doing some detached work -away from the main body. These had got out of rather a tight corner, -but the rest of the park (some sixty odd lorries) had become involved -in that mix-up at Estrées. - -About 3 P M. the A.S.C. captain in charge received an order to go back -in the direction of Le Cateau. This was, apparently, straight into the -advancing enemy, who were only some three or four miles off. The C.O. -obeyed his orders and took his lorries back. From that moment those -sixty great lorries vanished into thin air, and not a soul knew what -had happened to them. At G.H.Q. the unit was officially reported as -"missing," and it so appeared, I believe, in the London Press. - -The subaltern invented and spread abroad a delicious yarn. I omit his -version of his own adventures, for he got a "mention in dispatches" for -it, though this was subsequently quashed. - -When the order to go back was received, he said, and annihilation of -the park seemed certain, the O.C. called his subalterns together and -told them the position. They unanimously decided to obey and charge -the advancing enemy with the lorries. The drivers (our old friends the -busmen) were instructed to go full speed ahead into the enemy column. -But the drivers were not having any. So the officers produced their -revolvers and threatened to shoot any man who refused to obey. That -decided them. "We will die by German bullets rather than British." So -away they went, the lorries bumping along the road straight into the -ranks of the astonished Germans. Nothing could stop them, and the -column got through (the narrator forgot to mention where to) with the -loss of about half the park. - -The subaltern carried his arm in a sling for a fortnight afterwards. A -shrapnel splinter, he said, when they were rushing the enemy. It had -really been caused by the back-fire of a motor-bike. Possibly this is -the origin of that glorified picture which appeared in certain of the -London illustrated papers. - -The park was, however, actually lost for nearly a week. They had -vanished as completely as though the earth had opened and swallowed -them. They were eventually heard of by the merest accident, when a -sergeant came in to one of the towns on the line of retreat to get -provisions. But even then they could not be found, for the sergeant -had gone again without leaving his address. So for days Staff officers -scoured the country in swift cars, and thus the park was eventually run -to earth. No one was more surprised than the C.O. to hear that he had -been lost. They had not seen a single German, and they had had such a -jolly time, thank you, seeing the pretty country. - -But to tell of half the curious or amusing incidents I should need a -volume many times the size of this one. Things happened every day any -one of which would provide a newspaper with a column of excellent -"copy." At the time one thought little about them, for everybody was -too busy looking after his job and himself. There was, for instance, -the Adventure of the Flat-Nosed Bullet, the Adventure of the Man with -the Crooked Ear, the Adventure of the Field Cashier and the Pay Chest, -the Adventure of the Blood-stained Putty Knife, the Adventure of the -Perishing Cat, and many another. - - -The great question on the morning of Friday, September 4th, was: "Are -we going right back to the Seine, with our left on Paris?" You picture -the Force, tired enough but in most excellent fettle, growing hourly -more impatient, longing with all their hearts to turn and have a go at -the enemy who had caused them all that trouble and discomfort. - -"Give a guess," I asked two of my sergeants that day, "how long we have -been out here?" - -They thought for a few minutes. "Six weeks," they said; "perhaps -seven." - -And, you see, it was only a fortnight after all. But they would not -believe it until a calendar was produced. Unconsciously everyone -reckoned each night as another day, for nights and days were alike so -far as work was concerned. I think that remark was more telling than -pages of descriptive writing. - -The days during those final stages were almost tropical in their heat, -which told very severely on men and horses. The nights were chill and -wet. So altogether one had one's work cut out in mothering the men. -Cases of bowel complaints were very common, and one has to be so -careful to prevent serious developments. The lads really need looking -after like children, bless them! Aromatic chalk-powder with opium -(5-grain tablets) I found an excellent remedy, and cured dozens of -cases. So there is a little tip for other officers. Calomel is -useful, too, and I saved much agony from bad wounds by doses of opium -(1-grain tablets), but this must not be given in cases of stomach -wounds--most to be dreaded of any. Aspirin, also, is, of course, -invaluable. Certainly no officer should be without a small -medicine-case, and it is the one thing they never seem to think of when -getting kit together. A trivial lapse, this, into egotism, I am -afraid. I hope it will be excused for the sake of the hints offered. - - -In the evening of September 4th orders came to continue the retirement -still farther. The Second Corps marched through most of the night -towards the River Seine, the First Corps conforming to the movement on -the east. The 6th French Army was coming up well on our left, and thus -the western end of the Franco-British line was gradually swinging round -and up between Paris and the right flank of the Germans, who were now -definitely moving east-south-east. You must remember, though, that -these facts were only apparent at the time to a handful of officers of -the Headquarters Staff; everyone else was still in the dark. But how -thrilling those hours must have been to an airman observing from above, -and who knew the facts. - -On the 5th (Saturday), at noon, one battery found itself halted in a -field by the 12-kilometre stone from Paris, and the men were confident -that "la ville lumière" was their next stop. There was an undercurrent -of excitement, for another couple of thousand men had joined up to the -corps as reinforcements. It was a definite halt and a rest, the first -they had had since Mons, and they were making the most of it. - -Just about 6 P.M. the major came into the lines with a paper in his -hand. There was something in his walk, something about him--the men -jumped up as he approached. "Paris?"