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+Project Gutenberg's The First Seven Divisions, by Ernest W. Hamilton
+
+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/license
+
+
+Title: The First Seven Divisions
+       Being a Detailed Account of the Fighting from Mons to Ypres
+
+Author: Ernest W. Hamilton
+
+Release Date: March 15, 2012 [EBook #39158]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Charlene Taylor, Sigal Alon and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS
+
+_McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD & STEWART, Ltd._
+
+[Illustration: Map showing the first seven days of the retreat from
+Mons, with the routes followed by each Division. The dates given refer
+to the nights during which the troops rested, the days being spent in
+marching.
+
+  1st Division Violet
+  2nd Division Green
+  3rd Division Blue
+  5th Division Red
+
+Approximate scale 7 miles to an inch.]
+
+
+
+
+_The First Seven Divisions_
+
+_Being a detailed account of the fighting from Mons to Ypres_
+
+_By Ernest W. Hamilton_
+(_Late Captain 11th Hussars_)
+
+_WITH MAPS_
+
+_TORONTO:
+McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD & STEWART. Ltd._
+
+_Printed in Great Britain_
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE
+
+
+The 1st Expeditionary Force to leave England consisted of the 1st A.C.
+(1st and 2nd Divisions) and the 2nd A.C. (3rd and 5th Divisions).
+
+The 4th Division arrived in time to prolong the battle-front at Le
+Cateau, but it missed the terrible stress of the first few days, and
+can therefore hardly claim to rank as part of the 1st Expeditionary
+Force in the strict sense. The 6th Division did not join till the
+battle of the Aisne. These two divisions then formed the 3rd A.C.
+
+In the following pages the doings of the 3rd A.C. are only very lightly
+touched upon, not because they are less worthy of record than those of
+the 1st and 2nd A.C., but simply because they do not happen to have
+come within the field of vision of the narrator.
+
+The 7th Division's doings are dealt with because these were
+inextricably mixed up with the operations of the 1st A.C. east
+of Ypres. The 3rd A.C., on the other hand, acted throughout as
+an independent unit, and had no part in the Ypres and La Bassée
+fighting with which these pages are attempting to deal.
+
+The main point aimed at is accuracy; no attempt is made to magnify
+achievements, or to minimise failures.
+
+It must, however, be clearly understood that the mention from time to
+time of certain battalions as having been driven from their trenches
+does not in the smallest degree suggest inefficiency on the part of
+such battalions. It is probable that every battalion in the British
+Force has at some time or another during the past twelve months been
+forced to abandon its trenches. A battalion is driven from its trenches
+as often as not owing to insupportable shell-fire concentrated on a
+particular area. Such trenches may be afterwards retaken by another
+battalion under entirely different circumstances, and in any case in
+the absence of shell-fire. That goes without saying. It may, therefore,
+quite easily happen that lost trenches may be retaken by a battalion
+which is inferior in all military essentials to the battalion which was
+driven out of the same trenches the day before, or earlier in the same
+day, as the case may be.
+
+I wish to take this opportunity of expressing the great obligations
+under which I lie to the many officers who have so kindly assisted me
+in the compilation of this work.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+
+                                                         PAGE
+
+PREFACE                                                     v
+
+BEFORE MONS                                                 1
+
+THE BATTLE OF MONS                                         12
+
+THE RETREAT FROM MONS (LANDRECIES AND MAROILLES)           33
+
+THE LE CATEAU PROBLEM                                      50
+
+LE CATEAU                                                  55
+
+THE RETREAT FROM LE CATEAU (VILLERS-COTTERÊTS AND NÉRY)    66
+
+THE ADVANCE TO THE AISNE                                   84
+
+THE PASSAGE OF THE AISNE                                   96
+
+TROYON (VERNEUIL AND SOUPIR)                              103
+
+THE AISNE                                                 120
+
+MANUVRING WESTWARD                                        141
+
+FROM ATTACK TO DEFENCE                                    159
+
+THE BIRTH OF THE YPRES SALIENT                            162
+
+THE STAND OF THE FIFTH DIVISION                           180
+
+NEUVE CHAPELLE                                            192
+
+PILKEM                                                    203
+
+THE SECOND ADVANCE                                        209
+
+THE FIGHTING AT KRUISEIK                                  218
+
+THE LAST OF KRUISEIK                                      230
+
+ZANDVOORDE                                                249
+
+GHELUVELT                                                 257
+
+MESSINES AND WYTSCHATE                                    265
+
+KLEIN ZILLEBEKE                                           278
+
+THE RELIEF OF THE SEVENTH DIVISION                        285
+
+ZWARTELEN                                                 294
+
+THE PRUSSIAN GUARD ATTACK                                 303
+
+EPITAPH                                                   310
+
+
+
+
+The following abbreviations are used:--
+
+  The C. in C. = Field Marshal Sir John French
+  A.C.         = Army Corps
+  C.B.         = Cavalry Brigade
+  K.O.S.B.     = King's Own Scottish Borderers
+  K.O.Y.L.I.   = King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
+  K.R.R.       = King's Royal Rifles (60th)
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF MAPS
+
+
+Showing the first seven days of the        _Facing Title Page_
+retreat from Mons, with the routes
+followed by each division.
+
+Showing disposition of troops at             _Facing page_ 12
+the battle of Mons.
+
+Showing line occupied by British                          102
+troops after the battle of the Aisne.
+
+Ypres and district                                        162
+
+
+
+
+THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS
+
+
+
+
+BEFORE MONS
+
+
+When an entire continent has for eighteen months been convulsed by
+military operations on so vast a scale as almost to baffle imagination,
+the individual achievements of this division or of that division are
+apt to fade quickly out of recognition. Fresh scenes peopled by fresh
+actors hold the public eye, and, in the quick passage of events, the
+lustre of bygone deeds soon gets blurred. People forget. But when the
+deeds are such as to bring a thrill of national pride; when they set up
+an all but unique standard of valour for future generations to live up
+to, it is best not to forget.
+
+On the outbreak of war with Germany on August 3rd, 1914, the British
+Army was so small as to be a mere drop in the ocean of armed men who
+were hurrying to confront one another on the plains of Belgium. It was
+derisively described as "contemptible." And yet, in the first three
+months of the war, this little army, varying in numbers from 80,000 to
+130,000, may justly claim to have in some part moulded the history of
+Europe. It was the deciding factor in a struggle where the sides--at
+first--were none too equally matched. For this alone its deeds are
+worthy of record, and they are worthy of record too for another reason.
+They represent the supreme sacrifice in the interests of the national
+honour of what was familiarly known as our "regular army." Since the
+outbreak of the war, fresh armies have arisen, of new and unprecedented
+proportions. The members of these new armies are as familiar now to the
+public eye as the representatives of the old regular army are scarce.
+With the doings of these new armies the present pages have no concern.
+They are, it is true, the expression of a spirit of patriotism and duty
+so remarkable that their voluntary growth must for ever stand out as
+one of the grandest monuments in the history of Britain. But they form
+no part of the subject matter of these pages, which deal solely with
+the way in which the old regular army, led by the best in the land,
+saved the national honour in the acutest crisis in history, and
+practically ceased to exist in the doing of it.
+
+The regular army, small as it was, did not lie under the hands of those
+who would use it. Much of it was far away across the seas, guarding the
+outposts of the Empire. A certain proportion, however, was at hand, and
+with a smoothness and expedition which silenced, no less than it
+amazed, the critics of our military administration, 50,000 infantry,
+with its artillery and five brigades of cavalry, were shipped off to
+France almost before the public had realized that we were at war. From
+Havre or Boulogne, as the case might be, these troops either marched or
+were trained northwards; shook themselves into shape; gradually assumed
+the form of two army corps of two divisions each, of which the 1st
+Division was on the right and the 5th on the left (the 4th Division
+having not yet arrived), and in this formation faced the Belgian
+frontier to meet and check the invaders.
+
+The two advancing forces met at Mons, or, to be more accurate, the
+British force took up a defensive position at Mons--in conformity with
+the pre-arranged plan of extending the French line westwards--and there
+waited.
+
+From this time on, the doings of the Expeditionary Force become
+historically interesting, and its movements are worthy of study in
+detail. In the first instance, however, in order to arrive at a proper
+understanding of the circumstances which governed the position of the
+British troops on the occasion of their first stand, and which
+afterwards dictated the line of retreat and the roads to be followed in
+that retreat, and the successive points at which the retreating army
+faced about and fought, it is desirable to get a general grasp of the
+geographical side of things. The Germans were advancing from the
+north-east on Paris; that was their avowed intention; there was no
+secret about it; the leaders openly proclaimed their intentions; the
+soldiers advertised the fact in chalk legends scribbled on the doors of
+the houses; and--as the fashion is with Germans in arms--they were
+taking the most direct route to their objective, their artillery and
+transport following the great main roads that shoot out north-eastward
+from Paris towards Brussels, with their infantry swarming in endless
+thousands along the smaller collateral roads. Here and there, at
+intervals of from twenty to thirty miles, this system of parallel roads
+running north-east from Paris is crossed by other main roads running at
+right angles and forming, as it were, a skeleton check with the point
+of the diamond to the north. These main cross-roads had, in
+anticipation, been selected for the lines of defence along which our
+troops should turn and fight if necessary, for though it is laid down
+in the text-books of the wise that a line of defence must not run along
+a main road, such a road has obvious value for purposes of correct
+alignment. As the German advance was from the north-east, it is
+self-evident that the line of resistance or defence had to extend from
+north-west to south-east.
+
+When our troops, by forced marches, reached Mons on August 22nd, 1914,
+the primary business of the British Force was to prolong the French
+line of resistance in a north-westerly direction. The natural country
+feature which was geographically indicated for this purpose was the
+high road which runs from Charleroi through Binche to Mons, and this
+was the line for which our troops were originally destined. In effect,
+however, this line proved to be impracticable, for the simple reason
+that, when we reached it, the Germans were already in possession of
+Charleroi, and the French on our right had fallen back beyond the point
+of prolongation of this line. For the British Force in these
+circumstances to have occupied the Mons--Charleroi road would have laid
+it open to the very great risk--if not certainty--of being cut off and
+completely isolated. In these circumstances there was no alternative
+but to range our 1st A.C. along the Mons--Beaumont road, in rear of the
+original position contemplated, while the 2nd A.C. lined the canal
+between Mons and Condé. The position was not ideal, the formation being
+that of a broad arrow, with the two Army Corps practically at right
+angles to one another. However, it was the best that offered in the
+peculiar circumstances of the case. As it turned out in the end, the
+entire attack at Mons fell on the 2nd A.C., which lay back at an angle
+of forty-five degrees from the general line of defence. The battle of
+Mons may, therefore, in a sense be looked upon as an attempt at a
+flanking or enveloping movement on the part of the enemy, which was
+frustrated by the interposition of our troops.
+
+In view of the fact that the scene of the first shock with the enemy
+was fixed by necessity and not by choice, the Mons canal may be
+considered as a fortunate feature in the landscape. It ran sufficiently
+true to the required line to offer an obvious line of defence, and an
+ideal one, except for the flagrant defect that, after running from
+Condé to Mons in a mathematically straight line, on reaching the town
+it flings off to the north in a loop some two miles long by one and a
+half miles across. This loop, as well as the straight reach to Condé,
+was occupied by our troops. The formation of the British army, then,
+was not only that of a broad arrow, but of a broad arrow with a loop
+two miles long by a mile and a half across projecting from the point.
+Such a position could obviously not be held for long, and Sir Horace
+Smith-Dorrien, recognizing this, had prepared in advance a second and
+more defensible line running through Frameries, Paturages, Wasmes and
+Boussu. To this second line the troops were to fall back as soon as the
+salient became untenable. A glance at the map will serve to show that
+the effect of swinging back the right of the 2nd A.C. to this new
+position would be to at once bring the whole British Army into line,
+with a frontage facing the advance of the enemy from the north-east. In
+view, however, of the preparedness of the Germans and the comparative
+unpreparedness of the Allies, time was a factor in the case of the very
+first importance, and therefore the passage of the canal had to be
+opposed, if only for purposes of delay. It is important, however, to
+keep in mind that the real line which it was intended to defend at Mons
+was this second line. The intention was never carried out, because it
+was anticipated by an unexpected and most unwelcome order to retire in
+conformity with French movements on the right, which upset all plans.
+
+In the meanwhile, the enemy's entry into Mons itself had to be delayed
+as long as possible, which meant that the canal salient, bad as it was,
+had perforce to be defended. This dangerous but most responsible duty
+was entrusted to Sir Hubert Hamilton with his 3rd Division, and, as a
+matter of fact, the battle of Mons in the end proved to be practically
+confined to the three brigades of this division.
+
+The disposition of the division was as follows:
+
+General Shaw, with the 9th Brigade, was posted along the western face
+of the canal loop, his right-hand battalion being the 4th R. Fusiliers,
+who held the line from the Nimy bridge, at Lock 6, to the Ghlin bridge.
+To the left of the R. Fusiliers, were the R. Scots Fusiliers, and
+beyond them again half the Northumberland Fusiliers reaching as far as
+Jemappes. The Lincolns and the rest of the Northumberland Fusiliers
+formed the reserve to the brigade and were at Cuesmes in rear of the
+canal.
+
+On the right of the 9th Brigade was the 8th Brigade, occupying the
+north-east face of the canal salient. Of this brigade the 4th Middlesex
+on the left took up the line from the R. Fusiliers east of the Nimy
+bridge, and carried it on as far as the bridge and railway station at
+Obourg. Between Obourg and St. Symphorien were the 1st Gordon
+Highlanders, and on their right, thrown back so as to link up with the
+left of the 1st A.C., were the 2nd Royal Scots. The Royal Irish
+Regiment formed the brigade reserve at Hyon, and the 7th Brigade the
+divisional reserve at Cipley. So much then for the salient itself on
+which, as it turned out, the enemy's attack was mainly focussed. On the
+left of the 3rd Division, along the straight reach of the canal which
+runs to Condé, was Sir Charles Fergusson's 5th Division. Of this
+division we need only concern ourselves with the 13th Brigade, which
+continued the line of defence on the left of the 9th Brigade, the R.
+West Kents holding the ground from Mariette to Lock 5 at St. Ghislain,
+with the K.O.S.B. extended beyond them as far as Lock 4 at Les
+Herbières. The K.O.Y.L.I. and Duke of Wellington's Regiment were in
+reserve. On the left of the K.O.S.B. was the E. Surrey Regiment and
+beyond again the 14th and 15th Brigades. Later on the line was still
+further extended to the west by the 19th Brigade, which arrived during
+the afternoon of the 23rd.
+
+Such then was the disposition of the 2nd A.C. The 1st A.C. lay back, as
+has been explained, almost at right angles to the line of the canal,
+along the two roads that branch off from Mons to Beaumont and Maubeuge
+respectively. On the first-named road was the 1st Division reaching as
+far as Grand Reng. This division, however, as events turned out, was
+merely a spectator of the operations of August 23rd. The 2nd Division
+was very much scattered, the 6th Brigade being at Givry, and the 5th at
+Bougnies, while of the 4th Brigade the two Coldstream Battalions were
+at Harveng and the rest of the brigade at Quévy.
+
+The gap between the 1st and 2nd A.C. was patrolled by the 2nd C.B., an
+operation which brought about the first actual collision between
+British and German troops. This was on the 22nd near Villers St.
+Ghislain, when Captain Hornby with a squadron of the 4th Dragoon Guards
+fell in with a column of Uhlans, which he promptly charged and very
+completely routed, capturing a number of prisoners.
+
+The rest of our cavalry was spread along the Binche road as a covering
+screen for the 1st A.C., with the exception of the 4th C.B. which was
+at Haulchin cross-roads, guarding the approach to that place from the
+direction of Binche, and at the same time keeping up a communication
+between the 1st and 2nd Divisions.
+
+Such then was, generally speaking, the position on August 22nd. During
+that night, however, all the cavalry was withdrawn from the Binche road
+and moved across to the left of our line, where they took up a position
+guarding that flank along the two roads running north and south through
+Thulin and Eloges to Andregnies. The 4th C.B., having the shortest
+journey to make, went four miles further west again to Quiverain. This
+change of position meant a twenty mile night march for the cavalry on
+the top of a hard day's patrol work, and the journey took them from six
+o'clock in the evening till two o'clock the following morning.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF MONS
+
+
+The morning of the 23rd opened sunny and bright. The weather was set
+fair with a breeze from the east, a cloudless sky, and the promise of
+great heat at midday. A pale blue haze rounded off the distance, and
+softened the outlines of the tall, gaunt chimney stacks with which the
+entire country is dotted.
+
+With the first streak of dawn came the first German shell. It was
+evident from the outset that the canal loop had been singled out as the
+object of the enemy's special attentions. Its weakness from the
+defensive point of view was clearly as well known to them as it was to
+our own Generals. It was also fairly obvious to both sides that, if the
+enemy succeeded in crossing the canal in the neighbourhood of the
+salient, the line of defence along the straight reach to Condé would
+have to be abandoned. The straight reach of the canal was therefore,
+for the time being, neglected, and all efforts confined to the salient.
+ The bombardment increased in volume as the morning advanced and as
+fresh German batteries arrived on the scene, and at 8 a.m. came the
+first infantry attack.
+
+[Illustration: Map showing disposition of troops at the battle of Mons.
+Approximate scale 2 miles to an inch.]
+
+This first attack was launched against the north-west corner of the
+canal loop, the focus-point being--as had been anticipated--the Nimy
+bridge, on which the two main roads from Lens and Soignies converge.
+The attack, however, soon became more general and the pressure quickly
+extended for a good mile and a half to either side of the Nimy bridge,
+embracing the railway bridge and the Ghlin bridge to the left of it,
+and the long reach to the Obourg bridge on the right.
+
+The northern side of the canal is here dotted, throughout the entire
+length of the attacked position, with a number of small fir plantations
+which proved of inestimable value to the enemy for the purpose of
+masking their machine-gun fire, as well as for massing their infantry
+preparatory to an attack.
+
+About nine o'clock the German infantry attack, which had been
+threatening for some time past, took definite shape and four battalions
+were suddenly launched upon the head of the Nimy bridge. The bridge was
+defended by a single company of the R. Fusiliers under Captain
+Ashburner and a machine-gun in charge of Lieut. Dease.
+
+The Germans attacked in close column, an experiment which, in this case
+proved a conspicuous failure, the leading sections going down as one
+man before the concentrated machine-gun and rifle fire from the bridge.
+The survivors retreated with some haste behind the shelter of one of
+the plantations, where they remained for half an hour. Then the attack
+was renewed, this time in extended order. The alteration in the
+formation at once made itself felt on the defenders. This time the
+attack was checked but not stopped. Captain Ashburner's company on the
+Nimy bridge began to be hard pressed and 2nd Lieut. Mead was sent up
+with a platoon to its support. Mead was at once wounded--badly wounded
+in the head. He had it dressed in rear and returned to the firing line,
+to be again almost immediately shot through the head and killed.
+Captain Bowdon-Smith and Lieut. Smith then went up to the bridge with
+another platoon. Within ten minutes both had fallen badly wounded.
+Lieut. Dease who was working the machine-gun had already been hit three
+times. Captain Ashburner was wounded in the head, and Captain Forster,
+in the trench to the right of him, had been shot through the right arm
+and stomach. The position on the Nimy bridge was growing very
+desperate, and it was equally bad further to the left, where Captain
+Byng's company on the Ghlin bridge was going through a very similar
+experience. Here again the pressure was tremendous and the Germans made
+considerable headway, but could not gain the bridges, Pte. Godley with
+his machine-gun sticking to his post to the very end, and doing
+tremendous execution. The defenders too had most effective support from
+the 107th Battery R.F.A. entrenched behind them, the Artillery Observer
+in the firing line communicating the enemy's range with great accuracy.
+
+To the right of the Nimy bridge the 4th Middlesex were in the meanwhile
+putting up a no less stubborn defence, and against equally desperate
+odds. Major Davey, whose company was on the left, in touch with the
+right of the R. Fusiliers, had fallen wounded early in the day, and the
+position at that point finally became so serious that Major Abell's
+company was rushed up from reserve to its support. During this advance
+Major Abell himself, Captain Knowles and 2nd Lieut. Henstock were
+killed, and a third of the rank and file fell, but the balance
+succeeded in reaching the firing line trenches and--with this
+stiffening added--the position was successfully held for the time
+being.
+
+Captain Oliver's company, in the centre of the Middlesex line, was also
+very hard pressed, and Col. Cox sent up two companies of the R. Irish
+Regiment (who were in reserve at Hyon) to its support, another half
+company of the same regiment being at the same time sent to strengthen
+the right of the Middlesex line at the Obourg bridge, where Captain Roy
+had already been killed and Captain Glass wounded. The Gordons, on the
+right of the Middlesex, also suffered severely, but the Royal Scots
+beyond them were just outside of the zone of pressure, and their
+casualties were few.
+
+The attack along the straight reach of the canal towards Condé was less
+violent, and was not pressed till much later in the day. Here, lining
+the canal towards the west, was the 5th Division (13th, 14th and 15th
+Brigades). On the right of this division and in touch with the
+Northumberland Fusiliers, who were the left-hand battalion of the 9th
+Brigade (in the 3rd Division) were the 1st R. West Kents. This
+battalion had on the previous day, in its capacity as advance guard to
+the brigade, been thrown forward as a screen some distance to the north
+of the canal, where it sustained some fifty casualties, Lieuts.
+Anderson and Lister being killed and 2nd Lieut. Chitty wounded.
+Eventually, as the enemy advanced, the battalion was withdrawn to the
+south side of the canal, and on the 23rd it occupied the reach from
+Mariette on the east to the Pommeroeul--St. Ghislain road on the west,
+where two companies held the bridge at the lock. This position,
+however, was not seriously pressed, and the battalion had few further
+casualties during the day, though Captain Buchanon-Dunlop had the
+misfortune to be wounded by a shell at the outset of the attack.
+
+Towards midday the attack against the straight reach of the canal
+became general. The whole line was shelled, and the German infantry,
+taking advantage of the cover afforded by the numerous fir
+plantations--which here, as at Nimy, dotted the north side of the
+canal--worked up to within a few hundred yards of the water, and from
+the cover of the trees maintained a constant rifle and machine-gun fire
+on the defenders.
+
+About 3 o'clock in the afternoon the 19th Brigade under General
+Drummond arrived from Valenciennes and took up a position on the
+extreme left of our front, extending the line of the 5th Division as
+far as Condé itself, on the outskirts of which town were the 1st
+Cameronians, with the 2nd Middlesex on their right, and the 2nd R.
+Welsh Fusiliers again beyond.
+
+They were hardly in position before the action became general all along
+the line of the canal.
+
+The most serious attack in this quarter was on the bridge at Les
+Herbières, held by the 2nd K.O.S.B. This regiment had thrown one
+company forward on the north side, along the Pommeroeul road, with the
+remaining companies lining the south bank of the canal, and the
+machine-guns dominating the situation on the north side of the canal
+from the top storey of the highest house on the south side. The
+dispositions for defence were good, but on the other hand the K.O.S.B.
+were throughout the action a good deal harassed by a thick wood running
+up close to the north bank, in which the Germans were able to
+concentrate without coming under observation. Several times their
+infantry were seen massing on the edge of this wood with a view to a
+charge, but on each occasion the attack died away under the rifle fire
+from the Pommeroeul road and canal bank, and the machine-gun fire from
+the tall house beyond.
+
+In the meanwhile, though undoubtedly inflicting very heavy losses on
+the enemy, the K.O.S.B. were losing men all the time, Captain Spencer,
+Captain Kennedy and Major Chandos-Leigh being early among the
+casualties. Curiously enough, the machine-gun position, though
+sufficiently conspicuous, was not located by the enemy for some
+considerable time, but eventually it became the object of much
+attention. In the end, however, it was luckily able to withdraw without
+loss, being more fortunate in this respect than the machine-gun section
+of the K.O.Y.L.I. on the right under Lieut. Pepys, that officer being
+the first man killed in action in the battalion, if not in the whole
+division.
+
+The Germans, in spite of all efforts, were able to make no material
+headway along the straight canal, nor was the advantage of the fighting
+in that quarter by any means on their side, but with the abandonment of
+the Nimy salient the withdrawal of the troops to the left of it became
+imperative, for reasons already explained, and in the evening the 5th
+Division received the order to retire. This was not till long after the
+3rd Division had abandoned the Nimy salient. The three brigades of this
+latter division, after putting up a heroic defence and suffering very
+severe casualties, got the order to retire at 3 p.m., whereupon the R.
+Fusiliers fell slowly back through Mons to Hyon, and the R. Scots
+Fusiliers, who had put up a great fight at Jemappes, through Flénu. The
+blowing up of the Jemappes bridge gave a lot of trouble. Corpl. Jarvis,
+R.E., worked at it for one and a half hours, continuously under fire,
+before he eventually managed to get it destroyed under the very noses
+of the Germans. He got a private of the R. Scots Fusiliers, named
+Heron, to help him, who got the D.C.M. Jarvis got the Victoria Cross.
+
+The retirement of the R. Fusiliers from their dangerous position along
+the western boundary of the salient was not an easy matter. Before
+cover could be got they had to cross 250 yards of flat open ground
+swept at very close range by shrapnel and machine-gun fire. Dease had
+now been hit five times and was quite unable to move. Lieut. Steele,
+who was the only man in the whole section who had not been killed or
+wounded, caught him up in his arms and carried him across the fire zone
+to a place of safety beyond, where however he later on succumbed to his
+wounds. Dease was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, as also was
+Pte. Godley for his machine-gun work on the Ghlin bridge.
+
+The 9th Brigade after abandoning the salient remained in the open
+fields near the Mons hospital till two o'clock in the morning, when it
+continued its retirement towards Frameries. The wounded were left in
+the Mons hospital. At Flénu the R. Scots Fusiliers lingered rather too
+long, and were caught near the railway junction by some very mobile
+machine-guns, which caused a number of casualties, Captain Rose being
+killed, and several other officers wounded.
+
+By dusk the new line running through Montreuil, Boussu, Wasmes,
+Paturages and Frameries had been taken up by the greater part of the
+2nd A.C., but the two extremities, _i.e._, the 14th, 15th and 19th
+Brigades on the left and the 8th Brigade on the right, remained in
+their original positions till the middle of the night. The latter
+brigade then retired through Nouvelles and Quévy to Amfroipret, just
+beyond Bavai, where it bivouacked. This brigade in common with the 9th
+Brigade had suffered very severely, the Middlesex alone having lost 15
+officers and 353 rank and file.
+
+By night the Germans had completed their pontoon bridges across the
+canal, and it became evident that they were advancing in great force in
+the direction of Frameries, Paturages and Wasmes. Sir Horace realized
+that the 3rd Division had been too severely knocked about during the
+day to hold the position unaided for long against the weight of troops
+known to be advancing. He accordingly motored over to the C. in C. to
+ask for the loan of the 5th Brigade which was at Bougnies, four miles
+off, and on the main road to Frameries. This was readily granted him,
+and without delay the 5th Brigade set out, half of it remaining in
+Frameries, and the other half passing on to Paturages.
+
+In the meanwhile, however, came a most unwelcome change of programme.
+The first line in the Mons salient had been obviously untenable for
+long, and had been recognized as such by our commanders, but the line
+now held was a different matter altogether, and there was every
+reasonable expectation that it could be successfully defended, at any
+rate for a very considerable time. At 2 a.m., however, Sir Horace
+received the order to abandon it and retire without delay to the
+Valenciennes to Maubeuge road, as the French on our right were
+retreating. Not only was this unexpected order highly distasteful to
+the soldier-spirit of the corps, but it involved difficulties of a
+grave nature with regard to the clearance of the transport and
+impedimenta generally, and severe and costly rear-guard actions seemed
+inevitable. At Paturages the Oxfordshire L.I. from the newly-arrived
+5th Brigade was detailed for this duty, and dug itself in in rear of
+the town, while the 3rd Division continued its retirement to Bermeries.
+The Germans, however, contented themselves with shelling and then
+occupying the town, and made no attempt to follow through on the far
+side--a matter for pronounced congratulation, the position of the 5th
+Brigade being very bad and its line of retreat worse. It is to be
+supposed that the attractions of the town were for the moment stronger
+than the lust of battle. There also can be no question but that the
+Germans lost very heavily in their advance on Frameries and Paturages,
+the British shrapnel being beautifully timed, and knocking the
+attacking columns to pieces.
+
+At noon the 5th Brigade returned to its own division at Bavai, the 23rd
+Brigade R.F.A. remaining behind at Paturages to give all the exits from
+the town an hour's bombardment, in case the German pursuit might become
+too pressing.
+
+In the cobbled streets of Bavai a fine confusion was found to
+reign--companies without regiments and officers without companies, and
+various units mixed up anyhow. The Staff officers had their hands very
+full.
+
+In the meantime, while Frameries and Paturages were being occupied by
+the enemy with little or no infantry opposition, and with little
+attempt on the part of the enemy at further pursuit, the market square
+at Wasmes presented a very different scene. This town had been shelled
+from daybreak, the enemy's fire being replied to with magnificent
+courage and with the most conspicuous success by a single howitzer
+battery standing out by itself half a mile from the town. An officer,
+perched on the top of one of the huge slag heaps with which the country
+is dotted, was able to direct operations with the highest degree of
+accuracy, and rendered services to the retreating force which are
+beyond estimation.
+
+At ten o'clock the German infantry attacked the town with the utmost
+confidence, advancing through the narrow streets in close column. A
+certain surprise, however, awaited them. In the town, lining the market
+square and the streets to either side, were the K.O.Y.L.I., the R. West
+Kents, the Bedfords and the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, these
+regiments having been detailed for rear-guard work and having
+successfully withstood the bombardment. The heads of the German
+columns, the moment they appeared in sight, were met by a concentrated
+rifle and machine-gun fire and were literally mown down like grass.
+Their losses were enormous. Time after time they were driven back, and
+time after time they advanced again with splendid but useless courage.
+After two hours' fighting in the streets, during which the enemy was
+able to make no headway, our troops, having fulfilled their duty as
+rear-guard, were able to withdraw in good order to St. Vaast, which was
+reached at dusk. The losses on our side were heavy. The R. West Kents
+alone had Major Pack-Beresford, Captain Philips, and Lieuts. Sewell and
+Broadwood killed, and several other officers wounded. The Duke of
+Wellington's also lost heavily. Sergt. Spence of that regiment
+distinguished himself very greatly. During one of the German advances
+he was badly wounded, but ignoring his wounds he charged with a platoon
+down one of the narrow streets to the right of the square, and drove
+the enemy clean out of the town with great loss. He was awarded the
+D.C.M. as was also Sergt. Hunt of the Bedfords.
+
+Further west, at the extreme left of our line, the retirement was
+effected with even greater difficulty than at Wasmes. The second line
+of defence through Montreuil, Boussu, Wasmes, Paturages and
+Frameries--which in effect merely constituted a change of front with
+the right thrown half back--of necessity left the western end of our
+line in close proximity to the enemy's advance. In other words, the
+further west the greater the difficulty of retiring on account of the
+closer presence of the enemy. The 14th, 15th and 19th Brigades, with a
+view to conforming to the general direction of the second line of
+defence, had remained north of the Valenciennes--Mons road and railway
+throughout the night of the 23rd. In the morning, when the order to
+retire to the Valenciennes road came, the 15th and 19th Brigades
+crossed the railway at Quiverain, and the 14th at Thulin, but by this
+time the enemy was close upon their heels. The 1st Cavalry Division was
+able to help their retirement to a certain extent by dismounting and
+lining the railway embankment, from which position they got the
+advancing Germans in half flank, and did considerable execution. By
+11.30, however, they too had been forced to retire to Andregnies. An
+urgent message now arrived from Sir Charles Fergusson, commanding the
+5th Division, saying that he could not possibly extricate his division
+unless prompt and effective help was given by the cavalry. On receiving
+this message, General de Lisle, who was at Andregnies, sent off the
+18th Hussars to the high ground along the Quiverain to Eloges road with
+orders to there dismount and make the most of the ground. The 119th
+Battery R.F.A. was at this time just south-west of Eloges, and L
+Battery R.H.A. just north-east of Andregnies, both being on the main
+road to Angre and about three miles apart. The 4th Dragoon Guards and
+9th Lancers were in Andregnies itself.
+
+No sooner were his dispositions made than the German columns were seen
+advancing from the direction of Quiverain towards Andregnies. De Lisle
+told the two regiments in the village that they had got to stop the
+advance at all costs, even if it entailed a charge. The very suggestion
+of a charge never fails to act as a tonic to any British cavalry
+regiment, and in great elation of spirits the two cavalry regiments
+debouched from the village, the 4th Dragoon Guards making their exit
+from the left, and the two squadrons of the 9th Lancers from the right.
+
+The enemy were now seen some 2,000 yards away, the intervening ground
+being mainly stubble fields in which the corn stooks were still
+standing. The Germans no sooner saw the cavalry advancing with the
+evident intention of charging than they scattered in every direction,
+taking shelter behind the corn stooks and any other cover that
+presented itself, and opening fire from these positions. The cavalry
+advanced in the most perfect order, and was on the point of making a
+final charge when it became evident that this was impossible owing to a
+wire fence which divided two of the stubble fields.
+
+With great coolness and presence of mind, the two C.O.'s, Col. Mullens
+of the 4th Dragoon Guards, and Col. Campbell of the 9th Lancers,
+without pausing, wheeled their troops to the right, and took cover
+behind some big slag heaps, where they dismounted under shelter. From
+this position the cavalry opened a galling fire on the advancing
+Germans, the two batteries on the Angre road joining in. The original
+scheme of charging the enemy having been frustrated, it now became
+necessary to get fresh orders from Head Quarters, and Col. Campbell
+accordingly galloped back across the open, in full view of the enemy
+and under a salute of bullets, to see the Brigadier, leaving Captain
+Lucas-Tooth in command of the two squadrons of the 9th Lancers.
+
+For four hours the fight was kept up, the led horses being gradually
+withdrawn into safety, while the dismounted cavalry with their two
+attendant batteries held the enemy in check. During the whole of this
+period the Germans were quite unable to advance beyond the wire fence
+which had so suddenly changed a proposed charge into a dismounted
+attack. Captain Lucas-Tooth was awarded the D.S.O. for the gallantry
+with which he conducted this defence, and for the great coolness and
+skill with which he withdrew his men and horses.
+
+General de Lisle's object having now been achieved, the dismounted men
+were gradually withdrawn. During the course of one of these
+withdrawals, Captain Francis Grenfell, 9th Lancers, noticed Major
+Alexander of the 119th Battery in difficulties with regard to the
+withdrawal of his guns. All his horses had been killed, and almost
+every man in the detachment was either killed or wounded. Captain
+Grenfell offered assistance which was gladly accepted, and presently he
+returned with eleven officers of his regiment and some forty men. The
+ground was very heavy and the guns had to be run back by hand under a
+ceaseless fire, but they were all saved, Major Alexander, Captain
+Grenfell and the rest of the officers working as hard as the men.
+Captain Grenfell was already wounded when he arrived, and was again hit
+while manhandling one of the guns, but he declined to retire till they
+were all saved. For this fine performance, Major Alexander and Captain
+Grenfell[1] were each awarded the Victoria Cross, Sergts. Turner and
+Davids getting the D.C.M. Others no doubt merited it too, but where so
+many were deserving it was hard to discriminate.
+
+        [1] Of this famous fighting family the twins Captain Rivy and
+        Captain Francis Grenfell have both been killed during the
+        present war. Their elder brother, R. S. Grenfell, was killed
+        at Omdurman during the Egyptian campaign, and their cousin
+        Claud Grenfell at Spion Kop, in the Boer war. Two other
+        cousins, the Honourable J. Grenfell and Honourable G.
+        Grenfell, have also fallen in the present war. Lieut.-Col.
+        Cecil Grenfell, a brother of the twins, is at the moment of
+        writing fighting in the Dardanelles.
+
+We may now consider the retirement of the 2nd A.C. to the Valenciennes
+to Maubeuge road to have been successfully effected; and the fall of
+night saw this corps dotted at intervals along this road between
+Jerlain and Bavai.
+
+While they are there, enjoying their few hours' respite from marching
+and fighting, it may be well to cast a retrospective glance at the
+doings of the 1st A.C. This corps had so far had little serious
+fighting, but it had been very far from inactive, and in point of fact,
+it had probably covered more ground in the way of marching and
+counter-marching than its partner, owing to repeated scares of enemy
+attacks which did not materialize. At daybreak on the 24th, the 2nd
+Division was ordered to make a demonstration in the direction of Binche
+with a view to diverting attention from the retirement of the 2nd A.C.
+The 2nd Division now consisted of the 4th and 6th Brigades only, the
+5th Brigade having, as we know, gone to Frameries and Paturages to help
+the 3rd Division. These two brigades, then, advanced at daybreak in the
+direction of Binche to the accompaniment of a tremendous cannonade, in
+which the artillery of the 1st Division joined from the neighbourhood
+of Pleissant. There was a great noise and a vigorous artillery response
+from the enemy, but not much else, and after an hour or so the 2nd
+Division returned to the Mons--Maubeuge road, where it entrenched. Here
+it remained for some four hours, when it retired to the Quévy road and
+again entrenched. Nothing, however, in the way of a serious attack
+occurred, and at five o'clock in the evening it fell back to its
+appointed place just east of Bavai. The 1st Division shortly afterwards
+arrived at Feignies and Longueville, and the whole British Army was
+once more in line between Jerlain and Maubeuge, with Bavai as the
+dividing point between the two A.C.'s.
+
+
+
+
+THE RETREAT FROM MONS
+
+
+In modern warfare the boundary line between the words "victory" and
+"defeat" is not easy to fix. It is perhaps particularly difficult to
+fix in relation to the part played by any arbitrarily selected group of
+regiments; the fact being that the value of results achieved can only
+be truly gauged from the standpoint of their conformity with the
+general scheme. So thoroughly is this now understood that the word
+"victory" or "defeat" is seldom used by either side in connection with
+individual actions, except in relation to the strategical bearing of
+such actions on the ultimate aims of the War Council.
+
+The name of Mons will always be associated in the public mind with the
+idea of retreat, and retreat is the traditional companion of defeat.
+Incidentally, too, retreat is bitterly distasteful both to the soldier
+and the onlooking public. It must be borne in mind, however, that
+retreat is a more difficult operation than advance, and that when a
+retreat is achieved with practically intact forces, capable of an
+immediate advance when called upon, and capable of making considerable
+captures of guns and prisoners in the process of advance, a great deal
+of hesitation is needed before the word "defeat" can be definitely
+associated with such results.
+
+During the first three months of the war the general idea on both sides
+was to stretch out seawards, and so overlap the western flank of the
+opposing army. At the moment of the arrival of the British Force on the
+Belgian frontier, Germany had outstripped France in this race to the
+west, and there was a very real danger of the French Army being
+outflanked; so much so, in fact, that in order to avoid any such
+calamity, a rearrangement of the French pieces seemed called for, to
+the necessary prejudice of the general scheme. However, at the
+psychological moment, the much-discussed British Force materialized and
+became a live obstacle in the path of the German outflanking movement.
+Its allotted task was to baulk this movement, while the French
+combination in rear was being smoothly unfolded.
+
+It is now a matter of history that this was done. The German outflanking
+movement failed; Von Kluck's right wing was held in check; and the
+British Force fell back unbroken and fighting all the way, while the
+French dispositions further south and west were systematically and
+securely shaping for success.
+
+Was Mons, then, a defeat? For forty-eight hours the British had held up
+the German forces north of the Maubeuge--Valenciennes road; the left of
+the French Army had been effectively protected, and--over and above
+all--the British Force had succeeded in retiring in perfect order and
+intact, except for the ordinary wear and tear of battle. It had "done
+its job;" it had accomplished the exact purpose for which it had been
+put in the field, and it had withdrawn thirty-five miles, or
+thereabouts, to face about and repeat the operation.
+
+In attaching the label to such a performance, neither "victory" nor
+"defeat" is a word that quite fits. Such crude classifications are
+relics of primordial standards when scalps and loot were the only
+recognized marks of victory. To-day, generals commanding armies rather
+search for honour in the field of duty--duty accomplished, orders
+obeyed. These simple formulæ have always been the watchwords of the
+soldier-unit, whether that unit be a man, a platoon, a company or a
+regiment. Now, with the limitless increase in the size of armaments, a
+unit may well be an Army Corps, or even a combination of Army Corps,
+and the highest aim of the general officer commanding such a unit must
+be--as of old--fulfilment of duty, obedience to orders.
+
+To the Briton, then, dwelling in mind on the battle of Mons, the
+reflection will always come with a certain pleasant flavour that the
+British Army was a unit which "did its job," and did it in a way worthy
+of the highest British traditions. More than this it is not open to
+man--whether military or civilian--to do.
+
+The British Army continued its retreat from the Maubeuge road in the
+early morning of the 25th. The original intention of the C. in C. had
+been to make a stand along this road. That, however, was when the
+numbers opposed to him were supposed to be very much less than they
+ultimately turned out to be. Now it was known that there were three
+Army Corps on his heels, to say nothing of an additional flanking corps
+that was said to be working up from the direction of Tournai. This last
+was quite an ugly factor in the case, as it opened the possibility of
+the little British Force being hemmed in against Maubeuge and
+surrounded. The road system to the rear, too, was sketchy, and by no
+means well adapted to a hurried retreat--especially east of Bavai; nor
+was the country itself suitable for defence, the standing crops greatly
+limiting the field of fire. All things considered, it was decided not
+to fight here, but to get back to the Cambrai to Le Cateau road, and
+make that the next line of resistance.
+
+Accordingly, about four o'clock on the morning of the 25th, the whole
+army turned its face southward once more. The 5th Division, which
+during the process of retirement had geographically changed places
+with the 3rd Division, travelled by the mathematically straight Roman
+road which runs to Le Cateau, along the western edge of the Forêt de
+Mormal, while the 3rd Division took the still more western route by Le
+Quesnoy and Solesme, their retreat being effectively covered by the
+1st and 3rd C.B. At Le Quesnoy the cavalry, thinking that the enemy's
+attentions were becoming too pressing, dismounted and lined the
+railway embankment, which offered fine cover for men and horses. From
+here the Germans could be plainly seen advancing diagonally across the
+fields in innumerable short lines, which the cavalry fire was able to
+enfilade and materially check.
+
+In the meanwhile the 1st A.C., which had throughout formed the eastern
+wing of the army, had perforce to put up with the eastern line of
+retreat on the far side of the Forêt de Mormal, a circumstance
+which--owing to the longer and more roundabout nature of the route
+followed--was not without its effect on the subsequent battle of Le
+Cateau. The six brigades belonging to the last named corps started at
+all hours of the morning between 4 and 8.30, at which latter hour the
+2nd Brigade--the last to leave--quitted its billets at Feignies and
+marched to Marbaix. The 1st Brigade went to Taisnières, the 4th to
+Landrecies, the 6th to Maroilles, while the 5th got no farther than
+Leval, having had a scare and a consequent set-back at Pont-sur-Sambre.
+
+Here then we may leave the 1st A.C. on the night of the 25th,
+considerably scattered, and separated by distances varying from ten to
+thirty miles from its partner, which was at the time making
+preparations to put up a fight along the Cambrai--Le Cateau road.
+
+The original scheme agreed between the C. in C. and his two Army Corps
+commanders, had been that the 2nd Division should pass on westward
+across the river at Landrecies and link up with the 5th Division at Le
+Cateau, blowing up behind it the bridges at Landrecies and Catillon.
+This scheme was upset by the activity of the enemy on the east side of
+the Forêt de Mormal, rear-guard actions being forced upon each of the
+three divisional brigades at Pont-sur-Sambre, Landrecies and Maroilles
+respectively. These rear-guard actions, coupled with the longer and
+worse roads they had to follow, in the end so seriously delayed the
+retirement of the 2nd Division as to entirely put out of court any
+question of their co-operation with the 2nd A.C. at Le Cateau on the
+26th.
+
+The 4th Brigade got the nearest at Landrecies, but it got there dead
+beat and then had to fight all night. The 1st Division was a good
+thirty miles off at Marbaix and Taisnières, where it had its hands
+sufficiently full with its own affairs. This division may, therefore,
+for the moment, be put aside as a negligible quantity in the very
+critical situation which was developing west of the Sambre. The
+movements of the 2nd Division were not only more eventful in
+themselves, but were of far greater practical interest to the commander
+of the 2nd A.C. in his endeavour to successfully withdraw his harassed
+Mons army. We may, therefore, follow this division in rather closer
+detail during the day and night of the 25th.
+
+In reckoning the miscarriage of the arrangements originally planned, it
+must not be lost sight of that the march from the Bavai road to the Le
+Cateau road was the longest to be accomplished during the retreat. From
+Bavai to Le Cateau is twenty-two miles as the crow flies. It is
+probable that the 5th Division, following the straight Roman road, did
+not greatly exceed this distance, but to the route of the 3rd Division
+it is certainly necessary to add another five miles, and to that of the
+2nd Division, ten. In reflecting that the pursuing Germans had to cover
+the same distance, the following facts must be borne in mind. The
+training of our military schools has always been based to a very great
+extent on the experience of the previous war. The equipment of our
+military ménage is also largely designed to meet the exigencies of a
+war on somewhat similar lines to that of the last. Our wars for sixty
+years past have been "little wars" fought in far-off countries more or
+less uncivilized; and the probability of our armies fighting on
+European soil has always been considered as remote. Germany, on the
+other hand, has had few "little wars," but has, on the other hand, for
+many years been preparing for the contingency of a war amidst European
+surroundings. As a consequence, her army equipment at the outbreak of
+war was constructed primarily with a view to rapid movements on paved
+and macadamized roads; certainly ours was not. The German advance was
+therefore assisted by every known device for facilitating the rapid
+movement of troops along the roads of modern civilization. Later on, by
+requisitioning the motor-lorries and vans of trading firms, we placed
+ourselves on more or less of an equal footing in this respect, but that
+was not when the necessity for rapid movement was most keenly felt. The
+Germans reaped a double advantage, for not only were they capable of
+quicker movement, but they were also able to overtake our rear-guards
+with troops that were not jaded with interminable marching.
+
+It must also be borne in mind that a pursuing force marches straight to
+its objective with a minimum of exhaustion in relation to the work
+accomplished, an advantage which certainly cannot be claimed for a
+retreating force which has to turn and fight.
+
+We may now return to the 2nd Division, setting out from La Longueville
+on its stupendous undertaking. At first the whole division followed the
+one road by the eastern edge of the Forêt de Mormal, the impedimenta in
+front, the troops plodding behind. This road was choked from end to end
+with refugees and their belongings, chiefly from Maubeuge and district,
+and the average pace of the procession was about two miles an hour. An
+order came to hurry up so that the bridges over the Sambre could be
+blown up before the Germans came; but it was waste of breath. The
+troops were dead beat. Though they had so far had no fighting, they had
+done a terrible amount of marching, counter-marching and digging during
+the past four days, and they were dead beat. The reservists' boots were
+all too small, and their feet swelled horribly. Hundreds fell out from
+absolute exhaustion. The worst cases were taken along in the transport
+wagons; the rest became stragglers, following along behind as best they
+were able. Some of the cavalry that saw them pass said that their eyes
+were fixed in a ghastly stare, and they stumbled along like blind men.
+At Leval the division split up, the 4th Brigade taking the road to
+Landrecies, and the 6th that to Maroilles. The 5th Brigade, which was
+doing rear-guard to the division, got no farther than Leval, where it
+prepared to put up a fight along the railway line; for there was a
+scare that the Germans were very close behind. The Oxfordshire Light
+Infantry were even sent back along the road they had already travelled
+to Pont-sur-Sambre, where they entrenched. The Germans, however, did
+not come.
+
+
+THE FIGHT AT LANDRECIES
+
+The 4th (Guards') Brigade reached Landrecies at 1 p.m. This brigade had
+made the furthest progress towards the contemplated junction with the
+2nd A.C., and they were very tired. They went into billets at once,
+some in the barracks, some in the town. They had about four hours'
+rest; then there came an alarm that the Germans were advancing on the
+town, and the brigade got to its feet. The four battalions were split
+up into companies--one to each of the exits from the town. The
+Grenadiers were on the western side; the 2nd Coldstream on the south
+and east; and the 3rd Coldstream to the north and north-west. The Irish
+Guards saw to the barricading of the streets with transport wagons and
+such-like obstacles. They also loop-holed the end houses of the streets
+facing the country.
+
+As a matter of fact the attack did not take place till 8.30 p.m., and
+then it was entirely borne by two companies of the 3rd Battalion
+Coldstream Guards. At the north-west angle of the town there is a
+narrow street, known as the Faubourg Soyère. Two hundred yards from the
+town this branches out into two roads, each leading into the Forêt de
+Mormal. Here, at the junction of the roads, the Hon. A. Monck's company
+had been stationed. The sky was very overcast, and the darkness fell
+early. Shortly after 8.30 p.m. infantry was heard advancing from the
+direction of the forest; they were singing French songs, and a
+flashlight turned upon the head of the column showed up French
+uniforms. It was not till they were practically at arms' length that a
+second flashlight detected the German uniforms in rear of the leading
+sections. The machine-gun had no time to speak before the man in charge
+was bayoneted and the gun itself captured. A hand-to-hand fight in the
+dark followed, in which revolvers and bayonets played the principal
+part, the Coldstream being gradually forced back by weight of numbers
+towards the entrance to the town. Here Captain Longueville's company
+was in reserve in the Faubourg Soyère itself, and through a heavy fire
+he rushed up his men to the support of Captain Monck.
+
+The arrival of the reserve company made things rather more level as
+regards numbers, though--as it afterwards transpired--the Germans were
+throughout in a majority of at least two to one. Col. Feilding and
+Major Matheson now arrived on the spot, and took over control. Inspired
+by their presence and example, the two Coldstream companies now
+attacked their assailants with great vigour and drove them back with
+considerable loss into the shadows of the forest. From here the Germans
+trained a light field-gun on to the mouth of the Faubourg Soyère, and,
+firing shrapnel and star-shell at point-blank range, made things very
+unpleasant for the defenders. Flames began to shoot up from a wooden
+barn at the end of the street, but were quickly got under, with much
+promptitude and courage, by a private of the name of Wyatt, who twice
+extinguished them under a heavy fire. A blaze of light at this point
+would have been fatal to the safety of the defenders, and Wyatt, whose
+act was one involving great personal danger, was subsequently awarded
+the Victoria Cross for this act, and for the conspicuous bravery which
+he displayed a week later when wounded at Villers-Cotteret.
+
+In the meanwhile Col. Feilding had sent off for a howitzer, which duly
+arrived and was aimed at the flash of the German gun. By an
+extraordinary piece of marksmanship, or of luck, as the case may be,
+the third shot got it full and the field-gun ceased from troubling. The
+German infantry thereupon renewed their attack, but failed to make any
+further headway during the night, and in the end went off in their
+motor-lorries, taking their wounded with them.
+
+It turned out that the attacking force, consisting of a battalion of
+1,200 men, with one light field-piece, had been sent on in these
+lorries in advance of the general pursuit, with the idea of seizing
+Landrecies and its important bridge before the British could arrive
+and link up with the 2nd A.C. The attack _quâ_ attack failed
+conspicuously, inasmuch as the enemy was driven back with very heavy
+loss; but it is possible that it accomplished its purpose in helping
+to prevent the junction of the two A.C.'s. This, however, is in a
+region of speculation, which it is profitless to pursue further.
+
+The Landrecies fight lasted six hours and was a very brilliant little
+victory for the 3rd Coldstream; but it was expensive. Lord Hawarden
+and the Hon. A. Windsor-Clive were killed, and Captain Whitehead,
+Lieut. Keppel and Lieut. Rowley were wounded. The casualties among the
+rank and file amounted to 170, of whom 153 were left in the hospital
+at Landrecies. The two companies engaged fought under particularly
+trying conditions, and many of the rank and file showed great
+gallantry. Conspicuous amongst these were Sergt. Fox and Pte. Thomas,
+each of whom was awarded the D.C.M. The German losses were, of course,
+unascertainable, but they were undoubtedly very much higher than ours.
+
+At 3.30 a.m. on the 26th, just as the 2nd A.C. in their trenches ten
+miles away to the west were beginning to look northward for the enemy,
+the 4th Brigade left Landrecies and continued its retirement down the
+beautiful valley of the Sambre.
+
+
+MAROILLES
+
+On the same night the town of Maroilles further east was the scene of
+another little fight. About 10 p.m. a report arrived that the main
+German column was advancing on the bridge over the Petit Helpe and that
+the squadron of the 15th Hussars which had been left to guard the
+bridge was insufficient for the purpose. The obstruction of this bridge
+was a matter of the very first importance, as its passage would have
+opened up a short cut for the Germans, by which they might easily have
+cut off the 4th Brigade south of Landrecies. Accordingly the 1st Berks
+were ordered off back along the road they had already travelled to hold
+the position at all costs. The ground near the bridge here is very
+swampy, and the only two approaches are by means of raised causeways,
+one of which faces the bridge, while the other lies at right angles.
+Along this latter the Berks crept up, led by Col. Graham.
+
+The night was intensely dark, and the causeway very narrow, and bounded
+on each side by a deep fosse, into which many of the men slipped. The
+Germans, as it turned out, had already forced the bridge, and were in
+the act of advancing along the causeway; and in the pitch blackness of
+the night the two forces suddenly bumped one into the other. Neither
+side had fixed bayonets, for fear of accidents in the dark, and in the
+scrimmage which followed it was chiefly a case of rifle-butts and
+fists. At this game the Germans proved no match for our men, and were
+gradually forced back to the bridge-head, where they were held for the
+remainder of the night.
+
+In the small hours of the morning the Germans, who turned out not to be
+the main column, but only a strong detachment, threw up the sponge and
+withdrew westward towards the Sambre, following the right bank of the
+Petit Helpe. Whereupon the 1st Berks--having achieved their
+purpose--followed the rest of the 2nd Division along the road to
+Etreux.
+
+
+
+
+THE LE CATEAU PROBLEM
+
+
+It is necessary now to cast a momentary eye upon the general situation
+of the British forces on the night of August 25th. The 3rd and 5th
+Divisions, in spite of the severe fighting of the 23rd and 24th, and in
+spite of great exhaustion, had successfully accomplished the arduous
+march to the Le Cateau position. The 19th Brigade and the 4th Division,
+the latter fresh from England, were already there, extending the
+selected line towards the west. So far, so good. The 1st and 2nd
+Divisions, however, owing to causes which have already been explained,
+were not in a position to co-operate; and it was clear that, if battle
+was to be offered at Le Cateau, the already battered 2nd A.C.
+(supplemented by the newly-arrived troops) would have to stand the
+shock single-handed.
+
+A consideration of these facts induced the C. in C. to change his
+original intention of making a stand behind the Le Cateau road, and he
+decided to continue his retirement to the single line of rail which
+runs from St. Quentin to Roisel, where his force would be once more in
+line. This change of plan he communicated to his two Army Corps
+commanders, Sir Douglas Haig and Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. The former
+fell in with it gladly; the latter, however, was not to the same extent
+a free agent, and he returned word that, in view of the immense
+superiority in numbers of the German forces, which were practically
+treading on his heels, and of the necessarily slow progress made by his
+tired troops, it was impossible to continue his retirement, and that he
+had no alternative but to turn and fight. To which the C. in C. replied
+that he must do the best he could, but that he could give him no
+support from the 1st A.C., that corps being effectively cut off by
+natural obstacles from the scene of action. As a matter of fact the 1st
+Division was a good thirty miles away to the east at Marbaix and
+Taisnières. The 2nd Division was nearer, but very much scattered, the
+5th Brigade--owing to rear-guard scares--being still twenty miles behind
+at Leval, and quite out of the reckoning, as far as the impending
+battle was concerned. The 4th Brigade, on the other hand, in spite of
+its all-night fight at Landrecies, might, by super-human efforts, have
+crossed the Sambre during the night at the little village of Ors, and
+reached the flank of the Le Cateau battlefield towards eight on the
+following morning; but the wisdom of such a move would have been more
+than questionable in view of the complete exhaustion of the troops,
+and, in point of fact, no such order reached the brigade. The orders
+were to fall back on St. Quentin, and by the time the first shot was
+fired at Le Cateau, the brigade was well on its way to Etreux.
+
+Four miles further east, at Maroilles, the order to retire raised some
+doubts and a certain difference of opinion among the various commanders
+of the 6th Brigade as to the best route to be followed in order to
+arrive at the St. Quentin position. Local opinion was divided, and, in
+the end, the commanders assembled at midnight in the cemetery to decide
+the point, with the result that it was arranged that each C.O. should
+follow the road that seemed best to him.
+
+It will be seen then that the disposition of the 1st A.C. was such that
+the C. in C. by no means overstated the case when he told Sir Horace
+that he could give him no help from that quarter. The position of the
+2nd A.C. was now very nearly desperate, and it is to be doubted whether
+Sir Horace or the C. in C. himself saw the dawn break on August 26th
+with any real hope at heart that the three divisions west of the Sambre
+could be saved from capture or annihilation.
+
+On paper the extrication of Sir Horace's force seemed in truth an
+impossibility. Three British divisions, very imperfectly entrenched,
+were awaiting the onset of seven German divisions, flushed with
+uninterrupted victory, and backed up by an overwhelming preponderance
+in artillery. Both flanks of the British force were practically in the
+air, the only protection on the right being the 1st and 3rd C.B. at Le
+Souplet, and on the left Allenby with another two Cavalry Brigades at
+Seranvillers. As a buffer against the German army corps which was
+threatening the British flank from Tournai, two Cavalry Brigades were
+clearly a negligible quantity. Desperate diseases call for desperate
+remedies, and the C. in C. had recourse to the only expedient in which
+lay a hope of salvation from the threatened flank attack, should it
+come.
+
+General Sordet was at Avesnes with three divisions of French cavalry,
+and the C. in C.--with all the persuasion possible--put the urgency of
+the situation before him. The railways were no help; they ran all
+wrong; cavalry alone could save the situation; would he go? General
+Sordet--with the permission of his chief--went. It was a forty mile
+march, and cavalry horses were none too fresh in those days. Still he
+went, and in the end did great and gallant work; but not on the morning
+of the 26th. On that fateful day--or at least on the morning of that
+fateful day--his horses were ridden to a standstill, and he could do
+nothing.
+
+
+
+
+LE CATEAU
+
+
+The battle of August 26th is loosely spoken of as the Cambrai--Le
+Cateau battle, but, as a matter of fact, the British troops were never
+within half a dozen miles of Cambrai, nor, for that matter, were they
+actually at Le Cateau itself. The 5th Division on the right reached
+from a point halfway between Le Cateau and Reumont to Troisvilles, the
+15th Brigade, which was its left-hand brigade, being just east of that
+place. Then came the three brigades of the 3rd Division, the 9th
+Brigade being north of Troisvilles, the 8th Brigade on the left of it
+north of Audencourt, with the 7th Brigade curled round the northern
+side of Caudry in the form of a horseshoe. Beyond was the 4th Division
+at Hautcourt. The whole frontage covered about eight miles, and for
+half that distance ran along north of the Cambrai to St. Quentin
+railway.
+
+The 4th Division, under Gen. Snow, had just arrived from England; and
+these fresh troops were already in position when the Mons army
+straggled in on the night of the 25th and was told off to its various
+allotted posts by busy staff officers. The allotted posts did not turn
+out to be all that had been hoped for. Trenches, it is true, had been
+prepared (dug by French woman labour!), but many faced the wrong way,
+and all were too short. The short ones could be lengthened, but the
+others had to be redug. The men were dead beat: the ground baked hard,
+and there were no entrenching tools--these having long ago been thrown
+away. Picks were got from the farms and the men set to work as best
+they could, but of shovels there were practically none, and in the
+majority of cases the men scooped up the loosened earth with mess-tins
+and with their hands. The result was, trenches by courtesy, but poor
+things to stand between tired troops and the terrific artillery fire to
+which they were presently to be subjected.
+
+The battle of Le Cateau was in the main an artillery duel, and a very
+unequal one at that. The afternoon infantry attack was only sustained
+by certain devoted regiments who failed to interpret with sufficient
+readiness the order to retire. Some of these regiments--as the price of
+their ignorance of how to turn their backs to the foe--were all but
+annihilated. But this is a later story. Up to midday the battle was a
+mere artillery duel. Our infantry lined their inadequate trenches and
+were bombarded for some half a dozen hours on end. Our artillery
+replied with inconceivable heroism, but they were outnumbered by at
+least five to one. They also--perhaps with wisdom--directed their fire
+more at the infantry than at the opposing batteries. The former could
+be plainly seen massing in great numbers on the crest of the ridge some
+two thousand yards away, and advancing in a succession of lines down
+the slope to the hidden ground below. They presented a tempting target,
+and their losses from our shrapnel must have been enormous. By the
+afternoon, however, many of our batteries had been silenced, and the
+German gunners had it more or less their own way. The sides were too
+unequal. Our infantry then became mere targets--_Kanonen Futter_.
+It was an ordeal of the most trying description conceivable, and one
+which can only arise where the artillery of one side is hopelessly
+outnumbered by that of the other; and it is to be doubted whether any
+other troops in the world would have stood it as long as did the 2nd
+A.C. at Le Cateau. The enemy's bombardment was kept up till midday.
+Then it slackened off so as to allow of the further advance of their
+infantry, who by this time had pushed forward into the concealment of
+the low ground, just north of the main road. By this time some of the
+5th Division had begun to dribble away. That awful gun fire, to which
+our batteries were no longer able to reply, coupled with the
+insufficient trenches, was too much for human endurance. Sir Charles
+Fergusson, the Divisional General, with an absolute disregard of
+personal danger, galloped about among the bursting shells exhorting the
+division to stand fast. An eye-witness said that his survival through
+the day was nothing short of a miracle. It was a day indeed when the
+entire Staff from end to end of the line worked with an indefatigable
+heroism which could not be surpassed. In the 19th Brigade, for
+instance, Captain Jack, 1st Cameronians, was the sole survivor of the
+Brigade Staff at the end of the day, and this was through no fault of
+his. While supervising the retirement of the Argyll and Sutherlands, he
+coolly walked up and down the firing line without a vestige of
+protection, but by some curious law of chances was not hit. He was
+awarded a French decoration.
+
+In spite of all, however, by 2.30 p.m., the right flank of the 5th
+Division had been turned, the enemy pressing forward into the gap
+between the two Army Corps, and Sir Charles sent word that the Division
+could hold its ground no longer. Sir Horace sent up all the available
+reserves he had, viz., the 1st Cameronians and 2nd R. Welsh Fusiliers
+from the 19th Brigade, together with a battery, and these helped
+matters to some extent, but the immense numerical superiority of the
+enemy made anything in the nature of a prolonged stand impossible, and
+at 3 p.m. he ordered a general retirement. This was carried out in
+fairly good order by the 3rd and 4th Divisions, which had been less
+heavily attacked. The withdrawal of the 5th Division was more
+irregular, and the regiments which stuck it to the end--becoming
+practically isolated by the withdrawal of other units to right and
+left--suffered very severely.
+
+This irregularity in retirement was noticeable all along the
+battle-front, some battalions grasping the meaning of the general order
+to retire with more readiness than others. Among those in the 5th
+Division who were slow to interpret the signal were the K.O.S.B. and
+the K.O.Y.L.I.
+
+These two 13th Brigade battalions were next one another just north of
+Reumont, with the Manchester Regiment on the right of the K.O.Y.L.I. It
+was common talk among the men of the 5th Division that the French were
+coming up in support, and that, therefore, there must be no giving way.
+The French in question were--and only could be--Gen. Sordet's cavalry,
+who, at the time, were plodding away in rear on their forty mile trek
+to the left flank of our army, and who could never under any
+circumstances have been of help to the 5th Division on the right of the
+Le Cateau battle-front. However, that was the rumour and they held on.
+Some of the K.O.S.B. in the first line trenches saw some men on their
+flank retiring, and, thinking it was a general order, followed suit.
+Col. Stephenson personally re-conducted them back to their trenches. He
+was himself almost immediately afterwards knocked out by a shell; but
+the force of example had its effect, and there was no more retiring
+till the general order to that effect was unmistakable. This was about
+three o'clock. The final retirement of those battalions which had held
+on till the enemy was on the top of them was very difficult, and very
+costly in casualties, as they were mowed down by shrapnel and
+machine-gun fire the moment they left their trenches. It was during
+this retirement that Corpl. Holmes, of the K.O.Y.L.I, won his Victoria
+Cross by picking up a wounded comrade and carrying him over a mile
+under heavy fire. Another Victoria Cross in the same battalion was won
+that day by Major Yate under very dramatic circumstances. His company
+had been in the second line of trenches during the bombardment, and had
+suffered terribly from the enemy's shell-fire directed at one of our
+batteries just behind. When the German infantry came swarming up in the
+afternoon, there were only nineteen sound men left in the company.
+These nineteen kept up their fire to the last moment and then left the
+trench and charged, headed by Major Yate. There could be but one
+result. Major Yate fell mortally wounded, and his gallant band of
+Yorkshiremen ceased to exist. It was the Thermopylae of B Company, 2nd
+K.O.Y.L.I. This battalion lost twenty officers and six hundred men
+during the battle, and was probably the heaviest sufferer in the 5th
+Division. It stuck it till the last moment and the enemy got round its
+right flank.
+
+The 3rd Division line, further west, was also forced about three
+o'clock in the afternoon, when the enemy in great numbers broke through
+towards Troisvilles, to the right of the 9th Brigade, causing the whole
+division to retire. The actual order to retire in this case was passed
+down by word of mouth from right to left by galloping Staff officers,
+who--in the pandemonium that was reigning--were unable to get in touch
+with all the units of each battalion. As a result the retirement was
+necessarily irregular, and--as in the case of the 5th Division--the
+battalions that "stuck it" longest found themselves isolated and in
+time surrounded. This was the case with the 1st Gordon Highlanders, in
+the 8th Brigade, to whom the order to retire either never penetrated,
+or to whom it was too distasteful to be acted upon with promptitude.
+The exact circumstances of the annihilation of this historic battalion
+will never be known till the war is over, but the nett result was that
+it lost 80 per cent. of its strength in killed, wounded and missing.
+The same fate overtook one company of the 2nd R. Scots in the same
+brigade. This company was practically wiped out and the battalion as a
+whole had some 400 casualties in killed and wounded. The whole
+division, in fact, suffered very severely in carrying out the
+retirement, the ground to the rear being very open and exposed, and the
+enemy's rifle and machine-gun fire incessant. The village of Audencourt
+had been heavily shelled all day and was a mass of blazing ruins,
+effectually barring any retirement by the high road, and forcing the
+retreating troops to take to the open country. Once, however, behind
+the railway, the retreat became more organized, and a series of small
+rear-guard fights were put up from behind the shelter of the
+embankment.
