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diff --git a/36155.txt b/36155.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..80e6a31 --- /dev/null +++ b/36155.txt @@ -0,0 +1,11190 @@ +The Project Gutenberg eBook, The Invasion, by William Le Queux + + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere 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 + + + + + +Title: The Invasion + + +Author: William Le Queux + + + +Release Date: May 18, 2011 [eBook #36155] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-646-US (US-ASCII) + + +***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INVASION*** + + +E-text prepared by Moti Ben-Ari and the Online Distributed Proofreading +Team (http://www.pgdp.net) + + + +Note: Project Gutenberg also has an HTML version of this + file which includes the original illustrations. + See 36155-h.htm or 36155-h.zip: + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36155/36155-h/36155-h.htm) + or + (http://www.gutenberg.org/files/36155/36155-h.zip) + + +Transcriber's note: + + Text enclosed by equal signs was in bold face in the + original (=bold=). + + Characters enclosed by curly braces after a carat character + were superscripted in the original (example: 13^{th}). + + + + + +[Illustration: THE GREAT FIGHT.] + + +THE INVASION + +by + +WM. LE QUEUX + + + + + + + +LONDON: GEORGE NEWNES, LTD. + + + + +PREFACE. + + +"I sometimes despair of the country ever becoming alive to the danger of +the unpreparedness of our present position until too late to prevent +some fatal catastrophe." + +This was the keynote of a solemn warning made in the House of Lords by +Earl Roberts. His lordship, whilst drawing attention to our present +inadequate forces, strongly urged that action should be taken in +accordance with the recommendations of the Elgin Commission that "no +military system could be considered satisfactory which did not contain +powers of expansion outside the limit of the regular forces of the +Crown." + +"The lessons of the late war appear to have been forgotten. The one +prevailing idea seems to be," said Earl Roberts, "to cut down our +military expenditure without reference to our increased responsibilities +and our largely augmented revenue. History tells us in the plainest +terms that an Empire which cannot defend its own possessions must +inevitably perish." And with this view both Lord Milner and the Marquis +of Lansdowne concurred. But surely this is not enough. If we are to +retain our position as the first nation of the world we must be prepared +to defend any raid made upon our shores. + +The object of this book is to illustrate our utter unpreparedness for +war from a military standpoint; to show how, under certain conditions +which may easily occur, England can be successfully invaded by Germany; +and to present a picture of the ruin which must inevitably fall upon us +on the evening of that not far-distant day. + +Ever since Lord Roberts formulated his plans for the establishment of +rifle-clubs I have been deeply interested in the movement: and after a +conversation with that distinguished soldier the idea occurred to me to +write a forecast, based upon all the available military knowledge--which +would bring home to the British public vividly and forcibly what really +would occur were an enemy suddenly to appear in our midst. At the outset +it was declared by the strategists I consulted to be impossible. No such +book could ever be written, for, according to them, the mass of +technical detail was far too great to digest and present in an +intelligible manner to the public. + +Lord Roberts, however, gave me encouragement. The skeleton scheme of the +manner in which England could be invaded by Germany was submitted to a +number of the highest authorities on strategy, whose names, however, I +am not permitted to divulge, and after many consultations, much +criticism, and considerable difference of opinion, the "general idea," +with amendment after amendment, was finally adopted. + +That, however, was only a mere preliminary. Upon questions of tactics +each tactician consulted held a different view, and each criticised +adversely the other's suggestions. + +One way alone remained open--namely, to take the facts exactly as they +stood, add the additional strength of the opposing nations as they at +present are, and then draw logical conclusions. This, aided by experts, +was done: and after many days of argument with the various authorities, +we succeeded in getting them in accord as to the general practicability +of an invasion. + +Before putting pen to paper it was necessary to reconnoitre carefully +the whole of England from the Thames to the Tyne. This I did by means of +a motor-car, travelling 10,000 miles of all kinds of roads, and making a +tour extending over four months. Each town, all the points of vantage, +military positions, all the available landing places on the coast, all +railway connections, and telephone and telegraph communications, were +carefully noted for future reference. With the assistance of certain +well-known military experts, the battlefields were carefully gone over +and the positions marked upon the Ordnance map. Thus, through four +months we pushed on day by day collecting information and material, +sometimes in the big cities, sometimes in the quietest and remotest +hamlets, all of which was carefully tabulated for use. + +Whatever critics may say, and however their opinions may differ, it can +only be pointed out, first, that the "general idea" of the scheme is in +accordance with the expressed and published opinions of the first +strategists of to-day, and that, as far as the forecast of events is +concerned, it has been written from a first-hand knowledge of the local +colour of each of the scenes described. The enemy's Proclamations +reproduced are practically copies of those issued by the Germans during +the war of 1870. + +That the experts and myself will probably be condemned as alarmists and +denounced for revealing information likely to be of assistance to an +enemy goes without saying. Indeed, an attempt was made in the House of +Commons to suppress its publication altogether. Mr. R. C. Lehmann, who +asked a question of the Prime Minister, declared that it was "calculated +to prejudice our relations with the other Powers," while the late Sir H. +Campbell-Bannerman, in a subsequent letter apologising to me for +condemning in the House a work he had not read, repeated that it was +likely to "produce irritation abroad and might conceivably alarm the +more ignorant public at home." + +Such a reflection, cast by the late Prime Minister upon the British +nation was, to say the least, curious, yet it only confirmed the truth +that the Government are strenuously seeking to conceal from our people +the appalling military weakness and the consequent danger to which the +country is constantly open. + +To be weak is to invite war: to be strong is to prevent it. + +To arouse our country to a sense of its own lamentable insecurity is the +object of this volume, which is somewhat compressed from the form in +which it originally appeared, and that other nations besides ourselves +are interested in England's grave peril is proved by the fact that it +has already been published in the German, French, Spanish, Danish, +Russian, Italian, and even Japanese languages. + + WILLIAM LE QUEUX. + + + + +Speaking in the House of Lords on the 10th July 1905, I said:--"It is +to the people of the country I appeal to take up the question of the +Army in a sensible practical manner. For the sake of all they hold dear, +let them bring home to themselves what would be the condition of Great +Britain if it were to lose its wealth, its power, its position." The +catastrophe that may happen if we still remain in our present state of +unpreparedness is visibly and forcibly illustrated in Mr. Le Queux's new +book which I recommend to the perusal of every one who has the welfare +of the British Empire at heart. + + 29. Nov. 1905 Roberts, FM + + + + +THE INVASION. + + + + +BOOK I. + +THE ATTACK. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE SURPRISE. + + +Two of the myriad of London's nightworkers were walking down Fleet +Street together soon after dawn on Sunday morning, 2nd September. + +The sun had not yet risen. That main artery of London traffic, with its +irregular rows of closed shops and newspaper offices, was quiet and +pleasant in the calm, mystic light before the falling of the smoke-pall. + +Only at early morning does the dear old City look its best; in that one +quiet, sweet hour when the night's toil has ended and the day's has not +yet begun. Only in that brief interval at the birth of day, when the +rose tints of the sky glow slowly into gold, does the giant metropolis +repose--at least, as far as its business streets are concerned--for at +five o'clock the toiling millions begin to again pour in from all points +of the compass, and the stress and storm of London at once recommences. + +And in that hour of silent charm the two grey-bearded sub-editors, +though engaged in offices of rival newspapers were making their way +homeward to Dulwich to spend Sunday in a well-earned rest, and were +chatting "shop," as Press men do. + +"I suppose you had the same trouble to get that Yarmouth story through?" +asked Fergusson, the news-editor of the "Dispatch," as they crossed +Whitefriars Street. "We got about half a column, and then the wire shut +down." + +"Telegraph or telephone?" inquired Baines, who was four or five years +younger than his friend. + +"We were using both--to make sure." + +"So were we. It was a rattling good story--the robbery was mysterious, +to say the least--but we didn't get more than half of it. Something's +wrong with the line, evidently," Baines said. "If it were not such a +perfect autumn morning, I should be inclined to think there'd been a +storm somewhere." + +"Yes--funny, wasn't it?" remarked the other. "A shame we haven't the +whole story, for it was a first-class one, and we wanted something. Did +you put it on the contents-bill?" + +"No, because we couldn't get the finish. I tried in every way--rang up +the Central News, P.A., Exchange Telegraph Company, tried to get through +to Yarmouth on the trunk, and spent half an hour or so pottering about, +but the reply from all the agencies, from everywhere, in fact, was the +same--the line was interrupted." + +"Just our case. I telephoned to the Post Office, but the reply came back +that the lines were evidently down." + +"Well, it certainly looks as though there'd been a storm, but----" and +Baines glanced at the bright, clear sky overhead, just flushed by the +bursting sun--"there are certainly no traces of it." + +"There's often a storm on the coast when it's quite still in London, my +dear fellow," remarked his friend wisely. + +"That's all very well. But when all communication with a big place like +Yarmouth is suddenly cut off, as it has been, I can't help suspecting +that something has happened which we ought to know." + +"You're perhaps right, after all," Fergusson said. "I wonder if anything +has happened. We don't want to be called back to the office, either of +us. My assistant, Henderson, whom I've left in charge, rings me up over +any mare's nest. The trunk telephones all come into the Post Office +Exchange up in Carter Lane. Why not look in there before we go home? It +won't take us a quarter of an hour, and we have several trains home from +Ludgate Hill." + +Baines looked at his watch. Like his companion, he had no desire to be +called back to his office after getting out to Dulwich, and yet he was +in no mood to go making reporter's inquiries. + +"I don't think I'll go. It's sure to be nothing, my dear fellow," he +said. "Besides, I have a beastly headache. I had a heavy night's work. +One of my men is away ill." + +"Well, at any rate, I think I'll go," Fergusson said. "Don't blame me if +you get called back for a special edition with a terrible storm, great +loss of life, and all that sort of thing. So long." And, smiling, he +waved his hand and parted from his friend in the booking office of +Ludgate Hill Station. + +Quickening his pace, he hurried through the office, and, passing out by +the back, ascended the steep, narrow street until he reached the Post +Office Telephone Exchange in Carter Lane, where, presenting his card, he +asked to see the superintendent-in-charge. + +Without much delay he was shown upstairs into a small private office, +into which came a short, dapper, fair-moustached man with the bustle of +a man in a great hurry. + +"I've called," the sub-editor explained, "to know whether you can tell +me anything regarding the cause of the interruption of the line to +Yarmouth a short time ago. We had some important news coming through, +but were cut off just in the midst of it, and then we received +information that all the telephone and telegraph lines to Yarmouth were +interrupted." + +"Well, that's just the very point which is puzzling us at this moment," +was the night-superintendent's reply. "It is quite unaccountable. Our +trunk going to Yarmouth seems to be down, as well as the telegraphs. +Yarmouth, Lowestoft, and beyond Beccles seem all to have been suddenly +cut off. About eighteen minutes to four the operators noticed something +wrong, switched the trunks through to the testers, and the latter +reported to me in due course." + +"That's strange! Did they all break down together?" + +"No. The first that failed was the one that runs through Chelmsford, +Colchester, and Ipswich up to Lowestoft and Yarmouth. The operator found +that he could get through to Ipswich and Beccles. Ipswich knew nothing, +except that something was wrong. They could still ring up Beccles, but +not beyond." + +As they were speaking, there was a tap at the door, and the assistant +night-superintendent entered, saying: + +"The Norwich line through Scole and Long Stratton has now failed, sir. +About half-past four Norwich reported a fault somewhere north, between +there and Cromer. But the operator now says that the line is apparently +broken, and so are all the telegraphs from there to Cromer, Sheringham, +and Holt." + +"Another line has gone, then!" exclaimed the superintendent-in-charge, +utterly astounded. "Have you tried to get on to Cromer by the other +routes--through Nottingham and King's Lynn, or through Cambridge?" + +"The testers have tried every route, but there's no response." + +"You could get through to some of the places--Yarmouth, for instance--by +telegraphing to the Continent, I suppose?" asked Fergusson. + +"We are already trying," responded the assistant superintendent. + +"What cables run out from the east coast in that neighbourhood?" +inquired the sub-editor quickly. + +"There are five between Southwold and Cromer--three run to Germany, and +two to Holland," replied the assistant. "There's the cable from Yarmouth +to Barkum, in the Frisian Islands; from Happisburg, near Mundesley, to +Barkum; from Yarmouth to Emden; from Lowestoft to Haarlem, and from +Kessingland, near Southwold, to Zandyport." + +"And you are trying all the routes?" asked his superior. + +"I spoke to Paris myself an hour ago and asked them to cable by all five +routes to Yarmouth, Lowestoft, Kessingland, and Happisburg," was the +assistant's reply. "I also asked Liverpool Street Station and King's +Cross to wire down to some of their stations on the coast, but the reply +was that they were in the same predicament as ourselves--their lines +were down north of Beccles, Wymondham, East Dereham, and also south of +Lynn. I'll just run along and see if there's any reply from Paris. They +ought to be through by this time, as it's Sunday morning, and no +traffic." And he went out hurriedly. + +"There's certainly something very peculiar," remarked the +superintendent-in-charge to the sub-editor. "If there's been an +earthquake or an electrical disturbance, then it is a most extraordinary +one. Every single line reaching to the coast seems interrupted." + +"Yes. It's uncommonly funny," Fergusson remarked. "I wonder what could +have happened. You've never had a complete breakdown like this before?" + +"Never. But I think----" + +The sentence remained unfinished, for his assistant returned with a slip +of paper in his hand, saying: + +"This message has just come in from Paris, I'll read it. 'Superintendent +Telephones, Paris, to Superintendent Telephones, London.--Have obtained +direct telegraphic communication with operators of all five cables to +England. Haarlem, Zandyport, Barkum, and Emden all report that cables +are interrupted. They can get no reply from England, and tests show that +cables are damaged somewhere near English shore.'" + +"Is that all?" asked Fergusson. + +"That's all. Paris knows no more than we do," was the assistant's +response. + +"Then the Norfolk and Suffolk coasts are completely isolated--cut off +from post office, railways, telephones, and cables!" exclaimed the +superintendent. "It's mysterious--most mysterious!" And, taking up the +instrument upon his table, he placed a plug in one of the holes down the +front of the table itself, and a moment later was in conversation with +the official in charge of the traffic at Liverpool Street, repeating the +report from Paris, and urging him to send light engines north from +Wymondham or Beccles into the zone of the mystery. + +The reply came back that he had already done so, but a telegram had +reached him from Wymondham to the effect that the road-bridges between +Kimberley and Hardingham had apparently fallen in, and the line was +blocked by debris. Interruption was also reported beyond Swaffham, at a +place called Little Dunham. + +"Then even the railways themselves are broken!" cried Fergusson. "Is it +possible that there has been a great earthquake?" + +"An earthquake couldn't very well destroy all five cables from the +Continent," remarked the superintendent gravely. + +The latter had scarcely placed the receiver upon the hook when a third +man entered--an operator who, addressing him, said: + +"Will you please come to the switchboard, sir? There's a man in the +Ipswich call office who has just told me a most extraordinary story. He +says that he started in his motor-car alone from Lowestoft to London at +half-past three this morning, and just as it was getting light he was +passing along the edge of Henham Park, between Wangford village and +Blythburgh, when he saw three men apparently repairing the telegraph +wires. One was up the pole, and the other two were standing below. As he +passed he saw a flash, for, to his surprise, one of the men fired +point-blank at him with a revolver. Fortunately, the shot went wide, and +he at once put on a move and got down into Blythburgh village, even +though one of his tyres went down. It had probably been pierced by the +bullet fired at him, as the puncture was unlike any he had ever had +before. At Blythburgh he informed the police of the outrage, and the +constable, in turn, woke up the postmaster, who tried to telegraph back +to the police at Wrentham, but found that the line was interrupted. Was +it possible that the men were cutting the wires, instead of repairing +them? He says that after repairing the puncture he took the village +constable and three other men on his car and went back to the spot, +where, although the trio had escaped, they saw that wholesale havoc had +been wrought with the telegraphs. The lines had been severed in four or +five places, and whole lengths tangled up into great masses. A number of +poles had been sawn down, and were lying about the roadside. Seeing that +nothing could be done, the gentleman remounted his car, came on to +Ipswich, and reported the damage at our call office." + +"And is he still there?" exclaimed the superintendent quickly, amazed at +the motorist's statement. + +"Yes. I asked him to wait for a few moments in order to speak to you, +sir." + +"Good. I'll go at once. Perhaps you'd like to come also, Mr. Fergusson?" + +And all three ran up to the gallery, where the huge switchboards were +ranged around, and where the night operators, with the receivers +attached to one ear, were still at work. + +In a moment the superintendent had taken the operator's seat, adjusted +the ear-piece, and was in conversation with Ipswich. A second later he +was speaking with the man who had actually witnessed the cutting of the +trunk line. + +While he was thus engaged an operator at the farther end of the +switchboard suddenly gave vent to a cry of surprise and disbelief. + +"What do you say, Beccles? Repeat it," he asked excitedly. + +Then a moment later he shouted aloud: + +"Beccles says that German soldiers--hundreds of them--are pouring into +the place! The Germans have landed at Lowestoft, they think." + +All who heard those ominous words sprang up dumbfounded, staring at each +other. + +The assistant-superintendent dashed to the operator's side and seized +his apparatus. + +"Halloa--halloa, Beccles! Halloa--halloa--halloa!" + +The response was some gruff words in German, and the sound of scuffling +could distinctly be heard. Then all was silent. + +Time after time he rang up the small Suffolk town, but in vain. Then he +switched through to the testers, and quickly the truth was plain. + +The second trunk line to Norwich, running from Ipswich by Harleston and +Beccles, had been cut farther towards London. + +But what held everyone breathless in the trunk telephone headquarters +was that the Germans had actually effected the surprise landing that had +so often in recent years been predicted by military critics; that +England on that quiet September Sunday morning had been attacked. +England was actually invaded. It was incredible! + +Yet London's millions in their Sunday morning lethargy were in utter +ignorance of the grim disaster that had suddenly fallen upon the land. + +Fergusson was for rushing at once back to the "Dispatch" office to get +out an extraordinary edition, but the superintendent, who was still in +conversation with the motorist, urged judicious forethought. + +"For the present, let us wait. Don't let us alarm the public +unnecessarily. We want corroboration. Let us have the motorist up here," +he suggested. + +"Yes," cried the sub-editor. "Let me speak to him." + +Over the wire Fergusson begged the stranger to come at once to London +and give his story, declaring that the military authorities would +require it. Then, just as the man who had been shot at by German advance +spies--for such they had undoubtedly been--in order to prevent the +truth leaking out, gave his promise to come to town at once, there came +over the line from the coastguard at Southwold a vague, incoherent +telephone message regarding strange ships having been seen to the +northward, and asking for connection with Harwich; while King's Cross +and Liverpool Street Stations both rang up almost simultaneously, +reporting the receipt of extraordinary messages from King's Lynn, Diss, +Harleston, Halesworth, and other places. All declared that German +soldiers were swarming over the north, that Lowestoft and Beccles had +been seized, and that Yarmouth and Cromer were isolated. + +Various stationmasters reported that the enemy had blown up bridges, +taken up rails, and effectually blocked all communication with the +coast. Certain important junctions were already held by the enemy's +outposts. + +Such was the amazing news received in that high-up room in Carter Lane, +City, on that sweet, sunny morning when all the great world of London +was at peace, either still slumbering or week-ending. + +Fergusson remained for a full hour and a half at the Telephone Exchange, +anxiously awaiting any further corroboration. Many wild stories came +over the wires telling how panic-stricken people were fleeing inland +away from the enemy's outposts. Then he took a hansom to the "Dispatch" +office, and proceeded to prepare a special edition of his paper--an +edition containing surely the most amazing news that had ever startled +London. + +Fearing to create undue panic, he decided not to go to press until the +arrival of the motorist from Ipswich. He wanted the story of the man who +had actually seen the cutting of the wires. He paced his room excitedly, +wondering what effect the news would have upon the world. In the rival +newspaper offices the report was, as yet, unknown. With journalistic +forethought he had arranged that at present the bewildering truth should +not leak out to his rivals, either from the railway termini or from the +telephone exchange. His only fear was that some local correspondent +might telegraph from some village or town nearer the metropolis which +was still in communication with the central office. + +Time passed very slowly. Each moment increased his anxiety. He had sent +out the one reporter who remained on duty to the house of Colonel Sir +James Taylor, the Permanent Under-Secretary for War. Halting before the +open window, he looked up and down the street for the arriving +motor-car. But all was quiet. + +Eight o'clock had just boomed from Big Ben, and London still remained in +her Sunday morning peace. The street, bright in the warm sunshine, was +quite empty, save for a couple of motor-omnibuses and a sprinkling of +gaily dressed holiday-makers on their way to the day excursion trains. + +In that centre of London--the hub of the world--all was comparatively +silent, the welcome rest after the busy turmoil that through six days in +the week is unceasing, that fevered throbbing of the heart of the +world's great capital. + +Of a sudden, however, came the whirr-r of an approaching car, as a +thin-faced, travel-stained man tore along from the direction of the +Strand and pulled up before the office. The fine car, a six-cylinder +"Napier," was grey with the mud of country roads, while the motorist +himself was smothered until his goggles had been almost entirely +covered. + +Fergusson rushed out to him, and a few moments later the pair were in +the upstairs room, the sub-editor swiftly taking down the motorist's +story, which differed very little from what he had already spoken over +the telephone. + +Then, just as Big Ben chimed the half-hour, the echoes of the +half-deserted Strand were suddenly awakened by the loud, strident voices +of the newsboys shouting: + +"'Dispatch,' spe-shall! Invasion of England this morning! Germans in +Suffolk! Terrible panic! Spe-shall! 'Dispatch,' Spe-shall!" + +As soon as the paper had gone to press Fergusson urged the +motorist--whose name was Horton, and who lived at Richmond--to go with +him to the War Office and report. Therefore, both men entered the car, +and as they did so a man jumped from a hansom in breathless haste. He +was the reporter whom Fergusson had sent out to Sir James Taylor's house +in Cleveland Square, Hyde Park. + +"They thought Sir James spent the night with his brother up at +Hampstead," he exclaimed. "I've been there, but find that he's away for +the week-end at Chilham Hall, near Buckden." + +"Buckden! That's on the Great North Road!" cried Horton, "We'll go at +once and find him. Sixty miles from London. We can be there under two +hours!" + +And a few minutes later the pair were tearing due north, turning at last +into the handsome lodge-gates of Chilham Park, and running up the great +elm avenue, drew up before the main door of the ancient hall, a quaint +many-gabled old place of grey stone. + +A few moments later the breathless journalist faced the Permanent +Under-Secretary with the news that England was invaded--that the Germans +had actually effected a surprise landing on the east coast. + +Sir James and his host stood speechless. Like others, they at first +believed the pale-faced, bearded sub-editor to be a lunatic, but a few +moments later, when Horton briefly repeated the story, they saw that, +whatever might have occurred, the two men were at least in deadly +earnest. + +"Impossible!" cried Sir James. "We should surely have heard something of +it if such were actually the case. The coastguard would have telephoned +the news instantly. Besides, where is our fleet?" + +"The Germans evidently laid their plans with great cleverness. Their +spies, already in England, cut the wires at a pre-arranged hour last +night," declared Fergusson. "They sought to prevent this gentleman from +giving the alarm by shooting him. All the railways to London are already +either cut or held by the enemy. One thing, however, is clear--fleet or +no fleet, the east coast is entirely at their mercy." + +Host and guest exchanged dark glances. + +"Well, if what you say is the actual truth," exclaimed Sir James, +"to-day is surely the blackest day that England has ever known." + +"Yes, they should have listened to Lord Roberts," snapped his lordship. +"I suppose you'll go at once, Taylor, and make inquiries?" + +"Of course," responded the Permanent Secretary. And a quarter of an hour +later, accepting Horton's offer, he was sitting in the car as it headed +back towards London. + +Could the journalist's story be true? As he sat there, with his head +bent against the wind and the mud splashing into his face, Sir James +recollected too well the repeated warnings of the past five years, +serious warnings by men who knew our shortcomings, but to which no +attention had been paid. Both the Government and the public had remained +apathetic, the idea of peril had been laughed to scorn, and the country +had, ostrich-like, buried its head in the sand, and allowed Continental +nations to supersede us in business, in armaments, in everything. + +The danger of invasion had always been ridiculed as a mere alarmist's +fiction; those responsible for the defence of the country had smiled, +the Navy had been reduced, and the Army had remained in contented +inefficiency. + +If the blow had really been struck by Germany? If she had risked three +or four, out of her twenty-three, army corps, and had aimed at the heart +of the British Empire? What then? Ay! what then? + +As the car glided down Regent Street into Pall Mall and towards +Whitehall, Sir James saw on every side crowds discussing the vague but +astounding reports now published in special editions of all the Sunday +papers, and shouted wildly everywhere. + +Boys bearing sheets fresh from the Fleet Street presses were seized, and +bundles torn from them by excited Londoners eager to learn the latest +intelligence. + +Around both War Office and Admiralty great surging crowds were +clamouring loudly for the truth. Was it the truth, or was it only a +hoax? Half London disbelieved it. Yet from every quarter, from the north +and from across the bridges, thousands were pouring in to ascertain what +had really occurred, and the police had the greatest difficulty in +keeping order. + +In Trafalgar Square, where the fountains were plashing so calmly in the +autumn sunlight, a shock-headed man mounted the back of one of the lions +and harangued the crowd with much gesticulation, denouncing the +Government in the most violent terms; but the orator was ruthlessly +pulled down by the police in the midst of his fierce attack. + +It was half-past two o'clock in the afternoon. The Germans had already +been on English soil ten hours, yet London was in ignorance of where +they had actually landed, and utterly helpless. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +EFFECT IN THE CITY. + + +Monday, 3rd September, 1910, was indeed Black Monday for London. + +By midnight on Sunday the appalling news had spread everywhere. Though +the full details of the terrible naval disasters were not yet to hand, +yet it was vaguely known that our ships had been defeated in the North +Sea, and many of them sunk. + +Before 7 a.m. on Monday, however, telegrams reaching London by the +subterranean lines from the north gave thrilling stories of frightful +disasters we had, while all unconscious, suffered at the hands of the +German fleet. + +With London, the great cities of the north, Liverpool, Manchester, +Sheffield, and Birmingham, awoke utterly dazed. It seemed incredible. +And yet the enemy had, by his sudden and stealthy blow, secured command +of the sea and actually landed. + +The public wondered why a formal declaration of war had not previously +been made, ignorant of the fact that the declaration preceding the +Franco-German War was the first made by any civilised nation prior to +the commencement of hostilities for one hundred and seventy years. The +peril of the nation was now recognised on every hand. + +Eager millions poured into the City by every train from the suburbs and +towns in the vicinity of the Metropolis, anxious to ascertain the truth +for themselves, pale with terror, wild with excitement, indignant that +our land forces were not already mobilised and ready to move eastward to +meet the invader. + +As soon as the banks were opened there was a run on them, but by noon +the Bank of England had suspended all specie payments. The other banks, +being thus unable to meet their engagements, simply closed the doors, +bringing business to an abrupt standstill. Consols stood at 90 on +Saturday, but by noon on Monday were down to 42--lower even than they +were in 1798, when they stood at 47-1/4. Numbers of foreigners tried to +speculate heavily, but were unable to do so, for banking being suspended +they could not obtain transfers. + +On the Stock Exchange the panic in the afternoon was indescribable. +Securities of every sort went entirely to pieces, and there were no +buyers. Financiers were surprised that no warning in London had betrayed +the position of affairs, London being the money centre of the world. +Prior to 1870 Paris shared with London the honour of being the pivot of +the money market, but on the suspension of cash payments by the Bank of +France during the Franco-German War, Paris lost that position. Had it +not been that the milliards comprising the French War indemnity were +intact in golden louis in the fortress of Spandau, Germany could never +have hoped to wage sudden war with Great Britain before she had made +Berlin independent of London in a money sense, or, at any rate, to +accumulate sufficient gold to carry on the war for at least twelve +months. The only way in which she could have done this was to raise her +rate so as to offer better terms than London. Yet directly the Bank of +England discovered the rate of exchange going against her, and her stock +of gold diminishing, she would have responded by raising the English +bank-rate in order to check the flow. Thus competition would have gone +on until the rates became so high that all business would be checked, +and people would have realised their securities to obtain the necessary +money to carry on their affairs. Thus, no doubt, the coming war would +have been forecasted had it not been for Germany's already prepared +war-chest, which the majority of persons have nowadays overlooked. Its +possession had enabled Germany to strike her sudden blow, and now the +Bank of England, which is the final reserve of gold in the United +Kingdom, found that as notes were cashed so the stock of gold diminished +until it was in a few hours compelled to obtain from the Government +suspension of the Bank charter. This enabled the Bank to suspend cash +payment, and issue notes without a corresponding deposit of the +equivalent in gold. + +The suspension, contrary to increasing the panic, had, curiously enough +the immediate effect of somewhat allaying it. Plenty of people in the +City were confident that the blow aimed could not prove an effective +one, and that the Germans, however many might have landed, would quickly +be sent back again. Thus many level-headed business men regarded the +position calmly, believing that when our command of the sea was again +re-established, as it must be in a day or two, the enemy would soon be +non-existent. + +Business outside the money market was, of course, utterly demoralised. +The buying of necessities was now uppermost in everyone's mind. Excited +crowds in the streets caused most of the shops in the City and West End +to close, while around the Admiralty were great crowds of eager men and +women of all classes, tearful wives of bluejackets jostling with +officers' ladies from Mayfair and Belgravia, demanding news of their +loved ones--inquiries which, alas! the casualty office were unable to +satisfy. The scene of grief, terror, and suspense was heartrending. +Certain ships were known to have been sunk with all on board after +making a gallant fight, and those who had husbands, brothers, lovers, or +fathers on board wept loudly, calling upon the Government to avenge the +ruthless murder of their loved ones. + +In Manchester, in Liverpool, indeed, all through the great manufacturing +centres of the north, the excitement of London was reflected. + +In Manchester there was a panic "on 'Change," and the crowd in Deansgate +coming into collision with a force of mounted police, some rioting +occurred, and a number of shop windows broken, while several agitators +who attempted to speak in front of the infirmary were at once arrested. + +Liverpool was the scene of intense anxiety and excitement, when a report +was spread that German cruisers were about the estuary of the Mersey. It +was known that the coal staithes, cranes, and petroleum tanks at +Penarth, Cardiff, Barry, and Llanelly had been destroyed; that Aberdeen +had been bombarded; and there were rumours that, notwithstanding the +mines and defences of the Mersey, the city of Liverpool, with all its +crowd of valuable shipping, was to share the same fate. + +The whole place was in a ferment. By eleven o'clock the stations were +crowded by women and children sent by the men away into the +country--anywhere from the doomed and defenceless city. The Lord Mayor +vainly endeavoured to inspire confidence, but telegrams from London, +announcing the complete financial collapse, only increased the panic. + +In London all through the morning, amid the chaos of business in the +City, the excitement had been steadily growing, until shortly after +three o'clock the "Daily Mail" issued a special edition containing a +copy of a German proclamation which, it was said, was now posted +everywhere in East Norfolk, East Suffolk, and in Maldon in Essex, +already occupied by the enemy. + +The original proclamation had been found pasted by some unknown hand +upon a barn door near the town of Billericay, and had been detached and +brought to London in a motor-car by a correspondent. + +It showed plainly the German intention was to deal a hard and crushing +blow, and it struck terror into the heart of London, for it read as will +be seen on next page. + +Upon the walls of the Mansion House, the Guildhall, outside the Bank of +England, the Royal Exchange, upon the various public buildings within +the city wards, and westward beyond Temple Bar, proclamations were being +posted. Indeed, upon all the hoardings in Greater London appeared +various broadsheets side by side. One by the Chief Commissioner of +Police, regulating the traffic in the streets, and appealing to the +public to assist in the preservation of order; and a Royal Proclamation, +brief but noble, urging every Briton to do his duty, to take his part in +the defence of King and country, and to unfurl the banner of the British +Empire that had hitherto carried peace and civilisation in every quarter +of the world. Germany, whose independence had been respected, had +attacked us without provocation; therefore hostilities were, alas, +inevitable. + +When the great poster printed in big capitals and headed by the Royal +Arms made its appearance it was greeted with wild cheering. + +It was a message of love from King to people--a message to the highest +and to the lowest. Posted in Whitechapel at the same hour as in +Whitehall, the throngs crowded eagerly about it and sang "God Save our +Gracious King," for if they had but little confidence in the War Office +and Admiralty, they placed their trust in their Sovereign, the first +diplomat in Europe. Therefore the loyalty was spontaneous, as it always +is. They read the royal message, and cheered and cheered again. + +As evening closed in yet another poster made its appearance in every +city, town, and village in the country, a poster issued by military and +police officers, and naval officers in charge of dockyards--the order +for mobilisation. + + + PROCLAMATION. + + WE, GENERAL COMMANDING THE 3rd GERMAN ARMY, + + HAVING SEEN the proclamation of His Imperial Majesty the Emperor + William, King of Prussia, Chief of the Army, which authorises + the generals commanding the different German Army Corps to + establish special measures against all municipalities and + persons acting in contradiction to the usages of war, and to + take what steps they consider necessary for the well-being of + the troops. + + HEREBY GIVE PUBLIC NOTICE: + + (1) THE MILITARY JURISDICTION is hereby established. It applies + to all territory of Great Britain occupied by the German Army, + and to every action endangering the security of the troops by + rendering assistance to the enemy. The Military Jurisdiction + will be announced and placed vigorously in force in every parish + by the issue of this present proclamation. + + (2) ANY PERSON OR PERSONS NOT BEING BRITISH SOLDIERS, or not + showing by their dress that they are soldiers: + + (a) SERVING THE ENEMY as spies; + + (b) MISLEADING THE GERMAN TROOPS when charged to serve as + guides; + + (c) SHOOTING, INJURING, OR ROBBING any person belonging to the + German Army, or forming part of its personnel; + + (d) DESTROYING BRIDGES OR CANALS, damaging telegraphs, + telephones, electric light wires, gasometers, or railways, + interfering with roads, setting fire to munitions of war, + provisions, or quarters established by German troops; + + (e) TAKING ARMS against the German troops, + + =WILL BE PUNISHED BY DEATH.= + + IN EACH CASE the officer presiding at the Council of War will be + charged with the trial, and pronounce judgment. Councils of War + may not pronounce ANY OTHER CONDEMNATION SAVE THAT OF DEATH. + + THE JUDGMENT WILL BE IMMEDIATELY EXECUTED. + + (3) TOWNS OR VILLAGES in the territory in which the + contravention takes place will be compelled to pay indemnity + equal to one year's revenue. + + (4) THE INHABITANTS MUST FURNISH necessaries for the German + troops daily as follows:-- + + 1 lb. 10 oz. bread. + 13 oz. meat. + 3 lb. potatoes. + 1 oz. tea. + 1-1/2 oz. tobacco or 5 cigars. + 1/2 pint wine. + 1-1/2 pints beer, or 1 wine-glassful of brandy or whisky. + + The ration for each horse:-- + + 13 lb. oats. + 3 lb. 6 oz. hay. + 3 lb. 6 oz. straw. + + (ALL PERSONS WHO PREFER to pay an indemnity in money may do so + at the rate of 2s. per day per man.) + + (5) COMMANDERS OF DETACHED corps have the right to requisition + all that they consider necessary for the well-being of their + men, and will deliver to the inhabitants official receipts for + goods so supplied. + + WE HOPE IN CONSEQUENCE that the inhabitants of Great Britain + will make no difficulty in furnishing all that may be considered + necessary. + + (6) AS REGARDS the individual transactions between the troops + and the inhabitants, we give notice that one German mark shall + be considered the equivalent to one English shilling. + + =The General Commanding the Ninth German Army Corps, + VON KRONHELM.= + + Beccles, _September the Third, 1910_. + + [Illustration: THE ENEMY'S FAMOUS PROCLAMATION.] + + +The public, however, little dreamed of the hopeless confusion in the War +Office, in the various regimental depots throughout the country, at +headquarters everywhere, and in every barracks in the kingdom. The armed +forces of England were passing from a peace to a war footing; but the +mobilisation of the various units--namely, its completion in men, +horses, and material--was utterly impossible in the face of the +extraordinary regulations which, kept a strict secret by the Council of +Defence until this moment, revealed a hopeless state of things. + +The disorder was frightful. Not a regiment was found fully equipped and +ready to march. There was a dearth of officers, equipment, horses, +provisions--of, indeed, everything. Men had guns without ammunition; +cavalry and artillery were without horses; engineers only half equipped; +volunteers with no transport whatever; balloon sections without +balloons, and searchlight units vainly trying to obtain the necessary +instruments. + +Horses were being requisitioned everywhere. The few horses that, in the +age of motor-cars, now remained on the roads in London were quickly +taken for draught, and all horses fit to ride were commandeered for the +cavalry. + +During the turmoil daring German spies were actively at work south of +London. The Southampton line of the London and South-Western Railway was +destroyed--with explosives placed by unknown hands--by the bridge over +the Wey, near Weybridge, being blown up; and again that over the Mole, +between Walton and Esher, while the Reading line was cut by the great +bridge over the Thames at Staines being destroyed. The line, too, +between Guildford and Waterloo, was also rendered impassable by the +wreck of the midnight train, which was blown up half-way between +Wansborough and Guildford, while in several other places nearer London +bridges were rendered unstable by dynamite, the favourite method +apparently being to blow the crown out of an arch. + +The well-laid plans of the enemy were thus quickly revealed. Among the +thousands of Germans working in London, the hundred or so spies, all +trusted soldiers, had passed unnoticed but, working in unison, each +little group of two or three had been allotted its task, and had +previously thoroughly reconnoitred the position and studied the most +rapid or effective means. + +The railways to the east and north-east coasts all reported wholesale +damage done on Sunday night by the advance agents of the enemy, and now +this was continued on the night of Monday in the south, the objective +being to hinder troops from moving north from Aldershot. This was, +indeed, effectual, for only by a long _detour_ could the troops be moved +to the northern defences of London, and while many were on Tuesday +entrained, others were conveyed to London by the motor omnibuses sent +down for that purpose. + +Everywhere through London and its vicinity, as well as Manchester, +Birmingham, Sheffield, Coventry, Leeds, and Liverpool, motor-cars and +motor-omnibuses from dealers and private owners were being requisitioned +by the military authorities, for they would, it was believed, replace +cavalry to a very large extent. + +Wild and extraordinary reports were circulated regarding the disasters +in the north. Hull, Newcastle, Gateshead, and Tynemouth had, it was +believed, been bombarded and sacked. The shipping in the Tyne was +burning, and the Elswick works were held by the enemy. Details were, +however, very vague, as the Germans were taking every precaution to +prevent information reaching London. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +NEWS OF THE ENEMY. + + +Terror and excitement reigned everywhere. The wildest rumours were +hourly afloat. London was a seething stream of breathless multitudes of +every class. + +On Monday morning the newspapers throughout the kingdom had devoted +greater part of their space to the extraordinary intelligence from +Norfolk and Suffolk, and Essex, and other places. Only the slow, +old-fashioned "Globe" remained asleep, or pretended to know nothing of +what was in progress. + +That we were actually invaded was plain, but most of the newspapers +happily preserved a calm, dignified tone, and made no attempt at +sensationalism. The situation was far too serious. + +Like the public, however, the Press had been taken entirely by surprise. +The blow had been so sudden and so staggering that half the alarming +reports were discredited. + +In addition to the details of the enemy's operations, as far as could as +yet be ascertained, the "Morning Post" on Monday contained an account of +a mysterious occurrence at Chatham, which read as follows: + + "CHATHAM, _Sept. 1_ (11.30 P.M.). + +"An extraordinary accident took place on the Medway about eight o'clock +this evening. The steamer 'Pole Star,' 1,200 tons register, with a cargo +of cement from Frindsbury, was leaving for Hamburg, and came into +collision with the 'Frauenlob,' of Bremen, a somewhat larger boat, which +was inward bound, in a narrow part of the channel about half-way between +Chatham and Sheerness. Various accounts of the mishap are current, but +whichever of the vessels was responsible for the bad steering or neglect +of the ordinary rules of the road, it is certain that the 'Frauenlob' +was cut into by the stem of the 'Pole Star' on her port bow, and sank +almost across the channel. The 'Pole Star' swung alongside her after the +collision, and very soon afterwards sank in an almost parallel position. +Tugs and steamboats carrying a number of naval officers and the port +authorities are about to proceed to the scene of the accident, and if, +as seems probable, there is no chance of raising the vessels, steps will +be at once taken to blow them up. In the present state of our foreign +relations such an obstruction directly across the entrance to one of our +principal war-ports is a national danger, and will not be allowed to +remain a moment longer than can be helped." + + "_Sept. 2._ + +"An extraordinary _denouement_ has followed the collision in the Medway +reported in my telegram of last night, which renders it impossible to +draw any other conclusion than that the affair is anything but an +accident. Everything now goes to prove that the whole business was +premeditated and was the result of an organised plot with the object of +'bottling up' the numerous men-of-war that are now being hurriedly +equipped for service in Chatham Dockyard. In the words of Scripture, 'An +enemy hath done this,' and there can be very little doubt as to the +quarter from which the outrage was engineered. It is nothing less than +an outrage to perpetrate what is in reality an overt act of hostility in +a time of profound peace, however much the political horizon may be +darkened by lowering war-clouds. We are living under a Government whose +leader lost no time in announcing that no fear of being sneered at as a +'Little Englander' would deter him from seeking peace and ensuring it by +a reduction of our naval and military armaments, even at that time known +to be inadequate to the demands likely to be made upon them if our +Empire is to be maintained. We trust, however, that even this +parochially-minded statesman will lose no time in probing the conspiracy +to its depths, and in seeking instant satisfaction from those +personages, however highly placed and powerful, who have committed this +outrage on the laws of civilisation. + +"As soon as the news of the collision reached the dockyard the senior +officer at Kethole Reach was ordered by wire to take steps to prevent +any vessel from going up the river, and he at once despatched several +picket-boats to the entrance to warn in-coming ships of the blocking of +the channel, while a couple of other boats were sent up to within a +short distance of the obstruction to make assurance doubly sure. The +harbour signals ordering 'suspension of all movings' were also hoisted +at Garrison Point. + +"Among other ships which were stopped in consequence of these measures +was the 'Van Gysen,' a big steamer hailing from Rotterdam, laden, it was +stated, with steel rails for the London, Chatham, and Dover Railway, +which were to be landed at Port Victoria. She was accordingly allowed to +proceed, and anchored, or appeared to anchor, just off the railway pier +at that place. Ten minutes later the officer of the watch on board +H.M.S. 'Medici' reported that he thought she was getting under way +again. It was then pretty dark. An electric searchlight being switched +on, the 'Van Gysen' was discovered steaming up the river at a +considerable speed. The 'Medici' flashed the news to the flagship, which +at once fired a gun, hoisted the recall and the 'Van Gysen's' number in +the international code, and despatched her steam pinnace, with orders to +overhaul the Dutchman and stop him at whatever cost. A number of the +marines on guard were sent in her with their rifles. + +"The 'Van Gysen' seemed well acquainted with the channel, and +continually increased her speed as she went up the river, so that she +was within half a mile of the scene of the accident before the steamboat +came up with her. The officer in charge called to the skipper through +the megaphone to stop his engines and to throw him a rope, as he wanted +to come on board. After pretending for some time not to understand him, +the skipper slowed his engines and said, 'Ver vel, come 'longside +gangway.' As the pinnace hooked on at the gangway, a heavy iron cylinder +cover was dropped into her from the height of the 'Van Gysen's' deck. It +knocked the bowman overboard and crashed into the fore part of the boat, +knocking a big hole in the port side forward. She swung off at an angle +and stopped to pick up the man overboard. Her crew succeeded in rescuing +him, but she was making water fast, and there was nothing for it but to +run her into the bank. The lieutenant in charge ordered a rifle to be +fired at the 'Van Gysen' to bring her to, but she paid not the smallest +attention, as might have been expected, and went on her way with +gathering speed. + +"The report, however, served to attract the attention of the two +picket-boats which were patrolling up the river. As she turned a bend in +the stream they both shot up alongside out of the darkness, and ordered +her peremptorily to stop. But the only answer they received was the +sudden extinction of all lights in the steamer. They kept alongside, or +rather one of them did, but they were quite helpless to stay the +progress of the big wall-sided steamer. The faster of the picket-boats +shot ahead with the object of warning those who were busy examining the +wrecks. But the 'Van Gysen,' going all she knew, was close behind, an +indistinguishable black blur in the darkness, and hardly had the officer +in the picket-boat delivered his warning before she was heard close at +hand. Within a couple of hundred yards of the two wrecks she slowed +down, for fear of running right over them. On she came, inevitable as +Fate. There was a crash as she came into collision with the central +deckhouses of the 'Frauenlob' and as her bows scraped past the funnel of +the 'Pole Star.' Then followed no fewer than half a dozen muffled +reports. Her engines went astern for a moment, and down she settled +athwart the other two steamers, heeling over to port as she did so. All +was turmoil and confusion. None of the dockyard and naval craft present +were equipped with searchlights. The harbour-master, the captain of the +yard, even the admiral superintendent, who had just come down in his +steam launch, all bawled out orders. + +"Lights were flashed and lanterns swung up and down in the vain +endeavour to see more of what had happened. Two simultaneous shouts of +'Man overboard!' came from tugs and boats at opposite sides of the +river. When a certain amount of order was restored it was discovered +that a big dockyard tug was settling down by the head. It seems she had +been grazed by the 'Van Gysen' as she came over the obstruction, and +forced against some portion of one of the foundered vessels, which had +pierced a hole in her below the water-line. + +"In the general excitement the damage had not been discovered, and now +she was sinking fast. Hawsers were made fast to her with the utmost +expedition possible in order to tow her clear of the piled-up wreckage, +but it was too late. There was only just time to rescue her crew before +she too added herself to the underwater barricade. As for the crew of +the 'Van Gysen,' it is thought that all must have gone down in her, as +no trace of them has as yet been discovered, despite a most diligent +search, for it was considered that, in an affair which had been so +carefully planned as this certainly must have been, some provision must +surely have been made for the escape of the crew. Those who have been +down at the scene of the disaster report that it will be impossible to +clear the channel in less than a week or ten days, using every resource +of the dockyard. + +"A little later I thought I would go down to the dockyard on the +off-chance of picking up any further information. The Metropolitan +policeman at the gate would on no account allow me to pass at that hour, +and I was just turning away when, by a great piece of good fortune, I +ran up against Commander Shelley. + +"I was on board his ship as correspondent during the manoeuvres of the +year before last. 'And what are you doing down here?' was his very +natural inquiry after we had shaken hands. I told him that I had been +down in Chatham for a week past as special correspondent, reporting on +the half-hearted preparations being made for the possible mobilisation, +and took the opportunity of asking him if he could give me any further +information about the collision between the three steamers in the +Medway. 'Well,' said he, 'the best thing you can do is to come right +along with me. I have just been hawked out of bed to superintend the +diving operations, which will begin the moment there is a gleam of +daylight.' Needless to say, this just suited me, and I hastened to thank +him and to accept his kind offer. 'All right,' he said, 'but I shall +have to make one small condition.' + +"'And that is?' I queried. + +"'Merely to let me "censor" your telegrams before you send them,' he +returned. 'You see, the Admiralty might not like to have too much said +about this business, and I don't want to find myself in the dirt-tub.' + +"The stipulation was a most reasonable one, and however I disliked the +notion of having probably my best paragraphs eliminated, I could not but +assent to my friend's proposition. So away we marched down the echoing +spaces of the almost deserted dockyard till we arrived at the +'Thunderbolt' pontoon. Here lay a pinnace with steam up, and lighted +down the sloping side of the old ironclad by the lantern of the +policeman on duty, we stepped on board and shot out into the centre of +the stream. We blew our whistles and the coxswain waved a lantern, +whereupon a small tug that had a couple of dockyard lighters attached +gave a hoarse 'toot' in response, and followed us down the river. We +sped along in the darkness against a strong tide that was making +upstream, past Upnor Castle, that quaint old Tudor fortress with its +long line of modern powder magazines, and along under the deeper shadows +beneath Hoo Woods till we came abreast of the medley of mud flats and +grass-grown islets just beyond them. Here above the thud of the engines +and the plash of the water, a thin, long-drawn-out cry wavered through +the night. 'Some one hailing the boat, sir,' reported the lookout +forward. We had all heard it. 'Ease down,' ordered Shelley, and hardly +moving against the rushing tideway we listened for its repetition. +Again the voice was raised in quavering supplication. 'What the dickens +does he say?' queried the commander. 'It's German,' I answered. 'I know +that language well. I think he's asking for help. May I answer him?' + +"'By all means. Perhaps he belongs to one of those steamers.' The same +thought was in my own mind. I hailed in return, asking where he was and +what he wanted. The answer came back that he was a shipwrecked seaman, +who was cold, wet, and miserable, and implored to be taken off from the +islet where he found himself, cut off from everywhere by water and +darkness. We ran the boat's nose into the bank, and presently succeeded +in hauling aboard a miserable object, wet through, and plastered from +head to foot with black Medway mud. The broken remains of a cork +life-belt hung from his shoulders. A dram of whisky somewhat revived +him. 'And now,' said Shelley, 'you'd better cross-examine him. We may +get something out of the fellow.' The foreigner, crouched down shivering +in the stern-sheets half covered with a yellow oilskin that some +charitable bluejacket had thrown over him, appeared to me in the light +of the lantern that stood on the deck before him to be not only +suffering from cold, but from terror. A few moments' conversation with +him confirmed my suspicions. I turned to Shelley and exclaimed, 'He says +he'll tell us everything if we spare his life,' I explained. 'I'm sure I +don't want to shoot the chap,' replied the commander. 'I suppose he's +implicated in this "bottling up" affair. If he is, he jolly well +deserves it, but I don't suppose anything will be done to him. Anyway, +his information may be valuable, and so you may tell him that he is all +right as far as I'm concerned, and I will do my best for him with the +Admiral. I daresay that will satisfy him. If not, you might threaten him +a bit. Tell him anything you like if you think it will make him speak.' +To cut a long story short, I found the damp Dutchman amenable to reason, +and the following is the substance of what I elicited from him. + +"He had been a deck hand on board the 'Van Gysen.' When she left +Rotterdam he did not know that the trip was anything out of the way. +There was a new skipper whom he had not seen before, and there were also +two new mates with a new chief engineer. Another steamer followed them +all the way till they arrived at the Nore. On the way over he and +several other seamen were sent for by the captain, and asked if they +would volunteer for a dangerous job, promising them L50 a-piece if it +came off all right. He and five others agreed, as did two or three +stokers, and were then ordered to remain aft and not communicate with +any others of the crew. Off the Nore all the remainder were transferred +to the following steamer, which steamed off to the eastward. After they +were gone the selected men were told that the officers all belonged to +the Imperial German Navy, and by orders of the Kaiser were about to +attempt to block up the Medway. + +"A collision between two other ships had been arranged for, one of which +was loaded with a mass of old steel rails into which liquid cement had +been run, so that her hold contained a solid impenetrable block. The +'Van Gysen' carried a similar cargo, and was provided with an +arrangement for blowing holes in her bottom. The crew were provided with +life-belts, and the half of the money promised, and all except the +captain, the engineer, and the two mates dropped overboard just before +arriving at the sunken vessels. They were advised to make their way to +Gravesend, and then to shift for themselves as best they could. He had +found himself on a small island, and could not muster up courage to +plunge into the cold water again in the darkness. + +"'By Jove! This means war with Germany, man!--War!' was Shelley's +comment. At two o'clock this afternoon we knew that it did, for the news +of the enemy's landing in Norfolk was signalled down from the dockyard. +We also knew from the divers that the cargo of the sunken steamers was +what the rescued seamen had stated it to be. Our bottle has been fairly +well corked." + +This amazing revelation showed how cleverly contrived was the German +plan of hostilities. All our splendid ships at Chatham had, in that +brief half-hour, been bottled up and rendered utterly useless. Yet the +authorities were not blameless in the matter, for in November, 1905, a +foreign warship actually came up the Medway in broad daylight, and was +not noticed until she began to bang away her salutes, much to the utter +consternation of every one. + +This incident, however, was but one of the many illustrations of +German's craft and cunning. The whole scheme had been years in careful +preparation. + +She intended to invade us, and regarded every stratagem as allowable in +her sudden dash upon England, an expedition which promised to result in +the most desperate war of modern times. + +At that moment the "Globe," at last aroused from its long and peaceful +sleep, reproduced those plain, prophetic words of Lord Overstone, +written some years before to the Royal Defence Commission: "Negligence +alone can bring about the calamity under discussion. Unless we suffer +ourselves to be surprised we cannot be invaded with success. It is +useless to discuss what will occur or what can be done after London has +fallen into the hands of an invading foe. The apathy which may render +the occurrence of such a catastrophe possible will not afterwards enable +the country, enfeebled, dispirited, and disorganised by the loss of its +capital, to redeem the fatal error." + +Was that prophecy to be fulfilled? + +Some highly interesting information was given by the Ipswich +correspondent of the Central News. + +Repeated briefly, it was as follows:-- + +"Shortly before three o'clock on Sunday morning the coastguard at +Lowestoft, Corton, and Beach End discovered that their telephonic +communication was interrupted, and half an hour later, to the surprise +of every one a miscellaneous collection of mysterious craft were seen +approaching the harbour: and within an hour many of them were high and +dry on the beach, while others were lashed alongside the old dock, the +new fish-docks of the Great Eastern Railway, and the wharves, +disembarking a huge force of German infantry, cavalry, motor-infantry, +and artillery. The town, awakened from its slumbers, was utterly +paralysed, the more so when it was discovered that the railway to London +was already interrupted, and the telegraph lines all cut. On landing, +the enemy commandeered all provisions, including all motor-cars they +could discover, horses and forage, while the banks were seized, and the +infantry, falling in marched up Old Nelson Street into High Street, and +out upon the Beccles Road. The first care of the invaders was to prevent +the people of Lowestoft damaging the Swing Bridge, a strong guard being +instantly mounted upon it, and so quietly and orderly was the landing +effected that it was plain the German plans of invasion were absolutely +perfect in every detail. + +"Few hitches seemed to occur. The mayor was summoned at six o'clock by +General von Kronhelm, the generalissimo of the German Army, and briefly +informed that the town of Lowestoft was occupied, and that all armed +resistance would be punished by death. Then, ten minutes later, when the +German war-flag was flying from several flagstaffs in various parts of +the town, the people realised their utter helplessness. + +"The Germans, of course, knew that, irrespective of the weather, a +landing could be effected at Lowestoft, where the fish-docks and +wharves, with their many cranes, were capable of dealing with a large +amount of stores. The Denes, that flat, sandy plain between the upper +town and the sea, they turned into a camping-ground, and large numbers +were billeted in various quarters of the town itself. + +"The people were terror-stricken. To appeal to London for help was +impossible, as the place had been cut entirely off, and around it a +strong chain of outposts had already been thrown, preventing any one +from escaping. The town had, in a moment, as it seemed, fallen at the +mercy of the foreigners. Even the important-looking police constables of +Lowestoft, with their little canes, were crestfallen, sullen, and +inactive. + +"While the landing was continuing during all Sunday the advance guard +moved rapidly over Mutford Bridge, along the Beccles Road, occupying a +strong position on the west side of the high ground east of Lowestoft. +Beccles, where von Kronhelm established his headquarters, resting as it +does on the River Waveney, is strongly held. The enemy's main position +appears to run from Windle Hill, one mile north-east of Gillingham, +thence north-west through Bull's Green, Herringfleet Hill, over to Grove +Farm and Hill House to Raveningham, whence it turns easterly to +Haddiscoe, which is at present its northern limit. The total front from +Beccles Bridge north is about five miles, and commands the whole of the +flat plain west towards Norwich. It has its south flank resting on the +River Waveney, and to the north on Thorpe Marshes. The chief artillery +position is at Toft Monks--the highest point. Upon the high tower of +Beccles Church is established a signal station, communication being made +constantly with Lowestoft by helio by day, and acetylene lamps by night. + +"The enemy's position has been most carefully chosen, for it is +naturally strong, and, being well held to protect Lowestoft from any +attack from the west, the landing can continue uninterruptedly, for +Lowestoft beach and docks are now entirely out of the line of any +British fire. + + + PROCLAMATION. + + CITIZENS OF LONDON. + + THE NEWS OF THE BOMBARDMENT of the City of Newcastle and the + landing of the German Army at Hull, Weybourne, Yarmouth, and + other places along the East Coast is unfortunately confirmed. + + THE ENEMY'S INTENTION is to march upon the City of London, which + must be resolutely defended. + + THE BRITISH NATION and the Citizens of London, in face of these + great events, must be energetic in order to vanquish the + invader. + + The ADVANCE must be CHALLENGED FOOT BY FOOT. The people must + fight for King and Country. + + Great Britain is not yet dead, for indeed, the more serious her + danger, the stronger will be her unanimous patriotism. + + =GOD SAVE THE KING.= + + HARRISON, _Lord Mayor_. + + MANSION HOUSE, + LONDON, _September 3rd, 1910_. + + [Illustration: THE LORD MAYOR'S APPEAL TO LONDON.] + +"March outposts are at Blythburgh, Wenhaston, Holton, Halesworth, +Wissett, Rumburgh, Homersfield, and Bungay, and then north to Haddiscoe, +while cavalry patrols watch by day, the line roughly being from Leiston +through Saxmundham, Framlingham, and Tannington, to Hoxne. + +"The estimate, gleaned from various sources in Lowestoft and Beccles, is +that up to Monday at midday nearly a whole Army Corps, with stores, +guns, ammunition, etc., had already landed, while there are also reports +of a further landing at Yarmouth, and at a spot still farther north, but +at present there are no details. + +"The enemy," he concluded, "are at present in a position of absolute +security." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +A PROPHECY FULFILLED. + + +This authentic news of the position of the enemy, combined with the +vague rumours of other landings at Yarmouth, along the coast at some +unknown point north of Cromer, at King's Lynn, and other places, +produced an enormous sensation in London, while the Central News +account, circulated to all the papers in the Midlands and Lancashire, +increased the panic in the manufacturing districts. + +The special edition of the "Evening Star," issued about six o'clock on +Tuesday evening, contained another remarkable story which threw some +further light upon the German movements. It was, of course, known that +practically the whole of the Norfolk and Suffolk coast was already held +by the enemy, but with the exception of the fact that the enemy's +cavalry vedettes and reconnoitring patrols were out everywhere at a +distance about twenty miles from the shore, England was entirely in the +dark as to what had occurred anywhere else but at Lowestoft. Attempts +had been made to penetrate the cavalry screen at various points, but in +vain. What was in progress was carefully kept a secret by the enemy. The +veil was, however, now lifted. The story which the "Evening Star" had +obtained exclusively, and which was eagerly read everywhere, had been +related by a man named Scotney, a lobster-fisherman, of Sheringham, in +Norfolk, who had made the following statement to the chief officer of +coastguard at Wainfleet, in Lincolnshire: + +"Just before dawn on Sunday morning I was in the boat with my son Ted +off the Robin Friend, taking up the lobster pots, when we suddenly saw +about three miles off shore a mixed lot of curious-looking craft strung +out right across the horizon, and heading apparently for Cromer. There +were steamers big and little, many of them towing queer flat-bottomed +kind of boats, lighters, and barges, which, on approaching nearer, we +could distinctly see were filled to their utmost capacity with men and +horses. + +"Both Ted and I stood staring at the unusual sight, wondering whatever +it meant. They came on very quickly, however--so quickly, indeed, that +we thought it best to move on. The biggest ships went along to Weybourne +Gap, where they moored in the twenty-five feet of water that runs in +close to the shore, while some smaller steamers and the flats were run +high and dry on the hard shingle. Before this I noticed that there were +quite a number of foreign warships in the offing, with several +destroyers far away in the distance both to east and west. + +"From the larger steamships all sorts of boats were lowered, including +apparently many collapsible whaleboats, and into these, in a most +orderly manner, from every gangway and accommodation-ladder, +troops--Germans we afterwards discovered them to be, to our utter +astonishment--began to descend. + +"These boats were at once taken charge of by steam pinnaces and cutters +and towed to the beach. When we saw this we were utterly dumbfounded. +Indeed, at first I believed it to be a dream, for ever since I was a +lad I had heard the ancient rhyme my old father was so fond of +repeating: + + "'He who would Old England win, + Must at Weybourne Hoop begin.' + +"As everybody knows, nature has provided at that lonely spot every +advantage for the landing of hostile forces, and when the Spanish Armada +was expected, and again when Napoleon threatened an invasion, the place +was constantly watched. Yet nowadays, except for the coastguard, it has +been utterly unprotected and neglected. + +"The very first soldiers who landed formed up quickly, and under the +charge of an officer ran up the low hill to the coastguard station, I +suppose in order to prevent them signalling a warning. The funny thing +was, however, that the coastguards had already been held up by several +well-dressed men--spies of the Germans, I suppose. I could distinctly +see one man holding one of the guards with his back to the wall, and +threatening him with a revolver. + +"Ted and I had somehow been surrounded by the crowd of odd craft which +dodged about everywhere, and the foreigners now and then shouted to me +words that unfortunately I could not understand. + +"Meanwhile, from all the boats strung out along the beach, from +Sheringham right across to the Rocket House at Salthouse, swarms of +drab-coated soldiers were disembarking, the boats immediately returning +to the steamers for more. They must have been packed as tightly as +herrings in a barrel; but they all seemed to know where to go to, +because all along at various places little flags were held by men, and +each regiment appeared to march across and assemble at its own flag. + +"Ted and I sat there as if we were watching a play. Suddenly we saw from +some of the ships and bigger barges horses being lowered into the water +and allowed to swim ashore. Hundreds seemed to gain the beach even as we +were looking at them. Then, after the first lot of horses had gone, +boats full of saddles followed them. It seemed as though the foreigners +were too busy to notice us, and we--not wanting to share the fate of Mr. +Gunter, the coastguard, and his mates--just sat tight and watched. + +"From the steamers there continued to pour hundreds upon hundreds of +soldiers, who were towed to land, and then formed up in solid squares, +which got bigger and bigger. Horses innumerable--quite a thousand, I +should reckon--were slung overboard from some of the smaller steamers +which had been run high and dry on the beach, and as the tide had now +begun to run down, they landed only knee-deep in water. Those steamers, +it seemed to me, had big bilge keels, for as the tide ebbed they did not +heel over. They had, no doubt, been specially fitted for the purpose. +Out of some they began to hoist all sorts of things, wagons, guns, +motor-cars, large bales of fodder, clothing, ambulances with big red +crosses on them, flat-looking boats--pontoons I think they call +them--and great piles of cooking pots and pans, square boxes of stores, +or perhaps ammunition, and as soon as anything was landed it was hauled +up above high-water mark. + +"In the meantime lots of men had mounted on horseback and ridden off up +the lane which leads into Weybourne village. At first half a dozen +started at a time; then, as far as I could judge, about fifty more +started. Then larger bodies went forward, but more and more horses kept +going ashore, as though their number was never-ending. They must have +been stowed mighty close, and many of the ships must have been specially +fitted up for them. + +"Very soon I saw cavalry swarming up over Muckleburgh, Warborough, and +Telegraph Hills, while a good many trotted away in the direction of +Runton and Sheringham. Then, soon after they had gone--that is, in about +an hour and a half from their first arrival--the infantry began to move +off, and as far as I could see, they marched inland by every road, some +in the direction of Kelling Street and Holt, others over Weybourne Heath +towards Bodham, and still others skirting the woods over to Upper +Sheringham. Large masses of infantry marched along the Sheringham Road, +and seemed to have a lot of officers on horseback with them, while up on +Muckleburgh Hill I saw frantic signalling in progress. + +"By this time they had a quantity of carts and wagons landed, and a +large number of motor-cars. The latter were soon started, and, manned by +infantry, moved swiftly in procession after the troops. The great idea +of the Germans was apparently to get the beach clear of everything as +soon as landed, for all stores, equipment, and other tackle were pushed +inland as soon as disembarked. + +"The enemy kept on landing. Thousands of soldiers got ashore without any +check, and all proceeding orderly and without the slightest confusion, +as though the plans were absolutely perfect. Everybody seemed to know +exactly what to do. From where we were we could see the coastguards held +prisoners in their station, with German sentries mounted around; and as +the tide was now setting strong to the westward, Ted and I just let our +anchor off the ground and allowed ourselves to drift. It occurred to me +that perhaps I might be able give the alarm at some other coastguard +station if I could only drift away unnoticed in the busy scene now in +progress. + +"That the Germans had actually landed in England now apparent; yet we +wondered what our own fleet could be doing, and pictured to ourselves +the jolly good drubbing that our cruisers would give the audacious +foreigner when they did haul in sight. It was for us, at all costs, to +give the alarm, so gradually we drifted off to the nor'-westward, in +fear every moment lest we should be noticed and fired at. At last we got +around Blakeney Point successfully, and breathed more freely; then +hoisting our sail, we headed for Hunstanton, but seeing numbers of ships +entering the Wash, and believing them to be also Germans, we put our +helm down and ran across into Wainfleet Swatchway to Gibraltar Point, +where I saw the chief officer of coastguards and told him all the +extraordinary events of that memorable morning." + +The report added that the officer of coastguard in question had, three +hours before, noticed strange vessels coming up the Wash, and had +already tried to report by telegraph to his divisional inspecting +officer at Harwich, but could obtain no communication. An hour later, +however, it had become apparent that a still further landing was being +effected on the south side of the Wash, in all probability at King's +Lynn. + +The fisherman Scotney's statement had been sent by special messenger +from Wainfleet on Sunday evening, but owing to the dislocation of the +railway traffic north of London, the messenger was unable to reach the +offices of the coastguard in Victoria Street, Westminster, until +Monday. The report received by the Admiralty had been treated as +confidential until corroborated, lest undue public alarm should be +caused. + +It had then been given to the Press as revealing the truth of what had +actually happened. + +The enemy had entered by the back door of England, and the sensation it +caused everywhere was little short of panic. + +Some further very valuable information was also received by the +Intelligence Department of the War Office, revealing the military +position of the invaders who had landed at Weybourne Hoop. + +The whole of the IVth German Army Corps, about 38,000 men, had been +landed at Weybourne, Sheringham, and Cromer. It consisted of the 7th and +8th Divisions complete, commanded respectively by Major-General Dickmann +and Lieutenant-General von Mirbach. The 7th Division comprised the 13th +and 14th Infantry Brigades, consisting of Prince Leopold of +Anhalt-Dessau's 1st Magdeburg Regiment, the 3rd Magdeburg Infantry +Regiment, Prince Louis Ferdinand von Preussen's 2nd Magdeburg Regiment, +and the 5th Hanover Infantry Regiment. Attached to this division were +the Magdeburg Hussars No. 10, and the Uhlan Regiment of Altmaerk No. 16. + +In the 8th Division were the 15th and 16th Brigades, comprising a +Magdeburg Fusilier Regiment, an Anhalt Infantry Regiment, the 4th and +8th Thuringen Infantry, with the Magdeburg Cuirassiers, and a regiment +of Thuringen Hussars. The cavalry were commanded by Colonel Froelich, +while General von Kleppen was in supreme command of the whole corps. + +Careful reconnaissance of the occupied area showed that immediately on +landing, the German position extended from the little town of Holt, on +the west, eastward, along the main Cromer road, as far as Gibbet Lane, +slightly south of Cromer, a distance of about five miles. This +constituted a naturally strong position; indeed, nature seemed to have +provided it specially to suit the necessities of a foreign invader. The +ground for miles to the south sloped gently away down to the plain, +while the rear was completely protected, so that the landing could +proceed until every detail had been completed. + + + _Berlin um Eins!_ _Berlin um Eins!_ + + Das Kleine Journal + Mittags Ausgabe. + + Berlin, Montag, den 3 September 1910 + + Triumph der + Deutschen + Waffen. + + Vernichtung der + Englischen + Flotte. + + Von Kronhelm Auf + Dem Vormarsche + Nach London. + + [Illustration: THE FIRST NEWS IN BERLIN OF THE GERMAN VICTORY.] + + +Artillery were massed on both flanks, namely, at Holt and on the high +ground near Felbrigg, immediately south of Cromer. This last-named +artillery was adequately supported by the detached infantry close at +hand. The whole force was covered by a strong line of outposts. Their +advanced sentries were to be found along a line starting from Thornage +village, through Hunworth, Edgefield, Barningham Green, Squallham, +Aldborough, Hanworth, to Roughton. In rear of them lay their pickets, +which were disposed in advantageous situations. The general line of +these latter were at North Street, Pondhills to Plumstead, thence over +to Matlash Hall, Aldborough Hall, and the rising ground north of +Hanworth. These, in their turn, were adequately supplemented by the +supports, which were near Hempstead Green, Baconsthorpe, North +Narningham, Bessingham, Sustead, and Melton. + +In case of sudden attack, reserves were at Bodham, West Beckham, East +Beckham, and Aylmerton, but orders had been issued by Von Kleppen, who +had established his headquarters at Upper Sheringham, that the line of +resistance was to be as already indicated--namely, that having the +Holt-Cromer Road for its crest. Cuirassiers, Hussars, and some +motorists--commanded by Colonel von Dorndorf--were acting independently +some fifteen miles to the south scouring the whole country, terrifying +the villagers, commandeering all supplies, and posting Von Kronhelm's +proclamation, which has already been reproduced. + +From inquiries it was shown that on the night of the invasion six men, +now known to have been advance agents of the enemy, arrived at the Ship +Inn, at Weybourne. Three of them took accommodation for the night, while +their companions slept elsewhere. At two o'clock the trio let themselves +out quietly, were joined by six other men, and just as the enemy's ships +hove in sight nine of them seized the coastguards and cut the wires, +while the other three broke into the Weybourne Stores, and, drawing +revolvers, obtained possession of the telegraph instrument to Sheringham +and Cromer until they could hand it over to the Germans. + +That the Fourth German Army Corps were in a position as strong as those +who landed at Lowestoft could not be denied, and the military +authorities could not disguise from themselves the extreme gravity of +the situation. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +STATE OF SIEGE DECLARED. + + +That our fleet had been taken unawares was apparent. There were all +sorts of vague rumours of a sudden attack upon the North Sea Fleet at +Rosyth, and a fierce cruiser battle, in which we had been badly beaten +by Germany. It is, however, the land campaign which we have here to +record. + +The authentic account of a further landing in Essex--somewhere near +Maldon--was now published. The statement had been dictated by Mr. Henry +Alexander, J.P.,--the Mayor of Maldon, who had succeeded in escaping +from the town,--to Captain Wilfred Quare, of the Intelligence Department +of the War Office. This Department had, in turn, given it to the +newspapers for publication. + +It read as follows:-- + +"On Sunday morning, September 2, I had arranged to play a round of golf +with my friend Somers, of Beeleigh, before church. I met him at the Golf +Hut about 8.30. We played one round, and were at the last hole but three +in a second round when we both thought we heard the sound of shots fired +somewhere in the town. We couldn't make anything at all of it, and as we +had so nearly finished the round, we thought we would do so before going +to inquire about it. I was making my approach to the final hole when an +exclamation from Somers spoilt my stroke. I felt annoyed, but as I +looked around--doubtless somewhat irritably--my eyes turned in the +direction in which I now saw my friend was pointing with every +expression of astonishment in his countenance. + +"'Who on earth are those fellows?' he asked. As for me, I was too +dumbfounded to reply. Galloping over the links from the direction of the +town came three men in uniform--soldiers, evidently. I had often been in +Germany, and recognised the squat pickelhaubes and general get-up of the +rapidly approaching horsemen at a glance. + +"They were upon us almost as he spoke, pulling up their horses with a +great spattering up of grass and mud, quite ruining one of our best +greens. All three of them pointed big, ugly repeating pistols at us, and +the leader, a conceited-looking ass in staff uniform, required us to +'surrender' in quite a pompous manner, but in very good English. + + + BY THE KING, + + PROCLAMATION FOR CALLING OUT THE ARMY RESERVE. + + EDWARD R. + + WHEREAS by the Reserve Forces Act, 1882, it is amongst other + things enacted that in case of imminent national danger or of + great emergency, it shall be lawful for Us, by Proclamation, the + occasion being declared in Council and notified by the + Proclamation, if Parliament be not then sitting, to order that + the Army Reserve shall be called out on permanent service; and + by any such Proclamation to order a Secretary of State from time + to time to give, and when given, to revoke or vary such + directions as may seem necessary or proper for calling out the + forces or force mentioned in the Proclamation, or all or any of + the men belonging thereto: + + AND WHEREAS Parliament is not sitting, and whereas WE have + declared in Council and hereby notify the present state of + Public Affairs and the extent of the demands on Our Military + Forces for the protection of the interests of the Empire + constitute a case of great emergency within the meaning of the + said Act: + + NOW THEREFORE We do in pursuance of the said Act hereby order + that Our Army Reserve be called out on permanent service, and We + do hereby order the Right Honourable Charles Leonard Spencer + Cotterell, one of our Principal Secretaries of State, from time + to time to give, and when given, to revoke or vary such + directions as may seem necessary or proper for calling out Our + Army Reserve, or all or any of the men belonging thereto, and + such men shall proceed to and attend at such places and at such + times as may be respectively appointed by him to serve as part + of Our Army until their services are no longer required. + + Given at Our Court at James', this fourth day of September, in + the year of our Lord, one thousand nine hundred and ten, and in + the tenth year of Our Reign. + + =GOD SAVE THE KING.= + + +"'Do we look so very dangerous, Herr Lieutenant?' inquired I in German. + +"He dropped a little of his frills when he heard me speak in his native +language, asked which of us was the Mayor, and condescended to explain +that I was required in Maldon by the officer at present in command of +his Imperial Majesty the Kaiser's forces occupying that place. + +"I looked at my captor in complete bewilderment. Could he be some fellow +trying to take a rise out of me by masquerading as a German officer? But +no, I recognised at once that he was the genuine article. + +"He demanded my parole, which I made no difficulty about giving, since I +did not see any way of escape, and in any case was only too anxious to +get back to town to see how things were. + +"'But you don't want my friend, do you--he lives out the other way?' I +queried. + +"'I don't want him, but he will have to come all the same,' rejoined the +German. 'It isn't likely we're going to let him get away to give the +alarm in Colchester, is it?' + +"Obviously it was not, and without more ado we started off at a sharp +walk, holding on to the stirrup leathers of the horsemen. + +"As we entered the town there was on the bridge over the river, a small +picket of blue-coated German infantry. The whole thing was a perfect +nightmare. It was past belief. + +"'How on earth did you get here?' I couldn't help asking. + +"'By water,' he answered shortly, pointing down the river as he spoke, +where I was still further astonished--if it were possible after such a +morning--to see several steam pinnaces and boats flying the black and +white German ensign. + +"I was conducted straight to the Moot Hall. There I found a grizzled +veteran waiting on the steps, who turned round and entered the building +as we came up. We followed him inside, and I was introduced to him. He +appeared to be a truculent old ruffian. + +"'Well, Mr. Mayor,' he said, pulling viciously at his white moustache, +'do you know that I've a great mind to take you out into the street and +have you shot?' + +"I was not at all inclined to be browbeated. + +"'Indeed, Herr Hauptman?' I answered. 'And may I inquire in what way I +have incurred the displeasure of the Hochwohlgeboren officer?' + +"'Don't trifle with me, sir. Why do you allow your miserable Volunteers +to come out and shoot my men?' + +"'My Volunteers? I am afraid I don't understand what you mean,' I said. +'I'm not a Volunteer officer. Even if I were, I should have no +cognisance of anything that has happened within the last two hours, as I +have been down on the golf course. This officer will bear me out,' I +added, turning to my captor. He admitted that he had found me there. + +"'But, anyway, you are the Mayor,' persisted my interrogator. 'Why did +you allow the Volunteers to come out?' + +"'If you had been good enough to inform us of your visit, we might have +made better arrangements.' I answered; 'but in any case you must +understand that a mayor has little or no authority in this country. His +job is to head subscription-lists, eat a dinner or two, and make +speeches on public occasions.' + +"He seemed to have some difficulty in swallowing this, but as another +officer who was there, writing at a table, and who, it appears, had +lived at some period in England, corroborated my statement, the choleric +colonel seemed to be a little mollified, and contented himself with +demanding my parole not to leave Maldon until he had reported the matter +to the General for decision. I gave it without more ado, and then asked +if he would be good enough to tell me what had happened. From what he +told me, and what I heard afterwards, it seems that the Germans must +have landed a few of their men about half an hour before I left home, +down near the Marine Lake. They had not entered the town at once, as +their object was to work round outside and occupy all entrances, to +prevent anyone getting away with the news of their presence. They had +not noticed the little lane leading to the golf course, and so I had +gone down without meeting any of them, although they had actually got a +picket just beyond the railway arch at that time. They had completed +their cordon before there was any general alarm in the town, but at the +first reliable rumour it seems that young Shand, of the Essex +Volunteers, had contrived to get together twenty or thirty of his men in +their uniforms and foolishly opened fire on a German picket down by St. +Mary's Church. They fell back, but were almost instantly reinforced by a +whole company that had just landed, and our men, rushing forward, had +been ridden into by some cavalry that came up a side street. They were +dispersed, a couple of them were killed, and several wounded, among them +poor Shand, who was hit in the right lung. They had bagged four Germans, +however, and their commanding officer was furious. It was a pity that it +happened, as it could not possibly have been of any use. But it seems +that Shand had no idea that it was more than a very small detachment +that had landed from a gun-boat that some one said they had seen down +the river. Some of the Volunteers were captured afterwards and sent off +as prisoners, and the Germans posted up a notice that all Volunteers +were forthwith to surrender either themselves or their arms and +uniforms, under pain of death. Most of them did the latter. They could +do nothing after it was found that the Germans had a perfect army +somewhere between Maldon and the sea, and were pouring troops into the +town as fast as they could. + +"That very morning a Saxon rifle battalion arrived from the direction of +Mundon, and just afterwards a lot spike-helmeted gentlemen came in by +train from Wickford way. So it went on all day, until the whole town was +in a perfect uproar. The infantry were billeted in the town, but the +cavalry and guns crossed the river and canal at Heybridge, and went off +in the direction of Witham. + +"Maldon is built on a hill that slopes gradually towards the east and +south, but rises somewhat abruptly on the west and north, humping up a +shoulder, as it were, to the north-west. At this corner they started to +dig entrenchments just after one o'clock, and soon officers and +orderlies were busy all round the town, plotting, measuring, and setting +up marks of one kind and another. Other troops appeared to be busy down +in Heybridge, but what they were doing I could not tell, as no one was +allowed to cross the bridge over the river. + +"The German officer who had surprised me down on the golf course did +not turn out to be a bad kind of youth on further acquaintance. He was a +Captain von Hildebrandt, of the Guard Fusilier Regiment, who was +employed on the Staff, though in what capacity he did not say. Thinking +it was just as well to make the best of a bad job, I invited him to +lunch. He said he had to be off. He, however, introduced me to three +friends of his in the 101st Grenadiers, who, he suggested, should be +billeted on me. I thought the idea a fairly good one, and Von +Hildebrandt, having apparently arranged this with the billeting officer +without any difficulty, I took them home with me to lunch. + +"I found my wife and family in a great state of mind, both on account of +the untoward happenings of the morning and my non-return from golf at +the expected time. They had imagined all sorts of things which might +have befallen me, but luckily seemed not to have heard of my adventure +with the choleric colonel. Our three foreigners soon made themselves +very much at home, but as they were undeniably gentlemen, they contrived +to be about as agreeable as could be expected under the circumstances. +Indeed, their presence was to a great extent a safeguard against +annoyance, as the stable and back premises were stuffed full of +soldiers, who might have been very troublesome had they not been there +to keep them in order. + +"Of what was happening up in London we knew nothing. Being Sunday, all +the shops were shut; but I went out and contrived to lay in a +considerable stock of provisions one way and another, and it was just as +well I did, for I only just anticipated the Germans, who commandeered +everything in the town, and put everybody on an allowance of rations. +They paid for them with bills on the British Government, which were by +no means acceptable to the shopkeepers. However, it was 'Hobson's +choice'--that or nothing. The Germans soothed them by saying that the +British Army would be smashed in a couple of weeks, and the defrayment +of such bills would be among the conditions of peace. The troops +generally seemed to be well-behaved, and treated those inhabitants with +whom they came in contact in an unexceptionable manner. They did not see +very much of them, however, as they were kept hard at work all day with +their entrenchments and were not allowed out of their billets after +eight o'clock that evening. No one, in fact, was allowed to be about +the streets after that hour. Two or three people were shot by the +sentries as they tried to break out in one direction or the other. These +affairs produced a feeling of horror and indignation in the town, as +Englishmen, having such a long experience of peace in their own country, +have always refused to realise what war really means. + +"The German fortifications went on at a rapid rate. Trenches were dug +all round the northern and western sides of the town before dark on the +first evening, and the following morning I woke up to find three huge +gun-pits yawning in my garden, which looked to the northward. During +breakfast there was a great rattling and rumbling in the street without, +and presently three big field howitzers were dragged in and planted in +the pits. There they stood, their ugly snouts pointing skyward in the +midst of the wreck of flowers and fruit. + +"Afterwards I went out and found that other guns and howitzers were +being put in position all along the north side of Beeleigh Road, and +round the corner by the Old Barracks. The high tower of the disused +Church of St. Peter's, now utilised for the safe custody of Dr. Plume's +library, had been equipped as a lookout and signal station." + +Such was the condition of affairs in the town of Maldon on Monday +morning. + + * * * * * + +The excitement in London, and indeed all over the country, on Tuesday +night was intense. Scotney's story of the landing at Weybourne was +eagerly read everywhere. + +As the sun sank blood-red into the smoke haze behind Nelson's Monument +in Trafalgar Square, it was an ominous sign to the panic-stricken crowds +that day and night were now assembled there. + +The bronze lions facing the four points of the compass were now mere +mocking emblems of England's departed greatness. The mobilisation muddle +was known; for, according to the papers, hardly any troops had as yet +assembled at their places of concentration. The whole of the east of +England was helplessly in the invader's hands. From Newcastle had come +terrible reports of the bombardment. Half the city was in flames, the +Elswick works were held by the enemy, and whole streets in Newcastle, +Gateshead, Sunderland, and Tynemouth were still burning fiercely. + +The Tynemouth fort had proved of little or no use against the enemy's +guns. The Germans had, it appeared, used petrol bombs with appalling +results, spreading fire, disaster, and death everywhere. The +inhabitants, compelled to fly with only the clothes they wore, had +scattered all over Northumberland and Durham, while the enemy had seized +a quantity of valuable shipping that had been in the Tyne, hoisted the +German flag, and converted the vessels to their own uses. + +Many had already been sent across to Wilhelmshaven, Emden, Bremerhaven, +and other places to act as transports, while the Elswick works--which +surely ought to have been properly protected--supplied the Germans with +quantities of valuable material. + +Panic and confusion were everywhere. All over the country the railway +system was utterly disorganised, business everywhere was at a complete +deadlock, for in every town and city all over the kingdom the banks were +closed. + +Lombard Street, Lothbury, and other banking centres in the City had all +day on Monday been the scene of absolute panic. There, as well as at +every branch bank all over the metropolis, had occurred a wild rush to +withdraw deposits by people who foresaw disaster. Many, indeed, intended +to fly with their families away from the country. + +The price of the necessities of life had risen further, and in the East +End and poorer districts of Southwark the whole population were already +in a state of semi-starvation. But worst of all, the awful truth with +which London was now face to face was that the metropolis was absolutely +defenceless. + +Every hour the papers were appearing with fresh details of the invasion, +for reports were so rapidly coming in from every hand that the Press had +difficulty in dealing with them. + +Hull and Goole were known to be in the hands of the invaders, and +Grimsby, where the Mayor had been unable to pay the indemnity demanded, +had been sacked. But details were not yet forthcoming. + +Londoners, however, learnt late that night more authentic news from the +invaded zone, of which Beccles was the centre, and it was to the effect +that those who had landed at Lowestoft were the IXth German Army Corps, +with General von Kronhelm, the Generalissimo of the German Army. This +Army Corps, consisting of about 40,000 men, was divided into the 17th +Division, commanded by Lieutenant-General Hocker, and the 18th by +Lieutenant-General von Rauch. The cavalry was under the command of +Major-General von Heyden, and the motor-infantry under Colonel +Reichardt. + + + NOTICE. + + TO ALL GERMAN SUBJECTS RESIDENT IN ENGLAND. + + WILHELM. + + To all OUR LOYAL SUBJECTS, GREETING. + + We hereby COMMAND and enjoin that all persons born within the + German Empire, or being German subjects, whether liable to + military service or not, shall join our arms at any headquarters + of either of our Army Corps in England within 24 hours of the + date of this proclamation. + + Any German subject failing to obey this our Command will be + treated as an enemy. + + By the EMPEROR'S Command. + + Given at Beccles, Sept. 3rd, 1910. + + =VON KRONHELM=, + Commanding the Imperial German Army in England. + + [Illustration: FACSIMILE OF A PROCLAMATION POSTED BY UNKNOWN + HANDS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.] + + +According to official information which had reached the War Office and +been given to the Press, the 17th Division was made up of the Bremen and +Hamburg Infantry Regiments, the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg's Grenadiers, +the Grand Duke's Fusiliers, the Luebeck Regiment No. 162, the +Schleswig-Holstein Regiment No. 163, while the cavalry brigade consisted +of the 17th and 18th Grand Duke of Mecklenburg's Dragoons. + +The 18th Division consisted of the Schleswig Regiment No. 84 and the +Schleswig Fusiliers No. 86, the Thuringen Regiment, and the Duke of +Holstein's Regiment, the two latter regiments being billeted in +Lowestoft, while the cavalry brigade forming the screen across from +Leiston by Wilby to Castle Hill were Queen Wilhelmina's Hanover Hussars +and the Emperor of Austria's Schleswig-Holstein Hussars No. 16. These, +with the smart motor infantry, held every communication in the direction +of London. + +As far as could be gathered, the German commander had established his +headquarters in Beccles, and had not moved. It now became apparent that +the telegraph cables between the East coast and Holland and Germany, +already described in the first chapter, had never been cut at all. They +had simply been held by the enemy's advance agents until the landing had +been effected. And now Von Kronhelm had actually established direct +communication between Beccles and Emden, and on to Berlin. + +Reports from the North Sea spoke of the enemy's transports returning to +the German coast, escorted by cruisers; therefore the plan was +undoubtedly not to move until a very much larger force had been landed. + +Could England regain her command of the sea in time to prevent the +completion of the blow? + +That night the London streets presented a scene of panic indescribable. +The theatres opened, but closed their doors again, as nobody would see +plays while in that excited state. Every shop was closed, and every +railway station was filled to overflowing with the exodus of terrified +people fleeing to the country westward, or reserves on their way to join +the colours. + +The incredulous manner in which the country first received the news had +now been succeeded by wild terror and despair. On that bright Sunday +afternoon they laughed at the report as a mere journalistic sensation, +but ere the sun set the hard, terrible truth was forced upon them, and +now, on Tuesday night, the whole country, from Brighton to Carlisle, +from Yarmouth to Aberystwyth, was utterly disorganised and in a state of +terrified anxiety. + +The eastern counties were already beneath the iron heel of the invader, +whose objective was the world's great capital--London. + +Would they reach it? That was the serious question upon every one's +tongue that fevered, breathless night. + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +HOW THE ENEMY DEALT THE BLOW. + + +Meanwhile, at the regimental depots feverish excitement prevailed on +Wednesday, September 5, now that every man was ordered on active +service. All officers and men who had been on leave were recalled, and +medical inspection of all ranks at once commenced. Rations and bedding, +stores and equipment were drawn, but there was a great lack of uniforms. +Unlike the German Army, where every soldier's equipment is complete even +to the last button on the proverbial gaiter, and stowed away where the +owner knows where to obtain it, our officers commanding depots commenced +indenting for clothing on the Royal Army Clothing Department and the +Army Corps Clothing Department. + +A large percentage of men were, of course, found medically unfit to +serve, and were discharged to swell the mobs of hungry idlers. The plain +clothes of the reservists coming in were disposed of, no man daring to +appear in the ranks unless in uniform. Von Kronhelm's proclamation +having forbidden the tactics of the Boers of putting mere armed citizens +into the field. + +Horse-collecting parties went out all over the country, taking with them +head-collars, head-ropes, bits, reins, surcingles, numnahs, +horse-blankets, and nose-bags. These scoured every county in search of +likely animals, every farm, every livery stable, every hunting-box, all +hound-kennels and private stables were visited, and a choice made. All +this, however, took time. Precious hours were thus being wasted while +the enemy were calmly completing their arrangements for the +long-contemplated blow at the heart of the British Empire. + +While the War Office refused any information, special editions of the +papers during Wednesday printed sensational reports of the ruthless +completion of the impenetrable screen covering the operations of the +enemy on the whole of the East Coast. + +News had, by some means, filtered through from Yarmouth that a similar +landing to those at Lowestoft and Weybourne had been effected. Protected +as such an operation was by its flanks being supported by the IVth and +IXth Army Corps landing on either side, the Xth Army Corps, under +General von Wilburg, had seized Yarmouth, with its many miles of wharves +and docks, which were now crowded by the lighters' craft of flotilla +from the Frisian Islands. + +It was known that the landing had been effected simultaneously with that +at Lowestoft. The large number of cranes at the fish-docks were of +invaluable use to the enemy, for there they landed guns, animals, and +stores, while the provisions they found at the various ship's chandlers, +and in such shops as Blagg's, and the International Stores in King +Street, Peter Brown's, Doughty's, Lipton's, Penny's and Barnes's, were +at once commandeered. Great stores of flour were seized in Clarke's and +Press's mills, while the horse-provender mills in the vicinity supplied +them with valuable forage. + +Beyond these few details, as far as regarded the fate of Yarmouth, +nothing further was at present known. + +The British division at Colchester, which comprised all the regular +troops north of the Thames in the eastern command, was, no doubt, in a +critical position, threatened so closely north and south by the enemy. +None of the regiments--the Norfolks, the Leicestershire, and the King's +Own Scottish Borderers of the 11th Infantry Brigade--were up to their +strength. The 12th Infantry Brigade, which also belonged to the +division, possessed only skeleton regiments stationed at Hounslow and +Warley. Of the 4th Cavalry Brigade, some were at Norwich, the 21st +Lancers were at Hounslow, while only the 16th Lancers were at +Colchester. Other cavalry regiments were as far away as Canterbury, +Shorncliffe, and Brighton, and although there were three batteries of +artillery at Colchester, some were at Ipswich, others at Shorncliffe, +and others at Woolwich. + +Therefore it was quite evident to the authorities in London that unless +both Colchester and Norwich were instantly strongly supported, they +would soon be simply swept out of existence by the enormous masses of +German troops now dominating the whole eastern coast, bent upon +occupying London. + +Helpless though they felt themselves to be, the garrison at Colchester +did all they could. All available cavalry had been pushed out past +Ipswich, north to Wickham Market, Stowmarket, and across to Bury St. +Edmunds, only to find on Wednesday morning that they were covering the +hasty retreat of the small body of cavalry who had been stationed at +Norwich. They, gallantly led by their officers, had done everything +possible to reconnoitre and attempt to pierce the enemy's huge cavalry +screen, but in every instance entirely in vain. They had been +outnumbered by the squadrons of independent cavalry operating in front +of the Germans, and had, alas! left numbers of their gallant comrades +upon the roads, killed and wounded. + +Norwich had, therefore, on Wednesday morning fallen into the hands of +the German cavalry, utterly defenceless. From the Castle the German flag +was now flying, the Britannia Barracks were being used by the enemy, +food had all been seized, the streets were in a state of chaos, and a +complete reign of terror had been created when a company of British +Infantry, having fired at some Uhlans, were ruthlessly shot down in the +street close by the Maid's Head. + +In addition to this, the Mayor of Norwich was taken prisoner, lodged in +the Castle, and held as surety for the well-behaviour of the town. + +Everywhere Von Kronhelm's famous proclamation was posted, and as the +invaders poured into the city the inhabitants looked on in sullen +silence, knowing that they were now under German military discipline, +the most rigorous and drastic in the whole world. + +A special issue of the "Times" in the evening of the 3rd September +contained the following vivid account--the first published--of the +happenings in the town of Goole, in Yorkshire: + + "GOOLE, _September 3_. + +"Shortly before five o'clock on Sunday morning the night operator of the +telephone call-office here discovered an interruption on the trunk-line, +and on trying the telegraphs was surprised to find that there was no +communication in any direction. The railway station, being rung up, +replied that their wires were also down. + +"Almost immediately afterwards a well-known North Sea pilot rushed into +the post office and breathlessly asked that he might telephone to +Lloyd's. When told that all communication was cut off he wildly shouted +that a most extraordinary sight was to be seen in the River Ouse, up +which was approaching a continuous procession of tugs, towing flats, and +barges filled with German soldiers. + +"This was proved to be an actual fact, and the inhabitants of Goole, +awakened from their Sunday morning slumbers by the shouts of alarm in +the streets, found, to their abject amazement, foreign soldiers swarming +everywhere. On the quay they found activity everywhere, German being +spoken on all hands. They watched a body of cavalry, consisting of the +1st Westphalian Hussars, the Westphalian Cuirassiers, land with order +and ease at the Victoria Pier, whence, after being formed up on the +quay, they advanced at a sharp trot up Victoria Street, Ouse Street, and +North Street to the railway stations, where, as is generally known, +there are large sidings of the North-East Lancashire and Yorkshire lines +in direct communication both with London and the great cities of the +north. The enemy here found great quantities of engines and rolling +stock, all of which was at once seized, together with huge stacks of +coal at the new sidings. + +"Before long the first of the infantry of the 13th Division, which was +commanded by Lieutenant-General Doppschutz, marched up to the stations. +They consisted of the 13th and 56th Westphalian Regiments, and the +cavalry on being relieved advanced out of the town, crossing the Dutch +River by the railway bridge, and pushed on as far as Thorne and Hensall, +near which they at once strongly held the several important railway +junctions. + +"Meanwhile cavalry of the 14th Brigade, consisting of Westphalian +Hussars and Uhlans, were rapidly disembarking at Old Goole, and, +advancing southwards over the open country of Goole Moors and Thorne +Waste, occupied Crowle. Both cavalry brigades were acting independently +of the main body, and by their vigorous action both south and west they +were entirely screening what was happening in the port of Goole. + + + CITY OF NORWICH. + + =CITIZENS--= + + AS IS WELL KNOWN, a hostile army has landed upon the coast of + Norfolk, and has already occupied Yarmouth and Lowestoft, + establishing their headquarters at Beccles. + + IN THESE GRAVE CIRCUMSTANCES our only thought is for England, + and our duty as citizens and officials is to remain at our post + and bear our part in the defence of Norwich, our capital now + threatened. + + YOUR PATRIOTISM, of which you have on so many occasions in + recent wars given proof, will, I have no doubt, again be shown. + By your resistance you will obtain the honour and respect of + your enemies, and by the individual energy of each one of you + the honour and glory of England may be saved. + + CITIZENS OF NORWICH, I appeal to you to view the catastrophe + calmly, and bear your part bravely in the coming struggle. + + =CHARLES CARRINGTON=, + _Mayor_. + + NORWICH, _September 4, 1910_. + + [Illustration: APPEAL ISSUED BY THE MAYOR OF NORWICH] + + +"Infantry continued to pour into the town from flats and barges, +arriving in endless procession. Doppschutz's Division landed at Aldan +Dock, Railway Dock, and Ship Dock; the 14th Division at the Jetty and +Basin, also in the Barge Dock and at the mouth of the Dutch River; +while some, following the cavalry brigade, landed at Old Goole and +Swinefleet. + +"As far as can be ascertained, the whole of the VIIth German Army Corps +have landed, at any rate as far as the men are concerned. The troops, +who are under the supreme command of General Baron von Bistram, appear +to consist almost entirely of Westphalians, and include Prince Frederick +of the Netherlands' 2nd Westphalians; Count Bulow von Dennewitz's 6th +Westphalians; but one infantry brigade, the 79th, consisted of men from +Lorraine. + +"Through the whole day the disembarkation proceeded, the townsmen +standing there helpless to lift a finger and watching the enemy's +arrival. The Victoria Pleasure Grounds were occupied by parked +artillery, which towards afternoon began to rumble through the streets. +The German gunners, with folded arms, sat unconcernedly upon the +ammunition boxes as the guns were drawn up to their positions. Horses +were seized wherever found, the proclamation of Von Kronhelm was nailed +upon the church doors, and the terrified populace read the grim threat +of the German field-marshal. + +"The wagons, of which there were hundreds, were put ashore mostly at +Goole, but others up the river at Hook and Swinefleet. When the cavalry +advance was complete, as it was soon after midday, and when reports had +come in to Von Bistram that the country was clear of the British, the +German infantry advance began. By nightfall they had pushed forward, +some by road, some by rail, and others in the numerous motor-wagons that +had accompanied the force, until march-outposts were established, south +of Thorne, Askern, and Crowle, straddling the main road at Bawtry. These +places, including Fishlake and the country between them, were at once +strongly held, while ammunition and stores were pushed up by railway to +both Thorne and Askern. + +"The independent cavalry advance continued through Doncaster until dusk, +when Rotherham was reached, during which advance scattered bodies of +British Imperial Yeomanry were met and compelled to retreat, a dozen or +so lives being lost. It appears that late in the afternoon of Sunday +news was brought into Sheffield of what was in progress, and a squadron +of Yeomanry donned their uniforms and rode forward to reconnoitre, with +the disastrous results already mentioned. + +"The sensation caused in Sheffield when it became known that German +cavalry were so close as Rotherham was enormous, and the scenes in the +streets soon approached a panic; for it was wildly declared that that +night the enemy intended to occupy the town. The Mayor telegraphed to +the War Office, appealing for additional defensive force, but no +response was received to the telegram. The small force of military in +the town, which consisted of the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Light Infantry, +some Royal Artillery, and the local Volunteers, were soon assembled, and +going out occupied the strong position above Sheffield between Catcliffe +and Tinsley, overlooking the valley of the Rother to the east. + +"The expectation that the Germans intended an immediate descent on +Sheffield was not realised, because the German tactics were merely to +reconnoitre and report on the defences of Sheffield, if any existed. +This they did by remaining to the eastward of the river Rother, whence +the high ground rising before Sheffield could be easily observed. + +"Before dusk one or two squadrons of Cuirassiers were seen to be +examining the river to find fords and ascertain the capacity of the +bridges, while others appeared to be comparing the natural features of +the ground with the maps with which they all appeared to be provided. + +"As night fell, however, the cavalry retired towards Doncaster, which +town was occupied, the Angel being the cavalry headquarters. The reason +the Germans could not advance at once upon Sheffield was that the +cavalry was not strongly supported by infantry from their base, the +distance from Goole being too great to be covered in a single day. That +the arrangements for landing were in every detail perfect could not be +doubted, but owing to the narrow channel of the Ouse time was necessary, +and it is considered probable that fully three days must elapse from +Sunday before the Germans are absolutely established. + +"An attempt has been made by the Yorkshire Light Infantry and the York +and Lancaster Regiment, with three battalions of Volunteers stationed at +Pontefract, to discover the enemy's strength and position between Askern +and Snaith, but so far without avail, the cavalry screen across the +whole country being impenetrable. + + + GOD SAVE THE KING. + + PROCLAMATION. + + TO ALL WHOM IT MAY CONCERN. + + In regard to the Decree of September 3rd of the present year, + declaring a state of siege in the Counties of Norfolk and + Suffolk. + + In regard to the Decree of August 10th, 1906, regulating the + public administration of all theatres of war and military + servitude; + + Upon the proposition of the Commander-in-Chief + + IT IS DECREED AS FOLLOWS: + + (1) There are in a state of war: + + 1st. In the Eastern Command, the counties of Northamptonshire, + Rutlandshire, Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Essex, + Huntingdonshire, Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, and Middlesex + (except that portion included in the London Military District). + + 2nd. In the Northern Command, the counties of Northumberland, + Durham, Cumberland, and Yorkshire, with the southern shore of + the estuary of the Humber. + + (2) I, Charles Leonard Spencer Cotterell, his Majesty's + Principal Secretary of State for War, am charged with the + execution of this Decree. + + WAR OFFICE, WHITEHALL, + _September the Fourth, 1910_. + + [Illustration: This Proclamation was posted outside the War + Office in London at noon on Wednesday, and was read by + thousands. It was also posted upon the Town Hall of every city + and town throughout the Country.] + + +"The people of the West Riding, and especially the inhabitants of +Sheffield, are stupefied that they have received no assistance--not even +a reply to the Mayor's telegram. This fact has leaked out, and has +caused the greatest dissatisfaction. An enemy is upon us, yet we are in +ignorance of what step, if any, the authorities are taking for our +protection. + +"There are wild rumours here that the enemy have burned Grimsby, but +these are generally discredited, for telegraphic and telephonic +communication has been cut off, and at present we are completely +isolated. It has been gathered from the invaders that the VIIIth Army +Corps of the Germans have landed and seized Hull, but at present this is +not confirmed. There is, alas! no communication with the place, +therefore, the report may possibly be true. + +"Dewsbury, Huddersfield, Wakefield, and Selby are all intensely excited +over the sudden appearance of German soldiers, and were at first +inclined to unite to stem their progress. But the German proclamation, +showing the individual peril of any citizen taking arms against the +invaders, having been posted everywhere, has held every one scared and +in silent inactivity. + +"'Where is our Army?' every one is asking. The whole country has run +riot in a single hour, now that the Germans are upon us. On every hand +it is asked: 'What will London do?'" + +Reports now reached London that the VIIth German Army Corps had landed +at Hull and Goole, and taking possession of these towns, were moving +upon Sheffield in order to paralyse our trade in the Midlands. Hull had +been bombarded, and was in flames! Terrible scenes were taking place at +that port. + +On that memorable Sunday, when a descent had been made upon our shores, +there were in German ports on the North Sea nearly a million tons gross +of German shipping. Normally, in peace time, half a million tons is +always to be found there, the second half having been quietly collected +by ships putting in unobserved into such ports as Emden, Bremen, +Bremerhaven, and Geestemunde, where there are at least ten miles of +deep-sea wharves, with ample railway access. The arrival of these +crafts caused no particular comment, but they had already been secretly +prepared for the transport of men and horses while at sea. + +Under the cover of the Frisian Islands, from every canal, river, and +creek had been assembled a huge multitude of flats and barges, ready to +be towed by tugs alongside the wharves and filled with troops. Of a +sudden, in a single hour it seemed, Hamburg, Altona, Cuxhaven, and +Wilhelmshaven were in excited activity, and almost before the +inhabitants themselves realised what was really in progress, the +embarkation had well commenced. + +At Emden, with its direct cable to the theatre of war in England, was +concentrated the brain of the whole movement. Beneath the lee of the +covering screen of Frisian Islands, Borkum, Juist, Norderney, Langebog, +and the others, the preparations for the descent upon England rapidly +matured. + +Troop-trains from every part of the Fatherland arrived with the +punctuality of clockwork. From Duesseldorf came the VIIth Army Corps, the +VIIIth from Coblenz, the IXth were already assembled at their +headquarters at Altona, while many of them being stationed at Bremen +embarked from there; the Xth came up from Hanover, the XIVth from +Magdeburg, and the Corps of German Guards, the pride and flower of the +Kaiser's troops, arrived eagerly at Hamburg from Berlin and Potsdam, +among the first to embark. + +Each army corps consisted of about 38,000 officers and men, 11,000 +horses, 144 guns, and about 2,000 motor-cars, wagons, and carts. But for +this campaign--which was more of the nature of a raid than of any +protracted campaign--the supply of wheeled transport, with the exception +of motor-cars, had been somewhat reduced. + +Each cavalry brigade attached to an army corps consisted of 1,400 horses +and men, with some thirty-five light machine guns and wagons. The German +calculation--which proved pretty correct--was that each army corps could +come over to England in 100,000 tons gross of shipping, bringing with +them supplies for twenty-seven days in another 3,000 tons gross. +Therefore about 618,000 tons gross conveyed the whole of the six corps, +leaving an ample margin still in German ports for any emergencies. Half +this tonnage consisted of about 100 steamers, averaging 3,000 tons +each, the remainder being the boats, flats, lighters, barges, and tugs +previously alluded to. + +[Illustration: GERMANY'S POINTS OF EMBARKATION] + +The Saxons who, disregarding the neutrality of Belgium, had embarked at +Antwerp, had seized the whole of the flat-bottomed craft in the Scheldt +and the numerous canals, as well as the merchant ships in the port, +finding no difficulty in commandeering the amount of tonnage necessary +to convey them to the Blackwater and the Crouch. + +As hour succeeded hour the panic increased. + +It was now also known that, in addition to the various corps who had +effected a landing, the German Guards had, by a sudden swoop into the +Wash, got ashore at King's Lynn, seized the town, and united their +forces with Von Kleppen's corps, who, having landed at Weybourne, were +now spread right across Norfolk. This picked corps of Guards was under +the command of that distinguished officer, the Duke of Mannheim, while +the infantry divisions were under Lieutenant-Generals von Castein and +Von Der Decken. + +The landing at King's Lynn on Sunday morning had been quite a simple +affair. There was nothing whatever to repel them, and they disembarked +on the quays and in the docks, watched by the astonished populace. All +provisions were seized at shops, while headquarters were established at +the municipal buildings, and the German flag hoisted upon the old +church, the tower of which was at once used as a signal station. + +Old-fashioned people of Lynn peered out of their quiet respectable +houses in King Street in utter amazement; but soon, when the German +proclamation was posted, the terrible truth was plain. + +In half an hour, even before they could realise it, they had been +transferred from the protection of the British flag to the militarism of +the German. + +Ere sundown on Sunday, stalwart grey-coated sentries of the Guards +Fusiliers from Potsdam, and the Grenadiers from Berlin were holding the +roads at Gayton, East Walton, Narborough, Markham, Fincham, Stradsett, +and Stow Bardolph. Therefore on Sunday night, from Spalding on the east, +Peterborough, Chatteris, Littleport, Thetford, Diss, and Halesworth, +were faced by a huge cavalry screen protecting the landing and repose of +the great German Army behind it. + +Slowly but carefully the enemy were maturing their plans for the defeat +of our defenders and the sack of London. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +DESPERATE FIGHTING IN ESSEX. + + +London was at a standstill. Trade was entirely stopped. Shopkeepers +feared to open their doors on account of the fierce, hungry mobs +parading the street. Orators were haranguing the crowds in almost every +open space. The police were either powerless, or feared to come into +collision with the assembled populace. Terror and blank despair were +everywhere. + +There was unrest night and day. The banks, head offices, and branches, +unable to withstand the run upon them when every one demanded to be +paid in gold, had, by mutual arrangement, shut their doors, leaving +excited and furious crowds of customers outside unpaid. Financial ruin +stared every one in the face. Those who were fortunate enough to realise +their securities on Monday were fleeing from London south and westward. +Day and night the most extraordinary scenes of frantic fear were +witnessed at Paddington, Victoria, Waterloo, and London Bridge. The +southern railways were badly disorganised by the cutting of the lines by +the enemy, but the Great Western system was, up to the present, intact, +and carried thousands upon thousands to Wales, to Devonshire, and to +Cornwall. + +In those three hot, breathless days the Red Hand of Ruin spread out upon +London. + +The starving East met the terrified West, but in those moments the bonds +of terror united class with mass. Restaurants and theatres were closed; +there was but little vehicular traffic in the streets, for of horses +there were none, while the majority of the motor 'buses had been +requisitioned, and the transit of goods had been abandoned. "The City," +that great army of daily workers, both male and female, was out of +employment, and swelled the idlers and gossips, whose temper and opinion +were swayed each half-hour by the papers now constantly appearing night +and day without cessation. + +Cabinet Councils had been held every day, but their decisions, of +course, never leaked out to the public. The King also held Privy +Councils, and various measures were decided upon. Parliament, which had +been hurriedly summoned, was due to meet, and every one speculated as to +the political crisis that must now ensue. + +In St. James's Park, in Hyde Park, in Victoria Park, on Hampstead Heath, +in Greenwich Park--in fact, in each of the "lungs of London,"--great +mass meetings were held, at which resolutions were passed condemning the +Administration and eulogising those who, at the first alarm, had so +gallantly died in defence of their country. + +It was declared that by the culpable negligence of the War Office and +the National Defence Committee we had laid ourselves open to complete +ruin, both financially and as a nation. + +The man-in-the-street already felt the strain, for the lack of +employment and the sudden rise in the price of everything had brought +him up short. Wives and families were crying for food, and those without +savings and with only a few pounds put by looked grimly into the future +and at the mystery it presented. + +Most of the papers published the continuation of the important story of +Mr. Alexander, the Mayor of Maldon, which revealed the extent of the +enemy's operations in Essex and the strong position they occupied. + +It ran as below: + +"Of the events of the early hours of the morning I have no very clear +recollection. I was bewildered, staggered, dumbfounded by the sights and +sounds which beset me. Of what modern war meant I had till then truly +but a very faint idea. To witness its horrid realities enacted in this +quiet, out-of-the-way spot where I had pitched my tent for so many +years, brought them home to me literally as well as metaphorically. + +"I had run down Cromwell Hill, and seeing the flames of Heybridge, was +impelled to get nearer, if possible, to discover more particularly the +state of affairs in that direction. But I was reckoning without the +Germans. When I got to the bridge over the river at the foot of the +hill, the officer in charge there absolutely prevented my crossing. +Beyond the soldiers standing or kneeling behind whatever cover was +offered by the walls and buildings abutting on the riverside, and a +couple of machine guns placed so as to command the bridge and the road +beyond, there was nothing much to see. A number of Germans were, +however, very busy in the big mill just across the river, but what they +were doing I could not make out. As I turned to retrace my step the +glare of the conflagration grew suddenly more and more intense. A mass +of dark figures came running down the brightly illuminated road towards +the bridge, while the rifle fire became louder, nearer, and heavier than +ever. Every now and again the air became alive with, as it were, the +hiss and buzz of flying insects. The English must have fought their way +through Heybridge, and these must be the bullets from their rifles. It +was dangerous to stay down there any longer, so I took to my heels. As I +ran I heard a thundering explosion behind me, the shock of which nearly +threw me to the ground. Looking over my shoulder, I saw that the +Germans had blown up the mill at the farther end of the bridge, and were +now pushing carts from either side in order to barricade it. The two +Maxims, too, began to pump lead with their hammering reports, and the +men near them commenced to fall in twos and threes. I made off to the +left, and passed into High Street by the end of St. Peter's Church, now +disused. At the corner I ran against Mr. Clydesdale, the optician, who +looks after the library which now occupies the old building. He pointed +to the tower, which stood darkly up against the blood-red sky. + +"'Look at those infernal Germans!' he said. 'They can't even keep out of +that old place. I wish we could have got the books out before they +came.' + +"I could not see any of our invaders where he was pointing, but +presently I became aware of a little winking, blinking light at the very +summit of the tower. + +"'That's them,' said Clydesdale. 'They're making signals, I think. My +boy says he saw the same thing on Purleigh Church tower last night. I +wish it would come down with them, that I do. It's pretty shaky, +anyway.' + +"The street was fairly full of people. The Germans, it is true, had +ordered that no one should be out of doors between eight in the evening +and six in the morning; but just now they appeared to have their hands +pretty full elsewhere, and if any of the few soldiers that were about +knew of or thought anything of the interdiction, they said nothing. + +"The crash of a salvo of heavy guns from the direction of my own house +interrupted him. + +"'That'll be the guns in my garden,' I said. + +"'Yes, sir, and they've got three monstrous great ones in the opening +between the houses just behind the church there,' said Clydesdale. + +"As he spoke, the guns in question bellowed out, one after the other. + +"'Look--look at the tower!' I cried. + +"The light at the top had disappeared and the lofty edifice was swaying +slowly, slowly, over to the left. + +"'She's gone at last!' exclaimed Clydesdale. + +"It was true. Down came the old steeple that had pointed heavenward for +so many generations, with a mighty crash and concussion that swallowed +up even the noise of the battle, though cannon of all sorts and sizes +were now joining in the hellish concert, and shell from the English +batteries began to roar over the town. The vibration and shock of the +heavy guns had been too much for the old tower, which, for years in a +tottery condition, had been patched up so often. + +"As soon as the cloud of dust cleared off we ran towards the huge pile +of debris that filled the little churchyard. Several other people +followed. It was very dark down there, in the shadow of the trees and +houses, despite the fire-light overhead, and we began striking matches +as we looked about among the heaps of bricks and beams to see if there +were any of the German signal party among them. Why we should have taken +the trouble under the circumstances I do not quite know. It was an +instinctive movement of humanity on my part, and that of most of the +others, I suppose. + +"I caught sight of an arm in a light blue sleeve protruding from the +debris, and took hold of it in a futile attempt to remove some of the +bricks and rubbish which I thought were covering the body of its owner. +To my horror, it came away in my hand. The body to which it belonged +might be buried yards away in the immense heap of ruins. I dropped it +with a cry, and fled from the spot. + +"Dawn was now breaking. I do not exactly remember where I wandered to +after the fall of St. Peter's Tower, but it must have been between +half-past five and six when I found myself on the high ground at the +north-western corner of the town, overlooking the golf links, where I +had spent so many pleasant hours in that recent past that now seemed so +far away. All around me were batteries, trenches, and gun-pits. But +though the firing was still going on somewhere away to the right, where +Heybridge poured black smoke skyward like a volcano, gun and howitzer +were silent, and their attendant artillerymen, instead of being in cover +behind their earthen parapets, were clustered on the top, watching +intently something that was passing in the valley below them. So +absorbed were they that I was able to creep up behind them, and also get +a sight of what was taking place. And this is what I saw: + +"Over the railway bridge which spanned the river a little to the left +were hurrying battalion after battalion of green and blue clad German +infantry. They moved down the embankment after crossing, and continued +their march behind it. Where the railway curved to the right and left, +about half a mile beyond the bridge, the top of the embankment was lined +with dark figures lying down and apparently firing, while over the golf +course from the direction of Beeleigh trotted squadron after squadron of +sky-blue riders, their green and white lance pennons fluttering in the +breeze. They crossed the Blackwater and Chelmer Canal, and cantered off +in the direction of Langford Rectory. + +"At the same time I saw line after line of the Germans massed behind the +embankment spring over it and advance rapidly towards the lower portion +of the town, just across the river. Hundreds fell under the fire from +the houses, which must have been full of Englishmen, but one line after +another reached the buildings. The firing was now heavier than +ever--absolutely incessant and continuous--though, except for an +occasional discharge from beyond Heybridge, the artillery was silent. + +"I have but little knowledge of military matters, but it was abundantly +evident, even to me, that what I had just seen was a very formidable +counter-attack on the part of the Germans, who had brought up fresh +troops either from the rear of the town or from farther inland, and +launched them against the English under cover of the railway embankment. +I was not able to see the end of the encounter, but bad news flies +apace, and it soon became common knowledge in the town that our troops +from Colchester had not only failed to cross the river at any point, but +had been driven helter-skelter out of the lower town near the station +and from the smoking ruins of Heybridge with great loss, and were now in +full retreat. + +"Indeed, some hundreds of our khaki-clad fellow-countrymen were marched +through the town an hour or two later as prisoners, to say nothing of +the numbers of wounded, who, together with those belonging to the +Germans, soon began to crowd every available building suitable for use +as an hospital. The wounded prisoners with their escort went off towards +Mundon, and are reported to have gone in the direction of Steeple. It +was altogether a disastrous day, and our hopes, which had begun to rise +when the British had penetrated into the northern part of the town, now +fell below zero. + +"It was a black day for us, and for England. During the morning the +same officer who had captured me on the golf course came whirling into +Maldon on a 24-h.p. Mercedes car. He drove straight up to my house, and +informed me that he had orders to conduct me to Prince Henry, who was to +be at Purleigh early in the afternoon. + +"'Was it in connection with the skirmish with the Volunteers?' I asked. + +"'I don't know,' was the reply. 'But I don't fancy so. In the meantime, +could I write here for an hour or two?' he asked politely. 'I have much +to write to my friends in Germany, and have not had a minute up to now.' + +"I was very glad to be able to oblige the young man in such a small way, +and left him in my study till midday, very busy with pens, ink, and +paper. + +"After a makeshift of a lunch, the car came round, and we got into the +back seat. In front sat his orderly and the chauffeur, a fierce-looking +personage in a semi-military uniform. We ran swiftly down the High +Street, and in a few minutes were spinning along the Purleigh Road, +where I saw much that amazed me. I then for the first time realised how +absolutely complete were the German plans." + + "TUESDAY, _September 4_. + +"About six o'clock this morning I awoke rather suddenly. The wind had +gone round to the northward, and I was certain that heavy firing was +going on somewhere in that direction. I opened the window and looked +out. The 'thud' and rumble of a cannonade, with the accompaniment of an +occasional burst of musketry, came clearly and loudly on the wind from +the hills by Wickham Bishops village. The church spire was in plain +view, and little faint puffs and rings of grey smoke were just visible +in its vicinity every now and again, sometimes high up in the air, at +others among the trees at its base. They were exploding shells; I had no +doubt of that. What was going on it was impossible to say, but I +conjectured that some of our troops from Colchester had come into +collision with the Germans, who had gone out in that direction the day +of their arrival. The firing continued for about an hour, and then died +away. + +"Soon after eight, Count von Ohrendorff, the general officer commanding +the 32nd Division, who appeared to be the supreme authority here, sent +for me, and suggested that I should take steps to arrange for the +manufacture of lint and bandages by the ladies living in the town. I +could see no reason for objecting to this, and so promised to carry out +his suggestion. I set about the matter at once, and, with the assistance +of my wife, soon had a couple of score of more or less willing workers +busily engaged in the National Schoolroom. In the meantime the roll of a +terrible cannonade had burst forth again from Wickham Bishops. It seemed +louder and more insistent than ever. As soon as I got away from the +schools I hurried home and climbed out on the roof. The top of the Moot +Hall and other coigns of vantage had all been occupied by the Germans. +However, with the aid of a pair of field-glasses I was able to see a +good bit. Black smoke was now pouring from Wickham Bishops in clouds, +and every now and again I fancied I could see the forked tongues of +flame shooting up above the surrounding trees. A series of scattered +black dots now came out on the open ground to the south of the church. +The trees of Eastland Wood soon hid them from my sight, but others +followed, mingled with little moving black blocks which I took to be +formed bodies of troops. After them came four or five guns, driven at +breakneck pace towards the road that passes between Eastland and +Captain's Woods, then more black dots, also in a desperate hurry. +Several of these last tumbled, and lay still here and there all over the +slope. + +"Other dots followed at their heels. They were not quite so distinct. I +looked harder. Hurrah! They were men in khaki. We were hustling these +Germans at last. They also disappeared behind the woods. Then from the +fringe of trees about Wickham half a dozen big brilliant flashes, +followed after an interval by the loud detonation of heavy cannon. I +could not distinguish much more, though the rattle of battle went on for +some time longer. Soon after eleven four German guns galloped in from +Heybridge. These were followed by a procession of maimed and limping +humanity. Some managed to get along unaided, though with considerable +difficulty. Others were supported by a comrade, some carried between two +men, and others borne along on stretchers. A couple of ambulance carts +trotted out and picked up more wounded. Our bandages and lint had not +long to wait before being required. After this there was a cessation of +firing. + +"About one o'clock the German general sent word to me that he thought an +attack quite possible during the afternoon, and that he strongly advised +me to get all the women and children out of the town--for the time being +at any rate. This was evidently well meant, but it was a pretty +difficult matter to arrange for, to say nothing of raising a panic among +the inhabitants. However, in an hour and a half's time I had contrived +to marshal several hundred of them together, and to get them out on the +road to Mundon. The weather was warm for the time of the year, and I +thought, if the worst came to the worst, they could spend the night in +the old church. I left the sad little column of exiles--old, bent women +helped along by their daughters, tiny children dragged along through the +dust, clutching their mothers' skirts; infants in arms; and other older +and sturdier children staggering beneath the weight of the most precious +home adornments--and made the best of my way back to arrange for the +forwarding to them of their rations. + +"At every step on my homeward way I expected to hear the cannonade begin +again. But beyond the twittering of the birds in the trees and +hedgerows, the creak and rumble of a passing cart, and the rush of a +train along the railway on my left--just the usual sounds of the +countryside--nothing broke the stillness. As I stepped out on the +familiar highway, I could almost bring myself to believe that the events +of the past twenty-four hours were but the phantasmagoria of a dream. +After interviewing some of the town councillors who were going to +undertake the transport of provisions to the women and children at +Mundon, I walked round to my own house. + +"My wife and family had driven over to Purleigh on the first alarm, and +had arranged to stay the night with some friends, on whatever +shake-downs could be improvised, since every house in the peninsula +harboured some of the ubiquitous German officers and men. I wandered +through the familiar rooms, and came out into the garden, or rather, +what had been the garden. There I saw that the Saxon gunners were all +standing to their pieces, and one of my none too welcome guests accosted +me as I left the house. + +"'If you'll take my advice, sare, you'll get away out of this,' he said +in broken English. + +"'What! are you going to fire?' I asked. + +"'I don't fancy so. It wouldn't hurt you if we were. But I think your +English friends from Colchester are about to see if they can draw us.' + +"As he spoke I became aware of a sharp, hissing noise like a train +letting off steam. It grew louder and nearer, passed over our heads, and +was almost instantly followed by a terrible crash somewhere behind the +house. A deeper and more muffled report came up from the valley beyond +Heybridge. + +"'Well, they've begun now, and the best thing you can do is to get down +into that gun epaulment there,' said the German officer. + +"I thought his advice was good, and I lost no time in following it. + +"'Here comes another!' cried he, as he jumped down into the pit beside +me. 