--the major shook his head. -"Not--not--is it advance, sir?" The major nodded. "We are going to -advance," he said. - -ADVANCE! - -There was a cheer which must have startled the French Government in -Bordeaux, or whereever they had gone to. - -The drivers rushed at their horses, the gunners rushed to the limbers -to help hook in. "Stand to your horses!" sang out the sergeant-major. -Then, in a very few minutes: "Battery all ready, sir!" - -The major stood up in his stirrups with a splendid laugh in his eyes. - -"Sub-sections right-about-wheel! Walk, march!" - -Another rousing shout, which soon merged into the cheery strains of -"All aboard for Dixie," and the battery began a march, this time in the -right direction, which only stopped at 2 A.M. for the sake of the -horses. The men were ready to go on for a week. - -The great Retreat had ended. The Advance had begun. - -How and why the tide turned against the invaders at that, for them, -most critical moment we cannot exactly tell. It was, as I see it, a -combination of circumstances. There was the imminence of the Russian -invasion into Prussia, and it was said that the Germans withdrew two -army corps from the Western front to meet it. There was the sudden -production by the French Commander-in-Chief of an entirely new French -army from behind Paris to attack the German right. - -But one thing, at least, is certain. Von Kluck made, perhaps, the -biggest mistake in his life in imagining that "the contemptible little -army" which he and his legions had been hunting for a fortnight was now -too dispirited and broken for further fighting; and, with that -conviction in his mind, he started to do the very thing which the most -elementary military textbooks tell you is absolutely wrong. He moved -his army across the unbroken front of a hostile force. - -General Smith-Dorrien had been compelled to do the same thing with the -Second Corps only three days before. But he did it with the full -knowledge of the dangers, and he took every possible precaution to -obviate them. He succeeded. - -Von Kluck, in his delusion, saw no danger. He failed. - -"I should conceive it," says Sir John French, "to have been about noon -on September 6th ... that the enemy realised the powerful threat that -was being made against the flank of his columns moving south-east, and -began the great retreat which opened the battle of the Marne." - - * * * * * - -And there I draw the tableau curtains on the first act of the drama. - -How inadequately the story has been told, or rather outlined, no one is -more conscious than the writer. For every omission the critics may -find, I will find two. But if I have so written that the great-hearted -public may realise a little more of what the Retreat from Mons meant to -the lads of ours who worked and fought so marvellously, to themselves -at home, to our brothers and sisters overseas, then indeed I am -satisfied. - -Of necessity I have had to omit a great deal which may not be told -until the war has ended. To an officer on the active list freedom of -speech is rightly denied. But some day I shall hope to write in fuller -detail and to do more justice to the work of individuals. It is only -right that the public should learn the actual facts. - -The glory of the achievement lay not merely in the hourly repulse, over -a period of fourteen days, of an overwhelming attack, and of a -continued retirement, which somehow never broke, before such an -inveterate pursuit. But there was also the big question of -temperament. The Germans knew exactly what they wanted, and they went -straight for it, backed by all the resources of their wonderful -organisation working to that particular end for a decade of years or -longer. The British, on the other hand, were thrust into the breach -literally at the last moment, a week late, and then had to fight for a -fortnight in total ignorance of the course of events. - -I recall a remark once made by General Joffre: - -"The better he understands the importance of the movements of the -attack wherein he participates, the braver the French soldier fights, -and the more trust he puts in the measures taken by his leaders." - -While the converse may not always be true, it will, I think, suggest -how very difficult is the execution of a delicate piece of strategy -when the officers and men are ignorant of the motives which prompt it. - -The Retreat was carried to a successful conclusion because, by the -inherent qualities of race, it was a piece of work of a character in -which the British Army has always excelled; and also, in face of the -terrible engines of modern slaughter, because of the splendid -discipline of the men and their training as individual human beings. - -Of the invariable cheerfulness of the men I have given several -examples; but I would again attempt to correct the popular impression -that such cheerfulness is no more than the cracking of jokes on all -occasions. No, it is something far deeper and finer than that. The -casual observer will watch a party of sappers mending a road, under -fire, with loads of flint stones. He will hear them grumbling about -the shocking waste of the ratepayers' money, and will then write home a -letter for publication narrating the incident as a funny remark under -fire. He omits to point out that it is only the cheery spirits of the -men (and, of course, discipline, etc.) which make possible the clean -finish of the work. - -So it was in the Retreat. The men were far too exhausted to crack -jokes, but the unconquerable soul of them rose high above every -obstacle, and so the work was done. - - -Looking back over what I have written, I find that, quite -unconsciously, I have said little or nothing of the work of the -officers. Yet there is nothing else that I can say. It is not for me -to remark upon the work of our leaders and of my brother-officers. I -can only repeat the words of the Commander-in-Chief, and I venture to -do so because the general public bothers but little with official -dispatches. - -"It is impossible," Sir John French remarked, "for me to speak too -highly of the skill evinced by the two General Officers Commanding Army -Corps; the self-sacrificing and devoted exertions of their Staffs; the -direction of the troops by Divisional, Brigade and Regimental leaders; -the command of the smaller units by their officers; and the magnificent -fighting spirit displayed by non-commissioned officers and men." - -But in the Commander-in-Chief's dispatches there is one officer whose -name shines out like a beacon. You who have followed in spirit the -work of the Second Corps on August 26th will have realised the -imperishable debt which the nation owes