+
+The 23rd Brigade R.F.A., under Col. Butler, put in some most efficient
+work at this period, and materially assisted the retirement of the 8th
+Brigade. With remarkable coolness the gunners, entirely undisturbed by
+the general confusion reigning, continued to drop beautifully-timed
+shells among the advancing German infantry. The work of the artillery,
+in fact, all along the line was magnificent, and deeds of individual
+heroism were innumerable. The 37th Battery, for instance, kept up its
+shrapnel-fire on the advancing lines of Germans till these were within
+300 yards of its position. Then Captain Reynolds, with some volunteer
+drivers, galloped up with two teams, and hitched them on to the two
+guns which had not been knocked out. Incredible as it may appear, in
+view of the hail of bullets directed at them, one of these guns was got
+safely away. The other was not. Captain Reynolds and Drivers Luke and
+Brain were given the Victoria Cross for this exploit. Sergt. Browne, of
+the same battery, got the D.C.M. The 80th Battery was another that
+distinguished itself by exceptional gallantry at Ligny during the
+retreat, and three of its N.C.O.'s won the D.C.M. Near the same place
+the 135th Battery also covered itself with glory. In fact, it is not
+too much to say that the situation on the afternoon of August 26th was
+very largely saved by the splendid heroism of our Field Artillery; and
+for the exploits of this branch of the service alone the battle of Le
+Cateau must always stand out as a bright spot in the annals of British
+arms.
+
+The Germans did not pursue the 3rd Division beyond the line of the
+villages above named. In the case of the 5th Division there was no
+pursuit at all, in the strict sense of the term. That is to say, there
+were no rear-guard actions. The division made its way through Reumont,
+to the continuation of the straight Roman road by which it had reached
+Le Cateau, and down this road it continued its retreat unmolested. Rain
+began to fall heavily and numbers of the men, heedless alike of rain or
+of pursuing Germans, dropped like logs by the roadside and slept.
+
+The extrication of the Le Cateau army from a position which, on paper,
+was all but hopeless, was undoubtedly a very fine piece of generalship
+on the part of Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. The C. in C. in his despatch
+wrote: "I say without hesitation that the saving of the left wing of
+the army under my command, on the morning of August 26th, could never
+have been accomplished unless a commander of rare and unusual coolness,
+intrepidity and determination had been present to personally conduct
+the operation."
+
+
+
+
+THE RETREAT FROM LE CATEAU
+
+
+Le Cateau may without shame be accepted as a defeat. There was at no
+time, even in anticipation, the possibility of victory. It was an
+affair on altogether different lines to that of Mons. At Mons the
+British Army had been set a definite task, which it had cheerfully
+faced, and which it had carried through with credit to itself and with
+much advantage to its ally. Its ultimate retirement had only been in
+conformity with the movements of that ally. Everything worked according
+to book.
+
+But Le Cateau was quite another affair. Here we find half the British
+force temporarily cut off from the other half by _force majeure_,
+and turning at bay on a pursuer whom it could no longer escape. There
+was never any question of victory. The disparity in numbers and in
+armament left no room for illusions on that score. Searching deep below
+the surface, we might perhaps find that the main factor in deciding
+that Briton and German should cross swords at Le Cateau was the
+primitive impulse--always strong in the Anglo-Saxon breed--to face an
+ugly crisis and die fighting. In the event the British force faced the
+foe, and fought, but it did not die--as an army; a result due to
+consummate generalship on the part of the Army Corps Commander, aided
+by a strange laxity, or over-caution, as the case may be, on the part
+of the enemy.
+
+Why the Germans did not pursue with more vigour will never be known
+till the history of this period comes to be written from the German
+side. The failure to pursue after Mons is intelligible. While the 2nd
+A.C. was defending the group of manufacturing towns north of the
+Valenciennes road, the 1st A.C. on the right was thrown forward in
+échelon, and formed a standing menace to the left flank of the
+advancing enemy. A too eager pursuit, in advance of the general line,
+might well have resulted in the isolation and capture of the German
+right.
+
+At Le Cateau, however, there was no such risk. Here the German attack
+had been mainly concentrated against the 5th Division, evidently with
+the idea of turning the British right flank, and forcing in a wedge
+between the 1st and 2nd Army Corps. This was in effect done, and all
+that remained was for the Germans to push their advantage home in order
+to separate, at any rate, a large percentage of the 2nd A.C. from the
+main body on its left. This could have been effected without any fear
+of a flank attack from the 1st A.C, that corps being at the time far
+too scattered and distant to make any concerted move; and in any case
+being hopelessly cut off by the Sambre.
+
+Why this programme was not carried through to its consummation can only
+be guessed at. It may be that the enemy had only imperfect information
+as to the movements of the 1st A.C.; or it may be that they were
+deterred by the knowledge that General d'Amade was hurrying up on their
+right flank from the direction of Arras with the 61st and 62nd Reserve
+Divisions; or it may be again that the advancing troops had been too
+roughly handled by the British at bay to allow of pursuit. This last
+hypothesis is not only the most flattering to British self-esteem, but
+it is also eminently possible. In any case the fact remains that they
+did not pursue. Sir Horace, on the other hand, had no idea of letting
+this supineness on the part of the enemy influence his own policy.
+
+The troops were kept moving. On the afternoon of the 26th, the 5th
+Division managed to get back as far as Estrées, and the 3rd Division to
+Vermand and Hargicourt, each arriving at its destination about dark.
+The weather was very bad, and the majority of the men were crowded into
+farm-barns, but many dropped by the roadside where they were and slept,
+heedless of the pouring rain.
+
+On the far side of the river the 4th and 6th Brigades, whom we last saw
+at Landrecies and Maroilles, got to Etreux and Hannappes respectively
+about 2 p.m., and bivouacked by the roadside; but the 5th Brigade,
+moving by way of Taisnières and Prisclies, could get no further than
+Barzy, and was therefore still far behind the line of the 2nd A.C.
+retreat, and, in fact, of its own division. The 2nd Brigade got to Oisy
+without mishap. The 1st Brigade was not so fortunate, the Munster
+Fusiliers being overtaken at Bergues and captured _en masse_ with
+the exception of some 150 who escaped with the aid of the 15th Hussars.
+Two guns of the 118th Battery, which were with them were captured at
+the same time. A mile or two further south, on the high ground just
+beyond Etreux, the brigade was again attacked, the Black Watch, who
+were then doing rear-guard, coming under a severe artillery fire. This
+was most effectively replied to by the 117th Battery under Major
+Packard and the pursuit was checked. The battery in withdrawing was
+charged by a squadron of German cavalry, but the charge died away under
+the fire of the Black Watch.
+
+The story of the rescue of the Munsters by the 15th Hussars is one of
+which the latter regiment may well be proud. Two troops only of the
+15th Hussars were engaged, and yet the number of honours that fell to
+them is remarkable. Mr. Nicholson got the Cross of the Legion of
+Honour, Sergt. Papworth got the Victoria Cross, and Sergt. Blishen,
+Corpl. Shepherd and Corpl. Aspinall the D.C.M.
+
+The story of this affair is as follows: It was reported to the General
+commanding that the Munster Fusiliers were in trouble, and the 15th
+Hussars, who were acting as divisional cavalry, were sent back to help.
+The country in the neighbourhood of Bergues is a difficult one, being
+traversed by numerous narrow byways cutting in all directions, and the
+15th Hussars, not knowing just where the Munster Fusiliers were,
+separated into troops and beat the country northwards. Just south of
+Bergues, where the road from that place meets the main road to La
+Capelle, Mr. Nicholson's troop found 150 of the Munster Fusiliers in
+great difficulties, with some Germans in pursuit not 200 yards distant.
+He at once dismounted the troop and, sending the horses off for shelter
+to a farmyard behind, lined the hedges on the side of the main road and
+opened fire on the Germans. These retired to a farm some 200 yards up
+the road, from which they presently brought a machine-gun to bear on
+the hedges, and under cover of this they shortly afterwards emerged,
+driving a herd of cattle before them down the road. The Hussars,
+however, shot down both cattle and Germans and sent the survivors
+scuttling back once more into the farm.
+
+In the meanwhile the Hon. E. Hardinge's troop, having heard the
+firing, arrived on the scene from another direction and--also
+dismounting--crept up to a position from which they could command
+the farmyard, and opened fire on the Germans massed inside, doing
+tremendous execution at first, as it was a complete surprise. The
+Germans, however, quickly recovered themselves and returned the fire
+with machine-guns. Almost at the first discharge Mr. Hardinge fell
+mortally wounded, and Sergt. Papworth took over command of the troop.
+
+Bodies of the enemy were now seen advancing on all sides, and it was
+obvious that, if the little British force was to escape being
+surrounded, it was time to move. There is always a disposition on such
+occasions for very tired men to throw up the sponge and surrender. In
+the present instance, however, any such inclination was summarily
+checked by the energy and determination of Mr. Nicholson and Sergt.
+Papworth, who, taking prompt charge of the situation, brought the whole
+party--Munsters and all--safely out of the difficulty. They had to put
+in twenty-eight miles of steady marching before they finally caught up
+with their division.
+
+On the 27th the retreat was resumed, the troops starting as usual in
+the small hours of the morning. The 1st Division, in place of following
+the route taken by the 2nd Division, crossed the Sambre and went
+through Wassigny to Hauteville; the 2nd Division went to Mont d'Origny,
+and the 3rd and 5th Divisions joined up at Ham, the former, which had
+been greatly harassed and delayed throughout by hostile cavalry and
+horse artillery, arriving some hours after the other. On arrival at its
+destination the whole division dropped by the side of the road and
+slept.
+
+Next morning the whole 2nd A.C. followed the one road from Ham to
+Noyon, the 5th Division, which was still some hours ahead of the 3rd,
+passing on through Noyon to Pommeraye, where it billeted.
+
+On the other side of the river the two divisions of the 1st A.C. also
+joined up and went through La Fère to the group of villages to the
+south of that place, where they billeted, the 1st Brigade at St.
+Gobain, the 2nd at Frésancourt, the 4th at Berlancourt, the 5th at
+Servais and the 6th at Deuillet and Amigny.
+
+The monotony of retreat was in some part relieved by several rear-guard
+brushes during the day between the 3rd and 5th C.B. on the one hand and
+some Prussian Uhlans of the Guard on the other, in one and all of which
+the honours rested very emphatically with the British cavalry.
+
+The 29th August, 1914, will probably be imprinted for ever in the minds
+of those who took part in the famous Mons retreat, for on this day the
+troops rested. For eight days they had now been marching practically
+without ceasing and the feet of many were literally stripped of skin;
+they had dug trenches innumerable and had fought various engagements,
+great and small, for the most part in the blazing heat of an
+exceptionally hot August, and with a minimum of sleep and food. But on
+the 29th they rested.
+
+The whole Expeditionary Force was now once more in touch, and, with its
+arrival at the La Fère line, the acute pressure of the retreat may be
+said to have been at an end. The various divisions were re-organized;
+mixed up brigades were once more sorted out; stragglers and
+"temporarily attached" restored to their lost battalions, and the whole
+force put into ship-shape working order. Gen. Sordet, who had rendered
+incalculable service with his cavalry on our left flank, was now
+relieved by the 6th French Army, which came into position on our left
+in the neighbourhood of Roye, while the 5th French Army continued our
+line towards the east. The British Army, in fact, refreshed by its rest
+on the 29th, was now in perfect trim to turn and fight at any moment.
+But this was not to be for awhile yet. Gen. Joffre's scheme called for
+a still further retirement.
+
+At 1 p.m. on the 29th the French Generalissimo visited the C. in C. at
+his Head Quarters at Compiègne and explained to him the outline of his
+plan. Sir Douglas Haig, Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien and Gen. Allenby were
+also present. As a result of this conference, the bridges over the Oise
+were blown up (an operation which again cost us some good lives from
+among the R.E.), and the British force retired another twenty miles to
+a line north of the Aisne, between Soissons and Compiègne.
+
+The 2nd A.C. set out on this march about 3 p.m.; the 1st A.C. followed
+some twelve hours later, marching in one column through the Forêt de
+St. Gobain, after which it divided up, the 1st Division going to
+L'Allemande and the 2nd Division to Passy.
+
+On the morning of the 31st the march was once more resumed, the 2nd
+Division leaving at 6.30 a.m. and marching via Pernaut and Cutry to
+Soucy, which was reached at 4.30 p.m., while the 1st Division retired
+to Missy-à-Bois.
+
+The 3rd A.C. took a wrong turn near Vellerie this day and for a time
+lost themselves, but in the end joined up with the new line, which
+reached--broadly speaking--from Crépy to Villers-Cotterêts.
+
+
+VILLERS-COTTERÊTS
+
+At the latter place we were again forced into a rear-guard action. At
+nine o'clock the 4th (Guards') Brigade, which was acting rear-guard,
+was overtaken at Soucy, where--in accordance with orders--it had faced
+about while the 2nd Division was having a two hours' halt for rest and
+dinner. It was no case of surprise, the brigade being thoroughly
+prepared and, indeed, expecting to have to hold the enemy in check.
+
+Dispositions were therefore made accordingly. The 2nd Grenadiers and
+3rd Coldstream held the ground from Montgobert to Soucy, with the
+Coldstream lining the long grass ride that runs through the woods at
+Haramont. They were supported by two batteries of the 41st Brigade
+R.F.A. The 2nd Coldstream and Irish Guards were posted in rear of the
+first line along the northern edge of the Forêt de Villers-Cotterêts,
+at the base of the ridge known as the Rond de la Reine.
+
+The enemy commenced by shelling the front line, and shelling it with
+such accuracy that Gen. Scott-Ker ordered the Grenadiers and 3rd
+Coldstream to fall back through the 2nd line and take up a position in
+rear. This was done, but subsequently these two battalions were
+brought up into line with the Irish Guards along the northern edge of
+the wood, whilst the 2nd Coldstream were sent back to take up a
+covering position in rear of the wood, along the railway east and west
+of Villers-Cotterêts Halte. Such was the position without much change
+up to midday, when the enemy's attack began to slacken and shortly
+afterwards they appeared to have had enough of it and drew off. The
+4th Brigade thereupon resumed its march as far as Thury, which was
+reached about 10.30 p.m. Their casualties in this action amounted to
+over 300. The Irish Guards had Col. the Hon. G. Morris and Lieut.
+Tisdall killed; Major Crichton and Lord Castlerosse wounded. In the
+Grenadiers the Hon. J. Manners and Lieut. McDougall were killed, and
+in the Coldstream, Lieut. G. Lambton was killed and Captain Burton and
+Captain Tritton wounded. The Brigadier-Gen. Scott-Ker was himself
+badly wounded in the thigh, and the command of the brigade was taken
+over by Col. Corry.
+
+
+NÉRY
+
+The same morning witnessed a very heroic little action at Néry. During
+the preceding night the 1st C.B. had billeted in this little village,
+together with L Battery R.H.A., which was attached to the brigade. The
+village lies low in a broken and hilly country. To the south and east
+of it the ground rises suddenly and very steeply, forming a long ridge
+which juts out into the plain from the north. Along these heights
+Lieut. Tailby, of the 11th Hussars, was patrolling in the early
+morning, and in a very thick fog, when he suddenly bumped right into a
+column of German cavalry. He had hardly time to gallop back and warn
+the brigade before shot and shell began to fly thickly into the
+village. The German force, as it afterwards turned out, consisted of
+no less than six cavalry regiments, with two batteries of six guns
+each attached; and there is reason to believe that they were just as
+surprised at the encounter as was the 1st C.B. However that may be,
+the advantage in position, as well as in numbers, was greatly on the
+side of the Germans, who, from the heights they were on, completely
+dominated the ground below. Even the sun favoured them, for when that
+broke through about five o'clock, it was at the backs of the enemy and
+full in the faces of the defenders.
+
+The lifting of the fog soon cleared up any doubts in the minds of all
+concerned as to how matters stood. On the heights above, with the sun
+behind them, were the six German regiments, dismounted, with their
+twelve guns. Down below in an open orchard on the western side of the
+village were the Bays and L Battery R.H.A. They were still in the
+position in which they had bivouacked the night previous. Beyond them
+were the 5th Dragoon Guards. The 11th Hussars were on the south-east
+side of the village nearest the enemy, but more or less hidden from
+view and protected from the enemy's fire by the lie of the land.
+
+Then began one of those rare episodes which will live for ever in
+history and romance.
+
+The position of L Battery had not been chosen with a view to action.
+Except for the fog, it would never have been caught there; but having
+been caught there it accepted the situation. Owing to the broken nature
+of the ground, only three of its guns could be brought to bear on the
+enemy's position, but these three were quickly at work. The Bays, who
+were the regiment chiefly in the line of fire, got their horses into
+safety and then joined in with rifle and machine-gun fire, taking what
+shelter they could; but this did not amount to much, and the sun was in
+their eyes. None of these disadvantages made themselves felt in the
+case of the 11th Hussars, who, from their sheltered position, were able
+to bring a most effective machine-gun fire to bear on the flank of the
+Germans. Their doings, however, we may pass by. The focus-point of
+German attention was the little Horse Artillery Battery down in the
+apple-orchard. This now became the target for a perfect tornado of shot
+and shell, and at a range of only 400 yards. Two of the three guns were
+quickly knocked out, and the fire of batteries, rifles and maxims
+became concentrated on the one that remained.
+
+Men and officers combined to serve this one gun. Captain Bradbury, in
+command, had one leg taken off by a shell, but he propped himself up,
+and continued to direct the fire till he fell dead. Lieut. Campbell
+died beside him, as did also Brig.-Major Cawley, who came up with
+orders from Head Quarters. Lieut. Gifford and Lieut. Mundy both fell
+wounded, and Sergt.-Major Dorrell took over command. With the support
+of Sergt. Nelson, Gunner Darbyshire and Driver Osborne he cheerfully
+continued this absurd and unequal duel.
+
+In the meanwhile the 5th Dragoon Guards had been ordered to work round
+to the north-east, in order to make a diversion from that flank. This
+they were able to do to a certain extent, though at some cost, Col.
+Ansell being shot through the head and killed at the very outset. The
+regiment, however, were not strong enough, single-handed, to make more
+than a demonstration, and the whole situation was far from promising
+when, by the mercy of Providence, the 4th C.B. most unexpectedly
+arrived on the scene from the direction of Compiègne. These lost no
+time in dismounting and joining up with the 5th Dragoon Guards, the
+four combined regiments pouring a steady fire into the flank of the
+enemy.
+
+This new development entirely changed the aspect of affairs, and,
+finding the situation getting rather too hot for them, the Germans made
+off hurriedly in the direction of Verrines, abandoning eight of their
+guns and a maxim.
+
+They tried in the first instance to man-handle their guns out of
+action, but the steady fire of the cavalry on their flank, supplemented
+now by a frontal fire from the Bays, who had by this time installed
+their machine-gun in the Sugar Factory to the west of the village,
+proved too much for them, and they abandoned the attempt. The whole
+affair had so far lasted little over an hour; but the last word had yet
+to be said, for the 11th Hussars jumped on to their horses, galloped
+off in pursuit and captured fifty horses and a number of prisoners. The
+German casualties in killed and wounded were also considerable, and on
+our side the troops in the open orchard suffered very severely. The
+Bays showed great daring and activity throughout, Mr. de Crespigny
+particularly distinguishing himself. They lost seven officers, and out
+of L Battery only three men emerged unwounded. To the survivors of this
+battery, however, it must for ever be a source of gratification to
+reflect that the last shot in that preposterous duel was fired by the
+battered and bloodstained thirteen-pounder down in the apple-orchard,
+and that it was fired at the backs of the enemy.
+
+Captain Bradbury, Sergt.-Major Dorrell and Sergt. Nelson were awarded
+the Victoria Cross, the former posthumously. The last two named were
+also given their commissions. Lieut. Gifford got the Cross of the
+Legion of Honour, and the entire battery earned a name which will live
+as long as history.
+
+There is a sequel to this gallant little affair which is sufficiently
+satisfactory to record. The 1st and 4th C.B. billeted that night at
+Borest, and continued their progress south next day through the Forêt
+d'Ermenonville. Here, abandoned among the birch trees of the forest,
+they found two of the guns which the Germans had succeeded in getting
+away from Néry. It was a small incident, but very satisfactory as a
+finale.
+
+
+
+
+THE ADVANCE TO THE AISNE
+
+
+On the following day, September 2nd, the British Force found itself
+facing the Marne from the north bank, and the whole of September 3rd
+was occupied in getting the troops across, an operation of some little
+delicacy, as it involved in many cases the exposure of our flank to the
+enemy. During the process of transit the whole of the British
+cavalry--which had hitherto been distributed along the length of our
+line--was concentrated by the river side in the open ground at Gournay.
+By nightfall the whole force was on the south side and the bridges had
+been blown up.
+
+The following day saw the end of the great retreat. There was, it was
+true, a further retirement of some twelve miles to a line running from
+Lagny to Courtagon, but this last proved to be the southernmost point
+of France which our troops were destined to see.
+
+The British Army had now in twelve days covered a distance from Mons of
+140 miles as the crow flies, and of considerably more as troops march.
+During these twelve days two pitched battles had been fought, in
+addition to many rear-guard actions and cavalry skirmishes. The bulk of
+the fighting had so far fallen on the 2nd A.C., whose casualties
+already amounted to 350 officers and 9,200 men. However, the long,
+demoralizing retreat had now at last reached the turning-point. At
+Rebaix we picked up 2,000 fresh troops belonging to the 6th Division.
+These had been trained up from the mouth of the Loire, Havre being no
+longer reckoned safe, and were a welcome stiffening to the footsore
+veterans from Mons.
+
+The period that follows is familiarly known as the battle of the Marne,
+a broad classification which--as such--is allowable, but which is apt
+to mislead. In the strict sense there was no battle during the British
+advance. The fighting that took place between September 5th and
+September 14th was desultory, and was chiefly in the nature of
+independent and--to a great extent--disconnected engagements, mostly of
+the advance guard and rear-guard type. The tributaries of the Marne,
+the Grand Morin and the Petit Morin were each defended, the latter as
+stubbornly as was the Marne itself, and, in point of fact, some of the
+hardest fighting which the advancing army met with was on the 10th,
+after the Marne had been left well behind.
+
+The advance at first was slow and cautious. When an army has for
+fourteen days been systematically falling back before an enemy, the
+only casualties within its ken are its own. It may be assumed--and with
+every right--that there are also killed and wounded among the pursuing
+force. But they are never seen. Only khaki-clad figures fill the field
+ambulances; only khaki-clad figures are left behind in the hospitals,
+and in the cemeteries and roadside trenches. The ever-swelling roll of
+"missing" is all on one side. There are no missing among those who
+pursue. In such circumstances, to the tired soldier-mind the pursuing
+enemy becomes in time invested with a species of invulnerability. At
+the end of fourteen days that enemy has assumed an altogether
+fictitious value for evil; it becomes a death-dealing engine,
+relentlessly sweeping up wounded and stragglers, and itself showing no
+scars; it inspires an all but superstitious dread. To such a frame of
+mind the sight of a few grey-clad figures stretched upon the ground and
+a few groups of grey-clad prisoners marching to the rear acts as a very
+salutary tonic. The scales drop from the eyes; the glamour of the
+unknown fades away, and the enemy sinks from its apotheosis to the
+level of mere mortal clay.
+
+It took two days for this new spirit to get hold of the British force
+feeling its way northward. Then it got confidence and began to push;
+and in exact ratio to the vigour of its push was the tale of prisoners
+and guns captured.
+
+The turn of the tide came on September 5th. On that day General Joffre
+told the C. in C. that he was going to take the offensive. The German
+advance had--as all the world now knows--swerved off from Paris towards
+the south-east, thereby half exposing its right flank to the 6th French
+Army. Gen. Joffre quickly made the exposure complete by wheeling that
+army towards the east, at the same time throwing forward the left of
+his line. Von Kluck was quick to realize that he was in a tight place,
+and with characteristic promptitude cleared out northwards.
+
+The pursued army spun on its heels and followed, but followed at first
+with an excess of caution which was perhaps excusable in a tired army
+to whom anything but retreat was a new experience.
+
+At the moment of the above surprising change in the tide of war, the
+6th French Army line ran due north and east from Ermenonville to Lagny.
+This line was pressing eastward. The British force lay between Lagny
+and Courtagon, facing north, and in a continuation of the same line on
+our right came Conneau's cavalry and the 6th French Army.
+
+September 6th, which was practically the first day of the advance, saw
+little fighting, our troops advancing some ten miles only to the line
+of the Grand Morin, which was not defended with any great show of
+vigour. We took a few prisoners only, and some maxims.
+
+On the 7th there was much more doing, but it was chiefly cavalry work.
+McCracken's 7th Brigade, however, met with a fairly stubborn resistance
+at Coulommiers, in the course of which the S. Lancs sustained a good
+many casualties. De Lisle's 2nd C.B. was, as usual, in the forefront of
+all that was doing. This brigade got in touch with the enemy soon after
+leaving Fretoy. The 9th Lancers, who were doing advance guard to the
+brigade, pushed on, however, with great boldness, till they reached the
+village of Moncel, which was found to be in occupation of German
+cavalry. Without a moment's hesitation, and without any knowledge of
+the strength opposed to it, the leading troop took the village at a
+gallop and cleared it of the enemy. They were, however, themselves
+compelled shortly afterwards to withdraw, as two fresh squadrons of the
+enemy--who proved to be the 1st Guard Dragoons--came down on the
+village from the north. At the same time a third squadron appeared to
+the west of the village. These new arrivals were at once charged by
+Col. Campbell and Major Beale-Brown at top speed with a troop and half
+of the 9th Lancers. They rode clean through the Germans, who faced the
+charge, and then--wheeling to the right--the Lancers joined up with the
+troop that had already entered the village.
+
+The Germans now retreated to the north side of the village. In
+anticipation of this movement a squadron of the 18th Hussars had
+already been posted dismounted among the corn stooks on that side.
+These now opened fire on the retiring Germans, some seventy of whom
+turned and charged the dismounted Hussars in line. The latter with
+great nerve and steadiness let the Dragoons get within 100 yards of
+them, and then practically annihilated them with a volley. Only a dozen
+escaped.
+
+The casualties among the 2nd C.B. were not heavy, but Col. Campbell,
+while leading the charge south of the village, was wounded in the arm
+by a lance. Captain Reynolds at the same time was very badly wounded in
+the shoulder, and Lieut. Allfrey, while trying to extract the lance
+from the wound, was killed.
+
+The general order was now for the British Army to advance to the
+north-east in the direction of Chateau Thierry and so try and reach the
+Marne. The country round here, however, was very difficult, especially
+in the thickly-wooded neighbourhood of the Petit Morin, and the advance
+was at first slow and cautious. The 8th Brigade on reaching the valley
+of the Petit Morin met with a strong resistance, which gave it some
+trouble before it managed to cross at Orly, where the enemy had left
+six machine-guns strongly posted on the opposing slope. However, after
+J Battery R.H.A.--which had displayed the greatest gallantry throughout
+these operations--had pounded the position for some time, the 4th
+Middlesex under Col. Hull (now the only colonel left in the 8th
+Brigade) and the R. Scots drew up on the edge of the wood topping the
+narrow valley, and at a given signal dashed down the slope to the
+bridge and up the far side; whereupon the Germans made off, abandoning
+their machine-guns, and the position was won.
+
+In the course of this advance the R. Scots lost 2nd Lieut. Hewat, who
+was killed, and Lieut. Hay, who was badly wounded by two bullets in the
+side, but the casualties among the rank and file were not heavy. They
+captured some 200 prisoners in the village of Orly. The 2nd Division at
+La Trétoire met with a very similar resistance, but here the 2nd and
+3rd Coldstream and some of the cavalry managed to get across higher up
+at La Force, and turned the flank of the resistance. The enemy's
+defence--as at Orly--proved to emanate from few men but many mobile
+machine-guns, which, by the time the passage had been forced, were far
+beyond pursuit or capture, but which had been as effective for purposes
+of obstruction as a brigade. The Coldstream did not dislodge the enemy
+without casualties, among those wounded being the Hon. C. Monk, Lieut.
+Trotter, Sir R. Corbet and 2nd Lieut. Jackson.
+
+On the same day on the right of the line the Black Watch and the
+Camerons, the latter of whom had now been appointed to the 1st Brigade
+vice the Munster Fusiliers, did some very fine work between Bellot and
+Sablonière, and took a quantity of prisoners; but they had to fight
+hard for them, and both regiments had a number of casualties, Captain
+Dalgleish and the Hon. M. Drummond in the Black Watch being killed. The
+1st C.B. co-operated with the two Scotch regiments by attacking the
+village of Sablonière, which was finally captured, together with many
+prisoners, by the 11th Hussars. In addition to this little cavalry
+success, the 3rd and 5th C.B. each had an encounter this day with
+German cavalry, and in both instances maintained the unquestioned
+superiority of the British in this particular arm of the service.
+
+At five o'clock on the morning of the 9th the 2nd A.C. started out for
+the Marne. The whole A.C. had to cross by the one bridge at Chailly, so
+the operation was a protracted one, but by dark they were all across
+and had pushed ahead some miles north of the river. A German battery on
+the heights above Nanteint was attacked with great determination and
+captured by the Lincolns during this advance, the Germans sticking with
+great gallantry to their guns till every man of the battery had been
+killed or wounded.
+
+The 3rd A.C, on the left of the 2nd, had considerable trouble in
+crossing at La Ferté. Here the bridge had been destroyed, and the north
+bank was strongly held by the enemy (with machine-guns as usual). The
+R.E. came to the rescue with a pontoon bridge, but the German fire was
+persistent, and it was night before the bridge was completed.
+
+The 1st A.C. in the meanwhile had crossed at Chateau Thierry, but not
+without some destructive opposition from machine-guns.
+
+On the morning of the 10th the advance became a race between the 5th
+and the 2nd Divisions. These two set out northwards at 5 a.m. covered
+by Gough with the 3rd and 5th C.B. The 3rd Division had been stopped at
+Germigny, and had consequently fallen behind, and the 4th and 6th
+Divisions--as we have seen--had to put up with a long wait at La Ferté.
+The advance was therefore in the shape of a wedge, the effect of which
+was to threaten the flank of the Germans in front of the 6th French
+Army and cause them to retire with considerable haste. By midday,
+however, the 3rd Division on our left had all but come up into line,
+and the formation became more orthodox again. Our aeroplanes, favoured
+by beautiful weather, were now doing fine work, and, by the information
+they gave, made it possible to push the advance right up to the line of
+the Ourcq. There was little serious opposition, but desultory fighting
+took place here and there all along the line, and at Montreuil the
+Cornwalls suffered some serious losses.
+
+We captured a number of prisoners during this advance to the Ourcq. The
+9th Brigade alone took 600 north of Germigny, and at Haute Vesnes the
+6th Brigade captured 400 and put as many more _hors de combat_,
+the 1st K.R.R., who were well supported by the 50th Battery R.F.A.,
+being the main contributors to this result. In all, we took over 2,000
+prisoners that day and many guns. The woods were everywhere full of
+stragglers, many of whom were only too glad to surrender. Others,
+however, put up a fight and were only taken after a stubborn
+resistance.
+
+On the 11th Gen. Joffre shifted the advance half a point to the east,
+the effect of which was to narrow the front of the British troops and
+so cause a good deal of congestion on the few roads at our disposal.
+
+On this day a sudden and very abominable change came over the weather,
+the wind chopping round to the north-west, and the temperature dropping
+in one day from great heat to bitter cold. Rain fell continuously, and
+there was wide-spread lamentation over the greatcoats thrown away in
+the heat of the Mons retreat.
+
+
+
+
+THE PASSAGE OF THE AISNE
+
+
+On September 12th the battle of the Aisne may be said to have begun.
+The first and second stages of the war, the retreat from Mons, and the
+advance from the Grand Morin, were of the past. The third stage--the
+passage and occupation of the Aisne by our troops--covers a period of
+some four weeks, the greater part of which was, comparatively speaking,
+barren of incident. The first three days, however, were eventful, and
+the 14th saw one of the most stubbornly contested battles of the war.
+This will be dealt with in its place.
+
+The 12th saw the first real check to our fifty-mile advance. Very early
+in the day it became apparent to our commanders that the retreat of the
+Germans had been in accordance with a plan pre-arranged (in the event
+of certain happenings) and that the pursued now definitely stood at
+bay. The situation was not one to encourage a reckless offensive. A
+wide valley some two miles across, down the centre of which wound the
+sluggish Aisne, now swollen and discoloured by the rains; steep
+down-like bluffs on either side of the valley, furrowed by deep-cut
+roads that twisted down to the lower ground--the bluffs in many places
+thickly and picturesquely wooded. To the west Soissons, to the east
+Rheims; and in face, on the opposite slope, the great German Army. It
+was not known at the time that, on the Craonne plateau crowning the
+slopes opposite, the forethought of the Germans had prepared in advance
+a complete system of very elaborate trenches, of a kind then new to
+warfare, but since horribly familiar. These were supplemented in many
+cases by the old stone quarries and caves which run the length of the
+heights.
+
+Such was the scene in which the German and the Allied armies were
+destined to face one another for over a year, dealing out ceaseless
+death, desolation and pain, and gaining no fraction of military
+advantage for either side. That this was so is now history, but on
+September 12th, 1914, the future was still the future, and neither side
+had as yet had experience of the dead-wall method of fighting which has
+ever since characterized the Great War. The British commanders
+therefore, and the troops under them, prepared to push on with all the
+enthusiasm inspired by the events of the past week.
+
+The first honours in the opening of this new act of the war-drama fell
+to the 1st C.B. who in the early hours of the morning were ordered to
+get possession of the village of Braine, a place of some importance, as
+it commanded the only road down to Missy on the southern side of the
+valley. The place was held by a battalion of German infantry, the
+houses loop-holed, and the streets barricaded. The 1st C.B. advanced
+from Cerseuil to the edge of the valley, and, leaving their horses on
+the high ground, made down the slope to the river on foot. The place
+was stubbornly defended, and was not taken without a certain amount of
+loss on our side, Captain Springfield in the Bays being killed, and
+Captain Pinching wounded, but after some rather fierce house-to-house
+fighting in the main street, the place was eventually captured and
+cleared of the enemy by nine o'clock, the German casualties amounting
+to some 300.
+
+Sir Hubert Hamilton thereupon advanced the 3rd Division to Brenelle,
+while Sir Charles Fergusson passed on with the 5th Division through the
+captured village of Braine to Sermoise. Away on the right the 1st and
+2nd Divisions advanced as far as Courcelles and Vauxcéré.
+
+The first infantry division to come into action in the Aisne valley
+was the 4th, under Gen. Snow, who--having crossed the Ourcq
+unopposed--arrived at Buzancy on the morning of the 12th and found the
+right of the 6th French Army bombarding the Germans, who were in
+occupation of the Mont de Paris, just south of Soissons. Snow at once
+chimed in with his own guns, and a tremendous artillery duel resulted,
+in which the Germans after a time threw up the sponge and made off
+across the Soissons bridge, which they destroyed behind them.
+
+The 3rd and 5th C.B. were in the meantime at Chaudun awaiting
+developments.
+
+The south side of the Aisne was now clear of the enemy, and the problem
+arose as to how best to get our troops across. The weather was still as
+bad as could be, with a bitter cold driving rain from the north-west
+which made any air reconnaissance an impossibility. It was essential,
+however, to learn the state of the bridges, so other means had to be
+devised. The Missy bridge was of especial importance, and Lieut.
+Pennycuik, R.E., volunteered to find out all about this by floating
+down the river on an improvised raft. This he succeeded in doing, at no
+little risk to himself, and reported the bridge practically destroyed,
+the north end having been blown up. The bridge at Condé was intact but
+inaccessible, the long, straight approach to it being open to
+concentrated machine-gun fire throughout. It had obviously been left as
+a bait, and to have attempted it would have been to have played
+straight into the enemy's hands. The question was, in fact, discussed
+between the C. in C. and Sir Horace, but they decided that, as its
+capture could only be effected at a great sacrifice of life, and as its
+possession was strategically of very little value to the enemy, it
+should be left alone.
+
+On our extreme right near Bourg there was no trouble about crossing,
+the aqueduct, which here carries the canal across the river, having
+survived the attempts of the enemy to blow it up; and by this the 1st
+Division and some of the cavalry and artillery crossed easily enough
+during the middle of the day on the 13th, and pushed forward some three
+or four miles along the Laon road. The rest of the cavalry crossed
+further up the river at Villers. This wing of the army met with very
+little systematic opposition, but desultory shell-fire and machine-gun
+fire was going on all the time, and the 1st Scots Guards had some
+casualties, Houldsworth being killed and Monckton and Balfour wounded.
+
+By nightfall the 1st Brigade had reached Moulins, the 2nd and 3rd
+Brigades being at Gény. The 5th Brigade had succeeded in reaching Pont
+d'Arcy by 9 a.m., but found the bridge there destroyed, one solitary
+girder partly submerged alone remaining, and by this they scrambled
+across in single file, with a blind shell-fire playing all around.
+Single girders, however, are not recognized as a military means of
+communication, so the R.E. set to work to build a pontoon bridge
+alongside.
+
+The 4th Brigade, on the left of the 2nd Division, had the worst time
+this day; they made an attempt to cross at Chavonne itself, but were
+vigorously opposed, the enemy being in possession of the village, and
+keeping up a ceaseless machine-gun fire which cost us some good men.
+The Irish Guards were the chief sufferers, especially in officers,
+Captain Berners, Lord Guernsey and Lord Arthur Hay being killed.
+However, late in the afternoon, some of the 2nd Coldstream got
+themselves ferried across in a small boat which was found--minus
+oars--higher up the river, whereupon the enemy, who as usual were weak
+in numbers, but strong in machine-guns, made off. The rest of the
+brigade then crossed in single file by the remains of the bridge,
+which--like that at Pont d'Arcy--still offered a shaky foothold from
+shore to shore.
+
+[Illustration: Map showing line occupied by British troops after the
+battle of the Aisne. Approximate scale 3 miles to an inch.]
+
+
+
+
+TROYON
+
+
+The 14th of September probably saw more real fighting in the
+old-fashioned sense than any other day in which the British troops had
+been engaged. The whole line covering a frontage of twenty miles was
+involved, but the fiercest conflict was always on the right with the
+1st A.C. This day's fighting is sometimes referred to as the battle of
+the Aisne, and sometimes as the battle of Troyon. The former is too
+indefinite, in view of the protracted fighting on the river of that
+name; the latter is too parochial. In real truth there were four
+distinct but synchronous battles taking place that day along our front,
+viz., at Troyon, Verneuil, Soupir and Chivres. The most sanguinary,
+and undoubtedly the most important as far as results go, was the first
+of these. It may fairly be said that the British victory at Troyon on
+September 14th was one of the most brilliant achievements of the War.
+The generalship displayed was of a high order, and the troops engaged
+behaved with the greatest steadiness and courage.
+
+Proceedings commenced at the very first streak of dawn. General
+Bulfin's 2nd Brigade, which had got as far as Moulins on the 13th, set
+out at four o'clock on the following morning along the road to
+Vendresse. This road runs between the wooded downs on either side, and
+the idea was to bring the rest of the 1st Division along it as soon as
+the heights to right and left had been cleared. Half a mile short of
+Vendresse the R. Sussex, the 60th and the Northamptons scaled the downs
+to the right of the road, and deployed in the order named, the Sussex
+on the left, the 60th in the middle, and the Northamptons on the right,
+just east of Troyon. Beyond the Northamptons were the 1st Coldstream,
+who had been detached from the 1st Brigade. The Loyal N. Lancashire
+Regiment remained in reserve down at Vendresse, and about six o'clock
+the other three battalions of the 1st Brigade came marching through
+them, along the road towards Cerny. About half a mile further on, these
+three battalions scaled the heights on the left of the road, so as to
+continue the line of the 2nd Brigade, which was on the right of the
+road. Here they deployed and remained till the 3rd Brigade came up on
+their left some three hours later.
+
+The day was a particularly unpleasant one. There was a cold and
+persistent rain from the north-west right in the faces of the British,
+and accompanied by a kind of fog which made it impossible to see
+clearly for more than a couple of hundred yards ahead, and which was
+responsible for a good deal of unfortunate confusion through the day as
+to the identity of friend and foe. It also, as may be supposed, greatly
+increased the difficulty of our Gunners, who found it impossible to
+locate the enemy accurately, or to get exact information as to the
+correctness of their range.
+
+Having dealt with the disposition of the three brigades of the 1st
+Division, we can now turn to the actual fight at Troyon. The main
+objective of our attack here was the Sugar Factory which stands near
+the five cross-roads on the Chemin des Dames. The Factory itself was
+very strongly held with machine-guns, and was flanked by two batteries
+of artillery. For a quarter of a mile on each side of it were the
+German trenches, on the one side running along the Chivy road, and on
+the other along the Chemin des Dames, the two forming an obtuse angle
+with the apex at the Factory itself. In addition, the enemy had four
+big eleven-inch guns behind their line, the fire from which greatly
+harassed our troops all through these operations as they completely
+outranged our batteries. The approach to this position was over turnip
+and beet fields, very wet and sticky with clay, and sloping gently
+upwards towards the Factory. As long as the 2nd Brigade was on the
+steep sides of the downs it was comparatively sheltered from the
+enemy's fire, but the moment this sloping plateau was reached, a
+tremendous fire burst upon it at close range from rifles, machine-guns,
+and from two batteries of artillery, which were in position behind the
+trenches along the Chemin des Dames.
+
+It is difficult to conceive of conditions more unfavourable for attack:
+a driving rain in the faces of the assailants, an entrenched enemy, and
+an uphill approach across clay fields saturated with wet and two feet
+deep in beet plants. However, the order was to advance, so undeterred
+by the gaps ploughed in their ranks, the brigade pressed steadily on.
+The objective of the R. Sussex on the left was the enemy's trenches
+along the Chivy road. Towards this they pushed on at the slow plodding
+tramp which was the best pace which could be raised in the
+circumstances, till they reached the comparative shelter of a sunken
+lane. In this lane the R. Sussex machine-gun section was able to get a
+position from which it could partially enfilade the Chivy road
+trenches, and so effective was its fire from this angle, that after a
+time a white flag was raised, and several hundred Germans were seen
+running forward with their hands up. Col. Montresor and many other
+officers and men of the Sussex left the lane to accept this surrender,
+whereupon the enemy, from the Factory itself and from the trenches to
+right and left of it, poured a deadly fire into the confused mass of
+Germans and British, mowing them down in scores. In this indiscriminate
+massacre the R. Sussex lost very heavily, Col. Montresor, Maj. Cookson,
+and Lieuts. Daun and Hughes being killed, and Captain Cameron wounded.
+The Germans too suffered severely, but about 200 of them were got
+safely into the lane and sent off to the rear with a platoon as escort.
+
+The R. Sussex being now very considerably reduced in numbers, the Loyal
+N. Lancashires were brought up from reserve, one company being sent to
+support the Sussex, while two and a half companies came up on the right
+of the 60th, _i.e._, between the 60th and the Northamptons. These
+two and a half companies being fresh troops were now ordered to attack
+the Sugar Factory. The position of the Factory and the lie of the
+ground has already been described. The Loyal N. Lancashires, in order
+to carry out the attack as ordered, had to advance over a quarter of a
+mile of open ground under fire, not only from their front, but from
+both flanks as well, on account of the angle formed by the German
+trenches to right and left of the Factory. Their casualties during this
+advance were terrible. The C.O., Maj. Lloyd, and his Adjutant, Captain
+Howard-Vyse, were killed in the first rush. Fifty per cent. of the men
+fell in crossing that fire-swept zone, but the remainder carried
+steadily on and, at the point of the bayonet, drove out the enemy and
+captured the Factory, an achievement which must undoubtedly rank as one
+of the finest of the War.
+
+The R. Sussex now pushed forward again, and Lieut. Dashwood, the
+machine-gun officer, got his maxims into the Factory, and from there
+enfiladed the two German batteries along the Chemin des Dames. At the
+same time some of the R. Sussex and the 6oth crept up along the road
+leading from Vendresse to the Factory, till they were in a position
+to enfilade the German trenches to the east of it. This manoeuvre
+produced an immediate surrender, the Germans leaving their trenches and
+hoisting the white flag. Warned, however, by their experience earlier
+in the day, the British remained prudently under cover of the road, and
+it was as well they did, for the two German batteries in rear of the
+trenches at once began bombarding this new situation at point-blank
+range, with the result that, while the British in the road took no
+harm, the unfortunate Germans who had tried to surrender were
+practically wiped out by their own people.
+
+This patriotic act was destined to be the last that these particular
+batteries performed, for Lieut. Dashwood with the Sussex machine-guns
+got on to them from the Factory and rendered them incapable of further
+damage. The horses were all killed, and such gunners as survived made
+off, abandoning the guns.
+
+The Factory itself was not held, being of no military value and
+presenting a first-class target for the German artillery. Lieut.
+Dashwood withdrew his machine-guns to a farm-house some 200 yards down
+the road, and from this point was able to do considerable execution on
+the retreating enemy. He was soon, however, located, and Lieut. Pelham,
+who was assisting him, was killed. The section, however, ultimately
+managed to get away safely and rejoin its battalion. The vacated
+Factory was at once heavily bombarded by the enemy, and our troops
+derived no little satisfaction from seeing shell after shell drop where
+they were not.
+
+The victory of Troyon was now complete, and it was one of which the
+troops engaged had every reason to be proud. The results, too, were
+very far-reaching, the position thus gained being never afterwards
+wrested from the British troops during their stay at the Aisne.
+
+The casualty list in this sanguinary little fight was a heavy one. The
+Loyal N. Lancashires lost 15 officers, including their C.O. and
+Adjutant, and over 500 rank and file. The value of their gallant
+performance was, however, officially recognized, and Captain Spread,
+who displayed great courage throughout the day, received the Military
+Cross. The R. Sussex lost 250 rank and file and 9 officers, also
+including their Colonel, while in the 60th, Major Foljambe, Captain
+Cathcart, Lieut. Bond and 2nd Lieuts. Forster, Thompson and Davison
+were killed.
+
+Whilst the 2nd Brigade plus the 1st Coldstream had been engaged with
+the Factory and the German entrenchments along the Chemin des Dames
+side of it, the Black Watch and Camerons were busy dislodging the
+other German wing from their trenches along the Chivy road. This again
+was a costly affair. The Camerons were enfiladed at close range by the
+German artillery on the other side of the Factory, and had lanes torn
+through their ranks. Col. Grant-Duff was killed while heading a
+bayonet charge of the Black Watch, side by side with his Adjutant,
+Captain Rowan Hamilton. The 1st Scots Guards, who were on the hill
+between Vendresse and Troyon, also lost their C.O. as well as their
+second in command, Col. Lowther being wounded and Major Garnier
+killed, as were also Lieuts. Inigo Jones and Thornhill. Sir V.
+Mackenzie and Lieut. Stirling-Stuart were wounded at the same time.
+The Scotsmen, however, did not mean stopping that day, and in spite of
+desperate losses the Chivy road trenches were finally carried at the
+point of the bayonet and a number of prisoners taken. But it cost the
+1st Brigade 49 officers and 1,100 rank and file.
+
+Much of the success during this day was due to the gallant behaviour of
+the 116th Battery R.F.A. attached to the 1st Brigade. At an early
+period in the day this battery, for fear of misdirection in the mist,
+had worked its guns up into a dangerously exposed position close to the
+firing line. From here they were able to work great damage to the
+German defences, but, as a natural consequence, themselves suffered
+severely in the process. Major Nicholson, in command of the battery,
+had been wounded early in the morning while reconnoitring for this
+position, the command then devolving upon Captain Oliver, who took the
+battery into action. Some 1,200 rounds were fired during the day, and
+replenishment of ammunition had to be done entirely by hand, all spare
+men and drivers being led up in relays by Lieut. Gardiner. The battery
+remained exposed to a very galling fire till after nightfall, when it
+was withdrawn by order of Col. Geddes, commanding the 25th Brigade
+R.F.A., as its position was in front of the infantry line actually
+occupied. Lieut. Simson, well known as a Rugby International, was
+killed during the operation. Great courage and devotion to duty was
+shown by Bombardier Collins, the battery telephonist, who, though
+painfully wounded early in the proceedings, continued at his post
+throughout the day. The battery was warmly thanked and praised by
+General Maxse, commanding the 1st Brigade, for the assistance it had
+given him.
+
+By noon the 1st and 2nd Brigades were extended in a straight line
+running east and west through the Factory. Eventually, however, the
+line which was actually occupied and entrenched and maintained
+throughout the Aisne period against incessant counter-attacks had its
+right resting on the Chemin des Dames half a mile east of the Factory,
+and from there inclined gradually backwards till it reached the river
+east of Soissons. When we consider that the position won this day on
+the Chemin des Dames was four miles north of the river, the oblique
+line thereafter held by the British troops was a lasting monument to
+the remarkable achievement of the 1st Division on September 14th.
+
+There can be no shadow of doubt that the Germans were completely taken
+by surprise by the unexpected rapidity of the 1st Division's advance.
+It was a fine piece of generalship, and had Sir Douglas Haig only had
+fresh troops to bring up from reserve, it is probable that the Germans
+would have been swept back another mile or two.
+
+Fresh reserve troops, however, were too great a luxury for our small
+force. The Loyal N. Lancashires had in the morning been the reserve
+battalion to the 2nd Brigade, and of these fifty per cent. had fallen.
+Some of the R. Sussex and 1st Coldstream, as a matter of fact, did
+penetrate as far as Cerny, following the road from Troyon which cuts
+through the high ground beyond in a narrow defile. This road was
+literally choked with the enemy's dead. At Cerny they found every
+symptom of confusion and surprise, abandoned kits, baggage and
+munitions, and no sign of organized resistance. The detachment,
+however, was small, and as it was unsupported on either flank it was
+deemed wise to retire.
+
+
+VERNEUIL
+
+We can now move across on to the next range of heights to the left, and
+see how it there fared with the 3rd and 5th Brigades. Here matters were
+neither so eventful nor so decisive as on the Troyon ridge. It was ten
+o'clock before the 3rd Brigade came up into line, and was ordered to
+extend to the left and join up with the right of the 2nd Division,
+which was in the neighbourhood of Braye. While carrying out this order
+and when within a mile or so of Verneuil, they suddenly came up against
+two strong German columns which were advancing with some unknown
+object. The rest of the day's proceedings in this quarter may be
+briefly described as a series of attacks and counter-attacks, which
+lasted all through the day, between these two German columns and our
+3rd, 5th and 6th Brigades. In the fiercely contested combat between
+these two forces honours were during the earlier part of the day fairly
+easy, but towards dusk the Germans sensibly weakened, both in attack
+and defence, and the British troops undoubtedly had the last word.
+
+The most conspicuous episode in this section of the fighting was a
+really great performance on the part of an Edinburgh man named Wilson,
+in the Highland Light Infantry. That battalion had just made a most
+successful and dramatic charge, led by Sir Archibald Gibson-Craig and
+Lieut. Powell (both killed), and had established itself in a forward
+position with its left on a small wood. From this wood a German
+machine-gun began playing on the ranks of the battalion with such
+disastrous accuracy that it soon became clear that either the
+machine-gun must be silenced or the position evacuated. Pte. Wilson
+thought the former alternative preferable, and, getting a K.R.R. man to
+go with him, crept out towards the wood. The K.R.R. man was shot almost
+at once, but, quite undeterred, Wilson went on alone, killed the German
+officer and six men, and single-handed captured the machine-gun and two
+and a half cases of ammunition. It need scarcely be said that he got
+the Victoria Cross.
+
+Another Victoria Cross earned this day by another Scotsman was little
+less remarkable, though of an entirely different order.
+
+Pte. Tollerton, a fine, powerful man in the Scottish Rifles, noticed an
+officer fall badly wounded in the firing line. Though himself wounded
+both in the head and hand, Tollerton carried the officer to a place of
+safety, after which he himself returned to the firing line and there
+remained fighting, in spite of his wounds, throughout the day. At dusk
+he returned to the wounded officer. In the meanwhile the firing line
+had fallen back, with the result that Tollerton and the officer were
+left behind. The latter was quite incapable of moving, and Tollerton
+remained with him for three days and nights, till eventually both were
+rescued.
+
+
+SOUPIR
+
+Once more it is necessary to shift our scene still more to the left and
+nearer again to the Aisne, where the Cour de Soupir farm stands on the
+crest of the river bluff.
+
+The capture of this position was the work of the Guards' Brigade. At 8
+a.m., at the time when the 1st and 2nd Brigades were in the very thick
+of their fight at Troyon, the 2nd Division, which was still on the
+south side of the river, began to cross by the new pontoon bridge at
+Pont d'Arcy, the 6th Brigade moving up the valley to Braye, while the
+5th Brigade fought its way up the wooded slopes above Soupir. These
+last two brigades, as we have seen, linked up with the 3rd Brigade in
+the neighbourhood of Verneuil.
+
+The 4th Brigade went down the right bank of the river as far as
+Chavonne, where it remained till midday, when it got the order to scale
+the heights in support of the 5th Brigade, which was reported in
+difficulties. Accordingly the 3rd Coldstream and Irish Guards forced
+their way up through the woods north of Soupir, while the 2nd
+Grenadiers and two companies of the 2nd Coldstream made for the hamlet
+of Les Grouins on the left, where the idea was that they were to get in
+touch with the 1st Cavalry Division, which was also reported in
+difficulties. The other two companies 2nd Coldstream stayed in reserve,
+in a wood clearing on the bluff, half a mile south of La Cour de Soupir
+farm.
+
+The track from Chavonne to the farm zigzags steeply up the bluff above
+the river through thick woods. Up this track, now ankle-deep in mud,
+the Guards scrambled in column of fours till they reached the flatter
+ground above, where they at once came under very heavy fire from the
+neighbourhood of the farm. Col. Feilding, who was acting Brigadier,
+thereupon deployed the two battalions to the left, and, as soon as the
+Grenadiers had come up into line on their left flank, the three
+battalions charged through the mist and rain in the direction of La
+Cour de Soupir farm. As had been the case with the 2nd Brigade, they
+were met by a very severe machine-gun and rifle fire at close range,
+the moment they emerged on to the flatter ground above, and their
+casualties were very considerable; but, notwithstanding, they kept
+going, captured the farm and trenches and drove out the enemy with
+heavy loss.
+
+An unfortunate incident, very similar in many respects to that which
+had befallen the R. Sussex at Troyon, occurred during the capture of
+these trenches, and was responsible for the deaths of many good men.
+
+Just to the left of the farm a number of Germans were seen advancing
+with hands up and white flags. Some of the 3rd Coldstream went out to
+accept the surrender, whereupon a second line of Germans sprang up,
+and, firing on friend and foe alike, mowed them down indiscriminately.
+
+There can be little doubt that both this and the Troyon incident on the
+same day were not acts of deliberate treachery on the part of the
+Germans, but were purely "no surrender" demonstrations, and were
+probably aimed more at their compatriots than at the British.
+
+In this engagement the 3rd Coldstream lost Captain Banbury, Lieut.
+Ives, Lieut. Bingham, Lieut. P. Wyndham, Captain Vaughan and Lieut.
+Fane, of whom the first four were killed, and 160 rank and file. The
+position gained, however, was never afterwards lost, but, from
+September 14th on, was held by the Guards' Brigade for twenty-nine
+consecutive days, in the face of a rapid succession of counter-attacks
+of the fiercest description, this position being singled out by the
+Germans for their most determined efforts at recapture.
+
+
+
+
+THE AISNE
+
+
+The meteoric advance of the 1st A.C. on the 14th had left the western
+wing of the British force far behind. Had the 2nd A.C. had the luck to
+find a bridge which had defied destruction--as was the case at
+Bourg--there is no knowing but that they might have pushed forward
+shoulder to shoulder with the 1st A.C. and established themselves on
+the heights beyond. No such good fortune, however, was theirs. At
+Venizel, Missy and Vailly the bridges had been successfully demolished
+and the approaches to the river were everywhere difficult, especially
+at Missy, where for three-quarters of a mile the ground on the south
+side of the river lies flat and exposed. The bridge at Condé, as has
+already been explained, was intact--had, in fact, been designedly left
+so by the enemy--and for that very reason was outside of consideration
+as far as the problem of crossing the river was concerned. It became,
+therefore, a matter for the R.E., and with characteristic promptitude
+that indefatigable corps started in on its work of repair and
+construction. The work had to be carried out under no small
+difficulties, and to the accompaniment of a systematic shelling, the
+enemy on the heights beyond having the exact range of the river. There
+were considerable casualties among the Engineers. By midday, however,
+on the 14th the work was practically completed, the road bridges at
+Venizel, Missy and Vailly, and the railway bridge east of Venizel,
+having been repaired, in addition to which eight pontoon bridges had
+been thrown over the river at varying intervals. This was good work on
+the part of the R.E., nor did their labours begin and end with the work
+of repair and construction. Captain Johnstone[2] and Lieut. Flint
+worked below Missy all through this day up to seven o'clock in the
+evening, bringing back the wounded on rafts and returning with
+ammunition--all the time under fire. The former got the Victoria Cross
+for this; the latter the D.S.O.
+
+        [2] Killed June 6th, 1915.
+
+Handicapped though they were in comparison with the 1st A.C. by the
+lack of a negotiable bridge, the three divisions at the Soissons end of
+the line were by no means disposed to sit still while the Sappers were
+working at their pontoon. The 11th Brigade (in the 4th Division) got
+itself ferried across below Venizel early in the day, and lost no time
+in getting into its position to the west of Bucy, where it dug itself
+in near St. Marguerite. At midday the 12th Brigade were able to cross
+by the repaired road bridge at Venizel and they at once linked up with
+the 11th Brigade at Bucy, just in time to take part in an attack which
+was made upon the Vregny heights opposite at 2 p.m. Meanwhile a pontoon
+bridge was being built close to the Venizel road bridge, and by 5.30
+this, too, was finished, and the 10th Brigade crossed and completed the
+concentration of the 4th Division.
+
+A mile higher up, at Missy, the 5th Division was in the meantime
+experiencing great difficulty in getting to the river, the flat ground
+approaching it being swept by a murderous fire from the far side. The
+13th Brigade, in fact, was foiled in all its attempts in this
+direction, and remained throughout the day at Sermoise. The 14th
+Brigade, however, managed to cross early in the afternoon at Moulins
+des Roches and with all the speed possible linked up with the 4th
+Division on its left, arriving at its post just in time to help in
+repelling a strong German counter-attack, which was launched against
+our lines at three o'clock. These two brigades in retaliation made
+repeated attacks on the Chivres heights during the afternoon, but
+without success, and at night they fell back to St. Marguerite.
+
+The 3rd Division reached the river at Vailly. Here the bridge had been
+blown up, but a single plank bridged the gap made at the north end, and
+by this the 8th and 9th Brigades got across in single file. The 7th
+Brigade in the meanwhile was getting across on rafts--three men at a
+time--a slow and tiresome business, which occupied the whole day. It
+was midday by the time the 9th Brigade, which followed the 8th, had
+crossed by the single plank above-mentioned, but they pushed forward at
+once and secured the heights opposite, the R. Fusiliers establishing
+themselves well forward on the Maison Rouge spur to the left, and the
+Lincolns on the Ostel spur, within half a mile of La Cour de Soupir
+farm held by the Guards. Here they remained all night, but at seven
+o'clock next morning the R. Fusiliers were heavily attacked and driven
+back to the Maison Rouge farm, with the loss from among their officers
+of Captain Byng, Captain Cole, Captain Attwood and 2nd Lieut. Hobbs.
+The Northumberland Fusiliers, who had pushed forward along the road up
+the wooded valley between the spurs, also had serious casualties, and
+had to withdraw. The Lincolns at the same time were driven from the
+Ostel spur and by 1 p.m. had re-crossed the river to the south side.
+
+Once more, after another very wet night, the 5th Division on the 15th
+attacked the Chivres heights, and, once more failing, had to fall back
+to a line from St. Marguerite to the bank of the river between Sermoise
+and Condé. There they dug themselves in and there they remained till
+the end of the Aisne battle. The position was very bad from a strategic
+point of view, as it was on the low ground by the river, with the
+Germans only 400 yards away on the heights beyond; but it was the best
+that could be done. The 5th Division was greatly upset at its second
+failure to take the Chivres heights. It did not realize (as, indeed,
+who did at that time?) that the Allied advance had reached its farthest
+north, and that the Chivres heights were to remain untaken by either
+French or English for very many months to come.
+
+The failure of the British left to advance encouraged the Germans to
+deliver counter-attacks all along the line, especially against the
+advanced position held by the 1st A.C. These, however, failed just as
+completely as had our own attempt to advance on the left. Several very
+determined attacks were made against the Guards' Brigade at the Soupir
+farm, but all were repulsed with heavy loss.
+
+The enemy was all this time steadily outranging our artillery with its
+big eleven-inch guns, popularly known as "Black Marias." The difficulty
+of properly entrenching against this long-range cannonade was greatly
+increased by the scarcity of proper tools, but, by means of a mixed
+assortment of implements, borrowed from the farms, a certain amount of
+protection was secured, and this was steadily improved upon from day to
+day. It began to be realized by now, by all parties concerned, that
+these entrenchments were likely to be rather more permanent than the
+emergency ditches scooped out with hands and mess-tins at Mons and Le
+Cateau, and in point of fact the line held at this time remained
+practically unchanged till the removal of the troops to Flanders.
+
+On the right the 1st A.C. held the ground from the Chemin des Dames
+through Chivy to La Cour de Soupir. On their left was the 3rd Division
+about a mile to the north of Vailly. Then came the gap caused by the
+bridge at Condé being in the German hands. Beyond this the 5th
+Division--as we have seen--held the ground from the bend in the river
+east of Missy to St. Marguerite; and beyond St. Marguerite the 4th
+Division joined up with the 6th French Army. The 6th Division arrived
+at this time, thus technically completing General Pulteney's 3rd A.C.
+As a matter of fact, however, the C. in C., at the first, utilized the
+greater part of this division to strengthen the 1st A.C. on the right,
+where the greatest German pressure was being felt, the remainder being
+held in reserve.
+
+About noon on the 16th, the line held by the Guards' Brigade at the
+Soupir farm, always the special object of German attention, was treated
+to an exceptionally violent bombardment. So accurate, in fact, was this
+fire, that the Brigadier-General ordered a temporary retirement to the
+shelter of the road behind and below. Very shortly after this
+retirement had taken place, it was seen that a barn at one end of the
+farm buildings, which had just been vacated, was on fire. This barn was
+being used as a temporary hospital, and in it at the time were some
+fifty wounded Germans. It was clearly a case for very prompt action and
+very risky action, but there was no hesitation about it. Without the
+loss of a moment, Major Matheson, who at the time was commanding the
+3rd Coldstream, called for volunteers, and accompanied by Major Steele
+and Drs. Huggan and Shields and some men of No. I Company under Lord
+Feilding, he rushed forward through the shell-fire to the blazing
+building. All concerned worked with such goodwill that every wounded
+man was successfully got into safety and with few casualties on our
+side, but a few minutes later Dr. Huggan, who had been very active in
+the rescue work, was killed by a shell which burst in a quarry into
+which some of the wounded had been carried. The same shell killed
+twelve others, including three officers of the 52nd Oxford Light
+Infantry who were attached at the time to the Guards' Brigade, and
+wounded fifty more. Dr. Huggan, who was best known as a Scotch
+International football player, had greatly distinguished himself on
+former occasions, both at Landrecies and Villers-Cotterêts, by his
+courage and devotion to the wounded. He was buried in the garden of the
+farm.
+
+The 16th was otherwise an uneventful day, but on the 17th there was a
+good deal of fighting here and there, enlivened by some fine individual
+acts of bravery and devotion.
+
+An incident on the right of our line at this time attracted much
+attention on account of the German methods which it disclosed--methods
+with which we afterwards became much more familiar. At the village of
+Troyon a captain and two subalterns and 160 men of the Northamptons had
+entrenched themselves by the roadside some distance ahead of the main
+body. Two hundred and fifty yards to their front, and separated from
+them by a turnip field, was a German entrenchment containing from 400
+to 500 men. For five days the Northants men had to remain in trenches
+which were knee deep in water. Rain fell ceaselessly, and on the 17th
+seemed to come down harder than ever. Ague appeared among the men, and
+considerably reduced their effective strength. On the 15th the captain
+in command showed himself for a moment above the trench and was at once
+killed. Shortly afterwards the senior lieutenant was also killed. The
+command then devolved upon the junior lieutenant, who had less than a
+year's service.
+
+On the 17th--to the surprise of all--the Germans were seen advancing
+across the turnip field holding up their hands. It was to be assumed
+that they too had had enough of their water-logged trenches. The
+Northamptons, naturally gratified at this surrender, left the trench to
+meet them. When, however, the German officer saw how few men they had
+to deal with, he changed his mind and ordered his men to charge. The
+young lieutenant promptly shot the German officer and a sergeant with
+his revolver, but was himself immediately shot down, though, strange to
+say, not killed. The affair, however, would obviously have gone very
+badly for the Northamptons, who were outnumbered by three or four to
+one, if the 1st Queen's, who had been looking on from the right flank,
+suspecting foul play, had not promptly brought their machine-gun to
+bear on the situation. The 1st Coldstream were also quickly on the
+spot, and the German force was accounted for to a man.
+
+Further west, in the Soupir district, the Guards' Brigade, who seemed
+specially singled out at this period for all the enemy's most ferocious
+attacks, were given a particularly bad time on this day. All attacks,
+however, were beaten off with severe loss to the enemy.
+
+One incident is worth recording. North of Chavonne, where the 2nd
+Grenadiers were posted, there was a barn from which some snipers were
+keeping up a very irritating fire on the battalion. There was no
+artillery available at the moment for its destruction, and yet its
+destruction was of all things most desirable for the safety of the
+battalion. While the problem was under consideration, Corpl. Thomas, of
+the 2nd Grenadiers, decided on a line of action. They were in a
+wheat-field in which the sheaves were stacked ready for carting. With a
+couple of comrades whom he persuaded to accompany him, he left the
+trenches, caught up a sheaf in each hand, and raced full tilt for the
+barn. There they piled up the sheaves against the wood-work, set fire
+to them and raced back again. Not a man of the party was touched,
+though both coming and going they ran through a hail of bullets. It is
+satisfactory to record that the barn burnt bravely and that the enemy
+retired with some rapidity. Later on, on November 6th, this same
+Grenadier, then a sergeant, gained the D.C.M. for another act of
+conspicuous gallantry.