'We'll have plenty of them now.' + +"So we did. Shell after shell came hissing and screaming at us over the +tree-tops in the gardens lower down the hill. Each one of them sounded +to me as if it were coming directly at my head, but one after another +passed over us to burst beyond. The gunners all crouched close to the +earthen parapet--and so did I. I am not ashamed to say so. My German +officer, however, occasionally climbed to the top of the embankment and +studied the prospect through his field-glasses. At length there was a +loud detonation, and a column of dirt and smoke in the garden next below +us. Then two shells struck the parapet of the gun-pit on our left almost +simultaneously. Their explosion was deafening, and we were covered with +the dust and stones they threw up. + +"Immediately afterwards another shell passed so close over our heads +that I felt my hair lift. It just cleared the parapet and plunged into +the side of my house. A big hole appeared just to the right of the +dining-room window, and through it came instantaneously the loud bang of +the explosion. The glass was shattered in all the windows, and thick +smoke, white and black, came curling from every one of them. + +"'The house is on fire!' I shouted, and sprang madly from the pit. +Heedless of the bombardment, I rushed into the building. Another crash +sounded overhead as I entered, and a blaze of light shone down the +stairway for an instant. Another projectile had found a billet in my +home. I tried to make my way to my study, but found the passage blocked +with fallen beams and ceiling. What with the smoke and dust, and the +blocking of some of the windows, it was very dark in the hall, and I got +quite a shock when, as I looked about me to find my way, I saw two red, +glittering specks shining over the top of a heap of debris. But the howl +that followed told me that they were nothing but the eyes of miserable +Tim, the cat, who, left behind, had been nearly frightened out of his +senses by the noise and concussion of the bursting shell. As I gazed at +him another projectile struck the house quite close to us. Tim was +simply smashed by a flying fragment. I was thrown down, and half-buried +under a shower of bricks and mortar. I think that I must have lost +consciousness for a time. + +"The next thing I recollect was being dragged out into the garden by a +couple of Saxons. I had a splitting headache, and was very glad of a +glass of water that one of them handed to me. Their officer, who +appeared to be quite a decent fellow, offered me his flask. + +"'The house is all right,' he said, with his strong accent. 'It caught +fire once, but we managed to get it under. Your friends have cleared +off--at any rate for the present. They got too bold at last, and pushed +their guns down till they got taken in the flank by the warship in the +river. They had two of their pieces knocked to bits, and then cleared +out. Best thing you can do is to do the same.' + +"I was in two minds. I could not save the house by staying, and might +just as well join my people at Purleigh Rectory. On the other hand, I +felt that it would better become me, as Mayor, to stick to the town. +Duty triumphed, and I decided to remain where I was--at least for the +present. All was now quiet, and after an early supper I turned in, and, +despite the excitement of the day and my aching head, was asleep the +moment I touched the pillow." + + "WEDNESDAY, _September 5_. + +"It must have been about three in the morning when I awoke. My head was +much better, and for a minute or two I lay comfortably in the darkness, +without any recollection of the events of the preceding day. Then I saw +a bright reflection pass rapidly over the ceiling. I wondered vaguely +what it was. Presently it came back again, paused a moment, and +disappeared. By this time I was wide awake. I went to the window and +looked out. It was quite dark, but from somewhere over beyond Heybridge +a long white ray was sweeping all along this side of Maldon. Now the +foliage of a tree in the garden below would stand out in pale green +radiance against the blackness; now the wall of a house half a mile away +would reflect back the moving beam, shining white as a sheet of +notepaper. + +"Presently another ray shone out, and the two of them, moving backwards +and forwards, made the whole of our hillside caper in a dizzy dance. +From somewhere far away to my right another stronger beam now streamed +through the obscurity, directed apparently at the sources of the other +two, and almost simultaneously came the crack of a rifle from the +direction of Heybridge, sharp and ominous in the quiet darkness of the +night. Half a dozen scattered shots followed; then a faint cheer. More +and more rifles joined in, and presently the burring tap-tap-tap of a +Maxim. I hurried on my clothes. The firing increased in volume and +rapidity; bugles rang out here, there, and everywhere through the +sleeping town, and above the rolling, rattling clamour of the drums I +could distinguish the hurried tramp of hundreds of feet. + +"I cast one glance from the window as I quitted the room. The electric +searchlights had increased to at least half a dozen. Some reached out +long, steady fingers into the vague spaces of the night, while others +wandered restlessly up and down, hither and thither. Low down over the +trees of the garden a dull red glare slowly increased in extent and +intensity. The rattle of musketry was now absolutely continuous. As I +ran out of the house into the street, I was nearly carried off my feet +by the rush of a battalion that was pouring down Cromwell Hill at the +double. Hardly knowing what I did, I followed in their wake. The glare +in front got brighter and brighter. A few steps, and I could see the +cause of it. The whole of Heybridge appeared to be on fire, the flames +roaring skywards from a dozen different conflagrations." + +England halted breathless. Fighting had commenced in real earnest. + +The greatest consternation was caused by the publication in the "Times" +of the description of the operations in Essex, written by Mr. Henry +Bentley, the distinguished war correspondent, who had served that +journal in every campaign since Kitchener had entered Khartum. + +All other papers, without exception, contained various accounts of the +British defence at the point nearest London, but they were mostly of the +scrappy and sensational order, based more on report than upon actual +fact. The "Times" account, however, had been written with calm +impartiality by one of the most experienced correspondents at the front. +Whether he had been afforded any special facilities was not apparent, +but, in any case, it was the most complete and truthful account of the +gallant attempt on the part of our soldiers to check the advance from +Essex westward. + +During the whole of that hot, stifling day it was known that a battle +was raging, and the excitement everywhere was intense. + +The public were in anxious terror as the hours crept by, until the first +authentic news of the result of the operations was printed in a special +evening edition of the "Times," as follows: + + "(From our War Correspondent.) + + "DANBURY, ESSEX, _September 8_. + +"To-day has been a momentous one for England. The great battle has raged +since dawn, and though just at present there seems to be a lull, during +which the opposing forces are, so to speak, regaining their breath, it +can be by no means over. + +"Dead and living alike will lie out on the battlefield the whole night +through, for we must hold on to the positions so hardly won, and be +ready to press forward at the first glimmer of daylight. Our gallant +troops, Regular and Volunteers alike, have nobly vindicated the +traditions of our race, and have fought as desperately as ever did their +forebears at Agincourt, Albuera, or Waterloo. But while a considerable +success--paid for, alas! by the loss of thousands of gallant lives--has +been achieved, it will take at least another day's hard fighting before +victory is in our grasp. Nowadays a soldier need not expect to be +either victorious or finally defeated by nightfall, and although this +battle, fought as it is between much smaller forces, and extending over +a much more limited area, than the great engagement between the Russians +and Japanese at Liaoyang, will not take quite so long a time to decide, +the end is not yet in sight. I wrote this after a hard day's travelling +backwards and forwards behind our advancing line of battle. + +"I took my cycle with me in my motor-car, and whenever opportunity +offered mounted it, and pushed forward as near to the fighting as I +could get. Frequently I had to leave the cycle also, and crawl forward +on hands and knees, sheltering in some depression in the ground, while +the enemy's bullets whined and whistled overhead. As reported in a +previous issue, the Army which had assembled at Brentwood moved forward +on the 5th. + +"During the afternoon the advanced troops succeeded in driving the enemy +out of South Hanningfield, and before sundown they were also in full +retreat from the positions they had held at East Hanningfield and +Danbury. There was some stiff fighting at the latter place, but after a +pounding from the artillery, who brought several batteries into action +on the high ground north-west of East Hanningfield, the Germans were +unable to withstand the attack of the Argyll and Sutherlands and the +London Scottish, who worked their way through Danbury Park and Hall Wood +right into their position, driving them from their entrenchments by a +dashing bayonet charge. Everything north and east of the enemy's main +position, which is now known to lie north and south, between Maldon and +the river Crouch, was now in our hands, but his troops still showed a +stout front at Wickford, and were also reported to be at Rayleigh, +Hockley, and Canewdon, several miles to the eastward. All preparations +were made to assault the German position at Wickford at daybreak to-day, +but our scouts found that the place had been evacuated. The news that +Rayleigh and Hockley had also been abandoned by the enemy came in +shortly afterwards. The German invaders had evidently completed their +arrangements for the defence of their main position, and now said, in +effect, 'Come on, and turn us out if you can.' + +"It was no easy task that lay before our gallant defenders. Maldon, +perched on a high knoll, with a network of river and canal protecting it +from assault from the northward, fairly bristles with guns, many of +them heavy field howitzers, and has, as we know to our cost, already +repulsed one attack by our troops. Farther south there are said to be +many guns on the knolls about Purleigh. Great Canney Hill, standing +boldly up like an immense redoubt, is reported to be seamed with +entrenchments mounting many heavy guns. The railway embankment south of +Maldon forms a perfect natural rampart along part of the enemy's +position, while the woods and enclosures south-west of Great Canney +conceal thousands of sharpshooters. A sort of advanced position was +occupied by the enemy at Edwin Hall, a mile east of Woodham Ferrers, +where a pair of high kopjes a quarter of a mile apart offered command +and cover to some of their field batteries. + +"Our scouts have discovered also that an elaborate system of wire +entanglements and other military obstacles protects almost the whole +front of the somewhat extensive German position. On its extreme left +their line is said to be thrown back at an angle, so that any attempt to +outflank it would not only entail crossing the river Crouch, but would +come under the fire of batteries placed on the high ground overlooking +it. Altogether, it is a very tough nut to crack, and the force at our +disposal none too strong for the work that lies before it. + +"Further detail regarding our strength would be inadvisable for obvious +reasons, but when I point out that the Germans are supposed to be +between thirty and forty thousand strong, and that it is laid down by +competent military authorities that to attack troops in an entrenched +position a superiority of six to one is advisable, my readers can draw +their own conclusions. + +"The repairs to the railway line between Brentwood and Chelmsford, that +had been damaged by the enemy's cavalry on their first landing, were +completed yesterday, and all night reinforcements had been coming in by +way of Chelmsford and Billericay. The general headquarters had been +established at Danbury, and, thither I made my way as fast as my car +could get along the roads, blocked as they were by marching horse, foot, +and artillery. I had spent the night at South Hanningfield, so as to be +on the spot for the expected attack on Wickford; but as soon as I found +it was not to come off, I considered that at Danbury would be the best +chance of finding out what our next move was to be. + +"Nor was I mistaken. As I ran up to the village I found the roads full +of troops under arms, and everything denoted action of some kind. I was +lucky enough to come across a friend of mine on the staff--Captain +B----, I will call him--who spared a moment to give me the tip that a +general move forward was commencing, and that a big battle was imminent. +Danbury is situated on the highest ground for many miles round, and as +it bid fair to be a fine, clear day, I thought I could not do better +than try and get a general look round from the summit of the church +tower before proceeding farther. But I was informed that the General was +up there with some of his staff and a signalling party, so that I could +not ascend. + +"My pass, however, eventually procured me admission to the little +platform, which, by the way, the General left a moment after my arrival. +It was now eight o'clock, the sun was fairly high in the heavens, and +the light mists that hung about the low ground in the vicinity of Maldon +were fast fading into nothingness. The old town was plainly +distinguishable as a dark silhouette against the morning light, which, +while it illumined the panorama spread out before me, yet rendered +observation somewhat difficult, since it shone almost directly into my +eyes. However, by the aid of my glasses I was able to see something of +the first moves on the fatal chess-board where so many thousands of +lives are staked on the bloody game of war. + +"I noticed among other things that the lessons of the recent war in the +East had not passed unobserved, for in all the open spaces on the +eastern slope of the hill, where the roads were not screened by trees or +coppices, lofty erections of hurdles and greenery had been placed +overnight to hide the preliminary movements of our troops from the +glasses of the enemy. Under cover of these, regiment after regiment of +khaki-clad soldiers, batteries of artillery and ammunition carts, were +proceeding to their allotted posts down the network of roads and lanes +leading to the lower ground towards the south-east. Two battalions stood +in quarter column behind Thrift Wood. They were kilted corps, probably +the Argylls and the London Scottish. Several field batteries moved off +to the left towards Woodham Walter. Other battalions took up their +position behind Hyde Woods, farther away to the right, the last of them, +the Grenadier Guards, I fancy, passing behind them and marching still +farther southward. + +"Finally, two strong battalions, easily recognised as marines by their +blue war-kit, marched rapidly down the main road and halted presently +behind Woodham Mortimer Place. All this time there was neither sight nor +sound of the enemy. The birds carolled gaily in the old elms round my +eyrie, the sparrows and martins piped and twittered in the eaves of the +old church, and the sun shone genially on hill and valley, field and +wood. To all appearance, peace reigned over the countryside, though the +dun masses of troops in the shadows of the woodlands were suggestive of +the autumn manoeuvres. But for all this the 'Real Thing' was upon us. As +I looked, first one, then another long and widely scattered line of +crouching men in khaki issued from the cover of Hyde Woods and began +slowly to move away towards the east. Then, and not till then, a vivid +violet-white flash blazed out on the dim grey upland five miles away to +the south-east, which had been pointed out to me as Great Canney, and +almost at once a spout of earth and smoke sprang up a little way ahead +of the advancing British. A dull boom floated up on the breeze, but was +drowned in an ear-splitting crash somewhere close to me. I felt the old +tower rock under the concussion, which I presently discovered came from +a battery of at least six big 4.7 guns established just outside the +churchyard. + +"They were manned by a party of bluejackets, who had brought them over +from Chatham. The movement I saw developing below me was the first step +towards what I eventually discovered was our main objective--Purleigh. + +"Could we succeed in establishing ourselves there, we should be beyond +effective range from Maldon, and should also take Great Canney in +reverse, as well as the positions on the refused left flank of the +enemy. Maldon, too, would be isolated. Purleigh, therefore, was the key +of the position. Our first move was in this direction. The scouts were +picked men from the Line battalions, but the firing lines were composed +of Volunteers and, in some cases, Militiamen. It was considered more +politic to reserve the Regulars for the later stages of the attack. The +firing from Canney, and afterwards from Purleigh, was at first at rather +too long a range to be effective, even from the heavy guns that were in +use, and later on the heavy long-range fire from 'Bloody Mary' and her +sisters at Danbury, and other heavy guns and howitzers in the +neighbourhood of East Hanningfield, kept it down considerably, although +the big, high-explosive shells were now and again most terribly +destructive to the advancing British. + +"When, however, the firing line--which as yet had not been near enough +to fire a shot in reply--arrived in the neighbourhood of Loddard's Hill, +its left came under a terrible rifle fire from Hazeleigh Wood, while its +right and centre were all but destroyed by a tornado of shrapnel from +some German field batteries to the north of Purleigh. Though dazed and +staggered under the appalling sleet of projectiles, the Volunteers stuck +doggedly to their ground, though unable to advance. Line after line was +pushed forward, the men stumbling and falling over the thickly-scattered +bodies of their fallen comrades. + +"It was a perfect holocaust. Some other card must be played at once, or +the attack must fail." + +The second of Mr. Henry Bentley's descriptive articles in the "Times" +told a terrible truth, and was as follows: + + "(From our War Correspondent.) + + "CHELMSFORD, _September 7_. + +"When I sent off my despatch by motor-car last night, it was with very +different feelings to those with which I take my pen in hand this +evening, in the Saracen's Head Hotel, which is the headquarters of my +colleagues, the correspondents. + +"Last night, despite the hard fighting and the heavy losses we had +sustained, the promise of the morrow was distinctly a good one. But now +I have little heart with which to commence the difficult and unpleasant +task of chronicling the downfall of all our high hopes, the repulse--ay, +and the defeat--it is no use mincing matters--of our heroic and sorely +tried Army. + +"Yes, our gallant soldiers have sustained a reverse which, but for their +stubborn fighting qualities and a somewhat inexplicable holding back on +the part of the Germans, might very easily have culminated in disaster. +Defeat although it undoubtedly is, the darkness of the gloomy outlook is +illuminated by the brilliancy of the conduct of our troops. + +"From General down to the youngest Volunteer drummer boy, our brave +soldiers did all, and more, than could be humanly expected of them, and +on none of them can be laid the blame of our ill-success. The plan of +attack is agreed on all hands to have been as good a one as could have +been evolved; the officers led well, their men fought well, and there +was no running short of ammunition at any period of the engagement. + +"'Who, then, was responsible?' it may well be asked. The answer is +simple. The British public, which, in its apathetic attitude towards +military efficiency, aided and abetted by the soothing theories of the +extremists of the 'Blue Water' school, had, as usual, neglected to +provide an Army fitted to cope in numbers and efficiency with those of +our Continental neighbours. Had we had a sufficiency of troops, more +especially of regular troops, there is not the slightest doubt that the +victory would have been ours. As it was, our General was obliged to +attack the enemy's position with a force whose numbers, even if they had +been all regular soldiers, were below those judged necessary by military +experts for the task in hand. + +"Having broken through the German lines, success was in his grasp had he +had sufficient reinforcements to have established him in the position he +had won, and to beat back the inevitable counter-attack. But it is best +that I should continue my account of the fighting from the point at +which I closed my letter of yesterday. I had arrived at the checking of +our advance near Loddard's Hill by the blast of shrapnel from the German +field batteries. It was plain that the Volunteer Brigade, though it held +its ground, could not advance farther. But, unnoticed by them, the +General had been preparing for this eventuality. + +"On the left the two battalions of Marines that I noticed drawn up +behind Woodham Mortimer Place suddenly debouched on Loddard's Hill, and, +carrying forward with them the debris of the Volunteer firing line, +hurled themselves into Hazeleigh Wood. There was a sanguinary +hand-to-hand struggle on the wire-entangled border, but the newcomers +were not to be denied, and, after a quarter of an hour's desperate +melee, which filled the sylvan glades with moaning and writhing wounded +and stark dead bodies, we remained masters of the wood, and even +obtained a footing on the railway line where it adjoins it. + +"Simultaneously a long line of our field batteries came into action near +Woodham Mortimer, some trying to beat down the fire of the German guns +opposite, while others replied to a battery which had been established +near West Maldon Station to flank the railway, and which was now +beginning to open on Hazeleigh Wood. The latter were assisted by a +battery of 4.7 guns manned by Volunteers, which took up a position +behind Woodham Walter. The firing on Great Canney from our batteries at +East Hanningfield redoubled, the whole summit of the hill being at times +obscured by the clouds of smoke and debris from the explosions of the +big, high-explosive projectiles. + +"The main firing line, continually fed from the rear, now began slowly +to gain ground, and when the Grenadiers and the Irish Guards, who had +managed to work up through the series of plantations that run eastwards +for nearly two miles from Woodham Hall without drawing any particular +attention from the busily engaged enemy, came into action on the right, +there was a distinct move forward. But the defence was too stubborn, and +about midday the whole line again came to a standstill, its left still +in Hazeleigh Wood, its right at Prentice Farm. Orders were passed that +the men should try to entrench themselves as best they could, and spades +and other tools were sent forward to those corps who were not provided +with them already. + +"Here we must leave the main attack to notice what was going on +elsewhere. On the north the Colchester Garrison again brought their +heavy artillery into action on the slopes south of Wickham Bishops, +while others of our troops made a show of advancing against Maldon from +the west. These movements were, however, merely intended to keep the +German garrison occupied. But on the right a rather important flanking +movement was in progress. + +"We had a considerable body of troops at East Hanningfield, which lies +in a hollow between two little ridges, both running from south-west to +north-east, and about a mile apart. The most easterly ridge is very +narrow for the most part, and behind it were stationed several batteries +of our field howitzers, which fired over it at Great Canney at a range +of about 5,000 yards. A number of 4.7-inch guns, scattered over the +western hill, were also concentrated on the same target. Although the +range was an extremely long one, there is no doubt that they made a +certain number of effective hits, since Great Canney offered a +conspicuous and considerable target. But beyond this the flashes of +their discharges drew off all attention from the howitzer batteries in +front of them, and served to conceal their presence from the enemy. +Otherwise, although invisible, their presence would have been guessed +at. As it was, not a single German projectile came anywhere near them. + +"When the fighting began, those troops who were not intended to be held +in reserve or to co-operate with the right of the main attack moved off +in the direction of Woodham Ferrers, and made a feint of attacking the +German position astride the two kopjes at Edwin's Hall, their field guns +coming into action on the high ground north of Rettendon, and engaging +those of the enemy at long range. But the real attack on this salient of +the German position came from a very different quarter. + +"The troops detailed for this movement were those who had advanced +against Wickford at daybreak, and had found it abandoned by the enemy. +They consisted of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, the Honourable +Artillery Company, and the Inns of Court Volunteers, together with their +own and three or four other machine-gun detachments, their Maxims being +mounted on detachable legs instead of carriages. Co-operating with them +were the Essex and the East Kent Yeomanry, who were scouting in the +direction of Hockley. + +"The troops had a long, wearisome march before them, the design being to +take advantage of the time of low tide, and to move along out of sight +of the enemy behind the northern bank of the river Crouch, as it had +been discovered that the German line of defence turned back to the +eastward at a mile or two north of the river at the point aimed at. Its +guns still commanded it, and might be trusted to render abortive any +attempt to throw a bridge across it. The Yeomanry had the task of +occupying the attention of the enemy at Canewdon, and of preventing the +passage of boats from the German warships. This part of our operations +succeeded admirably. The long creeping lines of the Oxfordshires and the +machine-gun detachments in their khaki uniforms were almost +indistinguishable against the steep mud banks at any distance, and they +escaped observation both from the German main lines and from their +outpost at Canewdon until they had reached the entrances of the two +branch creeks for which they were making. + +"Then, and not till then, came the sound of artillery from the left rear +of the German position. But it was too late. The Oxford companies pushed +forward at the double. Five companies lined the embankments of Stow +Creek, the easternmost of the two, while the remainder, ensconced in +Clementsgreen Creek, aligned the whole of their machine-guns on the +southern of the two kopjes against which the manoeuvre had been +directed. Their fire, which, coming from a little to the rear of the +left flank of the southern kopje, completely enfiladed it, created such +slaughter and confusion that the Honourable Artillery Company and the +Inns of Court, who had been working up the railway line from Battle +Bridge, had little difficulty in establishing themselves at Woodham +Ferrers Station and in an adjacent farm. Being almost immediately +afterwards reinforced by the arrival of two regular battalions who had +been pushed forward from Rettendon, a determined assault was made on the +southern kopje. Its defenders, demoralised by the pelting shower of lead +from the machine-gun battery, and threatened also by the advance from +Woodham Ferrers village, gave way, and our people, forcing their way +over every obstacle, seized the position amid frantic cheering. + +"Meanwhile the Oxfordshires had been subjected to a determined +counter-attack from North Frambridge. Preceded by a pounding from the +guns on Kit's Hill, but aided by the fire of the Yeomanry on the south +bank of the river, who galloped up and lined the embankment, thus +flanking the defenders of Stow Creek, it was beaten back with +considerable loss. The machine-guns were transferred to the +neighbourhood of South Kopje, and used with such effect that its +defenders, after repulsing several counter-attacks from the adjoining +German entrenchment, were able to make themselves masters of the North +Kopje also. + +"Elsewhere the fighting still continued strenuous and deadly. The main +attack had contrived to make some little shelter for itself; but though +three several attempts were made to advance from this, all ended in +failure, one nearly in disaster. This was the last of the three, when +the advancing line was charged by a mass of cavalry which suddenly +appeared from behind Great Canney Hill. I myself was a witness of this +attack, the most picturesque incident of the day's fighting. + +"I was watching the progress of the engagement through my glasses from +the high ground about Wickham's Farm, when I saw line after line of the +German horsemen in their sky-blue tunics and glittering helmets trot out +into the open, canter, and one after another break into a mad gallop, as +they bore down upon the advancing lines of our citizen soldiers. +Staunchly as these had withstood the murderous fire which for hours had +been directed upon them, this whirlwind of lance and sabre, the thunder +of thousands of hoofs, and the hoarse cries of the riders, were rather +more than such partially trained soldiers could stand. A scattering +discharge from their rifles was followed by something very much +approaching a _sauve qui peut_. + +"A large number of Volunteers, however, sought shelter among the ruined +houses of Cock Clarke's hamlet, from whence they opened a heavy fire on +the adventurous horsemen. The Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, who +were by this time in Mosklyns Copse, and the Guards and other troops on +the right, also opened a rapid and sustained fire on the German cavalry, +which seconded by the shrapnel from our guns on Loddard's Hill, caused +them to turn and ride back for their lives. There was a tremendous +outburst of firing from both sides after this, followed by quite a lull. +One could well imagine that all the combatants were exhausted by the +prolonged effort of the day. It was now between five and six in the +evening. It was at this time that the news of the capture of the two +kopjes reached me, and I made for Danbury to write my despatches. + +"Shortly after my arrival I heard of the capture of Spar Hill, a +detached knoll about 1,200 yards to the north-west of Purleigh. The +Marines from Hazeleigh Wood and the Highlanders from Mosklyns Copse had +suddenly and simultaneously assaulted it from opposite sides, and were +now entrenching themselves upon it. What wonder, then, that I reported +satisfactory progress, and reckoned--too confidently, as it proved--on a +victory for the morrow? + +"I spent a great part of that night under the stars on the hilltop near +East Hanningfield, watching the weird play of the searchlights which +swept over the country from a score of different positions, and +listening to the crash of artillery and clatter of rifle fire which now +and again told of some attempted movement under cover of the darkness. +Just before daylight the continuous roar of battle began again, and when +light dawned I found that our troops had cut right through the German +lines, and had penetrated as far as Cop Kitchen's Farm, on the +Maldon-Mundon road. Reinforcements were being hurried up, and an attack +was being pushed towards the rear of Purleigh and Great Canney, which +was being heavily bombarded by some of our large guns, which had been +mounted during the night on the two kopjes. + +"But the reinforcements were not enough. The Germans held fast to +Purleigh and to some reserve positions they had established about +Mundon. After two or three hours of desperate effort, costing the lives +of thousands, our attack was at a standstill. At this critical moment a +powerful counter-attack was made from Maldon, and, outnumbered and +almost surrounded, our gallant warriors had to give ground. But they +fell back as doggedly as they had advanced, the Argylls, Marines, and +Grenadiers covering the retreat on Danbury. + +"The guns at East Hanningfield and the two kopjes checked the pursuit to +a great extent, and the Germans seemed unwilling to go far from their +works. The kopjes had to be abandoned later in the day, and we now +occupy our former line from Danbury to Billericay, and are busily +engaged in entrenching ourselves." + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +DEFENCE AT LAST. + + +Late on Wednesday night came tardy news of the measures we were taking +to mobilise. + +The Aldershot Army Corps, so complete in the "Army List," consisted, as +all the world knew, of three divisions, but of these only two existed, +the other being found to be on paper. The division in question, located +at Bordon, was to be formed on mobilisation, and this measure was now +being proceeded with. The train service was practically suspended, owing +to the damage done to the various lines south of London by the enemy's +emissaries. Several of these men had been detected, and, being in plain +clothes, were promptly shot out of hand. However, their work had, +unfortunately for us, been accomplished, and trains could only run as +far as the destroyed bridges, so men on their way to join their +respective corps were greatly delayed in consequence. + +All was confusion at Bordon, where men were arriving in hundreds on foot +and by the service of motor omnibuses, which the War Office had on the +day before established between Charing Cross and Aldershot. Perspiring +staff officers strove diligently, without much avail, to sort out into +their respective units this ever-increasing mass of reservists. + +There was perfect chaos. + +Before the chief constituent parts of the division--that is to say, +regiments who were stationed elsewhere--had arrived little could be done +with the reservists. The regiments in question were in many cases +stationed at considerable distance, and although they had received +orders to start, were prevented from arriving owing to the universal +interruptions of the railway traffic south. By this, whole valuable days +were lost--days when at any hour the invaders might make a sudden swoop +on London. + +Reports were alarming and conflicting. Some said that the enemy meant to +strike a blow upon the capital just as suddenly as they had landed, +while others reassured the alarmists that the German plans were not yet +complete, and that they had not sufficient stores to pursue the +campaign. + +Reservists, with starvation staring them in the face, went eagerly south +to join their regiments, knowing that at least they would be fed with +regularity; while, in addition, the true patriotic spirit of the +Englishman had been roused against the aggressive Teuton, and everyone, +officer and man, was eager to bear his part in driving the invader into +the sea. + +The public were held breathless. What would happen? + +Arrivals at Aldershot, however, found the whole arrangements in such a +complete muddle that Army Service Corps men, who ought to have been at +Woolwich, were presenting themselves for enrolment at Bordon, and +infantry of the line were conducted into the camp of the Dragoons. The +Motor Volunteer Corps were at this moment of very great use. The cars +were filled with staff officers and other exalted officials, who were +settling themselves in various offices, and passing out again to make +necessary arrangements for dealing with such a large influx of men. + +There were activity and excitement everywhere. Men were rapidly drawing +their clothing, or as much of it as they could get, and civilians were +quickly becoming soldiers on every hand. Officers of the Reserve were +driving up in motor-cars and cabs, many of them with their old battered +uniform cases, that had seen service in the field in distant parts of +the globe. Men from the "Junior" and the "Senior" wrung each other's +hands on returning to active duty with their old regiments, and at once +settled down into the routine work they knew so well. + +The rumour, however, had now got about that a position in the +neighbourhood of Cambridge had been selected by the General Staff as +being the most suitable theatre of action where an effective stand +could, with any hope of success, be made. It was evident that the German +tactics were to strike a swift and rapid blow at London. Indeed, nothing +at present stood in their way except the gallant little garrison at +Colchester, who had been so constantly driven back by the enemy's +cavalry on attempting to make any reconnaissance, and who might be swept +out of existence at any hour. + + * * * * * + +During Tuesday and Wednesday large gangs of workmen had been busy +repairing the damaged lines. The first regiment complete for the field +was the 2nd Battalion of the 5th Fusiliers, who carried upon their +colours the names of a score of battles, ranging from Corunna and +Badajoz, all through the Peninsula, Afghanistan, and Egypt, down to the +Modder River. This regiment left by train for London on Tuesday evening, +and was that same night followed by the 2nd Battalion King's Liverpool +Regiment and the 1st King's Shropshire Light Infantry, while the +Manchester Regiment got away soon after midnight. + +These formed the second infantry brigade of the 1st Division, and were +commanded by Brigadier-General Sir John Money. They were several hours +getting up to London, whence from Clapham Junction their trains circled +London on to the Great Eastern system to Braintree, where the Horn Hotel +was made the headquarters. By other trains in the small hours of the +morning the last of the Guards Brigade under Colonel (temporary +Brigadier-General) Lord Wansford departed, and duly arrived at Saffron +Walden, to join their comrades on the line of defence. + +The divisional troops were also on the move early on Wednesday. Six +batteries of artillery and the field company of Royal Engineers left by +road. There was a balloon section accompanying this, and searchlights, +wireless instruments, and cables for field-telegraphy were carried in +the waggons. + +The 2nd Division, under Lieutenant-General Morgan, C.B., was also +active. The 3rd Infantry Brigade, commanded by Major-General Fortescue, +composed of 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, the 2nd +Bedfordshire, the 1st Princess of Wales' Own, and the 1st Royal Welsh +Fusiliers, were preparing, but had not yet moved. The 4th Infantry +Brigade of the same division, consisting of the 3rd and 4th Battalions +King's Royal Rifle Corps, the 2nd Sherwood Foresters, and the 2nd South +Lancashire, with the usual smartness of those distinguished regiments, +were quick and ready, now as ever, to go to the front. They were +entrained to Baldock, slightly east of Hitchin, where they marched out +on the Icknield Way. These were followed by Fortescue's Brigade, who +were also bound for Baldock and the neighbourhood. + +The bulk of the cavalry and field artillery of both divisions, together +with the divisional troops, were compelled to set out by march-route +from Aldershot for the line of defences. The single and all-sufficient +reason of this delay in sending out the cavalry and artillery was owing +to the totally inadequate accommodation on the railways for the +transport of so many horses and guns. The troop-trains, which were of +course, necessary to transport the infantry, were not forthcoming in +sufficient numbers, this owing to the fact that at several points the +lines to London were still interrupted. + +The orders to the cavalry who went by march-route were to get up to the +line proposed to be taken up by the infantry as quickly as possible, +and to operate in front of it to the east and north-east in screening +and reconnoitring duties. The temporary deficiency of cavalry, who +ought, of course, to have been the first to arrive at the scene, was +made good as far as possible by the general employment of hordes of +motor-cyclists, who scoured the country in large armed groups, in order +to ascertain, if possible, the dispositions of the enemy. This they did, +and very soon after their arrival reported the result of their +investigations to the general officers commanding the 1st and 2nd +Divisions. + +Meanwhile both cavalry and artillery in great bodies, and strings of +motor omnibuses filled with troops, were upon the white, dusty roads +passing through Staines to Hounslow and Brentford, thence to London, St. +Albans, _en route_ to their respective divisions. Roughly, the distance +was over fifty miles, therefore those marching were compelled to halt +the night on the way, while those in the motor omnibuses got through to +their destination. + +The sight of British troops hurrying to the front swelled the hearts of +the villagers and townsfolk with renewed patriotism, and everywhere, +through the blazing, dusty day, the men were offered refreshment by even +the poorest and humblest cottagers. In Bagshot, in Staines, and in +Hounslow the people went frantic with excitement, as squadron after +squadron rapidly passed along, with its guns, waggons, and ambulances +rumbling noisily over the stones in the rear. + +Following these came pontoon troops with their long grey waggons and +mysterious-looking bridging apparatus, telegraph troops, balloon +sections, supply columns, field bakery, and field hospitals, the +last-named packed in waggons marked with the well-known red cross of the +Geneva Convention. + +No sooner was Aldershot denuded of its army corps, however, than +battalions began to arrive from Portsmouth on their way north, while +troops from the great camp on Salisbury Plain were rapidly being pushed +to the front, which, roughly speaking, extended through Hitchin, +Royston, to Saffron Walden, across to Braintree, and also the high +ground commanding the valley of the Colne to Colchester. + +The line chosen by the General Staff was the natural chain of hills +which presented the first obstacle to the enemy advancing on London +from the wide plain stretching eastward beyond Cambridge to the sea. + +If this could be held strongly, as was intended, by practically the +whole of the British forces located in the South of England, including +the Yeomanry, Militia, and Volunteers--who were now all massing in every +direction--then the deadly peril threatening England might be averted. + +But could it be held? + +This was the appalling question on every one's tongue all over the +country, for it now became generally known that upon this line of +defence four complete and perfectly equipped German army corps were +ready to advance at any moment, in addition to the right flank being +exposed to the attack of the XIIth Saxon Corps, entrenched on the Essex +coast. + +It was estimated that no fewer than two hundred thousand Germans were +already upon English soil! + +The outlook grew blacker every hour. + +London was in a state of absolute stagnation and chaos. In the City, +business was now at an entire standstill. The credit system had received +a fatal blow, and nobody wanted to buy securities. Had people kept level +heads in the crisis there would have been a moratorium, but, as it was, +a panic had been created that nothing could allay. Even Consols were now +unsaleable. Some of the smaller banks were known to have failed, and +traders and manufacturers all over the country had been ruined on +account of credit, the foundation of all trade, having been swept away. +Only persons of the highest financial standing could have dealt with the +banks, even if they had remained open. + +The opinion held in banking circles was that if the invasion should +unfortunately prove disastrous to England, and Germany demand a huge +indemnity, there was still hope, however small. The experience of the +Franco-German war had proved that, though in such circumstances the +Bank, for a considerable period, might not be able to resume cash +payments, yet, with sound finance, there was no reason that the currency +should greatly depreciate. During the period of suspension of cash +payments by the Bank of France, the premium on gold never went above 1.5 +per cent., and during most of the period was 5, 4, or even less per +mille. Therefore what the French by sound banking had been able to do, +there was no reason why English bankers could not also do. + + + WE, WILHELM, + + GIVE NOTICE to the inhabitants of those provinces occupied by + the German Imperial Army, that-- + + I MAKE WAR upon the soldiers, and not upon English citizens. + Consequently, it is my wish to give the latter and their + property entire security, and as long as they do not embark upon + hostile enterprise against the German troops they have a right + to my protection. + + GENERALS COMMANDING the various corps in the various districts + in England are ordered to place before the public the stringent + measures which I have ordered to be adopted against towns, + villages, and persons who act in contradiction to the usages of + war. They are to regulate in the same manner all the operations + necessary for the well-being of our troops, to fix the + difference between the English and German rate of exchange, and + to facilitate in every manner possible the individual + transactions between our Army and the inhabitants of England. + + =WILHELM.= + + Given at POTSDAM, _September 4th, 1910_. + + [Illustration: The above is a copy of the German Imperial + Decree, printed in English, which was posted by unknown German + agents in London, and which appeared everywhere throughout East + Anglia and in that portion of the Midlands held by the enemy.] + + +At the outbreak of the war of 1870, on August 1, French Three per Cent. +Rentes were at 60.85, and Four and a Half per Cent. at 98. On the +memorable day of Sedan, September 2, they were at 50.80 and 88.50 +respectively, and on January 2, 1871, Three per Cents. were down to +50.95. At the commencement of the Commune, on March 18, they were at +51.50 and 76.25, and on the 30th of that month down to 50.60 and 76.25 +respectively. + +With so little money in England as there now was, securities had fallen +to the value at which holders would as soon not sell as sell at such a +great discount. High rates and the heavy fall in the value of securities +had brought business in every quarter all over London to a standstill. +Firms all over the country were now hard put to in order to find the +necessary money to carry on their various trades. Instantly after the +report of the reverse at Sheffield, there was a wild rush to obtain +gold, and securities dropped even a few more points. + +Therefore there was little or nothing for the banks to do, and Lombard +Street, Lothbury, and the other banking centres were closed, as though +it had been Sunday or Bank Holiday. Despair was, alas! everywhere, and +the streets presented strange scenes. + +Most of the motor omnibuses had been taken off the road and pressed into +the service of the military. The walls bore a dozen different broadsides +and proclamations, which were read by the gaping, hungry crowds. + +The Royal Standard was flying from St. Stephen's Tower, for Parliament +had now met, and all members who were not abroad for their summer +vacation had taken their places at the heated debates now hourly in +progress. Over Buckingham Palace the Royal Standard also flew proudly, +while upon every public building was displayed a Union Jack or a white +ensign, many of which had done duty at the coronation of His Majesty +King Edward. The Admiralty flew its own flag, and upon the War Office, +the India Office, the Foreign Office, and all the dark, sombre +Government buildings in Whitehall was bunting displayed. + +The wild enthusiasm of Sunday and Monday, however, had given place to a +dark, hopeless apprehension. The great mobs now thronging all the +principal thoroughfares in London were already half-famished. Food was +daily rising in price, and the East End was already starving. Bands of +lawless men and women from the slums of Whitechapel were parading the +West End streets and squares, and were camping out in Hyde Park and St. +James's Park. + +The days were stifling, for it was an unusually hot September following +upon a blazing August, and as each breathless evening the sun sank, it +shed its blood-red afterglow over the giant metropolis, grimly +precursory of the ruin so surely imminent. + +Supplies were still reaching London from the country, but there had been +immediate panic in the corn and provision markets, with the result that +prices had instantly jumped up beyond the means of the average Londoner. +The poorer ones were eagerly collecting the refuse in Covent Garden +Market and boiling it down to make soup in lieu of anything else, while +wise fathers of families went to the shops themselves and made meagre +purchases daily of just sufficient food to keep body and soul together. + +For the present there was no fear of London being absolutely starved, at +least the middle class and wealthier portion of it. At present it was +the poor--the toiling millions now unemployed--who were the first to +feel the pinch of hunger and its consequent despair. They filled the +main arteries of London--Holborn, Oxford Street, the Strand, Regent +Street, Piccadilly, the Haymarket, St. James's Street, Park Lane, +Victoria Street, and Knightsbridge, overflowing northward into +Grosvenor, Berkeley, Portman, and Cavendish Squares, Portland Place, and +to the terraces around Regent's Park. The centre of London became +congested. Day and night it was the same. There was no sleep. From +across the river and from the East End the famished poor came in their +bewildering thousands, the majority of them honest workers, indignant +that by the foolish policy of the Government they now found themselves +breadless. + +Before the Houses of Parliament, before the fine new War Office and the +Admiralty, before Downing Street, and before the houses of known members +of the Government, constant demonstrations were being made, the hungry +crowds groaning at the authorities, and singing "God Save the King." +Though starving and in despair, they were nevertheless loyal, still +confident that by the personal effort of His Majesty some amicable +arrangement would be arrived at. The French _entente cordiale_ was +remembered, and our Sovereign had long ago been declared to be the first +diplomat in Europe. Every Londoner believed in him, and loved him. + +Many houses of the wealthy, especially those of foreigners, had their +windows broken. In Park Lane, in Piccadilly, and in Grosvenor Square +more particularly, the houses seemed to excite the ire of the crowds, +who, notwithstanding special constables having been sworn in, were now +quite beyond the control of the police. The German Ambassador had +presented his letters of recall on Sunday evening, and together with the +whole staff had been accorded a safe conduct to Dover, whence they had +left for the Continent. The Embassy in Carlton House Terrace, and also +the Consulate-General in Finsbury Square, had, however, suffered +severely at the hands of the angry crowd, notwithstanding that both +premises were under police protection. + +All the German waiters employed at the Cecil, the Savoy, the Carlton, +the Metropole, the Victoria, the Grand, and the other big London hotels, +had already fled for their lives out into the country, anywhere from the +vengeance of the London mob. Hundreds of them were trying to make their +way within the German lines in Essex and Suffolk, and it was believed +that many had succeeded--those, most probably, who had previously acted +as spies. Others, it was reported, had been set upon by the excited +populace, and more than one had lost his life. + +Pandemonium reigned in London. Every class and every person in every +walk of life was affected. German interests were being looked after by +the Russian Ambassador, and this very fact caused a serious +demonstration before Chesham House, the big mansion where lives the +representative of the Czar. Audacious spies had, in secret, in the night +actually posted copies of Von Kronhelm's proclamation upon the Griffin +at Temple Bar, upon the Marble Arch, and upon the Mansion House. But +these had been quickly torn down, and if the hand that had placed them +there had been known, it would certainly have meant death to the one who +had thus insulted the citizens of London. + +Yet the truth was, alas! too plain. Spread out across Essex and Suffolk, +making leisurely preparations and laughing at our futile defence, lay +over one hundred thousand well-equipped, well-fed Germans, ready, when +their plans were completed, to advance upon and crush the complex city +which is the pride and home of every Englishman--London. + +On Friday night an official communication from the War Office was issued +to the Press, showing the exact position of the invaders. It was roughly +this: + +"The IXth German Corps, which had effected a landing at Lowestoft, had, +after moving along the most easterly route, including the road through +Saxmundham and Ipswich, at length arrived at a position where their +infantry outposts had occupied the higher slopes of the rising ground +overlooking the river Stour, near Manningtree, which town, as well as +Ipswich, was held by them. + +"The left flank of this corps rested on the river Stour itself, so that +it was secure from any turning movement. Its front was opposed to and +directly threatened Colchester, while its outposts, to say nothing of +its independent cavalry, reached out in a northerly direction towards +Stowmarket, where they joined hands with the left flank of the Xth +Corps--those under Von Wilburg, who had landed at Yarmouth--whose +headquarters were now at Bury St. Edmunds, their outposts being disposed +south, overlooking the valley of the upper reaches of the Stour." + +Nor was this all. From Newmarket there came information that the enemy +who had landed at Weybourne and Cromer--viz., the IVth Corps under Von +Kleppen--were now encamping on the racecourse and being billeted in the +town and villages about, including Exning, Ashley, Moulton, and +Kentford. Froelich's cavalry brigade had penetrated south, covering the +advance, and had now scoured the country, sweeping away the futile +resistance of the British Yeomanry, and scattering cavalry squadrons +which they found opposed to them, all the time maintaining communication +with the Xth Corps on their left, and the flower of the German Army, the +Guards Corps, from King's Lynn, on their right. Throughout the advance +from Holt, Von Dorndorf's motorists had been of the greatest utility. +They had taken constantly companies of infantry hither and thither. At +any threatened point, so soon as the sound of firing was heard in any +cavalry skirmish or little engagement of outposts, the smart motor +infantry were on the spot with the promptness of a fire brigade +proceeding to a call. For this reason the field artillery, who were +largely armed with quick-firing guns, capable of pouring in a hail of +shrapnel on any exposed point, were enabled to push on much further than +would have been otherwise possible. They were always adequately +supported by a sufficient escort of these up-to-date troops, who, +although infantry, moved with greater rapidity than cavalry itself, and +who, moreover, brought with them their Maxims, which dealt havoc far and +near. + +The magnificent troops of the Duke of Mannheim, in their service +uniforms, who had landed at King's Lynn, had come across the wide, level +roads, some by way of Downham Market, Littleport, and Ely, and arrived +at Cambridge. The 2nd Division, under Lieutenant-General von Kasten, +protecting the exposed flanks, had marched _via_ Wisbech, March, +Chatteris, and St. Ives, while the masses of the cavalry of the Guard, +including the famous White Cuirassiers, had been acting independently +around the flat fen country, Spalding and Peterborough, and away to +quaint old Huntingdon, striking terror into the inhabitants, and +effectively checking any possible offensive movement of the British that +might have been directed upon the great German Army during its ruthless +advance. + +Beyond this, worse remained. It was known that the VIIth Corps, under +Von Bristram, had landed at Goole, and that General Graf Haeseler had +landed at Hull, New Holland, and Grimsby. This revealed what the real +strategy of the Generalissimo had been. Their function seemed twofold. +First and foremost their presence, as a glance at the map will show, +effectually prevented any attack from the British troops gathered from +the north and elsewhere, and who were, as shown, concentrated near +Sheffield and Birmingham, until these two corps had themselves been +attacked and repulsed, which we were, alas! utterly unable to +accomplish. + +These were two fine German army corps, complete to the proverbial last +button, splendidly equipped, well fed, and led by officers who had had +life-long training and were perfectly well acquainted with every mile of +the country they occupied, by reason of years of careful study given to +maps of England. It was now entirely plain that the function of these +two corps was to paralyse our trade in Yorkshire and Lancashire, to +commit havoc in the big cities, to terrify the people, and to strike a +crushing blow at our industrial centres, leaving the siege of London to +the four other corps now so rapidly advancing upon the metropolis. + +Events meanwhile were marching quickly in the North. + +The town of Sheffield throughout Tuesday and Wednesday was the scene of +the greatest activity. Day and night the streets were filled with an +excited populace, and hour by hour the terror increased. + +Every train arriving from the North was crowded with Volunteers and +troops of the line from all stations in the Northern Command. The 1st +Battalion West Riding Regiment had joined the Yorkshire Light Infantry, +who were already stationed in Sheffield, as had also the 19th Hussars, +and from every regimental district and depot came battalions of Militia +and Volunteers. From Carlisle came the Reservists of the Border +Regiment, from Richmond those of the Yorkshire Regiment, from Newcastle +came what was left of the Reservists of the Durham Light Infantry, and +the Northumberland Fusiliers, from Lancaster the Royal Lancashires, +while field artillery came from Seaforth and Preston, and small bodies +of Reservists of the Liverpool and the South Lancashire Regiments came +from Warrington. Contingents of the East and North Lancashire Regiments +arrived from Preston. The Militia, including battalions of the Liverpool +Regiment, the South Lancashire Regiment, the Lancashire Fusiliers, and +other regiments in the command, were hurried to the scene of action +outside Sheffield. From every big town in the whole of the North of +England and South of Scotland came straggling units of Volunteers. The +mounted troops were almost entirely Yeomanry, and included the Duke of +Lancaster's Own Imperial Yeomanry, the East Riding of Yorks, the +Lancashire Hussars, Northumberland Yeomanry, Westmorland and Cumberland +Yeomanry, the Queen's Own Yorkshire Dragoons, and the York Hussars. + +These troops, with their ambulances, their baggage, and all their +impedimenta, created the utmost confusion at both railway stations. The +great concourse of idlers cheered and cheered again, the utmost +enthusiasm being displayed when each battalion forming up was marched +away out of the town to the position chosen for the defence, which now +reached from Woodhouse on the south, overlooking and commanding the +whole valley of the river Rother, through Catcliffe, Brinsworth, and +Tinsley, previously alluded to, skirting Greasborough to the high ground +north of Wentworth, also commanding the river Don and all approaches to +it through Mexborough, and over the various bridges which spanned this +stream--a total of about eight miles. + +The south flank was thrown back another four miles to Norton, in an +endeavour to prevent the whole position being turned, should the Germans +elect to deliver their threatened blow from a more southerly point than +was anticipated. + +The total line, then, to be occupied by the defenders was about twelve +miles, and into this front was crowded the heterogeneous mass of troops +of all arms. The post of honour was at Catcliffe, the dominating key to +the whole position, which was occupied by the sturdy soldiers of the 1st +Battalion West Riding Regiment and the 2nd Battalion Yorkshire Light +Infantry, while commanding every bridge crossing the rivers which lay +between Sheffield and the invaders were concentrated the guns of the 7th +Brigade Royal Horse Artillery, and of the Field Artillery, the 2nd, the +30th, the 37th, and 38th Brigades, the latter having hurriedly arrived +from Bradford. + +All along the crests of these slopes which formed the defence of +Sheffield, rising steeply from the river at times up to five hundred +feet, were assembled the Volunteers, all now by daybreak on Thursday +morning busily engaged in throwing up shelter-trenches and making hasty +earthwork defences for the guns. The superintendence of this force had +merged itself into that of the Northern Command, which nominally had its +headquarters in York, but which had now been transferred to Sheffield +itself, for the best of reasons--that it was of no value at York, and +was badly wanted farther south. General Sir George Woolmer, who so +distinguished himself in South Africa, had therefore shifted his +headquarters to the Town Hall in Sheffield, but as soon as he had begun +to get the line of defence completed, he, with his staff, moved on to +Handsworth, which was centrally situated. + +In the command were to be found roughly twenty-three battalions of +Militia and forty-eight of Volunteers; but, owing to the supineness and +neglect of the Government, the former regiments now found themselves, at +the moment when wanted, greatly denuded of officers, and, owing to any +lack of encouragement to enlist, largely depleted in men. As regards the +Volunteers, matters were even worse, only about fifteen thousand having +responded to the call to arms. And upon these heroic men, utterly +insufficient in point of numbers, Sheffield had to rely for its defence. + +Away to the eastward of Sheffield--exactly where was yet unknown--sixty +thousand perfectly equipped and thoroughly trained German horse, foot, +and artillery, were ready at any moment to advance westward into our +manufacturing districts! + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +BRITISH SUCCESS AT ROYSTON. + + +Arrests of alleged spies were reported from Manchester and other large +towns. Most of the prisoners were, however, able to prove themselves +naturalised British subjects; but several were detained pending +investigation and examination of correspondence found at their homes. In +Manchester, where there are always a number of Germans, it is known that +many slipped away on Sunday night after the publication of the news of +the invasion. + +In most of the larger Midland towns notices had been issued by the +mayors deprecating hostility towards residents of foreign origin, and +stating that all suspicious cases were already receiving the attention +of the police. + +In Stafford the boot factories were idle. In the Potteries all work was +at a standstill. At Stoke-on-Trent, at Hanley, at Burslem, Tunstall, and +Congleton all was chaos, and thousands upon thousands were already +wanting bread. The silk-thread industry at Leek was ruined, so was the +silk industry at Macclesfield; the great breweries at Burton were idle, +while the hosiery factories of Leicester and the boot factories of +Northampton were all shut. + +With the German troops threatening Sheffield, Nottingham was in a state +of intense alarm. The lace and hosiery factories had with one accord +closed on Tuesday, and the great Market Place was now filled day and +night by thousands upon thousands of unemployed mill-hands of both +sexes. On Friday, however, came the news of how Sheffield had built +barricades against the enemy, and there ensued a frantic attempt at +defence on the part of thousands of terrified and hungry men and women. +In their frenzy they sacked houses in order to obtain material to +construct the barricades, which were, however, built just where the +fancy took the crowd. + +The white, interminable North Road, that runs so straight from London +through York and Berwick to Edinburgh, was, with its by-roads in the +Midlands, now being patrolled by British cavalry, and here and there +telegraphists around a telegraph post showed that those many wires at +the roadside were being used for military communication. + +At several points along the road between Wansford Bridge and Retford the +wires had been cut and tangled by the enemy's agents, but by Friday all +had been restored again. In one spot, between Weston and +Sutton-on-Trent, eight miles south of Newark, a trench had actually been +dug during the night, the tube containing the subterranean telegraph +lines discovered, and the whole system to the North disorganised. +Similar damage had been done by German spies to the line between London +and Birmingham, two miles south of Shipston-on-Stour; and again the line +between Loughborough and Nottingham had been similarly destroyed. + +The Post Office linesmen had, however, quickly made good the damage +everywhere in the country not already occupied by the enemy, and +telegraph and telephone communication North and South was now +practically again in its normal state. + +Through Lincolnshire the enemy's advance patrols had spread South over +every road between the Humber and the Wash, and in the city of Lincoln +itself a tremendous sensation was caused when on Wednesday, market-day, +several bodies of German motor-cyclists swept into the Stonebow and +dismounted at the Saracen's Head, amid the crowd of farmers and dealers +who had assembled there, not, alas! to do business, but to discuss the +situation. In a moment the city was panic-stricken. From mouth to mouth +the dread truth spread, that the Germans were upon them, and people ran +indoors and barricaded themselves within their houses. + +A body of Uhlans came galloping proudly through the Stonebow a quarter +of an hour later, and halted in High Street as though awaiting orders. +Then in rapid succession troops seemed to arrive from all quarters, many +halting in the Cathedral Close and by Exchequer Gate, and others riding +through the streets in order to terrify the inhabitants. + +Von Kronhelm's famous proclamation was posted by German soldiers upon +the police station, upon the Stonebow, and upon the door of the grand +old Cathedral itself, and before noon a German officer accompanied by +his staff called upon the Mayor, and warned him that Lincoln was +occupied by the German troops, and that any armed resistance would be +punished by death, as the Generalissimo's proclamation stated. An +indemnity was demanded, and then the powerless people saw upon the +Cathedral and upon several of the public buildings the German flag rise +and float out upon the summer wind. + +Boston was full of German infantry, and officers had taken up temporary +quarters in the Peacock and other hotels in the market-place, while upon +the "Stump" the enemy's colours were flying. + +No news came from London. People in Norwich, Ipswich, Yarmouth, and +other places heard vaguely of the invasion in the North, and of fighting +in which the Germans were careful to report that they were always +successful. They saw the magnificently equipped army of the Kaiser, and, +comparing it with our mere apology for military force, regarded the +issue as hopeless from the very first. In every town the German colours +were displayed, and all kinds of placards in German and in English made +their appearance. + + * * * * * + +The "Daily Chronicle," on September 10, published the following despatch +from one of its war correspondents: + + "ROYSTON, _September_ 9. + +"Victory at last. A victory due not only to the bravery and exertion of +our troops, regular and auxiliary, but also to the genius of +Field-Marshal Lord Byfield, our Commander-in-Chief, ably seconded by the +energy and resource with which Sir William Packington, in command of +the IVth Army Corps at Baldock, carried out that part of the programme +entrusted to him. + +"But though in this success we may hope that we are seeing the first +glimmerings of dawn--of deliverance from the nightmare of German +invasion that is now oppressing our dear old England--we must not be led +into foolishly sanguine hopes. The snake has been scotched, and pretty +badly into the bargain, but he is far from being killed. The German IVth +Army Corps, under the famous General Von Kleppen, their magnificent +Garde Corps commanded by the Duke of Mannheim, and Froelich's fine +Cavalry Division, have been repulsed in their attack on our positions +near Royston and Saffron Walden, and driven back with great loss and +confusion. But we are too weak to follow up our victory as it should be +followed up. + +"The menace of the IXth and Xth Corps on our right flank ties us to our +selected position, and the bulk of our forces being composed of +indifferently trained Volunteers and Militia, is much more formidable +behind entrenchments than when attempting to manoeuvre in a difficult +and intricate country such as it is about here. But, on the other hand, +we have given pause to the invaders, and have certainly gained a few +days' time, which will be invaluable to us. + +"We shall be able to get on with the line of fortifications that are +being constructed to bar the approaches to London, and behind which it +will be necessary for us to make our final stand. I do not conceive that +it is possible for such an agglomeration of amateur troops as ours are +in the main to defeat in the open field such formidable and well-trained +forces as the Germans have succeeded in throwing into this country. But +when our Navy has regained command of the sea, we hope that we may, +before very long, place our unwelcome visitors 'between the devil and +the deep sea'--the part of the devil being played by our brave troops +finally concentrated behind the strong defences of the metropolis. In +short, that the Germans may run out of ammunition and provisions. For if +communication with the Fatherland is effectively cut, they must starve, +unless they have previously compelled our submission; for it is +impossible for an army of the size that has invaded us to live on the +country. + +"No doubt hundreds, nay thousands, of our non-militant countrymen--and, +alas! women and children--will starve before the German troops are +conquered by famine, that most terrible of enemies; but this issue seems +to be the only possible one that will save the country. + +"But enough of these considerations of the future. It is time that I +should relate what I can of the glorious victory which our gallant +defenders have torn from the enemy. I do not think that I am giving any +information away if I state that the British position lay mainly between +Saffron Walden and Royston, the headquarters respectively of the IInd +and IIIrd Army Corps. The IVth Corps was at Baldock, thrown back to +cover the left flank and protect our communications by the Great +Northern Railway. A detached force, from what command supplied it is not +necessary or advisable to say, was strongly entrenched on the high +ground north-west of Helions Bumpstead, serving to strengthen our right. +Our main line of defence--very thinly held in some parts--began a little +to the south-east of Saffron Walden, and ran westwards along a range of +high ground through Elmdon and Chrishall to Heydon. Here it turned south +through Great Chrishall to Little Chrishall, where it again turned west, +and occupied the high range south of Royston on which stands the village +of Therfield. + +"The night before the battle we knew that the greater portion of the +German IVth and Garde Corps were concentrated, the former at Newmarket, +the 1st Division of the latter at Cambridge, the 2nd on this side of St. +Ives, while Froelich's Cavalry Division had been in constant contact with +our outposts the greater part of the day previous. The Garde Cavalry +Brigade was reported to be well away to the westward towards Kettering, +as we suppose, on account of the reports which have been going about of +a concentration of Yeomanry and Militia in the hilly country near +Northampton. Our Intelligence Department, which appears to have been +very well served by its spies, obtained early knowledge of the intention +of the Germans to make an attack on our position. In fact, they talked +openly of it, and stated at Cambridge and Newmarket that they would not +manoeuvre at all, and only hoped that we should hold on long enough to +our position to enable them to smash up our IInd and IIIrd Corps by a +frontal