to the General Officer -Commanding that corps. The verdict of posterity will but confirm that -of the present generation. - -Again I can but quote the Commander-in-Chief: - -"I cannot close the brief account of this glorious stand of the British -troops without putting on record my deep appreciation of the valuable -services rendered by General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. - -"I say without hesitation that the saving of the left wing of the Army -under my command on the morning of August 26th could never have been -accomplished unless a commander of rare and unusual coolness, -intrepidity and determination had been present to personally conduct -the operation." - -At the head of my sketch of that day's work I have set Shakespeare's -immortal lines on St. Crispin's Day. May one who was privileged to -serve as a member of that "band of brothers" on that day venture to -offer his poor tribute to the leader of that band? - -From Mons to the Marne, wherever the fight was hottest, wherever his -men were working against heaviest odds, there was the General at hand -to help and stiffen them. The outposts before Mons were heavily -engaged; the General was up with them, under shell-fire, to see how -things were going. Through the days that followed, wherever -opportunity served, their commander stepped from his car to say a few -words of cheery encouragement to the passing troops. Was there a field -hospital, a passing ambulance?--again, those few words of kindly -inquiry which made the poor sufferers forget everything save only the -desire to be well again to give their-chief, and Britain, all that was -in them. If the Commander-in-Chief owed so much to General -Smith-Dorrien, I can only say that the Second Corps would have stormed -the gates of Hell for their leader, and would have trusted implicitly -in him to bring them through. - - -I seem to have said practically nothing about the Flying Corps, and -very little about the Sappers. I am afraid that I saw very little of -our aeroplane work until the Aisne, and so I cannot speak from personal -observation. In fact, there are far too many omissions in this brief -chronicle. - - But pardon, gentles all, - * * * * * - Oh, pardon! since a crooked figure may - Attest in little place a million; - And let us, ciphers to this great accompt, - On your imaginary forces work, - * * * * * - Piece out our imperfections with your thoughts. - - -Indeed, I find it quite impossible to speak of one branch of the Force -more than another. It was just one perfect whole. Thus I have, so far -as possible, refrained from designating particular regiments. If I -have written of the 9th Lancers or L Battery it is because the gallant -work of those units is already a household word throughout the Empire. -But, so far as that first fortnight was concerned, there was not a -single unit, officer or man, who did not achieve something equally as -gallant did the opportunity come his way. Indeed, had it not been so, -the Retreat could never have been accomplished as it was. Every man -played the game for his side, and, in consequence, that side won. - -And if that were so, then there can be no question of "mentions in -dispatches," D.S.O.'s and D.C.M.'s. Every regiment in the firing-line -should be "mentioned." If, by great good fortune, a regiment achieves -some specially noble piece of work which comes to the notice of the -authorities, then, say I, let the Colour of that regiment be decorated. -To single out individuals, to give a Victoria Cross to the colonel, a -D.S.O. to the senior major, a Military Cross to the senior captain, and -so on, is to create jealousy, and is, also, unfair to others. - - -Humanity, the other noble trait in the character of our men, I have -barely mentioned, for it seems quite unnecessary to do so. It is a -characteristic of British sailors and soldiers which is always taken -for granted. One need only recall some of the many occasions in our -naval actions when British sailors have rescued Germans at the peril of -their lives, and have been fired at while doing so. And set in -contrast the murderous attack by German destroyers upon the crew of a -British submarine stranded on the Swedish coast. - -And so it has been with our soldiers. Our men invariably enter a fight -with the innate feeling that it is a sporting contest, where you shake -hands with your adversary before and after the fight. If he knocks out -his adversary, then the winner is the man to help him to his feet. - -We have seen from the very beginning that "chivalry" and "fair play" -are words unknown to the Germans. To them nothing matters but to win, -preferably by foul means. So, on the very first day, British soldiers -were terribly undeceived. They saw German infantry advancing to the -attack behind a screen of Belgian women and children, driven on at the -bayonet point. From then onwards we lost hundreds of gallant men -simply through their feelings of humanity towards wounded enemies, -being shot at by other Germans, or being treacherously shot or stabbed -by the very man to whose lips they were holding a flask of water. - -And yet, with such examples before them of their comrades' fate, the -sense of humanity and chivalry was never dulled. Despite the stringent -orders on the subject, the men, even now, hesitate to fire when the -enemy raises a white flag, and will always, whenever possible, succour -a wounded German lying before the trench. These are the men who have -only, as yet, learned of German treachery by hearsay evidence. But -there are others. There are companies and battalions who know from -ghastly experience. These men adopt other methods. - -But nothing I can write will make people at home understand what this -war really is. Nothing, short of actual experience, can do that. -Stay, perhaps there is one thing: the genius of Louis Raemaekers. He, -at least, by his cartoons, is bringing home to millions the hideous -meaning of this war. And not only of this war, but of all modern war. -I would have a volume of his cartoons distributed gratis by the -Government to every household in the kingdom. I would have half a -dozen of the cartoons thrown upon the screen in every cinema-house at -every entertainment. The people would shudder with horror, but they -would see them and learn what Germany is and what war means. - -Apart from this, I hold it to be the sacred duty of every man and woman -who can use a pen to advantage, or who can command the attention of an -audience, to make known this meaning. To cry from the housetops what -is this foul thing which Germany has thrust upon the world, and to show -the people why and how Civilisation must crush it out for ever. - - -There is no greater honour to-day that a man may wear--alas, there are -but few left to wear it!