+
+The British force had now been five days on the Aisne, and had lost an
+average of 2,000 men per day. On the 17th, one of the 2,000 to fall for
+his country was Captain Wright, R.E. He was only a unit--one out of a
+host that fell; but he stands out, both on account of the manner of his
+death and because only a short three weeks before he had gained the
+Victoria Cross for great gallantry during the destruction of one of the
+bridges over the Mons canal. On this occasion the 5th C.B. had to get
+across to the south side of the river. Now that further advance was for
+the time being out of the question, the north side of the Aisne was
+clearly no place for cavalry. So the 5th C.B. had to get back across
+the pontoon bridge at Vailly. The bridge itself and both banks were
+under shell-fire, but Captain Wright, who was responsible for the
+bridge, considered himself equally responsible for the safety of those
+who crossed. The casualties among the cavalry were not many; but there
+were some; and it was while helping one of these wounded men into
+shelter that Captain Wright was killed.
+
+On the night following, there was another gallant death among the
+Sappers. It was highly important to establish telephonic communication
+between the 9th Brigade on the north bank and Divisional Head Quarters
+on the south bank. There was no bridge and there was no boat. The river
+was swollen, sixty yards across and very uninviting. A private in the
+R.E. volunteered to try and swim across with a line; but he was a
+married man, and Lieut. Hutton, R.E., would not allow it. He himself
+took the line, plunged into the river, and very nearly got across, but
+was sucked under by the eddies and drowned.
+
+Another act this day which gained no Victoria Cross was that of Captain
+Everlegh, of the 52nd Oxford Light Infantry, who left the shelter of
+his trench to help a wounded animal, and was killed by a shell in so
+doing. It does not detract from the nobility of the act that the animal
+in question was only a pig.
+
+The German attack was still mainly confined to the right end of our
+line, where the Germans ceaselessly, and always unsuccessfully, tried
+to drive the 1st A.C. from the heights on which they had established
+themselves in the first day's fighting. The Germans lost very heavily
+in these attacks and our own casualties were far from light. On the
+20th the Aisne casualty list had mounted up to 561 officers and 13,000
+men. In order to make up deficiencies, the C. in C. decided to send up
+the 18th Brigade, out of the 6th Division, just arrived, to support the
+2nd Brigade on the extreme right of our line.
+
+The 18th Brigade, on its arrival, took up a position between the 2nd
+Brigade and the French, with the W. Yorks as its right-hand battalion.
+It was this battalion's first day's fighting, and its initiation was a
+particularly cruel one, for the French troops, who should have
+protected its right, coolly went away to their dinner, leaving the
+flank of the W. Yorks absolutely unprotected, with the result that they
+found themselves mercilessly enfiladed and driven from their trenches
+with considerable loss. The Sherwood Foresters, also in the 18th
+Brigade, were in reserve down a steep slope in rear of the W. Yorks
+trenches. They were lying down in groups, talking over the prospects of
+their first day in the fighting line, when the news of the disaster
+above reached them. Without waiting to get into any formation, they
+jumped to their feet and charged up the slope. The officers were so far
+ahead as to be conspicuous, and nearly half of their number fell, but
+the survivors charged home, and, supported by some of the 4th Dragoon
+Guards, dismounted, led by Major Bridges, they joined up with the W.
+Yorks and re-took the lost trenches. The French, returning hurriedly
+from their dinner, full of apologies for their absence, and anxious to
+make reparation, put in some useful work with the bayonet on our flank.
+
+This little affair cost us six hundred men, the Sherwood Foresters
+alone losing fourteen officers.
+
+Between September 20th and 25th the battle of the Aisne seemed on the
+high road to die of inanition. It had come in like a lion; it went out
+like a very small lamb. When we use the term "battle of the Aisne" we
+are, of course, talking parochially. The Aisne battle has now been
+raging for an indefinite number of months over a front of a hundred
+miles. For us, however, the meaning of the term does not extend beyond
+the four weeks during which British and German troops faced one another
+between Soissons and Bourg. This is the only battle of the Aisne we are
+at present concerned with, and this battle began to get very quiet and
+uneventful. The weather, however, took a turn for the better, the wind
+shifting round out of the north-west, and sunshine once more took the
+place of the bitter rain storms of the past fortnight.
+
+On the 25th, German activity was to some extent revived by the arrival
+of 200,000 reinforcements from Brussels and from the neighbourhood of
+Verdun. These came up by train by way of Liége and Valenciennes, and
+were distributed at various points along the enemy's right. The Verdun
+troops were reported very weary. The stimulus afforded by the arrival
+of these new troops was, however, merely sporadic, and from the point
+of view of public interest the Aisne battle may be said to have shot
+its bolt. Its waning days were, however, illuminated by one individual
+act of such remarkable courage that the history of the Aisne period
+would scarcely be complete without it.
+
+On the morning of the 28th, while the 2nd Coldstream were on the left
+of the 4th Brigade at what was known as the Tunnel post, the men of
+Captain Follett's company were sent out in a very thick mist to
+reconnoitre. It was a risky undertaking, for the German lines were very
+close. Suddenly the mist lifted, and two out of the three were
+instantly shot, the third getting home with only a graze. As leaving
+them where they lay meant fourteen hours' exposure before they could be
+got in under cover of darkness, Pte. Dobson volunteered to try and get
+them in at once. The undertaking appeared on the face of it an absolute
+impossibility, as it involved crossing a good deal of open ground in
+full view of the enemy. However, Dobson crawled out and managed to
+reach the men, one of whom he found dead, and the other wounded in
+three places. He applied first-aid dressings and then crawled back. A
+few minutes later he crawled out again, this time in company with
+Corpl. Brown, the two men dragging a stretcher between them on which
+the wounded man was placed and dragged back into safety, none of the
+three being hit. It need scarcely be added that Dobson got the Victoria
+Cross for this most remarkable performance, Corpl. Brown being awarded
+the D.C.M.
+
+Towards the end of September operations in the Champagne country, as
+has been said, were beginning to stagnate. The Aisne had ceased to be a
+battlefield on which contending forces strove for position, and met in
+open shock on the downs, or in the beet fields. It had degenerated into
+a scene of mutual siege, where, in parallel lines of trenches, two
+armies were content to sit down and block progress. In view of the
+steady decrease in the distance between the hostile trenches, artillery
+operations had gradually assumed a more or less complimentary character
+and the game of war became restricted to sniping and construction work.
+With each succeeding day the position became more and more aggravated
+as trenches were made deeper and more secure, and entanglements of all
+kinds reduced still further the possibility of surprise or assault. For
+the soldier on duty such operations have but little interest; for the
+historian or the student of war they have none. We may, therefore, turn
+without reluctance to the more general situation, which by now was
+rapidly beginning to develop in interest.
+
+The end of September and the beginning of October found both the
+Germans and the Allied Armies extending their flanks westward. As
+growing familiarity with the trench system of warfare began to make it
+clear to both sides that no further progress was possible by means of
+direct pressure, the German and Allied leaders began to scent a more
+favourable outlet for their energies on the western flank of
+operations, where--and where only--a roadway still lay open. The
+gradual shifting of German troops westward, or, to be more accurate,
+north-westward, could have no meaning but that of an attempt to force
+their way into France along the flat plains of Western Flanders; and
+no sooner was such an intention made plain than a corresponding
+movement was made by the Allies in an endeavour to forestall the enemy
+and envelop his flank before he could extend it. It was clear that the
+German move postulated the speedy capture of Antwerp, as the fall of
+that fortress was a necessary preliminary to any extended movement
+along the Belgian seaboard. A considerable British force was in
+process of being sent to Antwerp, and in addition to this force, the
+7th Division and 3rd Cavalry Division were landed at Zeebrugge on
+October 7th, with a view to co-operating either with the Antwerp
+troops or with the main Allied Army as circumstances dictated.
+
+A consideration of these several important factors in the situation
+suggested to the C. in C. the desirability of entrusting the western
+extension movement, in the first instance, to the British Army at the
+moment occupying the Aisne trenches. Not only would such an exchange of
+positions greatly increase the facilities for bringing up supplies and
+for communications generally with England, but, in the event of the
+co-operation of the 7th and 3rd Cavalry Divisions, it would have the
+advantage of putting that detached body of troops in touch with the
+left of the main British Army and so of consolidating the command.
+
+General Joffre at first demurred, on account of the obvious objections
+attending the transfer from one set of troops to another of trenches
+situated so very close to those of the enemy as were ours on the Aisne,
+such transfer only being possible at night and under the strictest
+precautions. The C. in C, however, was insistent, and in the end the
+French General was persuaded that the advantages of the plan outweighed
+the drawbacks. There can be no question now but that the judgment of
+the C. in C. was fully endorsed by the event.
+
+The transfer of troops was begun on October 3rd, on which day the
+cavalry set out by road for Flanders, and two days later the 2nd A.C.
+started entraining for St. Omer at Pont Ste. Maxence and Soissons.
+Nothing could have been more auspicious than the start of the cavalry
+as they turned their backs on the Aisne valley. The heavy rains of
+mid-September had been succeeded by a spell of magnificent weather, and
+on the morning of the 3rd it was at its best. The sun shone out of a
+clear sky, and, slanting over the backs of the men as they rode, fell
+full on the wooded slopes above Le Moncel and Chivres, where the tints
+of autumn were already beginning to show among the green. Below, down
+the valley, the winding Aisne showed up here and there, reflecting back
+the blue of the sky. The spirits of all ranks were in tune with the
+weather and the scene. Trench warfare offers no opportunities to
+cavalry--as cavalry--and the change westward at any rate carried with
+it the promise of increased action.
+
+
+
+
+MANOEUVRING WESTWARD
+
+
+General Foch, with his Head Quarters at Doulens, at this time commanded
+all the French troops north of Noyon, and the Flanders plan of campaign
+was arranged between him and the C. in C. as follows: The 2nd A.C. was
+to occupy the canal line from Aire to Béthune, and the 3rd A.C. on
+arrival was to extend that line northward. The road running from
+Béthune to Lille was to be the dividing line between French and
+British, and the aim of the British force was to be to wheel to the
+right and so menace the flank of the Germans facing the 21st French
+Army Corps under General Maistre. The 7th Division and the 3rd Cavalry
+Division from Belgium were to co-operate in this general wheeling
+movement as circumstances permitted.
+
+This scheme, as things turned out, was destined to be entirely upset by
+the fall of Antwerp on October 9th. For the first week it worked
+admirably, and the cavalry patrols and infantry outposts opposed to us
+fell back--as had been anticipated--before our advance. Then German
+reinforcements began to come up. Four Army Corps were railed up from
+the eastern frontier, to which were presently added some 90,000 troops
+released by the fall of Antwerp.
+
+However, before these things happened, we had made some progress from
+our original line in an attempt to carry out the formulated scheme. On
+October 11th the detrainment of the 2nd A.C. was completed and Sir
+Horace moved his two divisions into position between Aire and Béthune.
+On October 12th the 3rd A.C, under General Pulteney, arrived at St.
+Omer and moved forward to Hazebrouck. The moment this Army Corps was in
+position Sir Horace made the first move in the contemplated sweep by
+pushing forward the 3rd Division, which was on the left of the 2nd A.C,
+with orders to cross the Lawe Canal, which the enemy was reported to be
+holding in force. The advance was carried out with but little serious
+opposition, except in the neighbourhood of the locks at Etroa, where
+the 2nd R. Scots in the 8th Brigade met with a stubborn resistance, in
+the course of which Lieut. Trotter was killed and Captain Croker (in
+command of the battalion) and Captain Heathcote badly wounded. The
+battalion, however, in spite of losses, continued to advance with great
+gallantry to the line of the canal, which Captain Tanner and Lieut.
+Cazenove, with the leading company, eventually succeeded in crossing by
+the lock-gates, an exploit for which the former received the D.S.O. and
+the latter the Military Cross. The defenders thereupon at once gave
+way, suffering heavily in their retirement from the rifle fire of the
+4th Middlesex on the right.
+
+On the following morning the 3rd Division advance was renewed, the
+brigade chiefly concerned being once again the 8th, in the centre. This
+brigade set out at 6.30, the Middlesex being on the right, the R. Scots
+in the centre, and the 1st Gordon Highlanders on the left.
+
+The country was dead flat, and the advance very slow owing to the
+innumerable water-dykes with which the country is intersected and which
+could only be crossed by means of planks or ladders borrowed from the
+farms.
+
+About midday the Middlesex captured the village of Croix Barbée and the
+R. Scots performed the same office by Pont de Hem, but shortly
+afterwards further advance was checked, the enemy being found in
+considerable force and strongly entrenched, and the country offering no
+sort of cover. The brigade, however, though unable to advance, refused
+to retire, and very fierce fighting ensued, in the course of which the
+enemy made two most determined counter-attacks, one on Lieut.
+Henderson's Company on the left of the R. Scots, and one on Captain
+Passy's Company on the left of the Middlesex line. Both these attacks
+were repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy, but the casualties on our
+side were also severe, Lieut. Henderson--who was awarded the Cross of
+the Legion of Honour for the great gallantry which he displayed
+throughout these operations--being badly wounded, and Captain Passy's
+Company being reduced to the dimensions of a platoon. By nightfall the
+R. Scots had lost, during the day, 9 officers and close on 400 men.
+Second-Lieuts. Hewitt, Kerr and Snead-Cox had been killed, and of
+Captain Morrison's Company all the officers and 175 rank and file had
+been either killed or wounded.
+
+The losses in the Middlesex were almost as severe, Lieut. Coles, among
+others, being killed and Major Finch and Captain Passy severely
+wounded. Both battalions, however, maintained their ground with the
+utmost determination.
+
+On the 14th some more of the actors in the approaching drama began to
+fall into their allotted places. The immortal 7th Division reached
+Ypres from Dixmude at midday and went into billets. The 3rd Cavalry
+Division arrived at the same time and from the same quarter, and split
+up, the 6th C.B. going to Wytschate and the 7th C.B. to Kemmel. The
+original Cavalry Brigades had now been re-organized, de Lisle taking
+over the 1st Division from Allenby, Gough retaining the second, and
+both divisions forming a "Cavalry Corps" under General Allenby. The 3rd
+Cavalry Division, on the other hand, had no part or parcel in this
+Cavalry Corps, being a separate and independent organization, under
+General the Hon. J. Byng.
+
+During the day the Cavalry Corps captured the high ground above Béthune
+after some stiff fighting, while the 3rd A.C. advanced and occupied
+Bailleul, which was found to be full of German wounded. The 9th Brigade
+on the left of the 3rd Division was still pushing ahead, but the 8th
+Brigade was found to have got too far in advance of the troops further
+north, who had the bigger sweep to make, and General Doran, the
+Brigadier, ordered the brigade to entrench where it was, the R. Irish
+Regiment under Major Daniell being brought up from reserve to fill the
+gaps made the previous day in the ranks of the 4th Middlesex and 2nd R.
+Scots.
+
+Sir Hubert Hamilton, the Divisional General, shortly afterwards came
+along on foot to inspect the trenches, disregarding warnings as to the
+great danger he was running. He proceeded on foot down the Richebourg
+Road, which was swept by shell-fire, in company with Captain Strutt,
+commanding the R. Scots, and was almost immediately killed by a shell,
+Captain Strutt being at the same time rendered unconscious. The
+General's A.D.C., Captain Thorp, ran forward and knelt by Sir Hubert's
+body, trying to screen it from the shells which were now falling
+thickly on the road. Captain Strutt shortly afterwards recovered
+consciousness, but was almost immediately severely wounded by another
+shell, and the command of the R. Scots devolved on Lieut. Cazenove.
+This battalion had now lost 15 officers and over 500 men in the last
+three days' operations, but its casualties were to a certain extent
+repaired by the timely arrival of a draft of 180 men and several
+officers from home.
+
+While the 3rd Division was thus pushing slowly ahead in the face of
+great natural difficulties, the 5th Division was being heavily engaged
+in the neighbourhood of Givenchy. Little forward progress was either
+asked for or expected from this division, the canal south of Givenchy
+having been, from the first, the selected pivot of the proposed
+wheeling movement. It was also a matter of common knowledge that the
+Germans were in far greater strength here than they were further north,
+the original idea of the wheeling movement having been, in fact,
+entirely based on the knowledge of the gradually diminishing strength
+of the German forces as they stretched northwards.
+
+The first regiment to take a conspicuous part in the terrific fighting
+which for three weeks raged round Givenchy was the Dorsets. This was
+on the 13th, _i.e._, on the same day on which the 8th Brigade made its
+advance to Croix Barbée and Pont de Hem.
+
+It was a miserable day, foggy and wet. The Dorsets were on the extreme
+right of our army, in a line of trenches on the low ground between
+Givenchy and the canal. The attack was pressed with great vigour by the
+enemy, and the 1st Bedfords, on the left of the Dorsets, were driven
+out of the village of Givenchy. The left flank of the Dorsets was now
+exposed to enfilading fire from the ridge on which Givenchy stands, and
+their position was distinctly precarious. Some of the left-hand
+trenches were all but surrounded, the enemy having pressed forward into
+the gap at Givenchy, and from thence bearing down on the flank of the
+Dorsets. That regiment, however, held on with the utmost tenacity and
+successfully defended its position against repeated and most determined
+attacks; but the position was distinctly critical, and it was felt to
+be essential that orders of some sort should be received from Brigade
+Head Quarters. The telephonic communication had unfortunately been cut
+and there was no means of getting a message through except by hand,
+which, in the circumstances, seemed an all but impossible undertaking.
+A private of the name of Coombs, however, volunteered to try, and on
+the outward voyage actually got through untouched, but on returning
+with the necessary orders he was shot clean through the chest, but
+continued running for another 200 yards till he had delivered his
+message.
+
+The orders received were that the Dorsets were to hold on, and this
+they continued to do, and with such good results that about 10 a.m. a
+long line of Germans was seen advancing with hands up and a white flag.
+The Dorsets left their trenches to accept this surrender and were
+instantly raked from end to end by concealed machine-guns from beyond
+the canal. These machine-guns had evidently been trained on the
+Dorsets' position in anticipation of that which actually happened,
+proving beyond any question that the whole thing was one carefully
+thought-out piece of treachery. The Dorsets being got fairly in line,
+and fully exposed to the concentrated fire of several machine-guns,
+literally fell in hundreds. Major Roper was killed and Col. Bols was
+shot through the back and actually taken prisoner, but in the
+subsequent confusion he managed to crawl away and rejoin what was left
+of his battalion. The most unsatisfactory part of the whole affair was,
+that if the French Territorials on the south side of the canal,
+_i.e._, on the right of the Dorsets, had been where they ought to
+have been, that which happened never could have happened; but instead
+of being up in line, for some unexplained reason they were a quarter of
+a mile behind.
+
+The loss, however, was limited--as a loss--to the treacherous massacre
+of several hundred gallant men, and the capture of two of the
+supporting guns. The Gunners, as usual, behaved with the utmost
+gallantry, but they too came under the same enfilading fire as the
+Dorsets and every man of the detachment except Captain Boscawen fell
+either killed or wounded. Two of the guns were captured, but, with
+this, the material advantage gained by the enemy began and ended, for
+the 1st Cheshires were brought up from reserve and, with their
+co-operation, the morning's line was re-occupied. The Cheshires,
+however, themselves suffered considerably, among their casualties being
+their C.O., Col. Vandeleur, who was killed while leading the attack.[3]
+
+        [3] Col. Vandeleur, while leading the Cheshires at Givenchy,
+        was _not_ killed as originally reported, but was wounded,
+        fell into the hands of the Germans and finally escaped to
+        England.
+
+On the 15th, as though in fury at the loss of their gallant General,
+the 3rd Division, now under the command of General Mackenzie, fought
+with a dash and determination which were irresistible. Their advance
+was continually checked by the country dykes, but, in spite of these
+hampering obstacles, the Germans were everywhere driven back with heavy
+loss. The 4th Middlesex and the 2nd R. Scots again did particularly
+good work, and, further north, in the 9th Brigade, the R. Fusiliers and
+the Northumberland Fusiliers gained high praise from the A.C. Commander
+for the vigour and activity with which they pushed forward in the face
+of strong opposition.
+
+Conneau's cavalry, filling the eight-mile gap between the two Army
+Corps, also made good progress, as did the 3rd A.C., on the left. In
+the case of the latter Army Corps the 6th Division succeeded in
+reaching Sailly without encountering serious opposition, while the 4th
+Division got as far as Nieppe. The 2nd A.C., in its attempt to wheel,
+had so far advanced its left flank three miles in the last four days at
+a cost of 90 officers and 2,000 men. It had, however, inflicted very
+heavy losses on the enemy.
+
+On the 16th the 3rd Division continued the wheeling movement with
+little opposition till it reached the village of Aubers, which was
+found to be strongly held, and where it was brought up short.
+
+So much for the present as regards the general movement forward of the
+four divisions of infantry working south of Le Gheir. The attempt to
+drive the enemy back was destined to prove abortive, but this was not
+generally recognized by October 17th, and the idea was still to push
+our troops forward. This general desire to advance soon communicated
+itself to the 15th Brigade, on the extreme right of the British line at
+Givenchy, which had so far been looked upon as the pivot on which the
+left was to sweep round, and on the morning of the 17th the brigade was
+ordered to push ahead. During the night of the 16th the 1st Devons had
+taken over the trenches just north of the canal in which the Dorsets
+had suffered such terrible casualties three days earlier. The 1st
+Bedfords were on their left, and on their right, of course, were the
+French Territorials south of the canal.
+
+At 5 a.m. on the morning of the 17th a great bombardment was
+concentrated upon Givenchy, and the Germans were soon shelled out of
+that place, which had been in their possession since the 13th. A
+general advance was thereupon ordered.
+
+As a precaution against the calamity which had overtaken the Dorsets,
+the Devons put one company on the south side of the canal. This company
+was in touch with the French Territorials--so long as these latter kept
+up in line, which, as it proved, was not for long. The advance was made
+under considerable difficulties, as the country afforded no natural
+cover, and the enemy was found to be in far greater force than had been
+anticipated. However, in spite of a most continued and stubborn
+resistance, the Devons, in obedience to orders, succeeded in advancing
+their position 1,000 yards, and held on there till dusk, waiting for
+the French Territorials on their right and the regiment on their left
+to come up into line. These, however, failed to arrive, and it soon
+became clear that for the Devons to remain isolated at the point to
+which they penetrated could only result in the capture of the entire
+battalion. Their retirement, however, in the circumstances, was a
+matter of extreme difficulty, the country being quite flat and entirely
+destitute of cover. The enemy were favoured by an exceptionally clear
+field for their fire, and all their attention was naturally focussed on
+the one battalion which had dared to push so far ahead. The men were
+sheltering as best they could in ditches and behind haystacks, of which
+there was fortunately a fair sprinkling. When the order came to retire
+some crept away under shelter of the hedges; others had not even this
+cover, and had to take their chance in the open.
+
+One detachment of some forty men were sheltering behind a large
+haystack in the open. They were quickly located, and shrapnel and
+machine-gun fire was concentrated on the haystack, which soon began to
+dwindle under the hail of missiles. Lieut. Worrall, who was one of the
+party, thereupon set fire to the haystack, and told the men to make a
+bolt for it singly, under cover of the smoke. This they successfully
+did, and with few further casualties--all but Sergt. Harris and another
+man, who were wounded and could not move. The haystack was now
+beginning to blaze fiercely and it was clear the men could not be left.
+Lieut. Worrall picked up Sergt. Harris and carried him 400 yards across
+the open to the shelter of the canal bank, where he left him. Then he
+went back for the other man.
+
+In the meanwhile the line further north was still making a certain
+progress. At Lorgies a party of the K.O.S.B. Cyclists, under Corpl.
+Wheeler, rode right into the enemy outposts. They promptly dismounted,
+and, opening fire, held the enemy for half an hour till the brigade
+(the 13th) arrived on the scene and captured the place. Still further
+north again Gen. Shaw and his 9th Brigade was as usual fairly active.
+About 4 p.m. the R. Scots Fusiliers and the Northumberland Fusiliers
+attacked and carried the village of Aubers with the bayonet, completely
+routing the occupying troops; and a little later the R. Fusiliers and
+Lincolns performed the same office by the village of Herlies.
+
+Aubers stands on the crest of the ridge which faces Neuve Chapelle.
+Herlies, on the other hand, lies at the foot of a long, gradual slope
+of open, cultivated land. The village was defended on the west side by
+a semi-circular line of trenches, protected by barbed wire
+entanglements. The defenders had also a Horse Artillery Battery and--as
+usual--a great number of machine-guns posted here and there in any
+suitable buildings. The two attacking battalions, on the other hand,
+were supported by a R.F.A. battery and a section of howitzers. These
+did admirable preliminary work, and at dusk the two regiments--Lincolns
+on right, R. Fusiliers on left--charged the trenches, carried them
+hot-handed and pursued the Germans into the village. Here further
+pursuit was unfortunately checked by the too great activity of our own
+artillery, but the position won was occupied and held for six days. The
+Lincolns, who were the chief sufferers, lost seventy-five men and two
+officers during this attack.
+
+Further north, Conneau's cavalry added their share to the day's work by
+capturing Fromelles, so that there was an appreciable advance all
+round, which would have been greater still had not the 7th Brigade,
+which was on the right of the 3rd Division, failed to take the village
+of Illies.
+
+The position then at night on the 17th was that the pivot point
+remained on the canal, south of Givenchy. From that point the line of
+the 2nd A.C. curved round behind La Bassée and through Violaines, after
+which it zig-zagged towards the north-east in an irregular salient, the
+3rd A.C. being thrown back on its left.
+
+Such was still the state of things on the morning of the 18th, when the
+Germans--having been reinforced during the night by the XIII. Division
+of the VII. Corps--made counter-attacks all along the line of the 2nd
+A.C. All these were repulsed with loss to the enemy, but our own line
+made no advance, the stumbling-block being still Illies, which
+continued to defy capture by the 7th Brigade.
+
+At dusk the undefeated 9th Brigade stormed and took the trenches one
+mile north-east of Illies, but as they were unsupported on either
+flank, they had to abandon the position and fall back. The 1st R. Scots
+Fusiliers did particularly good work on this occasion, and suffered
+correspondingly, Captain Burt and Lieuts. Cozens-Brooke, the Hon. J.
+Doyle, and Fergusson-Barton being killed, and six other officers
+wounded. In the meanwhile Conneau had advanced from Fromelles and
+attacked Fournes, but this attack failed.
+
+Meanwhile, in the Armentières district, the 3rd A.C. was making great
+efforts to play up to its allotted part in the wheel to the south, the
+4th Division being north of Armentières, the 6th Division south of it.
+The centre of interest was still to the south of Armentières, the
+concentration of German troops north of that town being still only in
+process of development. For the moment, then, we can neglect affairs
+further north, and follow the attempted wheeling movement of the troops
+south of Armentières to its furthest point east.
+
+On the afternoon of the 18th the 16th Brigade captured Radinghem, the
+two battalions chiefly concerned being the 2nd Lancs. and Yorks. and
+the 1st Buffs. These two battalions, who were on the right of the 6th
+Division, gallantly stormed and carried the village and then--in the
+impetuosity of success and enterprise--followed on beyond after the
+retreating Germans. Here, in pushing forward through an impenetrable
+wood, they suddenly found themselves swept from all sides by concealed
+machine-guns, which literally rained bullets on them. The casualties
+here were very high, the Lancs. and Yorks. alone losing 11 officers and
+400 men. Col. Cobbold and Major Bailey, however, who displayed the
+greatest coolness and courage throughout, succeeded in withdrawing the
+remains of the battalion in good order and getting it back to
+Radinghem.
+
+The two battalions, in spite of their heavy losses, retained possession
+of this village throughout the night, though--had the Germans
+counter-attacked in force--things might have gone badly with them, as
+they were two miles ahead of the rest of the division.
+
+
+
+
+FROM ATTACK TO DEFENCE
+
+
+It was now generally recognized that the wheeling movement originally
+contemplated was an impossibility. Between Armentières and Givenchy the
+3rd, 5th, and 6th Divisions, and Conneau's cavalry, which was acting
+with them, had opposed to them the II., IV., VII. and IX. German
+Cavalry Divisions, several battalions of Jägers, the XIII. Division of
+the VII. A.C., a brigade of the III. A.C., and the whole of the XIV.
+A.C., which had recently moved north from in front of the 21st French
+Army. They were therefore sufficiently outnumbered, even at this
+period, to put any idea of further advance quite out of the question.
+It now became merely a matter of holding on to that which they had
+got--if possible.
+
+The 2nd A.C. front, owing to the irregularity of the advance, was of a
+zig-zag character, and on the night of the 19th Sir Horace ordered a
+slight retirement so as to straighten out the line. It was quickly
+evidenced that this step was not taken a moment too soon, for on the
+following day the Germans, confident in the sufficiency of their
+numbers, attacked all along the line, and succeeded in re-capturing Le
+Pilly, and with it the whole of the R. Irish Regiment. This was
+something of a disaster, but luckily the attack was not equally
+successful elsewhere. The 1st Cheshires, though attacked with great
+vigour, held their ground unshaken throughout this day and the next,
+and inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. Two platoons of the R.
+Fusiliers, who were sent up to establish communication between Herlies
+and the R. Irish Regiment at Le Pilly, were caught in flank, owing to
+the capture of the latter place, and suffered severely, Captain Carey,
+in command, being killed.
+
+The 9th Brigade, which had throughout these operations been on the left
+of the 3rd Division, was now temporarily transferred to the 3rd A.C.,
+whose line, reaching as it did from Radinghem to Le Gheir, was
+considered by the C. in C. to be too thin for safety. The removal of
+this brigade had the effect of widening the gap between the 2nd and 3rd
+A.C.'s by a further four or five miles, and the responsibilities of
+Conneau's cavalry were correspondingly increased, the left of the 2nd
+A.C. now stopping short at Riez, which was held by the 1st Gordons. The
+weakening of the 2nd A.C. by the borrowing of one of its brigades and
+the capture of one of its battalions was made up to it in some measure
+by the arrival of the Lahore Division of Indians, under General Watkis,
+which took up a position in rear of it at Neuve Chapelle.
+
+With the additional assistance which had been lent him, Gen. Pulteney
+was everywhere successful in holding his ground. At one moment in the
+day the enemy succeeded in getting possession of Le Gheir, but as the
+loss of this place would have laid bare the flank of the cavalry at St.
+Yves, Gen. Hunter-Weston decided that it must be retaken at any cost,
+and the work was entrusted to the K.O. Regiment and the Lancs.
+Fusiliers. These two battalions, finely handled by Col. Butler, of the
+Lancs. Fusiliers, proved themselves quite equal to the call made upon
+them, and not only re-captured the lost trenches, but took 200
+prisoners and released 40 of our own men who had been captured.
+
+
+
+
+THE BIRTH OF THE YPRES SALIENT
+
+
+It is necessary now to turn for the moment to the scene further north,
+where a mild interest was beginning to be displayed in England in the
+war-clouds which were gathering round the picturesque and historical
+Flemish town of Ypres. It will be remembered that, on the 14th, Sir
+Henry Rawlinson, with the 7th Division and the 3rd Cavalry Division,
+had reached Ypres from Dixmude. On their first arrival, the 3rd Cavalry
+Division had been sent south of Ypres, the 6th C.B. going to Wytschate
+and the 7th C.B. to Kemmel; but as the Cavalry Corps under General
+Allenby gradually drew up from the direction of Béthune, the 6th and
+7th C.B. (3rd Cavalry Division) were withdrawn to the north side of
+Ypres, where they worked the ground between Zonnebeke and the Forêt
+d'Houlthust, filling, in fact--as well as might be--the gap between the
+French Cavalry to the north and the left of the 7th Division. This
+latter division, since its arrival, had pushed forward with little or
+no opposition to a convex position some six miles east of Ypres, which
+embraced the villages of Zonnebeke, Kruiseik and Zandvoorde. South of
+Zandvoorde there was a considerable hiatus, Allenby's Cavalry Corps,
+which had unexpectedly found itself opposed by the XIX. Saxon Corps and
+three divisions of German Cavalry, having not yet got into proper touch
+with the right of the 7th Division. This, however, in view of the fact
+that the 7th Division was on the outside of the wheeling movement, and
+had therefore the bigger sweep to make, was a matter of little moment,
+and one which would have speedily righted itself at a later stage, had
+the original plan been successfully carried through. A matter of more
+moment at the time was that the 22nd Brigade, on the left of the 7th
+Division at Zonnebeke, was considerably in arrear of the 20th Brigade
+at Kruiseik, whereas the converse should have been the case.
+Accordingly, in the early morning of the 19th, the 22nd Brigade was
+ordered to advance from Zonnebeke in the direction of the straight road
+connecting Roulers and Menin, so as to bring the left shoulder of the
+7th Division well forward. When this had been done, the 20th and 21st
+Brigade were to join in the general advance.
+
+[Illustration: Ypres and its surroundings.]
+
+The main idea on the extreme left of our line, at the moment, was to
+seize the bridge over the River Lys at Menin, and so impede the further
+advance of the German reinforcements which were being steadily railed
+up from the direction of Lille. In the event it turned out that the
+manoeuvre was impracticable owing to the insufficiency in numbers of
+the British force operating east of Ypres. This force, it will be
+understood, consisted, at the time, of the 7th Division alone,
+supported by two cavalry brigades on its left flank, whereas the
+Germans had by the 19th concentrated on the spot a force of five or six
+times this magnitude. However, in the intention lies the explanation of
+the subsequent Ypres salient. The original idea was strategically
+sound, but it was frustrated owing to the difficulty and consequent
+delay in concentration which accompanied the transfer of the British
+force from the Aisne to its new field of operation in Flanders. It was
+a race as to which army could concentrate with the greatest rapidity,
+and the Germans--having by far the easier task and by far the shorter
+road to travel--got in first.
+
+At 5 a.m., then, on the 19th, the 22nd Brigade set out from Zonnebeke
+on its forward movement, the 2nd Queen's on the left, the 1st R. Welsh
+Fusiliers in the centre, and the 2nd Warwicks on the right, the 1st S.
+Staffords being in reserve.
+
+This 22nd Brigade, as it turned out, was the only one in the 7th
+Division which was destined to do any fighting this day. The 20th
+Brigade, which was at Kruiseik, some couple of miles in advance of the
+22nd, never really came into action. As a matter of fact, they were in
+the act of deploying for an attack on Ghelowe about 11 a.m., when news
+was brought by an airman that two fresh German Army Corps had suddenly
+made their appearance, moving up from the direction of Courtrai. As far
+as this brigade was concerned, then, the original order to advance was
+cancelled, it being clearly impracticable for one division to take the
+offensive against four. By this time, however, the 22nd Brigade had
+advanced some six miles from Zonnebeke to the neighbourhood of the
+straight road and the parallel railway which connect Roulers and Menin.
+The news of the unexpected reinforcement of the enemy in front was duly
+communicated to General Lawford, commanding the brigade, and he at once
+ordered the retirement of his four battalions. This order reached the
+Queen's and the Warwicks about 11.30, but did not penetrate through to
+the R. Welsh Fusiliers, who accordingly pressed on towards Ledeghem,
+quite ignorant of the new development, or of the fact that they were
+unsupported by the battalions on either flank. Ledeghem was found to be
+very strongly occupied, and on reaching the high road from Roulers to
+Menin, just short of the railway, the battalion found itself not only
+attacked in force from in front, but at the same time enfiladed from
+the direction of the main road on the left, and very heavily shelled
+from Keselburg on the right front. To this artillery fire there was no
+response whatever from our own gunners, who, it is to be presumed, were
+in ignorance of the single-handed advance of the R. Welsh Fusiliers,
+and had withdrawn with the rest of the brigade. The German artillery
+accordingly had it all its own way, and their shrapnel played havoc in
+the ranks of the gallant Welshmen. Nine officers[4] had already fallen
+when at 1.20 the order to retire reached the C.O. The order now was
+that the battalion was to withdraw to a ridge in rear, near the
+windmill at Dadizeele, and there act rear-guard to the rest of the
+brigade. This order was carried out without any great further loss, the
+enemy showing no disposition at the moment to advance, and eventually
+the brigade reached Zonnebeke in the dusk of the evening.
+
+        [4] In this engagement Captain Kingston, Captain Lloyd, Captain
+        Brennan and Lieut. Chance were killed, and Major Gabbett,
+        Captain St. John, Captain Skaife and Lieuts. Jones and Naylor
+        were wounded.
+
+Throughout that night a constant stream of refugees passed through
+Zonnebeke on their way westward from Roulers, which was burning. These
+were all subjected to examination, but their number was too great to
+make close examination possible, and that many spies got through among
+them is unquestionable.
+
+It very soon became apparent that the newly-arrived German troops had
+no intention of letting the grass grow under their feet. During the
+night they had put behind them the six miles which separate Ledeghem
+from Zonnebeke, and at eleven o'clock on the morning of the 20th they
+started bombarding the latter place. Once more fate elected that the R.
+Welsh Fusiliers should stand in the path of the attack. They were now
+on the left of the 22nd Brigade, and they were attacked not only from
+the direction of the road, but from their left flank, which was very
+much exposed, the line of the cavalrymen north of the road being even
+more extended than that of the 7th Division. However, in spite of
+everything, they held their ground with great determination throughout
+this day and the next. Their losses, however, were again very severe
+indeed. This was, in fact, the first of the 7th Division battalions to
+undergo that gradual process of annihilation which was destined in time
+to be the fate of all. The extreme tension of the situation at
+Zonnebeke was in some part relieved by the arrival on the scene, during
+the night, of the 4th (Guards) Brigade, who took over the ground north
+of the Zonnebeke road from the cavalry. This brigade formed part of the
+1st A.C. which had arrived at St. Omer from the Aisne on the 17th and
+18th, and had been billeted outside Ypres on the night of the 19th.
+
+The question as to how best to dispose of this 1st A.C. was an
+extremely delicate one. The numerical weakness of the Cavalry Corps,
+holding the Wytschate and Messines line, suggested strongly that it
+would be of the greatest use in that area. On the other hand was the
+very grave danger of the Allies' left flank being turned by the sudden
+advance of fresh German forces north and east of Ypres, of sufficient
+strength to break through the very thin line guarding that quarter. In
+this dilemma, the C. in C., with consummate judgment, decided to send
+Sir Douglas Haig's Army Corps to the northern side of Ypres. The wisdom
+of this step became apparent on the very next day, that is on the day
+when the 22nd Brigade advanced to the Roulers-Menin road, and were
+forced back by the unexpected appearance of two Army Corps whose
+presence was unknown to our air-scouts. These fresh German forces as we
+have seen, pursued the 22nd Brigade as far as Zonnebeke, and there
+attacked our line with the utmost determination on the 20th and 21st.
+On the first of these two days, the brigade, as already described,
+managed to hold its own--though at great sacrifice--but the German
+attacking force was all the time being augmented, while our defensive
+force, owing to continuous losses, was getting weaker; and it is hardly
+conceivable that the enemy's advance could have been checked for
+another twenty-four hours, except for the timely arrival of the 1st
+A.C.
+
+As soon as the destination of this corps had been decided on between
+the C. in C. and Sir Douglas Haig, the latter hurried forward the
+Guards' Brigade to the assistance of the 7th Division, and these--as
+has already been explained--came up into line on the left of the R.
+Welsh Fusiliers on the night of the 20th, and were unquestionably very
+largely instrumental in preventing something in the nature of a
+_débâcle_ on the 21st.
+
+On that morning the enemy renewed the attack in great force at
+daybreak, and kept up a succession of violent assaults till four in the
+afternoon. The Welsh Fusiliers were again in the very path of the
+attack, but the presence of the Guards' Brigade on their left, north of
+the Zonnebeke road, just made the difference. With this backing, they
+successfully held out from daybreak till 4 p.m., by which time their
+trenches had been wholly annihilated and a retirement became necessary.
+Their difficulties were increased by the giving out of their
+ammunition, but the situation was to some extent saved by the gallantry
+of Sergt.-Drummer Chapman, who brought up fresh supplies under a very
+heavy fire. Another Welsh Fusilier who won great distinction during the
+day was Pte. Blacktin, who was awarded the D.C.M. for the continued
+heroism with which he attended to the wounded throughout the two days'
+fighting. Of these there were now, unfortunately, only too many, the
+Welsh Fusiliers having--in three successive days' fighting--lost 23
+officers and 750 men. Their retirement in the evening was assisted by
+the 2nd Queen's, who (with the exception of one company, which was away
+to the right, supporting the Northumberland Hussars between the 22nd
+and 21st Brigade) were in the second line. This battalion too suffered
+severely during the operations, Lieuts. Ingram and Ive being killed,
+and Major Whinfield, Lieuts. Heath, Haigh, Williams and Gabb wounded.
+They effectively, however, checked the further advance of the enemy. By
+a piece of good fortune the S. Staffords, on the right of the Welsh
+Fusiliers, were also in a position to give the advancing Germans a very
+bad time. They had a body of expert shots posted in the upper windows
+of St. Joseph's school, from which point of vantage they were able to
+get the Germans in flank. The school was being shelled all the time,
+but was not hit. During the night which followed, however--a night of
+exceptional darkness--the Germans found an opportunity of pushing
+forward round the left flank of the S. Staffords, but without
+succeeding in dislodging them, till an order arrived at four o'clock in
+the morning for their retirement, as they were ahead of the line.
+
+In the meanwhile the Guards' Brigade, north of the road, had not been
+idle, and it is not too much to say that, except for the arrival of
+this brigade in the very nick of time, the position would have been
+very nearly desperate. As it was, however, their presence at once made
+itself felt. The fire of the S. Staffords from the right, the Guards'
+Brigade from the left, and the 2nd Queen's from in face, was more than
+the German advance was prepared at the moment to push forward against,
+and it came to a standstill. The Guards' casualties were considerable,
+especially in the case of the 3rd Coldstream, who had the Hon. C. Monck
+and Lieut. Waller killed, and Colonel Feilding, Lieut. Darrell and
+Lieut. Leese wounded. Lord Feilding was given the D.S.O. for
+conspicuous gallantry on this occasion. The 52nd Oxford Light Infantry,
+acting with the Guards' Brigade, proved in every way worthy of the
+association, and fully lived up to its great fighting reputation.
+Amongst those who particularly distinguished themselves in this
+regiment during the fight were Lieut. Spencer, Corpl. Hodges and Pte.
+Hastings.
+
+In the events of these three days is to be found the origin of the
+singular bulge, or--in military parlance--salient, which throughout
+October characterized the disposition of our forces east of Ypres. By
+the unexpected appearance to our front of 80,000 fresh German troops,
+our contemplated progress eastward had perforce to be replaced, on the
+spur of the moment, by a grim determination to hold on as long as
+possible to the ground we had already won. This was, no doubt, a
+natural desire, but its fruit was unsound.
+
+On the evening of October 21st the position was that the 21st Brigade
+at Becelaere and the 20th at Kruiseik and Zandvoorde were still very
+considerably ahead of the 22nd, which, as we have seen, had been driven
+back to Zonnebeke. North of Zonnebeke the line of the 1st Division fell
+still further back, facing, in fact, very nearly due north, while south
+of Zandvoorde there was no line at all, the 7th Division here ending in
+space, for reasons already given. Later on the 3rd Cavalry
+Division--when released from its duties north of Zonnebeke--were
+detailed for the duty of keeping up the communication between
+Zandvoorde and the Cavalry Corps far back at Hollebeke, Wytschate and
+Messines, but even so, the line they occupied fell back almost at
+right angles from our true front, and was a constant source of anxiety.
+For a General voluntarily to relinquish ground already won is probably
+the supreme act of renunciation, at the same time it is obvious that
+three sides of a square are longer than the fourth side, and therefore
+require more men for their defence, and it is no exaggeration to say
+that between October 20th and 26th the Ypres salient bore a perilous
+resemblance to three sides of a square.
+
+The timely arrival of the 1st A.C. had undoubtedly saved the situation
+for the moment, as far as the German attempt to break through at
+Zonnebeke was concerned, but the position was still one for the very
+gravest anxiety. Even with the addition of the 1st A.C. we had only
+three infantry divisions and two cavalry brigades with which to defend
+the entire front from Bixschoote, due north of Ypres, to Hollebeke,
+nearly due south of it. From Bixschoote to Hollebeke, as the crow
+flies, is a matter of some eight miles, but, as our front at that time
+jutted out as far as Becelaere, six miles east of Ypres, it may be
+reckoned that the frontage to be defended was not less than sixteen
+miles in length. The strength of the enemy--that is to say, of the
+force which was immediately pressing forward at this moment on the
+Ypres frontage--may be approximately reckoned at 100,000; and had the
+German General at this juncture pushed his forces along all the main
+avenues to Ypres, it is difficult to see how he could have been held
+back. The line of defence was ridiculously extended--extended indeed
+far beyond the recognized limits of effective resistance, and there
+were no reserves available with which to strengthen any threatened
+spot. Every fighting man was in the long, thin line that swept round in
+that uncomfortable curve from Bixschoote to Hollebeke. The 89th French
+Territorial Division was, it is true, in general reserve, at
+Poperinghe, but this division was composed entirely of untried troops
+who could in no sense claim to be comparable to the French regulars.
+The 87th French Territorial Division, again, had as much as it could do
+to attend to its own affairs north of Ypres, and was not to be counted
+on as a source of reinforcement.
+
+From this time on, the whole of our line north of the Zonnebeke road
+was gradually taken over by the 1st A.C., the 6th and 7th C.B., who had
+so far been responsible for that section of the front, being thereby
+released and retiring to Hooge, from which point, for the time being,
+they acted as a kind of mobile reserve--the fan-like arrangement of
+roads which branches out eastward from Ypres enabling them to be sent
+with the least possible delay to any threatened point on the front.
+
+For purposes of descriptive clearness, it may perhaps be pardonable,
+even at the risk of labouring the point a little, to call attention
+once more to the fact that the British force in Flanders now consisted
+of two distinct and separate armies, which we may call the North and
+South Army. The South Army was made up of the 2nd A.C., the 3rd A.C.,
+and the 19th Brigade, and was supported by Conneau's cavalry, which
+operated between these two Army Corps, and by the Lahore Indians in
+rear. The line of this army extended as far north as Le Gheir, or,
+rather, let us say, Ploegsteert, to which place the left of the 3rd
+A.C. shortly withdrew.
+
+The North Army consisted of the 1st A.C. and the 7th Division,
+supported by the 3rd Cavalry Division, and the southernmost point in
+its charge at the moment was Hollebeke, or, to be more precise, the
+canal which turns off sharply towards Ypres just north of Hollebeke.
+The eight miles gap between the North Army and the South Army was held
+by the Cavalry Corps under Allenby.
+
+The terrific fighting, then, of the end of October and beginning of
+November may be considered as taking place in three distinct sections,
+viz.--the South Army, the Cavalry Corps, and the North Army. The
+latter, it may be added, had the 89th French Territorial Division in
+support, and Gen. Bidon, with the 87th French Territorial Division, on
+its left, north of Ypres.
+
+The fact that the 1st A.C. had arrived on the scene absolutely at the
+psychological moment in order to avert disaster, was made abundantly
+clear, not only by the effective support which the 2nd Division of that
+Army Corps was able to lend north of the Zonnebeke road on the 21st,
+but also by the immediate demand which arose further south for the
+services of the released 3rd Cavalry Division. These two Cavalry
+Brigades, it will be remembered, had been replaced on the night of the
+20th by the 2nd Division, who had taken over their position north of
+the Zonnebeke road.
+
+At 1 p.m. on the following day, that is, at the same time that the
+Welsh Fusiliers were being so fiercely attacked along the Zonnebeke
+road, news arrived that Gough's 2nd Cavalry Division was being very
+hard pressed, and had been forced to fall back on Messines. This left a
+gap, or--to be more accurate--widened the gap on the right of the 7th
+Division at Zandvoorde, and the 6th C.B. (10th Hussars, Royals, and 3rd
+Dragoon Guards) were sent off to fill it, as well as might be, by
+occupying the two canal crossings north of Hollebeke. This they did
+with success, and the 10th Hussars and 4th Hussars (from the 3rd C.B.)
+even attacked the Château de Hollebeke itself, but were unable to take
+it, on account of its being still under fire from our own artillery.
+Later on in the evening, however, it was felt that the line south-west
+of Zandvoorde was dangerously open, and the 6th C.B. was shifted in
+that direction, the 10th Hussars at 3 o'clock in the morning taking
+over the Zandvoorde trenches from the 2nd Scots Guards in the 20th
+Brigade. The 7th C.B. went into reserve at St. Eloi, where it remained
+for the night. In the meanwhile the C. in C. had sent up the 7th Indian
+Brigade to help support Gough.
+
+This transfer of the Zandvoorde trenches into the keeping of the 3rd
+Cavalry Division was the first abridgement of the immense frontage
+(from Zonnebeke to south of Zandvoorde) held by the 7th Division. From
+this time on, till the moment when they were permanently abandoned, it
+will be found that these Zandvoorde trenches were in the occupation
+either of the 6th C.B. or the 7th C.B. They formed the most dangerous
+position in the whole line of defence, being in the form of a
+promontory which jutted out defiantly into the enemy's country. The 3rd
+Cavalry Division suffered very severely during its nine days' defence
+of these deadly trenches, the 10th Hussars, who were perhaps the worst
+sufferers, losing on the very first day of occupation Col. Barnes,
+Major Mitford and Captain Stewart.
+
+
+
+
+THE STAND OF THE FIFTH DIVISION[5]
+
+
+In the meanwhile, further south, at and around Givenchy, a situation
+was developing which in point of dramatic interest, and as a test of
+indomitable resolution, bid fair to rival the defence of Ypres. From
+Givenchy to Le Gheir the 2nd and 3rd A.C. had now definitely assumed
+the defensive, and the story of how that defence was maintained in the
+face of overwhelming odds, and under conditions of extreme difficulty
+and fatigue, is one of which Britain may ever be justly proud.
+
+        [5] 13th, 14th and 15th Brigades.
+
+The 21st French Army was, throughout these La Bassée operations,
+responsible for the ground up to the canal south of Givenchy. From that
+point the 5th Division took up the line; then came the 3rd Division,
+then the 6th, and finally, with its left resting on Le Gheir, the 4th
+Division. Behind the 5th and 3rd Divisions were the Indians.
+
+Between Le Gheir and Zandvoorde, which we may take as the southernmost
+point of the arm of Ypres, was Allenby's Cavalry Corps.
+
+In the case of the South Army, as with the Army of Ypres, the impetus
+of the first advance had carried our troops to a line which was only
+afterwards maintained under great strain, in the face of the masses of
+troops which the enemy were gradually concentrating in this particular
+area. La Bassée and Ypres became, for the time being, the two points on
+which German attention was specially riveted. With the avowed intention
+of breaking through to Calais by one or other of these routes, troops
+were being systematically railed up from the east and massed along the
+Belgian frontier. It was officially computed that by October 20th there
+were 250,000 German troops north of La Bassée, and that by the middle
+of November that number had been increased to 750,000.
+
+The fact that it was the British Army which stood between this vast
+mass of armed men and its projected advance was in all probability not
+entirely a matter of chance. If the attempt to break through either at
+Ypres or La Bassée had succeeded, the little British force would either
+have been wiped out, or hopelessly disgraced in the eyes of its allies.
+In either case the prestige of England would have received a rude
+shock; and, with a German base established at Calais, she would have
+been in imminent danger of losing something more than prestige.
+
+The fact, then, that the Kaiser's selected road to Calais or Paris, as
+the case might be, lay through the thirty miles of front held by the
+British troops, was in all probability part of a carefully-thought-out
+plan. One factor in the case, however, had been overlooked, or at least
+under-rated, viz.--the indomitable tenacity of the British soldier in
+the face of difficulties. Of this essentially British quality the
+Germans had as yet had no practical experience. At Mons and Le Cateau
+we had dropped back before their onslaughts--dropped back, it is true,
+in obedience to orders, and in conformity with a pre-arranged plan.
+Still, we had dropped back. At the Aisne there had been no serious
+attempt on the part of the enemy to break through our lines. Such had
+not been part of the German programme at the moment. It was therefore
+not wholly unnatural, that the very thin British line between Givenchy
+and Ypres, should have been reckoned at German Head Quarters as being
+penetrable at any point where sufficient pressure was brought to bear.
+
+In the face of beliefs such as these, the stone-wall resistance put up
+by our three war-worn Army Corps must have been a source of equal
+astonishment and exasperation to the wire-pullers in Berlin. To the
+Britisher it must always bring a thrill of justifiable pride. Many of
+the regiments engaged were technically "annihilated." Their officers
+went; their senior N.C.O.'s went; they were worn to the last stage of
+mental and physical exhaustion by sleeplessness, and by unceasing
+digging and fighting. And still they held on. There were no "hands
+uppers" among these men from Britain. We gave ground, of course, both
+in the La Bassée area and at Ypres. In the latter case a withdrawal of
+some kind was dictated by every consideration of military prudence. The
+original bulge was a danger from every point of view, and with no
+compensating advantage. It thinned our line and laid us open at all
+times to the risk of enfilading attacks from north and south.
+
+At La Bassée, too, we had got too far ahead, and from the military
+point of view we lost nothing by falling back a few miles. But from the
+three points in the line of vital strategical importance, Givenchy,
+Ploegsteert and Klein Zillebeke, we were never driven. Those points
+were held on to with a stubborn determination which nothing could break
+through; and to the battalions on whose shoulders fell the main weight
+of this burden is due the homage of all who stayed at home. It is not
+suggested that there was an entirely uniform standard of excellence
+throughout all the units engaged. Any attempt to make such a
+representation would be a gross injustice to those battalions which
+stand out, and which have for ever immortalized themselves, and the
+honour of British arms, by an indomitable resistance which can find few
+parallels in the history of war.
+
+But at first we got too far ahead at La Bassée as at Ypres, and this
+soon became very clear. During a thick fog on the morning of the 21st,
+some of the 5th Division were driven out of their trenches; and in lieu
+of making any attempt to retake the trenches so lost, Gen. Morland--who
+on Sir Charles Fergusson's promotion had taken over command of the
+division--thought it advisable to readjust the entire line.
+
+Further north, just east of Fromelles, the 19th Brigade had also to
+give ground. They fought all through this day with great gallantry, but
+their losses were very heavy, and, in spite of all efforts, by evening
+they had been forced back over a mile. The Argyll and Sutherland
+Highlanders were specially conspicuous on this occasion; they fought
+with indomitable valour, and it was only with the greatest reluctance
+that in the end they obeyed the order to abandon their trenches. In
+Sergt. Ross's platoon eighty per cent. had been killed or wounded, but
+the gallant sergeant still refused to give way.
+
+This succession of small reverses was, of course, disappointing in view
+of the anticipations of the week before, but they brought home to all
+concerned a thorough realization of the change of outlook. This was
+still further emphasized by the shifting northwards of the 3rd A.C., a
+step which was rendered necessary by the obvious inadequacy of the
+Cavalry Corps numbers for the frontage allotted to it. By this move
+that frontage was appreciably shortened, but the gap between the 2nd
+and 3rd A.C. was correspondingly widened, and the difficulty of
+Conneau's gallant but highly tried corps of cavalry was proportionately
+increased. The effect on the Frenchmen was at once felt, these being
+driven out of Fromelles on the following afternoon with very heavy
+loss. On the same afternoon the 5th Division again suffered severely.
+The Cheshires were driven out of Violaines, and the Dorsets--terribly
+thinned though they had been by the fighting of the 13th--seeing them
+hard pressed, left their trenches and dashed up in support, but the
+odds were too heavy and both were driven back with loss. The Germans
+thereupon occupied Rue du Marais, a little village on the northern
+slope of the Givenchy ridge, but their advantage was short-lived, for
+they were promptly counter-attacked by the Manchesters and Worcesters
+and driven out again.
+
+In the meanwhile the Devons had been forced to fall back some two miles
+from Canteleux, which they had now occupied for three days, to
+Givenchy, the former place having been formed into an untenable salient
+by the withdrawal of the troops on either flank.
+
+In the evening General Morland told Sir Horace that the 5th Division
+was completely worn out with constant digging and fighting, and that he
+doubted whether they could withstand another attack. The 2nd A.C. had
+already in the last ten days lost 5,000 men, to which the 5th Division
+had contributed more than its share. This division had, in fact, from
+first to last had a most trying time. It had borne the brunt of the
+fighting at Le Cateau, and at the Aisne it had struck what proved to be
+by far the most difficult crossing. It had subsequently throughout the
+Aisne fighting been forced to occupy trenches in the low ground by the
+river, which were throughout dominated by the German artillery on the
+heights beyond. Then, within one week of leaving the Aisne trenches,
+they were once more engaged in ceaseless battling day and night against
+superior numbers, for on the several battalions of this division in
+turn devolved the paramount duty of holding the Givenchy position at
+all costs.
+
+That night Sir Horace motored twenty-five miles over to St. Omer to
+explain the situation to the C. in C., who was most sympathetic and
+promised that he would send all that he could spare of the Lahore
+Indians to be at Estaires at eight o'clock next morning, with a rider
+to the effect that they were not to be used except in emergency, as
+they were destined for other work. As a matter of fact they were not
+used, the 5th Division proving equal to the occasion without foreign
+assistance.
+
+Throughout the 23rd, 24th and 25th the Germans continued to attack
+Givenchy with the utmost persistence, but without succeeding in
+dislodging the Devons. That gallant regiment, however, was becoming
+very weak in officers. During their three days at Canteleux, Captain
+Chichester and Lieut. Ridgers had been killed, and Col. Gloster and
+Lieut. Tillett wounded. Then on the 24th, Lieut. Ainslie was killed,
+and on the following day Captain Besley and Lieut. Quick were killed,
+the latter while running to the next regiment to tell them that the
+Devons meant holding on and that they must do the same. On the 20th
+they relieved the Manchesters at Festubert. The latter regiment, during
+its occupation of Festubert, had held its difficult position with
+magnificent determination and had won two Victoria Crosses, 2nd Lieut.
+Leach and Sergt. Hogan being each awarded the Cross for valour.
+
+On the following day, the whole line in the neighbourhood of Festubert
+was subjected to a particularly infernal shelling, every known species
+of missile being hurled against it. The Devons stood firm through it
+all, but the regiment on their left--an Indian regiment for the first
+time in the firing line--found it too much for them, and after having
+lost most of their officers they retired, their trenches being at once
+occupied by the enemy. This made the position of the Devons very
+precarious. With as little delay as possible the reserve company of the
+regiment under Lieut. Hancock and Lieut. Dunsterville was brought up,
+and with great gallantry the company attacked and drove the Germans out
+of the right-hand section of the lost trenches, the 58th Vaughan Rifles
+at the same time retaking the left-hand section. Both Lieut. Hancock
+and Lieut. Dunsterville were killed during the charge, and Lieut.
+Ditmas thereupon took over command of the company, but he himself was
+subsequently killed, after displaying conspicuous gallantry. On the
+31st, as a part of the general process of transfer, the Devons were at
+length relieved, after sixteen days of almost continuous fighting. They
+received a great ovation from the other troops on their withdrawal.
+Lieut.-Col. Gloster was given the C.M.G. and Lieut. Worrall the
+Military Cross. Other officers who showed conspicuous ability and
+daring were Lieuts. Lang, Prior and Alexander. Sergt.-Major Webb, who
+on several occasions had given proof of remarkable courage and
+coolness, got the D.C.M., as also did Lance-Corpl. Simmons and Pte.
+Worsfold, the latter of whom greatly distinguished himself by carrying
+numerous messages at Festubert after the telegraphic communication was
+cut.
+
+We have now, however, got considerably ahead of the general situation,
+from which we digressed on October 22nd in order to keep in touch with
+the position at and around Givenchy. We must therefore once more take
+up the thread at that date.
+
+During the 23rd, 24th and 25th there was no movement of marked
+importance in the southern area, but continuous attacks all along the
+line still further reduced the number and vitality of the 5th
+Division, and by the evening of the 25th it was rapidly becoming
+evident to all concerned that the condition of that division, and
+indeed of the entire 2nd A.C. in greater or less degree, was extremely
+serious. The casualties of this Army Corps since its arrival in
+Flanders now amounted to 350 officers and 8,204 men, and those that
+survived were in a state of extreme exhaustion both mental and
+physical.
+
+Sir Horace summoned General Maude, Col. Martyn (who had taken over
+the command of the 13th Brigade when Col. Hickie had been invalided
+home on October 13th), and Count Gleichen, the three Brigadiers of
+the 5th Division, to meet General Morland, and all agreed that the
+situation was very grave indeed, and that human endurance was nearly
+at the breaking point. General Maude (14th Brigade), however,
+reported that Col. Ballard was determined to hold the canal trenches
+with the Norfolks to the last gasp, and that the Devons next the
+Norfolks at Givenchy were equally resolute, though terribly thinned
+by casualties. All, however, agreed that however willing the spirit
+might be, the flesh was too weak to make any prolonged resistance.
+The Generals themselves were well-nigh worn out with the ceaseless
+strain, and with want of sleep, their nights being largely occupied
+in motoring hither and thither for purposes of consultation with
+other commanders. Two or three hours' sleep in a night was a luxury.
+Luckily the Germans--accurate as their information usually was--seem
+to have failed to realize the extreme exhaustion of the troops facing
+them at this part of the line, otherwise the history of events might
+have been different.
+
+
+
+
+NEUVE CHAPELLE
+
+
+The 3rd Division had perhaps, if anything, been so far less highly
+tried in the way of ceaseless fighting against odds than the 5th
+Division, but any deficiency in this respect was fully made up to them
+by the fighting at Neuve Chapelle on the 25th, 26th and 27th.
+
+This very costly three days' fighting opened on the night of the 25th,
+during a heavy downpour of rain which succeeded a beautiful day, by a
+furious attack, from the neighbourhood of the Bois de Biez, on the left
+of the 7th Brigade and the right of the 8th Brigade. This wood, which
+played a prominent part in these three days' fighting, lies about half
+a mile to the south-east of Neuve Chapelle, in the centre of the
+equilateral triangle formed by that place, Aubers and Illies. The
+Germans advanced out of the wood with great courage and with every
+appearance of meaning business, but the 7th Brigade and the 15th Sikhs,
+who had taken over from Conneau's cavalry the day before, managed to
+stand their ground, and in the end drove the enemy back with very heavy
+loss, though themselves suffering severely, the Sikhs, who fought
+superbly, alone losing 200 in officers and men.
+
+The 8th Brigade was not so fortunate, the R. Irish Rifles, who were the
+right-hand battalion, being driven out of their trenches, which lay
+north of the La Bassée road on the east side of the village. The
+situation for the moment was critical, but the lost trenches were very
+gallantly retaken by the 4th Middlesex, led by Col. Hull, and the 4th
+R. Fusiliers. The latter battalion suffered considerably in the
+operation, Lieuts. Hope-Johnstone and Waller being killed. This
+battalion had now only 200 men left. The whole of the 9th Brigade, in
+fact, had been reduced to mere skeletons. This brigade (Shaw's) had a
+magnificent record behind it.[6] From the time when, at Mons, it had
+borne the brunt of the German attack and put up such a magnificent
+defence, it had never failed in any task for which it had been called
+upon; and it is possible that its great fighting reputation and the
+cheerfulness with which it undertook any duty assigned it, coupled with
+the undoubted military talents of its Brigadier, had earned for it
+rather more than its fair share of difficult and dangerous work. During
+the past fortnight it had fought with great gallantry and with
+invariable success, and during that short period it had lost 54
+officers and 1,400 men.
+
+        [6] 4th R. Fusiliers, 1st R. Scots Fusiliers, Northumberland
+        Fusiliers and the Lincolnshire Regiment.
+
+On the following day the attack was renewed, the Germans suddenly
+swarming once again out of the Bois de Biez opposite, and the R. Irish
+Rifles were again driven in, their trenches being at once occupied by
+the enemy, many of whom entered the town and remained there throughout
+the day.
+
+The 7th Brigade on the right and the 9th Brigade on the left now had
+the Germans wedged in between them. The Northumberland Fusiliers (the
+old Fighting Fifth) on the right of the 9th Brigade, now found the
+position untenable in the weak numerical condition to which they had
+been reduced, and they were compelled to withdraw to the western side
+of the town. During this withdrawal, which was carried out in excellent
+order, Corpl. Fisk found time to extinguish some flames which were
+enveloping the limber of one of our guns--a gallant act performed under
+very heavy fire for which he was given the D.C.M.
+
+On the night of the 26th the position at Neuve Chapelle was a curious
+one. The enemy were in possession of all the trenches on the north-east
+side of the town, but on the south-east side the Wiltshire Regiment,
+the R. West Kents, the K.O.Y.L.I. and the East Surrey were still
+holding their ground, in advance of the town. The rest of the 3rd
+Division were thrown back behind the town.
+
+About 11 a.m. on the 27th the usual morning attack was made on the
+Wiltshire Regiment, whose left flank was now, of course, quite
+unprotected, and by noon they too had been forced to retire, the
+Germans in great numbers following closely on their heels. The position
+of the R. West Kents was now most precarious, as they had the enemy on
+three sides of them, and it seemed inevitable that they must follow the
+example of the several regiments on their left, who had been
+successively forced to give way. Such, however, was not their opinion,
+and, undismayed by the apparent hopelessness of their position, they
+promptly set about preparing a defence which proved to be one of the
+most remarkable of the campaign. Major Buckle, who was in command, on
+seeing the Wiltshires forced back, at once made his way to the left of
+his battalion in order to reorganize the formation so as to meet the
+altered conditions, but he was almost immediately killed, Captain
+Legard being killed at the same time and Lieuts. Williams and Holloway
+wounded. All the company officers on the left flank were now down, but
+the new movement was carried out under the direction of Sergt.-Major
+Penny and Sergt.-Major Crossley, the reserve company wheeling to its
+left, while the left of the firing line threw back its flank, so as to
+present a convex face to the position now occupied by the enemy. All
+this was carried out under a murderous fire. In this formation the
+battalion held on till the evening, when our troops in rear of the town
+counter-attacked with momentary success. This success was mainly
+brought about by the 47th Sikhs and the 9th Bhopal Regiment, who made a
+fine dash into the town from the direction of Croix Barbée, the
+first-named regiment showing great courage, but they both suffered
+heavy losses from the ubiquitous German machine-guns in the houses. At
+the same time three groups of the French Cyclist Corps made an attack
+from the Pont Logis side. The impetus of these combined attacks drove
+the Germans back for the time being, and indeed for the whole of that
+night, but their concealed machine-guns continued to play havoc in the
+ranks of the assailants, and in the early morning of the 28th the
+attacking force had to fall back, the Germans once more re-occupying
+the town.
+
+The position of the R. West Kents was now as bad again as ever, and
+once more half the battalion had to face about to its left flank and
+rear. The execution of this movement again took its toll of officers,
+Captain Battersby and Lieut. Gore being killed, and Lieut.
+Moulton-Barratt wounded. The battalion had now lost twelve out of the
+fourteen officers with which it had gone into these trenches, 2nd
+Lieut. White and 2nd Lieut. Russell alone being left, and on these two
+it now devolved to maintain the spirit of the corps. The remarkable
+position had by this time developed that practically the whole of Neuve
+Chapelle was in the hands of the enemy, with the exception of the
+little south-east corner by the La Bassée road, which was still
+stubbornly held by the undefeated R. West Kents. On the other side of
+the La Bassée road, and in the angle which that road makes with the
+Richebourg road, the K.O.Y.L.I. were still standing firm with the East
+Surrey beyond them, but these last two regiments were not so hardly
+pressed, the main attack being always on the eastern side of the main
+La Bassée road.