attack, and so clear the road to London. The main roads lent +themselves admirably to such strategy, which rendered the reports of +their intentions the more probable, for they all converged on our +position from their main points of concentration. + +"The letter 'W' will exactly serve to show the positions of the +contending forces. St. Ives is at the top of the first stroke, Cambridge +at the junction of the two shorter centre ones, Newmarket at the top of +the last stroke, while the British positions at Royston and Saffron +Walden are at the junctions of all four strokes at the bottom of the +letter. The strokes also represent the roads, except that from Cambridge +three good roads lead towards each of the British positions. The +prisoners taken from the Germans in the various preliminary skirmishes +also made no bones of boasting that a direct attack was imminent, and +our Commander-in-Chief eventually, and rightly as it proved, determined +to take the risk of all this information having been specially +promulgated by the German Staff to cover totally different intentions, +as was indeed quite probable, and to accept it as true. Having made up +his mind, he lost no time in taking action. He ordered the IVth Corps +under Sir William Packington to move on Potton, twelve miles to the +north-west, as soon as it was dark. As many cavalry and mounted infantry +as could possibly be spared from Royston were placed at his disposal. + +"It ought to be stated that while the auxiliary troops had been busily +employed ever since their arrival in entrenching the British position, +the greater part of the regular troops had been occupying an advanced +line two or three miles to the northward on the lower spurs of the +hills, and every possible indication of a determination to hold this as +long as possible was afforded to the German reconnoitrers. During the +night these troops fell back to the position which had been prepared, +the outposts following just before daylight. About 6 a.m. the enemy were +reported to be advancing in force along the Icknield Way from Newmarket, +and also by the roads running on either bank of the river Cam. Twenty +minutes later considerable bodies of German troops were reported at +Fowlmere and Melbourn on the two parallel Royston-Cambridge roads. They +must have followed very close on the heels of our retiring outposts. It +was a very misty morning--down in the low ground over which the enemy +were advancing especially so--but about seven a gust of wind from the +westward dispelled the white fog-wreaths that hung about our left front, +and enabled our lookouts to get a glimpse along the famous Ermine +Street, which runs straight as an arrow from Royston for twenty or +thirty miles to the N.N.W. + +"Along this ancient Roman way, far as the eye could reach, poured a +steady stream of marching men, horse, foot, and artillery. The wind +dropped, the mists gathered again, and once more enveloped the invaders +in an impenetrable screen. But by this time the whole British line was +on the _qui vive_. Regulars, Militia, and Volunteers were marching down +to their chin-deep trenches, while those who were already there busied +themselves in improving their loopholes and strengthening their head +cover. Behind the ridges of the hills the gunners stood grouped about +their 'Long Toms' and heavy howitzers, while the field batteries waited, +ready horsed, for orders to gallop under cover of the ridge to whichever +set of emplacements should first require to be manned and armed. We had +not enough to distribute before the movements of the enemy should, to a +certain extent, show his hand. + +"About seven o'clock a series of crackling reports from the outskirts of +Royston announced that the detachment of Mounted Infantry, who now alone +held it, was exchanging shots with the advancing enemy, and in a few +minutes, as the morning mistiness cleared off, the General and his +staff, who were established at the northern edge of the village of +Therfield, three or four hundred feet higher up than the German +skirmishers, were able to see the opening of the battle spread like a +panorama before them. A thick firing line of drab-costumed Germans +extended right across from Holland Hall to the Coach and Horses on the +Fowlmere Road. On their left moved two or three compact masses of +cavalry, while the infantry reserves were easily apparent in front of +the village of Melbourn. Our Mounted Infantry in the village were +indistinguishable, but away on the spur to the north-east of Royston a +couple of batteries of Horse Artillery were unlimbered and were pushing +their guns up to the brow of the hill by hand. In two minutes they were +in action, and hard at work. + +"Through the glasses the shrapnel could be seen bursting, half a dozen +together, in front of the advancing Germans, who began to fall fast. +But almost at once came an overwhelming reply from somewhere out of +sight behind Melbourn. The whole hilltop around our guns was like a +spouting volcano. Evidently big high-explosive shells were being fired +from the German field-howitzers. In accordance with previous orders, our +horse-gunners at once ran down their guns, limbered up, and started to +gallop back towards our main position. Simultaneously a mass of German +cavalry deployed into attack formation near the Coach and Horses, and +swept down in their direction with the evident intention of cutting off +and capturing them. But they reckoned without their escort of Mounted +Infantry, who had been lying low behind the long, narrow line of copse +north of Lowerfield Farm. Safely ensconced behind this--to +cavalry--impassable barrier, the company, all good shots, opened a +terrible magazine fire on the charging squadrons as they passed at close +range. A Maxim they had with them also swept horses and men away in +swathes. The charge was checked, and the guns saved, but we had not +finished with the German reiters. Away to the north-east a battery of +our 4.7 guns opened on the disorganised cavalry, firing at a range of +four thousand yards. Their big shells turned the momentary check into a +rout, both the attacking cavalry and their supports galloping towards +Fowlmere to get out of range. We had scored the first trick! + +"The attacking lines of German Infantry still pressed on, however, and +after a final discharge the Mounted Infantry in Royston sprang on their +horses and galloped back over Whitely Hill, leaving the town to be +occupied by the enemy. To the eastward the thunder of heavy cannon, +gradually growing in intensity, proclaimed that the IInd Corps was +heavily attacked. Covered by a long strip of plantation, the German IVth +Corps contrived to mass an enormous number of guns on a hill about two +miles north of the village of Elmdon, and a terrific artillery duel +began between them and our artillery entrenched along the Elmdon-Heydon +ridge. Under cover of this the enemy began to work his infantry up +towards Elmdon, obtaining a certain amount of shelter from the spurs +which ran out towards the north-east of our line. Other German troops +with guns put in an appearance on the high ground to the north-east of +Saffron Walden, near Chesterton Park. + +"To describe the fortunes of this fiercely contested battle, which +spread along a front of nearly twenty miles, counting from the detached +garrison of the hill at Helions Bumpstead--which, by the way, succeeded +in holding its ground all day, despite two or three most determined +assaults by the enemy--to Kelshall on the left of the British position, +would be an impossibility in the space at my disposal. The whole morning +it raged all along the northern slopes of the upland held by our gallant +troops. The fiercest fighting was, perhaps, in the neighbourhood of +Elmdon, where our trenches were more than once captured by the Magdeburg +battalions, only to be themselves hurled out again by the rush of the +1st Coldstream Guards, who had been held in reserve near the threatened +point. By noon the magnificent old palace at Audley End was in flames. +Art treasures which were of inestimable value and absolutely +unreplaceable perished in this shocking conflagration. Desperate +fighting was going on in the streets of the little town of Saffron +Walden, where a mingled mass of Volunteers and Militia strove hard to +arrest the advance of a portion of the German Army which was +endeavouring to work round the right of our position. + +"On our left the Foot Guards and Fusiliers of the 1st German Guard +Division, after receiving a terrible pounding from our guns when they +poured into Royston at the heels of our Mounted Infantry, had fought +their way up the heights to within fifteen hundred yards of our trenches +on the upper slopes of the ridge. Farther than that they had been unable +to advance. Their close formations offered an excellent target to the +rifles of the Volunteers and Militia lining our entrenchments. The +attackers had lost men in thousands, and were now endeavouring to dig +themselves in as best they could under the hail of projectiles that +continually swept the hillside. About noon, too, the 2nd Division of the +Garde Corps, after some skirmishing with the Mounted Infantry away on +our left front, got into attack formation along the line of the Hitchin +and Cambridge Railway, and after pouring a deluge of projectiles from +field guns and howitzers upon our position, advanced upon Therfield with +the greatest bravery and determination. They had succeeded by 2 p.m. in +driving our men from the end of the spur running northward near +Therfield Heath, and managed to get a number of their howitzers up +there, and at once opened fire from the cover afforded by several copses +out of which our men had been driven. + +"In short, things were beginning to look very bad for Old England, and +the watchers on the Therfield heights turned their glasses anxiously +northward in search of General Sir William Packington's force from +Potton. They had not long to wait. At 2.15 the winking flash of a +heliograph away near Wendy Place, about eight miles up Ermine Street, +announced that the advance guard, consisting of the 1st Royal Welsh +Fusiliers, was already at Bassingbourn, and that the main body was close +behind, having escaped detection by all the enemy's patrols and flank +guards. They were now directly in the rear of the right of the German +reserves, who had been pushed forward into the neighbourhood of Royston +to support the attack of their main body on the British position. A few +minutes later it was evident that the enemy had also become aware of +their advent. Two or three regiments hurriedly issued from Royston and +deployed to the north-west. But the guns of the Baldock Corps turned +such a 'rafale' fire upon them that they hesitated and were lost. + +"Every long-range gun in the British entrenchments that would bear was +also turned upon them, leaving the infantry and field guns to deal with +the troops assaulting their position. The three battalions, as well as a +fourth that was sent to their assistance, were simply swept out of +existence by this terrible cross-fire. Their remnants streamed away, a +disorganised crowd of scattered stragglers, towards Melbourn; while, +still holding on to Bassingbourn, the Baldock force moved down on +Royston, driving everything before it. + +"The most advanced German troops made a final effort to capture our +position when they saw what was going on behind them, but it was +half-hearted; they were brought to a standstill, and our men, fixing +bayonets, sprang from their trenches and charged down upon them with +cheers, which were taken up all along the line for miles. The Germans +here and there made a partial stand, but in half an hour they were down +on the low ground, falling back towards the north-east in the greatest +confusion, losing men in thousands from the converging fire of our guns. +Their cavalry made a gallant attempt to save the day by charging our +troops to the north of Royston. It was a magnificent sight to see their +enormous masses sweeping over the ground with an impetus which looked +capable of carrying everything before it, but our men, clustering behind +the hedges of Ermine Street, mowed them down squadrons at a time. Not +one of them reached the roadway. The magnificent Garde Corps was routed. + +[Illustration: BATTLE OF ROYSTON SUNDAY SEPT. 9TH.] + +"The combined IIIrd and IVth Corps now advanced on the exposed right +flank of the German IVth Corps, which, fighting gallantly, fell back, +doing its best to cover the retreat of its comrades, who, on their part, +very much hampered its movements. By nightfall there was no unwounded +German south of Whittlesford, except as a prisoner. By this time, too, +we were falling back on our original position." + + + + +CHAPTER X. + +BRITISH ABANDON COLCHESTER. + + +On Tuesday, 10th September, the "Daily News" published the following +telegram from its war correspondent, Mr. Edgar Hamilton: + + "CHELMSFORD, _Monday, Sept._ 9. + +"I sit down, after a sleepless night, to indite the account of our +latest move. We hear that Sheffield has fallen, and our troops are in +flight. As, by the time this appears in print, the enemy will of +necessity be aware of our abandonment of Colchester, the censor will +not, I imagine, prevent the despatch of my letter. + +"For our move has been made one of a retrograde nature, and I do not +doubt that the cavalry of the German IXth Corps are close behind us and +in touch with our own. But I must not, in using the word 'retrograde,' +be supposed to criticise in any way the strategy of our generals. For +every one here is, I am sure, fully persuaded of the wisdom of the step. +Colchester, with its plucky little garrison, was altogether too much 'in +the air,' and stood a great risk of being isolated by a converging +advance of the IXth and Xth Corps of the German invaders, to say nothing +of the XIIth (Saxon) Corps at Maldon, which since the unfortunate battle +of Purleigh has shown itself very active to the north and east. + +"The Saxons have refrained from attacking our Vth Corps since its +repulse, and it has been left almost in peace to entrench its position +from Danbury to the southward; but, on the other hand, while not +neglecting to further strengthen their already formidable defences +between the Blackwater and the Crouch, their cavalry have scoured the +country up to the very gates of Colchester. Yesterday morning the 16th +Lancers and the 17th Hussars--who had fallen back from Norwich--together +with some of the local Yeomanry, moved out by the Tolleshunt d'Arcy and +Great Totham roads, and drove in their patrols with some loss. At +Tiptree Heath there was a sharp cavalry engagement between our red +Lancers and several squadrons of a sky-blue hussar regiment. Our people +routed them, but in the pursuit that followed would have fared badly, as +they fell in with the four remaining squadrons supported by another +complete regiment, had it not been for the opportune arrival of the +Household Cavalry Brigade, which had moved north-east from Danbury to +co-operate. This completely changed the aspect of affairs. The Germans +were soundly beaten, with the loss of a large number of prisoners, and +galloped back to Maldon in confusion. In the meantime, the 2nd King's +Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and the 5th Battery R.F. Artillery had been +sent down to Witham by train, whence they marched up to the high ground +near Wickham Bishops. They and the Yeomanry were left there in a +position to cover the main London Road and the Great Eastern Railway, +and at the same time threaten any movement of the enemy by the Great +Totham Road. When the news of our success reached Colchester, soon after +midday, we were all very jubilant. In fact, I fear that a great many +people spent the afternoon in a species of fool's paradise. And when +towards the evening the announcement of our splendid victory at Royston +was posted up on the red walls of the fine town hall, and outside the +Cups, there was an incipient outbreak of that un-English excitement +known as 'Mafficking.' + +"But this exultation was fated to be but short-lived, even though the +Mayor appeared on the balcony of the Town Hall and addressed the crowd, +while the latest news was posted outside the offices of the 'Essex +Telegraph,' opposite the post office. The wind was in the north, and +about 5.45 in the afternoon the sound of a heavy explosion was heard +from the direction of Manningtree. I was in the Cups Hotel at the time +arranging for an early dinner, and ran out into the street. As I emerged +from the archway of the hotel I distinctly heard a second detonation +from the same direction. A sudden silence, ominous and unnatural, seemed +to fall on the yelping jingoes in the street, in the midst of which the +rumble of yet another explosion rolled down on the wind, this time from +a more westerly direction. Men asked their neighbours breathlessly as to +what all this portended. I myself knew no more than the most ignorant of +the crowd, till in an officer who rushed hastily by me in Head Street, +on his way into the hotel, I recognised my friend Captain Burton, of the +Artillery. + +"I buttonholed him at once. + +"'Do I know what those explosions were?' repeated he in answer to my +inquiry. 'Well, I don't know, but I'm open to bet you five to one that +it's the sappers blowing up the bridges over the Stour at Manningtree +and Stratford St. Mary.' + +"'Then the Germans will have arrived there?' I queried. + +"'Most probably. And look here,' he continued, taking me aside by the +arm, and lowering his voice, 'you take my tip. We shall be out of this +to-night. So you'd best pack up your traps and get into marching order.' + +"'Do you know this?' said I. + +"'Not officially, or I shouldn't tell you anything about it. But I can +put two and two together. We all knew that the General wouldn't be fool +enough to try and defend an open town of this size with such a small +garrison against a whole army corps, or perhaps more. It would serve no +good purpose, and expose the place to destruction and bring all sorts of +disaster on the civil population. You could have seen that for yourself, +for no attempt whatever has been made to erect defences of any kind, +neither have we received any reinforcements at all. If they had meant to +defend it they could certainly have contrived to send us some Volunteers +and guns at any rate. No, the few troops we have here have done their +best in assisting the Danbury Force against the Saxons, and are much too +valuable to be left here to be cut off without being able to do much to +check the advance of the enemy. If we had been going to try anything of +that kind, we should have now been holding the line of the river Stour; +but I know we have only small detachments at the various bridges, +sufficient only to drive off the enemy's cavalry patrols. By now, having +blown up the bridges, I expect they are falling back as fast as they can +get. Besides, look here,' he added, 'what do you think that battalion +was sent to Wickham Bishops for this morning?' + +"I told him my theories as set forth above. + +"'Oh, yes, that's all right,' he answered. 'But you may bet your boots +that there's more in it than that. In my opinion, the General has had +orders to clear out as soon as the enemy are preparing to cross the +Stour, and the Lancasters are planted there to protect our left flank +from an attack from Maldon while we are retreating on Chelmsford.' + +"'But we might fall back on Braintree?' I hazarded. + +"'Don't you believe it. We're not wanted there--at least, I mean, not +so much as elsewhere. Where we shall come in is to help to fill the gap +between Braintree and Danbury. I think, myself, we might just as well +have done it before. We have been sending back stores by rail for the +last two days. Well, good-bye,' he said, holding out his hand. 'Keep all +this to yourself, and mark my words, we'll be off at dusk.' + +"Away he went, and convinced that his prognostications were correct--as, +indeed, in the main they proved--I hastened to eat my dinner, pay my +bill, and get my portmanteau packed and stowed away in my motor. As soon +as the evening began to close in I started and made for the barracks, +going easy. The streets were still full of people, but they were very +quiet, and mostly talking together in scattered groups. A shadow seemed +to have fallen on the jubilant crowd of the afternoon, though, as far as +I could ascertain, there were no definite rumours of the departure of +the troops and the close advent of the enemy. + +"When I arrived at the barracks, I saw at once that there was something +in the wind, and pulled up alongside the barrack railings, determined to +watch the progress of events. I had not long to wait. In about ten +minutes a bugle sounded, and the scattered assemblage of men on the +barrack-square closed together and solidified into a series of quarter +columns. At the same time the Volunteer battalion moved across from the +other side of the road and joined the Regular troops. I heard a sharp +clatter and jingling behind me, and, looking round, saw the General and +his staff with a squad of cavalry canter up the road. They turned into +the barrack gate, greeted by a sharp word of command and the rattle of +arms from the assembled battalions. As far as I could make out, the +General made them some kind of address, after which I heard another word +of command, upon which the regiment nearest to the gate formed fours and +marched out. + +"It was the 2nd Dorsetshire. I watched anxiously to see which way they +turned. As I more than expected, they turned in the direction of the +London Road. My friend had been right so far, but till the troops +arrived at Mark's Tey, where the road forked, I could not be certain +whether they were going towards Braintree or Chelmsford. The Volunteers +followed; then the Leicestershires, then a long train of artillery, +field batteries, big 4.7 guns, and howitzers. The King's Own Scottish +Borderers formed the rearguard. With them marched the General and his +staff; I saw no cavalry. I discovered afterwards that the General, +foreseeing that a retirement was imminent, had ordered the 16th Lancers +and the 7th Hussars, after their successful morning performance, to +remain till further orders at Kelvedon and Tiptree respectively, so that +their horses were resting during the afternoon. + +"During the night march the former came back and formed a screen behind +the retiring column, while the latter were in a position to observe and +check any movement northwards that might be made by the Saxons, at the +same time protecting its flank and rear from a possible advance by the +cavalry of Von Kronhelm's Army, should they succeed in crossing the +river Stour soon enough to be able to press after us in pursuit by +either of the two eastern roads leading from Colchester to Maldon. After +the last of the departing soldiers had tramped away into the gathering +darkness through the mud, which after yesterday's downpour still lay +thick upon the roads, I bethought me that I might as well run down to +the railway station to see if anything was going on there. I was just in +time. + +"The electric light disclosed a bustling scene as the last of the +ammunition and a certain proportion of stores were being hurried into a +long train that stood with steam up ready to be off. The police allowed +none of the general public to enter the station, but my correspondent's +pass obtained me admission to the departure platform. There I saw +several detachments of the Royal Engineers, the Mounted Infantry--minus +their horses, which had been already sent on--and some of the +Leicestershire Regiment. Many of the men had their arms, legs, or heads +bandaged, and bore evident traces of having been in action. I got into +conversation with a colour-sergeant of the Engineers, and learned these +were the detachments who had been stationed at the bridges over the +Stour. It appears there was some sharp skirmishing with the German +advance troops before the officers in command had decided that they were +in sufficient force to justify them in blowing up the bridges. In fact, +at the one at which my informant was stationed, and that the most +important one of all, over which the main road from Ipswich passed at +Stratford St. Mary, the officer in charge delayed just too long, so +that a party of the enemy's cavalry actually secured the bridge, and +succeeded in cutting the wires leading to the charges which had been +placed in readiness to blow it up. Luckily, the various detachments +present rose like one man to the occasion, and, despite a heavy fire, +hurled themselves upon the intruders with the bayonet with such +determination and impetus, that the bridge was swept clear in a moment. +The wires were reconnected, and the bridge cleared of our men just as +the Germans, reinforced by several of their supporting squadrons, who +had come up at a gallop, dashed upon it in pursuit. The firing key was +pressed at this critical moment, and, with a stunning report, a whole +troop was blown into the air, the remaining horses, mad with fright, +stampeding despite all that their riders could do. The road was cut, and +the German advance temporarily checked, while the British detachment +made off as fast as it could for Colchester. + +"I asked the sergeant how long he thought it would be before the Germans +succeeded in crossing it. 'Bless you, sir, I expect they're over by +now,' he answered. 'They would be sure to have their bridging companies +somewhere close up, and it would not take them more than an hour or two +to throw a bridge over that place.' The bridges at Boxted Mill and +Nayland had been destroyed previously. + +"The railway bridge and the other one at Manningtree were blown up +before the Germans could get a footing, and their defenders had come in +by rail. But my conversation was cut short, the whistle sounded, the men +were hustled on board the train, and it moved slowly out of the station. +As for me, I hurried out to my car, and, putting on speed, was soon +clear of the town, and spinning along for Mark's Tey. It is about five +miles, and shortly before I got there I overtook the marching column. +The men were halted, and in the act of putting on their greatcoats. I +was stopped here by the rearguard, who took charge of me, and would not +let me proceed until permission was obtained from the General. + +"Eventually this officer ordered me to be brought to him, I presented my +pass; but he said, 'I am afraid that I shall have to ask you either to +turn back or to slow down and keep pace with us. In fact, you had +better do the latter. I might, indeed, have to exercise my powers and +impress your motor, should the exigencies of the Service require it.' I +saw that it was best to make virtue of necessity, and replied that it +was very much at his service, and that I was very well content to +accompany the column. In point of fact, the latter was strictly true, +for I wanted to see what was to be seen, and there were no points about +going along with no definite idea of where I wanted to get to, with a +possible chance of falling into the hands of the Saxons into the +bargain. So a Staff officer, who was suffering from a slight wound, was +placed alongside me, and the column, having muffled itself in its +greatcoats, once more began to plug along through the thickening mire. +My position was just in front of the guns, which kept up a monotonous +rumble behind me. My companion was talkative, and afforded me a good +deal of incidental and welcome information. Thus, just after we started, +and were turning to the left at Mark's Tey, a bright glare followed by a +loudish report came from the right of the road. 'What's that?' I +naturally ejaculated. 'Oh, that will be the sappers destroying the +junction with the Sudbury line,' he replied. 'There's the train waiting +for them just beyond.' + +"So it was. The train that I had seen leaving had evidently stopped +after passing the junction, while the line was broken behind it. 'They +will do the same after passing the cross line at Witham,' volunteered +he. + +"A mile or two further on we passed between two lines of horsemen, their +faces set northwards and muffled to the eyes in their long cloaks. +'That's some of the 16th,' he said, 'going to cover our rear.' + +"So we moved on all night through the darkness and rain, and with the +first glimmer of dawn halted at Witham. We had about nine miles still to +go to reach Chelmsford, which I learned was our immediate destination, +and it was decided to rest here for an hour, while the men made the best +breakfast they could from the contents of their haversacks. But the +villagers brought out hot tea and coffee, and did the best they could +for us, so we did not fare so badly after all. As for me, I got +permission to go on, taking with me my friend the Staff officer, who had +despatches to forward from Chelmsford. I pushed on at full speed. We +were there in a very short space of time, and during the morning I +learned that the Braintree Army was falling back on Dunmow, and that the +Colchester garrison was to assist in holding the line of the river +Chelmer." + + + NOTICE. + + CONCERNING WOUNDED BRITISH SOLDIERS. + + In compliance with an order of the Commander-in-Chief + of the German Imperial Army, the Governor-General + of East Anglia decrees as follows:-- + + (1) Every inhabitant of the counties of Norfolk, + Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire, + Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Northampton, Rutland, + Huntingdon, and Hertford, who gives asylum to or + lodges one or more ill or wounded British soldier, is + obliged to make a declaration to the mayor of the town + or to the local police within 24 hours, stating name, + grade, place of birth, and nature of illness or injury. + + Every change of domicile of the wounded is also to + be notified within 24 hours. + + In absence of masters, servants are ordered to make + the necessary declarations. + + The same order applies to the directors of hospitals, + surgeries, or ambulance stations, who receive the + British wounded within our jurisdiction. + + (2) All mayors are ordered to prepare lists of the + British wounded, showing the number, with their + names, grade, and place of birth in each district. + + (3) The mayor, or the superintendent of police, must + send on the 1st and 15th of each month a copy of + his lists to the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief. + The first list must be sent on the 15th September. + + (4) Any person failing to comply with this order + will, in addition to being placed under arrest for + harbouring British troops, be fined a sum not exceeding + L20. + + (5) This decree is to be published in all towns and + villages in the Province of East Anglia. + + =Count VON SCHONBURG-WALDENBURG, + Lieutenant-General, + Governor of German East Anglia.= + IPSWICH, _September_ 6, 1910. + + [Illustration: COPY OF ONE OF THE ENEMY'S PROCLAMATIONS.] + + + + +CHAPTER XI. + +FIERCE FIGHTING AT CHELMSFORD. + + +A despatch from Mr. Edgar Hamilton to the "Daily News," as follows, was +published on Saturday, 15th September: + +"At Little Waltham I found myself close to the scene of action. About a +mile ahead of me the hamlet of Howe Street was in flames and burning +furiously. I could see the shells bursting in and all over it in perfect +coveys. I could not make out where they were coming from, but an officer +I met said he thought the enemy must have several batteries in action on +the high ground about Littley Green, a mile and a half to the north on +the opposite side of the river. I crossed over myself, and got up on the +knoll where the Leicestershires and Dorsets had been stationed, together +with a number of the 4.7-inch guns brought from Colchester. + +"This piece of elevated ground is about two miles long, running almost +north and south, and at the top of it I got an extensive view to the +eastward right away to beyond Witham, as the ground fell all the way. +The country was well wooded, and a perfect maze of trees and hedgerows. +If there were any Germans down there in this plain they were lying very +low indeed, for my glasses did not discover the least indication of +their presence. Due east my view was bounded by the high wooded ground +about Wickham Bishops and Tiptree Heath, which lay a long blue hummock +on the horizon, while to the south-east Danbury Hill, with our big +war-balloon floating overhead, was plainly discernible. + +"While I gazed on the apparently peaceful landscape I was startled by a +nasty, sharp hissing sound, which came momentarily nearer. It seemed to +pass over my head, and was followed by a loud bang in the air, where now +hung a ring of white smoke. It was a shell from the enemy. Just ahead +of me was a somewhat extensive wood; and, urged by some insane impulse +of seeking shelter, I left the car, which I ordered my chauffeur to take +back for a mile and wait, and made for the close-standing trees. If I +had stopped to think I should have realised that the wood gave me +actually no protection whatever, and I had not gone far when the +crashing of timber and noise of the bursting projectiles overhead and in +the undergrowth around made me understand clearly that the Germans were +making a special target of the wood, which, I imagine, they thought +might conceal some of our troops. I wished heartily that I was seated +beside my chauffeur in his fast-receding car. + +"However, my first object was to get clear of the wood again, and after +some little time I emerged on the west side, right in the middle of a +dressing station for the wounded, which had been established in a little +hollow. Two surgeons, with their assistants, were already busily engaged +with a number of wounded men, most of whom were badly hit by shrapnel +bullets about the upper part of the body. I gathered from one or two of +the few most slightly wounded men that our people had been, and were, +very hardly put to it to hold their own. 'I reckon,' said one of them, a +bombardier of artillery, 'that the enemy must have got more than a +hundred guns firing at us, and at Howe Street village. If we could only +make out where the foreign devils were,' continued my informant, 'our +chaps could have knocked a good many of them out with our +four-point-sevens, especially if we could have got a go at them before +they got within range themselves. But they must have somehow contrived +to get them into position during the night, for we saw nothing of them +coming up. They are somewhere about Chatley, Fairstead Lodge, and Little +Leighs, but as we can't locate them exactly, and only have ten guns up +here, it don't give us much chance, does it?' Later I saw an officer of +the Dorsets, who confirmed the gunner's story, but added that our people +were well entrenched and the guns well concealed, so that none of the +latter had been put out of action, and he thought we should be able to +hold on to the hill all right. I regained my car without further +adventure, bar several narrow escapes from stray shell, and made my way +back as quickly as possible to Chelmsford. + +"The firing went on all day, not only to the northward, but also away to +the southward, where the Saxons, while not making any determined attack, +kept the Vth Corps continually on the alert, and there was an almost +continuous duel between the heavy pieces. As it appeared certain that +the knoll I had visited in the forenoon was the main objective of the +enemy's attack, reinforcements had been more than once sent up there, +but the German shell fire was so heavy that they found it almost +impossible to construct the additional cover required. Several batteries +of artillery were despatched to Pleshy and Rolphy Green to keep down, if +possible, the fire of the Germans, but it seemed to increase rather than +diminish. They must have had more guns in action than they had at first. +Just at dusk their infantry had made the first openly offensive +movement. + +"Several lines of skirmishers suddenly appeared in the valley between +Little Leighs and Chatley, and advanced towards Lyonshall Wood, at the +north end of the knoll east of Little Waltham. They were at first +invisible from the British gun positions on the other side of the +Chelmer, and when they cleared the spur on which Hyde Hall stands they +were hardly discernible in the gathering darkness. The Dorsetshire and +the other battalions garrisoning the knoll manned their breastworks as +they got within rifle range, and opened fire, but they were still +subjected to the infernal rafale from the Hanoverian guns on the hills +to the northward, and to make matters worse at this critical moment the +Xth Corps brought a long line of guns into action between Flacks Green +and Great Leighs Wood, in which position none of the British guns except +a few on the knoll itself could reach them. Under this cross hurricane +of projectiles the British fire was quite beaten down, and the Germans +followed up their skirmishers by almost solid masses, which advanced +with all but impunity save for the fire of the few British long-range +guns at Pleshy Mount. There they were firing almost at random, as the +gunners could not be certain of the exact whereabouts of their +objectives. There was a searchlight on the knoll, but at the first sweep +of its ray it was absolutely demolished by a blizzard of shrapnel. Every +German gun was turned upon it. The Hanoverian battalions now swarmed to +the assault, disregarding the gaps made in their ranks by the magazine +fire of the defenders as soon as their close advance masked the fire of +their own cannon. + +[Illustration: BATTLE OF CHELMSFORD. +Position on the Evening of September 11.] + +"The British fought desperately. Three several times they hurled back at +the attackers, but, alas! we were overborne by sheer weight of numbers. +Reinforcements summoned by telephone, as soon as the determined nature +of the attack was apparent, were hurried up from every available source, +but they only arrived in time to be carried down the hill again in the +rush of its defeated defenders, and to share with them the storm of +projectiles from the quick-firers of General von Kronhelm's artillery, +which had been pushed forward during the assault. It was with the +greatest difficulty that the shattered and disorganised troops were got +over the river at Little Waltham. As it was, hundreds were drowned in +the little stream, and hundreds of others killed and wounded by the fire +of the Germans. They had won the first trick. This was indisputable, and +as ill news travels apace, a feeling of gloom fell upon our whole force, +for it was realised that the possession of the captured knoll would +enable the enemy to mass troops almost within effective rifle range of +our river line of defence. I believe that it was proposed by some +officers on the staff that we should wheel back our left and take up a +fresh position during the night. This was overruled, as it was +recognised that to do so would enable the enemy to push in between the +Dunmow force and our own, and so cut our general line in half. All that +could be done was to get up every available gun and bombard the hill +during the night in order to hamper the enemy in his preparations for +further forward movement and in his entrenching operations. + +"Had we more men at our disposal I suppose there is little doubt that a +strong counter-attack would have been made on the knoll almost +immediately; but in the face of the enormous numbers opposed to us, I +imagine that General Blennerhasset did not feel justified in denuding +any portion of our position of its defenders. So all through the dark +hours the thunder of the great guns went on. In spite of the cannonade +the Germans turned on no less than three searchlights from the southern +end of the knoll about midnight. Two were at once put out by our fire, +but the third managed to exist for over half an hour, and enabled the +Germans to see how hard we were working to improve our defences along +the river bank. I am afraid that they were by this means able to make +themselves acquainted with the positions of a great number of our +trenches. During the night our patrols reported being unable to +penetrate beyond Pratt's Farm, Mount Maskell, and Porter's Farm on the +Colchester Road. Everywhere they were forced back by superior numbers. +The enemy were fast closing in upon us. It was a terrible night in +Chelmsford. + +"There was panic on every hand. A man mounted the Tindal statue and +harangued the crowd, urging the people to rise and compel the Government +to stop the war. A few young men endeavoured to load the old Crimean +cannon in front of the Shire Hall, but found it clogged with rust and +useless. People fled from the villa residences in Brentwood Road into +the town for safety, now that the enemy were upon them. The banks in +High Street were being barricaded, and the stores still remaining in the +various grocers' shops, Luckin Smith's, Martin's, Cramphorn's, and +Pearke's, were rapidly being concealed from the invaders. All the +ambulance waggons entering the town were filled with wounded, although +as many as possible were sent south by train. By one o'clock in the +morning, however, most of the civilian inhabitants had fled. The streets +were empty, but for the bivouacking troops and the never-ending +procession of wounded men. The General and his staff were deliberating +to a late hour in the Shire Hall, at which he had established his +headquarters. The booming of the guns waxed and waned till dawn, when a +furious outburst announced that the second act of the tragedy was about +to open. + + + DECREE + + CONCERNING THE POWER OF COUNCILS OF WAR. + + WE, GOVERNOR-GENERAL OF EAST ANGLIA, in virtue of the powers + conferred upon us by His Imperial Majesty the German Emperor, + Commander-in-Chief of the German Armies, order, for the + maintenance of the internal and external security of the + counties of the Government-General:-- + + ARTICLE I.--Any individual guilty of incendiarism or of wilful + inundation, of attack, or of resistance with violence against + the Government-General or the agents of the civil or military + authorities, of sedition, of pillage, of theft with violence, of + assisting prisoners to escape, or of exciting soldiers to + treasonable acts, shall be PUNISHED BY DEATH. + + In the case of any extenuating circumstances, the culprit may be + sent to penal servitude with hard labour for twenty years. + + ARTICLE II.--Any person provoking or inciting an individual to + commit the crimes mentioned in Article I. will be sent to penal + servitude with hard labour for ten years. + + ARTICLE III.--Any person propagating false reports relative to + the operations of war or political events will be imprisoned for + one year, and fined up to L100. + + In any case where the affirmation or propagation may cause + prejudice against the German Army, or against any authorities or + functionaries established by it, the culprit will be sent to + hard labour for ten years. + + ARTICLE IV.--Any person usurping a public office, or who commits + any act or issues any order in the name of a public functionary, + will be imprisoned for five years, and fined L150. + + ARTICLE V.--Any person who voluntarily destroys or abstracts any + documents, registers, archives, or public documents deposited in + public offices, or passing through their hands in virtue of + their functions as government or civic officials, will be + imprisoned for two years, and fined L150. + + ARTICLE VI.--Any person obliterating, damaging, or tearing down + official notices, orders, or proclamations of any sort issued by + the German authorities will be imprisoned for six months, and + fined L80. + + ARTICLE VII.--Any resistance or disobedience of any order given + in the interests of public security by military commanders and + other authorities, or any provocation or incitement to commit + such disobedience, will be punished by one year's imprisonment, + or a fine of not less than L150. + + ARTICLE VIII.--All offences enumerated in Articles I.--VII. are + within the jurisdiction of the Councils of War. + + ARTICLE IX.--It is within the competence of Councils of War to + adjudicate upon all other crimes and offences against the + internal and external security of the English provinces occupied + by the German Army, and also upon all crimes against the + military or civil authorities, or their agents, as well as + murder, the fabrication of false money, of blackmail, and all + other serious offences. + + Article X.--Independent of the above, the military jurisdiction + already proclaimed will remain in force regarding all actions + tending to imperil the security of the German troops, to damage + their interests, or to render assistance to the Army of the + British Government. + + Consequently, there will be PUNISHED BY DEATH, and we expressly + repeat this, all persons who are not British soldiers and-- + + (a) Who serve the British Army or the Government as spies, or + receive British spies, or give them assistance or asylum. + + (b) Who serve as guides to British troops, or mislead the German + troops when charged to act as guides. + + (c) Who shoot, injure, or assault any German soldier or officer. + + (d) Who destroy bridges or canals, interrupt railways or + telegraph lines, render roads impassable, burn munitions of war, + provisions, or quarters of the troops. + + (e) Who take arms against the German troops. + + ARTICLE XI.--The organisation of Councils of War mentioned in + Articles VIII. and IX. of the Law of May 2, 1870, and their + procedure are regulated by special laws which are the same as + the summary jurisdiction of military tribunals. In the case of + Article X. there remains in force the Law of July 21, 1867, + concerning the military jurisdiction applicable to foreigners. + + ARTICLE XII.--The present order is proclaimed and put into + execution on the morrow of the day upon which it is affixed in + the public places of each town and village, The Governor-General + of East Anglia, + + =COUNT VON SCHONBURG-WALDENBERG, Lieutenant-General.= + + NORWICH, _September 7th_, 1910. + + +"I had betaken myself at once to the round tower of the church, next the +Stone Bridge, from which I had an excellent view both east and north. +The first thing that attracted my eye was the myriad flashings of rifle +fire in the dimness of the breaking day. They reached in a continuous +line of coruscations from Boreham Hall, opposite my right hand, to the +knoll by Little Waltham, a distance of three or four miles, I should +say. The enemy were driving in all our outlying and advanced troops by +sheer weight of numbers. Presently the heavy batteries at Danbury began +pitching shell over in the direction of the firing, but as the German +line still advanced, it had not apparently any very great effect. The +next thing that happened was a determined attack on the village of Howe +Street made from the direction of Hyde Hall. This is about two miles +north of Little Waltham. In spite of our incessant fire, the Germans had +contrived to mass a tremendous number of guns and howitzers on and +behind the knoll they captured last night, and there was any quantity +more on the ridge above Hyde Hall. All these terrible weapons +concentrated their fire for a few moments on the blackened ruins of Howe +Street. Not a mouse could have lived there. The little place was simply +pulverised. + +"Our guns at Pleshy Mount and Rolphy Green, aided by a number of field +batteries, in vain endeavoured to make head against them. They were +outnumbered by six to one. Under cover of this tornado of iron and +fire, the enemy pushed several battalions over the river, making use of +the ruins of the many bridges about there which had been hastily +destroyed, and which they repaired with planks and other materials they +brought along with them. They lost a large number of men in the process, +but they persevered, and by ten o'clock were in complete possession of +Howe Street, Langley's Park, and Great Waltham, and moving in fighting +formation against Pleshy Mount and Rolphy Green, their guns covering +their advance with a perfectly awful discharge of shrapnel. Our cannon +on the ridge at Partridge Green took the attackers in flank, and for a +time checked their advance, but, drawing upon themselves the attention +of the German artillery, on the south end of the knoll, were all but +silenced. + +"As soon as this was effected another strong column of Germans followed +in the footsteps of the first, and deploying to the left, secured the +bridge at Little Waltham, and advanced against the gun positions on +Partridge Green. This move turned all our river bank entrenchments right +down to Chelmsford. Their defenders were now treated to the enfilade +fire of a number of Hanoverian batteries that galloped down to Little +Waltham. They stuck to their trenches gallantly, but presently when the +enemy obtained a footing on Partridge Green they were taken in reverse, +and compelled to fall back, suffering terrible losses as they did so. +The whole of the infantry of the Xth Corps, supported--as we +understand--by a division which had joined them from Maldon, now moved +down on Chelmsford. In fact, there was a general advance of the three +combined armies stretching from Partridge Green on the west to the +railway line on the east. The defenders of the trenches facing east were +hastily withdrawn, and thrown back on Writtle. The Germans followed +closely with both infantry and guns, though they were for a time checked +near Scot's Green by a dashing charge of our cavalry brigade, consisting +of the 16th Lancers and the 7th, 14th, and 20th Hussars, and the Essex +and Middlesex Yeomanry. We saw nothing of their cavalry, for a reason +that will be apparent later. By one o'clock fierce fighting was going on +all round the town, the German hordes enveloping it on all sides but +one. We had lost a great number of our guns, or at any rate had been +cut off from them by the German successes around Pleshy Mount, and in +all their assaults on the town they had been careful to keep out of +effective range of the heavy batteries on Danbury Hill. These, by the +way, had their own work cut out for them, as the Saxon artillery were +heavily bombarding the hill with their howitzers. The British forces +were in a critical situation. Reinforcements--such as could be +spared--were hurried up from the Vth Army Corps, but they were not very +many in numbers, as it was necessary to provide against an attack by the +Saxon Corps. By three o'clock the greater part of the town was in the +hands of the Germans, despite the gallant way in which our men fought +them from street to street, and house to house. A dozen fires were +spreading in every direction, and fierce fighting was going on at +Writtle. The overpowering numbers of the Germans, combined with their +better organisation, and the number of properly trained officers at +their disposal, bore the British mixed Regular and Irregular forces +back, and back again. + +"Fearful of being cut off from his line of retreat, General +Blennerhasset, on hearing from Writtle soon after three that the +Hanoverians were pressing his left very hard, and endeavouring to work +round it, reluctantly gave orders for the troops in Chelmsford to fall +back on Widford and Moulsham. There was a lull in the fighting for about +half an hour, though firing was going on both at Writtle and Danbury. +Soon after four a terrible rumour spread consternation on every side. +According to this, an enormous force of cavalry and motor infantry was +about to attack us in the rear. What had actually happened was not quite +so bad as this, but quite bad enough. It seems, according to our latest +information, that almost the whole of the cavalry belonging to the three +German Army Corps with whom we were engaged--something like a dozen +regiments, with a proportion of horse artillery and all available +motorists, having with them several of the new armoured motors carrying +light, quick-firing and machine guns--had been massed during the last +thirty-six hours behind the Saxon lines extending from Maldon to the +River Crouch. During the day they had worked round to the southward, and +at the time the rumour reached us were actually attacking Billericay, +which was held by a portion of the reserves of our Vth Corps. By the +time this news was confirmed the Germans were assaulting Great Baddow, +and moving on Danbury from east, north, and west, at the same time +resuming the offensive all along the line. The troops at Danbury must be +withdrawn or they would be isolated. This difficult manoeuvre was +executed by way of West Hanningfield. The rest of the Vth Corps +conformed to the movement, the Guards Brigade at East Hanningfield +forming the rearguard, and fighting fiercely all night through with the +Saxon troops, who moved out on the left flank of our retreat. The wreck +of the first Corps and the Colchester garrison was now also in full +retirement. Ten miles lay between it and the lines at Brentwood, and had +the Germans been able to employ cavalry in pursuit, this retreat would +have been even more like a rout than it was. Luckily for us the +Billericay troops mauled the German cavalry pretty severely, and they +were beset in the close country in that neighbourhood by Volunteers, +motorists, and every one that the officer commanding at Brentwood could +get together in this emergency. + +"Some of them actually got upon our line of retreat, but were driven off +by our advance guard; others came across the head of the retiring Vth +Corps, but the terrain was all against cavalry, and after nightfall most +of them had lost their way in the maze of lanes and hedgerows that +covered the countryside. Had it not been for this we should probably +have been absolutely smashed. As it was, rather more than half our +original numbers of men and guns crawled into Brentwood in the early +morning, worn out and dead-beat." + +Reports from Sheffield also showed the position to be critical. + + + + +BOOK II. + +THE SIEGE OF LONDON. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +THE LINES OF LONDON. + + +The German successes were continued in the North and Midlands, and +notwithstanding the gallant defence of Sir George Woolmer before +Manchester and Sir Henry Hibbard before Birmingham, both cities were +captured and occupied by the enemy after terrible losses. London, +however, was the chief objective of Von Kronhelm, and towards the +Metropolis he now turned his attention. + +After the defeat of the British at Chelmsford on that fateful Wednesday, +Lord Byfield decided to evacuate his position at Royston and fall back +on the northern section of the London defence line, which had been under +construction for the last ten days. These hasty entrenchments, which +would have been impossible to construct but for the ready assistance of +thousands of all classes of the citizens of London and the suburbs, +extended from Tilbury on the east to Bushey on the west, passing by the +Laindon Hills, Brentwood, Kelvedon, North Weald, Epping, Waltham Abbey, +Cheshunt, Enfield Chase, Chipping Barnet, and Elstree. They were more or +less continuous, consisting for the most part of trenches for infantry, +generally following the lines of existing hedgerows or banks, which +often required but little improvement to transform them into +well-protected and formidable cover for the defending troops. Where it +was necessary to cross open ground they were dug deep and winding, after +the fashion adopted by the Boers in the South African War, so that it +would be difficult, if not impossible, to enfilade them. + +Special bomb-proof covers for the local reserves were also constructed +at various points, and the ground in front ruthlessly cleared of houses, +barns, trees, hedges, and everything that might afford shelter to an +advancing enemy. Every possible military obstacle was placed in front of +the lines that time permitted, abattis, military pits, wire +entanglements, and small ground mines. At the more important points +along the fifty miles of entrenchments, field works and redoubts for +infantry were built, most of them being armed with 4.7 or even 6 and 7.5 +in. guns, which had been brought from Woolwich, Chatham, Portsmouth, and +Devonport, and mounted on whatever carriages could be adapted or +improvised for the occasion. + +The preparation of the London lines was a stupendous undertaking, but +the growing scarceness and dearness of provisions assisted in a degree, +as no free rations were issued to any able-bodied man unless he went out +to work at the fortifications. All workers were placed under military +law. There were any number of willing workers who proffered their +services in this time of peril. Thousands of men came forward asking to +be enlisted and armed. The difficulty was to find enough weapons and +ammunition for them, to say nothing of the question of uniform and +equipment, which loomed very large indeed. The attitude of the Germans, +as set forth in Von Kronhelm's proclamations, precluded the employment +of fighting men dressed in civilian garb, and their attitude was a +perfectly natural and justifiable one by all the laws and customs of +war. + +It became necessary, therefore, that all men sent to the front should be +dressed as soldiers in some way or another. In addition to that splendid +corps, the Legion of Frontiersmen, many new armed organisations had +sprung into being, some bearing the most fantastic names, such as the +"Whitechapel War-to-the-Knives," the "Kensington Cowboys," the +"Bayswater Braves," and the "Southwark Scalphunters." All the available +khaki and blue serge was used up in no time; even though those who were +already in possession of ordinary lounge suits of the latter material +were encouraged to have them altered into uniforms by the addition of +stand-up collars and facings of various colours, according to their +regiments and corps. + +Only the time during which these men were waiting for their uniforms was +spent in drill in the open spaces of the Metropolis. As soon as they +were clothed, they were despatched to that portion of the entrenchments +to which their corps had been allocated, and there, in the intervals of +their clearing and digging operations, they were hustled through a brief +musketry course, which consisted for the most part in firing. The +question of the provision of officers and N.C.O.'s was an almost +insuperable one. Retired men came forward on every side, but the supply +was by no means equal to the demand, and they themselves in many +instances were absolutely out of date as far as knowledge of modern arms +and conditions were concerned. However, every one, with but very few +exceptions, did his utmost, and by the 11th or 12th of the month the +entrenchments were practically completed, and manned by upwards of +150,000 "men with muskets" of stout heart and full of patriotism, but in +reality nothing but an army _pour rire_ so far as efficiency was +concerned. + +The greater part of the guns were also placed in position, especially on +the north and eastern portions of the lines, and the remainder were +being mounted as fast as it was practicable. They were well manned by +Volunteer and Militia Artillerymen, drawn from every district which the +invaders had left accessible. By the 13th the eastern section of the +fortifications was strengthened by the arrival of the remnants of the +Ist and Vth Army Corps, which had been so badly defeated at Chelmsford, +and no time was lost in reorganising them and distributing them along +the lines, thereby, to a certain extent, leavening the unbaked mass of +their improvised defenders. It was generally expected that the enemy +would follow up the success by an immediate attack on Brentwood, the +main barrier between Von Kronhelm and his objective--our great +Metropolis. But, as it turned out, he had a totally different scheme in +hand. The orders to Lord Byfield to evacuate the position he had +maintained with such credit against the German Garde and IVth Corps have +already been referred to. Their reason was obvious. Now that there was +no organised resistance on his right, he stood in danger of being cut +off from London, the defences of which were now in pressing need of his +men. A large amount of rolling stock was at once despatched to Saffron +Walden and Buntingford by the G.E.R. and to Baldock by the G.N.R., to +facilitate the withdrawal of his troops and stores, and he was given an +absolutely free hand as to how these were to be used, all lines being +kept clear and additional trains kept at his disposal at their London +termini. + +[Illustration: +THE LINES OF LONDON +Rough sketch showing approximately the lines of entrenchments +constructed for the defence of the Metropolis.] + +September 13 proved a memorable date in the history of England. + +The evacuation of the Baldock-Saffron Walden position could not possibly +have been carried out in good order on such short notice, had not Lord +Byfield previously worked the whole thing out in readiness. He could not +help feeling that, despite his glorious victory on the ninth, a turn of +Fortune's wheel might necessitate a retirement on London sooner or +later, and, like the good General that he was, he made every preparation +both for this, and other eventualities. Among other details, he had +arranged that the mounted infantry should be provided with plenty of +strong light wire. This was intended for the express benefit of +Froelich's formidable cavalry brigade, which he foresaw would be most +dangerous to his command in the event of a retreat. As soon, therefore, +as the retrograde movement commenced, the mounted infantry began to +stretch their wires across every road, lane and byway leading to the +north and north-east. Some wires were laid low, within a foot of the +ground, others high up, where they could catch a rider about the neck or +breast. This operation they carried out again and again, after the +troops had passed, at various points on the route of the retreat. Thanks +to the darkness, this device well fulfilled its purpose. Froelich's +brigade was on the heels of the retreating British soon after midnight, +but as it was impossible for them to move over the enclosed country at +night, his riders were confined to the roads, and the accidents and +delays occasioned by the wires were so numerous and disconcerting that +their advance had to be conducted with such caution that as a pursuit it +was of no use at all. Even the infantry and heavy guns of the retiring +British got over the ground nearly twice as fast. After two or three +hours of this, only varied by occasional volleys from detachments of our +mounted infantry, who sometimes waited in rear of their snares to let +fly at the German cavalry before galloping back to lay others, the enemy +recognised the fact, and, withdrawing their cavalry till daylight, +replaced them by infantry, but so much time had been lost, that the +British had got several miles' start. + +As has been elsewhere chronicled, the brigade of four regular battalions +with their guns, and a company of Engineers which were to secure the +passage of the Stort and protect the left flank of the retirement, left +Saffron Walden somewhere about 10.30 p.m. The line was clear, and they +arrived at Sawbridgeworth in four long trains in a little under an hour. +Their advent did not arouse the sleeping village, as the station lies +nearly three-quarters of a mile distant on the further side of the +river. It may be noted in passing that while the Stort is but a small +stream, easily fordable in most places, yet it was important, if +possible, to secure the bridges to prevent delay in getting over the +heavy guns and waggons of the retiring British. A delay and congestion +at the points selected for passage might, with a close pursuit, easily +lead to disaster. Moreover, the Great Eastern Railway crossed the river +by a wooden bridge just north of the village of Sawbridgeworth, and it +was necessary to ensure the safe passage of the last trains over it +before destroying it to preclude the use of the railway by the enemy. + +There were two road bridges on the Great Eastern Railway near the +village of Sawbridgeworth, which might be required by the Dunmow force, +which was detailed to protect the same flank rather more to the +northward. The most important bridge, that over which the main body of +the Saffron Walden force was to retire, with all the impedimenta it had +had time to bring away with it, was between Sawbridgeworth and Harlow, +about a mile north of the latter village, but much nearer its station. +Thither, then, proceeded the leading train with the Grenadiers, four 4.7 +guns, and half a company of Royal Engineers with bridging materials. +Their task was to construct a second bridge to relieve the traffic over +the permanent one. The Grenadiers left one company at the railway +station, two in Harlow village, which they at once commenced to place in +a state of defence, much to the consternation of the villagers, who had +not realised how close to them were trending the red footsteps of war. +The remaining five companies with the other four guns turned northward, +and after marching another mile or so occupied the enclosures round +Durrington House and the higher ground to its north. Here the guns were +halted on the road. It was too dark to select the best position for +them, for it was now only about half an hour after midnight. The three +other regiments which detrained at Sawbridgeworth were disposed as +follows, continuing the line of the Grenadiers to the northward. The +Rifles occupied Hyde Hall, formerly the seat of the Earls of Roden, +covering the operations of the Engineers, who were preparing the railway +bridge for destruction, and the copses about Little Hyde Hall on the +higher ground to the eastward. + +The Scots Guards with four guns were between them and the Grenadiers, +and distributed between Sheering village and Gladwyns House, from the +neighbourhood of which it was expected that the guns would be able to +command the Chelmsford Road for a considerable distance. The Seaforth +Highlanders for the time being were stationed on a road running parallel +to the railway, from which branch roads led to both the right, left, and +centre of the position. An advanced party of the Rifle Brigade was +pushed forward to Hatfield Heath with instructions to patrol towards the +front and flanks, and, if possible, establish communication with the +troops expected from Dunmow. By the time all this was completed it was +getting on for 3 a.m. on the 13th. At this hour the advanced guard of +the Germans coming from Chelmsford was midway between Leaden Roding and +White Roding, while the main body was crossing the small River Roding by +the shallow ford near the latter village. Their few cavalry scouts were, +however, exploring the roads and lanes some little way ahead. A +collision was imminent. The Dunmow force had not been able to move +before midnight, and, with the exception of one regular battalion, the +1st Leinsters, which was left behind to the last and crowded into the +only train available, had only just arrived at the northern edge of +Hatfield Forest, some four miles directly north of Hatfield Heath. The +Leinsters, who left Dunmow by train half an hour later, had detrained at +this point at one o'clock, and just about three had met the patrols of +the Rifles. A Yeomanry corps from Dunmow was also not far off, as it +turned to its left at the cross-roads east of Takely, and was by this +time in the neighbourhood of Hatfield Broad Oak. In short, all three +forces were converging, but the bulk of the Dunmow force was four miles +away from the point of convergence. + +It was still profoundly dark when the Rifles at Hatfield Heath heard a +dozen shots cracking through the darkness to their left front. Almost +immediately other reports resounded from due east. Nothing could be seen +beyond a very few yards, and the men of the advanced company drawn up at +the cross-roads in front of the village inn fancied they now and again +saw figures dodging about in obscurity, but were cautioned not to fire +till their patrols had come in, for it was impossible to distinguish +friend from foe. Shots still rattled out here and there to the front. +About ten minutes later the captain in command, having got in his +patrols, gave the order to fire at a black blur that seemed to be moving +towards them on the Chelmsford Road. There was no mistake this time. The +momentary glare of the discharge flashed on the shiny "pickel-haubes" of +a detachment of German infantry, who charged forward with a loud "Hoch!" +The Riflemen, who already had their bayonets fixed, rushed to meet them, +and for a few moments there was a fierce stabbing affray in the +blackness of the night. The Germans, who were but few in number, were +overpowered, and beat a retreat, having lost several of their men. The +Rifles, according to their orders, having made sure of the immediate +proximity of the enemy, now fell back to the rest of their battalion at +Little Hyde Hall, and all along the banks and hedges which covered the +British front, our men, rifle in hand, peered eagerly into the darkness +ahead of them. + +Nothing happened for quite half an hour, and the anxious watchers were +losing some of their alertness, when a heavy outburst of firing +re-echoed from Hatfield Heath. To explain this we must return to the +Germans. Von der Rudesheim, on obtaining touch with the British, at once +reinforced his advanced troops, and they, a whole battalion strong, +advanced into the hamlet meeting with no resistance. Almost +simultaneously two companies of the Leinsters entered it from the +northward. There was a sudden and unexpected collision on the open +green, and a terrible fire was exchanged at close quarters, both sides +losing very heavily. The British, however, were borne back by sheer +weight of numbers, and, through one of those unfortunate mistakes that +insist on occurring in warfare, were charged as they fell back by the +leading squadrons of the Yeomanry who were coming up from Hatfield Broad +Oak. The officer commanding the Leinsters decided to wait till it was a +little lighter before again attacking the village. He considered that, +as he had no idea of the strength of the enemy, he had best wait till +the arrival of the troops now marching through Hatfield Forest. Von der +Rudesheim, on his part, mindful of his instructions, determined to try +to hold the few scattered houses on the north side of the heath which +constituted the village, with the battalion already in it, and push +forward with the remainder of his force towards Harlow. His first essay +along the direct road _via_ Sheering was repulsed by the fire of the +Scots Guards lining the copses about Gladwyns. He now began to have some +idea of the British position, and made his preparations to assault it at +daybreak. + +To this end he sent forward two of his batteries into Hatfield Heath, +cautiously moved the rest of his force away to the left, arranged his +battalions in the valley of the Pincey Brook ready for attacking +Sheering and Gladwyns, placed one battalion in reserve at Down Hall, and +stationed his remaining battery near Newman's End. By this time there +was beginning to be a faint glimmer of daylight in the east, and, as the +growing dawn began to render vague outlines of the nearer objects dimly +discernible, hell broke loose along the peaceful countryside. A star +shell fired from the battery at Newman's End burst and hung out a +brilliant white blaze that fell slowly over Sheering village, lighting +up its walls and roofs and the hedges along which lay its defenders, +was the signal for the Devil's Dance to begin. Twelve guns opened with a +crash from Hatfield Heath, raking the Gladwyns enclosures and the end of +Sheering village with a deluge of shrapnel, whilst an almost solid +firing line advanced rapidly against it, firing heavily. + +[Illustration: +BATTLE OF HARLOW +1^{ST} PHASE +about 5 a m Sept 13^{th}] + +The British replied lustily with gun, rifle, and maxim, the big +high-explosive shells bursting amid the advancing Germans and among the +houses of Hatfield Heath with telling effect. But the German assaulting +lines had but six or seven hundred yards to go. They had been trained +above all things to ignore losses and to push on at all hazards. The +necessity for this had not been confused in their minds by maxims about +the importance of cover, so the south side of the village street was +taken at a rush. Von der Rudesheim continued to pile on his men, and, +fighting desperately, the Guardsmen were driven from house to house and +from fence to fence. All this time the German battery at Newman's End +continued to fire star shells with rhythmical regularity, lighting up +the inflamed countenances of the living combatants, and the pale +up-turned faces of the dead turned to heaven as if calling for vengeance +on their slayers. In the midst of this desperate fighting the Leinsters, +supported by a Volunteer and a Militia regiment, which had just come up, +assaulted Hatfield Heath. The Germans were driven out of it with the +loss of a couple of their guns, but hung on to the little church, around +which such a desperate conflict was waged that the dead above ground in +that diminutive God's acre outnumbered the "rude forefathers of the +hamlet" who slept below. + +It was now past five o'clock in the morning, and by this time strong +reinforcements might have been expected from Dunmow, but, with the +exception of the Militia and Volunteer battalions just referred to, who +had pushed on at the sound of the firing, none were seen coming up. The +fact was that they had been told off to certain positions in the line of +defence they had been ordered to take up, and had been slowly and +carefully