--than the honour of having served his King and -Country in France throughout August and September, 1914. Just that. -He needs no decoration, no "mention." He served through the "Retreat -from Mons." In days to come our children, our children's children, -will point with pride to that one little word on the regimental colour, -"Mons." For in that single word will be summed up the Liberation of -the World. It was the victory of the Marne which won for Civilisation -that freedom, but it was, under God's hand, the British Navy, the stand -of Belgium, and the "Retreat from Mons" which made that victory -possible. - - - - -APPENDIX I - - MILITARY DESPATCHES FROM THE FIELD-MARSHAL - COMMANDING-IN-CHIEF, BRITISH FORCES IN THE FIELD, - DATED SEPTEMBER 7TH AND 17TH - -7th September, 1914. - -MY LORD, - -I have the honour to report the proceedings of the Field Force under my -command up to the time of rendering this despatch. - -1. The transport of the troops from England both by sea and by rail was -effected in the best order and without a check. Each unit arrived at -its destination in this country well within the scheduled time. - -The concentration was practically complete on the evening of Friday, -the 21st ultimo, and I was able to make dispositions to move the Force -during Saturday, the 22nd, to positions I considered most favourable -from which to commence operations which the French Commander-in-Chief, -General Joffre, requested me to undertake in pursuance of his plans in -prosecution of the campaign. - - -Position at Mons - -The line taken up extended along the line of the canal from Condé on -the west, through Mons and Binche on the east. This line was taken up -as follows:-- - -From Condé to Mons inclusive was assigned to the Second Corps, and to -the right of the Second Corps from Mons the First Corps was posted. -The 5th Cavalry Brigade was placed at Binche. - -In the absence of my Third Army Corps I desired to keep the Cavalry -Division as much as possible as a reserve to act on my outer flank, or -move in support of any threatened part of the line. The forward -reconnaissance was entrusted to Brigadier-General Sir Philip Chetwode -with the 5th Cavalry Brigade, but I directed General Allenby to send -forward a few squadrons to assist in this work. - -During the 22nd and 23rd these advanced squadrons did some excellent -work, some of them penetrating as far as Soignies, and several -encounters took place in which our troops showed to great advantage. - - -Sunday, August 23 - -2. At 6 a.m., on August 23rd, I assembled the Commanders of the First -and Second Corps and Cavalry Division at a point close to the position, -and explained the general situation of the Allies, and what I -understood to be General Joffre's plan. I discussed with them, at some -length the immediate situation in front of us. - -From information I received from French Headquarters I understood that -little more than one, or at most two, of the enemy's Army Corps, with -perhaps one Cavalry Division, were in front of my position; and I was -aware of no attempted outflanking movement by the enemy. I was -confirmed in this opinion by the fact that my patrols encountered no -undue opposition in their reconnoitring operations. The observation of -my aeroplanes seemed also to bear out this estimate. - -About 3 p.m. on Sunday, the 23rd, reports began coming in to the effect -that the enemy was commencing an attack on the Mons line, apparently in -some strength, but that the right of the position from Mons and Bray -was being particularly threatened. - -The Commander of the First Corps had pushed his flank back to some high -ground south of Bray, and the 5th Cavalry Brigade evacuated Binche, -moving slightly south: the enemy thereupon occupied Binche. - -The right of the 3rd Division, under General Hamilton, was at Mons, -which formed a somewhat dangerous salient; and I directed the Commander -of the Second Corps to be careful not to keep the troops on this -salient too long, but, if threatened seriously, to draw back the centre -behind Mons. This was done before dark. In the meantime, about 5 -p.m., I received a most unexpected message from General Joffre by -telegraph, telling me that at least three German Corps, viz., a reserve -corps, the 4th Corps and the 9th Corps, were moving on my position in -front, and that the Second Corps was engaged in a turning movement from -the direction of Tournay. He also informed me that the two reserve -French Divisions and the 5th French Army on my right were retiring, the -Germans having on the previous day gained possession of the passages of -the Sambre between Charleroi and Namur. - - -Monday, August 24 - -3. In view of the possibility of my being driven from the Mons -position, I had previously ordered a position in rear to be -reconnoitred. This position rested on the fortress of Maubeuge on the -right and extended west to Jenlain, south-east of Valenciennes, on the -left. The position was reported difficult to hold, because standing -crops and buildings made the siting of trenches very difficult and -limited the field of fire in many important localities. It -nevertheless afforded a few good artillery positions. - -When the news of the retirement of the French and the heavy German -threatening on my front reached me, I endeavoured to confirm it by -aeroplane reconnaissance; and as a result of this I determined to -effect a retirement to the Maubeuge position at daybreak on the 24th. - -A certain amount of fighting continued along the whole line throughout -the night, and at daybreak on the 24th the 2nd Division from the -neighbourhood of Harmignies made a powerful demonstration as if to -retake Binche. This was supported by the artillery of both the 1st and -2nd Divisions, whilst the 1st Division took up a supporting position in -the neighbourhood of Peissant. Under cover of this demonstration the -Second Corps retired on the line Dour--Quarouble--Frameries. The 3rd -Division on the right of the Corps suffered considerable loss in this -operation from the enemy, who had retaken Mons. - -The Second Corps halted on this line, where they partially entrenched -themselves, enabling Sir Douglas Haig with the First Corps gradually to -withdraw to the new position; and he effected this without much further -loss, reaching the line Bavai--Maubeuge about 7 p.m. Towards midday -the enemy appeared to be directing his principal effort against our -left. - - -Work of the Cavalry - -I had previously ordered General Allenby with the Cavalry to act -vigorously in advance of my left front and endeavour to take the -pressure off. - -About 7.30 a.m. General Allenby received a message from Sir Charles -Fergusson, commanding 5th Division, saying that he was very hard -pressed and in urgent need of support. On receipt of this message -General Allenby drew in the Cavalry and endeavoured to bring direct -support to the 5th Division. - -During the course of this operation General De Lisle, of the 2nd -Cavalry Brigade, thought he saw a good opportunity to paralyse the -further advance of the enemy's infantry by making a mounted attack on -his flank. He formed up and advanced for this purpose, but was held up -by wire about 500 yards from his objective, and the 9th Lancers and -18th Hussars suffered severely in the retirement of the Brigade. - -The 19th Infantry Brigade, which had been guarding the Line of -Communications, was brought up by rail to Valenciennes on the 22nd and -23rd. On the morning of the 24th they were moved out to a position -south of Quarouble to support the left flank of the Second Corps. - -With the assistance of the Cavalry Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien was enabled -to effect his retreat to a new position; although, having two corps of -the enemy on his front and one threatening his flank, he suffered great -losses in doing so. - -At nightfall the position was occupied by the Second Corps to the west -of Bavai, the First Corps to the right. The right was protected by the -Fortress of Maubeuge, the left by the 19th Brigade in position between -Jenlain and Bry, and the Cavalry on the outer flank. - - -Tuesday, August 25 - -4. The French were still retiring, and I had no support except such as -was afforded by the Fortress of Maubeuge; and the determined attempts -of the enemy to get round my left flank assured me that it was his -intention to hem me against that place and surround me. I felt that -not a moment must be lost in retiring to another position. - -I had every reason to believe that the enemy's forces were somewhat -exhausted, and I knew that they had suffered heavy losses. I hoped, -therefore, that his pursuit would not be too vigorous to prevent me -effecting my object. - -The operation, however, was full of danger and difficulty, not only -owing to the very superior force in my front, but also to the -exhaustion of the troops. - -The retirement was recommenced in the early morning of the 25th to a -position in the neighbourhood of Le Cateau, and rearguards were ordered -to be clear of the Maubeuge--Bavai--Eth road by 5.30 a.m. - -Two Cavalry Brigades, with the Divisional Cavalry of the Second Corps, -covered the movement of the Second Corps. The remainder of the Cavalry -Division with the 19th Brigade, the whole under the command of General -Allenby, covered the west flank. - -The 4th Division commenced its detrainment at Le Cateau on Sunday, the -23rd, and by the morning of the 25th eleven battalions and a Brigade of -Artillery with Divisional Staff were available for service. - -I ordered General Snow to move out to take up a position with his right -south of Solesmes, his left resting on the Cambrai--Le Cateau road -south of La Chaprie. In this position the Division rendered great help -to the effective retirement of the Second and First Corps to the new -position. - -Although the troops had been ordered to occupy the Cambrai--Le -Cateau--Landrecies position, and the ground had, during the 25th, been -partially prepared and entrenched, I had grave doubts--owing to the -information I received as to the accumulating strength of the enemy -against me--as to the wisdom of standing there to fight. - -Having regard to the continued retirement of the French on my right, my -exposed left flank, the tendency of the enemy's western corps (II.) to -envelop me, and, more than all, the exhausted condition of the troops, -I determined to make a great effort to continue the retreat till I -could put some substantial obstacle, such as the Somme or the Oise, -between my troops and the enemy, and afford the former some opportunity -of rest and reorganisation. Orders were, therefore, sent to the Corps -Commanders to continue their retreat as soon as they possibly could -towards the general line Vermand--St. Quentin--Ribemont. - -The Cavalry, under General Allenby, were ordered to cover the -retirement. - - -The Guards at Landrecies - -Throughout the 25th and far into the evening, the First Corps continued -its march on Landrecies, following the road along the eastern border of -the Forêt de Mormal, and arrived at Landrecies about 10 o'clock. I had -intended that the Corps should come farther west so as to fill up the -gap between Le Cateau and Landrecies, but the men were exhausted and -could not get farther in without rest. - -The enemy, however, would not allow them this rest, and about 9.30 p.m. -a report was received that the 4th Guards Brigade in Landrecies was -heavily attacked by troops of the 9th German Army Corps who were coming -through the forest on the north of the town. This brigade fought most -gallantly and caused the enemy to suffer tremendous loss in issuing -from the forest into the narrow street of the town. The loss has been -estimated from reliable sources at from 700 to 1,000. At the same time -information reached me from Sir Douglas Haig that his 1st Division was -also heavily engaged south and east of Maroilles. I sent urgent -messages to the Commander of the two French Reserve Divisions on my -right to come up to the assistance of the First Corps, which they -eventually did. Partly owing to this assistance but mainly to the -skilful manner in which Sir Douglas Haig extricated his Corps from an -exceptionally difficult position in the darkness of the night, they -were able at dawn to resume their march south towards Wessigny on Guise. - -By about 6 p.m. the Second Corps had got into position with their right -on Le Cateau, their left in the neighbourhood of Caudry, and the line -of defence was continued thence by the 4th Division towards -Seranvillers, the left being thrown back. - -During the fighting on the 24th and 25th the Cavalry became a good deal -scattered, but by the early morning of the 26th General Allenby had -succeeded in concentrating two brigades to the south of Cambrai. - -The 4th Division was placed under