+
+We must now take a glance at the Neuve Chapelle position from the
+larger military point of view. The counter-attacks on the 27th had
+failed mainly owing to the exhaustion and insufficiency of the troops
+employed. The place, however, being of considerable strategic
+importance (to us), the Divisional Head Quarters determined that it
+could not be left in the hands of the enemy, and an attack on a more
+important scale was therefore organized for the following day. Sir
+Horace motored across at night and saw General Conneau, who told him
+that in addition to the six hundred Chasseurs already in the line, he
+could lend him a regiment of dismounted cavalry and nine batteries of
+artillery. The C. in C. also sent him the 2nd C.B. under Col. Mullens,
+of which the 4th Dragoon Guards arrived on the evening of the 27th, the
+9th Lancers and 18th Hussars during the early part of the night. The
+whole were placed under the command of General McCracken of the 7th
+Brigade, to whom the details of the attack on the following day were
+entrusted.
+
+At 8 a.m. on the 28th, some two hours after the Indians and French
+cyclists had been forced to retire, proceedings were started with a
+general bombardment of the village. This was a matter of some little
+delicacy on account of the position still held by the R. West Kents and
+K.O.Y.L.I., and the difficulty was not made lighter by the fog which
+lay thick on the plain in the early hours of the morning. In the
+circumstances the accuracy of the French artillery was remarkable. The
+north side of the village was given a great bombardment, and at eleven
+o'clock the sun came through, the fog cleared, and the infantry attack
+began. The artillery had now played its part, but, to assist in the
+assault, one gun of the 41st Battery was pushed forward to the junction
+of the Armentières and La Bassée roads. From this point of vantage it
+was able to work considerable execution on the German infantry massed
+in the north-east corner of the village, but, as an inevitable
+consequence, was itself singled out for special attention on the part
+of the enemy. At the same time, as the attack became more general, its
+sphere of usefulness became greatly circumscribed, and finally Lieut.
+Lowell, who was in command, resolved to make an attempt to report the
+position to his C.O. with a view to getting further instructions. To do
+this, however, it was necessary to leave his shelter and negotiate a
+hundred yards of bullet-swept road. He was hit almost at once, but kept
+on his way till a second bullet brought him down in the road. A gunner
+of the name of Spicer thereupon ran out to get him under cover, but was
+himself at once knocked over, and subsequently died. Bomb. Bloomfield
+then went out to the assistance of his officer and comrade, and was
+fortunate enough to get them both under cover without himself being
+wounded.
+
+In the meanwhile, the infantry attack was gallantly pressed home, the
+47th Sikhs and the 2nd C.B. (on foot) fighting splendidly from street
+to street. In spite of all, however, the attack once more failed, and
+at 5 p.m. the Germans were still in possession of the village, always
+excepting the one small corner still held by the R. West Kents and
+K.O.Y.L.I.
+
+The anticlimax of the whole thing, and a cause for reflection as to the
+objects for which modern armies fight one another, is furnished by the
+fact that in the evening the Germans quietly vacated the town,
+apparently realizing--after the sacrifice of some 5,000 men--that the
+position was either untenable, or was not worth the cost of keeping.
+Our losses in the last day's fighting alone amounted to 65 officers and
+1,466 men. The heroes of the three days' fighting were of course the R.
+West Kents, who immortalized themselves by a performance which in many
+ways must be unique. The two surviving officers, 2nd Lieuts. White and
+Russell, were each awarded the D.S.O., and were, in addition, the
+subjects of some particularly flattering remarks on the part of Sir
+Horace. The two Sergt.-Majors above referred to were each given the
+D.C.M., as also was Sergt. Stroud and Pte. Alison. At 2 a.m. on the
+29th, the battalion was finally relieved by the Seaforths, having lost
+over 300 men in the Neuve Chapelle trenches.
+
+This affair of Neuve Chapelle marks the close of the 2nd A.C.
+operations in the La Bassée district. On the 31st the British troops
+began to be formally relieved by General Willcocks and his Indians.
+This corps had now been augmented by the arrival of the Ferozapore
+Brigade, to be followed almost immediately by the Secunderabad Cavalry
+Brigade and the Jodhpur Lancers. By 10 a.m. on the 31st the transfer of
+positions was complete, and Sir Horace and his gallant but war-worn
+A.C. withdrew to Hazebrouck. A certain proportion of the 2nd A.C. was
+afterwards called upon to support General Willcocks, but for the most
+part we shall, in the future, find them co-operating with the 1st A.C.
+and the 7th Division in the neighbourhood of Ypres.
+
+As far, then, as this record of events goes, we may now bid farewell to
+the fighting area between Armentières and La Bassée, and follow
+exclusively the events east and south of Ypres. These were destined to
+develop into a succession of battles, in which small numbers of British
+troops successfully opposed large numbers of German troops, and the
+details of which furnish, in the words of Sir J. French, "one of the
+most glorious chapters in the annals of the British Army."
+
+
+
+
+PILKEM
+
+
+Having now taken a permanent farewell of the fighting in the La Bassée
+area, with a view to following uninterruptedly the more exciting
+situation which had gradually been developing around Ypres it becomes
+necessary once more to pick up the thread of the northern doings where
+it was dropped.
+
+It will be remembered that on Oct. 19th, 20th and 21st there had been
+very fierce fighting in and around Zonnebeke, where the enemy made
+persistent efforts to break through to Ypres--efforts which were
+frustrated by the timely arrival of the 1st A.C. on the night of the
+20th, This Army Corps during the night took over the entire line from
+Bixschoote to Zonnebeke, and on the 21st the Guards' Brigade, on the
+right of this line, was able to contribute largely to the repulse of
+the German attack.
+
+On the 22nd the pressure was shifted to the left of the 1st A.C. line,
+the 1st Brigade being attacked in great force at Pilkem from the
+direction of Staden. The Germans advanced to their attack with the
+utmost determination and with a complete disregard of danger, singing
+"_Die wacht am Rhein_" and waving their rifles over their heads. The
+focus-point of the attack was the position occupied by the Camerons,
+who eventually, by sheer weight of numbers, were driven back, but not
+before they had taken an appalling toll of the enemy, 1,500 of the
+latter being found dead upon the ground the following day.
+
+General Lomax, commanding the division, had no idea of leaving the
+enemy in peace to enjoy this temporary triumph, and at nine o'clock on
+the same evening the 2nd Brigade, which was billeted some eight or nine
+miles to the south at the village of Boesinghe, received orders to
+retake the lost trenches. The R. Sussex regiment was left at Boesinghe,
+but the remaining three battalions, viz., the 1st Loyal N. Lancashires,
+the 2nd K.R.R. (60th) and the 1st Northamptons, set out and marched all
+night to the little village of Pilkem, which was reached at 5 a.m.
+
+The brigade, which had had no food all night, was given no time for
+rest or breakfast, but was ordered to attack the trenches at once. In
+the brigade order of October 28th, dealing with this action, General
+Bulfin, the Brigadier, singles out the 1st Loyal N. Lancashire Regiment
+for special praise. It may, therefore, be allowable to confine our
+description of the action to a brief review of the part played by this
+battalion, which, it will be remembered, had behaved with such
+remarkable gallantry at the battle of Troyon.
+
+At 6 o'clock, in the dim light of an autumn morning, the brigade set
+out from Pilkem. The lost trenches lay more or less parallel to the
+Bixschoote to Langemarck road, a mile to the north of Pilkem. The
+attacking troops advanced in line, the K.R.R. being on the left, the
+Loyal N. Lancashires in the centre, with the Northamptons on the right.
+The 2nd S. Staffords and the 1st Queen's (from the 3rd Brigade) were in
+support. In this order they advanced to within 300 yards of the
+trenches, where they began to come under a very heavy rifle fire. Major
+Carter,[7] commanding the L. N. Lancashires, decided to charge at once
+with the bayonet, and he sent a message to this effect to the K.R.R. on
+his left, asking them to advance with him. This, however, they were
+unable to do, and Major Carter accordingly decided to attack alone.
+Captain Henderson, with the machine-gun section, pushed forward to a
+very advanced position on the left, from which he was able to get a
+clear field for his guns, and the battalion formed up for the attack.
+Captain Crane's and Captain Prince's companies were in the first line;
+the other two were in support. The order to fix bayonets was given; a
+bugler sounded the "Charge," and with loud cheers the battalion dashed
+forward, and in less than ten minutes had carried the trenches and
+cleared them of the enemy. Six hundred prisoners were taken, a number
+which might have been increased but that further pursuit was checked by
+our own artillery.
+
+        [7] Major Carter, D.S.O., was killed on November 10th, 1914. He
+        was the third O.C. the Loyal N. Lancs, to be killed in action,
+        Col. Lloyd having fallen on September 14th and Col. Knight at
+        the battle of the Marne.
+
+During this most gallant charge on the part of the Loyal N.
+Lancashires, the Queen's and Northamptons on the right advanced and
+occupied the inn at the cross-roads, where the road from Pilkem joins
+the main road to Langemarck.
+
+The victory was now complete. The L. N. Lancashires lost 6 officers and
+150 men killed and wounded. They won, however, very high praise from
+the Brigadier and from General Lomax, the Divisional General. Captain
+Henderson was awarded the Military Cross for
+
+    "conspicuous gallantry and ability on Oct. 23rd, when, with his
+    machine-gun detachment, he performed most valuable services in the
+    final attack and charge, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. He
+    pushed his guns close up to a flank, and helped in a great degree
+    to clear the enemy's trenches."
+
+One cannot convey a sense of the really remarkable nature of this
+performance better than by quoting the words of General Bulfin in the
+G.O. already referred to. "In spite," it says, "of the stubborn
+resistance offered by the German troops, the object of the engagement
+was accomplished, but not without many casualties in the brigade. By
+nightfall the trenches previously captured by the Germans had been
+re-occupied, about 600 prisoners captured, and fully 1,500 German dead
+were lying out in front of our trenches. The Brigadier-General
+congratulates the L. N. Lancashires, the Northamptons and the K.R.R.
+but desires especially to commend the fine soldierlike spirit of the L.
+N. Lancashires, which advancing steadily under heavy shell and rifle
+fire, and aided by its machine-guns, were enabled to form up within a
+comparatively short distance of the enemy's trenches. Fixing bayonets,
+the battalion then charged, carried the trenches, and then occupied
+them, and to them must be allotted the majority of the prisoners
+captured. The Brigadier-General congratulates himself on having in his
+brigade a battalion which, after marching the whole of the previous
+night, without food or rest, was able to maintain its splendid record
+in the past by the determination and self-sacrifice displayed in this
+action."
+
+
+
+
+THE SECOND ADVANCE
+
+
+The 2nd Brigade remained in the position it had captured for
+twenty-four hours, when it was relieved by the French. In fact during
+the night of the 23rd and the morning of the 24th the entire line from
+Bixschoote to Zonnebeke, which the 1st A.C. had taken over from the 3rd
+Cavalry Division three days earlier, was in turn taken over from them
+by the French, a Division of the 87th Territorials relieving the 1st
+Division between Bixschoote and Langemarck, and the 18th Corps of the
+9th French Army taking the place of the 2nd Division from Langemarck to
+Zonnebeke.
+
+The 1st Division went into reserve at Ypres, whilst the 2nd Division
+moved down to its right across the Zonnebeke road, and took over the
+position of the 22nd Brigade, which also went back into reserve with
+its numbers sadly thinned by the fighting of the last three days.
+
+On the following night the 1st Division came up on the right of the 2nd
+Division and took over the line from west of Reutel to the Menin road,
+thus relieving the 7th Division of any further responsibility north of
+that road.
+
+This proved to be the final shuffle of the Ypres defence force, and the
+positions now taken over proved--broadly speaking--to be permanent. It
+will be well, therefore, for a thorough understanding of what followed,
+that these positions should be clearly fixed in the reader's mind. They
+were as follows: North of the Zonnebeke road the French had now taken
+over entire charge. From the Zonnebeke road to a point near the
+race-course in the Polygon wood, west of Reutel, was the 2nd Division;
+on its right, reaching to the Menin road, was the 1st Division, and
+from the Menin road to Zandvoorde the 7th Division, with the 3rd
+Cavalry Division in the Zandvoorde trenches. So far, so good. Our line
+was everywhere strengthened and consolidated. Between Zonnebeke and
+Zandvoorde three divisions now occupied the ground hitherto held by the
+three brigades of the 7th Division; but, on the other hand, fresh
+German troops were daily arriving in their thousands at Roulers and
+Menin, and though the line of our resistance might be stronger, the
+pressure of attack was correspondingly increased.
+
+The shortening and thickening of our line was not, as events proved,
+accomplished one moment too soon, for on the morning of the 24th the
+British position was attacked all along its length with a determination
+which could hardly have been withstood by the attenuated line of a week
+before.
+
+The 2nd Battalion of the Warwickshire Regiment accomplished a fine
+achievement on this morning. At dawn they were marched away from
+Zonnebeke to retake the trenches south of Reutel out of which the
+Wiltshire Regiment had been shelled. The operation entailed an advance
+of a mile over ground which was constantly under fire. The final act
+was the rushing of the German position, the nucleus of which was a
+small detached farm-house in which were several machine-guns. Col.
+Loring, who had already been wounded, himself led this last charge and
+fell dead in the act. The house, however, was captured and the whole
+German position rushed and occupied, the enemy being driven out with
+very considerable loss. The Warwicks lost 105 men and several officers.
+
+Almost at the same moment a very similar act, in many respects, was
+performed by Captain Dunlop's company of the 1st S. Staffords, which it
+will be remembered had been detached from its battalion on the 21st for
+the support of the Northumberland Hussars. Here again a farm-house
+bristling with machine-guns had to be rushed, and here again in the
+very moment of victory the leader fell dead.
+
+These single company engagements were a special characteristic of the
+fighting at this period. Owing to our scarcity of men, it was seldom
+that an entire battalion could be spared for purposes of support, and
+single companies were consequently sent hither and thither to do the
+work of battalions--to fill gaps, strengthen weak spots, and even--as
+sometimes happened--to retake lost positions and drive back parties of
+the enemy which had broken through. A case in point on this very
+morning of October 24th was that of No. 4 Company 1st Grenadier Guards.
+The circumstances here were that the Germans had succeeded in breaking
+through the right flank of the 21st Brigade, and, as serious
+consequences threatened, a counter-attack was ordered to be made by
+Major Colby with No. 4 Company of the Grenadiers, who were at the time
+on the left of the 20th Brigade. The undertaking in this case was an
+extremely difficult and dangerous one, both on account of the numerical
+insufficiency of a single company for the task assigned it, and also
+because the attack entailed the negotiation of our own barbed wire
+entanglement. This entanglement, it need scarcely be said, was under a
+very constant fire from the enemy, making the undertaking, on the face
+of it, almost a hopeless one. However, it was done. The Grenadiers
+crawled through, over or under the wire, reformed on the far side,
+charged and drove the enemy back once more to their own lines. The
+losses of the Grenadiers were very severe, and, as in the case of the
+other two companies, the leader, Major Colby, fell dead at the head of
+his men. Lieut. Antrobus was also killed and Captain Leatham was
+severely wounded. In the meanwhile the 5th Brigade had been brought up
+from reserve and completed the rout of the enemy.
+
+On the same morning the 6th Brigade, which had taken over the position
+of the 22nd Brigade south of the Zonnebeke road, began pushing forward
+with the ambitious view of re-occupying the advance trenches originally
+held by the 7th Division along the Paschendael--Becelaere road. The 1st
+Berkshire Regiment, under Col. Graham, was on the left of the brigade
+next the road, with the King's Regiment on its right, the other two
+battalions being in support. In this formation the brigade now advanced
+with such dash and vigour as completely to outstrip the troops to right
+and left. The woods in front were full of Germans; every yard gained
+had to be fought for, and there were considerable casualties, Col.
+Bannatyne, of the King's, being amongst those killed. However, the
+brigade made its point and got into the old trenches, but as the French
+on the north side of the road had not succeeded in making the same
+progress, the position was a precarious one, and two companies of the
+Berkshire Regiment had to be thrown back almost at right angles, that
+is to say, parallel with the road, in order to cover the half mile
+which separated them. The performance of this regiment was a distinctly
+meritorious one, several guns being captured as well as prisoners, and
+it was duly recognized as such in high quarters, Lieut. Nicholson and
+Lieut. Hanbury-Sparrow getting the D.S.O. for their conduct on this
+occasion, while Sergt.-Major Smith, Sergt. Taylor and Pte. Bossom were
+awarded the D.C.M.
+
+The push and enterprise of this regiment on the 24th roused the
+activity and emulation of the whole division, which, on the following
+morning, was ordered to advance against Reutel. The attack opened with
+a furious bombardment of that place by our artillery, and in the
+afternoon the 4th Brigade was ordered to clear the Polygon wood, the
+object now being to bring up the 4th and 5th Brigades in line with the
+6th.
+
+The 4th Brigade advanced with the Irish Guards and 2nd Grenadiers in
+the front line, the two Coldstream battalions being in support. Night
+fell before any great advance could be made. The night was one of
+torrential rain, which the troops passed in the extremity of misery
+waiting for the dawn. The attack was then resumed, the 2nd Coldstream
+coming up into line between the Irish Guards and the Grenadiers. Later
+on the 3rd Coldstream were also brought up into line on the right of
+the Grenadiers. The 5th Brigade was on the right of the 4th. Good
+progress was made, and the line with the 6th Brigade having been
+established, the men dug themselves in at dusk. This wearisome but
+highly necessary step had hardly been completed before a furious
+counter-attack was made at 10 p.m. It was, however, repulsed with loss,
+and the 2nd Division, cold, wet and weary, remained unmolested for the
+rest of the night.
+
+This successful advance on the 26th was--as far as this chronicle is
+concerned--the last act of the 4th (Guards) Brigade as an integral
+unit. From this time on, the 2nd Grenadiers and the Irish Guards will
+be found acting quite independently in another part of the field, under
+the command of Lord Cavan, while the 2nd and 3rd Coldstream remained in
+the Polygon wood trenches under Col. Pereira. Later on these two
+Coldstream battalions were joined by the remnant of the 1st Battalion
+from the 1st Brigade, so that the regiment was, in fact, consolidated.
+It is important in view of subsequent events to keep this clearly in
+mind. The Coldstream--with the exception of the 1st Battalion--will not
+again appear in these pages as actors in the great Ypres drama. But
+though not directly under the limelight, the rôle allotted to them
+henceforth was probably as trying as that to which any regiment could
+be subjected. For twenty-two consecutive days from the date of the
+advance they occupied the Polygon wood trenches. In the case of the 3rd
+Battalion these trenches zig-zagged along the eastern edge of the wood,
+while the 2nd Battalion trenches ran through the wood itself and were
+straight. In each case the general lie was north and south, in contrast
+to the trenches of the 6th Brigade on their left, which faced
+north-east, making, in fact, the first bend back in the Ypres salient.
+These Polygon wood trenches proved most abominably wet even for
+Flanders, the neighbourhood abounding in springs which kept them half
+full of water even in dry weather. Here the Coldstreamers stayed
+unrelieved for over three weeks, up to their knees in water, under
+ceaseless shell-fire, and sniped at with horrible precision on every
+occasion when they raised their heads. To add to the unpleasantness of
+the position, the woods in front were thick with unburied Germans, from
+which the whole atmosphere was polluted. Luckily during the whole of
+their tenure the wind blew from westerly quarters, which while it
+brought abominably wet weather, nevertheless blew the tainted air in
+the direction of the enemy.
+
+
+
+
+THE FIGHTING AT KRUISEIK
+
+
+While four of the Guards' battalions were thus pushing their way
+through the Polygon wood near Reutel, the two Guards' battalions in the
+20th Brigade were enacting a small drama of their own at the village of
+Kruiseik, south of the Menin road. Here two companies of the Scots
+Guards, and the King's Company, 1st Grenadiers, had been posted in some
+advance trenches east of the village in the direction of the country
+road running from the village of Vieux Chien to Werwick. About 8.30 at
+night these advance trenches were attempted by peculiarly German
+methods. Through the intense darkness that reigned that night, and
+through the torrential rain, the enemy crept up close to our lines with
+the aid of every device known to twentieth century warfare. Some said
+they had come to surrender, others said they were the S. Staffords, and
+others again called appealingly for Captain Paynter, who was, in actual
+fact, in command of the right-hand of the two Scots Guards companies.
+That officer's response, however, took the form of a well-directed
+fire, and the friendly inquirers departed with some haste. Lord Claud
+Hamilton (1st Grenadiers), who was in charge of the machine-gun
+section, was also undeceived by the friendliness of the visitors, and
+his maxims contributed to the haste of their departure. This officer
+had now been seven days and nights, unrelieved, in the machine-gun
+trenches, and the coolness and resource which he displayed during that
+period gained for him the D.S.O. He was relieved early on the morning
+following this night attack by an officer of the Scots Guards, who was
+killed the same day.
+
+The inhospitable reception of the enemy above described made the night
+attack a distinct failure as far as Captain Paynter's company was
+concerned. The left-hand trenches were less fortunate. It may be that
+they were more unsuspecting, or perhaps the British accent of the
+figures advancing through the darkness was purer on the left than on
+the right. In any event a report reached the battalion headquarters in
+rear about nine o'clock that these trenches had been rushed and all the
+occupants killed. On receipt of this news the two reserve companies of
+the Scots Guards were sent up under Major the Hon. H. Fraser to
+investigate, and if necessary to retake the lost trenches. These two
+companies filed silently through the main street of Kruiseik, keeping
+close under the shadow of the houses on either side. Not a light was
+burning, and not a sound was to be heard.
+
+At the far end of the village Major Fraser halted the column, and went
+forward alone to try and get in touch with Captain Paynter in the
+right-hand forward trenches, and find out from him what the truth of
+the matter really was. He managed after a time to find that officer,
+who assured him that not only were his own trenches still uncaptured,
+but that he had every intention of keeping them so. As to the trenches
+on his left he knew nothing. With this information Major Fraser made
+his way back to the east end of the village, where he had left his men.
+He decided to investigate for himself the truth as to the left-hand
+trenches, and, accordingly, accompanied by Lieut. Holbeche, in the
+capacity of guide, and forty men, he crept down the cinder track which
+led from the road to the trenches in question. The trenches were in
+absolute silence, and he was beginning to doubt the story of their
+occupation, when suddenly a flashlight was turned on to his party, a
+word of command rang out, and a volley broke the stillness of the
+night. Major Fraser gave the word to charge, and the little party
+dashed forward with fixed bayonets, but they were shot down before the
+trenches were reached. Major Fraser was killed and Lieut. Holbeche
+severely wounded, and of the whole party only four returned.
+
+In the meanwhile the rest of the two companies which had been waiting
+at the end of the village street noticed a light in a house standing by
+itself in the fields. Lord Dalrymple and Captain Fox held a
+consultation and decided to surround it. When this was done, Sergt.
+Mitchell, with great courage, went up to the door and knocked. It was
+flung open and he was at once shot dead. The house, however, was well
+surrounded, and all within it were taken prisoners. They numbered over
+two hundred, including seven officers, and they were promptly sent to
+the rear under escort. Further back, however, the prisoners were
+transferred to the custody of some of the 2nd Queen's, and the Scots
+Guards escort rejoined the two companies at the end of the village,
+whereupon the lost trenches were attacked and re-captured, and
+connection once more established with Captain Paynter.[8] This was not
+effected without considerable further loss. In addition to those
+already mentioned, Lieuts. Gladwin and Dormer were killed, and Col.
+Bolton, Lord Dalrymple, Captain Fox, Lord G. Grosvenor, and the Hon. J.
+Coke were all wounded, and, in the darkness of the night, fell into the
+enemy's hands. The 2nd Scots Guards in all lost nine officers during
+this night's fighting. On the following day the battalion was ordered
+to abandon the Kruiseik trenches, and was taken back into reserve,
+mustering only 450.
+
+        [8] Captain Paynter and Captain Fox got the D.S.O. for their
+        share in the night's work.
+
+The withdrawal of the 2nd Scots Guards from the trenches east of
+Kruiseik, which it had cost them so dearly to hold, marks the first
+step in our retirement from the advanced position we had taken up,
+following the forward movement of October 19th, and consequently the
+first step in the straightening out of the salient bulge. They were not
+replaced, and this ground passed permanently out of our hands.
+
+The King's Company, 1st Grenadiers, which, it will be remembered, were
+also posted in the advance trenches east of Kruiseik, by some means
+failed to receive the order to withdraw, with the result that, on the
+afternoon of the 26th, they found themselves absolutely isolated, and
+cut off from their army by the better part of half a mile. The
+position, on the face of it, appeared absolutely hopeless, as the
+Germans were by this time in occupation of the village of Kruiseik
+itself. However, as the Guards, like the Samurai, do not surrender
+while yet unwounded, they faced the situation, and actually fought
+their way back through the main street of the village. The Germans had
+machine-guns in the windows of the houses, but for once in a way these
+weapons were less effective than usual, and in the evening the company
+rejoined its battalion, considerably thinned in numbers, but
+triumphant. Lieut. Somerset was the only officer killed during this
+retirement.
+
+The night of the 25th was a bad one in every way for the 20th Brigade,
+and the wastage of life owing to the darkness, and the rain, and the
+impossibility of distinguishing friend from foe, is not good to think
+upon. Here is another instance.
+
+The 1st S. Staffords were attached for the moment to the 20th Brigade,
+to which brigade they were acting reserve. Before the Scots Guards had
+recovered the lost trenches, that is to say, while these and the
+buildings in rear of them were still in the occupation of the enemy,
+Captain Ransford was ordered up with a platoon of the S. Staffords to
+reinforce the firing line. In carrying out this order he came under
+fire both from the Germans in front and from our own troops in rear,
+and the whole detachment was practically wiped out. Captain Ransford
+himself, with great courage, went forward alone through the
+impenetrable darkness to try and sift the position, and discover who
+was who, but he fell in the attempt and was seen no more. There is
+consolation in the probability that losses owing to mistaken identity
+were not confined to our side.
+
+The 1st S. Staffords during the confused and sanguinary fighting of
+these two days, that is to say, the 25th and 26th, lost 13 officers and
+440 rank and file. As has so often happened in this war, the battalion
+in reserve was called upon for much of the most strenuous work, and in
+this particular case the S. Staffords had at one time or another to
+support each of the four units of the 20th Brigade. Much of this work
+was of a particularly difficult and dangerous nature, and in the
+darkness and confusion that prevailed the various units were apt at
+times to get very greatly mixed up, and to lapse into the condition of
+sheep without any accredited shepherd.
+
+At one very critical moment in the ebb and flow of battle, it happened
+that the C.O., Col. Ovens, who was at the time in an advanced position
+with two companies of the S. Staffords, noticed a mob of some 300
+men of these mixed units retiring on his left. He sent off Captain
+White, the Quarter-Master of the regiment, to find out the cause.
+The reply was that an order had been received to retire. Captain
+White--suspecting German methods, or, at any rate, suspecting that the
+order originated with someone who was interested in its fulfilment--by
+super-human efforts succeeded in rallying the men and leading them
+back into the firing line, an act which beyond any question had a
+marked effect on the fortunes of the day, or, rather, of the night.
+
+The desperate fighting of this period at and around Kruiseik will
+always be associated with the 20th Brigade. The other two brigades in
+the 7th Division were shifted about, as occasion required, to various
+points between Zonnebeke and Zandvoorde; but from October 19th to the
+29th, the 20th Brigade operated at Kruiseik alone. The gradual
+annihilation of this splendid brigade--possibly the finest in the whole
+army--forms a story which is no less stirring than it is tragic. The
+tragedy is obvious, but it is relieved by the thought of the superb
+devotion of each of the battalions that formed the command of General
+Ruggles-Brise. Each battalion, in its own allotted sphere, fought to a
+finish. Each battalion in its turn furnished an example of unflinching
+heroism which is an epic in itself. They not only fought till there
+were no more left to fight, but they fought up to the very end with
+success. It must have been a consolation to their gallant Brigadier,
+when in the end he was carried off the field with a shattered thigh, to
+feel that he had survived long enough to share in a glory which will
+never be excelled.
+
+The worst sufferer in the early days of the Kruiseik fighting was
+the 2nd Battalion of the Border Regiment. The experiences of this
+regiment are of the highest interest, as being typical of the
+hold-on-at-all-costs spirit which animated the British force during
+the period of the German advance, and which was responsible for the
+miscarriage of all the desperate efforts of the enemy to break
+through. On October 22nd the battalion was posted along the road from
+Zandvoorde, at the point where it cuts the Kruiseik--Werwick road.
+Their trenches formed an ugly salient, which was commanded on three
+sides by the enemy's artillery, and at which particularly accurate
+practice could be, and was, made by the German batteries posted on the
+America ridge, about a mile to the south-east. Their instructions were
+to hold on to these trenches _at all costs_ till relieved. They
+did hold on, and on the 27th they were relieved--at least, those of
+them that were left. Their relaxation during those six days consisted
+in counting the shells directed at them, and speculating as to the
+accuracy of the next shot. The constant prayer of every officer and
+man was for an infantry attack of some sort--German or British. The
+prayer was not answered. Their orders were to hold on at all costs
+till relieved. They were not relieved, so they held on. On the 24th,
+25th and 26th the shells fell in or around their trenches at the rate
+of two per minute from dawn till dark. Their casualties from this
+shell-fire averaged 150 a day and the enemy's guns fired unchallenged
+and unmolested by our own artillery. In those days the numerical
+superiority of the German artillery was overwhelming, and, as an
+inevitable consequence, our infantry afforded them passive but
+diminishing targets. In the case of the Border Regiment the target
+diminished rapidly. On the 23rd Captain Gordon and 2nd Lieut. Clancy
+were killed; on the 25th Major Allen and Lieut. Warren were killed,
+and Lieut. Clegg wounded; on the 26th Captain Lees, Captain
+Cholmondeley, Captain Andrews and Lieut. Surtees were killed, and
+Major Bosanquet and Lieut. Bevis were wounded. On the 27th the 300 men
+that remained were relieved--for the moment.
+
+On the afternoon of the 26th the pressure against this battalion became
+so severe, and their casualties were so high, that at two o'clock
+General Kavanagh was ordered to make a demonstration with the 7th C.B.
+in the direction of Zandvoorde, with a view to diverting some of the
+pressure. The 1st Life Guards were already in occupation of the
+Zandvoorde trenches, and the demonstration was entrusted to the Blues,
+who were, at the time, the reserve regiment to the brigade. The Blues
+were at Klein Zillebeke when the order arrived, and they at once got
+mounted and galloped along the road that connects that place with
+Zandvoorde. Lord Alastair Ker's squadron, which was leading, rode right
+through the 1st Life Guards trenches, and, turning to the right at the
+top of the ridge, dismounted and opened fire. Their squadron
+immediately came under a heavy fire and its casualties were
+considerable. In the meanwhile the other two squadrons of the Blues
+(Captain Brassey's and Captain Harrison's), dismounted behind the Life
+Guards, and advanced to the top of the ridge on foot, supporting the
+fire of the leading squadron. The demonstration was kept up till
+darkness fell, when the regiment, having carried out its orders with
+complete success, retired to a château between Klein Zillebeke and
+Hollebeke, where it billeted for the night. Lord Alastair Ker and
+Trooper Nevin were both decorated for their gallantry on this occasion.
+
+The continuation of the Zandvoorde trenches further south was still in
+the occupation of the 10th Hussars. These were heavily shelled all
+through the day, and the casualties among their officers continued to
+be on a high scale, Sir F. Rose and Lieut. Turnor being killed, and
+Major Crichton wounded.
+
+
+
+
+THE LAST OF KRUISEIK
+
+
+The next two days were days of comparative calm--the lull before the
+desperate storm which was preparing to break upon the British force.
+On the morning of the 27th, the 6th Brigade, on the left of our line,
+which had so successfully pushed forward its position on the 24th,
+made a still further advance, the 1st K.R.R. on this occasion being
+the left-hand battalion, with the 1st S. Staffords on its right. The
+1st Berks and the King's Regiment were in support. The movement was
+again a complete success, the brigade advancing as far as the
+Paschendael--Becelaere road and occupying the crest of the ridge along
+which this road runs. Here the K.R.R. came under a very heavy
+shell-fire, and Prince Maurice of Battenberg and Captain Wells were
+killed, Captain Willis, Captain Llewellyn and 2nd Lieuts. Hone and
+Sweeting being wounded at the same time. The ground gained was,
+however, successfully held for the time being. The effect of this
+advance was to give a slightly concave formation to the eastern face
+of the Ypres salient, the two extremities now projecting beyond the
+centre trenches in the Polygon wood. This curious formation, however,
+was very temporary, both of the horns so formed having shortly to
+withdraw. The withdrawal of the southern horn was begun on the night
+of the 26th, during the events already narrated. We may now consider
+the subsequent events which led to its complete disappearance.
+
+In the very small hours of the same morning on which the 6th Brigade
+advanced--before daylight, in fact--the 1st Scots Guards marched down
+the Menin road to resume its place in the 1st Brigade. At Gheluvelt the
+battalion deployed to the north of the road, and at once came under the
+blind shell-fire which ceased not night or day in this particular area.
+Captain Hamilton and Captain Balfour were killed, and Lieuts. Wickham
+and Roberts wounded. The battalion, however, worked its way up to its
+position on the left of the 1st Coldstream, and there awaited events.
+How dramatic those events were destined to prove was little suspected
+at the time.
+
+A few hours later the 20th Brigade, returning from its one night's rest
+in the outskirts of Ypres, followed them down the same road, and filed
+into the shelter-trenches south of the road. Here they stayed till 5
+p.m. on the 28th, when they continued their march down the high road
+through Gheluvelt, and took over the trenches just west and south of
+the Kruiseik cross-roads.
+
+Here for the moment we may leave them in order to take a glance at the
+general situation.
+
+The day which followed, that is to say October 29th, was the first of
+the five days during which the Kaiser was present in person with his
+troops opposite Ypres. He had arrived with the avowed intention of
+stimulating the army to one supreme, irresistible effort which would
+carry all before it, and open the coveted road to Calais to the mass of
+troops now concentrated at Roulers and Menin.
+
+The occasion was signalized on the morning of the 29th by a grand
+assault along and on each side of the Menin road. This broad highroad
+was the most direct and obvious route to Ypres, and the Germans--as
+their way is--went straight for the shortest cut. There was no secret
+about the enterprise; it was, in fact, known among all ranks of the
+British Army, and even published in some of the general orders of the
+evening before, that the XXVII. German Reserve Corps would attack
+Kruiseik and Zandvoorde at 5.30 a.m. on the 29th.
+
+In the light of this general knowledge, subsequent events are not
+wholly easy to understand. The attack came at the very hour which had
+been announced, and--as far as Kruiseik was concerned--at the very
+spot. Zandvoorde, as a matter of fact, was not implicated, and so can
+be left out of the discussion.
+
+At Kruiseik our line of defence was just in rear of the cross-roads,
+about a quarter of a mile nearer Ypres than it had been on the 26th.
+The six regiments in the front line which came in the path of the
+attack were the 1st Grenadiers, 2nd Gordons and 2nd Scots Fusiliers
+south of the road, and the Black Watch, 1st Coldstream and 1st Scots
+Guards to the north of it. In reserve were the 2nd Scots Guards and the
+Border Regiment, the latter being in Gheluvelt, the former to the south
+of it.
+
+At 5.30 then, with true military punctuality, the Germans made their
+advance under cover of a thick fog, and, as subsequent events proved,
+succeeded in getting past and behind our first line without opposition.
+It is said that they marched in column of fours straight down the main
+Menin road, which, for some reason only known to staff officers, does
+not appear to have been in the charge of any of the first line troops.
+
+However that may be, the fact remains that the Germans did get past,
+without a shot being fired from either side, and established their
+machine-guns in the houses along the roadside in rear; with the result
+that the regiments next the road suddenly found themselves, without any
+warning, assailed by a murderous machine-gun fire from both rear and
+flank. To add to the unpleasantness of the situation, they were at the
+same time vigorously shelled by our own artillery. Under this combined
+attack the 1st Grenadiers next the road on the south side suffered very
+severely. Colonel Earle was wounded almost at the first discharge, and
+Major Stucley, who then took over command, was killed within a short
+interval. Owing to the thickness of the fog it was a matter of great
+difficulty to locate the enemy with any degree of accuracy, or to
+return a fire which appeared to come from the direction of our own
+reserves. Captain Rasch, who was now in command, accordingly decided to
+withdraw the battalion into the woods to the south, leaving the enemy
+to continue their fusilade at the empty trenches. With them went the
+left flank company of the Gordons, under Captain Burnett. "C" Company
+of the Gordons, which was on the right of Captain Burnett's company,
+was comparatively clear of the fire from the rear, and did not withdraw
+with the others. The subsequent exploits of this company were most
+remarkable, and will be described later on.
+
+The fog now suddenly lifted, the sun came through, and the situation
+became comparatively clear to both sides. The Germans ceased their
+fusilade from behind at the empty trenches, and began to press
+southwards from the road, and westward from the direction of Menin, in
+great numbers. To meet this new movement, the 1st Grenadiers and
+Captain Burnett's company of the Gordons formed up and charged, driving
+the enemy back to the road in considerable disorder. In the moment of
+victory, however, they were heavily enfiladed from the trenches
+recently occupied by Captain Burnett's company, and numbers fell. They
+were again forced to withdraw to the south, the enemy following close
+on their heels. Once more the Grenadiers and Gordons reformed, and once
+more they drove the enemy back to the road, only to be themselves again
+driven back by weight of numbers. It was at this moment that Lieut.
+Brooke, of the Gordon Highlanders, who had been sent from the right
+flank with a message, arrived on the scene and--seeing the overwhelming
+superiority in numbers of the enemy--hurriedly collected a handful of
+men from the rear (servants, cooks, orderlies, etc.), and led them
+forward in a gallant attempt to do something towards equalizing
+numbers. He and nearly all his men were killed, but he was subsequently
+awarded the Victoria Cross for his action.
+
+In the meanwhile the Grenadiers were fighting to a finish. Refusing to
+be beaten or to give way, they fought up to the moment when the order
+arrived for them to retire to Gheluvelt. This was about 10 a.m. By that
+time 500 out of the 650 men who had gone into action had fallen, and
+out of the sixteen officers only four were left. No. 4 Company--the
+heroes of the successful charge on the 24th--alone lost 200 men, or, in
+other words, were wiped out.
+
+Of the officers, Major Stucley, Captain Rennie, Lord R. Wellesley, the
+Hon. W. Forester and the Hon. A. Douglas-Pennant were killed, in
+addition to which Col. Earle, the Hon. C. Ponsonby, Lieuts. Lambert,
+Kenyon-Slaney and Powell were wounded. Lieut. Butt, the medical officer
+attached, was killed while dressing Col. Earle's wounds. The casualties
+of the Gordons were between two and three hundred.
+
+While this had been going on south of the road, an almost identical
+state of things prevailed on the north side where were stationed the
+Black Watch and 1st Coldstream. These two battalions similarly found
+themselves, without any warning, mowed down in the fog by machine-gun
+fire from their rear and right flank. Gradually they too were forced
+back, fighting every yard of the way, but powerless to stem the masses
+of the enemy opposed to them. Both these battalions were practically
+annihilated. The 1st Coldstream battalion, in fact, may be said to
+have ceased to exist, for the time being, after this day. The remnant
+was shortly afterwards absorbed into the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. That
+remnant consisted of 180 rank and file; _no officers_ and no senior
+N.C.O.
+
+The right flank company of the 1st Scots Guards shared the fate of the
+two battalions on its right. It became isolated, was surrounded by
+masses of the enemy, and ceased to exist.
+
+At 11 a.m. the 2nd Scots Fusiliers, who had been on the right of the
+Gordons, and just outside of the pressure of the first attack, had in
+their turn to fall back, Col. Uniacke with two companies of the Gordons
+going forward again to aid them in their retirement.
+
+About noon things were looking pretty serious; the Germans were
+pressing on towards Gheluvelt in great numbers, both on the main road
+itself and to the north and south of it, and it seemed doubtful whether
+their impetus could be checked.
+
+At this critical moment, a succession of incidents, small in
+themselves, but powerful as a combination, brought about a marked
+change in the fortunes of the day. It has already been mentioned that
+"C" Company of the Gordons, under Captain R. S. Gordon, had remained
+throughout the morning in its original trenches, the order to retire
+not having reached it. Curiously enough, another small detachment to
+its right was in a very similar position. This detachment consisted of
+a platoon of the 2nd Queen's, and about a hundred men of other units,
+under the command of Major Bottomley of the Queen's. The party had been
+sent forward to reinforce the 20th Brigade, and, at the time of the
+retirement, was in some dug-outs in a very advanced position on the
+high ground near Kruiseik. As in the case of "C" Company of the
+Gordons, the order to retire did not reach them, and they were left.
+Here then were two distinct and quite independent detachments,
+completely isolated, and cut off by a good half mile from the rest of
+the brigade. It seemed as though their destruction was a foregone
+conclusion. In the event, however, not only were they not destroyed,
+but they were able, from their unsuspected positions, to work very
+considerable havoc in the ranks of the enemy. It so happened that Major
+Bottomley's party contained an unusual number of marksmen, including
+Lieut. Wilson of the 2nd Queen's. These--quite regardless of their own
+perilous position, or of the fire which they were sure to draw upon
+themselves by their action--now laid themselves out to take advantage
+of their advanced position to pick off the Germans to right and left.
+The very audacity of the proceeding proved their saving, the enemy
+finding it very hard to properly locate a fire which seemed to come
+from their very midst. There was, however, some retaliation, and Lieut.
+Wilson was eventually shot through the head and killed.
+
+It cannot well be claimed that sniping such as this--however
+effective--had any appreciable influence on the tide of battle, but
+this claim can be justly made in the case of "C" Company of the 2nd
+Gordons. This company's presence was equally unsuspected by the enemy,
+and, soon after midday, a German battalion proceeded to mass in close
+column within 300 yards of its position. Such a target was of course
+unmissable, and within five minutes the German battalion was
+annihilated, 850 dead and wounded being afterwards found on the spot
+where it had concentrated.
+
+It is satisfactory to be able to record that both these gallant
+detachments successfully withdrew. Captain Gordon remained in his
+position till dusk, when, by exercising great care, he succeeded in
+rejoining his battalion. Major Bottomley actually remained in his
+position till the night of the following day, _i.e._, the 30th,
+when he succeeded in safely extricating his party from their perilous
+position--a truly astonishing performance in view of the fact that the
+Germans were not only round him, but were in actual occupation of the
+trenches to right and left.
+
+While this was taking place south of the road, the 1st Scots Guards,
+north of the road, were gradually bringing about a change in the aspect
+of the fight. It will be remembered that the two battalions between
+them and the road, viz., the Black Watch and 1st Coldstream, had been
+engulfed and overwhelmed in the German advance, a fate which had also
+overtaken Captain de la Pasture's company of the 1st Scots Guards,
+which was on the right of that battalion. In this crisis--for it was
+undoubtedly an extremely critical moment--Captain Stephen, with a quick
+grasp of the situation, brought up the reserve company of the Scots
+Guards, together with some stragglers from the 1st Coldstream who had
+escaped the carnage on the right. Facing his command half right, he
+proceeded to pour volley after volley into the flank of the Germans
+pressing forward between him and the road. Some of the Germans turned
+to face this new attack, but the Guardsmen, fighting with superb
+courage, held them off throughout the afternoon. During this memorable
+performance on the part of Captain Stephen's company, the company
+commander himself and Sir G. Ogilvy were killed, and the Hon. G.
+Macdonald and Sir V. Mackenzie wounded. The 1st Scots Guards had now
+lost 10 officers and 370 men since they had marched down the Menin road
+two days before.[9] The battalion received great praise in high
+quarters for the part it had played at this critical moment in the
+fortunes of the day, and there can be little doubt that the tremendous
+losses they had inflicted on the enemy had appreciably checked the
+German advance.
+
+        [9] Up to the end of January, 1915, the total casualties in the
+        two battalions Scots Guards amounted to 2,888 of all ranks.
+
+Captain Gordon's attack had taken the enemy on the left flank, and
+Captain Stephen's on the right flank. They were yet to meet a still
+more severe check from in front. In partial reserve on the hill on
+which Gheluvelt stands, were detachments of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders,
+2nd Scots Guards, 2nd Queen's, S. Wales Borderers and the Border
+Regiment. It was about midday when the Germans, having forced their way
+as described through the regiments next the Menin road, began pushing
+forward towards Gheluvelt, the main body marching in column of fours
+along the road from Gheluvelt itself, where the main road passes
+through the village, the head of the advancing column was out of sight,
+owing to a bend in the road at the foot of the hill. Captain Watson,
+however, who was in charge of the machine-gun section of the Border
+Regiment, managed to get a couple of maxims through a ploughed field
+into some turnips on the north slope of the hill. From here there was a
+clear view of the road stretching away to Kruiseik, with the head of
+the German column about 1,200 yards distant. On to this column both
+machine-guns were now trained. The position was ideal for working
+execution on the enemy, but it was in no way entrenched, and fully
+exposed to the enemy's fire. The head of the enemy's column was soon
+knocked to pieces, and, on the other hand, one of the Border Regiment
+machine-guns was knocked out, but the other kept going till all the
+ammunition was expended. In the meanwhile the German infantry advancing
+south of the road had become visible to the several detachments
+afore-mentioned, of whom Major Craufurd of the Gordons had assumed
+temporary command, and these now opened a galling fire on the advancing
+ranks, which they succeeded in throwing into considerable confusion.
+
+This moment proved the turning-point in the day's battle. The frontal
+fire from the Border Regiment's machine-guns and the above-named
+detachments, coupled with the enfilading fire from the 1st Scots Guards
+to the north of the road, brought the advancing force to a standstill,
+which--when the reserves from Gheluvelt were advanced--quickly
+developed into a retreat. The Germans fell back to Kruiseik, which they
+occupied, and which from this date on remained in their hands. The 3rd
+Brigade was brought forward to occupy the place of the Black Watch and
+1st Coldstream north of the road, the 1st Scots Guards and the Camerons
+retaining their original morning position.
+
+This battle of the Kruiseik cross-roads had cost us very dear, some of
+the finest battalions in the British Army being practically
+annihilated, but there can be no question but that the losses of the
+attacking forces were incomparably greater. It must be borne in mind
+that the British forces which actually took part in this fight numbered
+at the outside 5,000, while the attacking force consisted of an entire
+Army Corps, that is to say, approximately, 24,000 infantry.
+
+It may be interesting at this point, at the risk of forestalling
+matters a little, to explain the gradual process of retirement by which
+our line was straightened, and the bulge eliminated from our defensive
+position. It is less easy to explain why the process was so gradual. We
+may take our furthest advance east to have been on the 19th. On that
+date the 22nd Brigade pushed forward as far as the Roulers-Menin
+railway. There, however, they encountered very strong opposition, and
+withdrew to Zonnebeke--a distance of six miles--on the same day. The
+20th Brigade, however, did not take part in this retirement, and
+entrenched themselves at the point to which they had advanced, east of
+Kruiseik.
+
+On the 24th the 6th Brigade made a second advance south of the
+Zonnebeke road; and on the following day the Guards' Brigade fought its
+way up into line on the right of the 6th Brigade, while the 5th and 1st
+Brigades filled the gap between the Guards' Brigade and the 20th
+Brigade at Kruiseik. These several advances resulted in a line of
+defence which jutted out from Zonnebeke to Reutel, and then--after
+passing east of Kruiseik and Zandvoorde--fell back quite suddenly, and
+in an all but straight line, to Klein Zillebeke. Klein Zillebeke, and
+Zonnebeke, then, were the starting-points to north and south of the
+bulge, and it is significant that these two points have never been
+lost; nor has our ultimate middle-of-November line, which ran along the
+high ridge connecting these two places, ever been forced. But till this
+obvious line of defence was reached, we lost ground on each occasion
+that the enemy attacked in force.
+
+On the 26th we were driven back from east of Kruiseik to a position
+west of Kruiseik; on the 29th we lost Kruiseik and were driven back to
+Gheluvelt; on the 30th we lost Zandvoorde; and on the 31st we lost
+Gheluvelt, and were driven back to a new position nearer Veldhoek. On
+November 2nd we were driven from this position, and our line was
+retired another 300 yards towards Hooge. Here it remained till November
+11th, when the Prussian Guard captured this position, but was unable to
+drive us from the Veldhoek ridge. This ridge has, from that date to the
+present moment, proved the _ne plus ultra_ of German advance, and
+it is fairly safe to predict that it will so remain to the end, unless
+voluntarily relinquished for sanitary or strategic reasons. This in
+itself is a cause for congratulation and even triumph, but not so is
+the thought of the many good men who laid down their lives between
+Kruiseik and Veldhoek in the defence of the indefensible.
+
+In reckoning up these successive retirements from the point of view of
+military failure or success, or from the, perhaps, more interesting
+point of view of the relative fighting merits of those who retired and
+those who advanced, it is well to realize, from the start, the
+tremendous disparity in numbers and freshness of the opposing forces.
+The British commanders had, throughout this defence of Ypres, to ring
+the changes, as between reserve and firing line, with battalions, and
+sometimes even with companies. The German commanders could afford to do
+it with Army Corps.
+
+Day after day, the same British battalions, jaded, depleted of
+officers, and gradually dwindling into mere skeletons, were called upon
+to withstand the attacks of fresh and fresh troops. It was not merely
+that the Germans had the superiority in numbers on each occasion when
+they attacked. This, of course, must always be the privilege of the
+attacking side; but they had also the unspeakable advantage of being
+able at any time to direct a stream of fresh troops against any given
+part of our thin, weary, battered line. Thus on October 29th the XXVII.
+Reserve Corps attacked Kruiseik; on the 30th the XV. Army Corps
+attacked Zandvoorde; on October 31st and November 1st we had the XIII.,
+XXIV., and II. Bavarian Corps attacking the line from the Menin road to
+Messines, to which on November 2nd must be added the XXVI. Army Corps.
+By this time, however, the 16th French Army had come up, and did
+something towards equalizing matters.
+
+But again on November 11th, fifteen fresh battalions of the Prussian
+Guard were brought up, and all that Sir Douglas Haig had to put in
+their path were the remnants of the same unconquerable battalions that
+had now been fighting, without intermission, for close on three months.
+
+
+
+
+ZANDVOORDE
+
+
+Following the loss of Kruiseik on the 29th came the loss of Zandvoorde
+on the 30th. The particular section in the line of defence known as the
+Zandvoorde trenches had from first to last been a death-trap, and had
+proved particularly expensive to the 3rd Cavalry Division, whose
+special privilege it had been to defend them. They curved round the
+south-east side of the village, following the contours of the ridge,
+and, being the most prominent feature in the entire Ypres salient, were
+particularly susceptible to shell-fire from all quarters, except the
+north. Their chief attraction, from the purely military point of view,
+lay in the fact that they were on the crest of a ridge some 120 feet
+high, which here juts out into the plain, and which faces the ridge of
+about the same height a mile and a quarter away, on which Kruiseik
+stands. Their weakness lay in the fact that they were practically
+surrounded by the enemy, and were even open to attack from the
+direction of Hollebeke, which lay due west of their southern extension.
+In these circumstances their loss on the 30th was not wholly a matter
+for regret.
+
+At the moment of the final attack, the 7th C.B. (Household Cavalry) had
+already been in these trenches for three days and nights, under a
+ceaseless shell-fire from south and east, and occasionally even from
+west. In the case of the machine-gun section of the Blues, under Lord
+Worsley, that period was doubled, the detachment having been in the
+advance trenches for six days and nights unrelieved.
+
+There is reason to believe that the supreme attack on Zandvoorde
+had originally been planned for the 29th, so as to take place
+simultaneously with that on Kruiseik, but a delay in the arrival of the
+XV. German Army Corps resulted in its postponement till the following
+day. The expected reinforcements arrived during the night of the 29th
+and--all being now according to arrangement--the attack took place at
+daybreak on the following morning.
+
+The attack took the form of a storm of shrapnel and high-explosives of
+so terrific a nature that by nine o'clock the Household Cavalry
+trenches had been literally blown to pieces, and the brigade was
+forced to retire slowly down the hill, keeping up a covering fire as
+it went. The retirement was effected in good order, but Lord Hugh
+Grosvenor's squadron of the 1st Life Guards, "C" Squadron of the 2nd
+Life Guards, and Lord Worsley's machine-gun section of the Blues did
+not succeed in withdrawing with the rest of the brigade, and their
+fate is still a matter of uncertainty. It is probable, however, that,
+in the pandemonium which was reigning, the order to retire did not
+reach them, and that those who survived the bombardment awaited the
+infantry attack which followed, and fought it out to an absolute
+finish. An officer in the R. Welsh Fusiliers' trenches, on the left of
+the Zandvoorde trenches, subsequently described the defence put up
+that day by the Household Cavalry as one of the finest feats of the
+war. It may well be that untold deeds of heroism remain yet to be
+recorded in connection with that morning's work.[10]
+
+        [10] Among those missing on that morning was the Hon. Francis
+        Lambton. He was subsequently reported to have been killed.
+
+The R. Welsh Fusiliers were on the right of the 22nd Brigade and on the
+left of the Household Cavalry, in trenches which curved back from the
+Zandvoorde trenches and faced in the main north-west, whereas the
+Zandvoorde trenches faced south-east. These trenches were at the best
+ill-constructed affairs, and were weakened in the middle by a big gap
+where the road from Zandvoorde to Becelaere passed through them.
+
+The Zandvoorde trenches passed into the hands of the enemy soon after
+nine, and the Germans at once swarmed into them and began making their
+way along towards the north, till they reached a position from which
+they could get the Welsh Fusiliers in flank. Then began the
+annihilation of this very gallant regiment. From the moment that the
+Zandvoorde trenches went, its position was hopeless, its right flank
+being completely unprotected, and its own trenches disconnected and
+ill-adapted for mutual protection. The regiment, however, fought as it
+had fought on the 19th and again on the 20th and 21st. It fought, in
+the words of the C. in C., "till every officer had been killed or
+wounded; only ninety men rejoined the brigade." As a matter of fact,
+the exact number of survivors out of a battalion which a fortnight
+earlier had numbered 1,100 was 86, and these were shortly afterwards
+absorbed into the 2nd Queen's, their only remaining officer being the
+Quartermaster.
+
+Among those that fell on that day were Captain Barker, Col. Cadogan and
+his Adjutant, Lieut. Dooner. The latter was killed in a very gallant
+attempt to cross the interval which divided the trenches, and
+investigate the state of affairs on the right; and the Colonel fell in
+an equally gallant attempt to rescue his subordinate after he had
+fallen.
+
+The position was now--as may be supposed--extremely serious, the enemy
+being in complete possession of the Zandvoorde ridge. The 7th C.B.
+(Household Cavalry), when it had fallen back in the morning, had
+retired through the 6th C.B. and formed up in rear.
+
+Its retreat had been greatly assisted by the magnificent work of the
+two Horse Artillery Batteries attached, viz., "C" Battery, under Major
+White, and "K" Battery, under Major Lamont. Both displayed the greatest
+daring and activity, and the latter succeeded in completely knocking
+out a German battery which was just coming into action on the
+Zandvoorde ridge.
+
+In the meanwhile, the only force which stood in the way of the enemy
+was the 6th C.B., that is to say, three cavalry regiments, all
+considerably weakened by fighting. The gravity of the situation lay in
+the fact that if the Klein Zillebeke position went, there was nothing
+further to prevent the enemy marching straight into Ypres, only three
+miles distant, in which case the 1st A.C. and 7th Division would have
+been irretrievably cut off from their base and supplies, and the
+capture or annihilation of these three divisions would have inevitably
+followed.
+
+Accordingly Sir Douglas Haig, quick to realize that the events of the
+next few hours would decide the making or marring of the campaign, sent
+out an ultimatum to the effect that the line to which we had now been
+driven, _i.e._, from Gheluvelt to the corner of the canal north of
+Hollebeke, was to be held at all costs. Concurrently an urgent appeal
+was sent to General Allenby to send up with all possible speed any and
+all regiments available. Allenby sent the Scots Greys and the 3rd and
+4th Hussars--all from different brigades. The Greys and the 3rd
+Hussars arrived first on the scene, and passed across to the left flank
+of the 6th C.B., filling up, in fact, the gap between that brigade and
+General Bulfin's (2nd) Brigade on its left. The 4th Hussars, who had
+further to come, arrived in time to take up a position on the right of
+the Royals (who were the right-hand regiment of the 6th C.B.), and
+carry on the line of defence beyond the railway. The position then was
+that the line of the three regiments of the 6th C.B. was extended by
+the 3rd Hussars and Greys on the left, and by the 4th Hussars on the
+right.
+
+The 7th C.B., who had concentrated at the little village of Zwartelen
+in rear of the 6th C.B., now sent off two squadrons of the Blues to
+support the Royals, who were holding the château at Hollebeke. This
+château lies on the low ground to the east of the canal, whereas
+Hollebeke itself is on the west side. The château was considerably in
+advance of the line which was ordered to be held, and with Zandvoorde
+gone was of no strategic importance. This combined force held off the
+enemy for some hours, during which time Sergt. McLellan, of the Royals,
+especially distinguished himself by several acts of great gallantry,
+but by midday the château had to be abandoned and was occupied by
+German infantry. Except for this loss, the cavalry line held its ground
+throughout the day. There was no further infantry attack, but it had to
+stand a severe shelling all through the afternoon, and its casualties
+were numerous, among those of the 10th Hussars being Captain Kinkead,
+Captain Fielden, Captain Stewart and the Hon. H. Baring.
+
+The R. Sussex, too, in General Bulfin's 2nd Brigade, on the left of the
+cavalry, came in for their full share of the bombardment and suffered
+very severely, Col. Crispin and Lieuts. Croft, Marillier and Lousada
+being killed.
+
+At five o'clock in the afternoon the five cavalry regiments were
+relieved by Lord Cavan's Brigade, the 2nd Grenadier Guards under Major
+Lord Bernard Lennox[11] taking over the position on the canal--later on
+to become famous under the name of Hill 60, while the Irish Guards
+continued the line on their left. The line was still further
+strengthened on the following morning by the addition of the
+Oxfordshire Light Infantry from the 5th Brigade, and the 2nd Gordon
+Highlanders from the 20th Brigade, these two battalions being added to
+General Bulfin's command, which was on the left of Lord Cavan's.
+
+        [11] Killed November, 1914.
+
+
+
+
+GHELUVELT
+
+
+October 31st may be said to have witnessed the supreme effort of the
+enemy to break through to Ypres. The attack on this day was pressed
+simultaneously along the whole of our front from Messines to the Menin
+road, and lasted not only throughout the day but during the greater
+part of the night. This tremendous battle, covering as it did a
+frontage of twelve miles, can only be adequately described by cutting
+it up into three sections, the first of which deals with the fight
+along the Menin road, the second with the struggle at Klein Zillebeke,
+and the third with the attack on the cavalry corps at Wytschate and
+Messines.
+
+We will deal first with the fight on the Menin road. Here, it will be
+remembered, our troops had been forced back on the 29th from a line
+just west of Kruiseik cross-roads to the Gheluvelt trenches,
+three-quarters of a mile further back, and on the higher ridge on which
+that village stands.
+
+On the morning of the 31st the new position was in its turn attacked,
+and under conditions which in many ways recalled the fight of two days
+before. There was, however, this difference, that, while the attack of
+the 29th had been in the nature of a surprise in the fog, and had been
+unheralded by any previous cannonade, that of the 31st was preceded by
+a bombardment which, in point of violence, threw into the shade
+everything which the campaign had yet witnessed. The expenditure of
+ammunition must have been colossal. This terrific discharge of missiles
+commenced at daybreak, and gradually increased in volume up to eleven
+o'clock, when it ceased and the infantry attack commenced.
+
+The shell-fire had been mainly focussed on the 3rd and 22nd Brigades in
+the neighbourhood of Gheluvelt. By the association of these two
+Brigades, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Queen's (R. West Surrey
+Regiment) for the first time in history found themselves fighting side
+by side. The occasion was an historic one, but not without a strong
+note of tragedy, both battalions being in the direct track of the
+bombardment, and suffering very severely. Each battalion, too, lost its
+C.O. during the morning, Col. Pell of the 1st Battalion being killed
+and Col. Coles of the 2nd Battalion wounded.
+
+The tactics of the enemy in these Menin road attacks almost always
+took the same form. All the batteries within the area would
+concentrate on the road and on the trenches immediately to right and
+left of the road, making these positions absolutely untenable. Then,
+when the troops in the track of the shell-fire had fallen back dazed
+into semi-unconsciousness by the inferno, they would drive a dense
+mass of infantry into the gap, and so enfilade--and very often
+surround--the trenches which were still occupied to right and left of
+the gap. By this method, companies, and sometimes whole battalions,
+which had stuck out the shell-fire, were overwhelmed and annihilated.
+
+Such a fate on this occasion overtook the right flank company of the
+South Wales Borderers just north of Gheluvelt. This company formed the
+northern boundary of the gap caused by the bombardment, and the German
+wedge, spreading out towards the right, bore down on it from three
+sides. Major Lawrence, in command of the company, faced half the men
+about and kept up the fight to the bitter end, but it was merely a
+question of selling their lives as dearly as possible. The tide swept
+over them and they ceased to exist.
+
+The remaining companies of the South Wales Borderers managed to
+maintain their ground till the line north of the road was
+re-established in the following way.
+
+At 1.30 the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment, who were in reserve at the six
+cross-roads at the corner of the Polygon wood, a mile to the rear, were
+ordered to retake the lost position. This they did in the following
+very gallant manner, led by Major Hankey. They deployed in the woods
+just to the rear of Gheluvelt, and, advancing in a series of short
+rushes, charged right up to the line of the lost trenches. The last
+rush had to be made across 200 yards of open ground in the face of a
+terrific shrapnel fire. Over 100 of the Worcesters fell in this last
+rush, but the remainder charged home and drove out the Germans with
+heavy loss. The old trenches were found to have been filled in, but a
+sunken road just in rear provided fair cover, and this the Worcesters
+now lined, joining up their left with the right of the South Wales
+Borderers. The Germans, however, were still in the village itself and
+the position was at best a precarious one. They managed, however, to
+hold on till dark.
+
+The Worcesters lost 187 men in this short, brilliant charge. The
+achievement was alluded to by the C. in C. as one of the finest in the
+whole campaign, and one which saved the army from a very awkward
+predicament.
+
+The 1st Scots Guards, on the left of the South Wales Borderers again,
+as on the 29th, stood firm throughout the day, and contributed in no
+small measure to the ultimate repulse of the enemy. In the afternoon
+one company of this battalion was detached to co-operate in the
+counter-attack made by the Worcesters, and generally to re-establish
+the broken line north of Gheluvelt. This they succeeded in doing, with
+very able support from the 42nd Battery R.F.A., but in the doing of it
+lost Captain Wickham and Major Vandeweyer, the former of whom was
+killed.
+
+Meanwhile another historic resistance was being put up south of the
+road by the 2nd R. Scots Fusiliers. This battalion formed the southern
+boundary of the gap, just as the South Wales Borderers formed the
+northern boundary; and when the German infantry wedge was forced in, it
+found its trenches very badly raked from the gardens of the château,
+where the enemy had installed some machine-guns. General Watt, the
+Brigadier, recognizing that the position of this regiment had now
+become untenable, telephoned through to them to retire. The wire,
+however, had been cut by shrapnel and the message did not arrive. Two
+orderlies were thereupon successively dispatched to order their
+retirement. Both were knocked over and again the order did not reach.
+In the meanwhile, Col. Baird Smith, having received no order to retire,
+continued to hold his ground with ever dwindling numbers, till in the
+end the German masses swept over them, and another gallant British
+battalion ceased to exist. Only seventy men, commanded by a junior
+officer, escaped the carnage of that day.
+
+Five months later, General Watt, addressing the officers and men at
+Sailly, after another great performance by the same battalion, said
+with reference to this occasion: "Col. Baird Smith, gallant soldier
+that he was, decided and rightly to hold his ground, and the R. Scots
+Fusiliers fought and fought till the Germans absolutely surrounded them
+and swarmed into the trenches. I think it was perfectly splendid. Mind
+you, it was no case of 'hands up' or any nonsense of that sort; it was
+a fight to a finish. You may well be proud to belong to such a regiment
+and I am proud to have you in my brigade."
+
+To the south of the R. Scots Fusiliers, and in the same brigade, were
+the 2nd Bedfords. This regiment, too, had suffered very severely during
+the day, both its senior officers, Major Traill and Major Stares, being
+killed, but the brigade order to retire had not failed to reach it, as
+in the case of the Scotchmen, and it had been able to effect its
+withdrawal in good order.
+
+The Germans did not carry their advance beyond Gheluvelt. The ground
+they had gained had only been won by a prodigious expenditure of
+ammunition, followed by a reckless sacrifice of men, and their losses
+had been enormous. Their further progress, too, was barred by the
+troops which had been shelled out of the village in the morning. These
+were now formed up half facing the road between Gheluvelt and Veldhoek,
+and offered a successful bar to any further advance on the part of the
+enemy. The Germans, however, did not relinquish their attempts to push
+on to Veldhoek without further serious fighting, in the course of which
+the 2nd Queen's sustained still further losses, their three senior
+officers, Col. Coles, Major Croft and Major Bottomley falling wounded,
+as well as Captain Weeding and Lieut. Philpot. Night fell without any
+further advance on the part of the enemy. Gheluvelt itself, however, in
+spite of the gallant counter-attack north of the road, during the
+afternoon, may be considered as having been lost from this day on.
+
+
+
+
+MESSINES AND WYTSCHATE
+
+
+In order to avoid the confusion inseparable from a constant change of
+scene, it will be best to deal briefly now with the doings at Messines
+and Wytschate, after which the Klein Zillebeke section can monopolize
+our attention up to the close of this little chronicle. In order to
+pick up the thread where it was dropped, it will be necessary to go
+back to the 30th. On that day General Allenby wired to Head Quarters
+that his numbers were too weak to hold his position from the canal at
+Hollebeke to the La Doune stream, south of Messines, for long unaided,
+and the C. in C. at once responded by sending up four battalions from
+the 2nd A.C. under General Shaw to his assistance. These, as will
+presently be seen, arrived in the very nick of time to save the
+situation. Pending their arrival, the cavalry had a truly colossal task
+before them. They were absurdly outnumbered; they had opposed to them,
+in the XXIV. and II. Bavarian Corps, some of the finest fighters in the
+German Army, stimulated by the presence of the Kaiser himself, and they
+were engaged in a form of warfare to which they had never been trained.