installing themselves therein. Their commanding officer, Sir +Jacob Stellenbosch, thought that he must carry out the exact letter of +the orders he had received from Lord Byfield, and paid little attention +to the firing except to hustle his battalion commanders, to try to get +them into their places as soon as possible. He was a pig-headed man into +the bargain, and would listen to no remonstrance. The two battalions +which had arrived so opportunely had been at the head of the column, and +had pushed forward "on their own" before he could prevent them. At this +time the position was as follows: One German battalion was hanging +obstinately on to the outskirts of Hatfield Heath; two were in +possession of the copses about Gladwyns; two were in Sheering village, +or close up to it, and the sixth was still in reserve at Down Hall. On +the British side the Rifles were in their original position at Little +Hyde Hall where also were three guns, which had been got away from +Gladwyns. The Seaforths had come up, and were now firing from about +Quickbury, while the Scots Guards, after suffering fearful losses, were +scattered, some with the Highlanders, others with the five companies of +the Grenadiers, who with their four guns still fought gallantly on +between Sheering and Durrington House. + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +REPULSE OF THE GERMANS. + + +The terrible fire of the swarms of Germans who now lined the edges of +Sheering village became too much for the four 4.7 guns on the open +ground to the south. + +Their gunners were shot down as fast as they touched their weapons, and +when the German field battery at Newman's End, which had been advanced +several hundred yards, suddenly opened a flanking fire of shrapnel upon +them, it was found absolutely impossible to serve them. A gallant +attempt was made to withdraw them by the Harlow Road, but their teams +were shot down as soon as they appeared. This enfilade fire, too, +decimated the Grenadiers and the remnant of the Scots, though they +fought on to the death, and a converging attack of a battalion from Down +Hall and another from Sheering drove them down into the grounds of +Durrington House, where fighting still went on savagely for some time +afterwards. + +Von der Rudesheim had all but attained a portion of his object, which +was to establish his guns in such a position that they could fire on the +main body of the British troops when they entered Sawbridgeworth by the +Cambridge Road. The place where the four guns with the Grenadiers had +been stationed was within 3,000 yards of any part of that road between +Harlow and Sawbridgeworth. But this spot was still exposed to the rifle +fire of the Seaforths who held Quickbury. Von der Rudesheim therefore +determined to swing forward his left, and either drive them back down +the hill towards the river, or at least to so occupy them that he could +bring up his field-guns to their chosen position without losing too many +of his gunners. + +By six o'clock, thanks to his enormous local superiority in numbers, he +had contrived to do this, and now the opposing forces with the exception +of the British Grenadiers, who still fought with a German battalion +between Durrington House and Harlow, faced each other north and south, +instead of east and west, as they were at the beginning of the fight. +Brigadier-General Lane-Edgeworth, who was in command of the British, had +been sending urgent messages for reinforcements to the Dunmow Force, but +when its commanding officer finally decided to turn his full strength in +the direction of the firing, it took so long to assemble and form up the +Volunteer regiments who composed the bulk of his command, that it was +past seven before the leading battalion had deployed to assist in the +attack which it was decided to make against the German right. Meantime, +other important events had transpired. + +Von der Rudesheim had found that the battalion which was engaged with +the Grenadiers could not get near Harlow village, or either the river or +railway bridge at that place, both of which he wished to destroy. But +his scouts had reported a lock and wooden footbridge immediately to the +westward between Harlow and Sawbridgeworth, just abreast of the large +wooded park surrounding Pishobury House on the farther side. He +determined to send two companies over by this, their movements being +hidden from the English by the trees. After crossing, they found +themselves confronted by a backwater, but, trained in crossing rivers, +they managed to ford and swim over, and advanced through the park +towards Harlow Bridge. While this was in progress, a large force was +reported marching south on the Cambridge Road. + +While Von der Rudesheim, who was at the western end of Sheering hamlet, +was looking through his glasses at the new arrivals on the scene of +action--who were without doubt the main body of the Royston command, +which was retiring under the personal supervision of Lord Byfield--a +puff of white smoke rose above the trees about Hyde Hall, and at top +speed four heavily loaded trains shot into sight going south. These were +the same ones that had brought down the Regular British troops, with +whom he was now engaged. They had gone north again, and picked up a +number of Volunteer battalions belonging to the retreating force just +beyond Bishop's Stortford. But so long a time had been taken in +entraining the troops in the darkness and confusion of the retreat, that +their comrades who had kept to the road, arrived almost simultaneously. +Von der Rudesheim signalled, and sent urgent orders for his guns to be +brought up to open fire on them, but by the time the first team had +reached him the last of the trains had disappeared from sight into the +cutting at Harlow Station. But even now it was not too late to open fire +on the troops entering Sawbridgeworth. + +Things were beginning to look somewhat bad for Von der Rudesheim's +little force. The pressure from the north was increasing every moment, +his attack on the retreating troops had failed, he had not so far been +able to destroy the bridges at Harlow, and every minute the likelihood +of his being able to do so grew more remote. To crown all, word was +brought him that the trains which had just slipped by were disgorging +men in hundreds along the railway west of Harlow Station, and that these +troops were beginning to move forward as if to support the British +Grenadiers, who had been driven back towards Harlow. In fact, he saw +that there was even a possibility of his being surrounded. But he had no +intention of discontinuing the fight. He knew he could rely on the +discipline and mobility of his well-trained men under almost any +conditions, and he trusted, moreover, that the promised reinforcements +would not be very long in turning up. But he could not hold on just +where he was. He accordingly, by various adroit manoeuvres, threw back +his right to Down Hall, whose copses and plantations afforded a good +deal of cover, and, using this as a pivot, gradually wheeled back his +left till he had taken up a position running north and south from Down +Hall to Matching Tye. He had not effected this difficult manoeuvre +without considerable loss, but he experienced less difficulty in +extricating his left than he had anticipated, since the newly arrived +British troops at Harlow, instead of pressing forward against him, had +been engaged in moving into a position between Harlow and the hamlet of +Foster Street, on the somewhat elevated ground to the south of Matching, +which would enable them to cover the further march of the main body of +the retreating troops to Epping. + +But he had totally lost the two companies he had sent across the river +to attack Harlow Bridge. Unfortunately for them, their arrival on the +Harlow-Sawbridgeworth Road synchronised with that of the advanced guard +of Lord Byfield's command. Some hot skirmishing took place in and out +among the trees of Pishobury, and finally the Germans were driven to +earth in the big square block of the red-brick mansion itself. + +Here they made a desperate stand, fighting hard as they were driven from +one storey to another. The staircases ran with blood, the woodwork +smouldered and threatened to burst into flame in a dozen places. At +length the arrival of a battery of field guns, which unlimbered at close +range, induced the survivors to surrender, and they were disarmed and +carried off as prisoners with the retreating army. + + * * * * * + +By the time Von der Rudesheim had succeeded in taking up his new +position it was past ten o'clock, and he had been informed by despatches +carried by motor-cyclists that he might expect assistance in another +hour and a half. + +The right column, consisting of the 39th Infantry Brigade of five +battalions, six batteries, and a squadron of Dragoons, came into +collision with the left flank of the Dunmow force, which was engaged in +attacking Von der Rudesheim's right at Down Hall, and endeavouring to +surround it. Sir Jacob Stellenbosch, who was in command, in vain tried +to change front to meet the advancing enemy. His troops were nearly all +Volunteers, who were incapable of quickly manoeuvring under difficult +circumstances; they were crumpled up and driven back in confusion +towards Hatfield Heath. Had Von Kronhelm been able to get in the bulk of +his cavalry from their luckless pursuit of the Ist and Vth British Army +Corps, who had been driven back on Brentwood the evening previous, and +so send a proportion with the 20th Division, few would have escaped to +tell the tale. As it was, the unfortunate volunteers were shot down in +scores by the "feu d'enfer" with which the artillery followed them up, +and lay in twos and threes and larger groups all over the fields, +victims of a selfish nation that accepted these poor fellows' gratuitous +services merely in order that its citizens should not be obliged to +carry out what in every other European country was regarded as the first +duty of citizenship--that of learning to bear arms in the defence of the +Fatherland. + +By this time the greater portion of the retreating British Army, with +all its baggage, guns and impedimenta, was crawling slowly along the +road from Harlow to Epping. Unaccustomed as they were to marching, the +poor Volunteers who had already covered eighteen or twenty miles of +road, were now toiling slowly and painfully along the highway. The +regular troops, who had been engaged since early morning, and who were +now mostly in the neighbourhood of Moor Hall, east of Harlow, firing at +long ranges on Von der Rudesheim's men to keep them in their places +while Sir Jacob Stellenbosch attacked their right, were now hurriedly +withdrawn and started to march south by a track running parallel to the +main Epping Road, between it and that along which the covering force of +Volunteers, who had come in by train, were now established in position. +The 1st and 2nd Coldstreamers, who had formed Lord Byfield's rearguard +during the night, were halted in Harlow village. + +Immediately upon the success obtained by his right column, General +Richel von Sieberg, who commanded the 20th Hanoverian Division, ordered +his two centre and left columns, consisting respectively of the three +battalions 77th Infantry and two batteries of Horse Artillery, then at +Matching Green, and the three battalions 92nd Infantry, 10th Pioneer +Battalion, and five batteries Field Artillery, then between High Laver +and Tilegate Green, to turn to their left and advance in fighting +formation in a south-westerly direction, with the object of attacking +the sorely-harassed troops of Lord Byfield on their way to Epping. + + * * * * * + +The final phase of this memorable retreat is best told in the words of +the special war correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph," who arrived on +the scene at about one o'clock in the afternoon: + + "EPPING, 5 P.M., _September 9_. + +"Thanks to the secrecy preserved by the military authorities, it was not +known that Lord Byfield was falling back from the Royston-Saffron Walden +position till seven this morning. By eight, I was off in my car for the +scene of action, for rumours of fighting near Harlow had already begun +to come in. I started out by way of Tottenham and Edmonton, expecting to +reach Harlow by 9.30 or 10. But I reckoned without the numerous military +officials with whom I came in contact, who constantly stopped me and +sent me out of my way on one pretext or another. I am sure I hope that +the nation has benefited by their proceedings. In the end it was close +on one before I pulled up at the Cock Inn, Epping, in search of +additional information, because for some time I had been aware of the +rumbling growl of heavy artillery from the eastward, and wondered what +it might portend. I found that General Sir Stapleton Forsyth, who +commanded the Northern section of the defences, had made the inn his +headquarters, and there was a constant coming and going of orderlies and +staff-officers at its portals. Opposite, the men of one of the new +irregular corps, dressed in dark green corduroy, blue flannel cricketing +caps, and red cummerbunds, sat or reclined in two long lines on either +side of their piled arms on the left of the wide street. On inquiry I +heard that the enemy were said to be bombarding Kelvedon Hatch, and also +that the head of our retreating columns was only three or four miles +distant. + +"I pushed on, and, after the usual interrogations from an officer in +charge of a picket, where the road ran through the entrenchments about a +mile farther on, found myself spinning along through the country in the +direction of Harlow. As I began to ascend the rising ground towards +Potter Street I could hear a continuous roll of artillery away to my +right. I could not distinguish anything except the smoke of shells +bursting here and there in the distance, on account of the scattered +trees which lined the maze of hedgerows on every side. Close to Potter +Street I met the head of the retreating army. Very tired, heated and +footsore looked the hundreds of poor fellows as they dragged themselves +along through the heat. It was a sultry afternoon, and the roads inches +deep in dust. + +"Turning to the right of Harlow Common, I met another column of men. I +noticed that these were all Regulars, Grenadiers, Scots Guards, a +battalion of Highlanders, another of Riflemen, and, lastly, two +battalions of the Coldstreamers. These troops stepped along with rather +more life than the citizen soldiers I had met previously, but still +showed traces of their hard marching and fighting. Many of them were +wearing bandages, but all the more seriously wounded had been left +behind to be looked after by the Germans. All this time the firing was +still resounding heavy and constant from the north-east, and from one +person and another whom I questioned I ascertained that the enemy were +advancing upon us from that direction. Half a mile farther on I ran into +the middle of the fighting. The road ran along the top of a kind of flat +ridge or upland, whence I could see to a considerable distance on either +hand. + +"Partially sheltered from the view by its hedges and the scattered +cottages forming the hamlet of Foster Street was a long, irregular line +of guns facing nearly east. Beyond them were yet others directed north. +There were field batteries and big 4.7's. All were hard at work, their +gunners working like men possessed, and the crash of their constant +discharge was ear-splitting. I had hardly taken this in when 'Bang! +Bang! Bang! Bang!'--four dazzling flashes opened in the air overhead, +and shrapnel bullets rattled on earth, walls, and roofs with a sound as +of handfuls of pebbles thrown on a marble pavement. But the hardness +with which they struck was beyond anything in my experience. + +"It was not pleasant to be here, but I ran my car behind a little +public-house that stood by the wayside, and, dismounting, unslung my +glasses and determined to get what view of the proceedings I could from +the corner of the house. All around khaki-clad Volunteers lined every +hedge and sheltered behind every cottage, while farther off, in the +lower ground, from a mile to a mile and a half away I could distinguish +the closely-packed firing lines of the Germans advancing slowly but +steadily, despite the gaps made in their ranks by the fire of our guns. +Their own guns, I fancied, I could make out near Tilegate Green to the +north-east. Neither side had as yet opened rifle fire. Getting into my +car I motored back to the main road, but it was so blocked by the +procession of waggons and troops of the retreating army that I could not +turn into it. Wheeling round I made my way back to a parallel lane I had +noticed, and turning to the left again at a smithy, found myself in a +road bordered by cottages and enclosures. Here I found the Regular +troops I had lately met lining every hedgerow and fence, while I could +see others on a knoll further to their left. There was a little church +here, and, mounting to the roof, I got a comparatively extensive view. +To my right the long dusty column of men and waggons still toiled along +the Epping Road. In front, nearly three miles off, an apparently solid +line of woods stretched along the horizon, surmounting a long, gradual +and open slope. This was the position of our lines near Epping, and the +haven for which Lord Byfield's tired soldiery were making. To the left +the serried masses of drab-clad German infantry still pushed +aggressively forward, their guns firing heavily over their heads. + +[Illustration: +BATTLE OF HARLOW +FINAL PHASE] + +"As I watched them three tremendous explosions took place in their +midst, killing dozens of them. Fire, smoke, and dust rose up twenty feet +in the air, while three ear-splitting reports rose even above the +rolling thunder of the gunfire. More followed. I looked again towards +the woodland. Here I saw blaze after blaze of fire among the dark masses +of trees. Our big guns in the fortifications had got to work, and were +punishing the Germans most severely, taking their attack in flank with +the big 6-inch and 7.5-inch projectiles. Cheers arose all along our +lines, as shell after shell, fired by gunners who knew to an inch the +distances to every house and conspicuous tree, burst among the German +ranks, killing and maiming the invaders by hundreds. The advance paused, +faltered and, being hurriedly reinforced from the rear, once more went +forward. + +"But the big high explosive projectiles continued to fall with such +accuracy and persistence that the attackers fell sullenly back, losing +heavily as they did so. The enemy's artillery now came in for attention, +and also was driven out of range with loss. The last stage in the +retreat of Lord Byfield's command was now secured. The extended troops +and guns gradually drew off from their positions, still keeping a +watchful eye on the foe, and by 4.30 all were within the Epping +entrenchments. All, that is to say, but the numerous killed and wounded +during the running fight that had extended along the last seven or eight +miles of the retreat, and the bulk of the Dunmow force under Sir Jacob +Stellenbosch, which with its commander, had, it was believed, been made +prisoners. They had been caught between the 39th German Infantry Brigade +and several regiments of cavalry, that it was said had arrived from the +northward soon after they were beaten at Hatfield Heath. Probably these +were the advanced troops of General Froelich's Cavalry Brigade." + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +BATTLE OF EPPING. + + +The following is extracted from the "Times" of 15th September: + + "EPPING, _14th September_, _Evening_. + +"I have spent a busy day, but have no very important news to record. +After the repulse of the German troops attacking Lord Byfield's +retreating army and the arrival of our sorely harassed troops behind the +Epping entrenchments, we saw no more of the enemy that evening. All +through the night, however, there was the sound of occasional heavy gun +firing from the eastward. I have taken up my quarters at the Bell, an +inn at the south end of the village, from the back of which I can get a +good view to the north-west for from two to four miles. Beyond that +distance the high ridge known as Epping Upland limits the prospect. The +whole terrain is cut up into fields of various sizes and dotted all over +with trees. Close by is a lofty red brick water-tower, which has been +utilised by Sir Stapleton Forsyth as a signal station. Away about a mile +to my left front as I look from the back of the Bell a big block of +buildings stands prominently out on a grassy spur of high ground. This +is Copped Hall and Little Copped Hall. + +"Both mansions have been transformed into fortresses, which, while +offering little or no resistance to artillery fire, will yet form a +tough nut for the Germans to crack, should they succeed in getting +through our entrenchments at that point. Beyond, I can just see a corner +of a big earthwork that has been built to strengthen the defence line, +and which has been christened Fort Obelisk from a farm of that name, +near which it is situated. There is another smaller redoubt on the slope +just below this hostelry, and I can see the gunners busy about the three +big khaki-painted guns which are mounted in it. There are a 6-inch and +two 4.7-inch guns I believe. This morning our cavalry, consisting of a +regiment of yeomanry and some mounted infantry, who had formed a portion +of Lord Byfield's force, went out to reconnoitre towards the north and +east. They were not away long, as they were driven back in every +direction in which they attempted to advance, by superior forces of the +enemy's cavalry, who seemed to swarm everywhere. + +"Later on, I believe, some of the German reiters became so venturesome +that several squadrons exposed themselves to the fire of the big guns in +the fort at Skip's Corner, and suffered pretty severely for their +temerity. The firing continued throughout the morning away to eastward. +At noon I thought I would run down and see if I could find anything out +about it. I therefore mounted my car and ran off in that direction. I +found that there was a regular duel going on between our guns at +Kelvedon Hatch and some heavy siege guns or howitzers that the enemy had +got in the neighbourhood of the high ground about Norton Heath, only +about 3,000 yards distant from our entrenchments. They did not appear to +have done us much damage, but neither, in all probability, did we hurt +them very much, since our gunners were unable to exactly locate the +hostile guns. + +"When I got back to Epping, about three o'clock, I found the wide single +street full of troops. They were those who had come in the previous +afternoon with Lord Byfield, and who, having been allowed to rest till +midday after their long fighting march, were now being told off to their +various sections of the defence line. The Guard regiments were allocated +to the northernmost position between Fort Royston and Fort Skips. The +rifles were to go to Copped Hall, and the Seaforths to form the nucleus +of a central reserve of Militia and Volunteers, which was being +established just north of Gaynes Park. Epping itself and the contiguous +entrenchments were confided to the Leinster Regiment, which alone of Sir +Jacob Stellenbosch's brigade had escaped capture, supported by two +Militia battalions. The field batteries were distributed under shelter +of the woods on the south, east, and north-east of the town. + +"During the afternoon the welcome news arrived that the remainder of +Lord Byfield's command from Baldock, Royston, and Elmdon had safely +arrived within our entrenchments at Enfield and New Barnet. We may now +hope that what with Regulars, Militia, Volunteers, and the new levies, +our lines are fully and effectively manned, and will suffice to stay the +further advance of even such a formidable host as is that at the +disposal of the renowned Von Kronhelm. It is reported too, from +Brentwood, that great progress has already been made in reorganising and +distributing the broken remnants of the 1st and 5th Armies that got back +to that town after the great and disastrous battle of Chelmsford. +Victorious as they were, the Germans must also have suffered severely, +which may give us some breathing time before their next onslaught." + + * * * * * + +The following are extracts from the diary picked up by a "Daily +Telegraph" correspondent, lying near the body of a German officer after +the fighting in the neighbourhood of Enfield Chase. It is presumed that +the officer in question was Major Splittberger, of the Kaiser Franz +Garde Grenadier Regiment, since that was the name written inside the +cover of the diary. + +From enquiries that have since been instituted, it is probable that the +deceased officer was employed on the staff of the General commanding the +IVth Corps of the invading Army, though it would seem from the contents +of his diary that he saw also a good deal of the operations of the Xth +Corps. Our readers will be able to gather from it the general course of +the enemy's strategy and tactics during the time immediately preceding +the most recent disasters which have befallen our brave defenders. The +first extract is dated September 15, and was written somewhere north of +Epping: + +"_Sept. 15._--So far the bold strategy of our Commander-in-Chief, in +pushing the greater part of the Xth Corps directly to the west +immediately after our victory at Chelmsford, has been amply justified by +results. Although we just missed cutting off Lord Byfield and a large +portion of his command at Harlow, we gained a good foothold inside the +British defences north of Epping, and I don't think it will be long +before we have very much improved our position here. The IVth Corps +arrived at Harlow about midday yesterday in splendid condition, after +their long march from Newmarket, and the residue of the Xth joined us at +about the same time. As there is nothing like keeping the enemy on the +move, no time was lost in preparing to attack him at the very earliest +opportunity. As soon as it was dark the IVth Corps got its heavy guns +and howitzers into position along the ridge above Epping Upland, and +sent the greater portion of its field batteries forward to a position +from which they were within effective range of the British +fortifications at Skip's Corner. + +"The IXth Corps, which had arrived from Chelmsford that evening, also +placed its field artillery in a similar position, from which its fire +crossed that of the IVth Corps. This Corps also provided the assaulting +troops. The Xth Corps, which had been engaged all day on Thursday, was +held in reserve. The howitzers on Epping Upland opened fire with petrol +shell on the belt of woods that lies immediately in rear of the position +to be attacked, and with the assistance of a strong westerly wind +succeeded in setting them on fire and cutting off the most northerly +section of the British defences from reinforcement. This was soon after +midnight. The conflagration not only did us this service, but it is +supposed so attracted the attention of the partially-trained soldiers of +the enemy that they did not observe the IXth Corps massing for the +assault. + +"We then plastered their trenches with shrapnel to such an extent that +they did not dare to show a finger above them, and finally carried the +northern corner by assault. To give the enemy their due, they fought +well, but we outnumbered them five to one, and it was impossible for +them to resist the onslaught of our well-trained soldiers. News came +to-day that the Saxons have been making a demonstration before Brentwood +with a view of keeping the British employed down there so that they +cannot send any reinforcements up here. At the same time they have been +steadily bombarding Kelvedon Hatch from Norton Heath. + +"We hear, too, that the Garde Corps have got down south, and that their +front stretches from Broxbourne to Little Berkhamsted, while Froelich's +Cavalry Division is in front of them, spread all over the country, from +the River Lea away to the westward, having driven the whole of the +British outlying troops and patrols under the shelter of their +entrenchments. Once we succeed in rolling up the enemy's troops in this +quarter, it will not be long before we are entering London." + +"_Sept. 16._--Fighting went on all yesterday in the neighbourhood of +Skip's Corner. We have taken the redoubt at North Weald Basset and +driven the English back into the belt of burnt woodland, which they now +hold along its northern edge. All day long, too, our big guns, hidden +away behind the groves and woods above Epping Upland, poured their heavy +projectiles on Epping and its defences. We set the village on fire three +times, but the British contrived to extinguish the blaze on each +occasion. + +"I fancy Epping itself will be our next point of attack." + +"_Sept. 17._--We are still progressing, fighting is now all but +continuous. How long it may last I have no idea. Probably there will be +no suspension of the struggle until we are actually masters of the +Metropolis. We took advantage of the darkness to push forward our men to +within three thousand yards of the enemy's line, placing them as far as +possible under cover of the numerous copses, plantations, and hedgerows +which cover the face of this fertile country. At 4 a.m. the General +ordered his staff to assemble at Latton Park, where he had established +his headquarters. He unfolded to us the general outline of the attack, +which, he now announced, was to commence at six precisely. + +"I thought myself that it was a somewhat inopportune time, as we should +have the rising sun right in our eyes; but I imagine that the idea was +to have as much daylight as possible before us. For although we had +employed a night attack against Skip's Corner, and successfully too, yet +the general feeling in our Army has always been opposed to operations of +this kind. The possible gain is, I think, in no way commensurable with +the probable risks of panic and disorder. The principal objective was +the village of Epping itself; but simultaneous attacks were to be +carried out against Copped Hall, Fort Obelisk, to the west of it, and +Fort Royston, about a mile north of the village. The IXth Corps was to +co-operate by a determined attempt to break through the English lining +the burnt strip of woodland and to assault the latter fort in rear. It +was necessary to carry out both these flanking attacks in order to +prevent the main attack from being enfiladed from right and left. At +5.30 we mounted, and rode off to Rye Hill about a couple of miles +distant, from which the General intended to watch the progress of the +operations. The first rays of the rising sun were filling the eastern +sky with a pale light as we cantered off, the long wooded ridge on which +the enemy had his position standing up in a misty silhouette against the +growing day. + +[Illustration: +GERMAN ATTACK ON +THE LINES OF LONDON] + +"As we topped Rye Hill I could see the thickly-massed lines of our +infantry crouching behind every hedge, bank, or ridge, their +rifle-barrels here and there twinkling in the feeble rays of the early +sun, their shadows long and attenuated behind them. Epping with its +lofty red water-tower was distinctly visible on the opposite side of the +valley, and it is probable that the movement of the General's cavalcade +of officers, with the escort, attracted the attention of the enemy's +lookouts, for half-way down the hillside on their side of the valley a +blinding violet-white flash blazed out, and a big shell came screaming +along just over our heads, the loud boom of a heavy gun following fast +on its heels. Almost simultaneously another big projectile hurtled up +from the direction of Fort Obelisk, and burst among our escort of Uhlans +with a deluge of livid flame and thick volumes of greenish brown smoke. +It was a telling shot, for no fewer than six horses and their riders +lay in a shattered heap on the ground. + +"At six precisely our guns fired a salvo directed on Epping village. +This was the preconcerted signal for attack, and before the echoes of +the thunderous discharge had finished reverberating over the hills and +forest, our front lines had sprung to their feet and were moving at a +racing pace towards the enemy. For a moment the British seemed stupefied +by the suddenness of the advance. A few rifle shots crackled out here +and there, but our men had thrown themselves to the ground after their +first rush before the enemy seemed to wake up. But there was no mistake +about it when they did. Seldom have I seen such a concentrated fire. +Gun, pom-pom, machine gun, and rifle blazed out from right to left along +more than three miles of entrenchments. A continuous lightning-like line +of fire poured forth from the British trenches, which still lay in +shadow. I could see the bullets raising perfect sand-storms in places, +the little pom-pom shells sparkling about all over our prostrate men, +and the shrapnel bursting all along their front, producing perfect +swathes of white smoke, which hung low down in the still air in the +valley. + +"But our artillery was not idle. The field guns, pushed well forward, +showered shrapnel upon the British position, the howitzer shells hurtled +over our heads on their way to the enemy in constantly increasing +numbers as the ranges were verified by the trial shots, while a terrible +and unceasing reverberation from the north-east told of the supporting +attack made by the IXth and Xth Corps upon the blackened woods held by +the English. The concussion of the terrific cannonade that now resounded +from every quarter was deafening; the air seemed to pulse within one's +ears, and it was difficult to hear one's nearest neighbour speak. Down +in the valley our men appeared to be suffering severely. Every forward +move of the attacking lines left a perfect litter of prostrate forms +behind it, and for some time I felt very doubtful in my own mind if the +attack would succeed. Glancing to the right, however, I was encouraged +to see the progress that had been made by the troops detailed for the +assault on Copped Hall and Obelisk Fort, and seeing this, it occurred to +me that it was not intended to push the central attack on Epping home +before its flank had been secured from molestation from this direction. +Copped Hall itself stood out on a bare down almost like some mediaeval +castle, backed by the dark masses of forest, while to the west of it the +slopes of Fort Obelisk could barely be distinguished, so flat were they +and so well screened by greenery. + +"But its position was clearly defined by the clouds of dust, smoke, and +debris constantly thrown up by our heavy high-explosive shells, while +ever and anon there came a dazzling flash from it, followed by a +detonation that made itself heard even above the rolling of the +cannonade, as one of its big 7.5 guns was discharged. The roar of their +huge projectiles, too, as they tore through the air, was easily +distinguishable. None of our epaulments were proof against them, and +they did our heavy batteries a great deal of damage before they could be +silenced. + +"To cut a long story short, we captured Epping after a tough fight, and +by noon were in possession of everything north of the Forest, including +the war-scarred ruins that now represented the mansion of Copped Hall, +and from which our pom-poms and machine guns were firing into Fort +Obelisk. But our losses had been awful. As for the enemy, they could +hardly have suffered less severely, for though partially protected by +their entrenchments, our artillery fire must have been utterly +annihilating." + +"_Sept. 18._--Fighting went on all last night, the English holding +desperately on to the edge of the Forest, our people pressing them +close, and working round their right flank. When day broke the general +situation was pretty much like this. On our left the IXth Corps were in +possession of the Fort at Toothill, and a redoubt that lay between it +and Skip's Fort. Two batteries were bombarding a redoubt lower down in +the direction of Stanford Rivers, which was also subjected to a cross +fire from their howitzers near Ongar. + +"As for the English, their position was an unenviable one. From Copped +Hall--as soon as we have cleared the edge of the Forest of the enemy's +sharpshooters--we shall be able to take their entrenchments in reverse +all the way to Waltham Abbey. They have, on the other hand, an outlying +fort about a mile or two north of the latter place, which gave us some +trouble with its heavy guns yesterday, and which it is most important +that we should gain possession of before we advance further. The Garde +Corps on the western side of the River Lea is now, I hear, in sight of +the enemy's lines, and is keeping them busily employed, though without +pushing its attack home for the present. + +"At daybreak this morning I was in Epping and saw the beginning of the +attack on the Forest. It is rumoured that large reinforcements have +reached the enemy from London, but as these must be merely scratch +soldiers they will do them more harm than good in their cramped +position. The Xth Corps had got a dozen batteries in position a little +to the eastward of the village, and at six o'clock these guns opened a +tremendous fire upon the north-east corner of the Forest, under cover of +which their infantry deployed down in the low ground about Coopersale, +and advanced to the attack. Petrol shells were not used against the +Forest, as Von Kronhelm had given orders that it was not to be burned if +it could possibly be avoided. The shrapnel was very successful in +keeping down the fire from the edge of the trees, but our troops +received a good deal of damage from infantry and guns that were posted +to the east of the Forest on a hill near Theydon Bois. But about seven +o'clock these troops were driven from their position by a sudden flank +attack made by the IXth Corps from Theydon Mount. Von Kleppen followed +this up by putting some of his own guns up there, which were able to +fire on the edge of the Forest after those of the Xth Corps had been +masked by the close advance of their infantry. To make a long story +short, by ten the whole of the Forest, east of the London Road, as far +south as the cross roads near Jack's Hill, was in our hands. In the +meantime the IVth Corps had made itself master of Fort Obelisk, and our +gunners were hard at work mounting guns in it with which to fire on the +outlying fort at Monkham's Hall. Von Kleppen was at Copped Hall about +this time, and with him I found General Von Wilberg, commanding the Xth +Corps, in close consultation. The once fine mansion had been almost +completely shot away down to its lower storey. A large portion of this, +however, was still fairly intact, having been protected to a certain +extent by the masses of masonry that had fallen all around it, and also +by the thick ramparts of earth that the English had built up against its +exposed side. + +"Our men were still firing from its loopholes at the edge of the woods, +which were only about 1,200 yards distant, and from which bullets were +continually whistling in by every window. Two of our battalions had dug +themselves in in the wooded park surrounding the house, and were also +exchanging fire with the English at comparatively close ranges. They +had, I was told, made more than one attempt to rush the edge of the +Forest, but had been repulsed by rifle fire on each occasion. Away to +the west I could see for miles, and even distinguish our shells bursting +all over the enemy's fort at Monkham's Hall, which was being subjected +to a heavy bombardment by our guns on the high ground to the north of +it. About eleven Froelich's Cavalry Brigade, whose presence was no longer +required in front of the Garde Corps, passed through Epping, going +south-east. It is generally supposed that it is either to attack the +British at Brentwood in the rear, or, which I think is more probable, to +intimidate the raw levies by its presence between them and London, and +to attack them in flank should they attempt to retreat. + +"Just after eleven another battalion arrived at Copped Hall from Epping, +and orders were given that the English position along the edge of the +Forest was to be taken at all cost. Just before the attack began there +was a great deal of firing somewhere in the interior of the Forest, +presumably between the British and the advanced troops of the Xth Corps. +However this may have been, it was evident that the enemy were holding +our part of the Forest much less strongly and our assault was entirely +successful, with but small loss of men. Once in the woods, the superior +training and discipline of our men told heavily in their favour. While +the mingled mass of Volunteers and raw free-shooters, of which the bulk +of their garrison was composed, got utterly disorganised and out of hand +under the severe strain on them that was imposed by the difficulties of +wood fighting, and hindered and broke up the regular units, our people +were easily kept well in hand, and drove the enemy steadily before them +without a single check. The rattle of rifle and machine gun was +continuous through all the leafy dells and glades of the wood, but by +two o'clock practically the whole Forest was in the hands of our Xth +Corps. It was then the turn of the IVth Corps, who in the meantime, far +from being idle, had massed a large number of their guns at Copped Hall, +from which, aided by the fire from Fort Obelisk, the enemy's lines were +subjected to a bombardment that rendered them absolutely untenable, and +we could see company after company making their way to Waltham Abbey. + +"At three the order for a general advance on Waltham Abbey was issued. +As the enemy seemed to have few, if any, guns at this place, it was +determined to make use of some of the new armoured motors that +accompanied the Army. Von Kronhelm, who was personally directing the +operations from Copped Hall, had caused each Corps to send its own +motors to Epping, so that we had something like thirty at our disposal. +These quaint, grey monsters came down through the Forest and advanced on +Epping by two parallel roads, one passing by the south of Warlies Park, +the other being the main road from Epping. It was a weird sight to see +these shore-going armour-clads flying down upon the enemy. They got +within 800 yards of the houses, but the enemy contrived to block their +further advance by various obstacles which they placed on the roads. + +"There was about an hour's desperate fighting in the village. The old +Abbey Church was set on fire by a stray shell, the conflagration +spreading to the neighbouring houses, and both British and Germans being +too busy killing each other to put it out, the whole village was shortly +in flames. The British were finally driven out of it, and across the +river by five o'clock. In the meantime every heavy gun that could be got +to bear was directed on the fort at Monkham's Hall, which, during the +afternoon, was also made the target for the guns of the Garde Corps, +which co-operated with us by attacking the lines at Cheshunt, and +assisting us with its artillery fire from the opposite side of the +river. By nightfall the fort was a mass of smoking earth, over which +fluttered our black cross flag, and the front of the IVth Corps +stretched from this to Gillwell Park, four miles nearer London. + +"The Xth Corps was in support in the Forest behind us, and forming also +a front to cover our flank, reaching from Chingford to Buckhurst Hill. +The enemy was quite demoralised in this direction, and showed no +indication of resuming the engagement. As for the IXth Corps, its +advanced troops were at Lamboume End, in close communication with +General Froelich, who had established his headquarters at +Havering-atte-Bower. We have driven a formidable wedge right into the +middle of the carefully elaborated system of defence arranged by the +English generals, and it will now be a miracle if they can prevent our +entry into the capital. + +"We had not, of course, effected this without great loss in killed and +wounded, but you can't make puddings without breaking eggs, and in the +end a bold and forward policy is more economical of life and limb than +attempting to avoid necessary losses, as our present opponents did in +South Africa, thereby prolonging the war to an almost indefinite period, +and losing many more men by sickness and in driblets than would have +been the case if they had followed a more determined line in their +strategy and tactics. Just before the sun sank behind the masses of new +houses which the monster city spreads out to the northward I got orders +to carry a despatch to General von Wilberg, who was stated to be at +Chingford, on our extreme left. I went by the Forest road, as the +parallel one near the river was in most parts under fire from the +opposite bank. + +"He had established his headquarters at the Foresters' Inn, which stands +high up on a wooded mound, and from which he could see a considerable +distance and keep in touch with his various signal stations. He took my +despatch, telling me that I should have a reply to take back later on. +'In the meanwhile,' said he, 'if you will fall in with my staff you will +have an opportunity of seeing the first shots fired into the biggest +city in the world.' So saying, he went out to his horse, which was +waiting outside, and we started off down the hill with a great clatter. +After winding about through a somewhat intricate network of roads and +by-lanes we arrived at Old Chingford Church, which stands upon a species +of headland, rising boldly up above the flat and, in some places, marshy +land to the westward. + +"Close to the church was a battery of four big howitzers, the gunners +grouped around them silhouetted darkly against the blood-red sky. From +up here the vast city, spreading out to the south and west, lay like a +grey, sprawling octopus spreading out ray-like to the northward, every +rise and ridge being topped with a bristle of spires and chimney-pots. +An ominous silence seemed to brood over the teeming landscape, broken +only at intervals by the dull booming of guns from the northward. Long +swathes of cloud and smoke lay athwart the dull, furnace-like glow of +the sunset, and lights were beginning to sparkle out all over the vast +expanse which lay before us mirrored here and there in the canals and +rivers that ran almost at our feet. 'Now,' said Von Wilberg at length, +'commence fire.' One of the big guns gave tongue with a roar that seemed +to make the church tower quiver above us. Another and another followed +in succession, their big projectiles hurtling and humming through the +quiet evening air on their errands of death and destruction in I know +not what quarter of the crowded suburbs. It seemed to me a cruel and +needless thing to do, but I am told that it was done with the set +purpose of arousing such a feeling of alarm and insecurity in the East +End that the mob might try to interfere with any further measures for +defence that the British military authorities might undertake. I got my +despatch soon afterwards and returned with it to the General, who was +spending the night at Copped Hall. There, too, I got myself a shakedown +and slumbered soundly till the morning." + +"_Sept. 19._--To-day we have, I think, finally broken down all organised +military opposition in the field, though we may expect a considerable +amount of street fighting before reaping the whole fruits of our +victories. At daybreak we began by turning a heavy fire from every +possible quarter on the wooded island formed by the river and various +back-waters just north of Waltham Abbey. The poplar-clad islet, which +was full of the enemy's troops, became absolutely untenable under this +concentrated fire, and they were compelled to fall back over the river. +Our Engineers soon began their bridging operations behind the wood, and +our infantry, crossing over, got close up to a redoubt on the further +side and took it by storm. Again we were able to take a considerable +section of the enemy's lines in reverse, and as they were driven out by +our fire, against which they had no protection, the Garde Corps +advanced, and by ten were in possession of Cheshunt. + +"In the meanwhile, covered by the fire of the guns belonging to the IXth +and Xth Corps, other bridges had been thrown across the Lea at various +points between Waltham and Chingford, and in another hour the crossing +began. The enemy had no good positions for his guns, and seemed to have +very few of them. He had pinned his faith upon the big weapons he had +placed in his entrenchments, and those were now of no further use to +him. He had lost a number of his field guns, either from damage or +capture, and with our more numerous artillery firing from the high +ground on the eastern bank of the river we were always able to beat down +any attempt he made to reply to their fire. + +"We had a day of fierce fighting before us. There was no manoeuvring. We +were in a wilderness of scattered houses and occasional streets, in +which the enemy contested our progress foot by foot. Edmonton, Enfield +Wash, and Waltham Cross were quickly captured; our artillery commanded +them too well to allow the British to make a successful defence; but +Enfield itself, lying along a steepish ridge, on which the British had +assembled what artillery they could scrape together, cost us dearly. The +streets of this not too lovely suburban town literally ran with blood +when at last we made our way into it. A large part of it was burnt to +ashes, including unfortunately the ancient palace of Queen Elizabeth, +and the venerable and enormous cedar-tree that overhung it. + +"The British fell back to a second position they had apparently prepared +along a parallel ridge farther to the westward, their left being between +us and New Barnet and their right at Southgate. + +"We did not attempt to advance farther to-day, but contented ourselves +in reorganising our forces and preparing against a possible +counter-attack, by barricading and entrenching the farther edge of +Enfield Ridge." + +"_Sept. 20._--We are falling in immediately, as it has been decided to +attack the British position at once. Already the artillery duel is in +progress. I must continue to-night, as my horse is at the door." + +The writer, however, never lived to complete his diary, having been shot +half-way up the green slope he had observed the day previous. + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +BOMBARDMENT OF LONDON. + + +Day broke. The faint flush of violet away eastward beyond Temple Bar +gradually turned rose, heralding the sun's coming, and by degrees the +streets, filled by excited Londoners, grew lighter with the dawn. +Fevered night thus gave place to day--a day that was, alas! destined to +be one of bitter memory for the British Empire. + +Alarming news had spread that Uhlans had been seen reconnoitring in +Snaresbrook and Wanstead, had ridden along Forest Road and Ferry Lane at +Walthamstow, through Tottenham High Cross, up High Street, Hornsey, +Priory Road, and Muswell Hill. The Germans were actually upon London! + +The northern suburbs were staggered. In Fortis Green, North End, +Highgate, Crouch End, Hampstead, Stamford Hill, and Leyton the quiet +suburban houses were threatened, and many people, in fear of their +lives, had now fled southward into central London. Thus the huge +population of greater London was practically huddled together in the +comparatively small area from Kensington to Fleet Street, and from +Oxford Street to the Thames Embankment. + +People of Fulham, Putney, Walham Green, Hammersmith, and Kew had, for +the most part, fled away to the open country across Hounslow Heath to +Bedfont and Staines; while Tooting, Balham, Dulwich, Streatham, Norwood, +and Catford had retreated farther south into Surrey and Kent. + +For the past three days thousands of willing helpers had followed the +example of Sheffield and Birmingham, and constructed enormous +barricades, obstructing at various points the chief roads leading from +the north and east into London. Detachments of Engineers had blown up +several of the bridges carrying the main roads out eastwards--for +instance, the bridge at the end of Commercial Road, East, crossing the +Limehouse Canal, while the six other smaller bridges spanning the canal +between that point and the Bow Road were also destroyed. The bridge at +the end of Bow Road itself was shattered, and those over the Hackney Cut +at Marshall Hill and Hackney Wick were also rendered impassable. + +Most of the bridges across the Regent's Canal were also destroyed, +notably those in Mare Street, Hackney, the Kingsland Road, and New North +Road, while a similar demolition took place in Edgware Road and the +Harrow Road. Londoners were frantic, now that the enemy were really upon +them. The accounts of the battles in the newspapers had, of course, been +merely fragmentary, and they had not yet realised what war actually +meant. They knew that all business was at a standstill, that the City +was in an uproar, that there was no work, and that food was at famine +prices. But not until German cavalry were actually seen scouring the +northern suburbs did it become impressed upon them that they were really +helpless and defenceless. + +London was to be besieged! + +This report having got about, the people began building barricades in +many of the principal thoroughfares north of the Thames. One huge +obstruction, built mostly of paving stones from the footways, overturned +tramcars, waggons, railway trollies, and barbed wire, rose in the +Holloway Road, just beyond Highbury Station. Another blocked the +Caledonian Road a few yards north of the police-station, while another +very large and strong pile of miscellaneous goods, bales of wool and +cotton stuffs, building material, and stones brought from the Great +Northern Railway depot, obstructed the Camden Road at the south corner +of Hilldrop Crescent. Across High Street, Camden Town, at the junction +of the Kentish Town and other roads, five hundred men worked with a +will, piling together every kind of ponderous object they could pillage +from the neighbouring shops--pianos, iron bedsteads, wardrobes, pieces +of calico and flannel, dress stuffs, rolls of carpets, floorboards, even +the very doors wrenched from their hinges--until, when it reached to the +second storey window and was considered of sufficient height, a pole was +planted on top, and from it hung limply a small Union Jack. + +The Finchley Road, opposite Swiss Cottage Station; in Shoot Up-hill, +where Mill Lane runs into it; across Willesden Lane where it joins the +High Road in Kilburn; the Harrow Road close to Willesden Junction +Station; at the junction of the Goldhawk and Uxbridge roads; across the +Hammersmith Road in front of the Hospital, other similar obstructions +were placed with a view to preventing the enemy from entering London. At +a hundred other points, in the narrower and more obscure thoroughfares, +all along the north of London, busy workers were constructing similar +defences, houses and shops being ruthlessly broken open and cleared of +their contents by the frantic and terrified populace. + +London was in a ferment. Almost without exception the gunmakers' shops +had been pillaged, and every rifle, sporting gun, and revolver seized. +The armouries at the Tower of London, at the various barracks, and the +factory out at Enfield had long ago all been cleared of their contents; +for now, in this last stand, every one was desperate, and all who could +obtain a gun did so. Many, however, had guns but no ammunition; others +had sporting ammunition for service rifles, and others cartridges, but +no gun. + +Those, however, who had guns and ammunition complete mounted guard at +the barricades, being assisted at some points by Volunteers who had been +driven in from Essex. Upon more than one barricade in North London a +Maxim had been mounted, and was now pointed, ready to sweep away the +enemy should they advance. + +Other thoroughfares barricaded, beside those mentioned, were the Stroud +Green Road, where it joins Hanley Road; the railway bridge in the +Oakfield Road in the same neighbourhood; the Wightman Road, opposite +Harringay Station, the junction of Archway Road and Highgate Hill; the +High Road, Tottenham, at its junction with West Green Road, and various +roads around the New River reservoirs, which were believed to be one of +the objectives of the enemy. These latter were very strongly held by +thousands of brave and patriotic citizens, though the East London +reservoirs across at Walthamstow could not be defended, situated so +openly as they were. The people of Leytonstone threw up a barricade +opposite the schools in the High Road, while in Wanstead a +hastily-constructed, but perfectly useless, obstruction was piled across +Cambridge Park, where it joins the Blake Road. + +Of course, all the women and children in the northern suburbs had now +been sent south. Half the houses in those quiet, newly-built roads were +locked up, and their owners gone; for as soon as the report spread of +the result of the final battle before London, and our crushing defeat, +people living in Highgate, Hampstead, Crouch End, Hornsey, Tottenham, +Finsbury Park, Muswell Hill, Hendon, and Hampstead saw that they must +fly southward, now the Germans were upon them. + +Think what it meant to those suburban families of City men! The ruthless +destruction of their pretty, long-cherished homes, flight into the +turbulent, noisy, distracted, hungry city, and the loss of everything +they possessed. In most cases the husband was already bearing his part +in the defence of the Metropolis with gun or with spade, or helping to +move heavy masses of material for the construction of the barricades. +The wife, however, was compelled to take a last look at all those +possessions that she had so fondly called "home," lock her front door, +and, with her children, join in those long mournful processions moving +ever southward into London, tramping on and on--whither she knew not +where. + +Touching sights were to be seen everywhere in the streets that day. + +Homeless women, many of them with two or three little ones, were +wandering through the less frequented streets, avoiding the main roads +with all their crush, excitement, and barricade-building, but making +their way westward, beyond Kensington and Hammersmith, which was now +become the outlet of the Metropolis. + +All trains from Charing Cross, Waterloo, London Bridge, Victoria, and +Paddington had for the past three days been crowded to excess. Anxious +fathers struggled fiercely to obtain places for their wives, mothers, +and daughters--sending them away anywhere out of the city which must in +a few hours be crushed beneath the iron heel. + +The South Western and Great Western systems carried thousands upon +thousands of the wealthier away to Devonshire and Cornwall--as far as +possible from the theatre of war; the South Eastern and Chatham took +people into the already crowded Kentish towns and villages, and the +Brighton line carried others into rural Sussex. London overflowed +southward and westward until every village and every town within fifty +miles was so full that beds were at a premium, and in various places, +notably at Chartham, near Canterbury, at Willesborough, near Ashford, at +Lewes, at Robertsbridge, at Goodwood Park, and at Horsham, huge camps +were formed, shelter being afforded by poles and rick cloths. Every +house, every barn, every school, indeed every place where people could +obtain shelter for the night, was crowded to excess, mostly by women and +children sent south, away from the horrors that it was known must come. + +Central London grew more turbulent with each hour that passed. There +were all sorts of wild rumours, but, fortunately, the Press still +preserved a dignified calm. The Cabinet were holding a meeting at +Bristol, whither the Houses of Commons and Lords had moved, and all +depended upon its issue. It was said that Ministers were divided in +their opinions whether we should sue for an ignominious peace, or +whether the conflict should be continued to the bitter end. + +Disaster had followed disaster, and iron-throated orators in Hyde and +St. James's Parks were now shouting "Stop the war! Stop the war!" The +cry was taken up but faintly, however, for the blood of Londoners, slow +to rise, had now been stirred by seeing their country slowly yet +completely crushed by Germany. All the patriotism latent within them was +now displayed. The national flag was shown everywhere, and at every +point one heard "God save the King" sung lustily. + +Two gunmakers' shops in the Strand, which had hitherto escaped notice, +were shortly after noon broken open, and every available arm and all the +ammunition seized. One man, unable to obtain a revolver, snatched half a +dozen pairs of steel handcuffs, and cried with grim humour as he held +them up: "If I can't shoot any of the sausage-eaters, I can at least bag +a prisoner or two!" + +The banks, the great jewellers, the diamond merchants, the safe-deposit +offices, and all who had valuables in their keeping, were extremely +anxious as to what might happen. Below those dark buildings in Lothbury +and Lombard Street, behind the black walls of the Bank of England, and +below every branch bank all over London, were millions in gold and +notes, the wealth of the greatest city the world has ever known. The +strong rooms were, for the most part, the strongest that modern +engineering could devise, some with various arrangements by which all +access was debarred by an inrush of water, but, alas! dynamite is a +great leveller, and it was felt that not a single strong room in the +whole of London could withstand an organised attack by German engineers. + +A single charge of dynamite would certainly make a breach in concrete +upon which a thief might hammer and chip day and night for a month +without making much impression. Steel doors must give to blasting force, +while the strongest and most complicated locks would also fly to +pieces. + +The directors of most of the banks had met and an endeavour had been +made to co-operate and form a corps of special guards for the principal +offices. In fact, a small armed corps was formed, and were on duty day +and night in Lothbury, Lombard Street, and the vicinity. Yet what could +they do if the Germans swept into London? There was but little to fear +from the excited populace themselves, because matters had assumed such a +crisis that money was of little use, as there was practically very +little to buy. But little food was reaching London from the open ports +on the west. It was the enemy that the banks feared, for they knew that +the Germans intended to enter and sack the Metropolis, just as they had +sacked the other towns that had refused to pay the indemnity demanded. + +Small jewellers had, days ago, removed their stock from their windows +and carried it away in unsuspicious-looking bags to safe hiding in the +southern and western suburbs, where people for the most part hid their +valuable plate, jewellery, etc., beneath a floor-board, or buried them +in some marked spot in their small gardens. + +The hospitals were already full of wounded from the various engagements +of the past week. The London, St. Thomas', Charing Cross, St. George's, +Guy's, and Bartholomew's were overflowing; and the surgeons, with +patriotic self-denial, were working day and night in an endeavour to +cope with the ever-arriving crowd of suffering humanity. The field +hospitals away to the northward were also reported full. + +The exact whereabouts of the enemy was not known. They were, it seemed, +everywhere. They had practically over-run the whole country, and the +reports from the Midlands and the North showed that the majority of the +principal towns had now been occupied. + +The latest reverses outside London, full and graphic details of which +were now being published hourly by the papers, had created an immense +sensation. Everywhere people were regretting that Lord Roberts' solemn +warnings in 1906 had been unheeded, for had we adopted his scheme for +universal service such dire catastrophe could never have occurred. Many +had, alas! declared it to be synonymous with conscription, which it +certainly was not, and by that foolish argument had prevented the public +at large from accepting it as the only means for our salvation as a +nation. The repeated warnings had been disregarded, and we had, +unhappily, lived in a fool's paradise, in the self-satisfied belief that +England could not be successfully invaded. + +Now, alas! the country had realised the truth when too late. + +That memorable day, September 20, witnessed exasperated struggles in the +northern suburbs of London, passionate and bloody collisions, an +infantry fire of the defenders overwhelming every attempted assault; and +a decisive action of the artillery, with regard to which arm the +superiority of the Germans, due to their perfect training, was apparent. + +A last desperate stand had, it appears, been made by the defenders on +the high ridge north-west of New Barnet, from Southgate to near Potter's +Bar, where a terrible fight had taken place. But from the very first it +was utterly hopeless. The British had fought valiantly in defence of +London, but here again they were outnumbered, and after one of the most +desperate conflicts in the whole campaign--in which our losses were +terrible--the Germans at length had succeeded in entering Chipping +Barnet. It was a difficult movement, and a fierce contest, rendered the +more terrible by the burning houses, ensued in the streets and away +across the low hills southward--a struggle full of vicissitudes and +alternating successes, until at last the fire of the defenders was +silenced, and hundreds of prisoners fell into the German hands. + +Thus the last organised defence of London had been broken, and the +barricades alone remained. + +The work of the German troops on the lines of communication in Essex had +for the past week been fraught with danger. Through want of cavalry the +British had been unable to make cavalry raids; but, on the other hand, +the difficulty was enhanced by the bands of sharpshooters--men of all +classes from London who possessed a gun and who could shoot. In one or +two of the London clubs the suggestion had first been mooted a couple of +days after the outbreak of hostilities, and it had been quickly taken up +by men who were in the habit of shooting game, but had not had a +military training. + +Within three days about two thousand men had formed themselves into +bands to take part in the struggle and assist in the defence of London. +They were practically similar to the Francs-tireurs of the Franco-German +War, for they went forth in companies and waged a guerilla warfare, +partly before the front and at the flanks of the different armies, and +partly at the communications at the rear of the Germans. Their position +was one of constant peril in face of Von Kronhelm's proclamation, yet +the work they did was excellent, and only proved that if Lord Roberts' +scheme for universal training had been adopted the enemy would never +have reached the gates of London with success. + +These brave adventurous spirits, together with "The Legion of +Frontiersmen," made their attacks by surprise from hiding-places or from +ambushes. Their adventures were constantly thrilling ones. Scattered all +over the theatre of war in Essex and Suffolk, and all along the German +lines of communication, the "Frontiersmen" rarely ventured on an open +conflict, and frequently changed scene and point of attack. Within one +week their numbers rose to over 8,000, and, being well served by the +villagers, who acted as scouts and spies for them, the Germans found +them very difficult to get at. Usually they kept their arms concealed in +thickets and woods, where they would lie in wait for the Germans. They +never came to close quarters, but fired at a distance. Many a smart +Uhlan fell by their bullets, and many a sentry dropped, shot by an +unknown hand. + +Thus they harassed the enemy everywhere. At need they concealed their +arms and assumed the appearance of inoffensive non-combatants. But when +caught red-handed the Germans gave them "short shrift," as the bodies +now swinging from telegraph poles on various high-roads in Essex +testified. + +In an attempt to put a stop to the daring actions of the "Frontiersmen," +the German authorities and troops along the lines of communication +punished the parishes where German soldiers were shot, or where the +destruction of railways and telegraphs had occurred, by levying money +contributions, or by burning the villages. + +The guerilla war was especially fierce along from Edgware up to +Hertford, and from Chelmsford down to the Thames. In fact, once +commenced, it never ceased. Attacks were always being made upon small +patrols, travelling detachments, mails of the field post-office, posts +or patrols at stations on the lines of communication, while +field-telegraphs, telephones, and railways were everywhere destroyed. + +In consequence of the railway being cut at Pitsea, the villages of +Pitsea, Bowers Gifford, and Vange had been burned. Because a German +patrol had been attacked and destroyed near Orsett, the parish was +compelled to pay a heavy indemnity. Upminster, near Romford, Theydon +Bois, and Fyfield, near High Ongar, had all been burned by the Germans +for the same reason; while at the Cherrytree Inn, near Rainham, five +"Frontiersmen" being discovered by Uhlans in a hayloft asleep, were +locked in and there burned alive. Dozens were, of course, shot at sight, +and dozens more hanged without trial. But they were not to be deterred. +They were fighting in defence of London, and around the northern suburbs +the patriotic members of the "Legion" were specially active, though they +never showed themselves in large bands. + +Within London every man who could shoot game was now anxious to join in +the fray, and on the day that the news of the last disaster reached the +Metropolis, hundreds left for the open country out beyond Hendon. + +The enemy having broken down the defence at Enfield and cleared the +defenders out of the fortified houses, had advanced and occupied the +northern ridges of London in a line stretching roughly from Pole Hill, a +little to the north of Chingford, across Upper Edmonton, through +Tottenham, Hornsey, Highgate, Hampstead, and Willesden, to Twyford +Abbey. All the positions had been well reconnoitred, for at grey of dawn +the rumbling of artillery had been heard in the streets of those places +already mentioned, and soon after sunrise strong batteries were +established upon all the available points commanding London. + +These were at Chingford Green, on the left-hand side of the road +opposite the inn at Chingford; on Devonshire Hill, Tottenham; on the +hill at Wood Green; in the grounds of the Alexandra Palace; on the high +ground about Churchyard Bottom Wood; on the edge of Bishop's Wood, +Highgate; on Parliament Hill, at a spot close to the Oaks on the Hendon +road; at Dollis Hill, and at a point a little north of Wormwood Scrubs, +and at Neasden, near the railway works. + +The enemy's chief object was to establish their artillery as near London +as possible, for it was known that the range of their guns even from +Hampstead--the highest point, 441 feet above London--would not reach +into the actual city itself. Meanwhile, at dawn, the German cavalry, +infantry, motor-infantry, and armoured motor-cars--the latter mostly +35-40 h.p. Opel-Darracqs, with three quick-firing guns mounted in each, +and bearing the Imperial German arms in black--advanced up the various +roads leading into London from the north, being met, of course, with a +desperate resistance at the barricades. + +[Illustration: THE BOMBARDMENT and DEFENCES of +LONDON +on Sept. 20^{th} & 21^{st}] + +On Haverstock Hill, the three Maxims, mounted upon the huge construction +across the road, played havoc with the Germans, who were at once +compelled to fall back, leaving piles of dead and dying in the roadway, +for the terrible hail of lead poured out upon the invaders could not be +withstood. Two of the German armoured motor-cars were presently brought +into action by the Germans, who replied with a rapid fire, this being +continued for a full quarter of an hour without result on either side. +Then the Germans, finding the defence too strong, again retired into +Hampstead, amid the ringing cheers of the valiant men holding that gate +of London. The losses of the enemy had been serious, for the whole +roadway was now strewn with dead; while behind the huge wall of +paving-stones, overturned carts, and furniture, only two men had been +killed and one wounded. + +Across in the Finchley Road a struggle equally as fierce was in +progress; but a detachment of the enemy, evidently led by some German +who had knowledge of the intricate side-roads, suddenly appeared in the +rear of the barricade, and a fierce and bloody hand-to-hand conflict +ensued. The defenders, however, stood their ground, and with the aid of +some petrol bombs which they held in readiness, they destroyed the +venturesome detachment almost to a man, though a number of houses in the +vicinity were set on fire, causing a huge conflagration. + +In Highgate Road the attack was a desperate one, the enraged Londoners +fighting valiantly, the men with arms being assisted by the populace +themselves. Here again deadly petrol bombs had been distributed, and men +and women hurled them against the Germans. Petrol was actually poured +from windows upon the heads of the enemy, and tow soaked in paraffin and +lit flung in among them, when in an instant whole areas