the orders of the General Officer -Commanding the Second Army Corps. - - -Wednesday, August 26 - -On the 24th the French Cavalry Corps, consisting of three divisions, -under General Sordêt, had been in billets north of Avesnes. On my way -back from Bavai, which was my "Poste de Commandement" during the -fighting of the 23rd and 24th, I visited General Sordêt, and earnestly -requested his co-operation and support. He promised to obtain sanction -from his Army Commander to act on my left flank, but said that his -horses were too tired to move before the next day. Although he -rendered me valuable assistance later on in the course of the -retirement, he was unable for the reasons given to afford me any -support on the most critical day of all, viz., the 26th. - -At daybreak it became apparent that the enemy was throwing the bulk of -his strength against the left of the position occupied by the Second -Corps and the 4th Division. - -At this time the guns of four German Army Corps were in position -against them, and Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien reported to me that he -judged it impossible to continue his retirement at daybreak (as -ordered) in face of such an attack. - -I sent him orders to use his utmost endeavours to break off the action -and retire at the earliest possible moment, as it was impossible for me -to send him any support, the First Corps being at the moment incapable -of movement. - -The French Cavalry Corps, under General Sordêt, was coming up on our -left rear early in the morning, and I sent an urgent message to him to -do his utmost to come up and support the retirement of my left flank; -but, owing to the fatigue of his horses he found himself unable to -intervene in any way. - -There had been no time to entrench the position properly, but the -troops showed a magnificent front to the terrible fire which confronted -them. - -The Artillery, although outmatched by at least four to one, made a -splendid fight, and inflicted heavy losses on their opponents. - -At length it became apparent that, if complete annihilation was to be -avoided, a retirement must be attempted; and the order was given to -commence it about 3.30 p.m. The movement was covered with the most -devoted intrepidity and determination by the Artillery, which had -itself suffered heavily, and the fine work done by the Cavalry in the -further retreat from the position assisted materially in the final -completion of this most difficult and dangerous operation. - -Fortunately the enemy had himself suffered too heavily to engage in an -energetic pursuit. - - -I cannot close the brief account of this glorious stand of the British -troops without putting on record my deep appreciation of the valuable -services rendered by General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. - -I say without hesitation that the saving of the left wing of the Army -under my command on the morning of the 26th August could never have -been accomplished unless a commander of rare and unusual coolness, -intrepidity, and determination had been present to personally conduct -the operations. - -The retreat was continued far into the night of the 26th and through -the 27th and 28th, on which date the troops halted on the line -Noyon--Chauny--La Fère, having then thrown off the weight of the -enemy's pursuit. - -On the 27th and 28th I was much indebted to General Sordêt and the -French Cavalry Division which he commands for materially assisting my -retirement and successfully driving back some of the enemy on Cambrai. - -General D'Amade also, with the 61st and 62nd French Reserve Divisions, -moved down from the neighbourhood of Arras on the enemy's right flank -and took much pressure off the rear of the British Forces. - -This closes the period covering the heavy fighting which commenced at -Mons on Sunday afternoon, 23rd August, and which really constituted a -four days' battle. - -At this point, therefore, I propose to close the present despatch. - -I deeply deplore the very serious losses which the British Forces have -suffered in this great battle; but they were inevitable in view of the -fact that the British Army--only two days after a concentration by -rail--was called upon to withstand a vigorous attack of five German -Army Corps. - -It is impossible for me to speak too highly of the skill evinced by the -two General Officers commanding Army Corps; the self-sacrificing and -devoted exertions of their Staffs; the direction of the troops by -Divisional, Brigade, and Regimental Leaders; the command of the smaller -units by their officers; and the magnificent fighting spirit displayed -by non-commissioned officers and men. - -I wish particularly to bring to your Lordship's notice the admirable -work done by the Royal Flying Corps under Sir David Henderson. Their -skill, energy, and perseverance have been beyond all praise. They have -furnished me with the most complete and accurate information which has -been of incalculable value in the conduct of the operations. Fired at -constantly both by friend and foe, and not hesitating to fly in every -kind of weather, they have remained undaunted throughout. - -Further, by actually fighting in the air, they have succeeded in -destroying five of the enemy's machines. - -I wish to acknowledge with deep gratitude the incalculable assistance I -received from the General and Personal Staffs at Headquarters during -this trying period. - -Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Murray, Chief of the General Staff; -Major-General Wilson, Sub-Chief of the General Staff; and all under -them have worked day and night unceasingly with the utmost skill, -self-sacrifice, and devotion; and the same acknowledgment is due by me -to Brigadier-General Hon. W. Lambton, my Military Secretary, and the -Personal Staff. - -In such operations as I have described, the work of the -Quartermaster-General is of an extremely onerous nature. Major-General -Sir William Robertson has met what appeared to be almost insuperable -difficulties with his characteristic energy, skill, and determination; -and it is largely owing to his exertions that the hardships and -sufferings of the troops--inseparable from such operations--were not -much greater. - -Major-General Sir Nevil Macready, the Adjutant-General, has also been -confronted with most onerous and difficult tasks in connection with -disciplinary arrangements and the preparation of casualty lists. He -has been indefatigable in his exertions to meet the difficult -situations which arose. - -I have not yet been