+French reinforcements were being hurried up, it is true, but it was
+reckoned that, at the earliest, they could not arrive in less than
+forty-eight hours. During these forty-eight hours, could the cavalry,
+with the assistance which had been sent up from the 2nd A.C.,
+successfully oppose the pressure of two army corps? This was the
+problem of the moment. We know now that it did succeed in doing so, but
+even with this fact behind us as a matter of history, we may still--in
+view of the extraordinary disparity in numbers--wonder as to how it was
+done.
+
+First let us deal with Messines, which was almost on the southern
+boundary of the Cavalry Corps position. Here we find posted the 1st and
+2nd C.B., or, to be more exact, these two brigades were in the trenches
+to the east of that town, the Bays being on the north side, then the
+9th Lancers and 4th Dragoon Guards, with the 5th Dragoon Guards to the
+south. In reserve, in the second line, were the 18th and 11th Hussars.
+The latter regiment had suffered severely from the bombardment on the
+previous day, their trenches being completely blown in and many men
+buried and killed. Amongst the officers, Lieuts. Chaytor and
+Lawson-Smith had been killed, and Lieut.-Col. Pitman, Major Anderson
+and the Hon. C. Mulholland wounded. Again, on the following day, the
+regiment lost a very fine athlete, and a champion boxer, in Captain
+Halliday, who was killed by a shell near the Convent.
+
+In spite of an appalling bombardment, the regiments in the front line
+held on all through the night of the 30th, and up to midday on the
+31st. Then they began to be gradually driven back, and by 2 p.m. they
+were all in the town. The retirement was effected in perfect order.
+Corpl. Seaton, 9th Lancers, behaved with extraordinary courage during
+this movement and was recommended for the Victoria Cross. With the idea
+of helping the withdrawal of his regiment, he remained absolutely alone
+in his trench working his machine-gun till the enemy were within twenty
+yards. Incredible as it may appear, he then managed, thanks to great
+coolness and presence of mind, to rejoin his regiment unwounded.
+
+Once in the town, the cavalry lined the houses of the main street from
+end to end, and there awaited developments. These took the form of a
+cessation of the shelling and a very determined attempt on the part of
+the Bavarians to take the town. They failed, however, to get across the
+square, being shot down in numbers from the windows of the houses
+opposite. A second and more carefully thought-out attack followed
+later, and it is doubtful how this might have ended but for the
+opportune arrival of the K.O.S.B. and the K.O.Y.L.I., one at each end
+of the town. This reinforcement once more turned the scale against the
+Bavarians, and for the second time they were driven back. Both the
+infantry battalions engaged, in the words of General Allenby to Sir
+Horace, "fought magnificently," but the K.O.Y.L.I. lost its CO., Col.
+King, who was killed while leading that regiment to the attack. The
+respite of the cavalry was short. The enemy was in over-powering force
+and they were not to be denied. They now proceeded for five solid hours
+to shell the place with every conceivable species of projectile known
+to warfare. At 2 a.m. on the 31st the infantry attacked for the third
+time.
+
+In the meanwhile the only available reserve was being hurried up from
+Neuve Eglise, as fast as motor-buses could bring it. This was the
+London Scottish, which had arrived at the front the day previous, after
+having been employed for some weeks at the base. They reached Messines
+during the preliminary bombardment on the night of the 30th, and,
+before going into action, were split up, half of the battalion joining
+up with the K.O.S.B. at one end of the town, and the rest with the
+K.O.Y.L.I. at the other. There was a full moon and a clear sky, and it
+was as light as day, and it has been said that for picturesque effect
+no incident in the war has equalled that night attack on Messines. An
+additional interest was lent to the scene by the fact that the London
+Scottish were the first Territorial battalion to be in action, and
+there was some speculation as to how their conduct would compare with
+that of the Regulars. It is now a matter of history that they acquitted
+themselves as well as the most tried troops, and that under
+exceptionally trying circumstances. If it be true that casualties in
+killed and wounded are the barometer of a regiment's intrepidity, then
+they indeed register high in the scale, for they lost 9 officers and
+400 men in that first night's fighting. In any event they rendered very
+valuable service in an acute emergency, and it is on record that in a
+hand to hand bayonet encounter with the Bavarians, they actually drove
+those noted warriors back. The odds, however, were altogether too great
+against the little British force, and on the morning of November 1st
+Messines passed into the hands of the enemy.
+
+A feat so remarkable as to rival the deeds of Shaw, the Lifeguardsman,
+was performed by Sergt.-Major Wright, of the Carabineers, during this
+defence of Messines. This N.C.O., while carrying a message to Head
+Quarters, found his path blocked by a part of the enemy. Without a
+moment's hesitation he charged them and cut his way through, killing
+five. Another Carabineer who behaved with repeated gallantry during
+these operations was Pte. Meston, and both he and Sergt.-Major Wright
+were given the D.C.M.
+
+On the same night, _i.e._, the night of October 31st, Wytschate
+shared the fate of Messines.
+
+The 4th C.B. had succeeded in holding this place throughout the day,
+but during the course of the night they found themselves very hard
+pressed, and were gradually forced back. In this emergency the
+Northumberland Fusiliers and Lincolns were ordered up to the support of
+the cavalry.
+
+These two 9th Brigade battalions had arrived at Kemmel during the
+afternoon, having marched that day from Estaires, a distance of some
+twelve miles. They were in billets, resting after their hard day's
+work, when the message arrived, about one o'clock in the morning, to
+the effect that they were required. Within an hour from the receipt of
+the message both battalions were on the road, the Lincolns being the
+first to arrive on the scene of action. The country was totally unknown
+to the newcomers, but a cavalry sergeant was met who volunteered to
+lead them to the position occupied by the enemy. Under his guidance
+they entered the cutting through which the light railway, which runs
+along the edge of the road from Kemmel to Wytschate, passes just before
+it reaches the town. Here they became aware of a number of men moving
+in their direction, who called out in excellent English and Hindustani
+that they were British cavalry and Indians. Before the actual identity
+of these men could, in the gloom of the night, be ascertained for
+certain, the newcomers opened fire, both from the end of the cutting
+and from the sides; and the Lincolns, who were closely packed in the
+narrow defile, fell in numbers before they could be extricated. After
+getting clear, they met the Northumberland Fusiliers advancing from the
+direction of Kemmel, and together the two battalions formed up, and
+with great gallantry once more attacked the entrance to the town. The
+inequality in numbers, however, was too great. The Germans were
+literally swarming in the town, and it was clear that General Shaw's
+two battalions had been set to an impossible task. They retired to the
+outskirts of the town, where they held on till daylight, lying in the
+open fields. When dawn broke the London Scottish could be seen on their
+right, but no troops on their left. The unpleasantness of the situation
+was not in any way relieved by a heavy fire which our own artillery now
+opened upon the two battalions, under the mistaken impression that they
+were Germans. Many men were killed and wounded by this fire. In
+conformity with the general plan of retiring to the Wulverghem road,
+the Lincolns and Northumberland Fusiliers were now withdrawn, and
+Wytschate went the way of Messines. The Lincolns lost 400 men and all
+but 4 officers during this short night attack. Col. W. E. Smith was
+specially commended for the great personal courage which he showed
+during the attack, and for the skill with which he ultimately withdrew
+his regiment. Lieut. Blackwood was awarded the D.S.O. for very
+gallantly continuing to lead the attack after every officer senior to
+himself had fallen. The losses of the Northumberland Fusiliers were not
+quite so heavy, but were still very severe, especially in officers.
+
+The dismounted cavalry line now retired to the Wulverghem to Kemmel
+road, where they entrenched themselves, but their numbers were quite
+inadequate for the frontage to be held. Pending the arrival of the
+French, Sir Horace was ordered by the C. in C. to send up to their
+assistance every available man from the 2nd A.C., which was recouping
+at Pradelles. The Dorsets and Worcesters were accordingly sent to Neuve
+Eglise, and the remaining seven and a half battalions--all
+skeletons--were sent up to east of Bailleul under General Morland. Such
+was the position on November 1st.
+
+On this day the anxiously awaited 16th French Army began to arrive, the
+troops being railed up at the rate of eighty train loads a day, and at
+11 a.m. on the 2nd, both Messines and Wytschate were retaken by the
+French with some assistance from our cavalry. Some of the 12th Lancers,
+led by 2nd Lieut. Williams, of the Scots Greys, made a very brilliant
+bayonet charge during the recapture of the latter town. The
+above-mentioned officer was officially reported to have himself killed
+eleven Germans on this occasion, and was awarded the D.S.O.
+
+The French now officially took over from us the line from Messines on
+the south to the canal on the north. It is interesting to note that,
+between October 27th and November 11th, some 200,000 French infantry,
+twenty regiments of cavalry and sixty pieces of heavy artillery reached
+Ypres, Poperinghe, and Bailleul. It is difficult to conceive of any
+more eloquent tribute to the astonishing performance of the thin little
+khaki ribbon, which had for a fortnight wound round Ypres, than the
+fact that this great force was found none too strong to hold one fourth
+of the front over which our handful of men had so far successfully
+resisted all the attempts of the enemy to break through. In calling
+attention to these figures, it is not intended in any sense to draw
+invidious comparisons between the relative merits of the French and
+British soldier, or even to suggest that the British troops
+accomplished a task of which the French would have been incapable. It
+is generally admitted by all our commanders at the front that the
+Frenchman as a fighter is unsurpassed, though his methods of fighting
+are not the same as ours; and, allowing for the fact that, in cases
+where the entire manhood of a nation fights, the average of individual
+excellence must obviously be lower than when only a select body of
+volunteers is engaged, for explanatory purposes with regard to the
+disposition of troops, one may safely reckon a French and British
+regiment as being of equal fighting value.
+
+All that is aimed at, then, is to try and bring to the mind of the
+reader, by a comparison of figures, some grasp of the immensity of the
+performance of our troops east and south of Ypres, during the desperate
+efforts of the enemy to break through in the last fortnight of October
+and the first fortnight of November. It is worthy of note, too, that in
+spite of the huge reinforcements brought up, no material advance was
+made on the position taken over from us on November 1st. It is true
+that on the day following, the newly-arrived French troops re-took
+Wytschate and Messines, from which we had been driven, but they were
+unable to hold those places, and the line along which they had found us
+facing the enemy was never perceptibly advanced. The new line at the
+beginning of November, held jointly by the French troops and British
+cavalry, ran--roughly speaking--from Klein Zillebeke to Ploegsteert,
+with a concave face which skirted Hollebeke, Wytschate, and Messines.
+Our 1st Cavalry Division, supported by some units from the 2nd A.C.,
+was withdrawn to Wulverghem, and the 2nd Cavalry Division went into
+reserve at Bailleul. Neuve Eglise became our advanced base for that
+part of the line, and was very quickly packed with British troops.
+
+We have now taken a permanent farewell, as far as these pages are
+concerned, of all occurrences south of the canal at Hollebeke. We have
+seen the 2nd A.C. relieved by the Indians, and the Cavalry Corps
+relieved by the French, and, with this change of guardianship, we have
+seen two of the most important points in the line of defence pass out
+of the keeping of the original Expeditionary Force.
+
+Of that force the 1st A.C. alone (with the 7th Division, which it had
+absorbed) still remained unrelieved east and south-east of Ypres. The
+force, however, which now stood between the enemy and the possession of
+Ypres, had by this time lost many of its distinctive characteristics.
+The actual battalion units had become in most cases reduced to a mere
+shadow of their original strength. The 7th Division had become part of
+the 1st A.C., and several battalions of the 2nd A.C. were acting in
+concert with this already mixed corps. Many of the brigades had been
+broken up from their original constituents, and the fragments
+consolidated into new and temporary brigades. Sir Horace was for the
+moment an A.C. commander without an A.C., the remnants of his six
+heroic brigades being scattered here and there along the whole front.
+
+The first, and perhaps the most interesting, because the most
+strenuous, epoch in the war--as far as it concerned the British
+Force--was nearly closed; but not quite. Before that can be written of
+it, some great deeds had yet to be done, and were done. The Germans
+were still making continuous and determined efforts to break through to
+Ypres by way of Klein Zillebeke, and to that particular zone of the
+fighting our attention can henceforth be confined.
+
+
+
+
+KLEIN ZILLEBEKE
+
+
+When we last took leave of the Klein Zillebeke section of the
+fighting line, on the night of October 30th, the cavalry position from
+Klein Zillebeke to the canal had just been taken over by Lord Cavan
+with the 2nd Grenadiers and Irish Guards, the former being on the
+canal. On the left of the Irish Guards were the 2nd Gordon Highlanders,
+with the Oxford Light Infantry in reserve, and beyond them the Sussex
+and Northamptons, with their left joining up with the 22nd Brigade. On
+the left of the 22nd Brigade was the 21st Brigade, with the 2nd R.
+Scots Fusiliers on its extreme flank just south of the Menin road at
+Gheluvelt. The 20th Brigade was in reserve.
+
+During the morning the 3rd Cavalry Division was kept at Verbranden
+Molen ready for emergencies, but about 1 p.m. orders were received for
+it to go to the support of the 3rd C.B. at St. Eloi. Contradictory
+orders were, however, afterwards received, and in the end the brigade
+joined up with the 4th Hussars, and together they held the two bridges
+over the canal at the bend just north of Hollebeke till nightfall. In
+this action Sergt. Seddons, of the 4th Hussars, showed great gallantry
+during the defence of the eastern bridge and was deservedly awarded the
+D.C.M. In the meanwhile the 6th C.B. was sent along the Menin road so
+as to be ready to co-operate with the 7th Division or the 1st A.C. in
+case of need. That need--as will presently be seen--very quickly arose.
+
+The original plan for this day had been to attack and retake the
+Zandvoorde ridge, together with the trenches which had been lost the
+day before, but the enemy's extreme activity rendered this
+impracticable, and we were in the end forced to act purely on the
+defensive.
+
+We are now, be it remembered, dealing with the morning of October 31st,
+the day on which the cavalry were driven out of Wytschate and Messines
+and the 1st and 7th Divisions out of Gheluvelt. The terrific
+bombardment of that morning has already been described. It was chiefly
+concentrated on the Menin road, but the whole line from Gheluvelt to
+the canal was involved.
+
+The 2nd Brigade, which was between the two Guards' battalions and the
+7th Division, had a curious experience during the morning. It survived
+the bombardment, and when this slackened to allow the German infantry
+to advance, it was still in its trenches and prepared to remain there.
+About eight o'clock, however, General Bulfin summoned the four C.O.'s
+of the brigade, and ordered a general retirement of the brigade to the
+cross-roads at Zillebeke, about a mile in rear. This was duly carried
+out, and without much loss on the part of the Sussex and Northamptons,
+who were able to retire through the Zwartelen woods without coming
+under observation. The 2nd Gordon Highlanders, however (attached
+temporarily to the 2nd Brigade), were less fortunate. Their trenches
+were in the open, running north-eastward from Klein Zillebeke farm
+along the edge of the country lane known as the Brown Road, and, in
+retiring, they had to cross a considerable tract of exposed ground,
+during which they suffered very severely from machine-gun fire, Captain
+McLean's company being practically wiped out.
+
+It was afterwards freely rumoured that this order to retire had been
+delivered to General Bulfin, as a Divisional Order, by a German dressed
+in the uniform of a British Staff officer. Some colour is given to this
+rumour by the extreme improbability of such an order having been
+officially given after Sir Douglas Haig's ultimatum of the day before,
+that the line which this apocryphal order caused to be abandoned was to
+be held at all costs. In any event, it is a matter of history that
+those concerned did not accept the retired position as a permanency,
+and a counter-attack was quickly organized. The 6th C.B., which had
+been waiting in reserve on the Menin road, was brought up as far as the
+Basseville brook, where they deployed to the south, and, partly mounted
+and partly dismounted, charged through the Zwartelen woods.
+Simultaneously the Gordon Highlanders, now reduced to 300, and under
+the command of Major Craufurd (Col. Uniacke having been knocked out by
+a shell earlier in the day), charged on the right of the cavalry, with
+the Oxford Light Infantry extending the line again on their right.
+Before this united movement the Bavarian troops in the woods turned and
+ran, but, true to their principles, continued to cover their retreat
+with a heavy machine-gun fire. Two of these machine-guns were
+successfully located, and the 6th C.B. menhandled a gun into the firing
+line and knocked them both out in fine style. This broke the back of
+the resistance. The Bavarians started surrendering, and the Gordon
+Highlanders took a number of prisoners up to the time when Lieut.
+Grahame was shot dead by an officer who had surrendered to him; after
+that they took fewer.
+
+The enemy losses were very heavy. Eight hundred and seventy prisoners
+were taken during the day, and the number of killed and wounded in the
+woods ran into several hundreds.
+
+This charge--successful though it had been in clearing the Zwartelen
+woods of the enemy--had not yet reinstated the 2nd Brigade in the line
+which they had occupied in the morning, before the much-discussed order
+to retire had arisen. General Bulfin therefore decided to try during
+the night to regain the morning position. Accordingly at midnight,
+under the full moon, and at the same time that the desperate battle was
+raging round Messines and Wytschate eight miles to the south-west, the
+2nd Brigade made their second counter-attack. This, as far as it went,
+was a complete success. The trenches were carried and occupied, and the
+Germans driven out. Unfortunately, however, the 22nd Brigade, on the
+left, found themselves unable to get up into line, and, owing to their
+left being unprotected, the 2nd Brigade battalions had one after the
+other--in succession from the left--to fall back again.
+
+These two attacks, _i.e._, the afternoon charge through the woods
+and the midnight assault on the trenches, had now reduced the Gordons
+to 3 officers and 110 men, and these were for the time being
+amalgamated with the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, who were on their
+right. The Irish Guards remained in their original position, on the
+right of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, but the 2nd Grenadiers were
+relieved by French Territorials and went back into reserve.
+
+The nett result of this terrible day's fighting was that our line was
+pushed back everywhere, except at Klein Zillebeke and Zonnebeke, the
+two points which marked the northern and southern limits of the Ypres
+salient. The effect of the recapture of the Gheluvelt position by the
+2nd Worcesters and 1st Scots Guards was neutralized by the cave in the
+line south of that place, which rendered Gheluvelt untenable. It had
+therefore to be abandoned. The loss of that place, however, was of no
+material importance, as its abandonment had long been recognized as a
+necessary step in the gradual straightening out of the Ypres salient.
+The only serious effect of the new line was that Klein Zillebeke, which
+for long had been the re-entering angle, so to speak, of the position,
+now, by the retirements to right and left of it, was pushed forward
+into a species of salient, and its vulnerability was thereby
+appreciably increased. This increased vulnerability at once transformed
+Klein Zillebeke into the centre of interest as far as this zone was
+concerned, this little village being--for reasons already given--a spot
+which at any and all costs had to be kept from the enemy. To Klein
+Zillebeke and neighbourhood, then, we may not unreasonably look for
+early developments.
+
+One of the many unhappy incidents of this day's costly fighting was the
+landing of a shell in the Divisional Head Quarters at Hooge, by which
+General Lomax received wounds from which he subsequently died, General
+Munro was rendered unconscious, and Col. Kerr and five staff officers
+were killed.
+
+
+
+
+THE RELIEF OF THE SEVENTH DIVISION
+
+
+All through the 31st and morning following, the Irish Guards on the
+right of the Gordon Highlanders were subjected to a relentless
+shelling, and their casualties were considerable. On the morning of
+November 1st both their machine-guns were knocked out, and at 3 p.m.
+news came that they were retiring. Lord Cavan sent word for them to
+hold on some 200 yards to the rear, and also for the French
+Territorials between them and the canal at Hollebeke to hold on to
+their position at all costs. This the French managed to do, with very
+great credit to themselves, at the same time throwing back their left
+so as to keep in touch with the new position.
+
+The Germans at once occupied the Irish Guards' trenches, but luckily
+did not realize the position sufficiently to pursue their advantage
+further, otherwise the consequences might have been serious. As it was,
+sufficient time was given for the 2nd Grenadiers and 7th C.B. to come
+up in support, and with this stiffening the new line was held for the
+rest of the day. But there was a cave at Klein Zillebeke.
+
+The Irish Guards had 400 casualties during this and the previous day's
+fighting, including 11 officers: Major Stepney, the Hon. A. Mulholland
+and Lieuts. Coke and Mathieson being killed, and Col. Lord Ardee
+(attached from the Grenadiers), the Hon. T. Vesey, the Hon. A.
+Alexander, Lieuts. Fergusson, Gore-Langton, Lord Kingston, and Lord
+Francis Scott (attached from Grenadiers), wounded. The last named
+officer and Captain Orr-Ewing (attached from Scots Guards) were each
+awarded the D.S.O. "for gallant and persistent attempts to rally the
+battalion."
+
+On the morning of November 2nd there was a renewal of the regulation
+attack along the Menin road. This time the attack took the form of a
+high-explosive bombardment of the barricade across the road at
+Veldhoek. This was soon demolished and an infantry attack on the 1st
+Brigade ensued, as a result of which that skeleton brigade yielded 300
+yards of ground, but held on to the trenches in rear till nightfall.
+
+Further south, about 11.30 on the same morning, a tremendous attack was
+delivered against the 2nd Brigade, in the course of which Gen. Bulfin
+was wounded and part of the line driven in. An urgent appeal for
+support was sent to Lord Cavan, upon whom it now devolved to take over
+command of Gen. Bulfin's four battalions, in addition to his own two.
+He made his way with all speed to the scene of action, with a view to
+discovering the extent of the mischief. This proved to be (so far) that
+the Northamptons had been driven in, and that the enemy--following
+up--had broken through in numbers into the Hooge woods. Beyond the
+Northamptons, that is to say, on the left of his new command, the R.
+Sussex were still standing firm. This regiment, however, was greatly
+reduced in numbers, its casualties during the last four days having
+averaged over a hundred per day. On the 30th Col. Crispin had been
+killed; on the following day his successor, Major Green, had been
+killed, and the regiment was at the moment under the command of Captain
+Villiers. Lord Cavan found it in an extremely precarious situation,
+owing to its weak numerical condition, and the envelopment of its right
+flank, consequent upon the Northamptons' retirement. He thereupon
+hurried up the 2nd Grenadiers from reserve as far as the Brown Road,
+where he ordered them to leave their packs and go straight through the
+wood towards the south-east with the bayonet.
+
+These Ypres woods have all the appearance of an English copse wood,
+that is to say, they are formed of some six years' growth of hazel and
+ash, with standard oaks dotted about here and there. Incidentally they
+were at this time full of pheasants, destined to be shot in normal
+times by the Lords of the Châteaux of Hooge, Gheluvelt and Heronhage.
+Precisely in the manner of a line of beaters driving game, the
+Grenadiers now pushed through the thick undergrowth, and while the
+pheasants rose before the advancing line, so did the Germans run. By
+4.30 the wood was cleared and the morning line restored. The
+Northamptons thereupon re-occupied their trenches, but they were not
+destined to be left there in peace. About six in the evening the
+Germans again attacked the same part of the line, this time advancing
+with discordant yells, thinking, no doubt, to repeat their performance
+of the morning. If so, the event must have come to them as something of
+a surprise, for the Northamptons--profiting possibly by their previous
+experience--coolly waited till the attacking party was within fifty
+yards of the trenches, and then mowed them down. Not a German reached
+the trenches, and over 200 dead were left on the ground.
+
+At night the R. Sussex were brought back into reserve and the remnant
+of the Gordons went back to the 20th Brigade, which brigade was at the
+time in the grounds of the Hooge Château. In addition to their previous
+losses, the Gordons had during the day lost their C.O., Major Craufurd,
+who was wounded in the early morning. The position of Lord Cavan's
+command was then, as follows: the Northamptons on the left, in touch
+with the R. Welsh Fusiliers in the 7th Division; then the Oxfordshire
+Light Infantry and the 2nd Grenadiers, who had become very much mixed
+up, and on the right the Irish Guards. Beyond were the French
+Territorials.
+
+With the fall of night on the 2nd of November the acuteness of the five
+days' crisis may be said to have passed. The all-highest War Lord had
+come and gone; the supreme effort of the enemy to break through to
+Ypres had been made, and had failed; the British force had come out of
+the ordeal reduced to a shadow, and battered out of recognition, but
+unconquered. The Kaiser's forces had fallen back sullen and--for the
+time being--disheartened, realizing at last the hopelessness of the
+task they had been set to accomplish. Their losses had been prodigious,
+and though their repeated attacks had--at great sacrifice--forced back
+the face of the Ypres salient some two miles, the only military effect
+resulting therefrom was that the British force was at last in
+occupation of the true line of defence dictated by military prudence
+and the natural features of the country. From this line, that is to
+say, the ridge some 150 feet in height which runs from the corner of
+the canal at Hollebeke to Zonnebeke, they were never afterwards
+dislodged.
+
+The 3rd, 4th and 5th were in the main uneventful. November 5th was
+chiefly memorable in this year, not for anti-Popish demonstrations, but
+as the day on which the 7th Division--after three weeks' incessant
+fighting--was temporarily relieved. During the three weeks in question
+it had lost 356 officers out of a full complement of 400, and 9,664
+rank and file out of a total of 12,000. Battalions had been reduced to
+the dimensions of platoons, and had, in some cases, lost every
+combatant officer.
+
+The 7th Division's performance, during its three weeks east of Ypres,
+will go down to history as one of the most remarkable achievements in
+the records of war. Many other units had, by the second half of
+November, lost as heavily in officers and men as had the twelve
+battalions of the 7th Division--in one or two cases even more heavily;
+but the losses of these had been distributed over three months; those
+of the 7th Division were concentrated into three weeks. They had
+been suddenly pitchforked into a position of the most supreme
+responsibility. They found themselves more by chance than by design
+standing in the road along which the War Lord had elected to make his
+most determined efforts to reach Calais. These efforts came as a
+succession of hammer-blows, which gave the defending force neither
+rest nor respite, and to cope with which their numbers were
+ludicrously insufficient. Their failure, however, would have spelt
+disaster to the cause of the Allies, and--realizing this--they
+actually achieved the impossible. There is something particularly
+stirring in the thought of this small force beaten back step by step,
+as fresh and fresh troops were hurled upon it day after day, and yet
+never turning its back to the foe, never beaten, never despondent, and
+never for a moment failing in the trust which had been imposed upon
+it. The most remarkable feature about the 7th Division was that it had
+no weak spot in its composition. Each one of its twelve battalions
+lived up in every particular to the high standard of duty and
+efficiency which the Division set itself from the beginning. The
+troops were mostly veterans from abroad, who had been summoned back
+from foreign service too late to take part in the earlier stages of
+the war, and they may therefore in a sense be considered as picked
+troops.[12]
+
+[12]
+        The 7th Division (Gen. Capper).
+           20th Brigade (Gen. Ruggles-Brise), 1st Grenadiers.
+            2nd Scots Guards, 2nd Battalion the Border Regiment.
+            2nd Gordon Highlanders (old 92nd).
+
+           21st Brigade (Gen. Watt), 2nd Yorkshire Regiment.
+            2nd Bedfordshire Regiment, 2nd R. Scots Fusiliers.
+            2nd Wiltshire Regiment.
+
+           22nd Brigade (Gen. Lawford), 2nd R. Warwickshire Regiment.
+            2nd Queen's (R. West Surrey Regiment), 1st R. Welsh
+                  Fusiliers.
+            1st S. Staffordshire Regiment.
+
+The 7th and 15th Brigades from the 2nd A.C., who relieved the 7th
+Division, were themselves sadly thinned in numbers. The 7th Brigade,
+which took the place of the 20th Brigade, had, in fact, lost
+seventy-four per cent. of its numbers during the fighting round La
+Bassée, and was in almost as bad a plight as the 20th Brigade, which it
+relieved. The 15th Brigade, which replaced the 22nd, was rather
+stronger, having received drafts from home.
+
+The 20th Brigade went back to Locre, and the 22nd to Bailleul. The
+21st--which perhaps had suffered rather the least of the
+three--remained for the time being in the trenches.
+
+At night the 6th C.B. took over the trenches at Heronhage Château from
+the 3rd Brigade, who had been having a rough time during the preceding
+days, and these went back into reserve.
+
+
+
+
+ZWARTELEN
+
+
+November 6th saw a certain renewal of the enemy's activity. The day
+opened very foggy, but by eleven o'clock there was a bright sun. In the
+morning the French once more re-took Wytschate and Messines, but again
+found them untenable, and in fact this was the last attempt on the part
+of the Allies to occupy either of these two places.
+
+The respite of the poor 22nd Brigade from the trenches was short-lived,
+and the evening of the 6th saw them once more hurried up into the
+firing line. This came about in the following way. The French had now
+taken over all our trenches as far north as the Brown Road, our own
+troops being pushed up to the left. North of the French were the Irish
+Guards, and, beyond them, the 2nd Grenadiers. The French troops, who
+had so far held their ground with splendid tenacity, now found the
+position more than they could support. The German bombardment, with
+which they as usual opened the day, was more than usually severe, and
+lasted the whole morning, and about 2 p.m. it was followed by an
+infantry attack before which the left of the French and the right of
+the Irish Guards was driven in. As a result of this cave in the line,
+the left of the Irish Guards, which remained in the trenches, suffered
+considerably, Lord John Hamilton, Captain King-Harman and Lieut.
+Woodroffe being killed. An urgent message was sent to Gen. Kavanagh to
+bring up the 7th C.B., who were in readiness near Lord Cavan's Head
+Quarters behind Zillebeke, and the 22nd Brigade was also wired for to
+come up from Bailleul. The cavalry came galloping up to Zillebeke,
+where they dismounted and advanced on foot along and astride of the
+road from Zillebeke to Zwartelen, which runs along the foot of the
+ridge ending in Hill 60. Just short of Zwartelen they deployed, the 1st
+Life Guards on the left being told off to restore the Irish Guards'
+position, while the 2nd Life Guards attacked the position from which
+the French had been driven. The Blues were behind the centre of the
+line in support.
+
+The 1st Life Guards, under the Hon. A. Stanley, attacked the lost
+trenches of the Irish Guards with the greatest vigour, and within an
+hour had regained, at the point of the bayonet, the whole of the
+position lost. The Hon. A. Stanley received the medal for Distinguished
+Service for his conduct on this occasion, as did also Corpl. Baillie
+and Corpl. Fleming. Sergt. Munn, of the Irish Guards, also got the
+D.C.M. for rallying some men of his battalion and joining in the charge
+of the 1st Life Guards.
+
+In the meanwhile the Hon. Hugh Dawnay, commanding the 2nd Life Guards,
+sent off "B" Squadron to connect up with the right of the 1st Life
+Guards and clear the wood on the Klein Zillebeke ridge. "D" Squadron
+was sent off to cover the right flank of the whole combined movement by
+advancing along the edge of the Ypres to Armentières railway, which is
+separated from the wood by about 500 yards of open ground; while Major
+Dawnay himself, with "C" Troop, attacked the village of Zwartelen, with
+the Blues under Col. Wilson on his left, and some 300 of the French,
+who--encouraged by the advance of the Household Cavalry--had reformed,
+on his right, that is to say, between him and "D" Squadron on the
+railway.
+
+The whole scheme worked admirably. The attack by "B" Squadron on the
+Klein Zillebeke ridge wood was entirely successful, the enemy being
+driven out with loss and pursued for several hundred yards. The attack
+on Zwartelen--though perhaps a more formidable undertaking--was no less
+successful. The village was very strongly held, the houses in and
+around being occupied and defended, and the Household Cavalry's advance
+was met by a heavy rifle fire which caused many casualties, both Col.
+Wilson and Major Dawnay being killed while leading their respective
+regiments. In spite of heavy losses, however, the cavalrymen, with
+great steadiness and determination, pressed home their attack, and, at
+the point of the bayonet, carried the village and captured a number of
+prisoners, "C" Troop of the 2nd Life Guards afterwards pushing right
+through and occupying the trenches in the wood on the far side of the
+village. Lieut. Stewart-Menzies, Corpl. Watt, Corpl. Moulsen and Corpl.
+Anstice were all decorated for their gallantry during this brilliant
+performance on the part of "C" Troop. The latter N.C.O. displayed the
+greatest courage throughout the fight.
+
+The success of the counter-attack was now to all appearances complete,
+all the ground lost in the morning having been regained. At this
+moment, however, the French on the right of "C" Troop again gave way,
+leaving a gap into which the enemy at once pressed. The position of "C"
+Troop was now greatly imperilled, and General Kavanagh ordered the
+Blues, and "B" Squadron of the 2nd Life Guards, to cross the Verbranden
+Molen road to its support. This was done, the Blues moving to the right
+and occupying Zwartelen and Hill 60, and in these several positions the
+combined force continued to fight out time; but some of the ground
+which had been regained had to be abandoned.
+
+The situation was saved by the arrival about 6 p.m. of the 22nd
+Brigade, which had been hurried up from Bailleul in motor-buses. This
+brigade now took over the Household Cavalry position at Zwartelen,
+while the 2nd K.R.R., from the 2nd Brigade, relieved the squadron of
+the 2nd Life Guards which was holding the railway on the right flank.
+
+The Household Cavalry earned the very highest praise for their
+performance on this afternoon. They were handled with great skill by
+General Kavanagh, and the daring and dash of their advance undoubtedly
+averted what might have proved a very serious calamity. They lost
+seventeen officers during their advance, as follows:
+
+In the 1st Life Guards the Hon. R. Wyndham (attached from the
+Lincolnshire Yeomanry) was killed and the Hon. H. Denison, the Hon. E.
+Fitzroy and Captain Hardy were wounded.
+
+In the 2nd Life Guards the Hon. H. Dawnay, the Hon. A. O'Neill and
+Lieut. Peterson were killed and the Hon. M. Lyon, Lieut. Jobson, Lieut.
+Sandys and 2nd Lieut. Hobson were wounded.
+
+In the Blues, Col. Wilson and Lieut. de Gunzberg were killed, and Lord
+Gerard, Lord Northampton and Captain Brassey were wounded.
+
+The enemy's bombardment of the morning, and the infantry attack of the
+afternoon which followed, had by no means been confined to the area the
+loss and recapture of which has just been described. The 2nd
+Grenadiers, on the left of the Irish Guards, were as heavily attacked
+as any, but they succeeded in maintaining their ground throughout both
+morning and afternoon. Sergt. Thomas, who as Corpl. Thomas had so
+distinguished himself at Chavonne, once again showed the material of
+which he was made. His trench was subjected to a most appalling
+shelling. Only two of his platoon remained unwounded; he himself had
+twice been buried and the flank of his trench was exposed, but even in
+this apparently impossible position he held on, and was still in proud
+occupation of his trench when the arrival of the 7th C.B. and 22nd
+Brigade once more drove back the enemy. Sergt. Holmes and Corpl.
+Harrison in the same battalion also greatly distinguished themselves.
+
+At daybreak on the 7th, in the dull, misty atmosphere of a November
+morning, the 22nd Brigade deployed for an attempt to regain the
+position of the day before. This brigade, owing to its depleted
+condition, was now reduced to two composite battalions, the R. Welsh
+Fusiliers and 2nd Queen's being amalgamated into one battalion under
+the command of Captain Alleyne of the Queen's, and the Warwicks and S.
+Staffords into the other, under the command of Captain Vallentin of the
+S. Staffords. It is worthy of note that the brigade could furnish no
+officers of higher rank than a Captain; also that both the officers
+above-named fell on the second day of their command, Captain Alleyne
+being badly wounded and Captain Vallentin killed. The latter was
+posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for the great gallantry he had
+displayed in the command of his composite battalion.
+
+The brigade deployed in four lines, of which the first two were formed
+by the 2nd Queen's, who now numbered about 400. In this formation they
+advanced till within 300 yards of the enemy's position, when the first
+two lines joined up and charged. In spite of a heavy machine-gun fire,
+which still further reduced the 400, the Queen's charged right home and
+in rapid succession carried first one and then a second line of
+trenches, the defenders being all bayoneted or put to flight. The
+second of these two positions--the same, in fact, as had been captured
+by the 2nd Life Guards the day before--proved to be too far ahead of
+the general line and had to be abandoned, as it was persistently
+enfiladed by machine-gun fire from a farm-house on the left; but the
+first line was successfully held till night, when the battalion was
+relieved. During this charge of the Queen's Lieut. Haigh was killed and
+Captain Alleyne, Captain Roberts, Lieuts. Lang-Browne, Collis and
+Pascoe were wounded. Three machine-guns were captured.
+
+The 22nd Brigade was now reduced to four officers, that is to say, one
+to each battalion, and at night they were finally relieved, and allowed
+to return to the retirement from which they had been so rudely
+summoned.
+
+During this same day there was some severe fighting in the Polygon
+wood, the Connaught Rangers being driven back and their trenches
+captured. The flank of the Coldstream Brigade thus became threatened,
+and for a time the position promised to be serious, but the 6th Brigade
+on the Zonnebeke road came to the rescue, the lost trenches were
+regained, and the continuity of the line once more established.
+
+The morning of the 8th saw a renewal of the attempt to break through
+along the Menin road. At the first assault the French and two companies
+of the Loyal N. Lancashire Regiment in the first line were driven back,
+and the flank of the 1st Scots Guards became exposed. As a result the
+enemy was able to rake the trenches of the latter regiment with
+machine-guns and their casualties were heavy, Lieuts. Cripps,
+Stirling-Stuart, Monckton and Smith being killed. The battalion,
+however, held on till the morning position was once more restored by
+the two reserve companies of the Loyal N. Lancashires, who,
+counter-attacking with great spirit and determination, drove back the
+enemy from the position they had temporarily won.
+
+
+
+
+THE PRUSSIAN GUARD ATTACK
+
+
+From November 8th to 11th there was little fighting. It had been
+apparently realized at length by the German commanders that the troops
+they were at present employing were incapable of breaking the British
+line, but at the back of that admission there was evidently still the
+belief that the task was possible, provided the troops employed were
+sufficiently good. Accordingly the Prussian Guard was sent for. Pending
+the arrival of that invincible body there was a lull in the ceaseless
+hammer of battle; and in the meanwhile the weather changed for the
+worse. By the time the Prussian Guard was ready for its enterprise,
+that is to say by November 11th, it was about as bad as it could be. A
+strong west wind was accompanied by an icy rain, which fell all day in
+torrents. Luckily the wind and rain were in the faces of the enemy, a
+factor of no little importance.
+
+The battle of November 11th may be looked upon as the last attempt but
+one of the Germans to break through to Calais during the 1914 campaign.
+The actual last serious attempt was on November 17th. On the 11th the
+cannonade began at daybreak and was kept up till 9.30. In violence and
+volume it rivalled that of October 31st. The entire front from Klein
+Zillebeke to Zonnebeke was involved, the enemy's design being--as on
+the 31st--to attack all along the front simultaneously so as to hamper
+and cripple the British commanders in the use of the very limited
+reserves at their disposal.
+
+The newly-arrived troops were the 1st and 4th Brigade Prussian Guard,
+and some battalions of the Garde Jäger, in all fifteen battalions, and
+to these was entrusted the main attack on the key of the position,
+_i.e._, along, and north of, the Menin road.
+
+The Prussian Guard attacked through Veldhoek, and in their advance
+displayed the invincible courage for which they have ever been famed.
+Such courage, however--though sufficiently sublime from the spectacular
+point of view--cannot fail to be expensive, and the losses among these
+gallant men were prodigious. It was afterwards said by a prisoner that
+they had been deceived by the silence in our trenches into thinking
+that the bombardment had cleared them, and so came on recklessly.
+However, in spite of their losses, by sheer intrepidity and weight of
+numbers, they succeeded in capturing all the front line trenches of the
+1st Brigade, who were astride the Menin road between Veldhoek and
+Hooge. In three places large bodies of the enemy succeeded in breaking
+through, and in each case their success furnished a subject for
+reflection as to the why and the wherefore of battles. For, having
+succeeded in doing that which they had set out to do, they stood
+huddled together in the plainest uncertainty as to how next to act, a
+point which was speedily settled by the arrival of our reserves, who
+fell upon the successful invaders and promptly annihilated them. One
+party of some 700 were accounted for to a man by the Oxfordshire Light
+Infantry, led by Col. Davies.
+
+Another party which had broken through in the Polygon wood was
+similarly dealt with by the Highland Light Infantry under Col.
+Wolfe-Murray, an operation during which Lieut. Brodie won the Victoria
+Cross for exceptional gallantry. This was the second Victoria Cross to
+fall to this battalion,[13] which had indeed never failed in any
+situation which it had been called upon to face. Gen. Willcocks, in
+subsequently addressing the battalion, alluded with pride to "the
+magnificent glory" with which it had fought, and concluded with the
+remarkable words: "There is no position which the Highland Light
+Infantry cannot capture."
+
+        [13] Pte. Wilson had gained the honour on September 14th.
+
+The nett result of the day's fighting was that the enemy gained some
+500 yards of ground, which, from the military point of view, advantaged
+them nothing, and the gaining of which had cost them some thousands of
+their best men. The barrenness of the advance made cannot be better
+illustrated than by the fact that it was the last step forward of the
+invading army, till the asphyxiating gas was brought into play in the
+spring of 1915.
+
+On the 12th the 1st Brigade, which had borne the brunt of the Prussian
+Guard attack, was taken back into reserve. It will be conceded that it
+was about time.
+
+This gallant Brigade, 4,500 strong in August, was now represented as
+follows:
+
+    1st Scots Guards: Captain Stracey and 69 men.
+    Black Watch:      Captain Fortune and 109 men.
+    Camerons:         Col. McEwen,
+                      Major Craig-Browne,
+                      Lieut. Dunsterville and 140 men.
+    1st Coldstream:   No officers and 150 men.
+
+The 6th C.B. was now reinforced by the arrival of the North Somerset
+and Leicestershire Yeomanry Regiments. This strengthening was sorely
+needed, the brigade having been practically without rest since its
+arrival in Flanders. By the irony of fate the Hon. W. Cadogan, the
+Colonel of the 10th Hussars, was killed on the very day when these
+reinforcements arrived.
+
+With this addition to its strength the brigade was now required to
+find 800 rifles for its line of trenches along the Klein Zillebeke
+ridge, and in addition to furnish a reserve of 400, who--when not
+required--lived in burrows in the railway cutting at Hooge. Within a
+week, however, the reserve became a luxury of the past, and the
+brigade was called upon to find 1,200 rifles for the trenches.
+
+On November 17th we come to the last serious attempt of the enemy,
+during the 1914 campaign, to break through to Calais by way of Ypres.
+This final effort can be dismissed in a few words. It was made south of
+the Menin road by the XV. German Army Corps, and it took the form of
+two infantry attacks, one at 1 p.m. and another at 4 p.m.; and it
+failed utterly, the Germans leaving thousands of dead and wounded on
+the ground just in front of our trenches, to which they had been
+allowed to approach quite close.
+
+The signal failure of this last spasmodic effort, and the subsequent
+passivity of the enemy, points with some significance to the conclusion
+that the position to which we had now been driven back along the
+Zillebeke--Zonnebeke ridge was impregnable, and was recognized as such
+by the enemy.
+
+The 6th C.B. and the 2nd Grenadiers were the most prominent figures in
+this victory of November 17th. In the course of the second attack the
+10th Hussars and 3rd Dragoon Guards allowed the enemy to come within a
+few yards of their trenches before they opened fire and mowed them down
+in masses. The 10th Hussars, however, again suffered somewhat severely
+in officers, the Hon. A. Annesley, Captain Peto, and Lieut. Drake being
+killed. The newly-arrived North Somerset Yeomanry, under Col. Glyn,
+behaved with the coolness and steadiness of veterans, and contributed
+in no small degree to the repulse of the enemy's second attack.
+
+The 2nd Grenadiers received the highest praise from Lord Cavan for
+their part in this day's fighting. This battalion had now lost 30
+officers and 1,300 men since the beginning of the campaign, and on the
+following day it was sent back into reserve to recoup and reorganize.
+
+
+
+
+EPITAPH
+
+
+With the German failure of November 17th the first chapter in the Great
+War may be considered closed. The desperate and all but uninterrupted
+fighting which, for three months, followed the defence of the Mons
+canal, was succeeded by a long lull, during which both sides were
+busily engaged fighting a common foe. The winter of 1914 proved the
+wettest in the memory of man, and ague, rheumatism, frost-bite,
+gangrene and tetanus filled the hospitals with little less regularity
+than had the shot and shell of the autumn. Then came the great battle
+of Neuve Chapelle, and in another part of the world the grim struggles
+of the Dardanelles. These are another story, and some day this will be
+told; but great as may have been--and undoubtedly has been--the glory
+won in other fields, nothing can ever surpass, as a story of simple,
+sublime pluck, the history of the first three months of England's
+participation in the Great War. The word "pluck" is used with
+intention, for it conveys, perhaps, better than any other word a sense
+of that indomitable spirit which is superior to every rub of adverse
+fortune. There were no War Correspondents present with the First
+Expeditionary Force. There was no wrapping of specially favoured deeds
+in tinsel for the eyes of a cheap gallery. Even if the wrappers had
+been present, the general standard was too high for invidious
+selection. A mole-hill stands out on a plain, but makes no show in the
+uplands. V.C.'s, it is true, were won; but for every one given a
+hundred were earned. Military honours are the fruit of recommendation;
+but when Generals, Colonels, Company Officers and Sergeants are no
+more, the deed must be its own record; there is none left to recommend.
+
+The grandeur of the doings of those First Seven Divisions lies, it may
+well be, in their immunity from the play of a cheap flashlight--a
+flashlight which too often distorts the perspective, and so illuminates
+the wrong spot. There is a gospel in the very reticence of the records
+of the regiments concerned--in the dignity with which, without any
+blare of trumpets, they tell of the daily answer to the call of a duty
+which balanced them ceaselessly on the edge of eternity. But it is
+always told as of a simple response to the call of duty, and not as a
+thing to be waved in the faces of an audience.
+
+But, though unflattered and unsung, those early deeds in France and
+Flanders can boast an epitaph which tells no lies, and which, in its
+simple tragedy, is more eloquent than a volume of strained panegyrics.
+
+The register of "missing" is an enigma; it may mean many things. But
+the register of killed and wounded is no enigma. It tells, in the
+simplest terms, a tale of death and mutilation faced and found at the
+call of duty. Let us leave it at that.
+
+The First Expeditionary Force is no more. The distinctive names and
+numbers of the units that composed it still face one from the pages of
+the "Army List;" but of the bronzed, cheery men who sailed in August,
+1914, one third lie under the soil of France and Flanders. Of those
+that remain, some have been relegated for ever--and of a cruel
+necessity--to more peaceful pursuits; others--more hopefully
+convalescent--are looking forward with eagerness to the day when they
+will once more be fit to answer the call of duty and of country.
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+_Printed at The Chapel River Press, Kingston, Surrey._
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The First Seven Divisions, by Ernest W. Hamilton
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+<title>The Project Gutenberg eBook of The First Seven Divisions: Being
+a Detailed Account of the Fighting from Mons to Ypres, by
+Ernest W. Hamilton</title>
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+<pre>
+
+Project Gutenberg's The First Seven Divisions, by Ernest W. Hamilton
+
+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/license
+
+
+Title: The First Seven Divisions
+       Being a Detailed Account of the Fighting from Mons to Ypres
+
+Author: Ernest W. Hamilton
+
+Release Date: March 15, 2012 [EBook #39158]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: UTF-8
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Charlene Taylor, Sigal Alon and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)
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+
+
+
+</pre>
+
+
+<p class="fm3">
+THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS
+</p>
+
+<p class="fm4">
+<i>McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD &#38; STEWART, Ltd.</i>
+</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter"><a  name="first"><img src="images/001.jpg" alt="Map showing the first seven days of the retreat from Mons" width="600" height="208"></a></div>
+<p class="caption">Map showing the first seven days of the retreat from
+Mons, with the routes followed by each Division. The dates given refer
+to the nights during which the troops rested, the days being spent in
+marching.
+</p>
+
+<ul>
+<li>1st Division Violet</li>
+<li>2nd Division Green</li>
+<li>3rd Division Blue</li>
+<li>5th Division Red</li>
+</ul>
+
+<p class="caption">
+Approximate scale 7 miles to an inch.
+</p>
+
+
+<hr class="med">
+
+<h1>
+<i>The First Seven Divisions</i>
+<br><br>
+<small><i>Being a detailed account of the fighting<br>from Mons to Ypres</i></small>
+</h1>
+<br>
+<h2>
+<i>By Ernest W. Hamilton</i><br>
+<small>(<i>Late Captain 11th Hussars</i>)</small>
+</h2>
+<br>
+<h3>
+<i>WITH MAPS</i>
+</h3>
+<br>
+<h4>
+<i>TORONTO:<br>
+McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD &#38; STEWART. Ltd.</i>
+</h4>
+
+<h5>
+<i>Printed in Great Britain</i>
+</h5>
+
+
+<hr class="med">
+
+<a name="preface">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="section">
+PREFACE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+The 1st Expeditionary Force to leave England consisted of the 1st A.C.
+(1st and 2nd Divisions) and the 2nd A.C. (3rd and 5th Divisions).
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 4th Division arrived in time to prolong the battle-front at Le
+Cateau, but it missed the terrible stress of the first few days, and
+can therefore hardly claim to rank as part of the 1st Expeditionary
+Force in the strict sense. The 6th Division did not join till the
+battle of the Aisne. These two divisions then formed the 3rd A.C.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the following pages the doings of the 3rd A.C. are only very lightly
+touched upon, not because they are less worthy of record than those of
+the 1st and 2nd A.C., but simply because they do not happen to have
+come within the field of vision of the narrator.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 7th Division's doings are dealt with because these were
+inextricably mixed up with the operations of the 1st A.C. east
+of Ypres. The 3rd A.C., on the other hand, acted throughout as
+an independent unit, and had no part in the Ypres and La Bass&#233;e
+fighting with which these pages are attempting to deal.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The main point aimed at is accuracy; no attempt is made to magnify
+achievements, or to minimise failures.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It must, however, be clearly understood that the mention from time to
+time of certain battalions as having been driven from their trenches
+does not in the smallest degree suggest inefficiency on the part of
+such battalions. It is probable that every battalion in the British
+Force has at some time or another during the past twelve months been
+forced to abandon its trenches. A battalion is driven from its trenches
+as often as not owing to insupportable shell-fire concentrated on a
+particular area. Such trenches may be afterwards retaken by another
+battalion under entirely different circumstances, and in any case in
+the absence of shell-fire. That goes without saying. It may, therefore,
+quite easily happen that lost trenches may be retaken by a battalion
+which is inferior in all military essentials to the battalion which was
+driven out of the same trenches the day before, or earlier in the same
+day, as the case may be.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+I wish to take this opportunity of expressing the great obligations
+under which I lie to the many officers who have so kindly assisted me
+in the compilation of this work.
+</p>
+
+
+<hr class="med">
+
+
+<p class="section">
+CONTENTS
+</p>
+
+
+<table summary="Contents">
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">&nbsp;</td>
+<td class="pg"><small>PAGE</small></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">PREFACE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#preface">v</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">BEFORE MONS</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#before">1</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE BATTLE OF MONS</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#battle">12</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE RETREAT FROM MONS (LANDRECIES AND MAROILLES)</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#retreat">33</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE LE CATEAU PROBLEM</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#problem">50</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">LE CATEAU</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#cateau">55</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE RETREAT FROM LE CATEAU (VILLERS-COTTER&#202;TS AND N&#201;RY)</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#from">66</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE ADVANCE TO THE AISNE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#advance">84</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE PASSAGE OF THE AISNE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#passage">96</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">TROYON (VERNEUIL AND SOUPIR)</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#troyon">103</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE AISNE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#theaisne">120</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">MAN&#338;UVRING WESTWARD</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#westward">141</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">FROM ATTACK TO DEFENCE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#attack">159</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE BIRTH OF THE YPRES SALIENT</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#birth">162</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE STAND OF THE FIFTH DIVISION</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#stand">180</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">NEUVE CHAPELLE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#neuve">192</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">PILKEM</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#pilken">203</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE SECOND ADVANCE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#second">209</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE FIGHTING AT KRUISEIK</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#fighting">218</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE LAST OF KRUISEIK</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#last">230</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">ZANDVOORDE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#zandvoorde">249</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">GHELUVELT</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#gheluvelt">257</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">MESSINES AND WYTSCHATE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#messines">265</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">KLEIN ZILLEBEKE</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#klein">278</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE RELIEF OF THE SEVENTH DIVISION</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#relief">285</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">ZWARTELEN</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#zwartelen">294</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">THE PRUSSIAN GUARD ATTACK</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#guard">303</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">EPITAPH</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#epitaph">310</a></td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+
+<hr class="med">
+
+
+
+<p>
+The following abbreviations are used:&#8212;
+</p>
+
+<table summary="list">
+<tr>
+<td>The C. in C.</td>
+<td>=</td>
+<td>Field Marshal Sir John French</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>A.C.</td>
+<td>=</td>
+<td>Army Corps</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>C.B.</td>
+<td>=</td>
+<td>Cavalry Brigade</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>K.O.S.B.</td>
+<td>=</td>
+<td>King's Own Scottish Borderers</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>K.O.Y.L.I.</td>
+<td>=</td>
+<td>King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>K.R.R.</td>
+<td>=</td>
+<td>King's Royal Rifles (60th)</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+
+<hr class="med">
+
+
+<p class="section">
+LIST OF MAPS
+</p>
+
+<table class="maps" summary="List of Maps">
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">Showing the first seven days of the retreat from Mons, with the routes
+followed by each division.</td>
+<td class="pg" width="20%"><a href="#first"><i>Facing Title Page</i></a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">Showing disposition of troops at the battle of Mons.</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#mons"><i>Facing page</i> 12</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">Showing line occupied by British troops after the battle of the Aisne.</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#aisne">102</a></td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="txt">Ypres and district</td>
+<td class="pg"><a href="#ypres">162</a></td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+
+<hr class="med">
+
+
+<p class="section">
+<big>THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS</big>
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="before">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="firstchapter">
+BEFORE MONS
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+When an entire continent has for eighteen months been convulsed by
+military operations on so vast a scale as almost to baffle imagination,
+the individual achievements of this division or of that division are
+apt to fade quickly out of recognition. Fresh scenes peopled by fresh
+actors hold the public eye, and, in the quick passage of events, the
+lustre of bygone deeds soon gets blurred. People forget. But when the
+deeds are such as to bring a thrill of national pride; when they set up
+an all but unique standard of valour for future generations to live up
+to, it is best not to forget.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the outbreak of war with Germany on August 3rd, 1914, the British
+Army was so small as to be a mere drop in the ocean of armed men who
+were hurrying to confront one another on the plains of Belgium. It was
+derisively described as "contemptible." And yet, in the first three
+months of the war, this little army, varying in numbers from 80,000 to
+130,000, may justly claim to have in some part moulded the history of
+Europe. It was the deciding factor in a struggle where the sides&#8212;at
+first&#8212;were none too equally matched. For this alone its deeds are
+worthy of record, and they are worthy of record too for another reason.
+They represent the supreme sacrifice in the interests of the national
+honour of what was familiarly known as our "regular army." Since the
+outbreak of the war, fresh armies have arisen, of new and unprecedented
+proportions. The members of these new armies are as familiar now to the
+public eye as the representatives of the old regular army are scarce.
+With the doings of these new armies the present pages have no concern.
+They are, it is true, the expression of a spirit of patriotism and duty
+so remarkable that their voluntary growth must for ever stand out as
+one of the grandest monuments in the history of Britain. But they form
+no part of the subject matter of these pages, which deal solely with
+the way in which the old regular army, led by the best in the land,
+saved the national honour in the acutest crisis in history, and
+practically ceased to exist in the doing of it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The regular army, small as it was, did not lie under the hands of those
+who would use it. Much of it was far away across the seas, guarding the
+outposts of the Empire. A certain proportion, however, was at hand, and
+with a smoothness and expedition which silenced, no less than it
+amazed, the critics of our military administration, 50,000 infantry,
+with its artillery and five brigades of cavalry, were shipped off to
+France almost before the public had realized that we were at war. From
+Havre or Boulogne, as the case might be, these troops either marched or
+were trained northwards; shook themselves into shape; gradually assumed
+the form of two army corps of two divisions each, of which the 1st
+Division was on the right and the 5th on the left (the 4th Division
+having not yet arrived), and in this formation faced the Belgian
+frontier to meet and check the invaders.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The two advancing forces met at Mons, or, to be more accurate, the
+British force took up a defensive position at Mons&#8212;in conformity with
+the pre-arranged plan of extending the French line westwards&#8212;and there
+waited.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From this time on, the doings of the Expeditionary Force become
+historically interesting, and its movements are worthy of study in
+detail. In the first instance, however, in order to arrive at a proper
+understanding of the circumstances which governed the position of the
+British troops on the occasion of their first stand, and which
+afterwards dictated the line of retreat and the roads to be followed in
+that retreat, and the successive points at which the retreating army
+faced about and fought, it is desirable to get a general grasp of the
+geographical side of things. The Germans were advancing from the
+north-east on Paris; that was their avowed intention; there was no
+secret about it; the leaders openly proclaimed their intentions; the
+soldiers advertised the fact in chalk legends scribbled on the doors of
+the houses; and&#8212;as the fashion is with Germans in arms&#8212;they were
+taking the most direct route to their objective, their artillery and
+transport following the great main roads that shoot out north-eastward
+from Paris towards Brussels, with their infantry swarming in endless
+thousands along the smaller collateral roads. Here and there, at
+intervals of from twenty to thirty miles, this system of parallel roads
+running north-east from Paris is crossed by other main roads running at
+right angles and forming, as it were, a skeleton check with the point
+of the diamond to the north. These main cross-roads had, in
+anticipation, been selected for the lines of defence along which our
+troops should turn and fight if necessary, for though it is laid down
+in the text-books of the wise that a line of defence must not run along
+a main road, such a road has obvious value for purposes of correct
+alignment. As the German advance was from the north-east, it is
+self-evident that the line of resistance or defence had to extend from
+north-west to south-east.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+When our troops, by forced marches, reached Mons on August 22nd, 1914,
+the primary business of the British Force was to prolong the French
+line of resistance in a north-westerly direction. The natural country
+feature which was geographically indicated for this purpose was the
+high road which runs from Charleroi through Binche to Mons, and this
+was the line for which our troops were originally destined. In effect,
+however, this line proved to be impracticable, for the simple reason
+that, when we reached it, the Germans were already in possession of
+Charleroi, and the French on our right had fallen back beyond the point
+of prolongation of this line. For the British Force in these
+circumstances to have occupied the Mons&#8212;Charleroi road would have laid
+it open to the very great risk&#8212;if not certainty&#8212;of being cut off and
+completely isolated. In these circumstances there was no alternative
+but to range our 1st A.C. along the Mons&#8212;Beaumont road, in rear of the
+original position contemplated, while the 2nd A.C. lined the canal
+between Mons and Cond&#233;. The position was not ideal, the formation being
+that of a broad arrow, with the two Army Corps practically at right
+angles to one another. However, it was the best that offered in the
+peculiar circumstances of the case. As it turned out in the end, the
+entire attack at Mons fell on the 2nd A.C., which lay back at an angle
+of forty-five degrees from the general line of defence. The battle of
+Mons may, therefore, in a sense be looked upon as an attempt at a
+flanking or enveloping movement on the part of the enemy, which was
+frustrated by the interposition of our troops.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In view of the fact that the scene of the first shock with the enemy
+was fixed by necessity and not by choice, the Mons canal may be
+considered as a fortunate feature in the landscape. It ran sufficiently
+true to the required line to offer an obvious line of defence, and an
+ideal one, except for the flagrant defect that, after running from
+Cond&#233; to Mons in a mathematically straight line, on reaching the town
+it flings off to the north in a loop some two miles long by one and a
+half miles across. This loop, as well as the straight reach to Cond&#233;,
+was occupied by our troops. The formation of the British army, then,
+was not only that of a broad arrow, but of a broad arrow with a loop
+two miles long by a mile and a half across projecting from the point.
+Such a position could obviously not be held for long, and Sir Horace
+Smith-Dorrien, recognizing this, had prepared in advance a second and
+more defensible line running through Frameries, Paturages, Wasmes and
+Boussu. To this second line the troops were to fall back as soon as the
+salient became untenable. A glance at the map will serve to show that
+the effect of swinging back the right of the 2nd A.C. to this new
+position would be to at once bring the whole British Army into line,
+with a frontage facing the advance of the enemy from the north-east. In
+view, however, of the preparedness of the Germans and the comparative
+unpreparedness of the Allies, time was a factor in the case of the very
+first importance, and therefore the passage of the canal had to be
+opposed, if only for purposes of delay. It is important, however, to
+keep in mind that the real line which it was intended to defend at Mons
+was this second line. The intention was never carried out, because it
+was anticipated by an unexpected and most unwelcome order to retire in
+conformity with French movements on the right, which upset all plans.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile, the enemy's entry into Mons itself had to be delayed
+as long as possible, which meant that the canal salient, bad as it was,
+had perforce to be defended. This dangerous but most responsible duty
+was entrusted to Sir Hubert Hamilton with his 3rd Division, and, as a
+matter of fact, the battle of Mons in the end proved to be practically
+confined to the three brigades of this division.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The disposition of the division was as follows:
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General Shaw, with the 9th Brigade, was posted along the western face
+of the canal loop, his right-hand battalion being the 4th R. Fusiliers,
+who held the line from the Nimy bridge, at Lock 6, to the Ghlin bridge.
+To the left of the R. Fusiliers, were the R. Scots Fusiliers, and
+beyond them again half the Northumberland Fusiliers reaching as far as
+Jemappes. The Lincolns and the rest of the Northumberland Fusiliers
+formed the reserve to the brigade and were at Cuesmes in rear of the
+canal.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the right of the 9th Brigade was the 8th Brigade, occupying the
+north-east face of the canal salient. Of this brigade the 4th Middlesex
+on the left took up the line from the R. Fusiliers east of the Nimy
+bridge, and carried it on as far as the bridge and railway station at
+Obourg. Between Obourg and St. Symphorien were the 1st Gordon
+Highlanders, and on their right, thrown back so as to link up with the
+left of the 1st A.C., were the 2nd Royal Scots. The Royal Irish
+Regiment formed the brigade reserve at Hyon, and the 7th Brigade the
+divisional reserve at Cipley. So much then for the salient itself on
+which, as it turned out, the enemy's attack was mainly focussed. On the
+left of the 3rd Division, along the straight reach of the canal which
+runs to Cond&#233;, was Sir Charles Fergusson's 5th Division. Of this
+division we need only concern ourselves with the 13th Brigade, which
+continued the line of defence on the left of the 9th Brigade, the R.
+West Kents holding the ground from Mariette to Lock 5 at St. Ghislain,
+with the K.O.S.B. extended beyond them as far as Lock 4 at Les
+Herbi&#232;res. The K.O.Y.L.I. and Duke of Wellington's Regiment were in
+reserve. On the left of the K.O.S.B. was the E. Surrey Regiment and
+beyond again the 14th and 15th Brigades. Later on the line was still
+further extended to the west by the 19th Brigade, which arrived during
+the afternoon of the 23rd.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Such then was the disposition of the 2nd A.C. The 1st A.C. lay back, as
+has been explained, almost at right angles to the line of the canal,
+along the two roads that branch off from Mons to Beaumont and Maubeuge
+respectively. On the first-named road was the 1st Division reaching as
+far as Grand Reng. This division, however, as events turned out, was
+merely a spectator of the operations of August 23rd. The 2nd Division
+was very much scattered, the 6th Brigade being at Givry, and the 5th at
+Bougnies, while of the 4th Brigade the two Coldstream Battalions were
+at Harveng and the rest of the brigade at Qu&#233;vy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The gap between the 1st and 2nd A.C. was patrolled by the 2nd C.B., an
+operation which brought about the first actual collision between
+British and German troops. This was on the 22nd near Villers St.
+Ghislain, when Captain Hornby with a squadron of the 4th Dragoon Guards
+fell in with a column of Uhlans, which he promptly charged and very
+completely routed, capturing a number of prisoners.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The rest of our cavalry was spread along the Binche road as a covering
+screen for the 1st A.C., with the exception of the 4th C.B. which was
+at Haulchin cross-roads, guarding the approach to that place from the
+direction of Binche, and at the same time keeping up a communication
+between the 1st and 2nd Divisions.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Such then was, generally speaking, the position on August 22nd. During
+that night, however, all the cavalry was withdrawn from the Binche road
+and moved across to the left of our line, where they took up a position
+guarding that flank along the two roads running north and south through
+Thulin and Eloges to Andregnies. The 4th C.B., having the shortest
+journey to make, went four miles further west again to Quiverain. This
+change of position meant a twenty mile night march for the cavalry on
+the top of a hard day's patrol work, and the journey took them from six
+o'clock in the evening till two o'clock the following morning.
+</p>
+
+
+
+
+<a name="battle">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE BATTLE OF MONS
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+The morning of the 23rd opened sunny and bright. The weather was set
+fair with a breeze from the east, a cloudless sky, and the promise of
+great heat at midday. A pale blue haze rounded off the distance, and
+softened the outlines of the tall, gaunt chimney stacks with which the
+entire country is dotted.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With the first streak of dawn came the first German shell. It was
+evident from the outset that the canal loop had been singled out as the
+object of the enemy's special attentions. Its weakness from the
+defensive point of view was clearly as well known to them as it was to
+our own Generals. It was also fairly obvious to both sides that, if the
+enemy succeeded in crossing the canal in the neighbourhood of the
+salient, the line of defence along the straight reach to Cond&#233; would
+have to be abandoned. The straight reach of the canal was therefore,
+for the time being, neglected, and all efforts confined to the salient.
+ The bombardment increased in volume as the morning advanced and as
+fresh German batteries arrived on the scene, and at 8 a.m. came the
+first infantry attack.
+</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter"><a  name="mons"><img src="images/002.jpg" alt="Map showing disposition of troops at the battle of Mons." width="600" height="476"></a></div>
+<p class="caption">Map showing disposition of troops at the battle of Mons.
+Approximate scale 2 miles to an inch.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This first attack was launched against the north-west corner of the
+canal loop, the focus-point being&#8212;as had been anticipated&#8212;the Nimy
+bridge, on which the two main roads from Lens and Soignies converge.
+The attack, however, soon became more general and the pressure quickly
+extended for a good mile and a half to either side of the Nimy bridge,
+embracing the railway bridge and the Ghlin bridge to the left of it,
+and the long reach to the Obourg bridge on the right.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The northern side of the canal is here dotted, throughout the entire
+length of the attacked position, with a number of small fir plantations
+which proved of inestimable value to the enemy for the purpose of
+masking their machine-gun fire, as well as for massing their infantry
+preparatory to an attack.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About nine o'clock the German infantry attack, which had been
+threatening for some time past, took definite shape and four battalions
+were suddenly launched upon the head of the Nimy bridge. The bridge was
+defended by a single company of the R. Fusiliers under Captain
+Ashburner and a machine-gun in charge of Lieut. Dease.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Germans attacked in close column, an experiment which, in this case
+proved a conspicuous failure, the leading sections going down as one
+man before the concentrated machine-gun and rifle fire from the bridge.