of the streets +were ablaze, and the soldiers of the Fatherland perished in the roaring +flames. + +Every device to drive back the invader was tried. Though thousands upon +thousands had left the northern suburbs, many thousands still remained +bent on defending their homes as long as they had breath. The crackle of +rifles was incessant, and ever and anon the dull roar of a heavy field +gun and the sharp rattle of a Maxim mingled with the cheers, yells, and +shrieks of victors and vanquished. + +The scene on every side was awful. Men were fighting for their lives in +desperation. + +Around the barricade in Holloway Road the street ran with blood; while +in Kingsland, in Clapton, in West Ham, and Canning Town the enemy were +making an equally desperate attack, and were being repulsed everywhere. +London's enraged millions, the Germans were well aware, constituted a +grave danger. Any detachments who carried a barricade by assault--as, +for instance, they did one in the Hornsey Road near the station--were +quickly set upon by the angry mob and simply wiped out of existence. + +Until nearly noon desperate conflicts at the barricades continued. The +defence was even more effectual than was expected; yet, had it not been +that Von Kronhelm, the German generalissimo, had given orders that the +troops were not to attempt to advance into London before the populace +were cowed, there was no doubt that each barricade could have been taken +in the rear by companies avoiding the main roads and proceeding by the +side streets. + +Just before noon, however, it was apparent to Von Kronhelm that to storm +the barricades would entail enormous losses, so strong were they. The +men holding them had now been reinforced in many cases by regular +troops, who had come in in flight, and a good many guns were now manned +by artillerymen. + +Von Kronhelm had established his headquarters at Jack Straw's Castle, +from which he could survey the giant city through his field-glasses. +Below lay the great plain of roofs, spires, and domes, stretching away +into the grey mystic distance, where afar rose the twin towers and +double arches of the Crystal Palace roof. + +London--the great London--the capital of the world--lay at his mercy at +his feet. + +The tall, thin-faced General, with the grizzled moustache and the +glittering cross at his throat, standing apart from his staff, gazed +away in silence and in thought. It was his first sight of London, and +its gigantic proportions amazed even him. Again he swept the horizon +with his glass, and knit his grey brows. He remembered the parting words +of his Emperor as he backed out of that plainly-furnished little private +cabinet at Potsdam-- + +"You must bombard London and sack it. The pride of those English must be +broken at all costs. Go, Kronhelm--go--and may the best of fortune go +with you!" + +The sun was at the noon causing the glass roof of the distant Crystal +Palace to gleam. Far down in the grey haze stood Big Ben, the Campanile, +and a thousand church spires, all tiny and, from that distance, +insignificant. From where he stood the sound of crackling fire at the +barricades reached him, and a little behind him a member of his staff +was kneeling on the grass with his ear bent to the field telephone. +Reports were coming in fast of the desperate resistance in the streets, +and these were duly handed to him. + +He glanced at them, gave a final look at the outstretched city that was +the metropolis of the world, and then gave rapid orders for the +withdrawal of the troops from the assault of the barricades, and the +bombardment of London. + +In a moment the field-telegraphs were clicking, the telephone bell was +ringing, orders were shouted in German in all directions, and next +second, with a deafening roar, one of the howitzers of the battery in +the close vicinity to him gave tongue and threw its deadly shell +somewhere into St. John's Wood. + +The rain of death had opened! London was surrounded by a semi-circle of +fire. + +The great gun was followed by a hundred others as, at all the batteries +along the northern heights, the orders were received. Then in a few +minutes, from the whole line from Chingford to Willesden, roughly about +twelve miles, came a hail of the most deadly of modern projectiles +directed upon the most populous parts of the metropolis. + +Though the Germans trained their guns to carry as far as was possible, +the zone of fire did not at first it seemed extend farther south than a +line roughly taken from Notting Hill through Bayswater, past Paddington +Station, along the Marylebone and Euston Roads, then up to Highbury, +Stoke Newington, Stamford Hill and Walthamstow. + +When, however, the great shells began to burst in Holloway, Kentish +Town, Camden Town, Kilburn, Kensal Green, and other places lying within +the area under fire, a frightful panic ensued. Whole streets were +shattered by explosions, and fires were breaking out, the dark clouds of +smoke obscuring the sunlit sky. Roaring flame shot up everywhere, +unfortunate men, women, and children were being blown to atoms by the +awful projectiles, while others distracted, sought shelter in any cellar +or underground place they could find, while their houses fell about them +like packs of cards. + +The scenes within that zone of terror were indescribable. + +When Paris had been bombarded years ago, artillery was not at the +perfection it now was, and there had been no such high explosive known +as in the present day. The great shells that were falling everywhere, on +bursting filled the air with poisonous fumes, as well as with deadly +fragments. One bursting in a street would wreck the rows of houses on +either side, and tear a great hole in the ground at the same moment. The +fronts of the houses were torn out like paper, the iron railings twisted +as though they were wire, and paving-stones hurled into the air like +straws. + +Anything and everything offering a mark to the enemy's guns was +shattered. St. John's Wood and the houses about Regent's Park suffered +seriously. A shell from Hampstead, falling into the roof of one of the +houses near the centre of Sussex Place, burst and shattered nearly all +the houses in the row; while another fell in Cumberland Terrace and +wrecked a dozen houses in the vicinity. In both cases the houses were +mostly empty, for owners and servants had fled southward across the +river as soon as it became apparent that the Germans actually intended +to bombard. + +At many parts in Maida Vale shells burst with appalling effect. Several +of the houses in Elgin Avenue had their fronts torn out, and in one, a +block of flats, there was considerable loss of life in the fire that +broke out, escape being cut off owing to the stairs having been +demolished by the explosion. Abbey Road, St. John's Wood Road, Acacia +Road, and Wellington Road, were quickly wrecked. + +In Chalk Farm Road, near the Adelaide, a terrified woman was dashing +across the street to seek shelter with a neighbour, when a shell burst +right in front of her, blowing her to fragments; while in the early +stage of the bombardment a shell bursting in the Midland Hotel at St. +Pancras caused a fire which in half an hour resulted in the whole hotel +and railway terminus being a veritable furnace of flame. Through the +roof of King's Cross Station several shells fell, and burst close to the +departure platform. The whole glass roof was shattered, but beyond that +little other material damage resulted. + +Shots were now falling everywhere, and Londoners were staggered. In +dense, excited crowds they were flying southwards towards the Thames. +Some were caught in the streets in their flight, and were flung down, +maimed and dying. The most awful sights were to be witnessed in the open +streets; men and women blown out of recognition, with their clothes +singed and torn to shreds, and helpless, innocent children lying white +and dead, their limbs torn away and missing. + +Euston Station had shared the same fate as St. Pancras, and was blazing +furiously, sending up a great column of black smoke that could be seen +by all London. So many were the conflagrations now breaking out that it +seemed as though the enemy were sending into London shells filled with +petrol, in order to set the streets aflame. This, indeed, was proved by +an eye-witness, who saw a shell fall in Liverpool Road, close to the +Angel. It burst with a bright red flash, and next second the whole of +the roadway and neighbouring houses were blazing furiously. + +Thus the air became black with smoke and dust, and the light of day +obscured in Northern London. And through that obscurity came those +whizzing shells in an incessant hissing stream, each one, bursting in +these narrow, thickly populated streets, causing havoc indescribable, +and a loss of life impossible to accurately calculate. Hundreds of +people were blown to pieces in the open but hundreds more were buried +beneath the _debris_ of their own cherished homes, now being so +ruthlessly destroyed and demolished. + +On every side was heard the cry: "Stop the war--stop the war!" + +But it was, alas! too late--too late. + +Never in the history of the civilised world were there such scenes of +reckless slaughter of the innocent and peace-loving as on that +never-to-be-forgotten day when Von Kronhelm carried out the orders of +his Imperial master, and struck terror into the heart of London's +millions. + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +THE RAIN OF DEATH. + + +Through the whole afternoon the heavy German artillery roared, belching +forth their fiery vengeance upon London. + +Hour after hour they pounded away, until St. Pancras Church was a heap +of ruins and the Foundling Hospital a veritable furnace, as well as the +Parcel Post Offices and the University College in Gower Street. In +Hampstead Road many of the shops were shattered, and in Tottenham Court +Road both Maple's and Shoolbred's suffered severely, for shells bursting +in the centre of the roadway had smashed every pane of glass in the +fronts of both buildings. + +The quiet squares of Bloomsbury were in some cases great yawning +ruins--houses with their fronts torn out revealing the shattered +furniture within. Streets were indeed, filled with tiles, chimney pots, +fallen telegraph wires, and _debris_ of furniture, stone steps, paving +stones, and fallen masonry. Many of the thoroughfares, such as the +Pentonville Road, Copenhagen Street, and Holloway Road, were, at points, +quite impassable on account of the ruins that blocked them. Into the +Northern Hospital, in the Holloway Road, a shell fell, shattering one of +the wards, and killing or maiming every one of the patients in the ward +in question, while the church in Tufnell Park Road was burning fiercely. +Upper Holloway, Stoke Newington, Highbury, Kingsland, Dalston, Hackney, +Clapton, and Stamford Hill were being swept at long range by the guns on +Muswell Hill and Churchyard Bottom Hill, and the terror caused in those +densely populated districts was awful. Hundreds upon hundreds lost their +lives, or else had a hand, an arm, a leg blown away, as those fatal +shells fell in never-ceasing monotony, especially in Stoke Newington and +Kingsland. The many side roads lying between Holloway Road and Finsbury +Park, such as Hornsey Road, Tollington Park, Andover, Durham, +Palmerston, Campbell, and Forthill Roads, Seven Sisters Road, and +Isledon Road were all devastated, for the guns for a full hour seemed to +be trained upon them. + +The German gunners in all probability neither knew nor cared where their +shells fell. From their position, now that the smoke of the hundreds of +fires was now rising, they could probably discern but little. Therefore +the batteries at Hampstead Heath, Muswell Hill, Wood Green, Cricklewood, +and other places simply sent their shells as far distant south as +possible into the panic-stricken city below. In Mountgrove and +Riversdale Roads, Highbury Vale, a number of people were killed, while a +frightful disaster occurred in the church at the corner of Park Lane and +Milton Road, Stoke Newington. Here a number of people had entered, +attending a special service for the success of the British arms, when a +shell exploded on the roof, bringing it down upon them and killing over +fifty of the congregation, mostly women. + +The air, poisoned by the fumes of the deadly explosives and full of +smoke from the burning buildings, was ever and anon rent by explosions +as projectiles frequently burst in mid-air. The distant roar was +incessant, like the noise of thunder, while on every hand could be heard +the shrieks of defenceless women and children, or the muttered curses of +some man who saw his home and all he possessed swept away with a flash +and a cloud of dust. Nothing could withstand that awful cannonade. +Walthamstow had been rendered untenable in the first half-hour of the +bombardment, while in Tottenham the loss of life had been very enormous, +the German gunners at Wood Green having apparently turned their first +attention upon that place. Churches, the larger buildings, the railway +station, in fact, anything offering a mark, was promptly shattered, +being assisted by the converging fire from the batteries at Chingford. + +On the opposite side of London, Notting Hill, Shepherd's Bush, and +Starch Green, were being reduced to ruins by the heavy batteries above +Park Royal Station, which, firing across Wormwood Scrubs, put their +shots into Notting Hill, and especially into Holland Park, where +widespread damage was quickly wrought. + +A couple of shells falling into the generating station of the Central +London Railway, or "Tube," as Londoners usually call it, unfortunately +caused a disaster and loss of life which were appalling. At the first +sign of the bombardment many thousands of people descended into the +"Tube" as a safe hiding-place from the rain of shell. At first the +railway officials closed the doors to prevent the inrush, but the +terrified populace in Shepherd's Bush, Bayswater, Oxford Street, and +Holborn, in fact, all along the subterranean line, broke open the doors +and descending by the lifts and stairs found themselves in a place which +at least gave them security against the enemy's fire. + +The trains had long ago ceased running, and every station was crowded to +excess, while many were forced upon the line itself, and actually into +the tunnels. For hours they waited there in eager breathlessness, +longing to be able to ascend and find the conflict over. Men and women +in all stations of life were huddled together, while children clung to +their parents in wonder; yet as hour after hour went by, the report from +above was still the same--the Germans had not ceased. + +Of a sudden, however, the light failed. The electric current had been +cut off by the explosion of the shells in the generating station at +Shepherd's Bush, and the lifts were useless! The thousands who, in +defiance of the orders of the company, had gone below at Shepherd's Bush +for shelter, found themselves caught like rats in a hole. True, there +was the faint glimmer of an oil light here and there, but, alas! that +did not prevent an awful panic. + +Somebody shouted that the Germans were above and had put out the lights, +and when it was found that the lifts were useless a panic ensued that +was indescribable. The people could not ascend the stairs, as they were +blocked by the dense crowd, therefore they pressed into the narrow +semi-circular tunnels in an eager endeavour to reach the next station, +where they hoped they might escape; but once in there women and children +were quickly crushed to death, or thrown down and trampled upon by the +press behind. + +In the darkness they fought with each other, pressing on and becoming +jammed so tightly that many were held against the sloping walls until +life was extinct. Between Shepherd's Bush and Holland Park Stations the +loss of life was worst, for being within the zone of the German fire the +people had crushed in frantically in thousands, and with one accord a +move had unfortunately been made into the tunnels, on account of the +foolish cry that the German were waiting above. + +The railway officials were powerless. They had done their best to +prevent any one going below, but the public had insisted, therefore no +blame could be laid upon them for the catastrophe. + +At Marble Arch, Oxford Circus, and Tottenham Court Road Stations, a +similar scene was enacted, and dozens upon dozens, alas! lost their +lives in the panic. Ladies and gentlemen from Park Lane, Grosvenor +Square, and Mayfair had sought shelter at the Marble Arch Station, +rubbing shoulders with labourers' wives and costerwomen from the back +streets of Marylebone. When the lights failed, a rush had been made into +the tunnel to reach Oxford Circus, all exit by the stairs being +blocked, as at Shepherd's Bush, on account of the hundreds struggling +to get down. + +As at Holland Park, the terrified crowd fighting with each other became +jammed and suffocated in the narrow space. The catastrophe was a +frightful one, for it was afterwards proved that over four hundred and +twenty persons, mostly weak women and children, lost their lives in +those twenty minutes of darkness before the mains at the generating +station, wrecked by the explosions, could be repaired. + +Then, when the current came up again, the lights revealed the frightful +mishap, and people struggled to emerge from the burrows wherein they had +so narrowly escaped death. + +Upon the Baker Street and Waterloo and other "Tubes," every station had +also been besieged. The whole of the first-mentioned line from north to +south was the refuge of thousands, who saw in it a safe place for +retreat. The tunnels of the District Railway, too, were filled with +terror-stricken multitudes, who descended at every station and walked +away into a subterranean place of safety. No trains had been running for +several days, therefore there was no danger from that cause. + +Meanwhile the bombardment continued with unceasing activity. + +The Marylebone Station of the Great Central Railway, and the Great +Central Hotel, which seemed to be only just within the line of fire, +were wrecked, and about four o'clock it was seen that the hotel, like +that at St. Pancras, was well alight, though no effort could be made to +save it. At the first two or three alarms of fire the Metropolitan Fire +Brigade had turned out, but now that fresh alarms were reaching the +chief station every moment, the brigade saw themselves utterly powerless +to even attempt to save the hundred buildings, great and small, now +furiously blazing. + +Gasometers, especially those of the Gas Light and Coke Company at Kensal +Green, were marked by the German gunners, who sent them into the air; +while a well-directed petrol bomb at Wormwood Scrubs Prison set one +great wing of the place alight, and the prisoners were therefore +released. The rear of Kensington Palace, and the fronts of a number of +houses in Kensington Palace Gardens were badly damaged, while in the +dome of the Albert Hall was a great, ugly hole. + +Shortly after five o'clock occurred a disaster which was of national +consequence. It could only have been a mishap on the part of the +Germans, for they would certainly never have done such irreparable +damage willingly, as they destroyed what would otherwise have been most +valuable of loot. + +Shots suddenly began to fall fast in Bloomsbury, several of them badly +damaging the Hotel Russell and the houses near, and it was therefore +apparent that one of the batteries which had been firing from near Jack +Straw's Castle had been moved across to Parliament Hill, or even to some +point south of it, which gave a wider range to the fire. + +Presently a shell came high through the air and fell full upon the +British Museum, striking it nearly in the centre of the front, and in +exploding carried away the Grecian-Ionic ornament, and shattered a +number of the fine stone columns of the dark facade. Ere people in the +vicinity had realised that the national collection of antiques was +within range of the enemy's destructive projectiles, a second shell +crashed into the rear of the building, making a great gap in the walls. +Then, as though all the guns of that particular battery had converged in +order to destroy our treasure-house of art and antiquity, shell after +shell crashed into the place in rapid succession. Before ten minutes had +passed, grey smoke began to roll out from beneath the long colonnade in +front, and growing denser, told its own tale. The British Museum was on +fire. + +Nor was that all. As though to complete the disaster--although it was +certain that the Germans were in ignorance--there came one of those +terrible shells filled with petrol, which, bursting inside the +manuscript room, set the whole place ablaze. In a dozen different places +the building seemed to be now alight, especially the library, and thus +the finest collection of books, manuscripts, Greek and Roman and +Egyptian antiques, coins, medals, and prehistoric relics, lay at the +mercy of the flames. + +The fire brigade was at once alarmed, and at imminent risk of their +lives, for shells were still falling in the vicinity, they, with the +Salvage Corps and the assistance of many willing helpers--some of whom, +unfortunately, lost their lives in the flames--saved whatever could be +saved, throwing the objects out into the railed-off quadrangle in +front. + +The left wing of the Museum, however, could not be entered, although, +after most valiant efforts on the part of the firemen, the +conflagrations that had broken out in other parts of the building were +at length subdued. The damage was, however, irreparable, for many unique +collections, including all the prints and drawings, and many of the +mediaeval and historic manuscripts had already been consumed. + +Shots now began to fall as far south as Oxford Street, and all along +that thoroughfare from Holborn as far as Oxford Circus, widespread havoc +was being wrought. People fled for their lives back towards Charing +Cross and the Strand. The Oxford Music Hall was a hopeless ruin, while a +shell crashing through the roof of Frascati's restaurant carried away a +portion of the gallery and utterly wrecked the whole place. Many of the +shops in Oxford Street had their roofs damaged or their fronts blown +out, while a huge block of flats in Great Russell Street was practically +demolished by three shells striking in rapid succession. + +Then, to the alarm of all who realised it, shots were seen to be passing +high over Bloomsbury, south towards the Thames. The range had been +increased, for, as was afterwards known, some heavier guns had now been +mounted upon Muswell Hill and Hampstead Heath, which, carrying to a +distance of from six to seven miles, placed the City, the Strand, and +Westminster within the zone of fire. The zone in question stretched +roughly from Victoria Park through Bethnal Green and Whitechapel, across +to Southwark, the Borough, Lambeth, and Westminster to Kensington, and +while the fire upon the northern suburbs slackened, great shells now +came flying through the air into the very heart of London. + +The German gunners at Muswell Hill took the dome of St. Paul's as a +mark, for shells fell constantly in Ludgate Hill, in Cheapside, in +Newgate Street, and in the Churchyard itself. One falling upon the steps +of the Cathedral tore out two of the columns of the front, while +another, striking the clock tower just below the face, brought down much +of the masonry and one of the huge bells, with a deafening crash, +blocking the road with _debris_. Time after time the great shells went +over the splendid Cathedral, which the enemy seemed bent upon +destroying, but the dome remained uninjured, though about ten feet of +the top of the second tower was carried away. + +On the Cannon Street side of St. Paul's a great block of drapery +warehouses had caught fire, and was burning fiercely, while the drapers +and other shops on the Paternoster Row side all had their windows +shattered by the constant detonations. Within the Cathedral two shells +that had fallen through the roof had wrought havoc with the beautiful +reredos and the choir-stalls, many of the fine windows being also +wrecked by the explosions. + +Whole rows of houses in Cheapside suffered, while both the Mansion +House, where the London flag was flying, and the Royal Exchange were +severely damaged by a number of shells which fell in the vicinity. The +equestrian statue in front of the Exchange had been overturned, while +the Exchange itself showed a great yawning hole in the corner of the +facade next Cornhill. At the Bank of England a fire had occurred, but +had fortunately been extinguished by the strong force of Guards in +charge, though they gallantly risked their lives in so doing. Lothbury, +Gresham Street, Old Broad Street, Lombard Street, Gracechurch Street, +and Leadenhall Street were all more or less scenes of fire, havoc, and +destruction. The loss of life was not great in this neighbourhood, for +most people had crossed the river or gone westward, but the high +explosives used by the Germans were falling upon shops and warehouses +with appalling effect. + +Masonry was torn about like paper, ironwork twisted like wax, woodwork +shattered to a thousand splinters as, time after time, a great +projectile hissed in the air and effected its errand of destruction. A +number of the wharves on each side of the river were soon alight, and +both Upper and Lower Thames Streets were soon impassable on account of +huge conflagrations. A few shells fell in Shoreditch, Houndsditch, and +Whitechapel, and these, in most cases, caused loss of life in those +densely populated districts. + +Westward, however, as the hours went on, the howitzers at Hampstead +began to drop high explosive shells into the Strand, around Charing +Cross, and in Westminster. This weapon had a calibre of 4.14 inches, and +threw a projectile of 35 lbs. The tower of St. Clement Dane's Church +crashed to the ground and blocked the roadway opposite Milford Lane; the +pointed roof of the clock-tower of the Law Courts was blown away, and +the granite fronts of the two banks opposite the Law Courts entrance +were torn out by a shell which exploded in the footpath before them. + +Shells fell time after time, in and about the Law Courts themselves, +committing immense damage to the interior, while a shell bursting upon +the roof of Charing Cross Station, rendered it a ruin as picturesque as +it had been in December, 1905. The National Liberal Club was burning +furiously; the Hotel Cecil and the Savoy did not escape, but no material +damage was done to them. The Garrick Theatre had caught fire; a shot +carried away the globe above the Coliseum, and the Shot Tower beside the +Thames crashed into the river. + +The front of the Grand Hotel in Trafalgar Square showed, in several +places, great holes where the shell had struck, and a shell bursting at +the foot of Nelson's Monument turned over one of the lions--overthrowing +the emblem of Britain's might! + +The clubs in Pall Mall were, in one or two instances, wrecked, notably +the Reform, the Junior Carlton, and the Athenaeum, into each of which +shells fell through the roof and exploded within. + +From the number of projectiles that fell in the vicinity of the Houses +of Parliament, it was apparent that the German gunners could see the +Royal Standard flying from the Victoria Tower, and were making it their +mark. In the west front of Westminster Abbey several shots crashed, +doing enormous damage to the grand old pile. The hospital opposite was +set alight, while the Westminster Palace Hotel was severely damaged, and +two shells falling into St. Thomas's Hospital created a scene of +indescribable terror in one of the overcrowded casualty wards. + +Suddenly one of the German high explosive shells burst on the top of the +Victoria Tower, blowing away all four of the pinnacles, and bringing +down the flagstaff. Big Ben served as another mark for the artillery at +Muswell Hill and several shots struck it, tearing out one of the huge +clock faces and blowing away the pointed apex of the tower. Suddenly, +however, two great shells struck it right in the centre, almost +simultaneously, near the base, and made such a hole in the huge pile of +masonry that it was soon seen to have been rendered unsafe, though it +did not fall. + +Shot after shot struck other portions of the Houses of Parliament, +breaking the windows and carrying away pinnacles. + +One of the twin towers of Westminster Abbey fell a few moments later, +and another shell, crashing into the choir, completely wrecked Edward +the Confessor's shrine, the Coronation Chair, and all the objects of +antiquity in the vicinity. + +The old Horse Guards escaped injury, but one of the cupolas of the new +War Office opposite was blown away, while shortly afterwards a fire +broke out in the new Local Government Board and Education Offices. +Number 10, Downing Street, the chief centre of the Government, had its +windows all blown in--a grim accident, no doubt--the same explosion +shattering several windows in the Foreign Office. + +Many shells fell in St. James's and Hyde Parks, exploding harmlessly, +but others, passing across St. James's Park, crashed into that high +building, Queen Anne's Mansions, causing fearful havoc. Somerset House, +Covent Garden Market, Drury Lane Theatre, and the Gaiety Theatre and +Restaurant all suffered more or less, and two of the bronze footguards +guarding the Wellington Statue at Hyde Park Corner were blown many yards +away. Around Holborn Circus immense damage was being caused, and several +shells bursting on the Viaduct itself blew great holes in the bridge. + +So widespread, indeed, was the havoc, that it is impossible to give a +detailed account of the day's terrors. If the public buildings suffered, +the damage to property of householders and the ruthless wrecking of +quiet English homes may well be imagined. The people had been driven out +from the zone of fire, and had left their possessions to the mercy of +the invaders. + +South of the Thames very little damage was done. The German howitzers +and long-range guns could not reach so far. One or two shots fell in +York Road, Lambeth, and in the Waterloo and Westminster Bridge Roads, +but they did little damage beyond breaking all the windows in the +vicinity. + +When would it end? Where would it end? + +Half the population of London had fled across the bridges, and from +Denmark Hill, Champion Hill, Norwood, and the Crystal Palace they could +see the smoke issuing from the hundred fires. + +London was cowed. These northern barricades, still held by bodies of +valiant men, were making a last desperate stand, though the streets ran +with blood. Every man fought well and bravely for his country, though he +went to his death. A thousand acts of gallant heroism on the part of +Englishmen were done that day, but alas! all to no purpose. The Germans +were at our gates, and were not to be denied. + +As daylight commenced to fade the dust and smoke became suffocating. And +yet the guns pounded away with a monotonous regularity that appalled the +helpless populace. Overhead there was a quick whizzing in the air, a +deafening explosion, and as the masonry came crashing down the +atmosphere was filled with poisonous fumes that half asphyxiated all +those in the vicinity. + +Hitherto the enemy had treated us, on the whole, humanely, but finding +that desperate resistance in the northern suburbs, Von Kronhelm was +carrying out the Emperor's parting injunction. He was breaking the pride +of our own dear London, even at the sacrifice of thousands of innocent +lives. + +The scenes in the streets within that zone of awful fire baffled +description. They were too sudden, too dramatic, too appalling. Death +and destruction were everywhere, and the people of London now realised +for the first time what the horrors of war really meant. + +Dusk was falling. Above the pall of smoke from burning buildings the sun +was setting with a blood-red light. From the London streets, however, +this evening sky was darkened by the clouds of smoke and dust. Yet the +cannonade continued, each shell that came hurtling through the air +exploding with deadly effect and spreading destruction on all hands. + +Meanwhile the barricades at the north had not escaped Von Kronhelm's +attention. About four o'clock he gave orders by field telegraph for +certain batteries to move down and attack them. + +This was done soon after five o'clock, and when the German guns began to +pour their deadly rain of shell into those hastily improvised defences +there commenced a slaughter of the gallant defenders that was horrible. +At each of the barricades shell after shell was directed, and very +quickly breaches were made. Then upon the defenders themselves the fire +was directed--a withering, awful fire from quick-firing guns which none +could withstand. The streets, with their barricades swept away, were +strewn with mutilated corpses. Hundreds upon hundreds had attempted to +make a last stand, rallied by the Union Jack they waved above, but a +shell exploding in their midst had sent them to instant eternity. + +Many a gallant deed was done that day by patriotic Londoners in defence +of their homes and loved ones--many a deed that should have earned the +V.C.--but in nearly all cases the patriot who had stood up and faced the +foe had gone to straight and certain death. + +Till seven o'clock the dull roar of the guns in the north continued, and +people across the Thames knew that London was still being destroyed, +nay, pulverised. Then with accord came a silence--the first silence +since the hot noon. + +Von Kronhelm's field telegraph at Jack Straw's Castle had ticked the +order to cease firing. + +All the barricades had been broken. + +London lay burning--at the mercy of the German eagle. + +And as the darkness fell the German Commander-in-Chief looked again +through his glasses, and saw the red flames leaping up in dozens of +places, where whole blocks of shops and buildings, public institutions, +whole streets in some cases, were being consumed. + +London--the proud capital of the world, the "home" of the +Englishman--was at last ground beneath the iron heel of Germany! + +And all, alas! due to one cause alone--the careless insular apathy of +the Englishman himself! + + + + +CHAPTER VI. + +FALL OF LONDON. + + +Outside London the September night had settled down on the blood-stained +field of battle. With a pale light the moon had risen, partly hidden by +chasing clouds, her white rays mingling with the lurid glare of the +fires down in the great terrified Metropolis below. Northward, from +Hampstead across to Barnet--indeed, over that wide district where the +final battle had been so hotly fought--the moonbeams shone upon the +pallid faces of the fallen. + +Along the German line of investment there had now followed upon the roar +of battle an uncanny silence. + +Away to the west, however, there was still heard the growling of distant +conflict, now mounting into a low crackling of musketry fire, and again +dying away in muffled sounds. The last remnant of the British Army was +being hotly pursued in the direction of Staines. + +London was invested and bombarded, but not yet taken. + +For a long time the German Field Marshal had stood alone upon Hampstead +Heath apart from his staff, watching the great tongues of flame leaping +up here and there in the distant darkness. His grey, shaggy brows were +contracted, his thin aquiline face thoughtful, his hard mouth twitching +nervously, unable to fully conceal the strain of his own feelings as +conqueror of the English. Von Kronhelm's taciturnity had long ago been +proverbial. The Kaiser had likened him to Moltke, and had declared that +"he could be silent in seven languages." His gaze was one of musing, and +yet he was the most active of men, and perhaps the cleverest strategist +in all Europe. Often during the campaign he had astonished his +aides-de-camp by his untiring energy, for sometimes he would even visit +the outposts in person. On many occasions he had actually crept up to +the most advanced posts at great personal risk to himself, so anxious +had he been to see with his own eyes. Such visits from the Field Marshal +himself were not always welcome to the German outposts, who, as soon as +they showed the least sign of commotion consequent upon the visit, were +at once swept by a withering English fire. + +Yet he now stood there the conqueror. And while many of his officers +were installing themselves in comfortable quarters in houses about North +End, North Hill, South Hill, Muswell Hill, Roslyn Hill, Fitzjohn's +Avenue, Netherhall, and Maresfield Gardens, and other roads in that +vicinity, the great Commander was still alone upon the Heath, having +taken nothing save a nip from his flask since his coffee at dawn. + +Time after time telegraphic despatches were handed to him from Germany, +and telephonic reports from his various positions around London, but he +received them all without comment. He read, he listened, but he said +nothing. + +For a full hour he remained there, strolling up and down alone in quick +impatience. Then, as though suddenly making up his mind, he called three +members of his staff, and gave orders for an entry into London. + +This, as he knew, was the signal for a terrible and bloody encounter. +Bugles sounded. Men and officers, who had believed that the storm and +stress of the day were over, and that they were entitled to rest, found +themselves called upon to fight their way into the city that they knew +would be defended by an irate and antagonistic populace. + +Still, the order had been given, and it must be obeyed. They had +expected that the advance would be at least made at dawn, but evidently +Von Kronhelm feared that six hours' delay might necessitate more +desperate fighting. He intended, now that London was cowed, that she +should be entirely crushed. The orders of his master the Kaiser were to +that effect. + +Therefore, shortly before nine o'clock the first detachments of German +infantry marched along Spaniards Road, and down Roslyn Hill to +Haverstock Hill, where they were at once fired upon from behind the +_debris_ of the great barricade across the junction of Prince of Wales +Road and Haverstock Hill. This place was held strongly by British +Infantry, many members of the Legion of Frontiersmen--distinguished only +by the little bronze badge in their buttonholes--and also by hundreds of +citizens armed with rifles. + +Twenty Germans dropped at the first volley, and next instant a Maxim, +concealed in the first floor of a neighbouring house, spat forth its +fire upon the invaders with deadly effect. The German bugle sounded the +"Advance rapidly," and the men emulously ran forward, shouting loud +hurrahs. Major van Wittich, who had distinguished himself very +conspicuously in the fighting round Enfield Chase, fell, being shot +through the lung when just within a few yards of the half-ruined +barricade. Londoners were fighting desperately, shouting and cheering. +The standard-bearer of the 4th Battalion of the Brunswick Infantry +Regiment, No. 92, fell severely wounded, and the standard was instantly +snatched from him in the awful hand-to-hand fighting which that moment +ensued. + +Five minutes later the streets were running with blood, for hundreds, +both Germans and British, lay dead and dying. Every Londoner struggled +valiantly until shot down; yet the enemy, always reinforced, pressed +forward, until ten minutes later, the defenders were driven out of their +position, and the house from which the Maxim was sending forth its +deadly hail had been entered and the gun captured. Volley after volley +was still, however, poured out on the heads of the storming party, but +already the pioneers were at work clearing a way for the advance, and +very soon the Germans had surmounted the obstruction and were within +London. + +For a short time the Germans halted, then, at a signal from their +officers, they moved along both roads, again being fired upon from every +house in the vicinity, many of the defenders having retired to continue +their defence from the windows. The enemy therefore turned their +attention to these houses, and after desperate struggles house after +house was taken, those of the defenders not wearing uniform being shot +down without mercy. To such no quarter was given. + +The contest now became a most furious one. Britons and Germans fought +hand to hand. A battalion of the Brunswick Infantry with some riflemen +of the Guard took several houses by rush in Chalk Farm Road; but in many +cases the Germans were shot by their own comrades. Quite a number of the +enemy's officers were picked off by the Frontiersmen, those brave +fellows who had seen service in every corner of the world, and who were +now in the windows and upon roofs. Thus the furious fight from house to +house proceeded. + +This exciting conflict was practically characteristic of what was at +that moment happening in fifty other spots along the suburbs of North +London. The obstinate resistance which we made against the Germans was +met with equally obstinate aggression. There was no surrender. Londoners +fell and died fighting to the very last. + +Against those well-trained Teutons in such overwhelming masses we, +however, could have no hope of success. The rushes of the infantry and +rifles of the Guards were made skilfully, and slowly but surely broke +down all opposition. + +The barricade in the Kentish Town Road was defended with valiant +heroism. The Germans were, as in Chalk Farm Road, compelled to fight +their way foot by foot, losing heavily all the time. But here, at +length, as at other points, the barricade was taken, and the defenders +chased, and either taken prisoner or else ruthlessly shot down. A body +of citizens armed with rifles were, after the storming of the barricades +in question, driven back into Park Street, and there, being caught +between two bodies of Germans, slaughtered to a man. Through those unlit +side streets between the Kentish Town and Camden Roads--namely, the +Lawford, Bartholomew, Rochester, Caversham, and Leighton Roads--there +was much skirmishing, and many on both sides fell in the bloody +encounter. A thousand deeds of bravery were done that night, but were +unrecorded. Before the barricade in Holloway Road--which had been +strongly repaired after the breach made in it by the German shells--the +enemy lost very heavily, for the three Maxims which had there been +mounted did awful execution. The invaders, however, seeing the strong +defence, fell back for full twenty minutes, and then, making another +rush, hurled petrol bombs into the midst of our men. + +A frightful holocaust was the result. Fully a hundred of the poor +fellows were literally burned alive; while the neighbouring houses, +being set in flames, compelled the citizen free-shooters to quickly +evacuate their position. Against such terrible missiles even the best +trained troops cannot stand, therefore no wonder that all opposition at +that point was soon afterwards swept away, and the pioneers quickly +opened the road for the victorious legions of the Kaiser. + +And so in that prosaic thoroughfare, the Holloway Road, brave men fought +gallantly and died, while a Scotch piper paced the pavement sharply, +backwards and forwards, with his colours flying. Then, alas! came the +red flash, the loud explosions in rapid succession, and the next instant +the whole street burst into a veritable sea of flame. + +High Street, Kingsland, was also the scene of several fierce conflicts; +but here the Germans decidedly got the worst of it. The whole infuriated +population seemed to emerge suddenly from the side streets of the +Kingsland Road on the appearance of the detachment of the enemy, and the +latter were practically overwhelmed, notwithstanding the desperate fight +they made. Then ringing cheers went up from the defenders. + +The Germans were given no quarter by the populace, all of whom were +armed with knives or guns, the women mostly with hatchets, crowbars, or +edged tools. + +Many of the Germans fled through the side streets towards Mare Street, +and were hotly pursued, the majority of them being done to death by the +maddened mob. The streets in this vicinity were literally a +slaughterhouse. + +The barricades in Finchley Road, and in High Road, Kilburn, were also +very strongly held, and at the first-named it was quite an hour before +the enemy's pioneers were able to make a breach. Indeed, then only after +a most hotly contested conflict, in which there were frightful losses on +both sides. Petrol bombs were here also used by the enemy with appalling +effect, the road being afterwards cleared by a couple of Maxims. + +Farther towards Regent's Park the houses were, however, full of +sharpshooters, and before these could be dislodged the enemy had again +suffered severely. The entry into London was both difficult and +perilous, and the enemy suffered great losses everywhere. + +After the breaking down of the defences in High Road, Kilburn, the men +who had held them retired to the Town Hall, opposite Kilburn Station, +and from the windows fired at the passing battalions, doing much +execution. All efforts to dislodge them proved unavailing, until the +place was taken by storm, and a fearful hand to hand fight was the +outcome. Eventually the Town Hall was taken, after a most desperate +resistance, and ten minutes later wilfully set fire to and burned. + +In the Harrow Road and those cross streets between Kensal Green and +Maida Vale the advancing Germans shared much the same fate as about +Hackney. Surrounded by the armed populace, hundreds upon hundreds of +them were killed, struck down by hatchets, stabbed by knives, or shot +with revolvers, the crowd shouting, "Down with the Germans! Kill them! +Kill them!" + +Many of the London women now became perfect furies. So incensed were +they at the wreck of their homes and the death of their loved ones that +they rushed wildly into the fray with no thought of peril, only of +bitter revenge. A German whenever caught was at once killed. In those +bloody street fights the Teutons got separated from their comrades and +were quickly surrounded and done to death. + +[Illustration: LONDON AFTER THE BOMBARDMENT.] + +Across the whole of the northern suburbs the scenes of bloodshed that +night were full of horror, as men fought in the ruined streets, climbing +over the smouldering _debris_, over the bodies of their comrades, and +shooting from behind ruined walls. As Von Kronhelm had anticipated, his +Army was compelled to fight its way into London. + +The streets all along the line of the enemy's advance were now strewn +with dead and dying. London was doomed. + +The Germans now coming on in increasing, nay, unceasing numbers, were +leaving behind them everywhere the trail of blood. Shattered London +stood staggered. + +Though the resistance had been long and desperate, the enemy had again +triumphed by reason of his sheer weight of numbers. + +Yet, even though he were actually in our own dear London, our people did +not mean that he should establish himself without any further +opposition. Therefore, though the barricades had been taken, the Germans +found in every unexpected corner men who shot at them, and Maxims which +spat forth their leaden showers beneath which hundreds upon hundreds of +Teutons fell. + +Yet they advanced, still fighting. The scenes of carnage were awful and +indescribable, no quarter being given to any armed citizens not in +uniform, be they men, women, or children. + +The German Army was carrying out the famous proclamation of Field +Marshal von Kronhelm to the letter! + +They were marching on to the sack of the wealthiest city of the world. + +It wanted still an hour of midnight. London was a city of shadow, of +fire, of death. The silent streets, whence all the inhabitants had fled +in panic, echoed to the heavy tread of German infantry, the clank of +arms, and the ominous rumble of guns. Ever and anon an order was shouted +in German as the Kaiser's legions went forward to occupy the proud +capital of the world. The enemy's plans appeared to have been carefully +prepared. The majority of the troops coming from the direction of +Hampstead and Finchley entered Regent's Park, whence preparations were +at once commenced for encampment; while the remainder, together with +those who came down the Camden, Caledonian, and Holloway Roads, turned +along Euston Road and Oxford Street to Hyde Park, where a huge camp was +formed, stretching from the Marble Arch right along the Park Lane side +away to Knightsbridge. + +Officers were very soon billeted in the best houses in Park Lane and +about Mayfair--houses full of works of art and other valuables that had +only that morning been left to the mercy of the invaders. From the +windows and balconies of their quarters in Park Lane they could overlook +the encampment--a position which had evidently been purposely chosen. + +Other troops who came in never-ending procession by the Bow Road, Roman +Road, East India Dock Road, Victoria Park Road, Mare Street, and +Kingsland Road all converged into the City itself, except those who had +come from Edmonton down the Kingsland Road, and who, passing along Old +Street and Clerkenwell, occupied the Charing Cross and Westminster +districts. + +At midnight a dramatic scene was enacted when, in the blood-red glare of +some blazing buildings in the vicinity, a large body of Prince Louis +Ferdinand of Prussia's 2nd Magdeburg Regiment suddenly swept up +Threadneedle Street into the great open space before the Mansion House, +whereon the London flag was still flying aloft in the smoke-laden air. +They halted across the junction of Cheapside with Queen Victoria Street +when, at the same moment, another huge body of the Uhlans of Altmark and +Magdeburg Hussars came clattering along Cornhill, followed a moment +later by battalion after battalion of the 4th and 8th Thuringen Infantry +out of Moorgate Street, whose uniforms showed plain traces of the +desperate encounters of the past week. + +The great body of Germans had halted before the Mansion House, when +General von Kleppen, the commander of the IVth Army Corps--who, +it will be remembered, had landed at Weybourne--accompanied by +Lieutenant-General von Mirbach, of the 8th Division, and Froelich, +commander of the cavalry brigade, ascended the steps of the Mansion +House and entered. + +Within, Sir Claude Harrison, the Lord Mayor, who wore his robes and +jewel of office, received them in that great, sombre room wherein so +many momentous questions concerning the welfare of the British Empire +had been discussed. The representative of the City of London, a short, +stout, gray-haired man, was pale and agitated. He bowed, but he could +not speak. + +Von Kleppen, however, a smart, soldierly figure in his service uniform +and many ribbons, bowed in response, and in very fair English said:-- + +"I regret, my Lord Mayor, that it is necessary for us to thus disturb +you, but as you are aware, the British Army has been defeated, and the +German Army has entered London. I have orders from Field Marshal von +Kronhelm to place you under arrest, and to hold you as hostage for the +good behaviour of the City during the progress of the negotiations for +peace." + +"Arrest!" gasped the Lord Mayor. "You intend to arrest me?" + +"It will not be irksome, I assure you," smiled the German commander +grimly. "At least, we shall make it as comfortable as possible. I shall +place a guard here, and the only restriction I place upon you is that +you shall neither go out nor hold any communication with any one outside +these walls." + +"But my wife?" + +"If her ladyship is here I would advise that she leave the place. It is +better that, for the present, she should be out of London." + +The civic officials, who had all assembled for the dramatic ceremonial, +looked at each other in blank amazement. The Lord Mayor was a prisoner! + +Sir Claude divested himself of his jewel of office, and handed it to his +servant to replace in safe keeping. Then he took off his robe, and +having done so, advanced closer to the German officers, who, treating +him with every courtesy, consulted with him, expressing regret at the +terrible loss of life that had been occasioned by the gallant defence of +the barricades. + +Von Kleppen gave the Lord Mayor a message from Von Kronhelm, and urged +him to issue a proclamation forbidding any further opposition on the +part of the populace of London. With the three officers Sir Claude +talked for a quarter of an hour, while into the Mansion House there +entered a strong guard of men of the 2nd Magdeburg, who quickly +established themselves in the most comfortable quarters. German double +sentries stood at every exit and in every corridor, and when a few +minutes later the flag was hauled down and the German Imperial Standard +run up, wild shouts of triumph rang from every throat of the densely +packed body of troops assembled outside. + +The joyous "hurrahs!" reached the Lord Mayor, still in conversation with +Von Kleppen, Von Mirbach, and Froelich, and in an instant he knew the +truth. The Teutons were saluting their own standard. The civic flag had, +either accidentally or purposely, been flung down into the roadway +below, and was trampled in the dust. A hundred enthusiastic Germans, +disregarding the shouts of their officers, fought for the flag, and it +was instantly torn to shreds, and little pieces preserved as souvenirs. + +Shout after shout in German went up from the wildly excited troops of +the Kaiser when the light wind caused their own flag to flutter out, and +then, as with one voice, the whole body of troops united in singing the +German National Hymn. + +The scene was weird and most impressive. London had fallen. + +Around were the wrecked buildings, some still smouldering, some emitting +flame. Behind lay the Bank of England with untold wealth locked within: +to the right the damaged facade of the Royal Exchange was illuminated +by a flickering light, which also shone upon the piled arms of the +enemy's troops, causing them to flash and gleam. + +In those silent, narrow City streets not an Englishman was to be seen. +Every one save the Lord Mayor and his official attendants had fled. + +The Government Offices in Whitehall were all in the hands of the enemy. +In the Foreign Office, the India Office, the War Office, the Colonial +Office, the Admiralty, and other minor offices were German guards. +Sentries stood at the shattered door of the famous No. 10, Downing +Street, and all up Whitehall was lined with infantry. + +German officers were in charge of all our public offices, and all +officials who had remained on duty were firmly requested to leave. +Sentries were stationed to guard the archives of every department, and +precautions were taken to guard against any further outbreaks of fire. + +Across at the Houses of Parliament, with their damaged towers, the whole +great pile of buildings was surrounded by triumphant troops, while +across at the fine old Abbey of Westminster was, alas! a different +scene. The interior had been turned into a temporary hospital, and upon +mattresses placed upon the floor were hundreds of poor maimed creatures, +some groaning, some ghastly pale in the last moments of agony, some +silent, their white lips moving in prayer. + +On one side in the dim light lay the men, some in uniform, others +inoffensive citizens, who had been struck by cruel shells or falling +_debris_; on the other side lay the women, some mere girls, and even +children. + +Flitting everywhere in the half light were nurses, charitable ladies, +and female helpers, with numbers of doctors, all doing their best to +alleviate the terrible sufferings of that crowded place, the walls of +which showed plain traces of the severe bombardment. In places the roof +was open to the angry sky, while many of the windows were gaunt and +shattered. + +A clergyman's voice somewhere was repeating a prayer in a low, distinct +voice, so that all could hear, yet above all were the sighs and groans +of the sufferers, and as one walked through that prostrate assembly of +victims more than one was seen to have already gone to that land that +lies beyond the human ken. + +The horrors of war were never more forcibly illustrated than in +Westminster Abbey that night, for the grim hand of death was there, and +men and women lying with their faces to the roof looked into Eternity. + +Every hospital in London was full, therefore the overflow had been +placed in the various churches. From the battlefields along the northern +defences, Epping, Edmonton, Barnet, Enfield, and other places where the +last desperate stand had been made, and from the barricades in the +northern suburbs ambulance waggons were continually arriving full of +wounded, all of whom were placed in the churches and in any large public +buildings which had remained undamaged by the bombardment. + +St. George's, Hanover Square, once the scene of many smart weddings, was +now packed with unfortunate wounded soldiers, British and German lying +side by side, while in the Westminster Cathedral and the Oratory at +Brompton the Roman Catholic priests made hundreds of poor fellows as +comfortable as they could, many members of the religious sisterhoods +acting as nurses. St. James's Church in Piccadilly, St. Pancras Church, +Shoreditch Church, and St. Mary Abbotts', Kensington, were all +improvised hospitals, and many grim and terrible scenes of agony were +witnessed during that long eventful night. + +The light was dim everywhere, for there were only paraffin lamps, and by +their feeble illumination many a difficult operation had to be performed +by those London surgeons who one and all had come forward, and were now +working unceasingly. Renowned specialists from Harley Street, Cavendish +Square, Queen Ann Street, and the vicinity were directing the work in +all the improvised hospitals, men whose names were world-famous kneeling +and performing operations upon poor unfortunate private soldiers or upon +some labourer who had taken up a gun in defence of his home. + +Of lady helpers there were hundreds. From Mayfair and Belgravia, from +Kensington and Bayswater, ladies had come forward offering their +services, and their devotion to the wounded was everywhere apparent. In +St. Andrew's, Wells Street, St. Peter's, Eaton Square, in the Scottish +Church in Crown Court, Covent Garden, in the Temple Church, in the Union +Chapel in Upper Street, in the Chapel Royal, Savoy, in St. Clement Danes +in the Strand, and in St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, there were wounded in +greater or less numbers, but the difficulties of treating them were +enormous owing to the lack of necessaries for the performance of +operations. + +Weird and striking were the scenes within those hallowed places, as, in +the half darkness with the long, deep shadows, men struggled for life or +gave to the women kneeling at their side their name, their address, or a +last dying message to one they loved. + +London that night was a city of shattered homes, of shattered hopes, of +shattered lives. + +The silence of death had fallen everywhere. The only sounds that broke +the quiet within those churches were the sighs, groans, and faint +murmurings of the dying. + + + + +CHAPTER VII. + +GERMANS SACKING THE BANKS. + + +Day dawned dismally and wet on September the 21st. + +Over London the sky was still obscured by the smoke-pall, though as the +night passed many of the raging fires had spent themselves. + +Trafalgar Square was filled with troops who had piled arms and were +standing at their ease. The men were laughing and smoking, enjoying a +rest after the last forward movement and the street fighting of that +night of horrors. + +The losses on both sides during the past three days had been enormous; +of the number of London citizens killed and wounded it was impossible to +calculate. There had, in the northern suburbs, been wholesale butchery +everywhere, so gallantly had the barricades been defended. + +Great camps had now been formed in Hyde Park, in the Green Park between +Constitution Hill and Piccadilly, and in St. James's Park. The Magdeburg +Fusiliers were being formed up on the Horse Guards Parade, and from the +flagstaff there now fluttered the ensign of the commander of an army +corps, in place of the British flag. A large number of Uhlans and +Cuirassiers were encamped at the west end of the Park, opposite +Buckingham Palace, and both the Wellington Barracks and the Cavalry +Barracks at Knightsbridge were occupied by Germans. + +Many officers were already billeted in the Savoy, the Cecil, the +Carlton, the Grand, and Victoria hotels, while the British Museum, the +National Gallery, the South Kensington Museum, the Tower, and a number +of other collections of pictures and antiques were all guarded strongly +by German sentries. The enemy had thus seized our national treasures. + +London awoke to find herself a German city. + +In the streets lounging groups of travel-worn sons of the Fatherland +were everywhere, and German was heard on every hand. Every ounce of +foodstuff was being rapidly commandeered by hundreds of foraging +parties, who went to each grocer's, baker's, or provision shop in the +various districts, seized all they could find, valued it, and gave +official receipts for it. + +The price of food in London that morning was absolutely prohibitive, as +much as two shillings being asked for a twopenny loaf. The Germans had, +it was afterwards discovered, been all the time, since the Sunday when +they landed, running over large cargoes of supplies of all sorts to the +Essex, Lincolnshire, and Norfolk coasts, where they had established huge +supply bases, well knowing that there was not sufficient food in the +country to feed their armed hordes in addition to the population. + +Shops in Tottenham Court Road, Holborn, Edgware Road, Oxford Street, +Camden Road, and Harrow Road were systematically visited by the foraging +parties, who commenced their work at dawn. Those places that were closed +and their owners absent were at once broken open, and everything seized +and carted to either Hyde Park or St. James's Park, for though Londoners +might starve, the Kaiser's troops intended to be fed. + +In some cases a patriotic shopkeeper attempted to resist. Indeed, in +more than one case a tradesman wilfully set his shop on fire rather than +its contents should fall into the enemy's hands. In other cases the +tradesmen who received the official German receipts burned them in +contempt before the officer's eyes. + +The guidance of these foraging parties was, in very many cases, in the +hands of Germans in civilian clothes, and it was now seen how complete +and helpful the enemy's system of espionage had been in London. Most of +these men were Germans who, having served in the army, had come over to +England and obtained employment as waiters, clerks, bakers, +hairdressers, and private servants, and being bound by their oath to the +Fatherland had served their country as spies. Each man, when obeying the +Imperial command to join the German arms, had placed in the lapel of his +coat a button of a peculiar shape, with which he had long ago been +provided, and by which he was instantly recognised as a loyal subject of +the Kaiser. + +This huge body of German soldiers, who for years had passed in England +as civilians, was, of course, of enormous use to Von Kronhelm, for they +acted as guides not only on the march and during the entry to London, +but materially assisted in the victorious advance in the Midlands. +Indeed, the Germans had for years kept a civilian army in England, and +yet we had, ostrich-like, buried our heads in the sand, and refused to +turn our eyes to the grave peril that had for so long threatened. + +Systematically, the Germans were visiting every shop and warehouse in +the shopping districts, and seizing everything eatable they could +discover. The enemy were taking the food from the mouths of the poor in +East and South London, and as they went southward across the river, so +the populace retired, leaving their homes at the mercy of the ruthless +invader. + +Upon all the bridges across the Thames stood German guards, and none +were allowed to cross without permits. + +Soon after dawn Von Kronhelm and his staff rode down Haverstock Hill +with a large body of cavalry, and made his formal entry into London, +first having an interview with the Lord Mayor, and an hour afterwards +establishing his headquarters at the new War Office in Whitehall, over +which he hoisted his special flag as Commander-in-Chief. It was found +that, though a good deal of damage had been done externally to the +building, the interior had practically escaped, save one or two rooms. +Therefore the Field Marshal installed himself in the private room of the +War Minister, and telegraphic and telephonic communication was quickly +established, while a wireless telegraph apparatus was placed upon the +ruined summit of Big Ben for the purpose of communicating with Germany, +in case the cables were interrupted by being cut at sea. + +The day after the landing a similar apparatus had been erected on the +Monument at Yarmouth, and it had been daily in communication with the +one at Bremen. The German left nothing to chance. + +The clubs in Pall Mall were now being used by German officers, who +lounged in easy chairs, smoking and taking their ease, German soldiers +being on guard outside. North of the Thames seemed practically deserted, +save for the invaders who swarmed everywhere. South of the Thames the +cowed and terrified populace were asking what the end was to be. What +was the Government doing? It had fled to Bristol and left London to its +fate, they complained. + +What the German demands were was not known until the "Daily Telegraph" +published an interview with Sir Claude Harrison, the Lord Mayor, which +gave authentic details of them. + +They were as follows:-- + + 1. Indemnity of L300,000,000, paid in ten annual instalments. + + 2. Until this indemnity is paid in full, German troops to occupy + Edinburgh, Rosyth, Chatham, Dover, Portsmouth, Devonport, + Pembroke, Yarmouth, Hull. + + 3. Cession to Germany of the Shetlands, Orkneys, Bantry Bay, + Malta, Gibraltar, and Tasmania. + + 4. India, north of a line drawn from Calcutta to Baroda, to be + ceded to Russia. + + 5. The independence of Ireland to be recognised. + +Of the claim of L300,000,000, fifty millions was demanded from London, +the sum in question to be paid within twelve hours. + +The Lord Mayor had, it appeared, sent his secretary to the Prime +Minister at Bristol bearing the original document in the handwriting of +Von Kronhelm. The Prime Minister had acknowledged its receipt by +telegraph both to the Lord Mayor and to the German Field Marshal, but +there the matter had ended. + +The twelve hours' grace was nearly up, and the German Commander, seated +in Whitehall, had received no reply. + +In the corner of the large, pleasant, well-carpeted room sat a German +telegraph engineer with a portable instrument, in direct communication +with the Emperor's private cabinet at Potsdam, and over that wire +messages were continually passing and repassing. + +The grizzled old soldier paced the room impatiently. His Emperor had +only an hour ago sent him a message of warm congratulation, and had +privately informed him of the high honours he intended to bestow upon +him. The German Eagle was victorious, and London--the great +unconquerable London--lay crushed, torn, and broken. + +The marble clock upon the mantelpiece shelf chimed eleven upon its +silvery bells, causing Von Kronhelm to turn from the window to glance at +his own watch. + +"Tell His Majesty that it is eleven o'clock, and that there is no reply +to hand," he said sharply in German to the man in uniform seated at the +table in the corner. + +The instrument clicked rapidly, and a silence followed. + +The German Commander waited anxiously. He stood bending slightly over +the green tape in order to read the Imperial order the instant it +flashed from beneath the sea. + +Five minutes--ten minutes passed. The shouting of military commands in +German came up from Whitehall below. Nothing else broke the quiet. + +Von Kronhelm, his face more furrowed and more serious, again paced the +carpet. + +Suddenly the little instrument whirred, and clicked as its thin green +tape rolled out. + +In an instant the Generalissimo of the Kaiser's army sprang to the +telegraphist's side and read the Imperial command. + +For a moment he held the piece of tape between his fingers, then crushed +it in his hand and stood motionless. + +He had received orders which, though against his desire, he was +compelled to obey. + +Summoning several members of his staff who had installed themselves in +other comfortable rooms in the vicinity, he held a long consultation +with them. + +In the meantime telegraphic despatches were received from Sheffield, +Manchester, Birmingham, and other German headquarters, all telling the +same story--the complete investment and occupation of the big cities and +the pacification of the inhabitants. + +One hour's grace was, however, allowed to London--till noon. + +Then orders were issued, bugles rang out across the parks, and in the +main thoroughfares, where arms were piled, causing the troops to fall +in, and within a quarter of an hour large bodies of infantry and +engineers were moving along the Strand, in the direction of the City. + +At first the reason of all this was a mystery, but very shortly it was +realised what was intended when a detachment of the 5th Hanover Regiment +advanced to the gate of the Bank of England opposite the Exchange, and, +after some difficulty, broke it open and entered, followed by some +engineers of Von Mirbach's Division. The building was very soon +occupied, and, under the direction of General Von Kleppen himself, an +attempt was made to open the strong rooms, wherein was stored that vast +hoard of England's wealth. What actually occurred at that spot can only +be imagined, as the commander of the IVth Army Corps and one or two +officers and men were the only persons present. It is surmised, however, +that the strength of the vaults was far greater than they had imagined, +and that, though they worked for hours, all was in vain. + +While this was in progress, however, parties of engineers were making +organised raids upon the banks in Lombard Street, Lothbury, Moorgate +Street, and Broad Street, as well as upon branch banks in Oxford Street, +the Strand, and other places in the West End. + +At one bank on the left-hand side of Lombard Street, dynamite being used +to force the strong room, the first bullion was seized, while at nearly +all the banks sooner or later the vaults were opened, and great bags and +boxes of gold coin were taken out and conveyed in carefully guarded +carts to the Bank of England, now in the possession of Germany. + +In some banks--those of more modern construction--the greatest +resistance was offered by the huge steel doors and concrete and steel +walls and other devices for security. But nothing could, alas! resist +the high explosives used, and in the end breaches were made, in all +cases, and wealth uncounted and untold extracted and conveyed to +Threadneedle Street for safe keeping. + +Engineers and infantry handled those heavy boxes and those big bundles +of securities gleefully, officers carefully counting each box or bag or +packet as it was taken out to be carted or carried away by hand. + +German soldiers under guard struggled along Lothbury beneath great +burdens of gold, and carts, requisitioned out of the East End, rumbled +heavily all the afternoon, escorted by soldiers. Hammersmith, +Camberwell, Hampstead, and Willesden yielded up their quota of the +great wealth of London; but though soon after four o'clock a breach was +made in the strong rooms of the Bank of England by means of explosives, +nothing in the vaults was touched. The Germans simply entered there and +formally took possession. + +The coin collected from other banks was carefully kept, each separate +from another, and placed in various rooms under strong guards, for it +seemed to be their intention simply to hold London's wealth as security. + +That afternoon very few banks--except the German ones--escaped notice. +Of course, there were a few small branches in the suburbs which remained +unvisited, yet by six o'clock Von Kronhelm was in possession of enormous +quantities of gold. + +In one or two quarters there had been opposition on the part of the +armed guards established by the banks at the first news of the invasion. +But any such resistance had, of course, been futile, and the man who had +dared to fire upon the German soldiers had in every case been shot down. + +Thus, when darkness fell, Von Kronhelm, from the corner of his room in +the War Office, was able to report to his Imperial Master that not only +had he occupied London, but that, receiving no reply to his demand for +indemnity, he had sacked it and taken possession not only of the Bank of +England, but of the cash deposits in most of the other banks in the +metropolis. + +That night the evening papers described the wild happenings of the +afternoon, and London saw herself not only shattered, but ruined. The +frightened populace across the river stood breathless. What was now to +happen? + +Though London lay crushed and occupied by the enemy, though the Lord +Mayor was a prisoner of war and the banks in the hands of the Germans, +though the metropolis had been wrecked and more than half its +inhabitants had fled southward and westward into the country, yet the +enemy received no reply to their demand for an indemnity and the cession +of British territory. + +Von Kronhelm, ignorant of what had occurred in the House of Commons at +Bristol, sat in Whitehall and wondered. He knew well that the English +were no fools, and their silence, therefore, caused him considerable +uneasiness. He had lost in the various engagements over 50,000 men, yet +nearly 200,000 still remained. His army of invasion was a no mean +responsibility, especially when at any moment the British might regain +command of the sea. His supplies and reinforcements would then be at +once cut off. It was impossible for him to live upon the country, and +his food bases in Suffolk and Essex were not sufficiently extensive to +enable him to make a prolonged campaign. Indeed, the whole scheme of +operations which had been so long discussed and perfected in secret in +Berlin was more of the nature of a raid than a prolonged siege. + + + CITY OF LONDON. + + CITIZENS OF LONDON. + + WE, the GENERAL COMMANDING the German Imperial Army occupying + London, give notice that: + + (1) THE STATE OF WAR AND OF SIEGE continues to exist, and all + categories of crime, more especially the contravention of all + orders already issued, will be judged by Councils of War, and + punished in conformity with martial law. + + (2) THE INHABITANTS OF LONDON and its suburbs are ordered to + instantly deliver up all arms and ammunition of whatever kind + they possess. The term arms includes firearms, sabres, swords, + daggers, revolvers, and sword-canes. Landlords and occupiers of + houses are charged to see that this order is carried out, but in + the case of their absence the municipal authorities and + officials of the London County Council are charged to make + domiciliary visits, minute and searching, being accompanied by a + military guard. + + (3) ALL NEWSPAPERS, JOURNALS, GAZETTES, AND PROCLAMATIONS, of + whatever description, are hereby prohibited, and until further + notice nothing further must be printed, except documents issued + publicly by the military commander. + + (4) ANY PRIVATE PERSON OR PERSONS taking arms against the German + troops after this notice will be EXECUTED. + + (5) ON THE CONTRARY, the Imperial German troops will respect + private property, and no requisition will be allowed to be made + unless it bears the authorisation of the Commander-in-Chief. + + (6) ALL PUBLIC PLACES are to be closed at 8 P.M. All persons + found in the streets of London after 8 P.M. will be arrested by + the patrols. There is no exception to this rule except in the + case of German Officers, and also in the case of doctors + visiting their patients. Municipal officials will also be + allowed out, providing they obtain a permit from the German + headquarters. + + (7) MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES MUST provide for the lighting of the + streets. In cases where this is impossible, each householder + must hang a lantern outside his house from nightfall until 8 + A.M. + + (8) AFTER TO-MORROW morning, at 10 o'clock, the women and + children of the population of London will be allowed to pass + without hindrance. + + (9) MUNICIPAL AUTHORITIES MUST, with as little delay as + possible, provide accommodation for the German troops in private + dwellings, in fire-stations, barracks, hotels, and houses that + are still habitable. + + =VON KRONHELM, + Commander-in-Chief.