able to complete the list of officers whose names I -desire to bring to your Lordship's notice for services rendered during -the period under review; and, as I understand it is of importance that -this despatch should no longer be delayed, I propose to forward this -list, separately, as soon as I can. - -I have the honour to be, - Your Lordship's most obedient Servant, - (Signed) J. D. P. FRENCH, Field-Marshal, - Commander-in-Chief, British Forces in the Field. - - -17th September, 1914. - -MY LORD, - -In continuation of my despatch of September 7th, I have the honour to -report the further progress of the operations of the Forces under my -command from August 28th. - -On that evening the retirement of the Force was followed closely by two -of the enemy's cavalry columns, moving south-east from St. Quentin. - - -Saturday, August 29 - -The retreat in this part of the field was being covered by the 3rd and -5th Cavalry Brigades. South of the Somme General Gough, with the 3rd -Cavalry Brigade, threw back the Uhlans of the Guard with considerable -loss. - -General Chetwode, with the 5th Cavalry Brigade, encountered the eastern -column near Cerizy, moving south. The Brigade attacked and routed the -column, the leading German regiment suffering very severe casualties -and being almost broken up. - -The 7th French Army Corps was now in course of being railed up from the -south to the east of Amiens. On the 29th it nearly completed its -detrainment, and the French 6th Army got into position on my left, its -right resting on Roye. - -The 5th French Army was behind the line of the Oise between La Fère and -Guise. - -The pursuit of the enemy was very vigorous; some five or six German -corps were on the Somme facing the 5th Army on the Oise. At least two -corps were advancing towards my front, and were crossing the Somme east -and west of Ham. Three or four more German corps were opposing the 6th -French Army on my left. - -This was the situation at 1 o'clock on the 29th, when I received a -visit from General Joffre at my headquarters. - -I strongly represented my position to the French Commander-in-Chief, -who was most kind, cordial, and sympathetic, as he has always been. He -told me that he had directed the 5th French Army on the Oise to move -forward and attack the Germans on the Somme, with a view to checking -pursuit. He also told me of the formation of the Sixth French Army on -my left flank, composed of the 7th Army Corps, four Reserve Divisions, -and Sordêt's Corps of Cavalry. - -I finally arranged with General Joffre to effect a further short -retirement towards the line Compiègne--Soissons, promising him, -however, to do my utmost to keep always within a day's march of him. - -In pursuance of this arrangement the British Forces retired to a -position a few miles north of the line Compiègne--Soissons on the 29th. - - -Change of Base - -The right flank of the German Army was now reaching a point which -appeared seriously to endanger my line of communications with Havre. I -had already evacuated Amiens, into which place a German reserve -division was reported to have moved. - -Orders were given to change the base to St. Nazaire, and establish an -advance base at Le Mans. This operation was well carried out by the -Inspector-General of Communications. - -In spite of a severe defeat inflicted upon the Guard 10th and Guard -Reserve Corps of the German Army by the 1st and 3rd French Corps on the -right of the 5th Army, it was not part of General Joffre's plan to -pursue this advantage, and a general retirement on to the line of the -Marne was ordered, to which the French forces in the more eastern -theatre were directed to conform. - -A new Army (the 9th) had been formed from three corps in the south by -General Joffre, and moved into the space between the right of the 5th -and left of the 4th Armies. - -Whilst closely adhering to his strategic conception to draw the enemy -on at all points until a favourable situation was created from which to -assume the offensive, General Joffre found it necessary to modify from -day to day the methods by which he sought to attain this object, owing -to the development of the enemy's plans and changes in the general -situation. - -In conformity with the movements of the French Forces, my retirement -continued practically from day to day. Although we were not severely -pressed by the enemy, rearguard actions took place continually. - - -South of Compiègne - -On the 1st September, when retiring from the thickly wooded country to -the south of Compiègne, the 1st Cavalry Brigade was overtaken by some -German cavalry. They momentarily lost a Horse Artillery battery, and -several officers and men were killed and wounded. With the help, -however, of some detachments from the 3rd Corps operating on their -left, they not only recovered their own guns, but succeeded in -capturing twelve of the enemy's. - -Similarly, to the eastward, the 1st Corps, retiring south, also got -into some very difficult forest country, and a somewhat severe -rearguard action ensued at Villers-Cotterets, in which the 4th Guards -Brigade suffered considerably. - -On September 3rd the British Forces were in position south of the Marne -between Lagny and Signy-Signets. Up to this time I had been requested -by General Joffre to defend the passages of the river as long as -possible, and to blow up the bridges in my front. After I had made the -necessary dispositions, and the destruction of the bridges had been -effected, I was asked by the French Commander-in-Chief to continue my -retirement to a point some 12 miles in rear of the position I then -occupied, with a view to taking up a second position behind the Seine. -This retirement was duly carried out. In the meantime the enemy had -thrown bridges and crossed the Marne in considerable force, and was -threatening the Allies all along the line of the British Forces and the -5th and 9th French Armies. Consequently several small outpost actions -took place. - - -Saturday, September 5 - -On Saturday, September 5th, I met the French Commander-in-Chief at his -request, and he informed me of his intention to take the offensive -forthwith, as he considered conditions were very favourable to success. - -General Joffre announced to me his intention of wheeling up the left -flank of the 6th Army, pivoting on the Marne and directing it to move -on the Ourcq; cross and attack the flank of the 1st German Army, which -was then moving in a south-easterly direction east of that river. - - -The Advance - -He requested me to effect a