+The survivors retreated with some haste behind the shelter of one of
+the plantations, where they remained for half an hour. Then the attack
+was renewed, this time in extended order. The alteration in the
+formation at once made itself felt on the defenders. This time the
+attack was checked but not stopped. Captain Ashburner's company on the
+Nimy bridge began to be hard pressed and 2nd Lieut. Mead was sent up
+with a platoon to its support. Mead was at once wounded&#8212;badly wounded
+in the head. He had it dressed in rear and returned to the firing line,
+to be again almost immediately shot through the head and killed.
+Captain Bowdon-Smith and Lieut. Smith then went up to the bridge with
+another platoon. Within ten minutes both had fallen badly wounded.
+Lieut. Dease who was working the machine-gun had already been hit three
+times. Captain Ashburner was wounded in the head, and Captain Forster,
+in the trench to the right of him, had been shot through the right arm
+and stomach. The position on the Nimy bridge was growing very
+desperate, and it was equally bad further to the left, where Captain
+Byng's company on the Ghlin bridge was going through a very similar
+experience. Here again the pressure was tremendous and the Germans made
+considerable headway, but could not gain the bridges, Pte. Godley with
+his machine-gun sticking to his post to the very end, and doing
+tremendous execution. The defenders too had most effective support from
+the 107th Battery R.F.A. entrenched behind them, the Artillery Observer
+in the firing line communicating the enemy's range with great accuracy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To the right of the Nimy bridge the 4th Middlesex were in the meanwhile
+putting up a no less stubborn defence, and against equally desperate
+odds. Major Davey, whose company was on the left, in touch with the
+right of the R. Fusiliers, had fallen wounded early in the day, and the
+position at that point finally became so serious that Major Abell's
+company was rushed up from reserve to its support. During this advance
+Major Abell himself, Captain Knowles and 2nd Lieut. Henstock were
+killed, and a third of the rank and file fell, but the balance
+succeeded in reaching the firing line trenches and&#8212;with this
+stiffening added&#8212;the position was successfully held for the time
+being.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Captain Oliver's company, in the centre of the Middlesex line, was also
+very hard pressed, and Col. Cox sent up two companies of the R. Irish
+Regiment (who were in reserve at Hyon) to its support, another half
+company of the same regiment being at the same time sent to strengthen
+the right of the Middlesex line at the Obourg bridge, where Captain Roy
+had already been killed and Captain Glass wounded. The Gordons, on the
+right of the Middlesex, also suffered severely, but the Royal Scots
+beyond them were just outside of the zone of pressure, and their
+casualties were few.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The attack along the straight reach of the canal towards Cond&#233; was less
+violent, and was not pressed till much later in the day. Here, lining
+the canal towards the west, was the 5th Division (13th, 14th and 15th
+Brigades). On the right of this division and in touch with the
+Northumberland Fusiliers, who were the left-hand battalion of the 9th
+Brigade (in the 3rd Division) were the 1st R. West Kents. This
+battalion had on the previous day, in its capacity as advance guard to
+the brigade, been thrown forward as a screen some distance to the north
+of the canal, where it sustained some fifty casualties, Lieuts.
+Anderson and Lister being killed and 2nd Lieut. Chitty wounded.
+Eventually, as the enemy advanced, the battalion was withdrawn to the
+south side of the canal, and on the 23rd it occupied the reach from
+Mariette on the east to the Pommeroeul&#8212;St. Ghislain road on the west,
+where two companies held the bridge at the lock. This position,
+however, was not seriously pressed, and the battalion had few further
+casualties during the day, though Captain Buchanon-Dunlop had the
+misfortune to be wounded by a shell at the outset of the attack.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Towards midday the attack against the straight reach of the canal
+became general. The whole line was shelled, and the German infantry,
+taking advantage of the cover afforded by the numerous fir
+plantations&#8212;which here, as at Nimy, dotted the north side of the
+canal&#8212;worked up to within a few hundred yards of the water, and from
+the cover of the trees maintained a constant rifle and machine-gun fire
+on the defenders.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About 3 o'clock in the afternoon the 19th Brigade under General
+Drummond arrived from Valenciennes and took up a position on the
+extreme left of our front, extending the line of the 5th Division as
+far as Cond&#233; itself, on the outskirts of which town were the 1st
+Cameronians, with the 2nd Middlesex on their right, and the 2nd R.
+Welsh Fusiliers again beyond.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+They were hardly in position before the action became general all along
+the line of the canal.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The most serious attack in this quarter was on the bridge at Les
+Herbi&#232;res, held by the 2nd K.O.S.B. This regiment had thrown one
+company forward on the north side, along the Pommeroeul road, with the
+remaining companies lining the south bank of the canal, and the
+machine-guns dominating the situation on the north side of the canal
+from the top storey of the highest house on the south side. The
+dispositions for defence were good, but on the other hand the K.O.S.B.
+were throughout the action a good deal harassed by a thick wood running
+up close to the north bank, in which the Germans were able to
+concentrate without coming under observation. Several times their
+infantry were seen massing on the edge of this wood with a view to a
+charge, but on each occasion the attack died away under the rifle fire
+from the Pommeroeul road and canal bank, and the machine-gun fire from
+the tall house beyond.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile, though undoubtedly inflicting very heavy losses on
+the enemy, the K.O.S.B. were losing men all the time, Captain Spencer,
+Captain Kennedy and Major Chandos-Leigh being early among the
+casualties. Curiously enough, the machine-gun position, though
+sufficiently conspicuous, was not located by the enemy for some
+considerable time, but eventually it became the object of much
+attention. In the end, however, it was luckily able to withdraw without
+loss, being more fortunate in this respect than the machine-gun section
+of the K.O.Y.L.I. on the right under Lieut. Pepys, that officer being
+the first man killed in action in the battalion, if not in the whole
+division.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Germans, in spite of all efforts, were able to make no material
+headway along the straight canal, nor was the advantage of the fighting
+in that quarter by any means on their side, but with the abandonment of
+the Nimy salient the withdrawal of the troops to the left of it became
+imperative, for reasons already explained, and in the evening the 5th
+Division received the order to retire. This was not till long after the
+3rd Division had abandoned the Nimy salient. The three brigades of this
+latter division, after putting up a heroic defence and suffering very
+severe casualties, got the order to retire at 3 p.m., whereupon the R.
+Fusiliers fell slowly back through Mons to Hyon, and the R. Scots
+Fusiliers, who had put up a great fight at Jemappes, through Fl&#233;nu. The
+blowing up of the Jemappes bridge gave a lot of trouble. Corpl. Jarvis,
+R.E., worked at it for one and a half hours, continuously under fire,
+before he eventually managed to get it destroyed under the very noses
+of the Germans. He got a private of the R. Scots Fusiliers, named
+Heron, to help him, who got the D.C.M. Jarvis got the Victoria Cross.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The retirement of the R. Fusiliers from their dangerous position along
+the western boundary of the salient was not an easy matter. Before
+cover could be got they had to cross 250 yards of flat open ground
+swept at very close range by shrapnel and machine-gun fire. Dease had
+now been hit five times and was quite unable to move. Lieut. Steele,
+who was the only man in the whole section who had not been killed or
+wounded, caught him up in his arms and carried him across the fire zone
+to a place of safety beyond, where however he later on succumbed to his
+wounds. Dease was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, as also was
+Pte. Godley for his machine-gun work on the Ghlin bridge.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 9th Brigade after abandoning the salient remained in the open
+fields near the Mons hospital till two o'clock in the morning, when it
+continued its retirement towards Frameries. The wounded were left in
+the Mons hospital. At Fl&#233;nu the R. Scots Fusiliers lingered rather too
+long, and were caught near the railway junction by some very mobile
+machine-guns, which caused a number of casualties, Captain Rose being
+killed, and several other officers wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By dusk the new line running through Montreuil, Boussu, Wasmes,
+Paturages and Frameries had been taken up by the greater part of the
+2nd A.C., but the two extremities, <i>i.e.</i>, the 14th, 15th and 19th
+Brigades on the left and the 8th Brigade on the right, remained in
+their original positions till the middle of the night. The latter
+brigade then retired through Nouvelles and Qu&#233;vy to Amfroipret, just
+beyond Bavai, where it bivouacked. This brigade in common with the 9th
+Brigade had suffered very severely, the Middlesex alone having lost 15
+officers and 353 rank and file.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By night the Germans had completed their pontoon bridges across the
+canal, and it became evident that they were advancing in great force in
+the direction of Frameries, Paturages and Wasmes. Sir Horace realized
+that the 3rd Division had been too severely knocked about during the
+day to hold the position unaided for long against the weight of troops
+known to be advancing. He accordingly motored over to the C. in C. to
+ask for the loan of the 5th Brigade which was at Bougnies, four miles
+off, and on the main road to Frameries. This was readily granted him,
+and without delay the 5th Brigade set out, half of it remaining in
+Frameries, and the other half passing on to Paturages.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile, however, came a most unwelcome change of programme.
+The first line in the Mons salient had been obviously untenable for
+long, and had been recognized as such by our commanders, but the line
+now held was a different matter altogether, and there was every
+reasonable expectation that it could be successfully defended, at any
+rate for a very considerable time. At 2 a.m., however, Sir Horace
+received the order to abandon it and retire without delay to the
+Valenciennes to Maubeuge road, as the French on our right were
+retreating. Not only was this unexpected order highly distasteful to
+the soldier-spirit of the corps, but it involved difficulties of a
+grave nature with regard to the clearance of the transport and
+impedimenta generally, and severe and costly rear-guard actions seemed
+inevitable. At Paturages the Oxfordshire L.I. from the newly-arrived
+5th Brigade was detailed for this duty, and dug itself in in rear of
+the town, while the 3rd Division continued its retirement to Bermeries.
+The Germans, however, contented themselves with shelling and then
+occupying the town, and made no attempt to follow through on the far
+side&#8212;a matter for pronounced congratulation, the position of the 5th
+Brigade being very bad and its line of retreat worse. It is to be
+supposed that the attractions of the town were for the moment stronger
+than the lust of battle. There also can be no question but that the
+Germans lost very heavily in their advance on Frameries and Paturages,
+the British shrapnel being beautifully timed, and knocking the
+attacking columns to pieces.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At noon the 5th Brigade returned to its own division at Bavai, the 23rd
+Brigade R.F.A. remaining behind at Paturages to give all the exits from
+the town an hour's bombardment, in case the German pursuit might become
+too pressing.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the cobbled streets of Bavai a fine confusion was found to
+reign&#8212;companies without regiments and officers without companies, and
+various units mixed up anyhow. The Staff officers had their hands very
+full.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meantime, while Frameries and Paturages were being occupied by
+the enemy with little or no infantry opposition, and with little
+attempt on the part of the enemy at further pursuit, the market square
+at Wasmes presented a very different scene. This town had been shelled
+from daybreak, the enemy's fire being replied to with magnificent
+courage and with the most conspicuous success by a single howitzer
+battery standing out by itself half a mile from the town. An officer,
+perched on the top of one of the huge slag heaps with which the country
+is dotted, was able to direct operations with the highest degree of
+accuracy, and rendered services to the retreating force which are
+beyond estimation.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At ten o'clock the German infantry attacked the town with the utmost
+confidence, advancing through the narrow streets in close column. A
+certain surprise, however, awaited them. In the town, lining the market
+square and the streets to either side, were the K.O.Y.L.I., the R. West
+Kents, the Bedfords and the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, these
+regiments having been detailed for rear-guard work and having
+successfully withstood the bombardment. The heads of the German
+columns, the moment they appeared in sight, were met by a concentrated
+rifle and machine-gun fire and were literally mown down like grass.
+Their losses were enormous. Time after time they were driven back, and
+time after time they advanced again with splendid but useless courage.
+After two hours' fighting in the streets, during which the enemy was
+able to make no headway, our troops, having fulfilled their duty as
+rear-guard, were able to withdraw in good order to St. Vaast, which was
+reached at dusk. The losses on our side were heavy. The R. West Kents
+alone had Major Pack-Beresford, Captain Philips, and Lieuts. Sewell and
+Broadwood killed, and several other officers wounded. The Duke of
+Wellington's also lost heavily. Sergt. Spence of that regiment
+distinguished himself very greatly. During one of the German advances
+he was badly wounded, but ignoring his wounds he charged with a platoon
+down one of the narrow streets to the right of the square, and drove
+the enemy clean out of the town with great loss. He was awarded the
+D.C.M. as was also Sergt. Hunt of the Bedfords.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Further west, at the extreme left of our line, the retirement was
+effected with even greater difficulty than at Wasmes. The second line
+of defence through Montreuil, Boussu, Wasmes, Paturages and
+Frameries&#8212;which in effect merely constituted a change of front with
+the right thrown half back&#8212;of necessity left the western end of our
+line in close proximity to the enemy's advance. In other words, the
+further west the greater the difficulty of retiring on account of the
+closer presence of the enemy. The 14th, 15th and 19th Brigades, with a
+view to conforming to the general direction of the second line of
+defence, had remained north of the Valenciennes&#8212;Mons road and railway
+throughout the night of the 23rd. In the morning, when the order to
+retire to the Valenciennes road came, the 15th and 19th Brigades
+crossed the railway at Quiverain, and the 14th at Thulin, but by this
+time the enemy was close upon their heels. The 1st Cavalry Division was
+able to help their retirement to a certain extent by dismounting and
+lining the railway embankment, from which position they got the
+advancing Germans in half flank, and did considerable execution. By
+11.30, however, they too had been forced to retire to Andregnies. An
+urgent message now arrived from Sir Charles Fergusson, commanding the
+5th Division, saying that he could not possibly extricate his division
+unless prompt and effective help was given by the cavalry. On receiving
+this message, General de Lisle, who was at Andregnies, sent off the
+18th Hussars to the high ground along the Quiverain to Eloges road with
+orders to there dismount and make the most of the ground. The 119th
+Battery R.F.A. was at this time just south-west of Eloges, and L
+Battery R.H.A. just north-east of Andregnies, both being on the main
+road to Angre and about three miles apart. The 4th Dragoon Guards and
+9th Lancers were in Andregnies itself.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+No sooner were his dispositions made than the German columns were seen
+advancing from the direction of Quiverain towards Andregnies. De Lisle
+told the two regiments in the village that they had got to stop the
+advance at all costs, even if it entailed a charge. The very suggestion
+of a charge never fails to act as a tonic to any British cavalry
+regiment, and in great elation of spirits the two cavalry regiments
+debouched from the village, the 4th Dragoon Guards making their exit
+from the left, and the two squadrons of the 9th Lancers from the right.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The enemy were now seen some 2,000 yards away, the intervening ground
+being mainly stubble fields in which the corn stooks were still
+standing. The Germans no sooner saw the cavalry advancing with the
+evident intention of charging than they scattered in every direction,
+taking shelter behind the corn stooks and any other cover that
+presented itself, and opening fire from these positions. The cavalry
+advanced in the most perfect order, and was on the point of making a
+final charge when it became evident that this was impossible owing to a
+wire fence which divided two of the stubble fields.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With great coolness and presence of mind, the two C.O.'s, Col. Mullens
+of the 4th Dragoon Guards, and Col. Campbell of the 9th Lancers,
+without pausing, wheeled their troops to the right, and took cover
+behind some big slag heaps, where they dismounted under shelter. From
+this position the cavalry opened a galling fire on the advancing
+Germans, the two batteries on the Angre road joining in. The original
+scheme of charging the enemy having been frustrated, it now became
+necessary to get fresh orders from Head Quarters, and Col. Campbell
+accordingly galloped back across the open, in full view of the enemy
+and under a salute of bullets, to see the Brigadier, leaving Captain
+Lucas-Tooth in command of the two squadrons of the 9th Lancers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For four hours the fight was kept up, the led horses being gradually
+withdrawn into safety, while the dismounted cavalry with their two
+attendant batteries held the enemy in check. During the whole of this
+period the Germans were quite unable to advance beyond the wire fence
+which had so suddenly changed a proposed charge into a dismounted
+attack. Captain Lucas-Tooth was awarded the D.S.O. for the gallantry
+with which he conducted this defence, and for the great coolness and
+skill with which he withdrew his men and horses.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General de Lisle's object having now been achieved, the dismounted men
+were gradually withdrawn. During the course of one of these
+withdrawals, Captain Francis Grenfell, 9th Lancers, noticed Major
+Alexander of the 119th Battery in difficulties with regard to the
+withdrawal of his guns. All his horses had been killed, and almost
+every man in the detachment was either killed or wounded. Captain
+Grenfell offered assistance which was gladly accepted, and presently he
+returned with eleven officers of his regiment and some forty men. The
+ground was very heavy and the guns had to be run back by hand under a
+ceaseless fire, but they were all saved, Major Alexander, Captain
+Grenfell and the rest of the officers working as hard as the men.
+Captain Grenfell was already wounded when he arrived, and was again hit
+while manhandling one of the guns, but he declined to retire till they
+were all saved. For this fine performance, Major Alexander and Captain
+Grenfell<a href="#note1" name="noteref1">
+<small>[1]</small></a> were each awarded the Victoria Cross, Sergts. Turner and
+Davids getting the D.C.M. Others no doubt merited it too, but where so
+many were deserving it was hard to discriminate.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We may now consider the retirement of the 2nd A.C. to the Valenciennes
+to Maubeuge road to have been successfully effected; and the fall of
+night saw this corps dotted at intervals along this road between
+Jerlain and Bavai.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While they are there, enjoying their few hours' respite from marching
+and fighting, it may be well to cast a retrospective glance at the
+doings of the 1st A.C. This corps had so far had little serious
+fighting, but it had been very far from inactive, and in point of fact,
+it had probably covered more ground in the way of marching and
+counter-marching than its partner, owing to repeated scares of enemy
+attacks which did not materialize. At daybreak on the 24th, the 2nd
+Division was ordered to make a demonstration in the direction of Binche
+with a view to diverting attention from the retirement of the 2nd A.C.
+The 2nd Division now consisted of the 4th and 6th Brigades only, the
+5th Brigade having, as we know, gone to Frameries and Paturages to help
+the 3rd Division. These two brigades, then, advanced at daybreak in the
+direction of Binche to the accompaniment of a tremendous cannonade, in
+which the artillery of the 1st Division joined from the neighbourhood
+of Pleissant. There was a great noise and a vigorous artillery response
+from the enemy, but not much else, and after an hour or so the 2nd
+Division returned to the Mons&#8212;Maubeuge road, where it entrenched. Here
+it remained for some four hours, when it retired to the Qu&#233;vy road and
+again entrenched. Nothing, however, in the way of a serious attack
+occurred, and at five o'clock in the evening it fell back to its
+appointed place just east of Bavai. The 1st Division shortly afterwards
+arrived at Feignies and Longueville, and the whole British Army was
+once more in line between Jerlain and Maubeuge, with Bavai as the
+dividing point between the two A.C.'s.
+</p>
+
+
+
+
+<a name="retreat">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE RETREAT FROM MONS
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+In modern warfare the boundary line between the words "victory" and
+"defeat" is not easy to fix. It is perhaps particularly difficult to
+fix in relation to the part played by any arbitrarily selected group of
+regiments; the fact being that the value of results achieved can only
+be truly gauged from the standpoint of their conformity with the
+general scheme. So thoroughly is this now understood that the word
+"victory" or "defeat" is seldom used by either side in connection with
+individual actions, except in relation to the strategical bearing of
+such actions on the ultimate aims of the War Council.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The name of Mons will always be associated in the public mind with the
+idea of retreat, and retreat is the traditional companion of defeat.
+Incidentally, too, retreat is bitterly distasteful both to the soldier
+and the onlooking public. It must be borne in mind, however, that
+retreat is a more difficult operation than advance, and that when a
+retreat is achieved with practically intact forces, capable of an
+immediate advance when called upon, and capable of making considerable
+captures of guns and prisoners in the process of advance, a great deal
+of hesitation is needed before the word "defeat" can be definitely
+associated with such results.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During the first three months of the war the general idea on both sides
+was to stretch out seawards, and so overlap the western flank of the
+opposing army. At the moment of the arrival of the British Force on the
+Belgian frontier, Germany had outstripped France in this race to the
+west, and there was a very real danger of the French Army being
+outflanked; so much so, in fact, that in order to avoid any such
+calamity, a rearrangement of the French pieces seemed called for, to
+the necessary prejudice of the general scheme. However, at the
+psychological moment, the much-discussed British Force materialized and
+became a live obstacle in the path of the German outflanking movement.
+Its allotted task was to baulk this movement, while the French
+combination in rear was being smoothly unfolded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It is now a matter of history that this was done. The German
+outflanking movement failed; Von Kluck's right wing was held in check;
+and the British Force fell back unbroken and fighting all the way,
+while the French dispositions further south and west were
+systematically and securely shaping for success.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Was Mons, then, a defeat? For forty-eight hours the British had held up
+the German forces north of the Maubeuge&#8212;Valenciennes road; the left of
+the French Army had been effectively protected, and&#8212;over and above
+all&#8212;the British Force had succeeded in retiring in perfect order and
+intact, except for the ordinary wear and tear of battle. It had "done
+its job;" it had accomplished the exact purpose for which it had been
+put in the field, and it had withdrawn thirty-five miles, or
+thereabouts, to face about and repeat the operation.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In attaching the label to such a performance, neither "victory" nor
+"defeat" is a word that quite fits. Such crude classifications are
+relics of primordial standards when scalps and loot were the only
+recognized marks of victory. To-day, generals commanding armies rather
+search for honour in the field of duty&#8212;duty accomplished, orders
+obeyed. These simple formul&#230; have always been the watchwords of the
+soldier-unit, whether that unit be a man, a platoon, a company or a
+regiment. Now, with the limitless increase in the size of armaments, a
+unit may well be an Army Corps, or even a combination of Army Corps,
+and the highest aim of the general officer commanding such a unit must
+be&#8212;as of old&#8212;fulfilment of duty, obedience to orders.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To the Briton, then, dwelling in mind on the battle of Mons, the
+reflection will always come with a certain pleasant flavour that the
+British Army was a unit which "did its job," and did it in a way worthy
+of the highest British traditions. More than this it is not open to
+man&#8212;whether military or civilian&#8212;to do.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The British Army continued its retreat from the Maubeuge road in the
+early morning of the 25th. The original intention of the C. in C. had
+been to make a stand along this road. That, however, was when the
+numbers opposed to him were supposed to be very much less than they
+ultimately turned out to be. Now it was known that there were three
+Army Corps on his heels, to say nothing of an additional flanking corps
+that was said to be working up from the direction of Tournai. This last
+was quite an ugly factor in the case, as it opened the possibility of
+the little British Force being hemmed in against Maubeuge and
+surrounded. The road system to the rear, too, was sketchy, and by no
+means well adapted to a hurried retreat&#8212;especially east of Bavai; nor
+was the country itself suitable for defence, the standing crops greatly
+limiting the field of fire. All things considered, it was decided not
+to fight here, but to get back to the Cambrai to Le Cateau road, and
+make that the next line of resistance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Accordingly, about four o'clock on the morning of the 25th, the whole
+army turned its face southward once more. The 5th Division, which
+during the process of retirement had geographically changed places
+with the 3rd Division, travelled by the mathematically straight Roman
+road which runs to Le Cateau, along the western edge of the For&#234;t de
+Mormal, while the 3rd Division took the still more western route by Le
+Quesnoy and Solesme, their retreat being effectively covered by the
+1st and 3rd C.B. At Le Quesnoy the cavalry, thinking that the enemy's
+attentions were becoming too pressing, dismounted and lined the
+railway embankment, which offered fine cover for men and horses. From
+here the Germans could be plainly seen advancing diagonally across the
+fields in innumerable short lines, which the cavalry fire was able to
+enfilade and materially check.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the 1st A.C., which had throughout formed the eastern
+wing of the army, had perforce to put up with the eastern line of
+retreat on the far side of the For&#234;t de Mormal, a circumstance
+which&#8212;owing to the longer and more roundabout nature of the route
+followed&#8212;was not without its effect on the subsequent battle of Le
+Cateau. The six brigades belonging to the last named corps started at
+all hours of the morning between 4 and 8.30, at which latter hour the
+2nd Brigade&#8212;the last to leave&#8212;quitted its billets at Feignies and
+marched to Marbaix. The 1st Brigade went to Taisni&#232;res, the 4th to
+Landrecies, the 6th to Maroilles, while the 5th got no farther than
+Leval, having had a scare and a consequent set-back at Pont-sur-Sambre.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Here then we may leave the 1st A.C. on the night of the 25th,
+considerably scattered, and separated by distances varying from ten to
+thirty miles from its partner, which was at the time making
+preparations to put up a fight along the Cambrai&#8212;Le Cateau road.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The original scheme agreed between the C. in C. and his two Army Corps
+commanders, had been that the 2nd Division should pass on westward
+across the river at Landrecies and link up with the 5th Division at Le
+Cateau, blowing up behind it the bridges at Landrecies and Catillon.
+This scheme was upset by the activity of the enemy on the east side of
+the For&#234;t de Mormal, rear-guard actions being forced upon each of the
+three divisional brigades at Pont-sur-Sambre, Landrecies and Maroilles
+respectively. These rear-guard actions, coupled with the longer and
+worse roads they had to follow, in the end so seriously delayed the
+retirement of the 2nd Division as to entirely put out of court any
+question of their co-operation with the 2nd A.C. at Le Cateau on the
+26th.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 4th Brigade got the nearest at Landrecies, but it got there dead
+beat and then had to fight all night. The 1st Division was a good
+thirty miles off at Marbaix and Taisni&#232;res, where it had its hands
+sufficiently full with its own affairs. This division may, therefore,
+for the moment, be put aside as a negligible quantity in the very
+critical situation which was developing west of the Sambre. The
+movements of the 2nd Division were not only more eventful in
+themselves, but were of far greater practical interest to the commander
+of the 2nd A.C. in his endeavour to successfully withdraw his harassed
+Mons army. We may, therefore, follow this division in rather closer
+detail during the day and night of the 25th.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In reckoning the miscarriage of the arrangements originally planned, it
+must not be lost sight of that the march from the Bavai road to the Le
+Cateau road was the longest to be accomplished during the retreat. From
+Bavai to Le Cateau is twenty-two miles as the crow flies. It is
+probable that the 5th Division, following the straight Roman road, did
+not greatly exceed this distance, but to the route of the 3rd Division
+it is certainly necessary to add another five miles, and to that of the
+2nd Division, ten. In reflecting that the pursuing Germans had to cover
+the same distance, the following facts must be borne in mind. The
+training of our military schools has always been based to a very great
+extent on the experience of the previous war. The equipment of our
+military m&#233;nage is also largely designed to meet the exigencies of a
+war on somewhat similar lines to that of the last. Our wars for sixty
+years past have been "little wars" fought in far-off countries more or
+less uncivilized; and the probability of our armies fighting on
+European soil has always been considered as remote. Germany, on the
+other hand, has had few "little wars," but has, on the other hand, for
+many years been preparing for the contingency of a war amidst European
+surroundings. As a consequence, her army equipment at the outbreak of
+war was constructed primarily with a view to rapid movements on paved
+and macadamized roads; certainly ours was not. The German advance was
+therefore assisted by every known device for facilitating the rapid
+movement of troops along the roads of modern civilization. Later on, by
+requisitioning the motor-lorries and vans of trading firms, we placed
+ourselves on more or less of an equal footing in this respect, but that
+was not when the necessity for rapid movement was most keenly felt. The
+Germans reaped a double advantage, for not only were they capable of
+quicker movement, but they were also able to overtake our rear-guards
+with troops that were not jaded with interminable marching.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It must also be borne in mind that a pursuing force marches straight to
+its objective with a minimum of exhaustion in relation to the work
+accomplished, an advantage which certainly cannot be claimed for a
+retreating force which has to turn and fight.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We may now return to the 2nd Division, setting out from La Longueville
+on its stupendous undertaking. At first the whole division followed the
+one road by the eastern edge of the For&#234;t de Mormal, the impedimenta in
+front, the troops plodding behind. This road was choked from end to end
+with refugees and their belongings, chiefly from Maubeuge and district,
+and the average pace of the procession was about two miles an hour. An
+order came to hurry up so that the bridges over the Sambre could be
+blown up before the Germans came; but it was waste of breath. The
+troops were dead beat. Though they had so far had no fighting, they had
+done a terrible amount of marching, counter-marching and digging during
+the past four days, and they were dead beat. The reservists' boots were
+all too small, and their feet swelled horribly. Hundreds fell out from
+absolute exhaustion. The worst cases were taken along in the transport
+wagons; the rest became stragglers, following along behind as best they
+were able. Some of the cavalry that saw them pass said that their eyes
+were fixed in a ghastly stare, and they stumbled along like blind men.
+At Leval the division split up, the 4th Brigade taking the road to
+Landrecies, and the 6th that to Maroilles. The 5th Brigade, which was
+doing rear-guard to the division, got no farther than Leval, where it
+prepared to put up a fight along the railway line; for there was a
+scare that the Germans were very close behind. The Oxfordshire Light
+Infantry were even sent back along the road they had already travelled
+to Pont-sur-Sambre, where they entrenched. The Germans, however, did
+not come.
+</p>
+
+
+<p class="head">
+<span class="sc">The Fight at Landrecies</span>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 4th (Guards') Brigade reached Landrecies at 1 p.m. This brigade had
+made the furthest progress towards the contemplated junction with the
+2nd A.C., and they were very tired. They went into billets at once,
+some in the barracks, some in the town. They had about four hours'
+rest; then there came an alarm that the Germans were advancing on the
+town, and the brigade got to its feet. The four battalions were split
+up into companies&#8212;one to each of the exits from the town. The
+Grenadiers were on the western side; the 2nd Coldstream on the south
+and east; and the 3rd Coldstream to the north and north-west. The Irish
+Guards saw to the barricading of the streets with transport wagons and
+such-like obstacles. They also loop-holed the end houses of the streets
+facing the country.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As a matter of fact the attack did not take place till 8.30 p.m., and
+then it was entirely borne by two companies of the 3rd Battalion
+Coldstream Guards. At the north-west angle of the town there is a
+narrow street, known as the Faubourg Soy&#232;re. Two hundred yards from the
+town this branches out into two roads, each leading into the For&#234;t de
+Mormal. Here, at the junction of the roads, the Hon. A. Monck's company
+had been stationed. The sky was very overcast, and the darkness fell
+early. Shortly after 8.30 p.m. infantry was heard advancing from the
+direction of the forest; they were singing French songs, and a
+flashlight turned upon the head of the column showed up French
+uniforms. It was not till they were practically at arms' length that a
+second flashlight detected the German uniforms in rear of the leading
+sections. The machine-gun had no time to speak before the man in charge
+was bayoneted and the gun itself captured. A hand-to-hand fight in the
+dark followed, in which revolvers and bayonets played the principal
+part, the Coldstream being gradually forced back by weight of numbers
+towards the entrance to the town. Here Captain Longueville's company
+was in reserve in the Faubourg Soy&#232;re itself, and through a heavy fire
+he rushed up his men to the support of Captain Monck.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The arrival of the reserve company made things rather more level as
+regards numbers, though&#8212;as it afterwards transpired&#8212;the Germans were
+throughout in a majority of at least two to one. Col. Feilding and
+Major Matheson now arrived on the spot, and took over control. Inspired
+by their presence and example, the two Coldstream companies now
+attacked their assailants with great vigour and drove them back with
+considerable loss into the shadows of the forest. From here the Germans
+trained a light field-gun on to the mouth of the Faubourg Soy&#232;re, and,
+firing shrapnel and star-shell at point-blank range, made things very
+unpleasant for the defenders. Flames began to shoot up from a wooden
+barn at the end of the street, but were quickly got under, with much
+promptitude and courage, by a private of the name of Wyatt, who twice
+extinguished them under a heavy fire. A blaze of light at this point
+would have been fatal to the safety of the defenders, and Wyatt, whose
+act was one involving great personal danger, was subsequently awarded
+the Victoria Cross for this act, and for the conspicuous bravery which
+he displayed a week later when wounded at Villers-Cotteret.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile Col. Feilding had sent off for a howitzer, which duly
+arrived and was aimed at the flash of the German gun. By an
+extraordinary piece of marksmanship, or of luck, as the case may be,
+the third shot got it full and the field-gun ceased from troubling. The
+German infantry thereupon renewed their attack, but failed to make any
+further headway during the night, and in the end went off in their
+motor-lorries, taking their wounded with them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It turned out that the attacking force, consisting of a battalion of
+1,200 men, with one light field-piece, had been sent on in these
+lorries in advance of the general pursuit, with the idea of seizing
+Landrecies and its important bridge before the British could arrive
+and link up with the 2nd A.C. The attack <i>qu&#226;</i> attack failed
+conspicuously, inasmuch as the enemy was driven back with very heavy
+loss; but it is possible that it accomplished its purpose in helping
+to prevent the junction of the two A.C.'s. This, however, is in a
+region of speculation, which it is profitless to pursue further.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Landrecies fight lasted six hours and was a very brilliant little
+victory for the 3rd Coldstream; but it was expensive. Lord Hawarden
+and the Hon. A. Windsor-Clive were killed, and Captain Whitehead,
+Lieut. Keppel and Lieut. Rowley were wounded. The casualties among the
+rank and file amounted to 170, of whom 153 were left in the hospital
+at Landrecies. The two companies engaged fought under particularly
+trying conditions, and many of the rank and file showed great
+gallantry. Conspicuous amongst these were Sergt. Fox and Pte. Thomas,
+each of whom was awarded the D.C.M. The German losses were, of course,
+unascertainable, but they were undoubtedly very much higher than ours.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 3.30 a.m. on the 26th, just as the 2nd A.C. in their trenches ten
+miles away to the west were beginning to look northward for the enemy,
+the 4th Brigade left Landrecies and continued its retirement down the
+beautiful valley of the Sambre.
+</p>
+
+
+<p class="head">
+<span class="sc">Maroilles</span>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the same night the town of Maroilles further east was the scene of
+another little fight. About 10 p.m. a report arrived that the main
+German column was advancing on the bridge over the Petit Helpe and that
+the squadron of the 15th Hussars which had been left to guard the
+bridge was insufficient for the purpose. The obstruction of this bridge
+was a matter of the very first importance, as its passage would have
+opened up a short cut for the Germans, by which they might easily have
+cut off the 4th Brigade south of Landrecies. Accordingly the 1st Berks
+were ordered off back along the road they had already travelled to hold
+the position at all costs. The ground near the bridge here is very
+swampy, and the only two approaches are by means of raised causeways,
+one of which faces the bridge, while the other lies at right angles.
+Along this latter the Berks crept up, led by Col. Graham.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The night was intensely dark, and the causeway very narrow, and bounded
+on each side by a deep fosse, into which many of the men slipped. The
+Germans, as it turned out, had already forced the bridge, and were in
+the act of advancing along the causeway; and in the pitch blackness of
+the night the two forces suddenly bumped one into the other. Neither
+side had fixed bayonets, for fear of accidents in the dark, and in the
+scrimmage which followed it was chiefly a case of rifle-butts and
+fists. At this game the Germans proved no match for our men, and were
+gradually forced back to the bridge-head, where they were held for the
+remainder of the night.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the small hours of the morning the Germans, who turned out not to be
+the main column, but only a strong detachment, threw up the sponge and
+withdrew westward towards the Sambre, following the right bank of the
+Petit Helpe. Whereupon the 1st Berks&#8212;having achieved their
+purpose&#8212;followed the rest of the 2nd Division along the road to
+Etreux.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="problem">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">THE LE CATEAU PROBLEM
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+It is necessary now to cast a momentary eye upon the general situation
+of the British forces on the night of August 25th. The 3rd and 5th
+Divisions, in spite of the severe fighting of the 23rd and 24th, and in
+spite of great exhaustion, had successfully accomplished the arduous
+march to the Le Cateau position. The 19th Brigade and the 4th Division,
+the latter fresh from England, were already there, extending the
+selected line towards the west. So far, so good. The 1st and 2nd
+Divisions, however, owing to causes which have already been explained,
+were not in a position to co-operate; and it was clear that, if battle
+was to be offered at Le Cateau, the already battered 2nd A.C.
+(supplemented by the newly-arrived troops) would have to stand the
+shock single-handed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A consideration of these facts induced the C. in C. to change his
+original intention of making a stand behind the Le Cateau road, and he
+decided to continue his retirement to the single line of rail which
+runs from St. Quentin to Roisel, where his force would be once more in
+line. This change of plan he communicated to his two Army Corps
+commanders, Sir Douglas Haig and Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. The former
+fell in with it gladly; the latter, however, was not to the same extent
+a free agent, and he returned word that, in view of the immense
+superiority in numbers of the German forces, which were practically
+treading on his heels, and of the necessarily slow progress made by his
+tired troops, it was impossible to continue his retirement, and that he
+had no alternative but to turn and fight. To which the C. in C. replied
+that he must do the best he could, but that he could give him no
+support from the 1st A.C., that corps being effectively cut off by
+natural obstacles from the scene of action. As a matter of fact the 1st
+Division was a good thirty miles away to the east at Marbaix and
+Taisni&#232;res. The 2nd Division was nearer, but very much scattered, the
+5th Brigade&#8212;owing to rear-guard scares&#8212;being still twenty miles behind
+at Leval, and quite out of the reckoning, as far as the impending
+battle was concerned. The 4th Brigade, on the other hand, in spite of
+its all-night fight at Landrecies, might, by super-human efforts, have
+crossed the Sambre during the night at the little village of Ors, and
+reached the flank of the Le Cateau battlefield towards eight on the
+following morning; but the wisdom of such a move would have been more
+than questionable in view of the complete exhaustion of the troops,
+and, in point of fact, no such order reached the brigade. The orders
+were to fall back on St. Quentin, and by the time the first shot was
+fired at Le Cateau, the brigade was well on its way to Etreux.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Four miles further east, at Maroilles, the order to retire raised some
+doubts and a certain difference of opinion among the various commanders
+of the 6th Brigade as to the best route to be followed in order to
+arrive at the St. Quentin position. Local opinion was divided, and, in
+the end, the commanders assembled at midnight in the cemetery to decide
+the point, with the result that it was arranged that each C.O. should
+follow the road that seemed best to him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It will be seen then that the disposition of the 1st A.C. was such that
+the C. in C. by no means overstated the case when he told Sir Horace
+that he could give him no help from that quarter. The position of the
+2nd A.C. was now very nearly desperate, and it is to be doubted whether
+Sir Horace or the C. in C. himself saw the dawn break on August 26th
+with any real hope at heart that the three divisions west of the Sambre
+could be saved from capture or annihilation.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On paper the extrication of Sir Horace's force seemed in truth an
+impossibility. Three British divisions, very imperfectly entrenched,
+were awaiting the onset of seven German divisions, flushed with
+uninterrupted victory, and backed up by an overwhelming preponderance
+in artillery. Both flanks of the British force were practically in the
+air, the only protection on the right being the 1st and 3rd C.B. at Le
+Souplet, and on the left Allenby with another two Cavalry Brigades at
+Seranvillers. As a buffer against the German army corps which was
+threatening the British flank from Tournai, two Cavalry Brigades were
+clearly a negligible quantity. Desperate diseases call for desperate
+remedies, and the C. in C. had recourse to the only expedient in which
+lay a hope of salvation from the threatened flank attack, should it
+come.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General Sordet was at Avesnes with three divisions of French cavalry,
+and the C. in C.&#8212;with all the persuasion possible&#8212;put the urgency of
+the situation before him. The railways were no help; they ran all
+wrong; cavalry alone could save the situation; would he go? General
+Sordet&#8212;with the permission of his chief&#8212;went. It was a forty mile
+march, and cavalry horses were none too fresh in those days. Still he
+went, and in the end did great and gallant work; but not on the morning
+of the 26th. On that fateful day&#8212;or at least on the morning of that
+fateful day&#8212;his horses were ridden to a standstill, and he could do
+nothing.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="cateau">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+LE CATEAU
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+The battle of August 26th is loosely spoken of as the Cambrai&#8212;Le
+Cateau battle, but, as a matter of fact, the British troops were never
+within half a dozen miles of Cambrai, nor, for that matter, were they
+actually at Le Cateau itself. The 5th Division on the right reached
+from a point halfway between Le Cateau and Reumont to Troisvilles, the
+15th Brigade, which was its left-hand brigade, being just east of that
+place. Then came the three brigades of the 3rd Division, the 9th
+Brigade being north of Troisvilles, the 8th Brigade on the left of it
+north of Audencourt, with the 7th Brigade curled round the northern
+side of Caudry in the form of a horseshoe. Beyond was the 4th Division
+at Hautcourt. The whole frontage covered about eight miles, and for
+half that distance ran along north of the Cambrai to St. Quentin
+railway.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 4th Division, under Gen. Snow, had just arrived from England; and
+these fresh troops were already in position when the Mons army
+straggled in on the night of the 25th and was told off to its various
+allotted posts by busy staff officers. The allotted posts did not turn
+out to be all that had been hoped for. Trenches, it is true, had been
+prepared (dug by French woman labour!), but many faced the wrong way,
+and all were too short. The short ones could be lengthened, but the
+others had to be redug. The men were dead beat: the ground baked hard,
+and there were no entrenching tools&#8212;these having long ago been thrown
+away. Picks were got from the farms and the men set to work as best
+they could, but of shovels there were practically none, and in the
+majority of cases the men scooped up the loosened earth with mess-tins
+and with their hands. The result was, trenches by courtesy, but poor
+things to stand between tired troops and the terrific artillery fire to
+which they were presently to be subjected.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The battle of Le Cateau was in the main an artillery duel, and a very
+unequal one at that. The afternoon infantry attack was only sustained
+by certain devoted regiments who failed to interpret with sufficient
+readiness the order to retire. Some of these regiments&#8212;as the price of
+their ignorance of how to turn their backs to the foe&#8212;were all but
+annihilated. But this is a later story. Up to midday the battle was a
+mere artillery duel. Our infantry lined their inadequate trenches and
+were bombarded for some half a dozen hours on end. Our artillery
+replied with inconceivable heroism, but they were outnumbered by at
+least five to one. They also&#8212;perhaps with wisdom&#8212;directed their fire
+more at the infantry than at the opposing batteries. The former could
+be plainly seen massing in great numbers on the crest of the ridge some
+two thousand yards away, and advancing in a succession of lines down
+the slope to the hidden ground below. They presented a tempting target,
+and their losses from our shrapnel must have been enormous. By the
+afternoon, however, many of our batteries had been silenced, and the
+German gunners had it more or less their own way. The sides were too
+unequal. Our infantry then became mere targets&#8212;<i>Kanonen Futter</i>.
+It was an ordeal of the most trying description conceivable, and one
+which can only arise where the artillery of one side is hopelessly
+outnumbered by that of the other; and it is to be doubted whether any
+other troops in the world would have stood it as long as did the 2nd
+A.C. at Le Cateau. The enemy's bombardment was kept up till midday.
+Then it slackened off so as to allow of the further advance of their
+infantry, who by this time had pushed forward into the concealment of
+the low ground, just north of the main road. By this time some of the
+5th Division had begun to dribble away. That awful gun fire, to which
+our batteries were no longer able to reply, coupled with the
+insufficient trenches, was too much for human endurance. Sir Charles
+Fergusson, the Divisional General, with an absolute disregard of
+personal danger, galloped about among the bursting shells exhorting the
+division to stand fast. An eye-witness said that his survival through
+the day was nothing short of a miracle. It was a day indeed when the
+entire Staff from end to end of the line worked with an indefatigable
+heroism which could not be surpassed. In the 19th Brigade, for
+instance, Captain Jack, 1st Cameronians, was the sole survivor of the
+Brigade Staff at the end of the day, and this was through no fault of
+his. While supervising the retirement of the Argyll and Sutherlands, he
+coolly walked up and down the firing line without a vestige of
+protection, but by some curious law of chances was not hit. He was
+awarded a French decoration.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In spite of all, however, by 2.30 p.m., the right flank of the 5th
+Division had been turned, the enemy pressing forward into the gap
+between the two Army Corps, and Sir Charles sent word that the Division
+could hold its ground no longer. Sir Horace sent up all the available
+reserves he had, viz., the 1st Cameronians and 2nd R. Welsh Fusiliers
+from the 19th Brigade, together with a battery, and these helped
+matters to some extent, but the immense numerical superiority of the
+enemy made anything in the nature of a prolonged stand impossible, and
+at 3 p.m. he ordered a general retirement. This was carried out in
+fairly good order by the 3rd and 4th Divisions, which had been less
+heavily attacked. The withdrawal of the 5th Division was more
+irregular, and the regiments which stuck it to the end&#8212;becoming
+practically isolated by the withdrawal of other units to right and
+left&#8212;suffered very severely.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This irregularity in retirement was noticeable all along the
+battle-front, some battalions grasping the meaning of the general order
+to retire with more readiness than others. Among those in the 5th
+Division who were slow to interpret the signal were the K.O.S.B. and
+the K.O.Y.L.I.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+These two 13th Brigade battalions were next one another just north of
+Reumont, with the Manchester Regiment on the right of the K.O.Y.L.I. It
+was common talk among the men of the 5th Division that the French were
+coming up in support, and that, therefore, there must be no giving way.
+The French in question were&#8212;and only could be&#8212;Gen. Sordet's cavalry,
+who, at the time, were plodding away in rear on their forty mile trek
+to the left flank of our army, and who could never under any
+circumstances have been of help to the 5th Division on the right of the
+Le Cateau battle-front. However, that was the rumour and they held on.
+Some of the K.O.S.B. in the first line trenches saw some men on their
+flank retiring, and, thinking it was a general order, followed suit.
+Col. Stephenson personally re-conducted them back to their trenches. He
+was himself almost immediately afterwards knocked out by a shell; but
+the force of example had its effect, and there was no more retiring
+till the general order to that effect was unmistakable. This was about
+three o'clock. The final retirement of those battalions which had held
+on till the enemy was on the top of them was very difficult, and very
+costly in casualties, as they were mowed down by shrapnel and
+machine-gun fire the moment they left their trenches. It was during
+this retirement that Corpl. Holmes, of the K.O.Y.L.I, won his Victoria
+Cross by picking up a wounded comrade and carrying him over a mile
+under heavy fire. Another Victoria Cross in the same battalion was won
+that day by Major Yate under very dramatic circumstances. His company
+had been in the second line of trenches during the bombardment, and had
+suffered terribly from the enemy's shell-fire directed at one of our
+batteries just behind. When the German infantry came swarming up in the
+afternoon, there were only nineteen sound men left in the company.
+These nineteen kept up their fire to the last moment and then left the
+trench and charged, headed by Major Yate. There could be but one
+result. Major Yate fell mortally wounded, and his gallant band of
+Yorkshiremen ceased to exist. It was the Thermopylae of B Company, 2nd
+K.O.Y.L.I. This battalion lost twenty officers and six hundred men
+during the battle, and was probably the heaviest sufferer in the 5th
+Division. It stuck it till the last moment and the enemy got round its
+right flank.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 3rd Division line, further west, was also forced about three
+o'clock in the afternoon, when the enemy in great numbers broke through
+towards Troisvilles, to the right of the 9th Brigade, causing the whole
+division to retire. The actual order to retire in this case was passed
+down by word of mouth from right to left by galloping Staff officers,
+who&#8212;in the pandemonium that was reigning&#8212;were unable to get in touch
+with all the units of each battalion. As a result the retirement was
+necessarily irregular, and&#8212;as in the case of the 5th Division&#8212;the
+battalions that "stuck it" longest found themselves isolated and in
+time surrounded. This was the case with the 1st Gordon Highlanders, in
+the 8th Brigade, to whom the order to retire either never penetrated,
+or to whom it was too distasteful to be acted upon with promptitude.
+The exact circumstances of the annihilation of this historic battalion
+will never be known till the war is over, but the nett result was that
+it lost 80 per cent. of its strength in killed, wounded and missing.
+The same fate overtook one company of the 2nd R. Scots in the same
+brigade. This company was practically wiped out and the battalion as a
+whole had some 400 casualties in killed and wounded. The whole
+division, in fact, suffered very severely in carrying out the
+retirement, the ground to the rear being very open and exposed, and the
+enemy's rifle and machine-gun fire incessant. The village of Audencourt
+had been heavily shelled all day and was a mass of blazing ruins,
+effectually barring any retirement by the high road, and forcing the
+retreating troops to take to the open country. Once, however, behind
+the railway, the retreat became more organized, and a series of small
+rear-guard fights were put up from behind the shelter of the
+embankment.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 23rd Brigade R.F.A., under Col. Butler, put in some most efficient
+work at this period, and materially assisted the retirement of the 8th
+Brigade. With remarkable coolness the gunners, entirely undisturbed by
+the general confusion reigning, continued to drop beautifully-timed
+shells among the advancing German infantry. The work of the artillery,
+in fact, all along the line was magnificent, and deeds of individual
+heroism were innumerable. The 37th Battery, for instance, kept up its
+shrapnel-fire on the advancing lines of Germans till these were within
+300 yards of its position. Then Captain Reynolds, with some volunteer
+drivers, galloped up with two teams, and hitched them on to the two
+guns which had not been knocked out. Incredible as it may appear, in
+view of the hail of bullets directed at them, one of these guns was got
+safely away. The other was not. Captain Reynolds and Drivers Luke and
+Brain were given the Victoria Cross for this exploit. Sergt. Browne, of
+the same battery, got the D.C.M. The 80th Battery was another that
+distinguished itself by exceptional gallantry at Ligny during the
+retreat, and three of its N.C.O.'s won the D.C.M. Near the same place
+the 135th Battery also covered itself with glory. In fact, it is not
+too much to say that the situation on the afternoon of August 26th was
+very largely saved by the splendid heroism of our Field Artillery; and
+for the exploits of this branch of the service alone the battle of Le
+Cateau must always stand out as a bright spot in the annals of British
+arms.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Germans did not pursue the 3rd Division beyond the line of the
+villages above named. In the case of the 5th Division there was no
+pursuit at all, in the strict sense of the term. That is to say, there
+were no rear-guard actions. The division made its way through Reumont,
+to the continuation of the straight Roman road by which it had reached
+Le Cateau, and down this road it continued its retreat unmolested. Rain
+began to fall heavily and numbers of the men, heedless alike of rain or
+of pursuing Germans, dropped like logs by the roadside and slept.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The extrication of the Le Cateau army from a position which, on paper,
+was all but hopeless, was undoubtedly a very fine piece of generalship
+on the part of Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. The C. in C. in his despatch
+wrote: "I say without hesitation that the saving of the left wing of
+the army under my command, on the morning of August 26th, could never
+have been accomplished unless a commander of rare and unusual coolness,
+intrepidity and determination had been present to personally conduct
+the operation."
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="from">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE RETREAT FROM LE CATEAU
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+Le Cateau may without shame be accepted as a defeat. There was at no
+time, even in anticipation, the possibility of victory. It was an
+affair on altogether different lines to that of Mons. At Mons the
+British Army had been set a definite task, which it had cheerfully
+faced, and which it had carried through with credit to itself and with
+much advantage to its ally. Its ultimate retirement had only been in
+conformity with the movements of that ally. Everything worked according
+to book.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But Le Cateau was quite another affair. Here we find half the British
+force temporarily cut off from the other half by <i>force majeure</i>,
+and turning at bay on a pursuer whom it could no longer escape. There
+was never any question of victory. The disparity in numbers and in
+armament left no room for illusions on that score. Searching deep below
+the surface, we might perhaps find that the main factor in deciding
+that Briton and German should cross swords at Le Cateau was the
+primitive impulse&#8212;always strong in the Anglo-Saxon breed&#8212;to face an
+ugly crisis and die fighting. In the event the British force faced the
+foe, and fought, but it did not die&#8212;as an army; a result due to
+consummate generalship on the part of the Army Corps Commander, aided
+by a strange laxity, or over-caution, as the case may be, on the part
+of the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Why the Germans did not pursue with more vigour will never be known
+till the history of this period comes to be written from the German
+side. The failure to pursue after Mons is intelligible. While the 2nd
+A.C. was defending the group of manufacturing towns north of the
+Valenciennes road, the 1st A.C. on the right was thrown forward in
+&#233;chelon, and formed a standing menace to the left flank of the
+advancing enemy. A too eager pursuit, in advance of the general line,
+might well have resulted in the isolation and capture of the German
+right.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At Le Cateau, however, there was no such risk. Here the German attack
+had been mainly concentrated against the 5th Division, evidently with
+the idea of turning the British right flank, and forcing in a wedge
+between the 1st and 2nd Army Corps. This was in effect done, and all
+that remained was for the Germans to push their advantage home in order
+to separate, at any rate, a large percentage of the 2nd A.C. from the
+main body on its left. This could have been effected without any fear
+of a flank attack from the 1st A.C, that corps being at the time far
+too scattered and distant to make any concerted move; and in any case
+being hopelessly cut off by the Sambre.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Why this programme was not carried through to its consummation can only
+be guessed at. It may be that the enemy had only imperfect information
+as to the movements of the 1st A.C.; or it may be that they were
+deterred by the knowledge that General d'Amade was hurrying up on their
+right flank from the direction of Arras with the 61st and 62nd Reserve
+Divisions; or it may be again that the advancing troops had been too
+roughly handled by the British at bay to allow of pursuit. This last
+hypothesis is not only the most flattering to British self-esteem, but
+it is also eminently possible. In any case the fact remains that they
+did not pursue. Sir Horace, on the other hand, had no idea of letting
+this supineness on the part of the enemy influence his own policy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The troops were kept moving. On the afternoon of the 26th, the 5th
+Division managed to get back as far as Estr&#233;es, and the 3rd Division to
+Vermand and Hargicourt, each arriving at its destination about dark.
+The weather was very bad, and the majority of the men were crowded into
+farm-barns, but many dropped by the roadside where they were and slept,
+heedless of the pouring rain.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the far side of the river the 4th and 6th Brigades, whom we last saw
+at Landrecies and Maroilles, got to Etreux and Hannappes respectively
+about 2 p.m., and bivouacked by the roadside; but the 5th Brigade,
+moving by way of Taisni&#232;res and Prisclies, could get no further than
+Barzy, and was therefore still far behind the line of the 2nd A.C.
+retreat, and, in fact, of its own division. The 2nd Brigade got to Oisy
+without mishap. The 1st Brigade was not so fortunate, the Munster
+Fusiliers being overtaken at Bergues and captured <i>en masse</i> with
+the exception of some 150 who escaped with the aid of the 15th Hussars.
+Two guns of the 118th Battery, which were with them were captured at
+the same time. A mile or two further south, on the high ground just
+beyond Etreux, the brigade was again attacked, the Black Watch, who
+were then doing rear-guard, coming under a severe artillery fire. This
+was most effectively replied to by the 117th Battery under Major
+Packard and the pursuit was checked. The battery in withdrawing was
+charged by a squadron of German cavalry, but the charge died away under
+the fire of the Black Watch.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The story of the rescue of the Munsters by the 15th Hussars is one of
+which the latter regiment may well be proud. Two troops only of the
+15th Hussars were engaged, and yet the number of honours that fell to
+them is remarkable. Mr. Nicholson got the Cross of the Legion of
+Honour, Sergt. Papworth got the Victoria Cross, and Sergt. Blishen,
+Corpl. Shepherd and Corpl. Aspinall the D.C.M.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The story of this affair is as follows: It was reported to the General
+commanding that the Munster Fusiliers were in trouble, and the 15th
+Hussars, who were acting as divisional cavalry, were sent back to help.
+The country in the neighbourhood of Bergues is a difficult one, being
+traversed by numerous narrow byways cutting in all directions, and the
+15th Hussars, not knowing just where the Munster Fusiliers were,
+separated into troops and beat the country northwards. Just south of
+Bergues, where the road from that place meets the main road to La
+Capelle, Mr. Nicholson's troop found 150 of the Munster Fusiliers in
+great difficulties, with some Germans in pursuit not 200 yards distant.
+He at once dismounted the troop and, sending the horses off for shelter
+to a farmyard behind, lined the hedges on the side of the main road and
+opened fire on the Germans. These retired to a farm some 200 yards up
+the road, from which they presently brought a machine-gun to bear on
+the hedges, and under cover of this they shortly afterwards emerged,
+driving a herd of cattle before them down the road. The Hussars,
+however, shot down both cattle and Germans and sent the survivors
+scuttling back once more into the farm.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the Hon. E. Hardinge's troop, having heard the
+firing, arrived on the scene from another direction and&#8212;also
+dismounting&#8212;crept up to a position from which they could command
+the farmyard, and opened fire on the Germans massed inside, doing
+tremendous execution at first, as it was a complete surprise. The
+Germans, however, quickly recovered themselves and returned the fire
+with machine-guns. Almost at the first discharge Mr. Hardinge fell
+mortally wounded, and Sergt. Papworth took over command of the troop.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Bodies of the enemy were now seen advancing on all sides, and it was
+obvious that, if the little British force was to escape being
+surrounded, it was time to move. There is always a disposition on such
+occasions for very tired men to throw up the sponge and surrender. In
+the present instance, however, any such inclination was summarily
+checked by the energy and determination of Mr. Nicholson and Sergt.
+Papworth, who, taking prompt charge of the situation, brought the whole
+party&#8212;Munsters and all&#8212;safely out of the difficulty. They had to put
+in twenty-eight miles of steady marching before they finally caught up
+with their division.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 27th the retreat was resumed, the troops starting as usual in
+the small hours of the morning. The 1st Division, in place of following
+the route taken by the 2nd Division, crossed the Sambre and went
+through Wassigny to Hauteville; the 2nd Division went to Mont d'Origny,
+and the 3rd and 5th Divisions joined up at Ham, the former, which had
+been greatly harassed and delayed throughout by hostile cavalry and
+horse artillery, arriving some hours after the other. On arrival at its
+destination the whole division dropped by the side of the road and
+slept.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Next morning the whole 2nd A.C. followed the one road from Ham to
+Noyon, the 5th Division, which was still some hours ahead of the 3rd,
+passing on through Noyon to Pommeraye, where it billeted.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the other side of the river the two divisions of the 1st A.C. also
+joined up and went through La F&#232;re to the group of villages to the
+south of that place, where they billeted, the 1st Brigade at St.
+Gobain, the 2nd at Fr&#233;sancourt, the 4th at Berlancourt, the 5th at
+Servais and the 6th at Deuillet and Amigny.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The monotony of retreat was in some part relieved by several rear-guard
+brushes during the day between the 3rd and 5th C.B. on the one hand and
+some Prussian Uhlans of the Guard on the other, in one and all of which
+the honours rested very emphatically with the British cavalry.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 29th August, 1914, will probably be imprinted for ever in the minds
+of those who took part in the famous Mons retreat, for on this day the
+troops rested. For eight days they had now been marching practically
+without ceasing and the feet of many were literally stripped of skin;
+they had dug trenches innumerable and had fought various engagements,
+great and small, for the most part in the blazing heat of an
+exceptionally hot August, and with a minimum of sleep and food. But on
+the 29th they rested.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The whole Expeditionary Force was now once more in touch, and, with its
+arrival at the La F&#232;re line, the acute pressure of the retreat may be
+said to have been at an end. The various divisions were re-organized;
+mixed up brigades were once more sorted out; stragglers and
+"temporarily attached" restored to their lost battalions, and the whole
+force put into ship-shape working order. Gen. Sordet, who had rendered
+incalculable service with his cavalry on our left flank, was now
+relieved by the 6th French Army, which came into position on our left
+in the neighbourhood of Roye, while the 5th French Army continued our
+line towards the east. The British Army, in fact, refreshed by its rest
+on the 29th, was now in perfect trim to turn and fight at any moment.
+But this was not to be for awhile yet. Gen. Joffre's scheme called for
+a still further retirement.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 1 p.m. on the 29th the French Generalissimo visited the C. in C. at
+his Head Quarters at Compi&#232;gne and explained to him the outline of his
+plan. Sir Douglas Haig, Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien and Gen. Allenby were
+also present. As a result of this conference, the bridges over the Oise
+were blown up (an operation which again cost us some good lives from
+among the R.E.), and the British force retired another twenty miles to
+a line north of the Aisne, between Soissons and Compi&#232;gne.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 2nd A.C. set out on this march about 3 p.m.; the 1st A.C. followed
+some twelve hours later, marching in one column through the For&#234;t de
+St. Gobain, after which it divided up, the 1st Division going to
+L'Allemande and the 2nd Division to Passy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the morning of the 31st the march was once more resumed, the 2nd
+Division leaving at 6.30 a.m. and marching via Pernaut and Cutry to
+Soucy, which was reached at 4.30 p.m., while the 1st Division retired
+to Missy-&#224;-Bois.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 3rd A.C. took a wrong turn near Vellerie this day and for a time
+lost themselves, but in the end joined up with the new line, which
+reached&#8212;broadly speaking&#8212;from Cr&#233;py to Villers-Cotter&#234;ts.
+</p>
+
+
+<p class="head">
+<span class="sc">Villers-Cotter&#234;ts</span>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the latter place we were again forced into a rear-guard action. At
+nine o'clock the 4th (Guards') Brigade, which was acting rear-guard,
+was overtaken at Soucy, where&#8212;in accordance with orders&#8212;it had faced
+about while the 2nd Division was having a two hours' halt for rest and
+dinner. It was no case of surprise, the brigade being thoroughly
+prepared and, indeed, expecting to have to hold the enemy in check.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Dispositions were therefore made accordingly. The 2nd Grenadiers and
+3rd Coldstream held the ground from Montgobert to Soucy, with the
+Coldstream lining the long grass ride that runs through the woods at
+Haramont. They were supported by two batteries of the 41st Brigade
+R.F.A. The 2nd Coldstream and Irish Guards were posted in rear of the
+first line along the northern edge of the For&#234;t de Villers-Cotter&#234;ts,
+at the base of the ridge known as the Rond de la Reine.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The enemy commenced by shelling the front line, and shelling it with
+such accuracy that Gen. Scott-Ker ordered the Grenadiers and 3rd
+Coldstream to fall back through the 2nd line and take up a position in
+rear. This was done, but subsequently these two battalions were brought
+up into line with the Irish Guards along the northern edge of the wood,
+whilst the 2nd Coldstream were sent back to take up a covering position
+in rear of the wood, along the railway east and west of
+Villers-Cotter&#234;ts Halte. Such was the position without much change up
+to midday, when the enemy's attack began to slacken and shortly
+afterwards they appeared to have had enough of it and drew off. The 4th
+Brigade thereupon resumed its march as far as Thury, which was reached
+about 10.30 p.m. Their casualties in this action amounted to over 300.
+The Irish Guards had Col. the Hon. G. Morris and Lieut. Tisdall killed;
+Major Crichton and Lord Castlerosse wounded. In the Grenadiers the Hon.
+J. Manners and Lieut. McDougall were killed, and in the Coldstream,
+Lieut. G. Lambton was killed and Captain Burton and Captain Tritton
+wounded. The Brigadier-Gen. Scott-Ker was himself badly wounded in the
+thigh, and the command of the brigade was taken over by Col. Corry.
+</p>
+
+
+<p class="head">
+<span class="sc">N&#233;ry</span>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The same morning witnessed a very heroic little action at N&#233;ry. During
+the preceding night the 1st C.B. had billeted in this little village,
+together with L Battery R.H.A., which was attached to the brigade. The
+village lies low in a broken and hilly country. To the south and east
+of it the ground rises suddenly and very steeply, forming a long ridge
+which juts out into the plain from the north. Along these heights
+Lieut. Tailby, of the 11th Hussars, was patrolling in the early
+morning, and in a very thick fog, when he suddenly bumped right into a
+column of German cavalry. He had hardly time to gallop back and warn
+the brigade before shot and shell began to fly thickly into the
+village. The German force, as it afterwards turned out, consisted of
+no less than six cavalry regiments, with two batteries of six guns
+each attached; and there is reason to believe that they were just as
+surprised at the encounter as was the 1st C.B. However that may be,
+the advantage in position, as well as in numbers, was greatly on the
+side of the Germans, who, from the heights they were on, completely
+dominated the ground below. Even the sun favoured them, for when that
+broke through about five o'clock, it was at the backs of the enemy and
+full in the faces of the defenders.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The lifting of the fog soon cleared up any doubts in the minds of all
+concerned as to how matters stood. On the heights above, with the sun
+behind them, were the six German regiments, dismounted, with their
+twelve guns. Down below in an open orchard on the western side of the
+village were the Bays and L Battery R.H.A. They were still in the
+position in which they had bivouacked the night previous. Beyond them
+were the 5th Dragoon Guards. The 11th Hussars were on the south-east
+side of the village nearest the enemy, but more or less hidden from
+view and protected from the enemy's fire by the lie of the land.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Then began one of those rare episodes which will live for ever in
+history and romance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The position of L Battery had not been chosen with a view to action.
+Except for the fog, it would never have been caught there; but having
+been caught there it accepted the situation. Owing to the broken nature
+of the ground, only three of its guns could be brought to bear on the
+enemy's position, but these three were quickly at work. The Bays, who
+were the regiment chiefly in the line of fire, got their horses into
+safety and then joined in with rifle and machine-gun fire, taking what
+shelter they could; but this did not amount to much, and the sun was in
+their eyes. None of these disadvantages made themselves felt in the
+case of the 11th Hussars, who, from their sheltered position, were able
+to bring a most effective machine-gun fire to bear on the flank of the
+Germans. Their doings, however, we may pass by. The focus-point of
+German attention was the little Horse Artillery Battery down in the
+apple-orchard. This now became the target for a perfect tornado of shot
+and shell, and at a range of only 400 yards. Two of the three guns were
+quickly knocked out, and the fire of batteries, rifles and maxims
+became concentrated on the one that remained.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Men and officers combined to serve this one gun. Captain Bradbury, in
+command, had one leg taken off by a shell, but he propped himself up,
+and continued to direct the fire till he fell dead. Lieut. Campbell
+died beside him, as did also Brig.-Major Cawley, who came up with
+orders from Head Quarters. Lieut. Gifford and Lieut. Mundy both fell
+wounded, and Sergt.-Major Dorrell took over command. With the support
+of Sergt. Nelson, Gunner Darbyshire and Driver Osborne he cheerfully
+continued this absurd and unequal duel.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the 5th Dragoon Guards had been ordered to work round
+to the north-east, in order to make a diversion from that flank. This
+they were able to do to a certain extent, though at some cost, Col.