= + + GERMAN MILITARY HEADQUARTERS, + WHITEHALL, LONDON, _September_ 21, 1910. + + [Illustration: VON KRONHELM'S PROCLAMATION TO THE + CITIZENS OF LONDON.] + + +The German Field Marshal sat alone and reflected. Had he been aware of +the true state of affairs he would certainly have had considerable cause +for alarm. True, though Lord Byfield had made such a magnificent stand, +considering the weakness of the force at his disposal, and London was +occupied, yet England was not conquered. + +No news had leaked out from Bristol. Indeed, Parliament had taken every +precaution that its deliberations were in secret. + +The truth, however, may be briefly related. On the previous day the +House had met at noon in the Colston Hall--a memorable sitting, indeed. +The Secretary of State for War had, after prayers, risen in the hall and +read an official despatch he had just received from Lord Byfield, giving +the news of the last stand made by the British north of Enfield, and the +utter hopelessness of the situation. It was received by the assembled +House in ominous silence. + +During the past week through that great hall the Minister's deep voice, +shaken by emotion, had been daily heard as he was compelled to report +defeat after defeat of the British arms. Both sides of the House had, +after the first few days, been forced to recognise Germany's superiority +in numbers, in training, in organisation--in fact in everything +appertaining to military power. Von Kronhelm's strategy had been +perfect. He knew more of Eastern England than the British Commander +himself, and his marvellous system of spies and advance agents--Germans +who had lived for years in England--had assisted him forward, until he +had now occupied London, the city declared to be impregnable. + +Through the whole of September 20 the Minister constantly received +despatches from the British Field Marshal and from London itself, yet +each telegram communicated to the House seemed more hopeless than its +predecessor. + +The debate, however, proceeded through the afternoon. The Opposition +were bitterly attacking the Government and the Blue Water School for its +gross negligence in the past, and demanding to know the whereabouts of +the remnant of the British Navy. The First Lord of the Admiralty flatly +refused to make any statement. The whereabouts of our Navy at that +moment was, he said, a secret, which must, at all hazards, be withheld +from our enemy. The Admiralty were not asleep, as the country believed, +but were fully alive to the seriousness of the crisis. He urged the +House to remain patient, saying that as soon as he dared he would make a +statement. + +This was greeted by loud jeers from the Opposition, from whose benches, +members, one after another, rose, and, using hard epithets, blamed the +Government for the terrible disaster. The cutting down of our defences, +the meagre naval programmes, the discouragement of the Volunteers and of +recruiting, and the disregard of Lord Roberts' scheme in 1906 for +universal military training were, they declared, responsible for what +had occurred. The Government had been culpably negligent, and Mr. +Haldane's scheme had been all insufficient. Indeed, it had been nothing +short of criminal to mislead the Empire into a false sense of security +which did not exist. + +For the past three years Germany, while sapping our industries, had sent +spies into our midst, and laughed at us for our foolish insular +superiority. She had turned her attention from France to ourselves, +notwithstanding the _entente cordiale_. She remembered how the +much-talked-of Franco-Russian alliance had fallen to pieces, and relied +upon a similar outcome of the friendship between France and Great +Britain. + +The aspect of the House, too, was strange; the Speaker in his robes +looked out of place in his big uncomfortable chair, and members sat on +cane-bottomed chairs instead of their comfortable benches at +Westminster. As far as possible the usual arrangement of the House was +adhered to, except that the Press were now excluded, official reports +being furnished to them at midnight. + +The clerks' table was a large plain one of stained wood, but upon it was +the usual array of despatches, while the Serjeant-at-Arms, in his +picturesque dress, was still one of the most prominent figures. The lack +of committee rooms, of an adequate lobby, and of a refreshment +department caused much inconvenience, though a temporary post and +telegraph office had been established within the building, and a +separate line connected the Prime Minister's room with Downing Street. + +If the Government were denounced in unmeasured terms, its defence was +equally vigorous. Thus, through that never-to-be-forgotten afternoon the +sitting continued past the dinner hour on to late in the evening. + +Time after time the despatches from London were placed in the hands of +the War Minister, but, contrary to the expectation of the House, he +vouchsafed no further statement. It was noticed that just before ten +o'clock he consulted in an earnest undertone with the Prime Minister, +the First Lord of the Admiralty, and the Home Secretary, and that a +quarter of an hour later all four went out and were closeted in one of +the smaller rooms with other members of the Cabinet for nearly half an +hour. + +Then the Secretary of State for War re-entered the House and resumed his +seat in silence. + +A few minutes afterwards Mr. Thomas Askern, member of one of the +Metropolitan boroughs, and a well-known newspaper proprietor, who had +himself received several private despatches, rose and received leave to +put a question to the War Minister. + +"I would like to ask the Right Honourable the Secretary of State for +War," he said, "whether it is not a fact that soon after noon to-day the +enemy, having moved his heavy artillery to certain positions commanding +North London, and finding the capital strongly barricaded, proceeded to +bombard it? Whether that bombardment, according to the latest +despatches, is not still continuing at this moment; whether it is not a +fact that enormous damage has already been done to many of the principal +buildings of the metropolis, including the Government Offices at +Whitehall, and whether great loss of life has not been occasioned?" + +The question produced the utmost sensation. The House during the whole +afternoon had been in breathless anxiety as to what was actually +happening in London; but the Government held the telegraphs and +telephone, and the only private despatches that had come to Bristol were +the two received by some roundabout route known only to the ingenious +journalists who had despatched them. Indeed, the despatches had been +conveyed the greater portion of the way by motor-car. + +A complete silence fell. Every face was turned towards the War +Minister, who, seated with outstretched legs, was holding a fresh +despatch he had just received. + +He rose, and, in his deep bass voice, said:-- + +"In reply to the honourable member for South-East Brixton, the statement +he makes appears, from information which has just reached me, to be +correct. The Germans are, unfortunately, bombarding London. Von +Kronhelm, it is reported, is at Hampstead, and the zone of the enemy's +artillery reaches, in some cases, as far south as the Thames itself. It +is true, as the honourable member asserts, an enormous amount of damage +has already been done to various buildings, and there has undoubtedly +been great loss of life. My latest information is that the non-combatant +inhabitants--old persons, women, and children--are in flight across the +Thames, and that the barricades in the principal roads leading in from +the north are held strongly by the armed populace, driven back into +London." + +He sat down without further word. + +A tall, thin, white-moustached man rose at that moment from the +Opposition side of the House. Colonel Farquhar, late of the Royal +Marines, was a well-known military critic, and represented West Bude. + +"And this," he said, "is the only hope of England! The defence of London +by an armed mob, pitted against the most perfectly equipped and armed +force in the world! Londoners are patriotic, I grant. They will die +fighting for their homes, as every Englishman will when the moment +comes; yet, what can we hope, when patriotism is ranged against modern +military science? There surely is patriotism in the savage negro races +of Central Africa, a love of country perhaps as deep as in the white +man's heart; yet a little strategy, a few Maxims, and all defence is +quickly at an end. And so it must inevitably be with London. I contend, +Mr. Speaker," he went on, "that by the ill-advised action of the +Government from the first hour of their coming into power, we now find +ourselves conquered. It only remains for them now to make terms of peace +as honourable to themselves as the unfortunate circumstances will admit. +Let the country itself judge their actions in the light of events of +to-day, and let the blood of the poor murdered women and children of +London be upon their heads. (Shame.) To resist further is useless. Our +military organisation is in chaos, our miserably weak army is defeated +and in flight. I declare to this House that we should sue at this very +moment for peace--a dishonourable peace though it be; but the bitter +truth is too plain--England is conquered!" + +As he sat down amid the "hear, hears," and the loud applause of the +Opposition there rose a keen-faced, dark-haired, clean-shaven man of +thirty-seven or so. He was Gerald Graham, younger son of an aristocratic +house, the Yorkshire Grahams, who sat for North-East Rutland. He was a +man of brilliant attainments at Oxford, a splendid orator, a +distinguished writer and traveller, whose keen brown eye, lithe upright +figure, quick activity, and smart appearance, rendered him a born leader +of men. For the past five years he had been marked out as a "coming +man." + +As a soldier he had seen hard service in the Boer War, being mentioned +twice in despatches; as an explorer he had led a party through the heart +of the Congo and fought his way back to civilisation through an +unexplored land with valiant bravery that had saved the lives of his +companions. He was a man who never sought notoriety. He hated to be +lionised in society, refused the shoals of cards of invitation which +poured in upon him, and stuck to his Parliamentary duties, and keeping +faith with his constituents to the very letter. + +As he stood up silent for a moment, gazing around him fearlessly, he +presented a striking figure and in his navy serge suit he possessed the +unmistakable cut of the smart, well-groomed Englishman who was also a +man of note. + +The House always listened to him, for he never spoke without he had +something of importance to say. And the instant he was up a silence +fell. + +"Mr. Speaker," he said, in a clear, ringing voice, "I entirely disagree +with my honourable friend the member for West Bude. England is not +conquered! She is not beaten!" + +The great hall rang with loud and vociferous cheers. + +"London may be invested and bombarded. She may even be sacked, but +Englishmen will still fight for their homes and fight valiantly. If we +have a demand for indemnity let us refuse to pay it. Let us +civilians--let the civilians in every corner of England--arm themselves +and unite to drive out the invader! (Loud cheers.) I contend, Mr. +Speaker, that there are millions of able-bodied men in this country +who, if properly organised, will be able to gradually exterminate the +enemy. Organisation is all that is required. Our vast population will +rise against the Germans, and before the tide of popular indignation and +desperate resistance the power of the invader must soon be swept away. +Do not let us sit calmly here in security, and acknowledge that we are +beaten. Remember, we have at this moment to uphold the ancient tradition +of the British race, the honour of our forefathers, who have never been +conquered. Shall we acknowledge ourselves conquered in this the +twentieth century?" + +"No!" rose from hundreds of voices, for the House was now carried away +by young Graham's enthusiasm. + +"Then let us organise!" he urged. "Let us fight on. Let every man who +can use a sword or gun come forward, and we will commence hostilities +against the Kaiser's forces that shall either result in their total +extermination or in the power of England being extinguished. Englishmen +will die hard. I myself will, with the consent of this House, head the +movement, for I know that in the country we have millions who will +follow me and will be equally ready to die for our country if necessary. +Let us withdraw this statement that we are conquered. The real, earnest +fight is now to commence," he shouted, his voice ringing clearly through +the hall. "Let us bear our part, each one of us. If we organise and +unite, we shall drive the Kaiser's hordes into the sea. They shall sue +us for peace, and be made to pay us an indemnity, instead of us paying +one to them. I will lead!" he shouted; "who will follow me?" + +In London the Lord Mayor's patriotic proclamations were now obliterated +by a huge bill bearing the German Imperial arms, the text of which told +its own grim tale. + +In the meantime the news of the fall of London was being circulated by +the Germans to every town throughout the kingdom, their despatches being +embellished by lurid descriptions of the appalling losses inflicted upon +the English. In Manchester, a great poster, headed by the German +Imperial arms, was posted up on the Town Hall, the exchange, and other +places, in which Von Kronhelm announced the occupation of London; while +in Leeds, Bradford, Stockport, and Sheffield similarly worded official +announcements were also posted. The Press in all towns occupied by the +Germans had been suppressed, papers only appearing in order to publish +the enemy's orders. Therefore this official intelligence was circulated +by proclamation, calculated to impress upon the inhabitants of the +country how utterly powerless they were. + + NOTICE AND ADVICE. + + TO THE CITIZENS OF LONDON. + + I ADDRESS YOU SERIOUSLY. + + We are neighbours, and in time of peace cordial relations have + always existed between us. I therefore address you from my heart + in the cause of humanity. + + Germany is at war with England. We have been forced to penetrate + into your country. + + But each human life spared, and all property saved, we regard as + in the interests of both religion and humanity. + + We are at war, and both sides have fought a loyal fight. + + Our desire is, however, to spare disarmed citizens and the + inhabitants of all towns and villages. + + We maintain a severe discipline, and we wish to have it known + that punishment of the severest character will be inflicted upon + any who are guilty of hostility to the Imperial German arms, + either open or in secret. + + To our regret any incitements, cruelties, or brutalities we must + judge with equal severity. + + I therefore call upon all local mayors, magistrates, clergy, and + schoolmasters to urge upon the populace, and upon the heads of + families, to urge upon those under their protection, and upon + their domestics, to refrain from committing any act of hostility + whatsoever against my soldiers. + + All misery avoided is a good work in the eye of our Sovereign + Judge, who sees all men. + + I earnestly urge you to heed this advice, and I trust in you. + + Take notice! + + =VON KRONHELM, + Commanding the Imperial German Army.= + + GERMAN MILITARY HEADQUARTERS, + WHITEHALL, LONDON, _September_ 20, 1910. + + +While Von Kronhelm sat in that large sombre room in the War Office, with +his telegraph instrument to Potsdam ever ticking, and the wireless +telegraphy constantly in operation, he wondered, and still wondered, why +the English made no response to his demands. He was in London. He had +carried out his Emperor's instructions to the letter, he had received +the Imperial thanks, and he held all the gold coin he could discover in +London as security. Yet, without some reply from the British Government, +his position was an insecure one. Even his thousand and one spies who +had served him so well ever since he had placed foot upon English soil +could tell him nothing. The deliberations of the House of Commons at +Bristol were a secret. + +In Bristol the hot, fevered night had given place to a gloriously sunny +morning with a blue and cloudless sky. Above Leigh Woods the lark rose +high in the sky, trilling his song, and the bells of Bristol rang out as +merrily as they ever did, and above the Colston Hall still floated the +Royal Standard--a sign that the House had not yet adjourned. + +While Von Kronhelm held London, Lord Byfield and the remnant of the +British Army, who had suffered such defeat in Essex and north of London, +had, four days later, retreated to Chichester and Salisbury, where +reorganisation was in rapid progress. One division of the defeated +troops had encamped at Horsham. The survivors of those who had fought +the battle of Charnwood Forest, and had acted so gallantly in the +defence of Birmingham, were now encamped on the Malvern Hills, while the +defenders of Manchester were at Shrewsbury. Speaking roughly, therefore, +our vanquished troops were massing at four points, in an endeavour to +make a last attack upon the invader. The Commander-in-Chief, Lord +Byfield, was near Salisbury, and at any hour he knew that the German +legions might push westward from London to meet him and to complete the +_coup_. + +The League of Defenders formed by Gerald Graham and his friends was, +however, working independently. The wealthier classes, who, driven out +of London, were now living in cottages and tents in various parts of +Berks, Wilts, and Hants, worked unceasingly on behalf of the League, +while into Plymouth, Exmouth, Swanage, Bristol, and Southampton more +than one ship had already managed to enter laden with arms and +ammunition of all kinds, sent across by the agents of the League in +France. The cargoes were of a very miscellaneous character, from modern +Maxims to old-fashioned rifles that had seen service in the war of 1870. +There were hundreds of modern rifles, sporting guns, revolvers, +swords--in fact, every weapon imaginable, modern and old-fashioned. +These were at once taken charge of by the local branches of the League, +and to those men who presented their tickets of identification the arms +were served out, and practice conducted in the open fields. Three +shiploads of rifles were known to have been captured by German warships, +one off Start Point, another a few miles outside Padstow, and a third +within sight of the coastguard at Selsey Bill. Two other ships were +blown up in the Channel by drifting mines. The running of arms across +from France and Spain was a very risky proceeding; yet the British +skipper is nothing if not patriotic, and every man who crossed the +Channel on those dangerous errands took his life in his hand. + +Into Liverpool, Whitehaven, and Milford weapons were also coming over +from Ireland, even though several German cruisers, who had been up to +Lamlash to cripple the Glasgow trade, had now come south, and were +believed still to be in the Irish Sea. + + + + +CHAPTER VIII. + +DEFENCES OF SOUTH LONDON. + + +Preparations were being continued night and day to place the +working-class districts in Southwark and Lambeth in a state of strong +defence, and the constant meetings convened in public halls and chapels +by the newly-formed League of Defenders incited the people to their +work. Everybody lent a willing hand, rich and poor alike. People who had +hitherto lived in comfort in Regent's Park, Hampstead, or one or other +of the better-class northern suburbs, now found themselves herded among +all sorts and conditions of men and women, and living as best they could +in those dull, drab streets of Lambeth, Walworth, Battersea, and +Kennington. It was, indeed, a strange experience for them. In the sudden +flight from the north, parents had become separated from their children +and husbands from their wives, so that in many cases haggard and forlorn +mothers were in frantic search of their little ones, fearing that they +might have already died of starvation or been trampled underfoot by the +panic-stricken multitudes. The dense population of South London had +already been trebled. They were penned in by the barricades in many +instances, for each district seemed to be now placing itself in a state +of defence, independent of any other. + +[Illustration: +THE DEFENCES OF +SOUTH LONDON +on Sept 26^{th} +] + +Kennington, for instance, was practically surrounded by barricades, tons +upon tons of earth being dug from the "Oval" and the "Park." Besides the +barricades in Harleyford Road and Kennington Lane, all the streets +converging on the "Oval" were blocked up, a huge defence arm just being +completed across the junction of Kennington and Kennington Park Roads, +and all the streets running into the latter thoroughfare from that +point to the big obstruction at the "Elephant" were blocked by +paving-stones, bags of sand, barrels of cement, bricks, and such-like +odds and ends impervious to bullets. In addition to this, there was a +double fortification in Lambeth Road--a veritable redoubt--as well as +the barricade at Lambeth Bridge, while all the roads leading from +Kennington into the Lambeth Road, such as St. George's Road, Kennington +Road, High Street, and the rest, had been rendered impassable and the +neighbouring houses placed in a state of defence. Thus the whole +district of Kennington became therefore a fortress in itself. + +This was only a typical instance of the scientific methods of defence +now resorted to. Mistakes made in North London were not now repeated. +Day and night every able-bodied man, and woman too, worked on with +increasing zeal and patriotism. The defences in Haverstock Hill, +Holloway Road, and Edgware Road, which had been composed of overturned +tramcars, motor 'buses, household furniture, etc., had been riddled by +the enemy's bullets. The lesson had been heeded, and now earth, sand, +tiles, paving-stones, and bricks were used. + +From nearly all the principal thoroughfares south of the river the +paving-stones were being rapidly torn up by great gangs of men, and +whenever the artillery brought up a fresh Maxim or field-gun the wildest +demonstrations were made. The clergy held special services in churches +and chapels, and prayer meetings for the emancipation of London were +held twice daily in the Metropolitan Tabernacle at Newington. In +Kennington Park, Camberwell Green, the Oval, Vauxhall Park, Lambeth +Palace Gardens, Camberwell Park, Peckham Rye and Southwark Park a +division of Lord Byfield's army was encamped. They held the Waterloo +terminus of the South-Western Railway strongly, the Chatham Railway from +the Borough Road Station--now the terminus--the South-Eastern from +Bricklayers' Arms, which had been converted into another terminus, as +well as the Brighton line, at Battersea Park and York Road. + +The lines destroyed by the enemy's spies in the early moments of the +invasion had long ago been repaired, and up to the present railway and +telegraphic communication south and west remained uninterrupted. The +"Daily Telegraph" had managed to transfer some of its staff to the +offices of a certain printer's in Southwark, and there, under +difficulties, published several editions daily despite the German +censorship. While northern London was without any news except that +supplied from German sources, South London was still open to the world, +the cables from the south coast being, as yet, in the hands of the +British, and the telegraphs intact to Bristol and to all places in the +West. + +Thus, during those stifling and exciting days following the occupation, +while London was preparing for its great uprising, the "South London +Mirror," though a queer, unusual-looking sheet, still continued to +appear, and was read with avidity by the gallant men at the barricades. + +Contrary to expectation, Von Kronhelm was leaving South London severely +alone. He was, no doubt, wise. Full well he knew that his men, once +within those narrow, tortuous streets beyond the river, would have no +opportunity to manoeuvre, and would, as in the case of the assault of +Waterloo Bridge, be slaughtered to a man. His spies reported that each +hour that passed rendered the populace the stronger, yet he did nothing, +devoting his whole time, energy, and attention to matters in that half +of London he was now occupying. + +Everywhere the walls of South London were placarded with manifestoes of +the League of Defenders. Day after day fresh posters appeared, urging +patience and courage, and reporting upon the progress of the League. The +name of Graham was now upon every one's lips. He had, it seemed, arisen +as saviour of our beloved country. Every word of his inspired +enthusiasm, and this was well illustrated at the mass meeting on Peckham +Rye, when, beneath the huge flag of St. George, the white banner with +the red cross--the ancient standard of England--which the League had +adopted as theirs, he made a brilliant and impassioned appeal to every +Londoner and every Englishman. + +Report had it that the Germans had set a price upon his head, and that +he was pursued everywhere by German spies--mercenaries who would kill +him in secret if they could. Therefore he was compelled to go about with +an armed police guard, who arrested any suspected person in his +vicinity. The Government, who had at first laughed Graham's enthusiasm +to scorn, now believed in him. Even Lord Byfield, after a long council, +declared that his efforts to inspire enthusiasm had been amazingly +successful, and it was now well known that the "Defenders" and the Army +had agreed to act in unison towards one common end--the emancipation of +England from the German thraldom. + +Some men of the Osnabrueck Regiment, holding Canning Town and Limehouse, +managed one night, by strategy, to force their way through the Blackwall +Tunnel and break down its defences on the Surrey side in an attempt to +blow up the South Metropolitan Gas Works. + +The men holding the tunnel were completely overwhelmed by the number +that pressed on, and were compelled to fall back, twenty of their number +being killed. The assault was a victorious one, and it was seen that the +enemy were pouring out, when, of a sudden, there was a dull, heavy roar, +followed by wild shouts and terrified screams, as there rose from the +centre of the river a great column of water, and next instant the tunnel +was flooded, hundreds of the enemy being drowned like rats in a hole. + +The men of the Royal Engineers had, on the very day previous, made +preparations for destroying the tunnel if necessary, and had done so ere +the Germans were aware of their intention. The exact loss of life is +unknown, but it is estimated that over 400 men must have perished in +that single instant, while those who had made the sudden dash towards +the Gas Works were all taken prisoners, and their explosives +confiscated. + +The evident intention of the enemy being thus seen, General Sir Francis +Bamford, from his headquarters at the Crystal Palace, gave orders for +the tunnels at Rotherhithe and that across Greenwich Reach, as well as +the several "tube" tunnels and subways, to be destroyed, a work which +was executed without delay, and was witnessed by thousands, who watched +for the great disturbances and upheavals in the bed of the river. + +In the Old Kent Road the bridge over the canal, as well as the bridges +in Wells Street, Sumner Road, Glengall Road, and Canterbury Road, were +all prepared for demolition in case of necessity, the canal from the +Camberwell Road to the Surrey Dock forming a moat behind which the +defenders might, if necessary, retire. Clapham Common and Brockwell Park +were covered with tents, for General Bamford's force, consisting mostly +of auxiliaries, were daily awaiting reinforcements. + +Lord Byfield, now at Windsor, was in constant communication by wireless +telegraphy with the London headquarters at the Crystal Palace, as well +as with Hibbard on the Malvern Hills and Woolmer at Shrewsbury. To +General Bamford at Sydenham came constant news of the rapid spread of +the national movement of defiance, and Lord Byfield, as was afterwards +known, urged the London commander to remain patient, and invite no +attack until the League were strong enough to act on the offensive. + +Affairs of outpost were, of course, constantly recurring along the river +bank between Windsor and Egham, and the British Free-shooters and +Frontiersmen were ever harassing the Saxons. + +Very soon Von Kronhelm became aware of Lord Byfield's intentions, but +his weakness was apparent when he made no counter-move. The fact was +that the various great cities he now held required all his attention and +all his troops. From Manchester, from Birmingham, from Leeds, Bradford, +Sheffield, and Hull came similar replies. Any withdrawal of troops from +either city would be the signal for a general rising of the inhabitants. +Therefore, having gained possession, he could only now sit tight and +watch. + +From all over Middlesex, and more especially from the London area, came +sensational reports of the drastic measures adopted by the Germans to +repress any sign of revolt. In secret, the agents of the League of +Defenders were at work, going from house to house, enrolling men, +arranging for secret meeting-places, and explaining in confidence the +programme as put forward by the Bristol committee. Now and then, +however, these agents were betrayed, and their betrayal was in every +case followed by a court-martial at Bow Street, death outside in the +yard of the police station, and the publication in the papers of their +names, their offence, and the hour of the execution. + +Yet, undaunted and defiantly, the giant organisation grew as no other +society had ever grown, and its agents and members quickly developed +into fearless patriots. It being reported that the Saxons were facing +Lord Byfield with the Thames between them, the people of West London +began in frantic haste to construct barricades. The building of +obstructions had, indeed, now become a mania north of the river as well +as south. The people, fearing that there was to be more fighting in the +streets of London, began to build huge defences all across West London. +The chief were across King Street, Hammersmith, where it joins Goldhawk +Road, across the junction of Goldhawk and Uxbridge Roads, in the Harrow +Road where it joins Admiral Road, and Willesden Lane, close to the +Paddington Cemetery, and the Latimer Road opposite St. Quintin Park +Station. All the side streets leading into the Goldhawk Road, Latimer +Road, and Ladbroke Grove Road were also blocked up, and hundreds of +houses placed in a state of strong defence. + +With all this Von Kronhelm did not interfere. The building of such +obstructions acted as a safety-valve to the excited populace, therefore +he rather encouraged than discountenanced it. The barricades might, he +thought, be of service to his army if Lord Byfield really risked an +attack upon London from that direction. + +Crafty and cunning though he was, he was entirely unaware that those +barricades were being constructed at the secret orders of the League of +Defenders, and he never dreamed that they had actually been instigated +by the British Commander-in-Chief himself. + +Thus the Day of Reckoning hourly approached, and London, though crushed +and starving, waited in patient vigilance. + +At Enfield Chase was a great camp of British prisoners in the hands of +the Germans, amounting to several thousands. Contrary to report, both +officers and men were fairly well treated by the Germans, though with +his limited supplies Von Kronhelm was already beginning to contemplate +releasing them. Many of the higher-grade officers who had fallen into +the hands of the enemy, together with the Lord Mayor of London, the +Mayors of Hull, Goole, Lincoln, Norwich, Ipswich, and the Lord Mayors of +Manchester and Birmingham, had been sent across to Germany, where, +according to their own reports, they were being detained in Hamburg and +treated with every consideration. Nevertheless, all this greatly +incensed Englishmen. Lord Byfield, with Hibbard and Woolmer, was leaving +no stone unturned in order to reform our shattered Army, and again +oppose the invaders. All three gallant officers had been to Bristol, +where they held long consultation with the members of the Cabinet, with +the result that the Government still refused to entertain any idea of +paying the indemnity. The Admiralty were confident now that the command +of the sea had been regained, and in Parliament itself a little +confidence was also restored. + +Yet we had to face the hard facts that nearly two hundred thousand +Germans were upon British soil, and that London was held by them. +Already parties of German commissioners had visited the National +Gallery, the Wallace Collection, the Tate Gallery, and the British and +South Kensington Museums, deciding upon and placing aside certain art +treasures and priceless antiques ready for shipment to Germany. The +Raphaels, the Titians, the Rubenses, the Fra Angelicos, the Velasquezes, +the Elgin Marbles, the best of the Egyptian, Assyrian, and Roman +antiques, the Rosetta Stone, the early Biblical and classical +manuscripts, the historic charters of England, and such-like treasures +which could never be replaced, were all catalogued and prepared for +removal. The people of London knew this; for though there had been no +newspapers, information ran rapidly from mouth to mouth. German sentries +guarded our world-famous collections, which were now indeed entirely in +the enemy's hands, and which the Kaiser intended should enrich the +German galleries and museums. + +One vessel flying the British flag had left the Thames laden with spoil, +in an endeavour to reach Hamburg, but off Harwich she had been sighted +and overhauled by a British cruiser, with the result that she had been +steered to Dover. Therefore our cruisers and destroyers, having thus +obtained knowledge of the enemy's intentions, were keeping a sharp +lookout about the coast for any vessels attempting to leave for German +ports. + +Accounts of fierce engagements in the Channel between British and German +ships went the rounds, but all were vague and unconvincing. The only +solid facts were that the Germans held the great cities of England, and +that the millions of Great Britain were slowly but surely preparing to +rise in an attempt to burst asunder the fetters that now held them. + +Government, Army, Navy, and Parliament had all proved rotten reeds. It +was now every man for himself--to free himself and his loved ones--or to +die in the attempt. + +Through the south and west of England Graham's clear, manly voice was +raised everywhere, and the whole population were now fast assembling +beneath the banner of the Defenders, in readiness to bear their part in +the most bloody and desperate encounter of the whole war. + +The swift and secret death being meted out to the German sentries--or, +in fact, to any German caught alone in a side street--having been +reported to Von Kronhelm, he issued another of his now famous +proclamations, which was posted upon half the hoardings in London; but +the populace at once amused themselves by tearing it down wherever it +was discovered. Von Kronhelm was the arch-enemy of London, and it is +believed that there were at that moment no fewer than five separate +conspiracies to encompass his death. Londoners detested the Germans, but +with a hatred twenty times the more intense did they regard those men +who, having engaged in commercial pursuits in England, had joined the +colours and were now acting as spies. + + + + +CHAPTER IX. + +REVOLTS IN SHOREDITCH AND ISLINGTON. + + +On the night of September 27, a very serious conflict, entailing much +loss of life on both the London civilian and German side, occurred at +the point where Kingsland Road joins Old Street, Hackney Road, and High +Street. Across both Hackney and Kingsland Roads the barricades built +before the bombardment still remained in a half-ruined state, any +attempt at clearing them away being repulsed by the angry inhabitants. +Dalston, Kingsland, Bethnal Green, and Shoreditch were notably +antagonistic to the invaders, and several sharp encounters had taken +place. Indeed, those districts were discovered by the enemy to be very +unsafe. + +The conflict in question, however, commenced at the corner of Old Street +at about 9.30 in the evening, by three German tailors from Cambridge +Road being insulted by two men, English labourers. The tailors appealed +in German to four Westphalian infantrymen who chanced to be passing, and +who subsequently fired and killed one of the Englishmen. This was the +signal for a local uprising. The alarm given, hundreds of men and women +rushed from their houses, many of them armed with rifles and knives, +and, taking cover behind the ruined barricades, opened fire upon a body +of fifty Germans, who very quickly ran up. The fire was returned, when +from the neighbouring houses a perfect hail of lead was suddenly rained +upon the Germans, who were then forced to retire down High Street +towards Liverpool Street Station, leaving many dead. + +Very quickly news was sent over the telephone, which the Germans had now +established in many quarters of London, and large reinforcements were +soon upon the scene. The men of Shoreditch had, however, obtained two +Maxim guns, which had been secreted ever since the entry of the Germans +into the Metropolis, and as the enemy endeavoured to storm their +position they swept the street with a deadly fire. Quickly the situation +became desperate, but the fight lasted over an hour. The sound of firing +brought hundreds upon hundreds of Londoners upon the scene. All these +took arms against the Germans, who, after many fruitless attempts to +storm the defences, and being fired upon from every side, were compelled +to fall back again. + +They were followed along High Street into Bethnal Green Road, up Great +Eastern Street into Hoxton Square and Pitfield Street, and there cut up, +being given no quarter at the hands of the furious populace. In those +narrow thoroughfares they were powerless, and were therefore simply +exterminated. + +The victory for the men of Shoreditch was complete, over three hundred +and fifty Germans being killed, while our losses were only about fifty. + +The conflict was at once reported to Von Kronhelm, and the very fact +that he did not send exemplary punishment into that quarter was +sufficient to show that he feared to arouse further the hornets' nest in +which he was living, and more especially that portion of the populace +north of the City. + +News of the attack, quickly spreading, inspired courage in every other +part of the oppressed Metropolis. + +The successful uprising against the Germans in Shoreditch incited +Londoners to rebel, and in various other parts of the Metropolis there +occurred outbreaks. + +Von Kronhelm had found to his cost that London was not to be so easily +cowed after all. The size and population of the Metropolis had not been +sufficiently calculated upon. It was as a country in itself, while the +intricacies of its by-ways formed a refuge for the conspirators, who +were gradually completing their preparations to rise _en masse_ and +strike down the Germans wherever found. In the open country his great +army could march, manoeuvre, and use strategy, but here in the maze of +narrow London streets it was impossible to know in one thoroughfare what +was taking place in the next. + +Supplies, too, were now running very short. The distress among our +vanquished populace was most severe; while Von Kronhelm's own army was +put on meagre rations. The increasing price of food and consequent +starvation had not served to improve the relations between the invaders +and the citizens of London, who, though they were assured by various +proclamations that they would be happier and more prosperous under +German rule, now discovered that they were being slowly starved to +death. + +Their only hope, therefore, was in the efforts of that now gigantic +organisation, the League of Defenders. + +A revolt occurred in Pentonville Road, opposite King's Cross Underground +Station, which ended in a fierce and terrible fray. A company of the +Bremen Infantry Regiment No. 75, belonging to the IXth Corps, were +marching from the City Road towards Regent's Park, when several shots +were fired at them from windows of shops almost opposite the station. +Five Germans fell dead, including one lieutenant, a very gorgeous person +who wore a monocle. Another volley rang out before the infantrymen could +realise what was happening, and then it was seen that the half-ruined +shops had been placed in such a state of defence as to constitute a +veritable fortress. + +The fire was returned, but a few moments later a Maxim spat its deadly +fire from a small hole in a wall, and a couple of dozen of the enemy +fell upon the granite setts of the thoroughfare. The rattle of musketry +quickly brought forth the whole of that populous neighbourhood--or all, +indeed, that remained of them--the working-class district between +Pentonville Road and Copenhagen Street. + +Quickly the fight became general. The men of Bremen endeavoured to take +the place by assault, but found that it was impossible. The strength of +the defences was amazing, and showed only too plainly that Londoners +were in secret preparing for the great uprising that was being planned. +In such a position were the houses held by the Londoners, that their +fire commanded both the Pentonville and King's Cross Roads; but very +soon the Germans were reinforced by another company of the same +regiment, and these being attacked in the rear from Rodney Street, +Cumming Street, Weston Street, York Street, Winchester Street, and other +narrow turnings leading into the Pentonville Road, the fighting quickly +became general. + +The populace came forth in swarms, men and women, armed with any weapon +or article upon which they could lay their hands, and all fired with the +same desire. + +Hundreds of men who came forth were armed with rifles which had been +carefully secreted on the entry of the enemy into the Metropolis. The +greater part of those men, indeed, had fought at the barricades in North +London, and had subsequently taken part in the street fighting as the +enemy advanced. Some of the arms had come from the League of Defenders, +smuggled into the Metropolis nobody exactly knew how. + +Up and down the King's Cross, Pentonville, and Caledonian Roads the +crowd swayed and fought. The Germans against that overwhelming mass of +angry civilians seemed powerless. Small bodies of the troops were +cornered in the narrow by-streets, and then given no quarter. +Brave-hearted Londoners, though they knew well what dire punishment they +must inevitably draw upon themselves, had taken the law into their own +hands, and were shooting or stabbing every German who fell into their +hands. + +The scene of carnage in that hour of fighting was awful. The "Daily +Chronicle" described it as one of the most fiercely contested encounters +in the whole history of the siege. Shoreditch had given courage to +King's Cross, for, unknown to Von Kronhelm, houses in all quarters were +being put in a state of defence, their position being carefully chosen +by those directing the secret operations of the League of Defenders. + +For over an hour the houses in question gallantly held out, sweeping the +streets constantly with their Maxim. Presently, however, on further +reinforcements arriving, the German colonel directed his men to enter +the houses opposite. In an instant a door was broken in, and presently +glass came tumbling down as muzzles of rifles were poked through the +panes, and soon sharp crackling showed that the Germans had settled +down to their work. + +The defence of the Londoners was most obstinate. In the streets, +Londoners attacked the enemy with utter disregard for the risks they +ran. Women, among them many young girls, joined in the fray, armed with +pistols and knives. + +After a while a great body of reinforcements appeared in the Euston +Road, having been sent hurriedly along from Regent's Park. Then the +option was given to those occupying the fortified house to surrender, +the colonel promising to spare their lives. The Londoners peremptorily +refused. Everywhere the fighting became more desperate and spread all +through the streets leading out of St. Pancras, York, and Caledonian +Roads, until the whole of that great neighbourhood became the scene of a +fierce conflict, in which both sides lost heavily. Right across +Islington the street fighting spread, and many were the fatal traps set +for the unwary German who found himself cut off in that maze of narrow +streets between York Road and the Angel. The enemy, on the other hand, +were shooting down women and girls as well as the men, even the +non-combatants--those who came out of their homes to ascertain what was +going on--being promptly fired at and killed. + +In the midst of all this somebody ignited some petrol in a house a few +doors from the chapel in Pentonville Road, and in a few moments the +whole row of buildings were blazing furiously, belching forth black +smoke and adding to the terror and confusion of those exciting moments. +Even that large body of Germans now upon the scene were experiencing +great difficulty in defending themselves. A perfect rain of bullets +seemed directed upon them on every hand, and to-day's experience +certainly proves that Londoners are patriotic and brave, and in their +own districts they possess a superiority over the trained troops of the +Kaiser. + +At length, after a most sanguinary struggle, the Londoners' position was +carried, the houses were entered, and twenty-two brave patriots, mostly +of the working-class, taken prisoners. The populace now realising that +the Germans had, after all, overpowered their comrades, in their +fortress, fell back; but being pursued northward towards the railway +line between Highbury and Barnsbury stations, many of them were +despatched on the spot. + +What followed was indeed terrible. The anger of the Germans now became +uncontrollable. Having in view Von Kronhelm's proclamation--which +sentenced to death all who, not being in uniform, fired upon German +troops--they decided to teach the unfortunate populace a lesson. As a +matter of fact, they feared that such revolts might be repeated in other +quarters. + +So they seized dozens of prisoners, men and women, and shot them down. +Many of these summary executions took place against the wall of the St. +Pancras Station at the corner of Euston Road. Men and women were +pitilessly sent to death. Wives, daughters, fathers, sons were ranged up +against that wall, and, at signal from the colonel, fell forward with +bullets through them. + +Of the men who so gallantly held the fortified house not a single one +escaped. Strings of men and women were hurried to their doom in one day, +for the troops were savage with the lust of blood, and Von Kronhelm, +though he was aware of it by telephone, lifted not a finger to stop +those arbitrary executions. + +But enough of such details. Suffice it to say that the stones of +Islington were stained with the blood of innocent Londoners, and that +those who survived took a fierce vow of vengeance. Von Kronhelm's +legions had the upper hand for the moment, yet the conflict and its +bloody sequel had the effect of arousing the fiercest anger within the +heart of every Briton in the metropolis. + +What was in store for us none could tell. We were conquered, oppressed, +starved; yet hope was still within us. The League of Defenders were not +idle, while South London was hourly completing her strength. + +It seems that after quelling the revolt at King's Cross wholesale +arrests were made in Islington. The guilt or innocence of the prisoners +did not seem to matter. Von Kronhelm dealing out to them summary +punishment. + +Terror reigns in London. One newspaper correspondent--whose account is +published this morning in South London, having been sent across the +Thames by carrier pigeon, many of which were now being employed by the +newspapers--had an opportunity of witnessing the wholesale executions +which took place yesterday afternoon outside Dorchester House, where Von +Kleppen has established his quarters. Von Kleppen seems to be the most +pitiless of the superior officers. The prisoners, ranged up for +inspection in front of the big mansion, were mostly men from Islington, +all of whom knew only too well the fate in store for them. Walking +slowly along and eyeing the ranks of these unfortunate wretches, the +German General stopped here and there, tapping a man on the shoulder or +beckoning him out of the rear ranks. In most cases, without further +word, the individual thus selected was marched into the Park at Stanhope +Gate, where a small supplementary column was soon formed. + + LEAGUE OF DEFENDERS + + DAILY BULLETIN + + The League of Defenders of the British Empire publicly announce + to Englishmen, although the North of London is held by the + enemy: + + (1) That England will soon entirely regain command of the sea, + and that a rigorous blockade of the German ports will be + established. + + (2) That three of the vessels of the North German Lloyd + Transatlantic passenger service have been captured, together + with a number of minor German ships in the Channel and + Mediterranean. + + (3) That four German cruisers and two destroyers have fallen + into the hands of the British. + + (4) That + + ENGLAND'S MILLIONS ARE READY + TO RISE! + Therefore + WE ARE NOT YET BEATEN! + BE PREPARED, AND WAIT. + + League of Defenders. + + Central Office: Bristol. + + [Illustration: COPY OF THE "DAILY BULLETIN" OF THE + LEAGUE OF DEFENDERS.] + +Those chosen knew that their last hour had come. Some clasped their +hands and fell upon their knees, imploring pity, while others remained +silent and stubborn patriots. One man, his face covered with blood and +his arm broken, sat down and howled in anguish, and others wept in +silence. Some women--wives and daughters of the condemned men--tried to +get within the Park to bid them adieu and to urge courage, but the +soldiers beat them back with their rifles. Some of the men laughed +defiantly, others met death with a stony stare. The eye-witness saw the +newly-dug pit that served as common grave, and he stood by and saw them +shot and their corpses afterwards flung into it. + +One young fair-haired woman, condemned by Von Kleppen, rushed forward to +that officer, threw herself upon her knees, imploring mercy, and +protested her innocence wildly. But the officer, callous and pitiless, +simply motioned to a couple of soldiers to take her within the Park, +where she shared the same fate as the men. + +How long will this awful state of affairs last? We must die, or conquer. +London is in the hands of a legion of assassins--Bavarians, Saxons, +Wuertembergers, Hessians, Badeners--all now bent upon prolonging the +reign of terror, and thus preventing the uprising that they know is, +sooner or later, inevitable. + +Terrible accounts are reaching us of how the Germans are treating their +prisoners on Hounslow Heath, at Enfield, and other places; of the awful +sufferings of the poor unfortunate fellows, of hunger, of thirst, and of +inhuman disregard for either their comfort or their lives. + +At present we are powerless, hemmed in by our barricades. Behind us, +upon Sydenham Hill, General Bamford is in a strong position, and his +great batteries are already defending any attack upon London from the +south. From the terrace in front of the Crystal Palace his guns can +sweep the whole range of southern suburbs. Through Dulwich, Herne Hill, +Champion Hill, and Denmark Hill are riding British cavalry, all of whom +show evident traces of the hard and fierce campaign. We see from +Sydenham constant messages being heliographed, for General Bamford and +Lord Byfield are in hourly communication by wireless telegraphy or by +other means. + +What is transpiring at Windsor is not known, save that every night there +are affairs of outposts with the Saxons, who on several occasions have +attempted to cross the river by pontoons, and have on each occasion been +driven back. + +It was reported to Parliament at its sitting at Bristol yesterday that +the Cabinet had refused to entertain any idea of paying the indemnity +demanded by Germany, and that their reply to Von Kronhelm is one of open +defiance. The brief summary of the speeches published shows that the +Government are hopeful, notwithstanding the present black outlook. They +believe that when the hour comes for the revenge, London will rise as a +man, and that Socialists, Nonconformists, Labour agitators, Anarchists, +and demagogues will unite with us in one great national patriotic effort +to exterminate our conquerors as we would exterminate vermin. + +Mr. Gerald Graham has made another great speech in the House, in which +he reported the progress of the League of Defenders and its wide-spread +ramifications. He told the Government that there were over seven +millions of able-bodied men in the country ready to revolt the instant +the word went forth. That there would be terrible bloodshed he warned +them, but that the British would eventually prove the victors he was +assured. He gave no details of the organisation, for to a great measure +it was a secret one, and Von Kronhelm was already taking active steps to +combat its intentions; but he declared that there was still a strong +spirit of patriotism in the country, and explained how sturdy Scots were +daily making their way south, and how men from Wales were already +massing in Oxford. + +The speech was received on both sides of the House with ringing cheers +when, in conclusion, he promised them that, within a few days, the fiat +would go forth, and the enemy would find himself crushed and powerless. + +"South London," he declared, "is our stronghold, our fortress. To-day it +is impregnable, defended by a million British patriots, and I defy Von +Kronhelm--indeed, I dare him to attack it!" + +Von Kronhelm was, of course, well aware of the formation of the +Defenders, but treated the League with contempt. If there was any +attempt at a rising, he would shoot down the people like dogs. He +declared this openly and publicly, and he also issued a warning to the +English people in the German official "Gazette," a daily periodical +printed in one of the newspaper offices in Fleet Street in both German +and English. + +The German commander fully believed that England was crushed; yet, as +the days went on, he was puzzled that he received no response to his +demand for indemnity. Twice he had sent special despatch-bearers to +Bristol, but on both occasions the result was the same. + +Diplomatic representations had been made in Berlin through the Russian +Ambassador, who was now in charge of British interests in Germany, but +all to no purpose. Our Foreign Minister simply acknowledged receipt of +the various despatches. On the Continent the keenest interest was +manifested at what was apparently a deadlock. The British had, it was +known, regained command of the sea. Von Kronhelm's supplies were already +cut off. The cables in direct communication between England and Germany +had been severed, and the Continental Press, especially the Paris +journals, gleefully recounted how two large Hamburg-American liners +attempting to reach Hamburg by passing north of Scotland had been +captured by British cruisers. + + =ENGLISHMEN!= + + Your Homes are Desecrated! + Your Children are Starving! + Your Loved Ones are Dead! + + WILL YOU REMAIN IN COWARDLY INACTIVITY? + + The German Eagle flies over London. Hull, Newcastle and + Birmingham are in ruins. Manchester is a German City. Norfolk, + Essex, and Suffolk form a German colony. + + The Kaiser's troops have brought death, ruin, and starvation + upon you. + + WILL YOU BECOME GERMANS? + + =NO!= + + Join THE DEFENDERS and fight for England. + + You have England's Millions beside you. + + =LET US RISE!= + + Let us drive back the Kaiser's men. + + Let us shoot them at sight. + + Let us exterminate every single man who has desecrated English + soil. + + Join the New League of Defenders. + + Fight for your homes. Fight for your wives. Fight for England. + + FIGHT FOR YOUR KING! + + The National League of Defenders' Head Offices. + Bristol, September 21st, 1910. + + [Illustration: A COPY OF THE MANIFESTO OF THE LEAGUE OF + DEFENDERS ISSUED ON SEPTEMBER 21, 1910.] + + +In the Channel, too, a number of German vessels had been seized, and one +that showed fight off the North Foreland was fired upon and sunk. The +public at home, however, were more interested in supremacy on land. It +was all very well to have command of the sea, they argued, but it did +not appear to alleviate perceptibly the hunger and privations on land. +The Germans occupied London, and while they did so all freedom in +England was at an end. + +A great poster headed "Englishmen," here reproduced, was seen +everywhere. The whole country was flooded with it, and thousands upon +thousands of heroic Britons, from the poorest to the wealthiest, +clamoured to enrol themselves. The movement was an absolutely national +one in every sense of the word. The name of Gerald Graham, the new +champion of England's power, was upon every one's tongue. Daily he spoke +in the various towns in the West of England, in Plymouth, Taunton, +Cardiff, Portsmouth, and Southampton, and, assisted by the influential +committee among whom were many brilliant speakers and men whose names +were as household words, he aroused the country to the highest pitch of +hatred against the enemy. The defenders, as they drilled in various +centres through the whole of the West of England, were a strange and +incongruous body. Grey-bearded Army pensioners ranged side by side with +keen, enthusiastic youths, advised them and gave them the benefit of +their expert knowledge. Volunteer officers in many cases assumed +command, together with retired drill sergeants. The digging of trenches +and the making of fortifications were assigned to navvies, bricklayers, +platelayers, and agricultural labourers, large bodies of whom were under +railway gangers, and were ready to perform any excavation work. + +The Maxims and other machine guns were mostly manned by Volunteer +artillery; but instruction in the working of the Maxim was given to +select classes in Plymouth, Bristol, Portsmouth, and Cardiff. Time was +of utmost value, therefore the drilling was pushed forward day and +night. It was known that Von Kronhelm was already watchful of the +movements of the League, and was aware daily of its growth. + +In London, with the greatest secrecy, the defenders were banding +together. In face of the German proclamation posted upon the walls, +Londoners were holding meetings in secret and enrolling themselves. + +Though the German eagle flew in Whitehall and from the summit of St. +Stephen's Tower, and though the heavy tramp of German sentries echoed in +Trafalgar Square, in the quiet, trafficless streets in the vicinity, +England was not yet vanquished. + +The valiant men of London were still determined to sell their liberty +dearly, and to lay down their lives for the freedom of their country and +honour of their King. + + + + +BOOK III. + +THE REVENGE. + + + + +CHAPTER I. + +A BLOW FOR FREEDOM. + + + "'DAILY TELEGRAPH' OFFICE. + "_Oct._ 1, 2 P.M. + +"Three days have passed since the revolt at King's Cross, and each day, +both on the Horse Guards' Parade and in the Park, opposite Dorchester +House, there have been summary executions. Von Kronhelm is in evident +fear of the excited London populace, and is endeavouring to cow them by +his plain-spoken and threatening proclamations, and by these wholesale +executions of any person found with arms in his or her possession. But +the word of command does not abolish the responsibility of conscience, +and we are now awaiting breathlessly for the word to strike the blow in +revenge. + +"The other newspapers are reappearing, but all that is printed each +morning is first subjected to a rigorous censorship, and nothing is +allowed to be printed before it is passed and initialled by the two +gold-spectacled censors who sit and smoke their pipes in an office to +themselves. Below, we have German sentries on guard, for our journal is +one of the official organs of Von Kronhelm, and what now appears in it +is surely sufficient to cause our blood to boil." + +"To-day, there are everywhere signs of rapidly increasing unrest. +Londoners are starving, and are now refusing to remain patient any +longer. The "Daily Bulletin" of the League of Defenders, though the +posting of it is punishable by imprisonment, and it is everywhere torn +down where discovered by the Germans, still gives daily brief news of +what is in progress, and still urges the people to wait in patience, +for 'the action of the Government,' as it is sarcastically put. + +"Soon after eleven o'clock this morning a sudden and clearly +premeditated attack was made upon a body of the Bremen infantry, who +were passing along Oxford Street from Holborn to the Marble Arch. The +soldiers were suddenly fired upon from windows of a row of shops between +Newman Street and Rathbone Place, and before they could halt and return +the fire they found themselves surrounded by a great armed rabble, who +were emerging from all the streets leading into Oxford Street. + +"While the Germans were manoeuvring, some unknown hand launched from a +window a bomb into the centre of them. Next second there was a red +flash, a loud report, and twenty-five of the enemy were blown to atoms. +For a few moments the soldiers were demoralised, but orders were shouted +loudly by their officers, and they began a most vigorous defence. In a +few seconds the fight was as fierce as that at King's Cross; for out of +every street in that working-class district lying between the Tottenham +Court Road and Great Portland Street on the north, and out of Soho on +the South, poured thousands upon thousands of fierce Londoners, all bent +upon doing their utmost to kill their oppressors. From almost every +window along Oxford Street a rain of lead was now being poured upon the +troops, who vainly strove to keep their ground. Gradually, however, they +were, by slow degrees, forced back into the narrow side-turnings up +Newman Street, and Rathbone Place into Mortimer Street, Foley Street, +Goodge Street, and Charlotte Street; and there they were slaughtered +almost to a man. + +"Two officers were captured by the armed mob in Tottenham Street and, +after being beaten, were stood up and shot in cold blood as vengeance +for those shot during the past three days at Von Kleppen's orders at +Dorchester House. + +"The fierce fight lasted quite an hour; and though reinforcements were +sent for, yet curiously none arrived. + +"The great mob, however, were well aware that very soon the iron hand of +Germany would fall heavily upon them; therefore, in frantic haste, they +began soon after noon to build barricades and block up the narrow +streets in every direction. At the end of Rathbone Place, Newman Street, +Berners Street, Wells Street, and Great Tichfield Street, huge +obstructions soon appeared, while on the east all by-streets leading +into Tottenham Court Road were blocked up, and the same on the west in +Great Portland Street, and on the north where the district was flanked +by the Euston Road. So that by two o'clock the populous neighbourhood +bounded by the four great thoroughfares was rendered a fortress in +itself. + +"Within that area were thousands of armed men and women from Soho, +Bloomsbury, Marylebone, and even from Camden Town. There they remained +in defiance of Von Kronhelm's newest proclamation, which stared one in +the face from every wall." + + "_Later._ + +"The enemy were unaware of the grave significance of the position of +affairs, because Londoners betrayed no outward sign of the truth. Now, +however, nearly every man and woman wore pinned upon their breasts a +small piece of silk about two inches square, printed as a miniature +Union Jack--the badge adopted by the League of Defenders. Though Von +Kronhelm was unaware of it, Lord Byfield, in council with Greatorex and +Bamford, had decided that, in order to demoralise the enemy and give him +plenty of work to do, a number of local uprisings should take place +north of the Thames. These would occupy Von Kronhelm, who would +experience great difficulty in quelling them, and would no doubt +eventually recall the Saxons from West Middlesex to assist. If the +latter retired upon London they would find the barricades held by +Londoners in their rear and Lord Byfield in their front, and be thus +caught between two fires. + +"In each district of London there is a chief of the Defenders, and to +each chief these orders had been conveyed in strictest confidence. +Therefore, to-day, while the outbreak occurred in Oxford Street, there +were fully a dozen others in various parts of the metropolis, each of a +more or less serious character. Every district has already prepared its +own secret defences, its fortified houses, and its barricades in hidden +by-ways. Besides the quantity of arms smuggled into London, every dead +German has had his rifle, pistol, and ammunition stolen from him. +Hundreds of the enemy have been surreptitiously killed for that very +reason. Lawlessness is everywhere, Government and Army have failed them, +and Londoners are now taking the law into their own hands. + +"In King Street, Hammersmith; in Notting Dale, in Forest Road, Dalston; +in Wick Road, Hackney; in Commercial Road East, near Stepney Station; +and in Prince of Wales Road, Kentish Town, the League of Defenders this +morning--at about the same hour--first made their organisation public by +displaying our national emblem, together with the white flags, with the +scarlet St. George's Cross, the ancient battle flag of England. + +"For that reason, then, no reinforcements were sent to Oxford Street. +Von Kronhelm was far too busy in other quarters. In Kentish Town, it is +reported, the Germans gained a complete and decisive victory, for the +people had not barricaded themselves strongly; besides, there were large +reinforcements of Germans ready in Regent's Park, and these came upon +the scene before the Defenders were sufficiently prepared. The flag was +captured from the barricade in Prince of Wales Road, and the men of +Kentish Town lost over four hundred killed and wounded. + +"At Stepney, the result was the reverse. The enemy, believing it to be a +mere local disturbance and easily quelled, sent but a small body of men +to suppress it. But very quickly, in the intricate by-streets off +Commercial Road, these were wiped out, not one single man surviving. A +second and third body were sent, but so fiercely was the ground +contested that they were at length compelled to fall back and leave the +men of Stepney masters of their own district. In Hammersmith and in +Notting Dale the enemy also lost heavily, though in Hackney they were +successful after hard fighting. + +"Every one declares that this secret order issued by the League means +that England is again prepared to give battle, and that London is +commencing by her strategic movement of local rebellions. The gravity of +the situation cannot now, for one moment, be concealed. London north of +the Thames is destined to be the scene of the fiercest and most bloody +warfare ever known in the history of the civilised world. The Germans +will, of course, fight for their lives, while we shall fight for our +homes and for our liberty. But right is on our side, and right will win. + +"Reports from all over the metropolis tell the same tale. London is +alert and impatient. At a word she will rise to a man, and then woe +betide the invader! Surely Von Kronhelm's position is not a very +enviable one. Our two censors in the office are smoking their pipes +very gravely. Not a word of the street fighting is to be published. They +will write their own account of it. + + "10 P.M. + +"There has been a most frightful encounter at the Oxford Street and +Tottenham Court Road barricades--a most stubborn resistance and gallant +defence on the part of the men of Marylebone and Bloomsbury. + +"From the lips of one of our correspondents who was within the barricade +I have just learned the details. It appears that just about four o'clock +General Von Wilberg sent from the City a large force of the 19th +Division under Lieutenant General Frankenfeld, and part of these, +advancing through the squares of Bloomsbury into Gower Street, attacked +the Defenders' position from the Tottenham Court Road, while others +coming up Holborn and New Oxford Street entered Soho from Charing Cross +Road and threw up counter-barricades at the end of Dean Street, Wardour +Street, Berwick, Poland, Argyll, and the other streets, all of which +were opposite the defences of the populace. In Great Portland Street, +too, they adopted a similar line, and without much ado the fight, +commenced in a desultory fashion, soon became a battle. + +"Within the barricades was a dense body of armed and angry citizens, +each with his little badge, and every single one of them was ready to +fight to the death. There is no false patriotism now, no mere bravado. +Men make declarations, and carry them out. The gallant Londoners, with +their several Maxims, wrought havoc among the invaders, especially in +the Tottenham Court Road, where hundreds were maimed or killed. + +"In Oxford Street, the enemy being under cover of their +counter-barricades, little damage could be done on either side. The +wide, open, deserted thoroughfare was every moment swept by a hail of +bullets, but no one was injured. On the Great Portland Street side the +populace made a feint of giving way at the Mortimer Street barricade, +and a body of the enemy rushed in, taking the obstruction by storm. But +next moment they regretted it, for they were set upon by a thousand +armed men and wild haired women, so that every man paid for his courage +with his life. The women, seizing the weapons and ammunition of the dead +Germans, now returned to the barricade to use them. + +"The Mortimer Street defences were at once repaired, and it was resolved +to relay the fatal trap at some other point. Indeed, it was repeated at +the end of Percy Street, where about fifty more Germans, who thought +themselves victorious, were set upon and exterminated. + +"Until dusk the fight lasted. The Germans, finding their attack futile, +began to hurl petrol bombs over the barricades and these caused +frightful destruction among our gallant men, several houses in the +vicinity being set on fire. Fortunately, there was still water in the +street hydrants, and two fire engines had already been brought within +the beleaguered area in case of necessity. + +"At last, about seven o'clock, the enemy, having lost very heavily in +attempting to take the well-chosen position by storm, brought down +several light field-guns from Regent's Park; and, placing them at their +counter-barricades--where, by the way, they had lost many men in the +earlier part of the conflict while piling up their shelters--suddenly +opened fire with shell at the huge obstructions before them. + +"At first they made but little impression upon the flagstones, etc., of +which the barricades were mainly composed. But before long their +bombardment began to tell; for slowly, here and there, exploding shells +made great breaches in the defences that had been so heroically manned. +More than once a high explosive shell burst right among the crowd of +riflemen behind a barricade, sweeping dozens into eternity in a single +instant. Against the fortified houses each side of the barricades the +German artillery trained their guns, and very quickly reduced many of +those buildings to ruins. The air now became thick with dust and smoke; +and mingled with the roar of artillery at such close quarters came the +screams of the injured and the groans of the dying. The picture drawn by +the eye-witness who described this was a truly appalling one. Gradually +the Londoners were being overwhelmed, but they were selling their lives +dearly, fully proving themselves worthy sons of grand old England. + +"At last the fire from the Newman Street barricade of the Defenders was +silenced, and ten minutes later, a rush being made across from Dean +Street, it was taken by storm. Then ensued fierce and bloody +hand-to-hand fighting right up to Cleveland Street, while almost at the +same moment the enemy broke in from Great Portland Street. + +"A scene followed that is impossible to describe. Through all those +narrow, crooked streets the fighting became general, and on either side +hundreds fell. The Defenders in places cornered the Germans, cut them +off, and killed them. Though it was felt that now the barricades had +been broken the day was lost, yet every man kept courage, and fought +with all his strength. + +"For half an hour the Germans met with no success. On the contrary, they +found themselves entrapped amid thousands of furious citizens, all +wearing their silken badges, and all sworn to fight to the death. + +"While the Defenders still struggled on, loud and ringing cheers were +suddenly raised from Tottenham Court Road. The people from Clerkenwell, +joined by those in Bloomsbury, had arrived to assist them. They had +risen, and were attacking the Germans in the rear. + +"Fighting was now general right across from Tottenham Court Road to +Gray's Inn Road, and by nine o'clock, though Von Wilberg sent +reinforcements, a victory was gained by the Defenders. Over two thousand +Germans are lying dead and wounded about the streets and squares of +Bloomsbury and Marylebone. The League had struck its first blow for +Freedom. + +"What will the morrow bring us? Dire punishment--or desperate victory?" + + "'DAILY CHRONICLE' OFFICE, + "_Oct._ 4, 6 P.M. + +"The final struggle for the possession of London is about to commence. +Through all last night there were desultory conflicts between the +soldiers and the people, in which many lives have, alas! been +sacrificed. + +"Von Wilberg still holds the City proper, with the Mansion House as his +headquarters. Within the area already shown upon the map there are no +English, all the inhabitants having been long ago expelled. The great +wealth of London is in German hands, it is true, but it is Dead Sea +fruit. They are unable either to make use of it or to deport it to +Germany. Much has been taken away to the base at Southminster and other +bases in Essex, but the greater part of the bullion still remains in the +Bank of England. + +"The most exciting stories have been reaching us during the last +twenty-four hours, none of which, however, have passed the censor. For +that reason I, one of the sub-editors, am keeping this diary, as a brief +record of events during the present dreadful times. + +"After the terrific struggle in Marylebone three days ago, Von Kronhelm +saw plainly that if London were to rise _en masse_ she would at once +assume the upper hand. The German Commander-in-Chief had far too many +points to guard. On the west of London he was threatened by Lord Byfield +and hosts of auxiliaries, mostly sworn members of the National League of +Defenders; on the south, across the river, Southwark, Lambeth, and +Battersea formed an impregnable fortress, containing over a million +eager patriots ready to burst forth and sweep away the vain, victorious +army; while within central London itself the people were ready to rise. + + =LEAGUE OF DEFENDERS.