change of front to my right--my left -resting on the Marne, and my right on the 5th Army--to fill the gap -between that army and the 6th. I was then to advance against the enemy -in my front and join in the general offensive movement. - -These combined movements practically commenced on Sunday, September -6th, at sunrise; and on that day it may be said that a great battle -opened on a front extending from Ermenonville, which was just in front -of the left flank of the 6th French Army, through Lizy on the Marne, -Mauperthuis, which was about the British centre Courtecon, which was -the left of the 5th French Army; to Esternay and Charleville, the left -of the 9th Army under General Foch, and so along the front of the 9th, -4th and 3rd French Armies to a point north of the fortress of Verdun. - -This battle, in so far as the 6th French Army, the British Army, the -5th French Army, and the 9th French Army were concerned, may be said to -have concluded on the evening of September 10th, by which time the -Germans had been driven back to the line Soissons--Reims, with a loss -of thousands of prisoners, many guns, and enormous masses of transport. - -About the 3rd September the enemy appears to have changed his plans and -to have determined to stop his advance South direct upon Paris; for on -the 4th September air reconnaissances showed that his main columns were -moving in a south-easterly direction generally east of a line drawn -through Nanteuil and Lizy on the Ourcq. On the 5th September several -of these columns were observed to have crossed the Marne; whilst German -troops, which were observed moving south-east up the left bank of the -Ourcq on the 4th, were now reported to be halted and facing that river. -Heads of the enemy's columns were seen crossing at Changis, La Ferté, -Nogent, Château Thierry, and Mezy. - -Considerable German columns of all arms were seen to be converging on -Montmirail, whilst before sunset large bivouacs of the enemy were -located in the neighbourhood of Coulommiers, south of Rebais, La -Ferté-Gauchér, and Dagny. - -I should conceive it to have been about noon on the 6th September, -after the British Forces had changed their front to the right and -occupied the line Jouy-Le Chatel--Faremoutiers--Villeneuve La Comte, -and the advance of the 6th French Army north of the Marne towards the -Ourcq became apparent, that the enemy realised the powerful threat that -was being made against the flank of his columns moving south-east, and -began the great retreat which opened the battle above referred to. - - - -_Here follows the account of the Battle of the Marne._ - - - - -APPENDIX II - - -ORDER OF THE DAY - -AUGUST 29TH, 1914. - - _Issued to the Troops under his command by the General - Officer Commanding the Second Corps._ - - -As it is improbable the troops of the 2nd Army Corps understand the -operations of the last few days, commencing on the 21st instant with -the advance to the line of the Mons Canal and ending with a retirement -to our present position on the River Oise about Noyon, the Commander of -the Corps desires to let troops know that the object was to delay the -advance of a far superior force of the enemy to enable our Allies to -conduct operations elsewhere. This object, owing to the skilful -handling of the Commanders of units and the magnificent fighting spirit -shown by all ranks against overwhelming odds, and in spite of very -heavy casualties, was achieved, and the French Army is now reported to -be advancing. - -That the losses were not greater in the retirement from the -Hancourt--Caudry--Beaumont--Le Cateau position on the 26th instant is -due largely to the support given by French troops, chiefly General -Sordêt's Cavalry Corps, operating on the West flank of the British -troops, and we may well be thankful to our gallant comrades in arms. - -General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien, whilst regretting the terribly heavy -casualties and the weary forced marches, in which it has been -impossible to distribute the necessary amount of food, begs to thank -all ranks and to express his admiration of the grand fighting and -determined spirit shown by all ranks, and his pride in being allowed to -command such a splendid force. - -He is sure that whenever it is thought necessary to again assume the -offensive the troops will be as pleased as he will himself. - -The following messages have been received from the Commander-in-Chief, -Field-Marshal Sir John French, to publish to the troops of the 2nd Army -Corps--the first dated 25th August. - - -(1) - -"_Special Army Order._ - -"I have received the following telegram from the Secretary of State for -War: - -"'LONDON, 25-8-14. - -"'Congratulate troops on their splendid work. We are all proud as -usual of them.' - -"In making this message known to the troops under my command, I wish to -express to them my heartfelt thanks for, and my profound admiration of, -their magnificent bearing and conduct during the fighting of the last -two days. - -"The most difficult operation which an army can be called upon to carry -out was rendered necessary by the general strategic situation of the -allied forces extending over an enormous front. - -"I can only tell you that it was most brilliantly and successfully -performed. This happy result was entirely due to the splendid spirit, -efficient training, and magnificent discipline of regimental officers -and men, and the fine skill displayed by the higher commanders in the -direction of the troops." - - -(2) - -"28TH AUGUST, 1914. - -"A a 67. Following message from Lord Kitchener to C.-in-C. will be -communicated to all troops. Begins: 'The First Lord asks me to -transmit to you the following message from the Home Fleet:--"The -officers and men of the Grand Fleet wish to express to their comrades -of the Army admiration of the magnificent stand made against great -odds, and wish them the brilliant success which the Fleet feels sure -awaits their further efforts." Ends. - - -(3) - -"No. 28 G. Following from Lord Kitchener to C.-in-C. Begins: 'Your F -37. Your troops have done marvellously well under their Commanders -during severe attacks which they have had to withstand practically -alone. Express to them all the thanks of the King and Government.' -Ends." - - - - PRINTED BY CASSELL & COMPANY, LIMITED, LA BELLE SAUVAGE, LONDON, E.C. - F.40.816 - - - -[Illustration: MAP OF COUNTRY FROM MONS TO PARIS] - - - - - - - - - - - -End of Project Gutenberg's The Retreat from Mons, by A. 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