+Ansell being shot through the head and killed at the very outset. The
+regiment, however, were not strong enough, single-handed, to make more
+than a demonstration, and the whole situation was far from promising
+when, by the mercy of Providence, the 4th C.B. most unexpectedly
+arrived on the scene from the direction of Compi&#232;gne. These lost no
+time in dismounting and joining up with the 5th Dragoon Guards, the
+four combined regiments pouring a steady fire into the flank of the
+enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This new development entirely changed the aspect of affairs, and,
+finding the situation getting rather too hot for them, the Germans made
+off hurriedly in the direction of Verrines, abandoning eight of their
+guns and a maxim.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+They tried in the first instance to man-handle their guns out of
+action, but the steady fire of the cavalry on their flank, supplemented
+now by a frontal fire from the Bays, who had by this time installed
+their machine-gun in the Sugar Factory to the west of the village,
+proved too much for them, and they abandoned the attempt. The whole
+affair had so far lasted little over an hour; but the last word had yet
+to be said, for the 11th Hussars jumped on to their horses, galloped
+off in pursuit and captured fifty horses and a number of prisoners. The
+German casualties in killed and wounded were also considerable, and on
+our side the troops in the open orchard suffered very severely. The
+Bays showed great daring and activity throughout, Mr. de Crespigny
+particularly distinguishing himself. They lost seven officers, and out
+of L Battery only three men emerged unwounded. To the survivors of this
+battery, however, it must for ever be a source of gratification to
+reflect that the last shot in that preposterous duel was fired by the
+battered and bloodstained thirteen-pounder down in the apple-orchard,
+and that it was fired at the backs of the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Captain Bradbury, Sergt.-Major Dorrell and Sergt. Nelson were awarded
+the Victoria Cross, the former posthumously. The last two named were
+also given their commissions. Lieut. Gifford got the Cross of the
+Legion of Honour, and the entire battery earned a name which will live
+as long as history.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There is a sequel to this gallant little affair which is sufficiently
+satisfactory to record. The 1st and 4th C.B. billeted that night at
+Borest, and continued their progress south next day through the For&#234;t
+d'Ermenonville. Here, abandoned among the birch trees of the forest,
+they found two of the guns which the Germans had succeeded in getting
+away from N&#233;ry. It was a small incident, but very satisfactory as a
+finale.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="advance">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE ADVANCE TO THE AISNE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+On the following day, September 2nd, the British Force found itself
+facing the Marne from the north bank, and the whole of September 3rd
+was occupied in getting the troops across, an operation of some little
+delicacy, as it involved in many cases the exposure of our flank to the
+enemy. During the process of transit the whole of the British
+cavalry&#8212;which had hitherto been distributed along the length of our
+line&#8212;was concentrated by the river side in the open ground at Gournay.
+By nightfall the whole force was on the south side and the bridges had
+been blown up.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The following day saw the end of the great retreat. There was, it was
+true, a further retirement of some twelve miles to a line running from
+Lagny to Courtagon, but this last proved to be the southernmost point
+of France which our troops were destined to see.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The British Army had now in twelve days covered a distance from Mons of
+140 miles as the crow flies, and of considerably more as troops march.
+During these twelve days two pitched battles had been fought, in
+addition to many rear-guard actions and cavalry skirmishes. The bulk of
+the fighting had so far fallen on the 2nd A.C., whose casualties
+already amounted to 350 officers and 9,200 men. However, the long,
+demoralizing retreat had now at last reached the turning-point. At
+Rebaix we picked up 2,000 fresh troops belonging to the 6th Division.
+These had been trained up from the mouth of the Loire, Havre being no
+longer reckoned safe, and were a welcome stiffening to the footsore
+veterans from Mons.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The period that follows is familiarly known as the battle of the Marne,
+a broad classification which&#8212;as such&#8212;is allowable, but which is apt
+to mislead. In the strict sense there was no battle during the British
+advance. The fighting that took place between September 5th and
+September 14th was desultory, and was chiefly in the nature of
+independent and&#8212;to a great extent&#8212;disconnected engagements, mostly of
+the advance guard and rear-guard type. The tributaries of the Marne,
+the Grand Morin and the Petit Morin were each defended, the latter as
+stubbornly as was the Marne itself, and, in point of fact, some of the
+hardest fighting which the advancing army met with was on the 10th,
+after the Marne had been left well behind.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The advance at first was slow and cautious. When an army has for
+fourteen days been systematically falling back before an enemy, the
+only casualties within its ken are its own. It may be assumed&#8212;and with
+every right&#8212;that there are also killed and wounded among the pursuing
+force. But they are never seen. Only khaki-clad figures fill the field
+ambulances; only khaki-clad figures are left behind in the hospitals,
+and in the cemeteries and roadside trenches. The ever-swelling roll of
+"missing" is all on one side. There are no missing among those who
+pursue. In such circumstances, to the tired soldier-mind the pursuing
+enemy becomes in time invested with a species of invulnerability. At
+the end of fourteen days that enemy has assumed an altogether
+fictitious value for evil; it becomes a death-dealing engine,
+relentlessly sweeping up wounded and stragglers, and itself showing no
+scars; it inspires an all but superstitious dread. To such a frame of
+mind the sight of a few grey-clad figures stretched upon the ground and
+a few groups of grey-clad prisoners marching to the rear acts as a very
+salutary tonic. The scales drop from the eyes; the glamour of the
+unknown fades away, and the enemy sinks from its apotheosis to the
+level of mere mortal clay.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It took two days for this new spirit to get hold of the British force
+feeling its way northward. Then it got confidence and began to push;
+and in exact ratio to the vigour of its push was the tale of prisoners
+and guns captured.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The turn of the tide came on September 5th. On that day General Joffre
+told the C. in C. that he was going to take the offensive. The German
+advance had&#8212;as all the world now knows&#8212;swerved off from Paris towards
+the south-east, thereby half exposing its right flank to the 6th French
+Army. Gen. Joffre quickly made the exposure complete by wheeling that
+army towards the east, at the same time throwing forward the left of
+his line. Von Kluck was quick to realize that he was in a tight place,
+and with characteristic promptitude cleared out northwards.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The pursued army spun on its heels and followed, but followed at first
+with an excess of caution which was perhaps excusable in a tired army
+to whom anything but retreat was a new experience.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the moment of the above surprising change in the tide of war, the
+6th French Army line ran due north and east from Ermenonville to Lagny.
+This line was pressing eastward. The British force lay between Lagny
+and Courtagon, facing north, and in a continuation of the same line on
+our right came Conneau's cavalry and the 6th French Army.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+September 6th, which was practically the first day of the advance, saw
+little fighting, our troops advancing some ten miles only to the line
+of the Grand Morin, which was not defended with any great show of
+vigour. We took a few prisoners only, and some maxims.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 7th there was much more doing, but it was chiefly cavalry work.
+McCracken's 7th Brigade, however, met with a fairly stubborn resistance
+at Coulommiers, in the course of which the S. Lancs sustained a good
+many casualties. De Lisle's 2nd C.B. was, as usual, in the forefront of
+all that was doing. This brigade got in touch with the enemy soon after
+leaving Fretoy. The 9th Lancers, who were doing advance guard to the
+brigade, pushed on, however, with great boldness, till they reached the
+village of Moncel, which was found to be in occupation of German
+cavalry. Without a moment's hesitation, and without any knowledge of
+the strength opposed to it, the leading troop took the village at a
+gallop and cleared it of the enemy. They were, however, themselves
+compelled shortly afterwards to withdraw, as two fresh squadrons of the
+enemy&#8212;who proved to be the 1st Guard Dragoons&#8212;came down on the
+village from the north. At the same time a third squadron appeared to
+the west of the village. These new arrivals were at once charged by
+Col. Campbell and Major Beale-Brown at top speed with a troop and half
+of the 9th Lancers. They rode clean through the Germans, who faced the
+charge, and then&#8212;wheeling to the right&#8212;the Lancers joined up with the
+troop that had already entered the village.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Germans now retreated to the north side of the village. In
+anticipation of this movement a squadron of the 18th Hussars had
+already been posted dismounted among the corn stooks on that side.
+These now opened fire on the retiring Germans, some seventy of whom
+turned and charged the dismounted Hussars in line. The latter with
+great nerve and steadiness let the Dragoons get within 100 yards of
+them, and then practically annihilated them with a volley. Only a dozen
+escaped.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The casualties among the 2nd C.B. were not heavy, but Col. Campbell,
+while leading the charge south of the village, was wounded in the arm
+by a lance. Captain Reynolds at the same time was very badly wounded in
+the shoulder, and Lieut. Allfrey, while trying to extract the lance
+from the wound, was killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The general order was now for the British Army to advance to the
+north-east in the direction of Chateau Thierry and so try and reach the
+Marne. The country round here, however, was very difficult, especially
+in the thickly-wooded neighbourhood of the Petit Morin, and the advance
+was at first slow and cautious. The 8th Brigade on reaching the valley
+of the Petit Morin met with a strong resistance, which gave it some
+trouble before it managed to cross at Orly, where the enemy had left
+six machine-guns strongly posted on the opposing slope. However, after
+J Battery R.H.A.&#8212;which had displayed the greatest gallantry throughout
+these operations&#8212;had pounded the position for some time, the 4th
+Middlesex under Col. Hull (now the only colonel left in the 8th
+Brigade) and the R. Scots drew up on the edge of the wood topping the
+narrow valley, and at a given signal dashed down the slope to the
+bridge and up the far side; whereupon the Germans made off, abandoning
+their machine-guns, and the position was won.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the course of this advance the R. Scots lost 2nd Lieut. Hewat, who
+was killed, and Lieut. Hay, who was badly wounded by two bullets in the
+side, but the casualties among the rank and file were not heavy. They
+captured some 200 prisoners in the village of Orly. The 2nd Division at
+La Tr&#233;toire met with a very similar resistance, but here the 2nd and
+3rd Coldstream and some of the cavalry managed to get across higher up
+at La Force, and turned the flank of the resistance. The enemy's
+defence&#8212;as at Orly&#8212;proved to emanate from few men but many mobile
+machine-guns, which, by the time the passage had been forced, were far
+beyond pursuit or capture, but which had been as effective for purposes
+of obstruction as a brigade. The Coldstream did not dislodge the enemy
+without casualties, among those wounded being the Hon. C. Monk, Lieut.
+Trotter, Sir R. Corbet and 2nd Lieut. Jackson.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the same day on the right of the line the Black Watch and the
+Camerons, the latter of whom had now been appointed to the 1st Brigade
+vice the Munster Fusiliers, did some very fine work between Bellot and
+Sabloni&#232;re, and took a quantity of prisoners; but they had to fight
+hard for them, and both regiments had a number of casualties, Captain
+Dalgleish and the Hon. M. Drummond in the Black Watch being killed. The
+1st C.B. co-operated with the two Scotch regiments by attacking the
+village of Sabloni&#232;re, which was finally captured, together with many
+prisoners, by the 11th Hussars. In addition to this little cavalry
+success, the 3rd and 5th C.B. each had an encounter this day with
+German cavalry, and in both instances maintained the unquestioned
+superiority of the British in this particular arm of the service.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At five o'clock on the morning of the 9th the 2nd A.C. started out for
+the Marne. The whole A.C. had to cross by the one bridge at Chailly, so
+the operation was a protracted one, but by dark they were all across
+and had pushed ahead some miles north of the river. A German battery on
+the heights above Nanteint was attacked with great determination and
+captured by the Lincolns during this advance, the Germans sticking with
+great gallantry to their guns till every man of the battery had been
+killed or wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 3rd A.C, on the left of the 2nd, had considerable trouble in
+crossing at La Fert&#233;. Here the bridge had been destroyed, and the north
+bank was strongly held by the enemy (with machine-guns as usual). The
+R.E. came to the rescue with a pontoon bridge, but the German fire was
+persistent, and it was night before the bridge was completed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 1st A.C. in the meanwhile had crossed at Chateau Thierry, but not
+without some destructive opposition from machine-guns.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the morning of the 10th the advance became a race between the 5th
+and the 2nd Divisions. These two set out northwards at 5 a.m. covered
+by Gough with the 3rd and 5th C.B. The 3rd Division had been stopped at
+Germigny, and had consequently fallen behind, and the 4th and 6th
+Divisions&#8212;as we have seen&#8212;had to put up with a long wait at La Fert&#233;.
+The advance was therefore in the shape of a wedge, the effect of which
+was to threaten the flank of the Germans in front of the 6th French
+Army and cause them to retire with considerable haste. By midday,
+however, the 3rd Division on our left had all but come up into line,
+and the formation became more orthodox again. Our aeroplanes, favoured
+by beautiful weather, were now doing fine work, and, by the information
+they gave, made it possible to push the advance right up to the line of
+the Ourcq. There was little serious opposition, but desultory fighting
+took place here and there all along the line, and at Montreuil the
+Cornwalls suffered some serious losses.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We captured a number of prisoners during this advance to the Ourcq. The
+9th Brigade alone took 600 north of Germigny, and at Haute Vesnes the
+6th Brigade captured 400 and put as many more <i>hors de combat</i>,
+the 1st K.R.R., who were well supported by the 50th Battery R.F.A.,
+being the main contributors to this result. In all, we took over 2,000
+prisoners that day and many guns. The woods were everywhere full of
+stragglers, many of whom were only too glad to surrender. Others,
+however, put up a fight and were only taken after a stubborn
+resistance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 11th Gen. Joffre shifted the advance half a point to the east,
+the effect of which was to narrow the front of the British troops and
+so cause a good deal of congestion on the few roads at our disposal.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On this day a sudden and very abominable change came over the weather,
+the wind chopping round to the north-west, and the temperature dropping
+in one day from great heat to bitter cold. Rain fell continuously, and
+there was wide-spread lamentation over the greatcoats thrown away in
+the heat of the Mons retreat.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="passage">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE PASSAGE OF THE AISNE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+On September 12th the battle of the Aisne may be said to have begun.
+The first and second stages of the war, the retreat from Mons, and the
+advance from the Grand Morin, were of the past. The third stage&#8212;the
+passage and occupation of the Aisne by our troops&#8212;covers a period of
+some four weeks, the greater part of which was, comparatively speaking,
+barren of incident. The first three days, however, were eventful, and
+the 14th saw one of the most stubbornly contested battles of the war.
+This will be dealt with in its place.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 12th saw the first real check to our fifty-mile advance. Very early
+in the day it became apparent to our commanders that the retreat of the
+Germans had been in accordance with a plan pre-arranged (in the event
+of certain happenings) and that the pursued now definitely stood at
+bay. The situation was not one to encourage a reckless offensive. A
+wide valley some two miles across, down the centre of which wound the
+sluggish Aisne, now swollen and discoloured by the rains; steep
+down-like bluffs on either side of the valley, furrowed by deep-cut
+roads that twisted down to the lower ground&#8212;the bluffs in many places
+thickly and picturesquely wooded. To the west Soissons, to the east
+Rheims; and in face, on the opposite slope, the great German Army. It
+was not known at the time that, on the Craonne plateau crowning the
+slopes opposite, the forethought of the Germans had prepared in advance
+a complete system of very elaborate trenches, of a kind then new to
+warfare, but since horribly familiar. These were supplemented in many
+cases by the old stone quarries and caves which run the length of the
+heights.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Such was the scene in which the German and the Allied armies were
+destined to face one another for over a year, dealing out ceaseless
+death, desolation and pain, and gaining no fraction of military
+advantage for either side. That this was so is now history, but on
+September 12th, 1914, the future was still the future, and neither side
+had as yet had experience of the dead-wall method of fighting which has
+ever since characterized the Great War. The British commanders
+therefore, and the troops under them, prepared to push on with all the
+enthusiasm inspired by the events of the past week.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The first honours in the opening of this new act of the war-drama fell
+to the 1st C.B. who in the early hours of the morning were ordered to
+get possession of the village of Braine, a place of some importance, as
+it commanded the only road down to Missy on the southern side of the
+valley. The place was held by a battalion of German infantry, the
+houses loop-holed, and the streets barricaded. The 1st C.B. advanced
+from Cerseuil to the edge of the valley, and, leaving their horses on
+the high ground, made down the slope to the river on foot. The place
+was stubbornly defended, and was not taken without a certain amount of
+loss on our side, Captain Springfield in the Bays being killed, and
+Captain Pinching wounded, but after some rather fierce house-to-house
+fighting in the main street, the place was eventually captured and
+cleared of the enemy by nine o'clock, the German casualties amounting
+to some 300.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Hubert Hamilton thereupon advanced the 3rd Division to Brenelle,
+while Sir Charles Fergusson passed on with the 5th Division through the
+captured village of Braine to Sermoise. Away on the right the 1st and
+2nd Divisions advanced as far as Courcelles and Vauxc&#233;r&#233;.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The first infantry division to come into action in the Aisne valley was
+the 4th, under Gen. Snow, who&#8212;having crossed the Ourcq
+unopposed&#8212;arrived at Buzancy on the morning of the 12th and found the
+right of the 6th French Army bombarding the Germans, who were in
+occupation of the Mont de Paris, just south of Soissons. Snow at once
+chimed in with his own guns, and a tremendous artillery duel resulted,
+in which the Germans after a time threw up the sponge and made off
+across the Soissons bridge, which they destroyed behind them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 3rd and 5th C.B. were in the meantime at Chaudun awaiting
+developments.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The south side of the Aisne was now clear of the enemy, and the problem
+arose as to how best to get our troops across. The weather was still as
+bad as could be, with a bitter cold driving rain from the north-west
+which made any air reconnaissance an impossibility. It was essential,
+however, to learn the state of the bridges, so other means had to be
+devised. The Missy bridge was of especial importance, and Lieut.
+Pennycuik, R.E., volunteered to find out all about this by floating
+down the river on an improvised raft. This he succeeded in doing, at no
+little risk to himself, and reported the bridge practically destroyed,
+the north end having been blown up. The bridge at Cond&#233; was intact but
+inaccessible, the long, straight approach to it being open to
+concentrated machine-gun fire throughout. It had obviously been left as
+a bait, and to have attempted it would have been to have played
+straight into the enemy's hands. The question was, in fact, discussed
+between the C. in C. and Sir Horace, but they decided that, as its
+capture could only be effected at a great sacrifice of life, and as its
+possession was strategically of very little value to the enemy, it
+should be left alone.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On our extreme right near Bourg there was no trouble about crossing,
+the aqueduct, which here carries the canal across the river, having
+survived the attempts of the enemy to blow it up; and by this the 1st
+Division and some of the cavalry and artillery crossed easily enough
+during the middle of the day on the 13th, and pushed forward some three
+or four miles along the Laon road. The rest of the cavalry crossed
+further up the river at Villers. This wing of the army met with very
+little systematic opposition, but desultory shell-fire and machine-gun
+fire was going on all the time, and the 1st Scots Guards had some
+casualties, Houldsworth being killed and Monckton and Balfour wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By nightfall the 1st Brigade had reached Moulins, the 2nd and 3rd
+Brigades being at G&#233;ny. The 5th Brigade had succeeded in reaching Pont
+d'Arcy by 9 a.m., but found the bridge there destroyed, one solitary
+girder partly submerged alone remaining, and by this they scrambled
+across in single file, with a blind shell-fire playing all around.
+Single girders, however, are not recognized as a military means of
+communication, so the R.E. set to work to build a pontoon bridge
+alongside.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 4th Brigade, on the left of the 2nd Division, had the worst time
+this day; they made an attempt to cross at Chavonne itself, but were
+vigorously opposed, the enemy being in possession of the village, and
+keeping up a ceaseless machine-gun fire which cost us some good men.
+The Irish Guards were the chief sufferers, especially in officers,
+Captain Berners, Lord Guernsey and Lord Arthur Hay being killed.
+However, late in the afternoon, some of the 2nd Coldstream got
+themselves ferried across in a small boat which was found&#8212;minus
+oars&#8212;higher up the river, whereupon the enemy, who as usual were weak
+in numbers, but strong in machine-guns, made off. The rest of the
+brigade then crossed in single file by the remains of the bridge,
+which&#8212;like that at Pont d'Arcy&#8212;still offered a shaky foothold from
+shore to shore.
+</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter"><a  name="aisne"><img src="images/003.jpg" alt=">Map showing line occupied by British troops after the
+battle of the Aisne" width="600" height="359"></a></div>
+<p class="caption">Map showing line occupied by British troops after the
+battle of the Aisne. Approximate scale 3 miles to an inch.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="troyon">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+TROYON
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+The 14th of September probably saw more real fighting in the
+old-fashioned sense than any other day in which the British troops had
+been engaged. The whole line covering a frontage of twenty miles was
+involved, but the fiercest conflict was always on the right with the
+1st A.C. This day's fighting is sometimes referred to as the battle of
+the Aisne, and sometimes as the battle of Troyon. The former is too
+indefinite, in view of the protracted fighting on the river of that
+name; the latter is too parochial. In real truth there were four
+distinct but synchronous battles taking place that day along our front,
+viz., at Troyon, Verneuil, Soupir and Chivres. The most sanguinary,
+and undoubtedly the most important as far as results go, was the first
+of these. It may fairly be said that the British victory at Troyon on
+September 14th was one of the most brilliant achievements of the War.
+The generalship displayed was of a high order, and the troops engaged
+behaved with the greatest steadiness and courage.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Proceedings commenced at the very first streak of dawn. General
+Bulfin's 2nd Brigade, which had got as far as Moulins on the 13th, set
+out at four o'clock on the following morning along the road to
+Vendresse. This road runs between the wooded downs on either side, and
+the idea was to bring the rest of the 1st Division along it as soon as
+the heights to right and left had been cleared. Half a mile short of
+Vendresse the R. Sussex, the 60th and the Northamptons scaled the downs
+to the right of the road, and deployed in the order named, the Sussex
+on the left, the 60th in the middle, and the Northamptons on the right,
+just east of Troyon. Beyond the Northamptons were the 1st Coldstream,
+who had been detached from the 1st Brigade. The Loyal N. Lancashire
+Regiment remained in reserve down at Vendresse, and about six o'clock
+the other three battalions of the 1st Brigade came marching through
+them, along the road towards Cerny. About half a mile further on, these
+three battalions scaled the heights on the left of the road, so as to
+continue the line of the 2nd Brigade, which was on the right of the
+road. Here they deployed and remained till the 3rd Brigade came up on
+their left some three hours later.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The day was a particularly unpleasant one. There was a cold and
+persistent rain from the north-west right in the faces of the British,
+and accompanied by a kind of fog which made it impossible to see
+clearly for more than a couple of hundred yards ahead, and which was
+responsible for a good deal of unfortunate confusion through the day as
+to the identity of friend and foe. It also, as may be supposed, greatly
+increased the difficulty of our Gunners, who found it impossible to
+locate the enemy accurately, or to get exact information as to the
+correctness of their range.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Having dealt with the disposition of the three brigades of the 1st
+Division, we can now turn to the actual fight at Troyon. The main
+objective of our attack here was the Sugar Factory which stands near
+the five cross-roads on the Chemin des Dames. The Factory itself was
+very strongly held with machine-guns, and was flanked by two batteries
+of artillery. For a quarter of a mile on each side of it were the
+German trenches, on the one side running along the Chivy road, and on
+the other along the Chemin des Dames, the two forming an obtuse angle
+with the apex at the Factory itself. In addition, the enemy had four
+big eleven-inch guns behind their line, the fire from which greatly
+harassed our troops all through these operations as they completely
+outranged our batteries. The approach to this position was over turnip
+and beet fields, very wet and sticky with clay, and sloping gently
+upwards towards the Factory. As long as the 2nd Brigade was on the
+steep sides of the downs it was comparatively sheltered from the
+enemy's fire, but the moment this sloping plateau was reached, a
+tremendous fire burst upon it at close range from rifles, machine-guns,
+and from two batteries of artillery, which were in position behind the
+trenches along the Chemin des Dames.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It is difficult to conceive of conditions more unfavourable for attack:
+a driving rain in the faces of the assailants, an entrenched enemy, and
+an uphill approach across clay fields saturated with wet and two feet
+deep in beet plants. However, the order was to advance, so undeterred
+by the gaps ploughed in their ranks, the brigade pressed steadily on.
+The objective of the R. Sussex on the left was the enemy's trenches
+along the Chivy road. Towards this they pushed on at the slow plodding
+tramp which was the best pace which could be raised in the
+circumstances, till they reached the comparative shelter of a sunken
+lane. In this lane the R. Sussex machine-gun section was able to get a
+position from which it could partially enfilade the Chivy road
+trenches, and so effective was its fire from this angle, that after a
+time a white flag was raised, and several hundred Germans were seen
+running forward with their hands up. Col. Montresor and many other
+officers and men of the Sussex left the lane to accept this surrender,
+whereupon the enemy, from the Factory itself and from the trenches to
+right and left of it, poured a deadly fire into the confused mass of
+Germans and British, mowing them down in scores. In this indiscriminate
+massacre the R. Sussex lost very heavily, Col. Montresor, Maj. Cookson,
+and Lieuts. Daun and Hughes being killed, and Captain Cameron wounded.
+The Germans too suffered severely, but about 200 of them were got
+safely into the lane and sent off to the rear with a platoon as escort.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The R. Sussex being now very considerably reduced in numbers, the Loyal
+N. Lancashires were brought up from reserve, one company being sent to
+support the Sussex, while two and a half companies came up on the right
+of the 60th, <i>i.e.</i>, between the 60th and the Northamptons. These
+two and a half companies being fresh troops were now ordered to attack
+the Sugar Factory. The position of the Factory and the lie of the
+ground has already been described. The Loyal N. Lancashires, in order
+to carry out the attack as ordered, had to advance over a quarter of a
+mile of open ground under fire, not only from their front, but from
+both flanks as well, on account of the angle formed by the German
+trenches to right and left of the Factory. Their casualties during this
+advance were terrible. The C.O., Maj. Lloyd, and his Adjutant, Captain
+Howard-Vyse, were killed in the first rush. Fifty per cent. of the men
+fell in crossing that fire-swept zone, but the remainder carried
+steadily on and, at the point of the bayonet, drove out the enemy and
+captured the Factory, an achievement which must undoubtedly rank as one
+of the finest of the War.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The R. Sussex now pushed forward again, and Lieut. Dashwood, the
+machine-gun officer, got his maxims into the Factory, and from there
+enfiladed the two German batteries along the Chemin des Dames. At the
+same time some of the R. Sussex and the 6oth crept up along the road
+leading from Vendresse to the Factory, till they were in a position to
+enfilade the German trenches to the east of it. This man&#339;uvre
+produced an immediate surrender, the Germans leaving their trenches and
+hoisting the white flag. Warned, however, by their experience earlier
+in the day, the British remained prudently under cover of the road, and
+it was as well they did, for the two German batteries in rear of the
+trenches at once began bombarding this new situation at point-blank
+range, with the result that, while the British in the road took no
+harm, the unfortunate Germans who had tried to surrender were
+practically wiped out by their own people.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This patriotic act was destined to be the last that these particular
+batteries performed, for Lieut. Dashwood with the Sussex machine-guns
+got on to them from the Factory and rendered them incapable of further
+damage. The horses were all killed, and such gunners as survived made
+off, abandoning the guns.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Factory itself was not held, being of no military value and
+presenting a first-class target for the German artillery. Lieut.
+Dashwood withdrew his machine-guns to a farm-house some 200 yards down
+the road, and from this point was able to do considerable execution on
+the retreating enemy. He was soon, however, located, and Lieut. Pelham,
+who was assisting him, was killed. The section, however, ultimately
+managed to get away safely and rejoin its battalion. The vacated
+Factory was at once heavily bombarded by the enemy, and our troops
+derived no little satisfaction from seeing shell after shell drop where
+they were not.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The victory of Troyon was now complete, and it was one of which the
+troops engaged had every reason to be proud. The results, too, were
+very far-reaching, the position thus gained being never afterwards
+wrested from the British troops during their stay at the Aisne.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The casualty list in this sanguinary little fight was a heavy one. The
+Loyal N. Lancashires lost 15 officers, including their C.O. and
+Adjutant, and over 500 rank and file. The value of their gallant
+performance was, however, officially recognized, and Captain Spread,
+who displayed great courage throughout the day, received the Military
+Cross. The R. Sussex lost 250 rank and file and 9 officers, also
+including their Colonel, while in the 60th, Major Foljambe, Captain
+Cathcart, Lieut. Bond and 2nd Lieuts. Forster, Thompson and Davison
+were killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Whilst the 2nd Brigade plus the 1st Coldstream had been engaged with
+the Factory and the German entrenchments along the Chemin des Dames
+side of it, the Black Watch and Camerons were busy dislodging the
+other German wing from their trenches along the Chivy road. This again
+was a costly affair. The Camerons were enfiladed at close range by the
+German artillery on the other side of the Factory, and had lanes torn
+through their ranks. Col. Grant-Duff was killed while heading a
+bayonet charge of the Black Watch, side by side with his Adjutant,
+Captain Rowan Hamilton. The 1st Scots Guards, who were on the hill
+between Vendresse and Troyon, also lost their C.O. as well as their
+second in command, Col. Lowther being wounded and Major Garnier
+killed, as were also Lieuts. Inigo Jones and Thornhill. Sir V.
+Mackenzie and Lieut. Stirling-Stuart were wounded at the same time.
+The Scotsmen, however, did not mean stopping that day, and in spite of
+desperate losses the Chivy road trenches were finally carried at the
+point of the bayonet and a number of prisoners taken. But it cost the
+1st Brigade 49 officers and 1,100 rank and file.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Much of the success during this day was due to the gallant behaviour of
+the 116th Battery R.F.A. attached to the 1st Brigade. At an early
+period in the day this battery, for fear of misdirection in the mist,
+had worked its guns up into a dangerously exposed position close to the
+firing line. From here they were able to work great damage to the
+German defences, but, as a natural consequence, themselves suffered
+severely in the process. Major Nicholson, in command of the battery,
+had been wounded early in the morning while reconnoitring for this
+position, the command then devolving upon Captain Oliver, who took the
+battery into action. Some 1,200 rounds were fired during the day, and
+replenishment of ammunition had to be done entirely by hand, all spare
+men and drivers being led up in relays by Lieut. Gardiner. The battery
+remained exposed to a very galling fire till after nightfall, when it
+was withdrawn by order of Col. Geddes, commanding the 25th Brigade
+R.F.A., as its position was in front of the infantry line actually
+occupied. Lieut. Simson, well known as a Rugby International, was
+killed during the operation. Great courage and devotion to duty was
+shown by Bombardier Collins, the battery telephonist, who, though
+painfully wounded early in the proceedings, continued at his post
+throughout the day. The battery was warmly thanked and praised by
+General Maxse, commanding the 1st Brigade, for the assistance it had
+given him.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+By noon the 1st and 2nd Brigades were extended in a straight line
+running east and west through the Factory. Eventually, however, the
+line which was actually occupied and entrenched and maintained
+throughout the Aisne period against incessant counter-attacks had its
+right resting on the Chemin des Dames half a mile east of the Factory,
+and from there inclined gradually backwards till it reached the river
+east of Soissons. When we consider that the position won this day on
+the Chemin des Dames was four miles north of the river, the oblique
+line thereafter held by the British troops was a lasting monument to
+the remarkable achievement of the 1st Division on September 14th.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There can be no shadow of doubt that the Germans were completely taken
+by surprise by the unexpected rapidity of the 1st Division's advance.
+It was a fine piece of generalship, and had Sir Douglas Haig only had
+fresh troops to bring up from reserve, it is probable that the Germans
+would have been swept back another mile or two.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Fresh reserve troops, however, were too great a luxury for our small
+force. The Loyal N. Lancashires had in the morning been the reserve
+battalion to the 2nd Brigade, and of these fifty per cent. had fallen.
+Some of the R. Sussex and 1st Coldstream, as a matter of fact, did
+penetrate as far as Cerny, following the road from Troyon which cuts
+through the high ground beyond in a narrow defile. This road was
+literally choked with the enemy's dead. At Cerny they found every
+symptom of confusion and surprise, abandoned kits, baggage and
+munitions, and no sign of organized resistance. The detachment,
+however, was small, and as it was unsupported on either flank it was
+deemed wise to retire.
+</p>
+
+
+<p class="head">
+<span class="sc">Verneuil</span>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We can now move across on to the next range of heights to the left, and
+see how it there fared with the 3rd and 5th Brigades. Here matters were
+neither so eventful nor so decisive as on the Troyon ridge. It was ten
+o'clock before the 3rd Brigade came up into line, and was ordered to
+extend to the left and join up with the right of the 2nd Division,
+which was in the neighbourhood of Braye. While carrying out this order
+and when within a mile or so of Verneuil, they suddenly came up against
+two strong German columns which were advancing with some unknown
+object. The rest of the day's proceedings in this quarter may be
+briefly described as a series of attacks and counter-attacks, which
+lasted all through the day, between these two German columns and our
+3rd, 5th and 6th Brigades. In the fiercely contested combat between
+these two forces honours were during the earlier part of the day fairly
+easy, but towards dusk the Germans sensibly weakened, both in attack
+and defence, and the British troops undoubtedly had the last word.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The most conspicuous episode in this section of the fighting was a
+really great performance on the part of an Edinburgh man named Wilson,
+in the Highland Light Infantry. That battalion had just made a most
+successful and dramatic charge, led by Sir Archibald Gibson-Craig and
+Lieut. Powell (both killed), and had established itself in a forward
+position with its left on a small wood. From this wood a German
+machine-gun began playing on the ranks of the battalion with such
+disastrous accuracy that it soon became clear that either the
+machine-gun must be silenced or the position evacuated. Pte. Wilson
+thought the former alternative preferable, and, getting a K.R.R. man to
+go with him, crept out towards the wood. The K.R.R. man was shot almost
+at once, but, quite undeterred, Wilson went on alone, killed the German
+officer and six men, and single-handed captured the machine-gun and two
+and a half cases of ammunition. It need scarcely be said that he got
+the Victoria Cross.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Another Victoria Cross earned this day by another Scotsman was little
+less remarkable, though of an entirely different order.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Pte. Tollerton, a fine, powerful man in the Scottish Rifles, noticed an
+officer fall badly wounded in the firing line. Though himself wounded
+both in the head and hand, Tollerton carried the officer to a place of
+safety, after which he himself returned to the firing line and there
+remained fighting, in spite of his wounds, throughout the day. At dusk
+he returned to the wounded officer. In the meanwhile the firing line
+had fallen back, with the result that Tollerton and the officer were
+left behind. The latter was quite incapable of moving, and Tollerton
+remained with him for three days and nights, till eventually both were
+rescued.
+</p>
+
+
+<p class="head">
+<span class="sc">Soupir</span>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Once more it is necessary to shift our scene still more to the left and
+nearer again to the Aisne, where the Cour de Soupir farm stands on the
+crest of the river bluff.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The capture of this position was the work of the Guards' Brigade. At 8
+a.m., at the time when the 1st and 2nd Brigades were in the very thick
+of their fight at Troyon, the 2nd Division, which was still on the
+south side of the river, began to cross by the new pontoon bridge at
+Pont d'Arcy, the 6th Brigade moving up the valley to Braye, while the
+5th Brigade fought its way up the wooded slopes above Soupir. These
+last two brigades, as we have seen, linked up with the 3rd Brigade in
+the neighbourhood of Verneuil.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 4th Brigade went down the right bank of the river as far as
+Chavonne, where it remained till midday, when it got the order to scale
+the heights in support of the 5th Brigade, which was reported in
+difficulties. Accordingly the 3rd Coldstream and Irish Guards forced
+their way up through the woods north of Soupir, while the 2nd
+Grenadiers and two companies of the 2nd Coldstream made for the hamlet
+of Les Grouins on the left, where the idea was that they were to get in
+touch with the 1st Cavalry Division, which was also reported in
+difficulties. The other two companies 2nd Coldstream stayed in reserve,
+in a wood clearing on the bluff, half a mile south of La Cour de Soupir
+farm.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The track from Chavonne to the farm zigzags steeply up the bluff above
+the river through thick woods. Up this track, now ankle-deep in mud,
+the Guards scrambled in column of fours till they reached the flatter
+ground above, where they at once came under very heavy fire from the
+neighbourhood of the farm. Col. Feilding, who was acting Brigadier,
+thereupon deployed the two battalions to the left, and, as soon as the
+Grenadiers had come up into line on their left flank, the three
+battalions charged through the mist and rain in the direction of La
+Cour de Soupir farm. As had been the case with the 2nd Brigade, they
+were met by a very severe machine-gun and rifle fire at close range,
+the moment they emerged on to the flatter ground above, and their
+casualties were very considerable; but, notwithstanding, they kept
+going, captured the farm and trenches and drove out the enemy with
+heavy loss.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+An unfortunate incident, very similar in many respects to that which
+had befallen the R. Sussex at Troyon, occurred during the capture of
+these trenches, and was responsible for the deaths of many good men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Just to the left of the farm a number of Germans were seen advancing
+with hands up and white flags. Some of the 3rd Coldstream went out to
+accept the surrender, whereupon a second line of Germans sprang up,
+and, firing on friend and foe alike, mowed them down indiscriminately.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There can be little doubt that both this and the Troyon incident on the
+same day were not acts of deliberate treachery on the part of the
+Germans, but were purely "no surrender" demonstrations, and were
+probably aimed more at their compatriots than at the British.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In this engagement the 3rd Coldstream lost Captain Banbury, Lieut.
+Ives, Lieut. Bingham, Lieut. P. Wyndham, Captain Vaughan and Lieut.
+Fane, of whom the first four were killed, and 160 rank and file. The
+position gained, however, was never afterwards lost, but, from
+September 14th on, was held by the Guards' Brigade for twenty-nine
+consecutive days, in the face of a rapid succession of counter-attacks
+of the fiercest description, this position being singled out by the
+Germans for their most determined efforts at recapture.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="theaisne">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE AISNE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+The meteoric advance of the 1st A.C. on the 14th had left the western
+wing of the British force far behind. Had the 2nd A.C. had the luck to
+find a bridge which had defied destruction&#8212;as was the case at
+Bourg&#8212;there is no knowing but that they might have pushed forward
+shoulder to shoulder with the 1st A.C. and established themselves on
+the heights beyond. No such good fortune, however, was theirs. At
+Venizel, Missy and Vailly the bridges had been successfully demolished
+and the approaches to the river were everywhere difficult, especially
+at Missy, where for three-quarters of a mile the ground on the south
+side of the river lies flat and exposed. The bridge at Cond&#233;, as has
+already been explained, was intact&#8212;had, in fact, been designedly left
+so by the enemy&#8212;and for that very reason was outside of consideration
+as far as the problem of crossing the river was concerned. It became,
+therefore, a matter for the R.E., and with characteristic promptitude
+that indefatigable corps started in on its work of repair and
+construction. The work had to be carried out under no small
+difficulties, and to the accompaniment of a systematic shelling, the
+enemy on the heights beyond having the exact range of the river. There
+were considerable casualties among the Engineers. By midday, however,
+on the 14th the work was practically completed, the road bridges at
+Venizel, Missy and Vailly, and the railway bridge east of Venizel,
+having been repaired, in addition to which eight pontoon bridges had
+been thrown over the river at varying intervals. This was good work on
+the part of the R.E., nor did their labours begin and end with the work
+of repair and construction. Captain Johnstone<a href="#note2" name="noteref2">
+<small>[2]</small></a> and Lieut. Flint
+worked below Missy all through this day up to seven o'clock in the
+evening, bringing back the wounded on rafts and returning with
+ammunition&#8212;all the time under fire. The former got the Victoria Cross
+for this; the latter the D.S.O.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Handicapped though they were in comparison with the 1st A.C. by the
+lack of a negotiable bridge, the three divisions at the Soissons end of
+the line were by no means disposed to sit still while the Sappers were
+working at their pontoon. The 11th Brigade (in the 4th Division) got
+itself ferried across below Venizel early in the day, and lost no time
+in getting into its position to the west of Bucy, where it dug itself
+in near St. Marguerite. At midday the 12th Brigade were able to cross
+by the repaired road bridge at Venizel and they at once linked up with
+the 11th Brigade at Bucy, just in time to take part in an attack which
+was made upon the Vregny heights opposite at 2 p.m. Meanwhile a pontoon
+bridge was being built close to the Venizel road bridge, and by 5.30
+this, too, was finished, and the 10th Brigade crossed and completed the
+concentration of the 4th Division.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A mile higher up, at Missy, the 5th Division was in the meantime
+experiencing great difficulty in getting to the river, the flat ground
+approaching it being swept by a murderous fire from the far side. The
+13th Brigade, in fact, was foiled in all its attempts in this
+direction, and remained throughout the day at Sermoise. The 14th
+Brigade, however, managed to cross early in the afternoon at Moulins
+des Roches and with all the speed possible linked up with the 4th
+Division on its left, arriving at its post just in time to help in
+repelling a strong German counter-attack, which was launched against
+our lines at three o'clock. These two brigades in retaliation made
+repeated attacks on the Chivres heights during the afternoon, but
+without success, and at night they fell back to St. Marguerite.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 3rd Division reached the river at Vailly. Here the bridge had been
+blown up, but a single plank bridged the gap made at the north end, and
+by this the 8th and 9th Brigades got across in single file. The 7th
+Brigade in the meanwhile was getting across on rafts&#8212;three men at a
+time&#8212;a slow and tiresome business, which occupied the whole day. It
+was midday by the time the 9th Brigade, which followed the 8th, had
+crossed by the single plank above-mentioned, but they pushed forward at
+once and secured the heights opposite, the R. Fusiliers establishing
+themselves well forward on the Maison Rouge spur to the left, and the
+Lincolns on the Ostel spur, within half a mile of La Cour de Soupir
+farm held by the Guards. Here they remained all night, but at seven
+o'clock next morning the R. Fusiliers were heavily attacked and driven
+back to the Maison Rouge farm, with the loss from among their officers
+of Captain Byng, Captain Cole, Captain Attwood and 2nd Lieut. Hobbs.
+The Northumberland Fusiliers, who had pushed forward along the road up
+the wooded valley between the spurs, also had serious casualties, and
+had to withdraw. The Lincolns at the same time were driven from the
+Ostel spur and by 1 p.m. had re-crossed the river to the south side.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Once more, after another very wet night, the 5th Division on the 15th
+attacked the Chivres heights, and, once more failing, had to fall back
+to a line from St. Marguerite to the bank of the river between Sermoise
+and Cond&#233;. There they dug themselves in and there they remained till
+the end of the Aisne battle. The position was very bad from a strategic
+point of view, as it was on the low ground by the river, with the
+Germans only 400 yards away on the heights beyond; but it was the best
+that could be done. The 5th Division was greatly upset at its second
+failure to take the Chivres heights. It did not realize (as, indeed,
+who did at that time?) that the Allied advance had reached its farthest
+north, and that the Chivres heights were to remain untaken by either
+French or English for very many months to come.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The failure of the British left to advance encouraged the Germans to
+deliver counter-attacks all along the line, especially against the
+advanced position held by the 1st A.C. These, however, failed just as
+completely as had our own attempt to advance on the left. Several very
+determined attacks were made against the Guards' Brigade at the Soupir
+farm, but all were repulsed with heavy loss.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The enemy was all this time steadily outranging our artillery with its
+big eleven-inch guns, popularly known as "Black Marias." The difficulty
+of properly entrenching against this long-range cannonade was greatly
+increased by the scarcity of proper tools, but, by means of a mixed
+assortment of implements, borrowed from the farms, a certain amount of
+protection was secured, and this was steadily improved upon from day to
+day. It began to be realized by now, by all parties concerned, that
+these entrenchments were likely to be rather more permanent than the
+emergency ditches scooped out with hands and mess-tins at Mons and Le
+Cateau, and in point of fact the line held at this time remained
+practically unchanged till the removal of the troops to Flanders.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the right the 1st A.C. held the ground from the Chemin des Dames
+through Chivy to La Cour de Soupir. On their left was the 3rd Division
+about a mile to the north of Vailly. Then came the gap caused by the
+bridge at Cond&#233; being in the German hands. Beyond this the 5th
+Division&#8212;as we have seen&#8212;held the ground from the bend in the river
+east of Missy to St. Marguerite; and beyond St. Marguerite the 4th
+Division joined up with the 6th French Army. The 6th Division arrived
+at this time, thus technically completing General Pulteney's 3rd A.C.
+As a matter of fact, however, the C. in C., at the first, utilized the
+greater part of this division to strengthen the 1st A.C. on the right,
+where the greatest German pressure was being felt, the remainder being
+held in reserve.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About noon on the 16th, the line held by the Guards' Brigade at the
+Soupir farm, always the special object of German attention, was treated
+to an exceptionally violent bombardment. So accurate, in fact, was this
+fire, that the Brigadier-General ordered a temporary retirement to the
+shelter of the road behind and below. Very shortly after this
+retirement had taken place, it was seen that a barn at one end of the
+farm buildings, which had just been vacated, was on fire. This barn was
+being used as a temporary hospital, and in it at the time were some
+fifty wounded Germans. It was clearly a case for very prompt action and
+very risky action, but there was no hesitation about it. Without the
+loss of a moment, Major Matheson, who at the time was commanding the
+3rd Coldstream, called for volunteers, and accompanied by Major Steele
+and Drs. Huggan and Shields and some men of No. I Company under Lord
+Feilding, he rushed forward through the shell-fire to the blazing
+building. All concerned worked with such goodwill that every wounded
+man was successfully got into safety and with few casualties on our
+side, but a few minutes later Dr. Huggan, who had been very active in
+the rescue work, was killed by a shell which burst in a quarry into
+which some of the wounded had been carried. The same shell killed
+twelve others, including three officers of the 52nd Oxford Light
+Infantry who were attached at the time to the Guards' Brigade, and
+wounded fifty more. Dr. Huggan, who was best known as a Scotch
+International football player, had greatly distinguished himself on
+former occasions, both at Landrecies and Villers-Cotter&#234;ts, by his
+courage and devotion to the wounded. He was buried in the garden of the
+farm.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 16th was otherwise an uneventful day, but on the 17th there was a
+good deal of fighting here and there, enlivened by some fine individual
+acts of bravery and devotion.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+An incident on the right of our line at this time attracted much
+attention on account of the German methods which it disclosed&#8212;methods
+with which we afterwards became much more familiar. At the village of
+Troyon a captain and two subalterns and 160 men of the Northamptons had
+entrenched themselves by the roadside some distance ahead of the main
+body. Two hundred and fifty yards to their front, and separated from
+them by a turnip field, was a German entrenchment containing from 400
+to 500 men. For five days the Northants men had to remain in trenches
+which were knee deep in water. Rain fell ceaselessly, and on the 17th
+seemed to come down harder than ever. Ague appeared among the men, and
+considerably reduced their effective strength. On the 15th the captain
+in command showed himself for a moment above the trench and was at once
+killed. Shortly afterwards the senior lieutenant was also killed. The
+command then devolved upon the junior lieutenant, who had less than a
+year's service.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 17th&#8212;to the surprise of all&#8212;the Germans were seen advancing
+across the turnip field holding up their hands. It was to be assumed
+that they too had had enough of their water-logged trenches. The
+Northamptons, naturally gratified at this surrender, left the trench to
+meet them. When, however, the German officer saw how few men they had
+to deal with, he changed his mind and ordered his men to charge. The
+young lieutenant promptly shot the German officer and a sergeant with
+his revolver, but was himself immediately shot down, though, strange to
+say, not killed. The affair, however, would obviously have gone very
+badly for the Northamptons, who were outnumbered by three or four to
+one, if the 1st Queen's, who had been looking on from the right flank,
+suspecting foul play, had not promptly brought their machine-gun to
+bear on the situation. The 1st Coldstream were also quickly on the
+spot, and the German force was accounted for to a man.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Further west, in the Soupir district, the Guards' Brigade, who seemed
+specially singled out at this period for all the enemy's most ferocious
+attacks, were given a particularly bad time on this day. All attacks,
+however, were beaten off with severe loss to the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+One incident is worth recording. North of Chavonne, where the 2nd
+Grenadiers were posted, there was a barn from which some snipers were
+keeping up a very irritating fire on the battalion. There was no
+artillery available at the moment for its destruction, and yet its
+destruction was of all things most desirable for the safety of the
+battalion. While the problem was under consideration, Corpl. Thomas, of
+the 2nd Grenadiers, decided on a line of action. They were in a
+wheat-field in which the sheaves were stacked ready for carting. With a
+couple of comrades whom he persuaded to accompany him, he left the
+trenches, caught up a sheaf in each hand, and raced full tilt for the
+barn. There they piled up the sheaves against the wood-work, set fire
+to them and raced back again. Not a man of the party was touched,
+though both coming and going they ran through a hail of bullets. It is
+satisfactory to record that the barn burnt bravely and that the enemy
+retired with some rapidity. Later on, on November 6th, this same
+Grenadier, then a sergeant, gained the D.C.M. for another act of
+conspicuous gallantry.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The British force had now been five days on the Aisne, and had lost an
+average of 2,000 men per day. On the 17th, one of the 2,000 to fall for
+his country was Captain Wright, R.E. He was only a unit&#8212;one out of a
+host that fell; but he stands out, both on account of the manner of his
+death and because only a short three weeks before he had gained the
+Victoria Cross for great gallantry during the destruction of one of the
+bridges over the Mons canal. On this occasion the 5th C.B. had to get
+across to the south side of the river. Now that further advance was for
+the time being out of the question, the north side of the Aisne was
+clearly no place for cavalry. So the 5th C.B. had to get back across
+the pontoon bridge at Vailly. The bridge itself and both banks were
+under shell-fire, but Captain Wright, who was responsible for the
+bridge, considered himself equally responsible for the safety of those
+who crossed. The casualties among the cavalry were not many; but there
+were some; and it was while helping one of these wounded men into
+shelter that Captain Wright was killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the night following, there was another gallant death among the
+Sappers. It was highly important to establish telephonic communication
+between the 9th Brigade on the north bank and Divisional Head Quarters
+on the south bank. There was no bridge and there was no boat. The river
+was swollen, sixty yards across and very uninviting. A private in the
+R.E. volunteered to try and swim across with a line; but he was a
+married man, and Lieut. Hutton, R.E., would not allow it. He himself
+took the line, plunged into the river, and very nearly got across, but
+was sucked under by the eddies and drowned.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Another act this day which gained no Victoria Cross was that of Captain
+Everlegh, of the 52nd Oxford Light Infantry, who left the shelter of
+his trench to help a wounded animal, and was killed by a shell in so
+doing. It does not detract from the nobility of the act that the animal
+in question was only a pig.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The German attack was still mainly confined to the right end of our
+line, where the Germans ceaselessly, and always unsuccessfully, tried
+to drive the 1st A.C. from the heights on which they had established
+themselves in the first day's fighting. The Germans lost very heavily
+in these attacks and our own casualties were far from light. On the
+20th the Aisne casualty list had mounted up to 561 officers and 13,000
+men. In order to make up deficiencies, the C. in C. decided to send up
+the 18th Brigade, out of the 6th Division, just arrived, to support the
+2nd Brigade on the extreme right of our line.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 18th Brigade, on its arrival, took up a position between the 2nd
+Brigade and the French, with the W. Yorks as its right-hand battalion.
+It was this battalion's first day's fighting, and its initiation was a
+particularly cruel one, for the French troops, who should have
+protected its right, coolly went away to their dinner, leaving the
+flank of the W. Yorks absolutely unprotected, with the result that they
+found themselves mercilessly enfiladed and driven from their trenches
+with considerable loss. The Sherwood Foresters, also in the 18th
+Brigade, were in reserve down a steep slope in rear of the W. Yorks
+trenches. They were lying down in groups, talking over the prospects of
+their first day in the fighting line, when the news of the disaster
+above reached them. Without waiting to get into any formation, they
+jumped to their feet and charged up the slope. The officers were so far
+ahead as to be conspicuous, and nearly half of their number fell, but
+the survivors charged home, and, supported by some of the 4th Dragoon
+Guards, dismounted, led by Major Bridges, they joined up with the W.
+Yorks and re-took the lost trenches. The French, returning hurriedly
+from their dinner, full of apologies for their absence, and anxious to
+make reparation, put in some useful work with the bayonet on our flank.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This little affair cost us six hundred men, the Sherwood Foresters
+alone losing fourteen officers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Between September 20th and 25th the battle of the Aisne seemed on the
+high road to die of inanition. It had come in like a lion; it went out
+like a very small lamb. When we use the term "battle of the Aisne" we
+are, of course, talking parochially. The Aisne battle has now been
+raging for an indefinite number of months over a front of a hundred
+miles. For us, however, the meaning of the term does not extend beyond
+the four weeks during which British and German troops faced one another
+between Soissons and Bourg. This is the only battle of the Aisne we are
+at present concerned with, and this battle began to get very quiet and
+uneventful. The weather, however, took a turn for the better, the wind
+shifting round out of the north-west, and sunshine once more took the
+place of the bitter rain storms of the past fortnight.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 25th, German activity was to some extent revived by the arrival
+of 200,000 reinforcements from Brussels and from the neighbourhood of
+Verdun. These came up by train by way of Li&#233;ge and Valenciennes, and
+were distributed at various points along the enemy's right. The Verdun
+troops were reported very weary. The stimulus afforded by the arrival
+of these new troops was, however, merely sporadic, and from the point
+of view of public interest the Aisne battle may be said to have shot
+its bolt. Its waning days were, however, illuminated by one individual
+act of such remarkable courage that the history of the Aisne period
+would scarcely be complete without it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the morning of the 28th, while the 2nd Coldstream were on the left
+of the 4th Brigade at what was known as the Tunnel post, the men of
+Captain Follett's company were sent out in a very thick mist to
+reconnoitre. It was a risky undertaking, for the German lines were very
+close. Suddenly the mist lifted, and two out of the three were
+instantly shot, the third getting home with only a graze. As leaving
+them where they lay meant fourteen hours' exposure before they could be
+got in under cover of darkness, Pte. Dobson volunteered to try and get
+them in at once. The undertaking appeared on the face of it an absolute
+impossibility, as it involved crossing a good deal of open ground in
+full view of the enemy. However, Dobson crawled out and managed to
+reach the men, one of whom he found dead, and the other wounded in
+three places. He applied first-aid dressings and then crawled back. A
+few minutes later he crawled out again, this time in company with
+Corpl. Brown, the two men dragging a stretcher between them on which
+the wounded man was placed and dragged back into safety, none of the
+three being hit. It need scarcely be added that Dobson got the Victoria
+Cross for this most remarkable performance, Corpl. Brown being awarded
+the D.C.M.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Towards the end of September operations in the Champagne country, as
+has been said, were beginning to stagnate. The Aisne had ceased to be a
+battlefield on which contending forces strove for position, and met in
+open shock on the downs, or in the beet fields. It had degenerated into
+a scene of mutual siege, where, in parallel lines of trenches, two
+armies were content to sit down and block progress. In view of the
+steady decrease in the distance between the hostile trenches, artillery
+operations had gradually assumed a more or less complimentary character
+and the game of war became restricted to sniping and construction work.
+With each succeeding day the position became more and more aggravated
+as trenches were made deeper and more secure, and entanglements of all
+kinds reduced still further the possibility of surprise or assault. For
+the soldier on duty such operations have but little interest; for the
+historian or the student of war they have none. We may, therefore, turn
+without reluctance to the more general situation, which by now was
+rapidly beginning to develop in interest.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The end of September and the beginning of October found both the
+Germans and the Allied Armies extending their flanks westward. As
+growing familiarity with the trench system of warfare began to make it
+clear to both sides that no further progress was possible by means of
+direct pressure, the German and Allied leaders began to scent a more
+favourable outlet for their energies on the western flank of
+operations, where&#8212;and where only&#8212;a roadway still lay open. The
+gradual shifting of German troops westward, or, to be more accurate,
+north-westward, could have no meaning but that of an attempt to force
+their way into France along the flat plains of Western Flanders; and
+no sooner was such an intention made plain than a corresponding
+movement was made by the Allies in an endeavour to forestall the enemy
+and envelop his flank before he could extend it. It was clear that the
+German move postulated the speedy capture of Antwerp, as the fall of
+that fortress was a necessary preliminary to any extended movement
+along the Belgian seaboard. A considerable British force was in
+process of being sent to Antwerp, and in addition to this force, the
+7th Division and 3rd Cavalry Division were landed at Zeebrugge on
+October 7th, with a view to co-operating either with the Antwerp
+troops or with the main Allied Army as circumstances dictated.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A consideration of these several important factors in the situation
+suggested to the C. in C. the desirability of entrusting the western
+extension movement, in the first instance, to the British Army at the
+moment occupying the Aisne trenches. Not only would such an exchange of
+positions greatly increase the facilities for bringing up supplies and
+for communications generally with England, but, in the event of the
+co-operation of the 7th and 3rd Cavalry Divisions, it would have the
+advantage of putting that detached body of troops in touch with the
+left of the main British Army and so of consolidating the command.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General Joffre at first demurred, on account of the obvious objections
+attending the transfer from one set of troops to another of trenches
+situated so very close to those of the enemy as were ours on the Aisne,
+such transfer only being possible at night and under the strictest
+precautions. The C. in C, however, was insistent, and in the end the
+French General was persuaded that the advantages of the plan outweighed
+the drawbacks. There can be no question now but that the judgment of
+the C. in C. was fully endorsed by the event.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The transfer of troops was begun on October 3rd, on which day the
+cavalry set out by road for Flanders, and two days later the 2nd A.C.
+started entraining for St. Omer at Pont Ste. Maxence and Soissons.
+Nothing could have been more auspicious than the start of the cavalry
+as they turned their backs on the Aisne valley. The heavy rains of
+mid-September had been succeeded by a spell of magnificent weather, and
+on the morning of the 3rd it was at its best. The sun shone out of a
+clear sky, and, slanting over the backs of the men as they rode, fell
+full on the wooded slopes above Le Moncel and Chivres, where the tints
+of autumn were already beginning to show among the green. Below, down
+the valley, the winding Aisne showed up here and there, reflecting back
+the blue of the sky. The spirits of all ranks were in tune with the
+weather and the scene. Trench warfare offers no opportunities to
+cavalry&#8212;as cavalry&#8212;and the change westward at any rate carried with
+it the promise of increased action.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="westward">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+MAN&#338;UVRING WESTWARD
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+General Foch, with his Head Quarters at Doulens, at this time commanded
+all the French troops north of Noyon, and the Flanders plan of campaign
+was arranged between him and the C. in C. as follows: The 2nd A.C. was
+to occupy the canal line from Aire to B&#233;thune, and the 3rd A.C. on
+arrival was to extend that line northward. The road running from
+B&#233;thune to Lille was to be the dividing line between French and
+British, and the aim of the British force was to be to wheel to the
+right and so menace the flank of the Germans facing the 21st French
+Army Corps under General Maistre. The 7th Division and the 3rd Cavalry
+Division from Belgium were to co-operate in this general wheeling
+movement as circumstances permitted.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This scheme, as things turned out, was destined to be entirely upset by
+the fall of Antwerp on October 9th. For the first week it worked
+admirably, and the cavalry patrols and infantry outposts opposed to us
+fell back&#8212;as had been anticipated&#8212;before our advance. Then German
+reinforcements began to come up. Four Army Corps were railed up from
+the eastern frontier, to which were presently added some 90,000 troops
+released by the fall of Antwerp.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+However, before these things happened, we had made some progress from
+our original line in an attempt to carry out the formulated scheme. On
+October 11th the detrainment of the 2nd A.C. was completed and Sir
+Horace moved his two divisions into position between Aire and B&#233;thune.
+On October 12th the 3rd A.C, under General Pulteney, arrived at St.
+Omer and moved forward to Hazebrouck. The moment this Army Corps was in
+position Sir Horace made the first move in the contemplated sweep by
+pushing forward the 3rd Division, which was on the left of the 2nd A.C,
+with orders to cross the Lawe Canal, which the enemy was reported to be
+holding in force. The advance was carried out with but little serious
+opposition, except in the neighbourhood of the locks at Etroa, where
+the 2nd R. Scots in the 8th Brigade met with a stubborn resistance, in
+the course of which Lieut. Trotter was killed and Captain Croker (in
+command of the battalion) and Captain Heathcote badly wounded. The
+battalion, however, in spite of losses, continued to advance with great
+gallantry to the line of the canal, which Captain Tanner and Lieut.
+Cazenove, with the leading company, eventually succeeded in crossing by
+the lock-gates, an exploit for which the former received the D.S.O. and
+the latter the Military Cross. The defenders thereupon at once gave
+way, suffering heavily in their retirement from the rifle fire of the
+4th Middlesex on the right.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the following morning the 3rd Division advance was renewed, the
+brigade chiefly concerned being once again the 8th, in the centre. This
+brigade set out at 6.30, the Middlesex being on the right, the R. Scots
+in the centre, and the 1st Gordon Highlanders on the left.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The country was dead flat, and the advance very slow owing to the
+innumerable water-dykes with which the country is intersected and which
+could only be crossed by means of planks or ladders borrowed from the
+farms.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About midday the Middlesex captured the village of Croix Barb&#233;e and the
+R. Scots performed the same office by Pont de Hem, but shortly
+afterwards further advance was checked, the enemy being found in
+considerable force and strongly entrenched, and the country offering no
+sort of cover. The brigade, however, though unable to advance, refused
+to retire, and very fierce fighting ensued, in the course of which the
+enemy made two most determined counter-attacks, one on Lieut.
+Henderson's Company on the left of the R. Scots, and one on Captain
+Passy's Company on the left of the Middlesex line. Both these attacks
+were repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy, but the casualties on our
+side were also severe, Lieut. Henderson&#8212;who was awarded the Cross of
+the Legion of Honour for the great gallantry which he displayed
+throughout these operations&#8212;being badly wounded, and Captain Passy's
+Company being reduced to the dimensions of a platoon. By nightfall the
+R. Scots had lost, during the day, 9 officers and close on 400 men.
+Second-Lieuts. Hewitt, Kerr and Snead-Cox had been killed, and of
+Captain Morrison's Company all the officers and 175 rank and file had
+been either killed or wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The losses in the Middlesex were almost as severe, Lieut. Coles, among
+others, being killed and Major Finch and Captain Passy severely
+wounded. Both battalions, however, maintained their ground with the
+utmost determination.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 14th some more of the actors in the approaching drama began to
+fall into their allotted places. The immortal 7th Division reached
+Ypres from Dixmude at midday and went into billets. The 3rd Cavalry
+Division arrived at the same time and from the same quarter, and split
+up, the 6th C.B. going to Wytschate and the 7th C.B. to Kemmel. The
+original Cavalry Brigades had now been re-organized, de Lisle taking
+over the 1st Division from Allenby, Gough retaining the second, and
+both divisions forming a "Cavalry Corps" under General Allenby. The 3rd
+Cavalry Division, on the other hand, had no part or parcel in this
+Cavalry Corps, being a separate and independent organization, under
+General the Hon. J. Byng.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During the day the Cavalry Corps captured the high ground above B&#233;thune
+after some stiff fighting, while the 3rd A.C. advanced and occupied
+Bailleul, which was found to be full of German wounded. The 9th Brigade
+on the left of the 3rd Division was still pushing ahead, but the 8th
+Brigade was found to have got too far in advance of the troops further
+north, who had the bigger sweep to make, and General Doran, the
+Brigadier, ordered the brigade to entrench where it was, the R. Irish
+Regiment under Major Daniell being brought up from reserve to fill the
+gaps made the previous day in the ranks of the 4th Middlesex and 2nd R.
+Scots.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Hubert Hamilton, the Divisional General, shortly afterwards came
+along on foot to inspect the trenches, disregarding warnings as to the
+great danger he was running. He proceeded on foot down the Richebourg
+Road, which was swept by shell-fire, in company with Captain Strutt,
+commanding the R. Scots, and was almost immediately killed by a shell,
+Captain Strutt being at the same time rendered unconscious. The
+General's A.D.C., Captain Thorp, ran forward and knelt by Sir Hubert's
+body, trying to screen it from the shells which were now falling
+thickly on the road. Captain Strutt shortly afterwards recovered
+consciousness, but was almost immediately severely wounded by another
+shell, and the command of the R. Scots devolved on Lieut. Cazenove.
+This battalion had now lost 15 officers and over 500 men in the last
+three days' operations, but its casualties were to a certain extent
+repaired by the timely arrival of a draft of 180 men and several
+officers from home.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While the 3rd Division was thus pushing slowly ahead in the face of
+great natural difficulties, the 5th Division was being heavily engaged
+in the neighbourhood of Givenchy. Little forward progress was either
+asked for or expected from this division, the canal south of Givenchy
+having been, from the first, the selected pivot of the proposed
+wheeling movement. It was also a matter of common knowledge that the
+Germans were in far greater strength here than they were further north,
+the original idea of the wheeling movement having been, in fact,
+entirely based on the knowledge of the gradually diminishing strength
+of the German forces as they stretched northwards.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The first regiment to take a conspicuous part in the terrific fighting
+which for three weeks raged round Givenchy was the Dorsets. This was on
+the 13th, <i>i.e.</i>, on the same day on which the 8th Brigade made
+its advance to Croix Barb&#233;e and Pont de Hem.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was a miserable day, foggy and wet. The Dorsets were on the extreme
+right of our army, in a line of trenches on the low ground between
+Givenchy and the canal. The attack was pressed with great vigour by the
+enemy, and the 1st Bedfords, on the left of the Dorsets, were driven
+out of the village of Givenchy. The left flank of the Dorsets was now
+exposed to enfilading fire from the ridge on which Givenchy stands, and
+their position was distinctly precarious. Some of the left-hand
+trenches were all but surrounded, the enemy having pressed forward into
+the gap at Givenchy, and from thence bearing down on the flank of the
+Dorsets. That regiment, however, held on with the utmost tenacity and
+successfully defended its position against repeated and most determined
+attacks; but the position was distinctly critical, and it was felt to
+be essential that orders of some sort should be received from Brigade
+Head Quarters. The telephonic communication had unfortunately been cut
+and there was no means of getting a message through except by hand,
+which, in the circumstances, seemed an all but impossible undertaking.
+A private of the name of Coombs, however, volunteered to try, and on
+the outward voyage actually got through untouched, but on returning
+with the necessary orders he was shot clean through the chest, but
+continued running for another 200 yards till he had delivered his
+message.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The orders received were that the Dorsets were to hold on, and this
+they continued to do, and with such good results that about 10 a.m. a
+long line of Germans was seen advancing with hands up and a white flag.