= + + CITIZENS OF LONDON AND LOYAL PATRIOTS. + + The hour has come to show your strength, and to wreak your + vengeance. + + TO-NIGHT, OCT. 4, AT 10 P.M., rise, and strike your blow for + freedom. + + A MILLION MEN are with Lord Byfield, already within striking + distance of London; a million follow them, and yet another + million are ready in South London. + + RISE, FEARLESS AND STERN. Let "England for Englishmen" be your + battle-cry, and avenge the blood of your wives and your + children. + + AVENGE THIS INSULT TO YOUR + NATION. + + REMEMBER: TEN O'CLOCK TO-NIGHT! + + +"Reports reaching us to-day from Lord Byfield's headquarters at Windsor +are numerous, but conflicting. As far as can be gathered, the authentic +facts are as follows: Great bodies of the Defenders, including many +women, all armed, are massing at Reading, Sonning, Wokingham, and +Maidenhead. Thousands have arrived, and are hourly arriving by train, +from Portsmouth, Plymouth, Exeter, Bristol, Gloucester, and, in fact, +all the chief centres of the West of England, where Gerald Graham's +campaign has been so marvellously successful. Sturdy Welsh colliers are +marching shoulder to shoulder with agricultural labourers from Dorset +and Devon, and clerks and citizens from the towns of Somerset, Cornwall, +Gloucestershire, and Oxfordshire are taking arms beside the riff-raff of +their own neighbourhoods. Peer and peasant, professional man and pauper, +all are now united with one common object--to drive back the invader, +and to save our dear old England. + +"Oxford has, it seems, been one of the chief points of concentration, +and the undergraduates who re-assembled there to defend their colleges +now form an advance-guard of a huge body of Defenders on the march, by +way of Henley and Maidenhead, to follow in the rear of Lord Byfield. The +latter holds Eton and the country across to High Wycombe, while the +Saxon headquarters are still at Staines. Froelich's Cavalry Division are +holding the country across from Pinner through Stanmore and Chipping +Barnet to the prison camp at Enfield Chase. These are the only German +troops outside West London, the Saxons being now barred from entering by +the huge barricades which the populace of West London have during the +past few days been constructing. Every road leading into London from +West Middlesex is now either strongly barricaded or entirely blocked up. +Kew, Richmond, and Kingston Bridges have been destroyed, and Lord +Byfield, with General Bamford at the Crystal Palace, remains practically +in possession of the whole of the south of the Thames. + +"The conflict which is now about to begin will be one to the death. +While, on the one hand, the Germans are bottled up among us, the fact +must not be overlooked that their arms are superior, and that they are +trained soldiers. Yet the two or three local risings of yesterday and +the day previous have given us courage, for they show that the enemy +cannot manoeuvre in the narrow streets, and soon become demoralised. In +London we fail because we have so few riflemen. If every man who now +carries a gun could shoot, we could compel the Germans to fly a flag of +truce within twenty-four hours. Indeed, if Lord Roberts' scheme of +universal training in 1906 had been adopted, the enemy would certainly +never have been suffered to approach our capital. + +"Alas! apathy has resulted in this terrible and crushing disaster, and +we have only now to bear our part, each one of us, in the blow to avenge +this desecration of our homes and the massacre of our loved ones. + +"To-day I have seen the white banners with the red cross--the ensign of +the Defenders--everywhere. Till yesterday it was not openly displayed, +but to-day it is actually hung from windows or flown defiantly from +flagstaffs in full view of the Germans. + +"In Kilburn, or, to be more exact, in the district lying between the +Harrow Road and the High Road, Kilburn, there was another conflict this +morning between some of the German Garde Corps and the populace. The +outbreak commenced by the arrest of some men who were found practising +with rifles in Paddington Recreation Ground. One man who resisted was +shot on the spot, whereupon the crowd who assembled attacked the German +picket, and eventually killed them to a man. This was the signal for a +general outbreak in the neighbourhood, and half an hour later, when a +force was sent to quell the revolt, fierce fighting became general all +through the narrow streets of Kensal Green, especially at the big +barricade that blocks the Harrow Road where it is joined by Admiral +Road. Here the bridges over the Grand Junction Canal have already been +destroyed, for the barricades and defences have been scientifically +constructed under the instruction of military engineers. + +"From an early hour to-day it has been apparent that all these risings +were purposely ordered by the League of Defenders to cause Von +Kronhelm's confusion. Indeed, while the outbreak at Kensal Green was in +progress, we had another reported from Dalston, a third from Limehouse, +and a fourth from Homerton. Therefore, it is quite certain that the +various centres of the League are acting in unison upon secret orders +from headquarters. + +"Indeed, South London also took part in the fray this morning, for the +Defenders at the barricade at London Bridge have now mounted several +field guns, and have started shelling Von Wilberg's position in the +City. It is said that the Mansion House, where the General had usurped +the apartments of the deported Lord Mayor, has already been half reduced +to ruins. This action is, no doubt, only to harass the enemy, for surely +General Bamford has no desire to destroy the City proper any more than +it has already been destroyed. Lower Thames Street, King William Street, +Gracechurch Street, and Cannon Street have at any rate, been found +untenable by the enemy, upon whom some losses have been inflicted. + +"South London is every moment anxious to know the truth. Two days after +the bombardment we succeeded at night in sinking a light telegraph cable +in the river across from the Embankment at the bottom of Temple Avenue, +and are in communication with our temporary office in Southwark Street. + +"An hour ago there came, through secret sources, information of another +naval victory to our credit, several German warships being sunk and +captured. Here we dare not print it, so I have just wired it across to +the other side, where they are issuing a special edition. + +"Almost simultaneously with the report of the British victory, namely, +at five o'clock, the truth--the great and all-important truth--became +revealed. The mandate has gone forth from the headquarters of the League +of Defenders that London is to rise in her might at ten o'clock +to-night, and that a million men are ready to assist us. Placards and +bills on red paper are everywhere. + +"Frantic efforts are being made by the Germans all over London to +suppress both posters and handbills. + +"It is now six o'clock. In four hours it is believed that London will be +one huge seething conflict. Night has been chosen, I suppose, in order +to give the populace the advantage. The by-streets are for the most part +still unlit, save for oil-lamps, for neither gas nor electric light are +yet in proper working order after the terrible dislocation of +everything. The scheme of the Defenders is, as already proved, to lure +the Germans into the narrower thoroughfares, and then exterminate them. +Surely in the history of the world there has never been such a bitter +vengeance as that which is now inevitable. London, the greatest city +ever known, is about to rise! + + "_Midnight._ + +"London has risen! How can I describe the awful scenes of panic, +bloodshed, patriotism, brutality, and vengeance that are at this moment +in progress? As I write, through the open window I can hear the roar of +voices, the continual crackling of rifles, and the heavy booming of +guns. I walked along Fleet Street at nine o'clock, and I found, utterly +disregarding the order that no unauthorised persons are to be abroad +after nightfall, hundreds upon hundreds of all classes, all wearing +their little silk Union Jack badges pinned to their coats, on the way to +join in their particular districts. Some carried rifles, others +revolvers, while others were unarmed. Yet not a German did I see in the +streets. It seemed as though, for the moment, the enemy had vanished. +There was only the strong cordon across the bottom of Ludgate Hill, men +who looked on in wonder, but without bestirring themselves. + +"Is it possible that Von Kronhelm's strategy is to remain inactive, and +refuse to fight? + +"The first shot I heard fired, just after ten o'clock, was at the Strand +end of Fleet Street, at the corner of Chancery Lane. There, I afterwards +discovered, a party of forty German infantrymen had been attacked, and +all of them killed. Quickly following this, I heard the distant booming +of artillery, and then the rattle of musketry and pom-poms became +general, but not in the neighbourhood where I was. For nearly half an +hour I remained at the corner of Aldwych; then, on going farther along +the Strand, I found that the defenders from the Waterloo Road had made a +wild sortie into the Strand, but could find no Germans there. + +"The men who had for a fortnight held that barricade at the bridge were +more like demons than human beings; therefore I retired, and in the +crush made my way back to the office to await reports. + +"They were not long in arriving. I can only give a very brief _resume_ +at the moment, for they are so numerous as to be bewildering. + +"Speaking generally, the whole of London has obeyed the mandate of the +League, and, rising, are attacking the Germans at every point. In the +majority of cases, however, the enemy hold strong positions, and are +defending themselves, inflicting terrible losses upon the unorganised +populace. Every Londoner is fighting for himself, without regard for +orders or consequences. In Bethnal Green the Germans, lured into the +maze of by-streets, have suffered great losses, and again in +Clerkenwell, St. Luke's, Kingsland, Hackney and Old Ford. Whitechapel +too, devoid of its alien population, who have escaped into Essex, has +held its own, and the enemy have had some great losses in the streets +off Cable and Leman Streets. + +"With the exception of the sortie across Waterloo Bridge, South London +is, as yet, remaining in patience, acting under the orders of General +Bamford. + +"News has come in ten minutes ago of a fierce and sudden attack upon the +Saxons by Lord Byfield from Windsor, but there are, as yet, no details. + +"From the office across the river I am being constantly asked for +details of the fight, and how it is progressing. In Southwark the +excitement is evidently most intense, and it requires all the energy of +the local commanders of the Defenders to repress another sortie across +that bridge. + +"There has just occurred an explosion so terrific that the whole of this +building has been shaken as though by an earthquake. + +"London has struck her first blow of revenge. What will be its sequel?" + + + + +CHAPTER II. + +SCENES AT WATERLOO BRIDGE. + + +The following is the personal narrative of a young chauffeur named John +Burgess, who assisted in the defence of the barricade at Waterloo +Bridge. + +The statement was made to a reporter at noon on October 5, while he was +lying on a mattress in the Church of St. Martin's-in-the-Fields, so +badly wounded in the chest that the surgeons had given him up. + +He related his story in the form of a farewell letter to his sister. The +reporter chanced to be passing, and, hearing him asking for some one to +write for him, volunteered to do so. + +"We all did our best," he said, "every one of us. Myself, I was at the +barricade for thirteen days--thirteen days of semi-starvation, +sleeplessness, and constant tension, for we knew not, from one moment to +another, when a sudden attack might be made upon us. At first our +obstruction was a mere ill-built pile of miscellaneous articles, half of +which would not stop bullets; but on the third day our men, +superintended by several non-commissioned officers in uniform, began to +put the position in a proper state of defence, to mount Maxims in the +neighbouring houses, and to place explosives in the crown of two of the +arches of the bridge, so that we could instantly demolish it if +necessity arose. + +"Fully a thousand men were holding the position, but unfortunately few +of them had ever handled a rifle. As regards myself, I had learned to +shoot rooks when a boy in Shropshire, and now that I had obtained a gun +I was anxious to try my skill. When the League of Defenders was started, +and a local secretary came to us, we all eagerly joined, each receiving, +after he had taken his oath and signed his name, a small silk Union +Jack, the badge of the League, not to be worn till the word went forth +to rise. + +"Then came a period--long, dreary, shadeless days of waiting--when the +sun beat down upon us mercilessly and our vigilance was required to be +constant both night and day. So uncertain were the movements of the +enemy opposite us that we scarcely dared to leave our positions for a +moment. Night after night I spent sleeping in a neighbouring doorway, +with an occasional stretch upon somebody's bed in some house in the +vicinity. Now and then, whenever we saw Germans moving in Wellington +Street, we sent a volley into them, in return receiving a sharp reply +from their pom-poms. Constantly our sentries were on the alert along the +wharves, and in the riverside warehouses, watching for the approach of +the enemy's spies in boats. Almost nightly some adventurous spirits +among the Germans would try and cross. On one occasion, while doing +sentry duty in a warehouse backing on Commercial Road, I was sitting +with a comrade at a window overlooking the river. The moon was shining, +for the night was a balmy and beautiful one, and all was quiet. It was +about two o'clock in the morning, and as we sat smoking our pipes, with +our eyes fixed upon the glittering water, we suddenly saw a small boat +containing three men stealing slowly along in the shadow. + +"For a moment the rowers rested upon their oars, as if undecided, then +pulled forward again in search of a landing-place. As they passed below +our window I shouted a challenge. At first there was no response. Again +I repeated it, when I heard a muttered imprecation in German. + +"'Spies!' I cried to my comrade, and with one accord we raised our +rifles and fired. Ere the echo of the first shot had died away I saw one +man fall into the water, while at the next shot a second man half rose +from his seat, threw up his hands, and staggered back wounded. + +"The firing gave the alarm at the barricade, and ere the boat could +approach the bridge, though the survivor pulled for dear life, a Maxim +spat forth its red fire, and both boat and oarsman were literally +riddled. + +"Almost every night similar incidents were reported. The enemy were +doing all in their power to learn the exact strength of our defences, +but I do not think their efforts were very successful. The surface of +the river, every inch of it, was under the careful scrutiny of a +thousand watchful eyes. + +"Each day the 'Bulletin' of our national association brought us tidings +of what was happening outside. + +"At last, however, the welcome word came to us on the morning of October +4, that at ten that night we were to make a concerted attack upon the +Germans. A scarlet bill was thrust into my hand, and as soon as the +report was known we were all highly excited, and through the day +prepared ourselves for the struggle. + +"A gun sounded from the direction of Westminster. We looked at our +watches, and found it was ten o'clock. Our bugles sounded and we sprang +to our positions, as we had done dozens, nay, hundreds of times before. +I felt faint, for I had only had half a pint of weak soup all day, for +the bread did not go round. Nevertheless, the knowledge that we were +about to strike the blow inspired me with fresh life and strength. Our +officer shouted a brief word of command, and next moment we opened a +withering fire upon the enemy's barricade in Wellington Street. + +"In a moment a hundred rifles and several Maxims spat their red fire at +us, but as usual the bullets flattened themselves harmlessly before us. +Then the battery of artillery which Sir Francis Bamford had sent us +three days before got into position, and in a few moments began hurling +great shells upon the German defences. + +"Behind us was a great armed multitude ready and eager to get at the +foe, a huge, unorganised body of fierce, irate Londoners, determined +upon having blood for blood. From over the river the sound of battle was +rising, a great roaring like the sound of a distant sea, with ever and +anon the crackling of rifles and the boom of guns, while above the night +sky grew a dark blood-red with the glare of a distant conflagration. + +"For half an hour we pounded away at the barricade in Wellington Street +with our siege guns, Maxims, and rifles, until a well-directed shell +exploded beneath the centre of the obstruction, blowing open a great gap +and sending fragments high into the air. Then it seemed that all +resistance suddenly ceased. At first we were surprised at this; but on +further scrutiny we found that it was not our fire that had routed the +enemy, but that they were being attacked in their rear by hosts of armed +citizens surging down from Kingsway and the Strand. + +"We could plainly discern that the Germans were fighting for their +lives. Into the midst of them we sent one or two shells; but fearing to +cause casualties among our own comrades, we were compelled to cease +firing. + +"The armed crowd behind us, finding that we were again inactive, at once +demanded that our barricade should be opened, so that they might cross +the bridge and assist their comrades by taking the Germans in the rear. +For ten minutes our officer in charge refused, for the order of General +Greatorex, Commander-in-Chief of the League, was that no sortie was to +be made at present. However, the South Londoners became so infuriated +that our commander was absolutely forced to give way, though he knew not +into what trap we might fall, as he had no idea of the strength of the +enemy in the neighbourhood of the Strand. A way was quickly opened in +the obstruction, and two minutes later we were pouring across Waterloo +Bridge in thousands, shouting and yelling in triumph as we passed the +ruins of the enemy's barricade, and fell upon him with merciless +revenge. With us were many women, who were, perhaps, fiercer and more +unrelenting than the men. Indeed, many a woman that night killed a +German with her own hands, firing revolvers in their faces, striking +with knives, or even blinding them with vitriol. + +"The scene was both exciting and ghastly. At the spot where I first +fought--on the pavement outside the Savoy--we simply slaughtered the +Germans in cold blood. Men cried for mercy, but we gave them no quarter. +London had risen in its might, and as our comrades fought all along the +Strand and around Aldwych, we gradually exterminated every man in German +uniform. Soon the roadways of the Strand, Wellington Street, Aldwych, +Burleigh Street, Southampton Street, Bedford Street, and right along to +Trafalgar Square, were covered with dead and dying. The wounded of both +nationalities were trodden underfoot and killed by the swaying, +struggling thousands. The enemy's loss must have been severe in our +particular quarter, for of the great body of men from Hamburg and Luebeck +holding their end of Waterloo Bridge I do not believe a single one was +spared, even though they fought for their lives like veritable devils. + +"Our success intoxicated us, I think. That we were victorious at that +point cannot be doubted, but with foolish disregard for our own safety, +we pressed forward into Trafalgar Square, in the belief that our +comrades were similarly making an attack upon the enemy there. The error +was, alas! a fatal one for many of us. To fight an organised force in +narrow streets is one thing, but to meet him in a large open space with +many inlets, like Trafalgar Square, is another. + +"The enemy were no doubt awaiting us, for as we poured out from the +Strand at Charing Cross we were met with a devastating fire from German +Maxims on the opposite side of the square. They were holding +Whitehall--to protect Von Kronhelm's headquarters--the entrances to +Spring Gardens, Cockspur Street, and Pall Mall East, and their fire was +converged upon the great armed multitude which, being pressed on from +behind, came out into the open square only to fall in heaps beneath the +sweeping hail of German lead. + +"The error was one that could not be rectified. We all saw it when too +late. There was no turning back now, I struggled to get into the small +side-street that runs down by the bar of the Grand Hotel, but it was +blocked with people already in refuge there. + +"Another instant and I was lifted from my legs by the great throng +going to their doom, and carried right in the forefront to the square. +Women screamed when they found themselves facing the enemy's fire. + +"The scene was awful--a massacre, nothing more or less. For every +German's life we had taken, a dozen of our own were now being +sacrificed. + +"A woman was pushed close to me, her grey hair streaming down her back, +her eyes starting wildly from her head, her bony hands smeared with +blood. Suddenly she realised that right before her red fire was spitting +from the German guns. + +"Screaming in despair, she clung frantically to me. + +"I felt next second a sharp burning pain in my chest.... We fell forward +together upon the bodies of our comrades.... When I came to myself I +found myself here, in this church, close to where I fell." + + * * * * * + +On that same night desperate sorties were made from the London, +Southwark, and Blackfriars Bridges, and terrible havoc was committed by +the Defenders. + +The German losses were enormous, for the South Londoners fought like +demons and gave no quarter. + + + + +CHAPTER III. + +GREAT BRITISH VICTORY. + + +The following despatch from the war correspondent of the "Times" with +Lord Byfield was received on the morning of October 5, but was not +published in that journal till some days later, owing to the German +censorship, which necessitated its being kept secret:-- + + "WILLESDEN, _October_ 4 (Evening). + +"After a bloody but successful combat lasting from early dawn till late +in the afternoon, the country to the immediate west of the metropolis +has been swept clear of the hated invaders, and the masses of the +'League of Defenders' can be poured into the West of London without let +or hindrance. In the desperate street fighting which is now going on +they will be much more formidable than they were ever likely to be in +the open field, where they were absolutely incapable of manoeuvring. As +for the Saxons--what is left of them--and Froelich's Cavalry Division, +with whom we have been engaged all day, they have now fallen back on +Harrow and Hendon, it is said; but it is currently reported that a +constant movement towards the high ground near Hampstead is going on. +These rumours come by way of London, since the enemy's enormous force of +cavalry is still strong enough to prevent us getting any first-hand +intelligence of his movements. + +"As has been previously reported, the XIIth Saxon Corps, under the +command of Prince Henry of Wuertemberg, had taken up a position intended +to cover the metropolis from the hordes of 'Defenders' which, supported +by a small leaven of Regulars, with a proportion of cavalry and guns, +were known to be slowly rolling up from the west and south. Their front, +facing west, extended from Staines on the south, to Pinner on the north, +passing through Stanwell, West Drayton, and Uxbridge. In addition they +had a strong reserve in the neighbourhood of Hounslow, whose business it +was to cover their left flank by keeping watch along the line of the +Thames. They had destroyed all bridges over the river between Staines +and Hammersmith. Putney Bridge, however, was still intact, as all +attacks on it had been repulsed by the British holding it on the south +side. Such was the general state of affairs when Lord Byfield, who had +established his headquarters at Windsor, formed his plan of attack. + +"As far as I have been able to ascertain, its general idea was to hold +the Saxons to their position by the threat of 300,000 Defenders that +were assembled and were continually increasing along a roughly parallel +line to that occupied by the enemy at about ten miles' distance from it, +while he attacked their left flank with what Regular and Militia +regiments he could rapidly get together near Esher and Kingston. By this +time the southern lines in the neighbourhood of London were all in +working order, the damage that had been done here and there by small +parties of the enemy who had made raids across the river having been +repaired. It was, therefore, not a very difficult matter to assemble +troops from Windsor and various points on the South of London at very +short notice. + +"General Bamford, to whom had been entrusted the defence of South +London, and who had established his headquarters at the Crystal Palace, +also contributed every man he could spare from the remnant of the +Regular troops under his command. + +"It was considered quite safe now that the Germans in the City were so +hardly pressed to leave the defence of the Thames bridges to the masses +of Irregulars who had all along formed the bulk of their defenders. The +risk that Prince Henry of Wuertemberg would take the bull by the horns, +and by a sudden forward move attack and scatter the inert and +invertebrate mass of 'Defenders' who were in his immediate front had, of +course, to be taken; but it was considered that in the present state of +affairs in London he would hardly dare to increase the distance between +the Saxon Corps and the rest of the German Army. Events proved the +correctness of this surmise; but owing to unforeseen circumstances, the +course of the battle was somewhat different from that which had been +anticipated. + +"Despite the vigilance of the German spies our plans were kept secret +till the very end, and it is believed that the great convergence of +Regular troops that began as soon as it was dark from Windsor and from +along the line occupied by the Army of the League on the west, right +round to Greenwich on the east, went on without any news of the movement +being carried to the enemy. + +"Before dawn this morning every unit was in the position to which it had +been previously detailed, and, everything being in readiness, the Royal +Engineers began to throw a pontoon bridge over the Thames at the point +where it makes a bend to the south just above the site of Walton Bridge. +The enemy's patrols and pickets in the immediate neighbourhood at once +opened a heavy fire on the workers, but it was beaten down by that which +was poured upon them from the houses in Walton-on-Thames, which had been +quietly occupied during the night. The enemy in vain tried to reinforce +them, but in order to do this their troops had to advance into a narrow +peninsula which was swept by a cross-fire of shells from batteries which +had been placed in position on the south side of the river for this very +purpose. + +"By seven o'clock the bridge was completed, and the troops were +beginning to cross over covered by the fire of the artillery and by an +advance guard which had been pushed over in boats. Simultaneously very +much the same thing had been going on at Long Ditton, and fierce +fighting was going on in the avenues and gardens round Hampton Court. +Success here, too, attended the British arms. As a matter of fact, a +determined attempt to cross the river in force had not at all been +anticipated by the Germans. They had not credited their opponents with +the power of so rapidly assembling an army and assuming an effective and +vigorous offensive so soon after their terrible series of disasters. + +"What they had probably looked for was an attempt to overwhelm them by +sheer force of numbers. They doubtless calculated that Lord Byfield +would stiffen his flabby masses of 'Defenders' with what trained troops +he could muster, and endeavour to attack their lines along their whole +length, overlapping them on the flank. + +"They realised that to do this he would have to sacrifice his men in +thousands upon thousands, but they knew that to do so would be his only +possible chance of success in this eventuality, since the bulk of his +men could neither manoeuvre nor deploy. Still they reckoned that in the +desperate situation of the British, he would make up his mind to do +this. + +"On their part, although they fully realised the possibility of being +overwhelmed by such tactics, they felt pretty confident that, posted as +they were behind a perfect network of small rivers and streams which ran +down to join the Thames, they would at least succeed in beating off the +attack with heavy loss, and stood no bad chance of turning the repulse +into a rout by skilful use of Froelich's Cavalry Division, which would be +irresistible when attacking totally untrained troops after they had been +shattered and disorganised by artillery fire. This, at least, is the +view of those experts with whom I have spoken. + +"What, perhaps, tended rather to confirm them in their theories as to +the action of the British was the rifle firing that went on along the +whole of their front all night through. The officers in charge of the +various units which conglomerated together formed the forces facing the +Saxons, had picked out the few men under their command who really had +some little idea of using a rifle, and, supplied with plenty of +ammunition, had sent them forward in numerous small parties with general +orders to approach as near the enemy's picket line as possible, and as +soon as fired on to lie down and open fire in return. So a species of +sniping engagement went on from dark to dawn. Several parties got +captured or cut up by the German outlying troops and many others got +shot by neighbouring parties of snipers. But, although they did not in +all probability do the enemy much damage, yet they kept them on the +alert all night, and led them to expect an attack in the morning. One +way and another luck was entirely on the side of the patriots that +morning. + +"When daylight came the British massed to the westward of Staines had +such a threatening appearance from their immense numbers, and their fire +from their batteries of heavy guns and howitzers on the south side of +the river, which took the German left flank in, was so heavy that Prince +Henry, who was there in person, judged an attack to be imminent, and +would not spare a man to reinforce his troops at Shepperton and +Halliford, who were, numerically, totally inadequate to resist the +advance of the British once they got across the river. + +"He turned a deaf ear to the most imploring requests for assistance, but +ordered the officer in command at Hounslow to move down at once and +drive the British into the river. So it has been reported by our +prisoners. Unluckily for him this officer had his hands quite full +enough at this time; for the British, who had crossed at Long Ditton, +had now made themselves masters of everything east of the Thames Valley +branch of the London and South-Western Railway, were being continually +reinforced, and were fast pushing their right along the western bank of +the river. + +"Their left was reported to be at Kempton Park, where they joined hands +with those who had effected a crossing near Walton-on-Thames. More +bridges were being built at Platt's Eyot, Tagg's Eyot, and Sunbury Lock, +while boats and wherries in shoals appeared from all creeks and +backwaters and hiding-places as soon as both banks were in the hands of +the British. + +"Regulars, Militia, and, lastly, Volunteers, were now pouring across in +thousands. Forward was still the word. About noon a strong force of +Saxons was reported to be retreating along the road from Staines to +Brentford. They had guns with them, which engaged the field batteries +which were at once pushed forward by the British to attack them. These +troops, eventually joining hands with those at Hounslow, opposed a more +determined resistance to our advance than we had hitherto encountered. + +"According to what we learned subsequently from prisoners and others, +they were commanded by Prince Henry of Wuertemberg in person. He had +quitted his position at Staines, leaving only a single battalion and a +few guns as a rearguard to oppose the masses of the 'Defenders' who +threatened him in that direction, and had placed his troops in the best +position he could to cover the retreat of the rest of his corps from the +line they had been occupying. He had, it would appear, soon after the +fighting began, received the most urgent orders from Von Kronhelm to +fall back on London and assist him in the street fighting that had now +been going on without intermission for the best part of two days. Von +Kronhelm probably thought that he would be able to draw off some of his +numerous foes to the westward. But the message was received too late. +Prince Henry did his best to obey it, but by this time the very +existence of the XIIth Corps was at stake on account of the totally +unexpected attack on his left rear by the British regular troops. + +"He opposed such a stout resistance with the troops under his immediate +command that he brought the British advance to a temporary standstill, +while in his rear every road leading Londonward was crowded with the +rest of his army as they fell back from West Drayton, Uxbridge, Ruislip +and Pinner. Had they been facing trained soldiers they would have found +it most difficult, if not impossible, to do this; but as it was the +undisciplined and untrained masses of the League of Defenders lost a +long time in advancing, and still longer in getting over a series of +streams and dykes that lay between them and the abandoned Saxon +position. + +"They lost heavily, too, from the fire of the small rearguards that had +been left at the most likely crossing-places. The Saxons were therefore +able to get quite well away from them, and when some attempt was being +made to form up the thousands of men who presently found themselves +congregated on the heath east of Uxbridge, before advancing farther, a +whole brigade of Froelich's heavy cavalry suddenly swept down upon them +from behind Ickenham village. The _debacle_ that followed was frightful. +The unwieldy mass of 'Leaguers' swayed this way and that for a moment +in the panic occasioned by the sudden apparition of the serried masses +of charging cavalry that were rushing down on them with a thunder of +hoofs that shook the earth. A few scattered shots were fired, without +any perceptible effect, and before they could either form up or fly the +German Reiters were upon them. It was a perfect massacre. The 'Leaguers' +could oppose no resistance whatever. They were ridden down and +slaughtered with no more difficulty than if they had been a flock of +sheep. Swinging their long, straight swords, the cavalrymen cut them +down in hundreds and drove thousands into the river. The 'Defenders' +were absolutely pulverised and fled westwards in a huge scattered crowd. +But if the Germans had the satisfaction of scoring a local victory in +this quarter, things were by no means rosy for them elsewhere. Prince +Henry, by desperate efforts, contrived to hold on long enough in his +covering position to enable the Saxons from the central portion of his +abandoned line to pass through Hounslow and move along the London road, +through Brentford. + +"Here disaster befell them. A battery of 4.7 guns was suddenly unmasked +on Richmond Hill, and, firing at a range of 5,000 yards, played havoc +with the marching column. The head of it also suffered severe loss from +riflemen concealed in Kew Gardens, and the whole force had to extend and +fall back for some distance in a northerly direction. Near Ealing they +met the Uxbridge brigade, and a certain delay and confusion occurred. +However, trained soldiers such as these are not difficult to reorganise, +and while the latter continued its march along the main road the +remainder moved in several small parallel columns through Acton and +Turnham Green. Before another half-hour had elapsed there came a sound +of firing from the advanced guard. Orders to halt followed, then orders +to send forward reinforcements. + +"During all this time the rattle of rifle fire waxed heavier and +heavier. It soon became apparent that every road and street leading into +London was barricaded and that the houses on either side were crammed +with riflemen. Before any set plan of action could be determined on, the +retiring Saxons found themselves committed to a very nasty bout of +street fighting. Their guns were almost useless, since they could not be +placed in positions from which they could fire on the barricades except +so close as to be under effective rifle fire. They made several +desperate assaults, most of which were repulsed. In Goldhawk Road a +Jaegar battalion contrived to rush a big rampart of paving-stones which +had been improvised by the British; but, once over, they were decimated +by the fire from the houses on either side of the street. Big high +explosive shells from Richmond Hill, too, began to drop among the +Saxons. Though the range was long, the gunners were evidently well +informed of the whereabouts of the Saxon troops and made wonderfully +lucky shooting. + +"For some time the distant rumble of the firing to the south-west had +been growing more distinct in their ears, and about four o'clock it +suddenly broke out comparatively near by. Then came an order from Prince +Henry to fall back on Ealing at once. What had happened? It will not +take long to relate this. Prince Henry's covering position had lain +roughly between East Bedfont and Hounslow, facing south-east. He had +contrived to hold on to the latter place long enough to allow his right +to pivot on it and fall back to Cranford Bridge. Here they were, to a +certain extent, relieved from the close pressure they had been subjected +to by the constantly advancing British troops, by the able and +determined action of Froelich's Cavalry Brigade. + +"But in the meantime his enemies on the left, constantly reinforced from +across the river--while never desisting from their so far unsuccessful +attack on Hounslow--worked round through Twickenham and Isleworth till +they began to menace his rear. He must abandon Hounslow, or be cut off. +With consummate generalship he withdrew his left along the line of the +Metropolitan and District Railway, and sent word to the troops on his +right to retire and take up a second position at Southall Green. +Unluckily for him, there was a delay in transmission, resulting in a +considerable number of these troops being cut off and captured. +Froelich's cavalry were unable to aid them at this juncture, having their +attention drawn away by the masses of 'Leaguers' who had managed to get +over the Colne and were congregating near Harmondsworth. + +"They cut these up and dispersed them, but afterwards found that they +were separated from the Saxons by a strong force of British regular +troops who occupied Harlington and opened a fire on the Reiters that +emptied numerous saddles. They, therefore, made off to the northward. +From this forward nothing could check the steady advance of the English, +though fierce fighting went on till dark all through Hanwell, Ealing, +Perivale, and Wembley, the Saxons struggling gamely to the last, but +getting more and more disorganised. Had it not been for Froelich's +division on their right they would have been surrounded. As it was, they +must have lost half their strength in casualties and prisoners. + +"At dark, however, Lord Byfield ordered a general halt of his tired +though triumphant troops, and bivouacked and billeted them along a line +reaching from Willesden on the right through Wembley to Greenford. He +established his headquarters at Wembley. + +"I have heard some critics say that he ought to have pushed on his +freshest troops towards Hendon to prevent the remnant of our opponents +from re-entering London; but others, with reason, urge that he is right +to let them into the metropolis, which they will now find to be merely a +trap." + + * * * * * + +Extracts from the diary of General Von Kleppen, Commander of the IVth +German Army Corps, occupying London:-- + + "DORCHESTER HOUSE, PARK LANE, _Oct._ 6. + +"We are completely deceived. Our position, much as we are attempting to +conceal it, is a very grave one. We believed that if we reached London +the British spirit would be broken. Yet the more drastic our rule, the +fiercer becomes the opposition. How it will end I fear to contemplate. +The British are dull and apathetic, but, once roused, they fight like +fiends. + +"Last night we had an example of it. This League of Defenders, which Von +Kronhelm has always treated with ridicule, is, we have discovered too +late, practically the whole of England. Von Bistram, commanding the +VIIth Corps, and Von Haeslen, of the VIIIth Corps, have constantly been +reporting its spread through Manchester, Leeds, Bradford, Sheffield, +Birmingham and the other great towns we now occupy; but our +Commander-in-Chief has treated the matter lightly, declaring it to be a +kind of offshoot of some organisation they have in England, called the +Primrose League.... + +"Yesterday, at the Council of War, however, he was compelled to +acknowledge his error when I handed him a scarlet handbill calling upon +the British to make a concerted attack upon us at ten o'clock. +Fortunately, we were prepared for the assault, otherwise I verily +believe that the honours would have rested with the populace in London. +As it is, we suffered considerable reverses in various districts, where +our men were lured into the narrow side-streets and cut up. I confess I +am greatly surprised at the valiant stand made everywhere by the +Londoners. Last night they fought to the very end. A disaster to our +arms in the Strand was followed by a victory in Trafalgar Square, where +Von Wilberg had established defences for the purpose of preventing the +joining of the people of the East End with those of the West...." + + + + +CHAPTER IV. + +MASSACRE OF GERMANS IN LONDON. + + + "'DAILY TELEGRAPH' OFFICE, + "_Oct._ 12, 6 P.M. + +"Through the whole of last week the Germans occupying London suffered +great losses. They are now hemmed in on every side. + +"At three o'clock this morning, Von Kronhelm, having withdrawn the +greater part of the troops from the defence of the bridges, in an +attempt to occupy defensive positions in North London, the South +Londoners, impatient with long waiting, broke forth and came across the +river in enormous multitudes, every man bent upon killing a German +wherever seen. + +"The night air was rent everywhere by the hoarse, exultant shouts as +London--the giant, all-powerful city--fell upon the audacious invader. +Through our office windows came the dull roar of London's millions +swelled by the 'Defenders' from the west and south of England, and by +the gallant men from Canada, India, the Cape, and other British colonies +who had come forward to fight for the Mother Country as soon as her +position was known to be critical. + +"In the streets are to be seen Colonial uniforms side by side with the +costermonger from Whitechapel or Walworth, and dark-faced Indians in +turbans are fighting out in Fleet Street and the Strand. In the great +struggle now taking place many of our reporters and correspondents have +unfortunately been wounded, and, alas! four of them killed. + +"In these terrible days a man's life is not safe from one moment to +another. Both sides seem to have now lost their heads completely. Among +the Germans all semblance of order has apparently been thrown to the +winds. It is known that London has risen to a man, and the enemy are +therefore fully aware of their imminent peril. Already they are beaten. +True, Von Kronhelm still sits in the War Office directing +operations--operations he knows too well are foredoomed to failure. + +"The Germans have, it must be admitted, carried on the war in a +chivalrous spirit, until those drastic executions exasperated the +people. Then neither side gave quarter, and now to-day, all through +Islington, Hoxton, Kingsland, and Dalston, right out eastwards to +Homerton, a perfect massacre of Germans is in progress. + +"Lord Byfield has issued two urgent proclamations, threatening the +people of London with all sorts of penalties if they kill instead of +taking an enemy prisoner, but they seem to have no effect. London is +starved and angered to such a pitch, that her hatred knows no bounds, +and only blood will atone for the wholesale slaughter of the innocent +since the bombardment of the metropolis began. + +"The Kaiser has, we hear, left the 'Belvedere,' at Scarborough, where he +has been living incognito. A confidential report, apparently well +founded, has reached us that he embarked upon the steam-trawler _Morning +Star_ at Scarborough yesterday, and set out across the Dogger, with +Germany, of course, as his destination. Surely he must now regret his +ill-advised policy of making an attack upon England. He had gauged our +military weakness very accurately, but he had not counted upon the +patriotic spirit of our Empire. It may be that he has already given +orders to Von Kronhelm, but it is nevertheless a very significant fact +that the German wireless telegraph apparatus on the summit of Big Ben is +in constant use by the German Commander-in-Chief. He is probably in +hourly communication with Bremen, or with the Emperor himself upon the +trawler _Morning Star_. + +"Near Highbury Fields about noon to-day some British cavalry surprised a +party of Germans, and attempted to take them prisoners. The latter +showed fight, whereupon they were shot down to a man. The British held +as prisoners by the Germans near Enfield have now been released, and are +rejoining their comrades along the northern heights. Many believe that +another and final battle will be fought north of London, but military +men declare that the German power is already broken. Whether Von +Kronhelm will still continue to lose his men at the rate he is now +doing, or whether he will sue for peace, is an open question. +Personally, he was against the bombardment of London from the very +first, yet he was compelled to carry out the orders of his Imperial +master. The invasion, the landing, and the successes in the north were, +in his opinion, quite sufficient to have paralysed British trade and +caused such panic that an indemnity would have been paid. To attack +London was, in his opinion, a proceeding far too dangerous, and his +estimate is now proved to have been the correct one. Now that they have +lost command of the sea, and are cut off from their bases in Essex, the +enemy's situation is hopeless. They may struggle on, but assuredly the +end can only be an ignominious one. + +"Yet the German eagle still flies proudly over the War Office, over St. +Stephen's, and upon many other public buildings, while upon others +British Royal Standards and Union Jacks are commencing to appear, each +one being cheered by the excited Londoners, whose hearts are now full of +hope. Germany shall be made to bite the dust. That is the war-cry +everywhere. Many a proud Uhlan and Cuirassier has to-day ridden to his +death amid the dense mobs, mad with the lust of blood. Some of the more +unfortunate of the enemy have been lynched, and torn limb from limb, +while others have died deaths too horrible to here describe in detail. + +"Each hour brings to us further news showing how, by slow degrees, the +German army of occupation is being wiped out. People are jeering at the +audacious claim for indemnity presented to the British Government when +the enemy entered London, and are asking whether we will not now present +a claim to Germany. Von Kronhelm is not blamed so much as his Emperor. +He has been the cat's paw, and has burned his fingers in endeavouring to +snatch the chestnuts from the fire. + +"As a commander, he has acted justly, fully observing the international +laws concerning war. It was only when faced by the problem of a national +uprising that he countenanced anything bordering upon capital +punishment. An hour ago our censors were withdrawn. They came and shook +hands with many members of the staff, and retired. This surely is a +significant fact that Von Kronhelm hopes to regain the confidence of +London by appearing to treat her with a fatherly solicitude. Or is it +that he intends to sue for peace at any price? + +"An hour ago another desperate attempt was made on the part of the men +of South London, aided by a large body of British regulars, to regain +possession of the War Office. Whitehall was once more the scene of a +bloody fight, but so strongly does Von Kronhelm hold the place and all +the adjacent thoroughfares--he apparently regarding it as his own +fortress--that the attack was repulsed with heavy loss on our side. + +"All the bridges are now open, the barricades are in most cases being +blown up, and people are passing and repassing freely for the first time +since the day following the memorable bombardment. London streets are, +however, in a most deplorable condition. On every hand is ruin and +devastation. Whole streets of houses rendered gaunt and windowless by +the now spent fires meet the eye everywhere. In certain places the ruins +were still smouldering, and in one or two districts the conflagrations +spread over an enormous area. Even if peace be declared, can London ever +recover from this present wreck? Paris recovered, and quickly too. +Therefore we place our faith in British wealth, British industry, and +British patriotism. + +"Yes. The tide has turned. The great revenge now in progress is truly a +mad and bloody one. In Kilburn this afternoon there was a wholesale +killing of a company of German infantry, who, while marching along the +High Road, were set upon by the armed mob, and practically exterminated. +The smaller thoroughfares, Brondesbury Road, Victoria Road, Glendall +Road, and Priory Park Road, across to Paddington Cemetery, were the +scene of a frightful slaughter. The Germans died hard, but in the end +were completely wiped out. German-baiting is now, indeed, the Londoner's +pastime, and on this dark and rainy afternoon hundreds of men of the +Fatherland have died upon the wet roads. + +"Sitting here, in a newspaper office, as we do, and having fresh reports +constantly before us, we are able to review the whole situation +impartially. Every moment, through the various news-agencies and our own +correspondents and contributors, we are receiving fresh facts--facts +which all combine to show that Von Kronhelm cannot hold out much longer. +Surely the Commander-in-Chief of a civilised army will not allow his men +to be massacred as they are now being! The enemy's troops, mixed up in +the maze of London streets as they are, are utterly unable to cope with +the oncoming multitudes, some armed with rifles, and others with +anything they can lay their hands upon. + +"Women--wild, infuriated women--have now made their reappearance north +of the Thames. In more than one instance, where German soldiers have +attempted to take refuge in houses, these women have obtained petrol, +and, with screams of fiendish delight, set the houses in question on +fire. Awful dramas are being enacted in every part of the metropolis. +The history of to-day is written in German blood. + +"Lord Byfield has established temporary headquarters at Jack Straw's +Castle, where Von Kronhelm was during the bombardment, and last night we +could see the signals exchanged between Hampstead and Sydenham Hill, +from whence General Bamford has not yet moved. Our cavalry in Essex are, +it is said, doing excellent work. Lord Byfield has also sent a body of +troops across from Gravesend to Tilbury, and these have regained Maldon +and Southminster after some hard fighting. Advices from Gravesend state +that further reinforcements are being sent across the river to operate +against the East of London and hem in the Germans on that side. + +"So confident is London of success that several of the railways are +commencing to reorganise their traffic. A train left Willesden this +afternoon for Birmingham, the first since the bombardment--while another +has left Finsbury Park for Peterborough, to continue to York if +possible. So wrecked are the London termini, however, that it must be +some weeks before trains can arrive or be despatched from either Euston, +King's Cross, Paddington, Marylebone, or St. Pancras. In many instances +the line just north of the terminus is interrupted by a blown-up tunnel +or a fallen bridge, therefore the termination of traffic must, for the +present, be at some distance north on the outskirts of London. + +"Shops are also opening in South London, though they have but little to +sell. Nevertheless, this may be regarded as a sign of renewed +confidence. Besides, supplies of provisions are now arriving, and the +London County Council and the Salvation Army are distributing free soup +and food in the lower-class districts. Private charity, everywhere +abundant during the trying days of dark despair, is doing inestimable +good among every class. The hard, grasping employer and the smug +financier, who had hitherto kept scrupulous accounts, and have been +noteworthy on account of their uncharitableness, have now, in the hour +of need, come forward and subscribed liberally to the great Mansion +House Fund, opened yesterday by the Deputy Lord Mayor of London. The +subscription list occupies six columns of the issue of to-morrow's +paper, and this, in itself, speaks well for the openheartedness of the +moneyed classes of Great Britain. + +"No movement has yet been made in the financial world. Bankers still +remain with closed doors. The bullion seized at Southminster and other +places is now under strong British guard, and will, it is supposed, be +returned to the Bank immediately. Only a comparatively small sum has yet +been sent across to Germany. Therefore all Von Kronhelm's strategy has +utterly failed. By the invasion, Germany has, up to the present moment, +gained nothing. She has made huge demands at which we can afford to +jeer. True, she has wrecked London, but have we not sent the greater +part of her fleet to the bottom of the North Sea, and have we not +created havoc in German ports? + +"The leave-taking of our two gold-spectacled censors was almost +pathetic. We had come to regard them as necessities to puzzle and to +play practical jokes of language upon. To-day for the first time we have +received none of those official notices in German, with English +translations, which of late have appeared so prominently in our columns. +The German Eagle is gradually disentangling his talons from London, and +means to escape us--if he can." + + * * * * * + + 10.30 P.M. + +"Private information has just reached us from a most reliable source +that a conference has been arranged between Von Kronhelm and Lord +Byfield. This evening the German Field Marshal sent a messenger to the +British headquarters at Hampstead under a flag of truce. He bore a +despatch from the German Commander asking that hostilities should be +suspended for twenty-four hours, and that they should make an +appointment for a meeting during that period. + +"Von Kronhelm has left the time and place of meeting to Lord Byfield, +and has informed the British Commander that he has sent telegraphic +instruction to the German military governors of Birmingham, Sheffield, +Manchester, Bradford, Leeds, Northampton, Stafford, Oldham, Wigan, +Bolton, and other places, giving notice of his suggestion to the +British, and ordering that for the present hostilities on the part of +the Germans shall be suspended. + +"It seems more than likely that the German Field Marshal has received +these very definite instructions by wireless telegraph from the Emperor +at Bremen or Potsdam. + +"We understand that Lord Byfield, after a brief consultation by +telegraph with the Government at Bristol, has sent a reply. Of its +nature, however, nothing is known, and at the moment of writing +hostilities are still in progress. + +"In an hour's time we shall probably know whether the war is to +continue, or a truce is to be proclaimed." + + "Midnight. + +"Lord Byfield has granted a truce, and hostilities have now been +suspended. + +"London has gone mad with delight, for the German yoke is cast off. +Further information which has just reached us from private sources +states that thousands of prisoners have been taken by Lord Byfield +to-day, and that Von Kronhelm has acknowledged his position to be +absolutely hopeless. + +"The great German Army has been defeated by our British patriots, who +have fought so valiantly and so well. It is not likely that the war will +be resumed. Von Kronhelm received a number of British officers at the +War Office half an hour ago, and it is said that he is already making +preparations to vacate the post he has usurped. + +"Lord Byfield has issued a reassuring message to London, which we have +just received with instructions to print. It declares that although for +the moment only a truce is proclaimed, yet this means the absolute +cessation of all hostilities. + +"The naval news of the past few days may be briefly summarised. The +British main fleet entered the North Sea, and our submarines did most +excellent work in the neighbourhood of the Maas Lightship. Prince +Stahlberger had concentrated practically the whole of his naval force +off Lowestoft, but a desperate battle was fought about seventy miles +from the Texel, full details of which are not yet to hand. All that is +known is that, having now regained command of the sea, we were enabled +to inflict a crushing defeat upon the Germans, in which the German +flagship was sunk. In the end sixty-one British ships were concentrated +against seventeen German, with the result that the German fleet has +practically been wiped out, there being 19,000 of the enemy's officers +and men on the casualty list, the greatest recorded in any naval battle. + +"Whatever may be the demands for indemnity on either side, one thing is +absolutely certain, namely, that the invincible German Army and Navy are +completely vanquished. The Eagle's wings are trailing in the dust." + + + + +CHAPTER V. + +HOW THE WAR ENDED. + + +Days passed--weary, waiting, anxious days. A whole month went by. What +had really happened at sea was unknown. After the truce, London very +gradually began to resume her normal life, though the gaunt state of the +streets was indescribably weird. + +Shops began to open, and as each day passed, food became more plentiful +and consequently less dear. The truce meant the end of the war, +therefore thanksgiving services were held in every town and village +throughout the country. + +There were great prison-camps of Germans at Hounslow, Brentwood, and +Barnet, while Von Kronhelm and his chief officers were also held as +prisoners until some decision through diplomatic channels could be +arrived at. Meanwhile a little business began to be done; thousands +began to resume their employment, bankers reopened their doors, and +within a week the distress and suffering of the poor became perceptibly +alleviated. The task of burying the dead after the terrible massacre of +the Germans in the London streets had been a stupendous one, but so +quickly had it been accomplished that an epidemic was happily averted. + +Parliament moved back to Westminster, and daily meetings of the Cabinet +were being held in Downing Street. These resulted in the resignation of +the Ministry, and with a fresh Cabinet, in which Mr. Gerald Graham, the +organiser of the Defenders, was given a seat, a settlement was at last +arrived at. + +To further describe the chaotic state of England occasioned by the +terrible and bloody war would serve no purpose. The loss and suffering +which it had caused the country had been incalculable; statisticians +estimated that in one month of hostilities it had amounted to +L500,000,000, a part of which represented money transferred from British +pockets to German, as the enemy had carried off some of the securities +upon which the German troops had laid their hands in London. + +Let us for a moment take a retrospective glance. Consols were at 50; +bread was still 1_s._ 6_d._ per loaf; and the ravages of the German +commerce-destroyers had sent up the cost of insurance on British +shipping sky-high. Money was almost unprocurable; except for the +manufacture of war material, there was no industry; and the suffering +and distress among the poor could not be exaggerated. In all directions +men, women, and children had been starving. + +The mercantile community were loud in their outcry for "peace at any +price," and the pro-German and Stop-the-War Party were equally vehement +in demanding a cessation of the war. They found excuses for the enemy, +and forgot the frightful devastation and loss which the invasion had +caused to the country. + +They insisted that the working class gained nothing, even though the +British fleet was closely blockading the German coast, and their outcry +was strengthened when a few days after the blockade of the Elbe had +begun, two British battleships were so unfortunate as to strike German +mines, and sink with a large part of their crews. The difficulty of +borrowing money for the prosecution of the war was a grave obstacle in +the way of the party of action, and preyed upon the mind of the British +Government. + +Socialism, with its creed of "Thou shalt have no other god but Thyself," +and its doctrine, "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die," had +replaced the religious beliefs of a generation of Englishmen taught to +suffer and to die sooner than surrender to wrong. In the hour of trial, +amidst smoking ruins, among the holocausts of dead which marked the +prolonged, bloody, and terrible battles on land and at sea, the spirit +of the nation quailed, and there was really no great leader to recall it +to ways of honour and duty. + +The wholesale destruction of food, and particularly of wheat and meat, +removed from the world's market a large part of its supplies, and had +immediately sent up the cost of food everywhere, outside the United +Kingdom as well as in it. At the same time, the attacks upon shipping +laden with food increased the cost of insurance to prohibitive prices +upon vessels freighted for the United Kingdom. The underwriters after +the first few captures by the enemy would not insure at all except for +fabulous rates. + +The withdrawal of all the larger British cruisers for the purpose of +defeating the main German fleets in the North Sea left the +commerce-destroyers a free hand, and there was no force to meet them. +The British liners commissioned as commerce-protectors were too few and +too slow to be able to hold their adversaries in check. + +Neutral shipping was molested by the German cruisers. + +Whenever raw cotton or food of any kind was discovered upon a neutral +vessel bound for British ports, the vessel was seized and sent into one +or other of the German harbours on the West Coast of Africa. + +The United Kingdom, indeed, might have been reduced to absolute +starvation had it not been for the fact that the Canadian Government +interfered in Canada to prevent similar German tactics from succeeding, +and held the German contracts for the cornering of Canadian wheat, +contrary to public policy. + +The want of food, the high price of bread and meat in England, and the +greatly increased cost of the supplies of raw material sent up the +expenditure upon poor relief to enormous figures. Millions of men were +out of employment, and in need of assistance. Mills and factories in +all directions had closed down, either because of the military danger +from the operations of the German armies, or because of the want of +orders, or, again, because raw materials were not procurable. + +Unfortunately, when the invasion began, many rich foreigners who had +lived in England collected what portable property they possessed and +retired abroad to Switzerland, Italy, and the United States. Their +example was followed by large numbers of British subjects who had +invested abroad, and now, in the hour of distress, were able to place +their securities in a handbag and withdraw them to happier countries. + +They may justly be blamed for this want of patriotism, but their reply +was that they had been unjustly and mercilessly taxed by men who derided +patriotism, misused power, and neglected the real interests of the +nation in the desire to pander to the mob. Moreover, with the income-tax +at 3_s._ 6_d._ in the pound, and with the cost of living enormously +enhanced, they declared that it was a positive impossibility to live in +England, while into the bargain their lives were exposed to danger from +the enemy. + +As a result of this wholesale emigration, in London and the country the +number of empty houses inordinately increased, and there were few +well-to-do people left to pay the rates and taxes. The fearful burden of +the extravagant debts which the British municipalities had heaped up was +cruelly felt, since the nation had to repudiate the responsibility which +it had incurred for the payment of interest on the local debts. The +Socialist dream, in fact, might almost be said to have been realised. +There were few rich left, but the consequences to the poor, instead of +being beneficial, were utterly disastrous. + +Under the pressure of public opinion, constrained by hunger and +financial necessities, and with thousands of German prisoners in their +hands, the British Government acceded to the suggested conference to +secure peace. + + * * * * * + +Peace was finally signed on January 13, 1911. The British Empire emerged +from the conflict outwardly intact, but internally so weakened that only +the most resolute reforms accomplished by the ablest and boldest +statesmen, could have restored it to its old position. + +Germany, on the other hand, emerged with an additional 21,000 miles of +European territory, with an extended seaboard on the North Sea, fronting +the United Kingdom at Rotterdam and the Texel, and, it was calculated, +with a slight pecuniary advantage. Practically the entire cost of the +war had been borne by England. + +As is always the case, the poor suffered most. The Socialists, who had +declared against armaments, were faithless friends of those whom they +professed to champion. Their dream of a golden age proved utterly +delusive. But the true authors of England's misfortunes escaped blame +for the moment, and the Army and Navy were made the scapegoats of the +great catastrophe. + +When success did come, it came too late, and could not be utilised +without a great British Army capable of carrying the war into the +enemy's country, and thus compelling a satisfactory peace. + + +THE END. + + +PRINTED BY WILLIAM CLOWES AND SONS, LIMITED, LONDON AND BECCLES. + + + + + * * * * * + + + + +Transcriber's note + +Obvious punctuation errors were corrected. + +Hyphens removed: "hill[-]side" (page 152), "look[-]out" (page 221), +"mid[-]day" (page 149), "night[-]fall" (page 157), "rear[-]guard" (page +142), "sharp[-]shooters" (page 191), "wide[-]spread (page 230). + +Hyphen added: "by[-]ways" (page 224). + +The following words appear both with and without hyphens and have not +been changed: "back[-]waters", "motor[-]omnibuses", "pickel[-]haubes". + +Page 43: the double quotation mark after "Well, Mr. Mayor," was changed +to a single quotation mark. + +Page 50: "communciation" changed to "communication" (established direct +communication). + +Page 60: "to" changed to "the" (came the VIIth Army Corps). + +Page 76: "thei" changed to "their" (some of their field batteries). + +Page 85: "Aryglls" changed to "Argylls". + +Page 89: "squardon" changed to "squadron" (squadron after squadron). + +Page 143: "fellow" changed to "fellows" (hundreds of poor fellows). + +Page 166: "fo" changed to "for" (for our salvation). + +Page 178: "Shepheard's Bush" changed to "Shepherd's Bush". + +Page 187: "Rosyln Hill" changed to "Roslyn Hill". + +Page 253: added "as" (and as soon as fired on). + + + +***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE INVASION*** + + +******* This file should be named 36155.txt or 36155.zip ******* + + +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: +http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/3/6/1/5/36155 + + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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