+The Dorsets left their trenches to accept this surrender and were
+instantly raked from end to end by concealed machine-guns from beyond
+the canal. These machine-guns had evidently been trained on the
+Dorsets' position in anticipation of that which actually happened,
+proving beyond any question that the whole thing was one carefully
+thought-out piece of treachery. The Dorsets being got fairly in line,
+and fully exposed to the concentrated fire of several machine-guns,
+literally fell in hundreds. Major Roper was killed and Col. Bols was
+shot through the back and actually taken prisoner, but in the
+subsequent confusion he managed to crawl away and rejoin what was left
+of his battalion. The most unsatisfactory part of the whole affair was,
+that if the French Territorials on the south side of the canal,
+<i>i.e.</i>, on the right of the Dorsets, had been where they ought to
+have been, that which happened never could have happened; but instead
+of being up in line, for some unexplained reason they were a quarter of
+a mile behind.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The loss, however, was limited&#8212;as a loss&#8212;to the treacherous massacre
+of several hundred gallant men, and the capture of two of the
+supporting guns. The Gunners, as usual, behaved with the utmost
+gallantry, but they too came under the same enfilading fire as the
+Dorsets and every man of the detachment except Captain Boscawen fell
+either killed or wounded. Two of the guns were captured, but, with
+this, the material advantage gained by the enemy began and ended, for
+the 1st Cheshires were brought up from reserve and, with their
+co-operation, the morning's line was re-occupied. The Cheshires,
+however, themselves suffered considerably, among their casualties being
+their C.O., Col. Vandeleur, who was killed while leading the attack.<a href="#note3" name="noteref3">
+<small>[3]</small></a>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 15th, as though in fury at the loss of their gallant General,
+the 3rd Division, now under the command of General Mackenzie, fought
+with a dash and determination which were irresistible. Their advance
+was continually checked by the country dykes, but, in spite of these
+hampering obstacles, the Germans were everywhere driven back with heavy
+loss. The 4th Middlesex and the 2nd R. Scots again did particularly
+good work, and, further north, in the 9th Brigade, the R. Fusiliers and
+the Northumberland Fusiliers gained high praise from the A.C. Commander
+for the vigour and activity with which they pushed forward in the face
+of strong opposition.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Conneau's cavalry, filling the eight-mile gap between the two Army
+Corps, also made good progress, as did the 3rd A.C., on the left. In
+the case of the latter Army Corps the 6th Division succeeded in
+reaching Sailly without encountering serious opposition, while the 4th
+Division got as far as Nieppe. The 2nd A.C., in its attempt to wheel,
+had so far advanced its left flank three miles in the last four days at
+a cost of 90 officers and 2,000 men. It had, however, inflicted very
+heavy losses on the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 16th the 3rd Division continued the wheeling movement with
+little opposition till it reached the village of Aubers, which was
+found to be strongly held, and where it was brought up short.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+So much for the present as regards the general movement forward of the
+four divisions of infantry working south of Le Gheir. The attempt to
+drive the enemy back was destined to prove abortive, but this was not
+generally recognized by October 17th, and the idea was still to push
+our troops forward. This general desire to advance soon communicated
+itself to the 15th Brigade, on the extreme right of the British line at
+Givenchy, which had so far been looked upon as the pivot on which the
+left was to sweep round, and on the morning of the 17th the brigade was
+ordered to push ahead. During the night of the 16th the 1st Devons had
+taken over the trenches just north of the canal in which the Dorsets
+had suffered such terrible casualties three days earlier. The 1st
+Bedfords were on their left, and on their right, of course, were the
+French Territorials south of the canal.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 5 a.m. on the morning of the 17th a great bombardment was
+concentrated upon Givenchy, and the Germans were soon shelled out of
+that place, which had been in their possession since the 13th. A
+general advance was thereupon ordered.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As a precaution against the calamity which had overtaken the Dorsets,
+the Devons put one company on the south side of the canal. This company
+was in touch with the French Territorials&#8212;so long as these latter kept
+up in line, which, as it proved, was not for long. The advance was made
+under considerable difficulties, as the country afforded no natural
+cover, and the enemy was found to be in far greater force than had been
+anticipated. However, in spite of a most continued and stubborn
+resistance, the Devons, in obedience to orders, succeeded in advancing
+their position 1,000 yards, and held on there till dusk, waiting for
+the French Territorials on their right and the regiment on their left
+to come up into line. These, however, failed to arrive, and it soon
+became clear that for the Devons to remain isolated at the point to
+which they penetrated could only result in the capture of the entire
+battalion. Their retirement, however, in the circumstances, was a
+matter of extreme difficulty, the country being quite flat and entirely
+destitute of cover. The enemy were favoured by an exceptionally clear
+field for their fire, and all their attention was naturally focussed on
+the one battalion which had dared to push so far ahead. The men were
+sheltering as best they could in ditches and behind haystacks, of which
+there was fortunately a fair sprinkling. When the order came to retire
+some crept away under shelter of the hedges; others had not even this
+cover, and had to take their chance in the open.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+One detachment of some forty men were sheltering behind a large
+haystack in the open. They were quickly located, and shrapnel and
+machine-gun fire was concentrated on the haystack, which soon began to
+dwindle under the hail of missiles. Lieut. Worrall, who was one of the
+party, thereupon set fire to the haystack, and told the men to make a
+bolt for it singly, under cover of the smoke. This they successfully
+did, and with few further casualties&#8212;all but Sergt. Harris and another
+man, who were wounded and could not move. The haystack was now
+beginning to blaze fiercely and it was clear the men could not be left.
+Lieut. Worrall picked up Sergt. Harris and carried him 400 yards across
+the open to the shelter of the canal bank, where he left him. Then he
+went back for the other man.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the line further north was still making a certain
+progress. At Lorgies a party of the K.O.S.B. Cyclists, under Corpl.
+Wheeler, rode right into the enemy outposts. They promptly dismounted,
+and, opening fire, held the enemy for half an hour till the brigade
+(the 13th) arrived on the scene and captured the place. Still further
+north again Gen. Shaw and his 9th Brigade was as usual fairly active.
+About 4 p.m. the R. Scots Fusiliers and the Northumberland Fusiliers
+attacked and carried the village of Aubers with the bayonet, completely
+routing the occupying troops; and a little later the R. Fusiliers and
+Lincolns performed the same office by the village of Herlies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Aubers stands on the crest of the ridge which faces Neuve Chapelle.
+Herlies, on the other hand, lies at the foot of a long, gradual slope
+of open, cultivated land. The village was defended on the west side by
+a semi-circular line of trenches, protected by barbed wire
+entanglements. The defenders had also a Horse Artillery Battery and&#8212;as
+usual&#8212;a great number of machine-guns posted here and there in any
+suitable buildings. The two attacking battalions, on the other hand,
+were supported by a R.F.A. battery and a section of howitzers. These
+did admirable preliminary work, and at dusk the two regiments&#8212;Lincolns
+on right, R. Fusiliers on left&#8212;charged the trenches, carried them
+hot-handed and pursued the Germans into the village. Here further
+pursuit was unfortunately checked by the too great activity of our own
+artillery, but the position won was occupied and held for six days. The
+Lincolns, who were the chief sufferers, lost seventy-five men and two
+officers during this attack.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Further north, Conneau's cavalry added their share to the day's work by
+capturing Fromelles, so that there was an appreciable advance all
+round, which would have been greater still had not the 7th Brigade,
+which was on the right of the 3rd Division, failed to take the village
+of Illies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The position then at night on the 17th was that the pivot point
+remained on the canal, south of Givenchy. From that point the line of
+the 2nd A.C. curved round behind La Bass&#233;e and through Violaines, after
+which it zig-zagged towards the north-east in an irregular salient, the
+3rd A.C. being thrown back on its left.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Such was still the state of things on the morning of the 18th, when the
+Germans&#8212;having been reinforced during the night by the XIII. Division
+of the VII. Corps&#8212;made counter-attacks all along the line of the 2nd
+A.C. All these were repulsed with loss to the enemy, but our own line
+made no advance, the stumbling-block being still Illies, which
+continued to defy capture by the 7th Brigade.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At dusk the undefeated 9th Brigade stormed and took the trenches one
+mile north-east of Illies, but as they were unsupported on either
+flank, they had to abandon the position and fall back. The 1st R. Scots
+Fusiliers did particularly good work on this occasion, and suffered
+correspondingly, Captain Burt and Lieuts. Cozens-Brooke, the Hon. J.
+Doyle, and Fergusson-Barton being killed, and six other officers
+wounded. In the meanwhile Conneau had advanced from Fromelles and
+attacked Fournes, but this attack failed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile, in the Armenti&#232;res district, the 3rd A.C. was making great
+efforts to play up to its allotted part in the wheel to the south, the
+4th Division being north of Armenti&#232;res, the 6th Division south of it.
+The centre of interest was still to the south of Armenti&#232;res, the
+concentration of German troops north of that town being still only in
+process of development. For the moment, then, we can neglect affairs
+further north, and follow the attempted wheeling movement of the troops
+south of Armenti&#232;res to its furthest point east.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the afternoon of the 18th the 16th Brigade captured Radinghem, the
+two battalions chiefly concerned being the 2nd Lancs. and Yorks. and
+the 1st Buffs. These two battalions, who were on the right of the 6th
+Division, gallantly stormed and carried the village and then&#8212;in the
+impetuosity of success and enterprise&#8212;followed on beyond after the
+retreating Germans. Here, in pushing forward through an impenetrable
+wood, they suddenly found themselves swept from all sides by concealed
+machine-guns, which literally rained bullets on them. The casualties
+here were very high, the Lancs. and Yorks. alone losing 11 officers and
+400 men. Col. Cobbold and Major Bailey, however, who displayed the
+greatest coolness and courage throughout, succeeded in withdrawing the
+remains of the battalion in good order and getting it back to
+Radinghem.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The two battalions, in spite of their heavy losses, retained possession
+of this village throughout the night, though&#8212;had the Germans
+counter-attacked in force&#8212;things might have gone badly with them, as
+they were two miles ahead of the rest of the division.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="attack">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+FROM ATTACK TO DEFENCE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+It was now generally recognized that the wheeling movement originally
+contemplated was an impossibility. Between Armenti&#232;res and Givenchy the
+3rd, 5th, and 6th Divisions, and Conneau's cavalry, which was acting
+with them, had opposed to them the II., IV., VII. and IX. German
+Cavalry Divisions, several battalions of J&#228;gers, the XIII. Division of
+the VII. A.C., a brigade of the III. A.C., and the whole of the XIV.
+A.C., which had recently moved north from in front of the 21st French
+Army. They were therefore sufficiently outnumbered, even at this
+period, to put any idea of further advance quite out of the question.
+It now became merely a matter of holding on to that which they had
+got&#8212;if possible.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 2nd A.C. front, owing to the irregularity of the advance, was of a
+zig-zag character, and on the night of the 19th Sir Horace ordered a
+slight retirement so as to straighten out the line. It was quickly
+evidenced that this step was not taken a moment too soon, for on the
+following day the Germans, confident in the sufficiency of their
+numbers, attacked all along the line, and succeeded in re-capturing Le
+Pilly, and with it the whole of the R. Irish Regiment. This was
+something of a disaster, but luckily the attack was not equally
+successful elsewhere. The 1st Cheshires, though attacked with great
+vigour, held their ground unshaken throughout this day and the next,
+and inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. Two platoons of the R.
+Fusiliers, who were sent up to establish communication between Herlies
+and the R. Irish Regiment at Le Pilly, were caught in flank, owing to
+the capture of the latter place, and suffered severely, Captain Carey,
+in command, being killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 9th Brigade, which had throughout these operations been on the left
+of the 3rd Division, was now temporarily transferred to the 3rd A.C.,
+whose line, reaching as it did from Radinghem to Le Gheir, was
+considered by the C. in C. to be too thin for safety. The removal of
+this brigade had the effect of widening the gap between the 2nd and 3rd
+A.C.'s by a further four or five miles, and the responsibilities of
+Conneau's cavalry were correspondingly increased, the left of the 2nd
+A.C. now stopping short at Riez, which was held by the 1st Gordons. The
+weakening of the 2nd A.C. by the borrowing of one of its brigades and
+the capture of one of its battalions was made up to it in some measure
+by the arrival of the Lahore Division of Indians, under General Watkis,
+which took up a position in rear of it at Neuve Chapelle.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With the additional assistance which had been lent him, Gen. Pulteney
+was everywhere successful in holding his ground. At one moment in the
+day the enemy succeeded in getting possession of Le Gheir, but as the
+loss of this place would have laid bare the flank of the cavalry at St.
+Yves, Gen. Hunter-Weston decided that it must be retaken at any cost,
+and the work was entrusted to the K.O. Regiment and the Lancs.
+Fusiliers. These two battalions, finely handled by Col. Butler, of the
+Lancs. Fusiliers, proved themselves quite equal to the call made upon
+them, and not only re-captured the lost trenches, but took 200
+prisoners and released 40 of our own men who had been captured.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="birth">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE BIRTH OF THE YPRES SALIENT
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+It is necessary now to turn for the moment to the scene further north,
+where a mild interest was beginning to be displayed in England in the
+war-clouds which were gathering round the picturesque and historical
+Flemish town of Ypres. It will be remembered that, on the 14th, Sir
+Henry Rawlinson, with the 7th Division and the 3rd Cavalry Division,
+had reached Ypres from Dixmude. On their first arrival, the 3rd Cavalry
+Division had been sent south of Ypres, the 6th C.B. going to Wytschate
+and the 7th C.B. to Kemmel; but as the Cavalry Corps under General
+Allenby gradually drew up from the direction of B&#233;thune, the 6th and
+7th C.B. (3rd Cavalry Division) were withdrawn to the north side of
+Ypres, where they worked the ground between Zonnebeke and the For&#234;t
+d'Houlthust, filling, in fact&#8212;as well as might be&#8212;the gap between the
+French Cavalry to the north and the left of the 7th Division. This
+latter division, since its arrival, had pushed forward with little or
+no opposition to a convex position some six miles east of Ypres, which
+embraced the villages of Zonnebeke, Kruiseik and Zandvoorde. South of
+Zandvoorde there was a considerable hiatus, Allenby's Cavalry Corps,
+which had unexpectedly found itself opposed by the XIX. Saxon Corps and
+three divisions of German Cavalry, having not yet got into proper touch
+with the right of the 7th Division. This, however, in view of the fact
+that the 7th Division was on the outside of the wheeling movement, and
+had therefore the bigger sweep to make, was a matter of little moment,
+and one which would have speedily righted itself at a later stage, had
+the original plan been successfully carried through. A matter of more
+moment at the time was that the 22nd Brigade, on the left of the 7th
+Division at Zonnebeke, was considerably in arrear of the 20th Brigade
+at Kruiseik, whereas the converse should have been the case.
+Accordingly, in the early morning of the 19th, the 22nd Brigade was
+ordered to advance from Zonnebeke in the direction of the straight road
+connecting Roulers and Menin, so as to bring the left shoulder of the
+7th Division well forward. When this had been done, the 20th and 21st
+Brigade were to join in the general advance.
+</p>
+
+<div class="figcenter"><a  name="ypres"><img src="images/004.jpg" alt="Map of Ypres and its surroundings" width="454" height="550"></a></div>
+<p class="captioncenter">Ypres and its surroundings.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The main idea on the extreme left of our line, at the moment, was to
+seize the bridge over the River Lys at Menin, and so impede the further
+advance of the German reinforcements which were being steadily railed
+up from the direction of Lille. In the event it turned out that the
+man&#339;uvre was impracticable owing to the insufficiency in numbers of
+the British force operating east of Ypres. This force, it will be
+understood, consisted, at the time, of the 7th Division alone,
+supported by two cavalry brigades on its left flank, whereas the
+Germans had by the 19th concentrated on the spot a force of five or six
+times this magnitude. However, in the intention lies the explanation of
+the subsequent Ypres salient. The original idea was strategically
+sound, but it was frustrated owing to the difficulty and consequent
+delay in concentration which accompanied the transfer of the British
+force from the Aisne to its new field of operation in Flanders. It was
+a race as to which army could concentrate with the greatest rapidity,
+and the Germans&#8212;having by far the easier task and by far the shorter
+road to travel&#8212;got in first.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 5 a.m., then, on the 19th, the 22nd Brigade set out from Zonnebeke
+on its forward movement, the 2nd Queen's on the left, the 1st R. Welsh
+Fusiliers in the centre, and the 2nd Warwicks on the right, the 1st S.
+Staffords being in reserve.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This 22nd Brigade, as it turned out, was the only one in the 7th
+Division which was destined to do any fighting this day. The 20th
+Brigade, which was at Kruiseik, some couple of miles in advance of the
+22nd, never really came into action. As a matter of fact, they were in
+the act of deploying for an attack on Ghelowe about 11 a.m., when news
+was brought by an airman that two fresh German Army Corps had suddenly
+made their appearance, moving up from the direction of Courtrai. As far
+as this brigade was concerned, then, the original order to advance was
+cancelled, it being clearly impracticable for one division to take the
+offensive against four. By this time, however, the 22nd Brigade had
+advanced some six miles from Zonnebeke to the neighbourhood of the
+straight road and the parallel railway which connect Roulers and Menin.
+The news of the unexpected reinforcement of the enemy in front was duly
+communicated to General Lawford, commanding the brigade, and he at once
+ordered the retirement of his four battalions. This order reached the
+Queen's and the Warwicks about 11.30, but did not penetrate through to
+the R. Welsh Fusiliers, who accordingly pressed on towards Ledeghem,
+quite ignorant of the new development, or of the fact that they were
+unsupported by the battalions on either flank. Ledeghem was found to be
+very strongly occupied, and on reaching the high road from Roulers to
+Menin, just short of the railway, the battalion found itself not only
+attacked in force from in front, but at the same time enfiladed from
+the direction of the main road on the left, and very heavily shelled
+from Keselburg on the right front. To this artillery fire there was no
+response whatever from our own gunners, who, it is to be presumed, were
+in ignorance of the single-handed advance of the R. Welsh Fusiliers,
+and had withdrawn with the rest of the brigade. The German artillery
+accordingly had it all its own way, and their shrapnel played havoc in
+the ranks of the gallant Welshmen. Nine officers<a href="#note4" name="noteref4">
+<small>[4]</small></a> had already fallen
+when at 1.20 the order to retire reached the C.O. The order now was
+that the battalion was to withdraw to a ridge in rear, near the
+windmill at Dadizeele, and there act rear-guard to the rest of the
+brigade. This order was carried out without any great further loss, the
+enemy showing no disposition at the moment to advance, and eventually
+the brigade reached Zonnebeke in the dusk of the evening.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Throughout that night a constant stream of refugees passed through
+Zonnebeke on their way westward from Roulers, which was burning. These
+were all subjected to examination, but their number was too great to
+make close examination possible, and that many spies got through among
+them is unquestionable.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It very soon became apparent that the newly-arrived German troops had
+no intention of letting the grass grow under their feet. During the
+night they had put behind them the six miles which separate Ledeghem
+from Zonnebeke, and at eleven o'clock on the morning of the 20th they
+started bombarding the latter place. Once more fate elected that the R.
+Welsh Fusiliers should stand in the path of the attack. They were now
+on the left of the 22nd Brigade, and they were attacked not only from
+the direction of the road, but from their left flank, which was very
+much exposed, the line of the cavalrymen north of the road being even
+more extended than that of the 7th Division. However, in spite of
+everything, they held their ground with great determination throughout
+this day and the next. Their losses, however, were again very severe
+indeed. This was, in fact, the first of the 7th Division battalions to
+undergo that gradual process of annihilation which was destined in time
+to be the fate of all. The extreme tension of the situation at
+Zonnebeke was in some part relieved by the arrival on the scene, during
+the night, of the 4th (Guards) Brigade, who took over the ground north
+of the Zonnebeke road from the cavalry. This brigade formed part of the
+1st A.C. which had arrived at St. Omer from the Aisne on the 17th and
+18th, and had been billeted outside Ypres on the night of the 19th.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The question as to how best to dispose of this 1st A.C. was an
+extremely delicate one. The numerical weakness of the Cavalry Corps,
+holding the Wytschate and Messines line, suggested strongly that it
+would be of the greatest use in that area. On the other hand was the
+very grave danger of the Allies' left flank being turned by the sudden
+advance of fresh German forces north and east of Ypres, of sufficient
+strength to break through the very thin line guarding that quarter. In
+this dilemma, the C. in C., with consummate judgment, decided to send
+Sir Douglas Haig's Army Corps to the northern side of Ypres. The wisdom
+of this step became apparent on the very next day, that is on the day
+when the 22nd Brigade advanced to the Roulers-Menin road, and were
+forced back by the unexpected appearance of two Army Corps whose
+presence was unknown to our air-scouts. These fresh German forces as we
+have seen, pursued the 22nd Brigade as far as Zonnebeke, and there
+attacked our line with the utmost determination on the 20th and 21st.
+On the first of these two days, the brigade, as already described,
+managed to hold its own&#8212;though at great sacrifice&#8212;but the German
+attacking force was all the time being augmented, while our defensive
+force, owing to continuous losses, was getting weaker; and it is hardly
+conceivable that the enemy's advance could have been checked for
+another twenty-four hours, except for the timely arrival of the 1st
+A.C.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As soon as the destination of this corps had been decided on between
+the C. in C. and Sir Douglas Haig, the latter hurried forward the
+Guards' Brigade to the assistance of the 7th Division, and these&#8212;as
+has already been explained&#8212;came up into line on the left of the R.
+Welsh Fusiliers on the night of the 20th, and were unquestionably very
+largely instrumental in preventing something in the nature of a
+<i>d&#233;b&#226;cle</i> on the 21st.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On that morning the enemy renewed the attack in great force at
+daybreak, and kept up a succession of violent assaults till four in the
+afternoon. The Welsh Fusiliers were again in the very path of the
+attack, but the presence of the Guards' Brigade on their left, north of
+the Zonnebeke road, just made the difference. With this backing, they
+successfully held out from daybreak till 4 p.m., by which time their
+trenches had been wholly annihilated and a retirement became necessary.
+Their difficulties were increased by the giving out of their
+ammunition, but the situation was to some extent saved by the gallantry
+of Sergt.-Drummer Chapman, who brought up fresh supplies under a very
+heavy fire. Another Welsh Fusilier who won great distinction during the
+day was Pte. Blacktin, who was awarded the D.C.M. for the continued
+heroism with which he attended to the wounded throughout the two days'
+fighting. Of these there were now, unfortunately, only too many, the
+Welsh Fusiliers having&#8212;in three successive days' fighting&#8212;lost 23
+officers and 750 men. Their retirement in the evening was assisted by
+the 2nd Queen's, who (with the exception of one company, which was away
+to the right, supporting the Northumberland Hussars between the 22nd
+and 21st Brigade) were in the second line. This battalion too suffered
+severely during the operations, Lieuts. Ingram and Ive being killed,
+and Major Whinfield, Lieuts. Heath, Haigh, Williams and Gabb wounded.
+They effectively, however, checked the further advance of the enemy. By
+a piece of good fortune the S. Staffords, on the right of the Welsh
+Fusiliers, were also in a position to give the advancing Germans a very
+bad time. They had a body of expert shots posted in the upper windows
+of St. Joseph's school, from which point of vantage they were able to
+get the Germans in flank. The school was being shelled all the time,
+but was not hit. During the night which followed, however&#8212;a night of
+exceptional darkness&#8212;the Germans found an opportunity of pushing
+forward round the left flank of the S. Staffords, but without
+succeeding in dislodging them, till an order arrived at four o'clock in
+the morning for their retirement, as they were ahead of the line.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the Guards' Brigade, north of the road, had not been
+idle, and it is not too much to say that, except for the arrival of
+this brigade in the very nick of time, the position would have been
+very nearly desperate. As it was, however, their presence at once made
+itself felt. The fire of the S. Staffords from the right, the Guards'
+Brigade from the left, and the 2nd Queen's from in face, was more than
+the German advance was prepared at the moment to push forward against,
+and it came to a standstill. The Guards' casualties were considerable,
+especially in the case of the 3rd Coldstream, who had the Hon. C. Monck
+and Lieut. Waller killed, and Colonel Feilding, Lieut. Darrell and
+Lieut. Leese wounded. Lord Feilding was given the D.S.O. for
+conspicuous gallantry on this occasion. The 52nd Oxford Light Infantry,
+acting with the Guards' Brigade, proved in every way worthy of the
+association, and fully lived up to its great fighting reputation.
+Amongst those who particularly distinguished themselves in this
+regiment during the fight were Lieut. Spencer, Corpl. Hodges and Pte.
+Hastings.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the events of these three days is to be found the origin of the
+singular bulge, or&#8212;in military parlance&#8212;salient, which throughout
+October characterized the disposition of our forces east of Ypres. By
+the unexpected appearance to our front of 80,000 fresh German troops,
+our contemplated progress eastward had perforce to be replaced, on the
+spur of the moment, by a grim determination to hold on as long as
+possible to the ground we had already won. This was, no doubt, a
+natural desire, but its fruit was unsound.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the evening of October 21st the position was that the 21st Brigade
+at Becelaere and the 20th at Kruiseik and Zandvoorde were still very
+considerably ahead of the 22nd, which, as we have seen, had been driven
+back to Zonnebeke. North of Zonnebeke the line of the 1st Division fell
+still further back, facing, in fact, very nearly due north, while south
+of Zandvoorde there was no line at all, the 7th Division here ending in
+space, for reasons already given. Later on the 3rd Cavalry
+Division&#8212;when released from its duties north of Zonnebeke&#8212;were
+detailed for the duty of keeping up the communication between
+Zandvoorde and the Cavalry Corps far back at Hollebeke, Wytschate and
+Messines, but even so, the line they occupied fell back almost at
+right angles from our true front, and was a constant source of anxiety.
+For a General voluntarily to relinquish ground already won is probably
+the supreme act of renunciation, at the same time it is obvious that
+three sides of a square are longer than the fourth side, and therefore
+require more men for their defence, and it is no exaggeration to say
+that between October 20th and 26th the Ypres salient bore a perilous
+resemblance to three sides of a square.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The timely arrival of the 1st A.C. had undoubtedly saved the situation
+for the moment, as far as the German attempt to break through at
+Zonnebeke was concerned, but the position was still one for the very
+gravest anxiety. Even with the addition of the 1st A.C. we had only
+three infantry divisions and two cavalry brigades with which to defend
+the entire front from Bixschoote, due north of Ypres, to Hollebeke,
+nearly due south of it. From Bixschoote to Hollebeke, as the crow
+flies, is a matter of some eight miles, but, as our front at that time
+jutted out as far as Becelaere, six miles east of Ypres, it may be
+reckoned that the frontage to be defended was not less than sixteen
+miles in length. The strength of the enemy&#8212;that is to say, of the
+force which was immediately pressing forward at this moment on the
+Ypres frontage&#8212;may be approximately reckoned at 100,000; and had the
+German General at this juncture pushed his forces along all the main
+avenues to Ypres, it is difficult to see how he could have been held
+back. The line of defence was ridiculously extended&#8212;extended indeed
+far beyond the recognized limits of effective resistance, and there
+were no reserves available with which to strengthen any threatened
+spot. Every fighting man was in the long, thin line that swept round in
+that uncomfortable curve from Bixschoote to Hollebeke. The 89th French
+Territorial Division was, it is true, in general reserve, at
+Poperinghe, but this division was composed entirely of untried troops
+who could in no sense claim to be comparable to the French regulars.
+The 87th French Territorial Division, again, had as much as it could do
+to attend to its own affairs north of Ypres, and was not to be counted
+on as a source of reinforcement.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+From this time on, the whole of our line north of the Zonnebeke road
+was gradually taken over by the 1st A.C., the 6th and 7th C.B., who had
+so far been responsible for that section of the front, being thereby
+released and retiring to Hooge, from which point, for the time being,
+they acted as a kind of mobile reserve&#8212;the fan-like arrangement of
+roads which branches out eastward from Ypres enabling them to be sent
+with the least possible delay to any threatened point on the front.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+For purposes of descriptive clearness, it may perhaps be pardonable,
+even at the risk of labouring the point a little, to call attention
+once more to the fact that the British force in Flanders now consisted
+of two distinct and separate armies, which we may call the North and
+South Army. The South Army was made up of the 2nd A.C., the 3rd A.C.,
+and the 19th Brigade, and was supported by Conneau's cavalry, which
+operated between these two Army Corps, and by the Lahore Indians in
+rear. The line of this army extended as far north as Le Gheir, or,
+rather, let us say, Ploegsteert, to which place the left of the 3rd
+A.C. shortly withdrew.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The North Army consisted of the 1st A.C. and the 7th Division,
+supported by the 3rd Cavalry Division, and the southernmost point in
+its charge at the moment was Hollebeke, or, to be more precise, the
+canal which turns off sharply towards Ypres just north of Hollebeke.
+The eight miles gap between the North Army and the South Army was held
+by the Cavalry Corps under Allenby.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The terrific fighting, then, of the end of October and beginning of
+November may be considered as taking place in three distinct sections,
+viz.&#8212;the South Army, the Cavalry Corps, and the North Army. The
+latter, it may be added, had the 89th French Territorial Division in
+support, and Gen. Bidon, with the 87th French Territorial Division, on
+its left, north of Ypres.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fact that the 1st A.C. had arrived on the scene absolutely at the
+psychological moment in order to avert disaster, was made abundantly
+clear, not only by the effective support which the 2nd Division of that
+Army Corps was able to lend north of the Zonnebeke road on the 21st,
+but also by the immediate demand which arose further south for the
+services of the released 3rd Cavalry Division. These two Cavalry
+Brigades, it will be remembered, had been replaced on the night of the
+20th by the 2nd Division, who had taken over their position north of
+the Zonnebeke road.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 1 p.m. on the following day, that is, at the same time that the
+Welsh Fusiliers were being so fiercely attacked along the Zonnebeke
+road, news arrived that Gough's 2nd Cavalry Division was being very
+hard pressed, and had been forced to fall back on Messines. This left a
+gap, or&#8212;to be more accurate&#8212;widened the gap on the right of the 7th
+Division at Zandvoorde, and the 6th C.B. (10th Hussars, Royals, and 3rd
+Dragoon Guards) were sent off to fill it, as well as might be, by
+occupying the two canal crossings north of Hollebeke. This they did
+with success, and the 10th Hussars and 4th Hussars (from the 3rd C.B.)
+even attacked the Ch&#226;teau de Hollebeke itself, but were unable to take
+it, on account of its being still under fire from our own artillery.
+Later on in the evening, however, it was felt that the line south-west
+of Zandvoorde was dangerously open, and the 6th C.B. was shifted in
+that direction, the 10th Hussars at 3 o'clock in the morning taking
+over the Zandvoorde trenches from the 2nd Scots Guards in the 20th
+Brigade. The 7th C.B. went into reserve at St. Eloi, where it remained
+for the night. In the meanwhile the C. in C. had sent up the 7th Indian
+Brigade to help support Gough.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This transfer of the Zandvoorde trenches into the keeping of the 3rd
+Cavalry Division was the first abridgement of the immense frontage
+(from Zonnebeke to south of Zandvoorde) held by the 7th Division. From
+this time on, till the moment when they were permanently abandoned, it
+will be found that these Zandvoorde trenches were in the occupation
+either of the 6th C.B. or the 7th C.B. They formed the most dangerous
+position in the whole line of defence, being in the form of a
+promontory which jutted out defiantly into the enemy's country. The 3rd
+Cavalry Division suffered very severely during its nine days' defence
+of these deadly trenches, the 10th Hussars, who were perhaps the worst
+sufferers, losing on the very first day of occupation Col. Barnes,
+Major Mitford and Captain Stewart.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="stand">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE STAND OF THE FIFTH DIVISION<a href="#note5" name="noteref5">
+<small>[5]</small></a>
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile, further south, at and around Givenchy, a situation
+was developing which in point of dramatic interest, and as a test of
+indomitable resolution, bid fair to rival the defence of Ypres. From
+Givenchy to Le Gheir the 2nd and 3rd A.C. had now definitely assumed
+the defensive, and the story of how that defence was maintained in the
+face of overwhelming odds, and under conditions of extreme difficulty
+and fatigue, is one of which Britain may ever be justly proud.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 21st French Army was, throughout these La Bass&#233;e operations,
+responsible for the ground up to the canal south of Givenchy. From that
+point the 5th Division took up the line; then came the 3rd Division,
+then the 6th, and finally, with its left resting on Le Gheir, the 4th
+Division. Behind the 5th and 3rd Divisions were the Indians.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Between Le Gheir and Zandvoorde, which we may take as the southernmost
+point of the arm of Ypres, was Allenby's Cavalry Corps.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the case of the South Army, as with the Army of Ypres, the impetus
+of the first advance had carried our troops to a line which was only
+afterwards maintained under great strain, in the face of the masses of
+troops which the enemy were gradually concentrating in this particular
+area. La Bass&#233;e and Ypres became, for the time being, the two points on
+which German attention was specially riveted. With the avowed intention
+of breaking through to Calais by one or other of these routes, troops
+were being systematically railed up from the east and massed along the
+Belgian frontier. It was officially computed that by October 20th there
+were 250,000 German troops north of La Bass&#233;e, and that by the middle
+of November that number had been increased to 750,000.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fact that it was the British Army which stood between this vast
+mass of armed men and its projected advance was in all probability not
+entirely a matter of chance. If the attempt to break through either at
+Ypres or La Bass&#233;e had succeeded, the little British force would either
+have been wiped out, or hopelessly disgraced in the eyes of its allies.
+In either case the prestige of England would have received a rude
+shock; and, with a German base established at Calais, she would have
+been in imminent danger of losing something more than prestige.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fact, then, that the Kaiser's selected road to Calais or Paris, as
+the case might be, lay through the thirty miles of front held by the
+British troops, was in all probability part of a carefully-thought-out
+plan. One factor in the case, however, had been overlooked, or at least
+under-rated, viz.&#8212;the indomitable tenacity of the British soldier in
+the face of difficulties. Of this essentially British quality the
+Germans had as yet had no practical experience. At Mons and Le Cateau
+we had dropped back before their onslaughts&#8212;dropped back, it is true,
+in obedience to orders, and in conformity with a pre-arranged plan.
+Still, we had dropped back. At the Aisne there had been no serious
+attempt on the part of the enemy to break through our lines. Such had
+not been part of the German programme at the moment. It was therefore
+not wholly unnatural, that the very thin British line between Givenchy
+and Ypres, should have been reckoned at German Head Quarters as being
+penetrable at any point where sufficient pressure was brought to bear.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the face of beliefs such as these, the stone-wall resistance put up
+by our three war-worn Army Corps must have been a source of equal
+astonishment and exasperation to the wire-pullers in Berlin. To the
+Britisher it must always bring a thrill of justifiable pride. Many of
+the regiments engaged were technically "annihilated." Their officers
+went; their senior N.C.O.'s went; they were worn to the last stage of
+mental and physical exhaustion by sleeplessness, and by unceasing
+digging and fighting. And still they held on. There were no "hands
+uppers" among these men from Britain. We gave ground, of course, both
+in the La Bass&#233;e area and at Ypres. In the latter case a withdrawal of
+some kind was dictated by every consideration of military prudence. The
+original bulge was a danger from every point of view, and with no
+compensating advantage. It thinned our line and laid us open at all
+times to the risk of enfilading attacks from north and south.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At La Bass&#233;e, too, we had got too far ahead, and from the military
+point of view we lost nothing by falling back a few miles. But from the
+three points in the line of vital strategical importance, Givenchy,
+Ploegsteert and Klein Zillebeke, we were never driven. Those points
+were held on to with a stubborn determination which nothing could break
+through; and to the battalions on whose shoulders fell the main weight
+of this burden is due the homage of all who stayed at home. It is not
+suggested that there was an entirely uniform standard of excellence
+throughout all the units engaged. Any attempt to make such a
+representation would be a gross injustice to those battalions which
+stand out, and which have for ever immortalized themselves, and the
+honour of British arms, by an indomitable resistance which can find few
+parallels in the history of war.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But at first we got too far ahead at La Bass&#233;e as at Ypres, and this
+soon became very clear. During a thick fog on the morning of the 21st,
+some of the 5th Division were driven out of their trenches; and in lieu
+of making any attempt to retake the trenches so lost, Gen. Morland&#8212;who
+on Sir Charles Fergusson's promotion had taken over command of the
+division&#8212;thought it advisable to readjust the entire line.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Further north, just east of Fromelles, the 19th Brigade had also to
+give ground. They fought all through this day with great gallantry, but
+their losses were very heavy, and, in spite of all efforts, by evening
+they had been forced back over a mile. The Argyll and Sutherland
+Highlanders were specially conspicuous on this occasion; they fought
+with indomitable valour, and it was only with the greatest reluctance
+that in the end they obeyed the order to abandon their trenches. In
+Sergt. Ross's platoon eighty per cent. had been killed or wounded, but
+the gallant sergeant still refused to give way.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This succession of small reverses was, of course, disappointing in view
+of the anticipations of the week before, but they brought home to all
+concerned a thorough realization of the change of outlook. This was
+still further emphasized by the shifting northwards of the 3rd A.C., a
+step which was rendered necessary by the obvious inadequacy of the
+Cavalry Corps numbers for the frontage allotted to it. By this move
+that frontage was appreciably shortened, but the gap between the 2nd
+and 3rd A.C. was correspondingly widened, and the difficulty of
+Conneau's gallant but highly tried corps of cavalry was proportionately
+increased. The effect on the Frenchmen was at once felt, these being
+driven out of Fromelles on the following afternoon with very heavy
+loss. On the same afternoon the 5th Division again suffered severely.
+The Cheshires were driven out of Violaines, and the Dorsets&#8212;terribly
+thinned though they had been by the fighting of the 13th&#8212;seeing them
+hard pressed, left their trenches and dashed up in support, but the
+odds were too heavy and both were driven back with loss. The Germans
+thereupon occupied Rue du Marais, a little village on the northern
+slope of the Givenchy ridge, but their advantage was short-lived, for
+they were promptly counter-attacked by the Manchesters and Worcesters
+and driven out again.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the Devons had been forced to fall back some two miles
+from Canteleux, which they had now occupied for three days, to
+Givenchy, the former place having been formed into an untenable salient
+by the withdrawal of the troops on either flank.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the evening General Morland told Sir Horace that the 5th Division
+was completely worn out with constant digging and fighting, and that he
+doubted whether they could withstand another attack. The 2nd A.C. had
+already in the last ten days lost 5,000 men, to which the 5th Division
+had contributed more than its share. This division had, in fact, from
+first to last had a most trying time. It had borne the brunt of the
+fighting at Le Cateau, and at the Aisne it had struck what proved to be
+by far the most difficult crossing. It had subsequently throughout the
+Aisne fighting been forced to occupy trenches in the low ground by the
+river, which were throughout dominated by the German artillery on the
+heights beyond. Then, within one week of leaving the Aisne trenches,
+they were once more engaged in ceaseless battling day and night against
+superior numbers, for on the several battalions of this division in
+turn devolved the paramount duty of holding the Givenchy position at
+all costs.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+That night Sir Horace motored twenty-five miles over to St. Omer to
+explain the situation to the C. in C., who was most sympathetic and
+promised that he would send all that he could spare of the Lahore
+Indians to be at Estaires at eight o'clock next morning, with a rider
+to the effect that they were not to be used except in emergency, as
+they were destined for other work. As a matter of fact they were not
+used, the 5th Division proving equal to the occasion without foreign
+assistance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Throughout the 23rd, 24th and 25th the Germans continued to attack
+Givenchy with the utmost persistence, but without succeeding in
+dislodging the Devons. That gallant regiment, however, was becoming
+very weak in officers. During their three days at Canteleux, Captain
+Chichester and Lieut. Ridgers had been killed, and Col. Gloster and
+Lieut. Tillett wounded. Then on the 24th, Lieut. Ainslie was killed,
+and on the following day Captain Besley and Lieut. Quick were killed,
+the latter while running to the next regiment to tell them that the
+Devons meant holding on and that they must do the same. On the 20th
+they relieved the Manchesters at Festubert. The latter regiment, during
+its occupation of Festubert, had held its difficult position with
+magnificent determination and had won two Victoria Crosses, 2nd Lieut.
+Leach and Sergt. Hogan being each awarded the Cross for valour.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the following day, the whole line in the neighbourhood of Festubert
+was subjected to a particularly infernal shelling, every known species
+of missile being hurled against it. The Devons stood firm through it
+all, but the regiment on their left&#8212;an Indian regiment for the first
+time in the firing line&#8212;found it too much for them, and after having
+lost most of their officers they retired, their trenches being at once
+occupied by the enemy. This made the position of the Devons very
+precarious. With as little delay as possible the reserve company of the
+regiment under Lieut. Hancock and Lieut. Dunsterville was brought up,
+and with great gallantry the company attacked and drove the Germans out
+of the right-hand section of the lost trenches, the 58th Vaughan Rifles
+at the same time retaking the left-hand section. Both Lieut. Hancock
+and Lieut. Dunsterville were killed during the charge, and Lieut.
+Ditmas thereupon took over command of the company, but he himself was
+subsequently killed, after displaying conspicuous gallantry. On the
+31st, as a part of the general process of transfer, the Devons were at
+length relieved, after sixteen days of almost continuous fighting. They
+received a great ovation from the other troops on their withdrawal.
+Lieut.-Col. Gloster was given the C.M.G. and Lieut. Worrall the
+Military Cross. Other officers who showed conspicuous ability and
+daring were Lieuts. Lang, Prior and Alexander. Sergt.-Major Webb, who
+on several occasions had given proof of remarkable courage and
+coolness, got the D.C.M., as also did Lance-Corpl. Simmons and Pte.
+Worsfold, the latter of whom greatly distinguished himself by carrying
+numerous messages at Festubert after the telegraphic communication was
+cut.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We have now, however, got considerably ahead of the general situation,
+from which we digressed on October 22nd in order to keep in touch with
+the position at and around Givenchy. We must therefore once more take
+up the thread at that date.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During the 23rd, 24th and 25th there was no movement of marked
+importance in the southern area, but continuous attacks all along the
+line still further reduced the number and vitality of the 5th Division,
+and by the evening of the 25th it was rapidly becoming evident to all
+concerned that the condition of that division, and indeed of the entire
+2nd A.C. in greater or less degree, was extremely serious. The
+casualties of this Army Corps since its arrival in Flanders now
+amounted to 350 officers and 8,204 men, and those that survived were in
+a state of extreme exhaustion both mental and physical.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Sir Horace summoned General Maude, Col. Martyn (who had taken over the
+command of the 13th Brigade when Col. Hickie had been invalided home on
+October 13th), and Count Gleichen, the three Brigadiers of the 5th
+Division, to meet General Morland, and all agreed that the situation
+was very grave indeed, and that human endurance was nearly at the
+breaking point. General Maude (14th Brigade), however, reported that
+Col. Ballard was determined to hold the canal trenches with the
+Norfolks to the last gasp, and that the Devons next the Norfolks at
+Givenchy were equally resolute, though terribly thinned by casualties.
+All, however, agreed that however willing the spirit might be, the
+flesh was too weak to make any prolonged resistance. The Generals
+themselves were well-nigh worn out with the ceaseless strain, and with
+want of sleep, their nights being largely occupied in motoring hither
+and thither for purposes of consultation with other commanders. Two or
+three hours' sleep in a night was a luxury. Luckily the
+Germans&#8212;accurate as their information usually was&#8212;seem to have failed
+to realize the extreme exhaustion of the troops facing them at this
+part of the line, otherwise the history of events might have been
+different.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="neuve">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+NEUVE CHAPELLE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+The 3rd Division had perhaps, if anything, been so far less highly
+tried in the way of ceaseless fighting against odds than the 5th
+Division, but any deficiency in this respect was fully made up to them
+by the fighting at Neuve Chapelle on the 25th, 26th and 27th.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This very costly three days' fighting opened on the night of the 25th,
+during a heavy downpour of rain which succeeded a beautiful day, by a
+furious attack, from the neighbourhood of the Bois de Biez, on the left
+of the 7th Brigade and the right of the 8th Brigade. This wood, which
+played a prominent part in these three days' fighting, lies about half
+a mile to the south-east of Neuve Chapelle, in the centre of the
+equilateral triangle formed by that place, Aubers and Illies. The
+Germans advanced out of the wood with great courage and with every
+appearance of meaning business, but the 7th Brigade and the 15th Sikhs,
+who had taken over from Conneau's cavalry the day before, managed to
+stand their ground, and in the end drove the enemy back with very heavy
+loss, though themselves suffering severely, the Sikhs, who fought
+superbly, alone losing 200 in officers and men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 8th Brigade was not so fortunate, the R. Irish Rifles, who were the
+right-hand battalion, being driven out of their trenches, which lay
+north of the La Bass&#233;e road on the east side of the village. The
+situation for the moment was critical, but the lost trenches were very
+gallantly retaken by the 4th Middlesex, led by Col. Hull, and the 4th
+R. Fusiliers. The latter battalion suffered considerably in the
+operation, Lieuts. Hope-Johnstone and Waller being killed. This
+battalion had now only 200 men left. The whole of the 9th Brigade, in
+fact, had been reduced to mere skeletons. This brigade (Shaw's) had a
+magnificent record behind it.<a href="#note6" name="noteref6">
+<small>[6]</small></a> From the time when, at Mons, it had
+borne the brunt of the German attack and put up such a magnificent
+defence, it had never failed in any task for which it had been called
+upon; and it is possible that its great fighting reputation and the
+cheerfulness with which it undertook any duty assigned it, coupled with
+the undoubted military talents of its Brigadier, had earned for it
+rather more than its fair share of difficult and dangerous work. During
+the past fortnight it had fought with great gallantry and with
+invariable success, and during that short period it had lost 54
+officers and 1,400 men.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the following day the attack was renewed, the Germans suddenly
+swarming once again out of the Bois de Biez opposite, and the R. Irish
+Rifles were again driven in, their trenches being at once occupied by
+the enemy, many of whom entered the town and remained there throughout
+the day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 7th Brigade on the right and the 9th Brigade on the left now had
+the Germans wedged in between them. The Northumberland Fusiliers (the
+old Fighting Fifth) on the right of the 9th Brigade, now found the
+position untenable in the weak numerical condition to which they had
+been reduced, and they were compelled to withdraw to the western side
+of the town. During this withdrawal, which was carried out in excellent
+order, Corpl. Fisk found time to extinguish some flames which were
+enveloping the limber of one of our guns&#8212;a gallant act performed under
+very heavy fire for which he was given the D.C.M.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the night of the 26th the position at Neuve Chapelle was a curious
+one. The enemy were in possession of all the trenches on the north-east
+side of the town, but on the south-east side the Wiltshire Regiment,
+the R. West Kents, the K.O.Y.L.I. and the East Surrey were still
+holding their ground, in advance of the town. The rest of the 3rd
+Division were thrown back behind the town.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About 11 a.m. on the 27th the usual morning attack was made on the
+Wiltshire Regiment, whose left flank was now, of course, quite
+unprotected, and by noon they too had been forced to retire, the
+Germans in great numbers following closely on their heels. The position
+of the R. West Kents was now most precarious, as they had the enemy on
+three sides of them, and it seemed inevitable that they must follow the
+example of the several regiments on their left, who had been
+successively forced to give way. Such, however, was not their opinion,
+and, undismayed by the apparent hopelessness of their position, they
+promptly set about preparing a defence which proved to be one of the
+most remarkable of the campaign. Major Buckle, who was in command, on
+seeing the Wiltshires forced back, at once made his way to the left of
+his battalion in order to reorganize the formation so as to meet the
+altered conditions, but he was almost immediately killed, Captain
+Legard being killed at the same time and Lieuts. Williams and Holloway
+wounded. All the company officers on the left flank were now down, but
+the new movement was carried out under the direction of Sergt.-Major
+Penny and Sergt.-Major Crossley, the reserve company wheeling to its
+left, while the left of the firing line threw back its flank, so as to
+present a convex face to the position now occupied by the enemy. All
+this was carried out under a murderous fire. In this formation the
+battalion held on till the evening, when our troops in rear of the town
+counter-attacked with momentary success. This success was mainly
+brought about by the 47th Sikhs and the 9th Bhopal Regiment, who made a
+fine dash into the town from the direction of Croix Barb&#233;e, the
+first-named regiment showing great courage, but they both suffered
+heavy losses from the ubiquitous German machine-guns in the houses. At
+the same time three groups of the French Cyclist Corps made an attack
+from the Pont Logis side. The impetus of these combined attacks drove
+the Germans back for the time being, and indeed for the whole of that
+night, but their concealed machine-guns continued to play havoc in the
+ranks of the assailants, and in the early morning of the 28th the
+attacking force had to fall back, the Germans once more re-occupying
+the town.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The position of the R. West Kents was now as bad again as ever, and
+once more half the battalion had to face about to its left flank and
+rear. The execution of this movement again took its toll of officers,
+Captain Battersby and Lieut. Gore being killed, and Lieut.
+Moulton-Barratt wounded. The battalion had now lost twelve out of the
+fourteen officers with which it had gone into these trenches, 2nd
+Lieut. White and 2nd Lieut. Russell alone being left, and on these two
+it now devolved to maintain the spirit of the corps. The remarkable
+position had by this time developed that practically the whole of Neuve
+Chapelle was in the hands of the enemy, with the exception of the
+little south-east corner by the La Bass&#233;e road, which was still
+stubbornly held by the undefeated R. West Kents. On the other side of
+the La Bass&#233;e road, and in the angle which that road makes with the
+Richebourg road, the K.O.Y.L.I. were still standing firm with the East
+Surrey beyond them, but these last two regiments were not so hardly
+pressed, the main attack being always on the eastern side of the main
+La Bass&#233;e road.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We must now take a glance at the Neuve Chapelle position from the
+larger military point of view. The counter-attacks on the 27th had
+failed mainly owing to the exhaustion and insufficiency of the troops
+employed. The place, however, being of considerable strategic
+importance (to us), the Divisional Head Quarters determined that it
+could not be left in the hands of the enemy, and an attack on a more
+important scale was therefore organized for the following day. Sir
+Horace motored across at night and saw General Conneau, who told him
+that in addition to the six hundred Chasseurs already in the line, he
+could lend him a regiment of dismounted cavalry and nine batteries of
+artillery. The C. in C. also sent him the 2nd C.B. under Col. Mullens,
+of which the 4th Dragoon Guards arrived on the evening of the 27th, the
+9th Lancers and 18th Hussars during the early part of the night. The
+whole were placed under the command of General McCracken of the 7th
+Brigade, to whom the details of the attack on the following day were
+entrusted.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 8 a.m. on the 28th, some two hours after the Indians and French
+cyclists had been forced to retire, proceedings were started with a
+general bombardment of the village. This was a matter of some little
+delicacy on account of the position still held by the R. West Kents and
+K.O.Y.L.I., and the difficulty was not made lighter by the fog which
+lay thick on the plain in the early hours of the morning. In the
+circumstances the accuracy of the French artillery was remarkable. The
+north side of the village was given a great bombardment, and at eleven
+o'clock the sun came through, the fog cleared, and the infantry attack
+began. The artillery had now played its part, but, to assist in the
+assault, one gun of the 41st Battery was pushed forward to the junction
+of the Armenti&#232;res and La Bass&#233;e roads. From this point of vantage it
+was able to work considerable execution on the German infantry massed
+in the north-east corner of the village, but, as an inevitable
+consequence, was itself singled out for special attention on the part
+of the enemy. At the same time, as the attack became more general, its
+sphere of usefulness became greatly circumscribed, and finally Lieut.
+Lowell, who was in command, resolved to make an attempt to report the
+position to his C.O. with a view to getting further instructions. To do
+this, however, it was necessary to leave his shelter and negotiate a
+hundred yards of bullet-swept road. He was hit almost at once, but kept
+on his way till a second bullet brought him down in the road. A gunner
+of the name of Spicer thereupon ran out to get him under cover, but was
+himself at once knocked over, and subsequently died. Bomb. Bloomfield
+then went out to the assistance of his officer and comrade, and was
+fortunate enough to get them both under cover without himself being
+wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile, the infantry attack was gallantly pressed home, the
+47th Sikhs and the 2nd C.B. (on foot) fighting splendidly from street
+to street. In spite of all, however, the attack once more failed, and
+at 5 p.m. the Germans were still in possession of the village, always
+excepting the one small corner still held by the R. West Kents and
+K.O.Y.L.I.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The anticlimax of the whole thing, and a cause for reflection as to the
+objects for which modern armies fight one another, is furnished by the
+fact that in the evening the Germans quietly vacated the town,
+apparently realizing&#8212;after the sacrifice of some 5,000 men&#8212;that the
+position was either untenable, or was not worth the cost of keeping.
+Our losses in the last day's fighting alone amounted to 65 officers and
+1,466 men. The heroes of the three days' fighting were of course the R.
+West Kents, who immortalized themselves by a performance which in many
+ways must be unique. The two surviving officers, 2nd Lieuts. White and
+Russell, were each awarded the D.S.O., and were, in addition, the
+subjects of some particularly flattering remarks on the part of Sir
+Horace. The two Sergt.-Majors above referred to were each given the
+D.C.M., as also was Sergt. Stroud and Pte. Alison. At 2 a.m. on the
+29th, the battalion was finally relieved by the Seaforths, having lost
+over 300 men in the Neuve Chapelle trenches.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This affair of Neuve Chapelle marks the close of the 2nd A.C.
+operations in the La Bass&#233;e district. On the 31st the British troops
+began to be formally relieved by General Willcocks and his Indians.
+This corps had now been augmented by the arrival of the Ferozapore
+Brigade, to be followed almost immediately by the Secunderabad Cavalry
+Brigade and the Jodhpur Lancers. By 10 a.m. on the 31st the transfer of
+positions was complete, and Sir Horace and his gallant but war-worn
+A.C. withdrew to Hazebrouck. A certain proportion of the 2nd A.C. was
+afterwards called upon to support General Willcocks, but for the most
+part we shall, in the future, find them co-operating with the 1st A.C.
+and the 7th Division in the neighbourhood of Ypres.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+As far, then, as this record of events goes, we may now bid farewell to
+the fighting area between Armenti&#232;res and La Bass&#233;e, and follow
+exclusively the events east and south of Ypres. These were destined to
+develop into a succession of battles, in which small numbers of British
+troops successfully opposed large numbers of German troops, and the
+details of which furnish, in the words of Sir J. French, "one of the
+most glorious chapters in the annals of the British Army."
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="pilken">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+PILKEM
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+Having now taken a permanent farewell of the fighting in the La Bass&#233;e
+area, with a view to following uninterruptedly the more exciting
+situation which had gradually been developing around Ypres it becomes
+necessary once more to pick up the thread of the northern doings where
+it was dropped.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It will be remembered that on Oct. 19th, 20th and 21st there had been
+very fierce fighting in and around Zonnebeke, where the enemy made
+persistent efforts to break through to Ypres&#8212;efforts which were
+frustrated by the timely arrival of the 1st A.C. on the night of the
+20th, This Army Corps during the night took over the entire line from
+Bixschoote to Zonnebeke, and on the 21st the Guards' Brigade, on the
+right of this line, was able to contribute largely to the repulse of
+the German attack.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 22nd the pressure was shifted to the left of the 1st A.C. line,
+the 1st Brigade being attacked in great force at Pilkem from the
+direction of Staden. The Germans advanced to their attack with the
+utmost determination and with a complete disregard of danger, singing
+"<i>Die wacht am Rhein</i>" and waving their rifles over their heads.
+The focus-point of the attack was the position occupied by the
+Camerons, who eventually, by sheer weight of numbers, were driven back,
+but not before they had taken an appalling toll of the enemy, 1,500 of
+the latter being found dead upon the ground the following day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+General Lomax, commanding the division, had no idea of leaving the
+enemy in peace to enjoy this temporary triumph, and at nine o'clock on
+the same evening the 2nd Brigade, which was billeted some eight or nine
+miles to the south at the village of Boesinghe, received orders to
+retake the lost trenches. The R. Sussex regiment was left at Boesinghe,
+but the remaining three battalions, viz., the 1st Loyal N. Lancashires,
+the 2nd K.R.R. (60th) and the 1st Northamptons, set out and marched all
+night to the little village of Pilkem, which was reached at 5 a.m.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The brigade, which had had no food all night, was given no time for
+rest or breakfast, but was ordered to attack the trenches at once. In
+the brigade order of October 28th, dealing with this action, General
+Bulfin, the Brigadier, singles out the 1st Loyal N. Lancashire Regiment
+for special praise. It may, therefore, be allowable to confine our
+description of the action to a brief review of the part played by this
+battalion, which, it will be remembered, had behaved with such
+remarkable gallantry at the battle of Troyon.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 6 o'clock, in the dim light of an autumn morning, the brigade set
+out from Pilkem. The lost trenches lay more or less parallel to the
+Bixschoote to Langemarck road, a mile to the north of Pilkem. The
+attacking troops advanced in line, the K.R.R. being on the left, the
+Loyal N. Lancashires in the centre, with the Northamptons on the right.
+The 2nd S. Staffords and the 1st Queen's (from the 3rd Brigade) were in
+support. In this order they advanced to within 300 yards of the
+trenches, where they began to come under a very heavy rifle fire. Major
+Carter,<a href="#note7" name="noteref7">
+<small>[7]</small></a> commanding the L. N. Lancashires, decided to charge at once
+with the bayonet, and he sent a message to this effect to the K.R.R. on
+his left, asking them to advance with him. This, however, they were
+unable to do, and Major Carter accordingly decided to attack alone.
+Captain Henderson, with the machine-gun section, pushed forward to a
+very advanced position on the left, from which he was able to get a
+clear field for his guns, and the battalion formed up for the attack.
+Captain Crane's and Captain Prince's companies were in the first line;
+the other two were in support. The order to fix bayonets was given; a
+bugler sounded the "Charge," and with loud cheers the battalion dashed
+forward, and in less than ten minutes had carried the trenches and
+cleared them of the enemy. Six hundred prisoners were taken, a number
+which might have been increased but that further pursuit was checked by
+our own artillery.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During this most gallant charge on the part of the Loyal N.
+Lancashires, the Queen's and Northamptons on the right advanced and
+occupied the inn at the cross-roads, where the road from Pilkem joins
+the main road to Langemarck.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The victory was now complete. The L. N. Lancashires lost 6 officers and
+150 men killed and wounded. They won, however, very high praise from
+the Brigadier and from General Lomax, the Divisional General. Captain
+Henderson was awarded the Military Cross for
+</p>
+
+<div class="blockquote">
+<p>
+"conspicuous gallantry and ability on Oct. 23rd, when, with his
+machine-gun detachment, he performed most valuable services in the
+final attack and charge, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. He
+pushed his guns close up to a flank, and helped in a great degree
+to clear the enemy's trenches."
+</p>
+</div>
+
+<p>
+One cannot convey a sense of the really remarkable nature of this
+performance better than by quoting the words of General Bulfin in the
+G.O. already referred to. "In spite," it says, "of the stubborn
+resistance offered by the German troops, the object of the engagement
+was accomplished, but not without many casualties in the brigade. By
+nightfall the trenches previously captured by the Germans had been
+re-occupied, about 600 prisoners captured, and fully 1,500 German dead
+were lying out in front of our trenches. The Brigadier-General
+congratulates the L. N. Lancashires, the Northamptons and the K.R.R.
+but desires especially to commend the fine soldierlike spirit of the L.
+N. Lancashires, which advancing steadily under heavy shell and rifle
+fire, and aided by its machine-guns, were enabled to form up within a
+comparatively short distance of the enemy's trenches. Fixing bayonets,
+the battalion then charged, carried the trenches, and then occupied
+them, and to them must be allotted the majority of the prisoners
+captured. The Brigadier-General congratulates himself on having in his
+brigade a battalion which, after marching the whole of the previous
+night, without food or rest, was able to maintain its splendid record
+in the past by the determination and self-sacrifice displayed in this
+action."
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="second">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE SECOND ADVANCE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+The 2nd Brigade remained in the position it had captured for
+twenty-four hours, when it was relieved by the French. In fact during
+the night of the 23rd and the morning of the 24th the entire line from
+Bixschoote to Zonnebeke, which the 1st A.C. had taken over from the 3rd
+Cavalry Division three days earlier, was in turn taken over from them
+by the French, a Division of the 87th Territorials relieving the 1st
+Division between Bixschoote and Langemarck, and the 18th Corps of the
+9th French Army taking the place of the 2nd Division from Langemarck to
+Zonnebeke.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 1st Division went into reserve at Ypres, whilst the 2nd Division
+moved down to its right across the Zonnebeke road, and took over the
+position of the 22nd Brigade, which also went back into reserve with
+its numbers sadly thinned by the fighting of the last three days.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the following night the 1st Division came up on the right of the 2nd
+Division and took over the line from west of Reutel to the Menin road,
+thus relieving the 7th Division of any further responsibility north of
+that road.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This proved to be the final shuffle of the Ypres defence force, and the
+positions now taken over proved&#8212;broadly speaking&#8212;to be permanent. It
+will be well, therefore, for a thorough understanding of what followed,
+that these positions should be clearly fixed in the reader's mind. They
+were as follows: North of the Zonnebeke road the French had now taken
+over entire charge. From the Zonnebeke road to a point near the
+race-course in the Polygon wood, west of Reutel, was the 2nd Division;
+on its right, reaching to the Menin road, was the 1st Division, and
+from the Menin road to Zandvoorde the 7th Division, with the 3rd
+Cavalry Division in the Zandvoorde trenches. So far, so good. Our line
+was everywhere strengthened and consolidated. Between Zonnebeke and
+Zandvoorde three divisions now occupied the ground hitherto held by the
+three brigades of the 7th Division; but, on the other hand, fresh
+German troops were daily arriving in their thousands at Roulers and
+Menin, and though the line of our resistance might be stronger, the
+pressure of attack was correspondingly increased.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The shortening and thickening of our line was not, as events proved,
+accomplished one moment too soon, for on the morning of the 24th the
+British position was attacked all along its length with a determination
+which could hardly have been withstood by the attenuated line of a week
+before.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 2nd Battalion of the Warwickshire Regiment accomplished a fine
+achievement on this morning. At dawn they were marched away from
+Zonnebeke to retake the trenches south of Reutel out of which the
+Wiltshire Regiment had been shelled. The operation entailed an advance
+of a mile over ground which was constantly under fire. The final act
+was the rushing of the German position, the nucleus of which was a
+small detached farm-house in which were several machine-guns. Col.
+Loring, who had already been wounded, himself led this last charge and
+fell dead in the act. The house, however, was captured and the whole
+German position rushed and occupied, the enemy being driven out with
+very considerable loss. The Warwicks lost 105 men and several officers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Almost at the same moment a very similar act, in many respects, was
+performed by Captain Dunlop's company of the 1st S. Staffords, which it
+will be remembered had been detached from its battalion on the 21st for
+the support of the Northumberland Hussars. Here again a farm-house
+bristling with machine-guns had to be rushed, and here again in the
+very moment of victory the leader fell dead.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+These single company engagements were a special characteristic of the
+fighting at this period. Owing to our scarcity of men, it was seldom
+that an entire battalion could be spared for purposes of support, and
+single companies were consequently sent hither and thither to do the
+work of battalions&#8212;to fill gaps, strengthen weak spots, and even&#8212;as
+sometimes happened&#8212;to retake lost positions and drive back parties of
+the enemy which had broken through. A case in point on this very
+morning of October 24th was that of No. 4 Company 1st Grenadier Guards.
+The circumstances here were that the Germans had succeeded in breaking
+through the right flank of the 21st Brigade, and, as serious
+consequences threatened, a counter-attack was ordered to be made by
+Major Colby with No. 4 Company of the Grenadiers, who were at the time
+on the left of the 20th Brigade. The undertaking in this case was an
+extremely difficult and dangerous one, both on account of the numerical
+insufficiency of a single company for the task assigned it, and also
+because the attack entailed the negotiation of our own barbed wire
+entanglement. This entanglement, it need scarcely be said, was under a
+very constant fire from the enemy, making the undertaking, on the face
+of it, almost a hopeless one. However, it was done. The Grenadiers
+crawled through, over or under the wire, reformed on the far side,
+charged and drove the enemy back once more to their own lines. The
+losses of the Grenadiers were very severe, and, as in the case of the
+other two companies, the leader, Major Colby, fell dead at the head of
+his men. Lieut. Antrobus was also killed and Captain Leatham was
+severely wounded. In the meanwhile the 5th Brigade had been brought up
+from reserve and completed the rout of the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the same morning the 6th Brigade, which had taken over the position
+of the 22nd Brigade south of the Zonnebeke road, began pushing forward
+with the ambitious view of re-occupying the advance trenches originally
+held by the 7th Division along the Paschendael&#8212;Becelaere road. The 1st
+Berkshire Regiment, under Col. Graham, was on the left of the brigade
+next the road, with the King's Regiment on its right, the other two
+battalions being in support. In this formation the brigade now advanced
+with such dash and vigour as completely to outstrip the troops to right
+and left. The woods in front were full of Germans; every yard gained
+had to be fought for, and there were considerable casualties, Col.
+Bannatyne, of the King's, being amongst those killed. However, the
+brigade made its point and got into the old trenches, but as the French
+on the north side of the road had not succeeded in making the same
+progress, the position was a precarious one, and two companies of the
+Berkshire Regiment had to be thrown back almost at right angles, that
+is to say, parallel with the road, in order to cover the half mile
+which separated them. The performance of this regiment was a distinctly
+meritorious one, several guns being captured as well as prisoners, and
+it was duly recognized as such in high quarters, Lieut. Nicholson and
+Lieut. Hanbury-Sparrow getting the D.S.O. for their conduct on this
+occasion, while Sergt.-Major Smith, Sergt. Taylor and Pte. Bossom were
+awarded the D.C.M.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The push and enterprise of this regiment on the 24th roused the
+activity and emulation of the whole division, which, on the following
+morning, was ordered to advance against Reutel. The attack opened with
+a furious bombardment of that place by our artillery, and in the
+afternoon the 4th Brigade was ordered to clear the Polygon wood, the
+object now being to bring up the 4th and 5th Brigades in line with the
+6th.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 4th Brigade advanced with the Irish Guards and 2nd Grenadiers in
+the front line, the two Coldstream battalions being in support. Night
+fell before any great advance could be made. The night was one of
+torrential rain, which the troops passed in the extremity of misery
+waiting for the dawn. The attack was then resumed, the 2nd Coldstream
+coming up into line between the Irish Guards and the Grenadiers. Later
+on the 3rd Coldstream were also brought up into line on the right of
+the Grenadiers. The 5th Brigade was on the right of the 4th. Good
+progress was made, and the line with the 6th Brigade having been
+established, the men dug themselves in at dusk. This wearisome but
+highly necessary step had hardly been completed before a furious
+counter-attack was made at 10 p.m. It was, however, repulsed with loss,
+and the 2nd Division, cold, wet and weary, remained unmolested for the
+rest of the night.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This successful advance on the 26th was&#8212;as far as this chronicle is
+concerned&#8212;the last act of the 4th (Guards) Brigade as an integral
+unit. From this time on, the 2nd Grenadiers and the Irish Guards will
+be found acting quite independently in another part of the field, under
+the command of Lord Cavan, while the 2nd and 3rd Coldstream remained in
+the Polygon wood trenches under Col. Pereira. Later on these two
+Coldstream battalions were joined by the remnant of the 1st Battalion
+from the 1st Brigade, so that the regiment was, in fact, consolidated.
+It is important in view of subsequent events to keep this clearly in
+mind. The Coldstream&#8212;with the exception of the 1st Battalion&#8212;will not
+again appear in these pages as actors in the great Ypres drama. But
+though not directly under the limelight, the r&#244;le allotted to them
+henceforth was probably as trying as that to which any regiment could
+be subjected. For twenty-two consecutive days from the date of the
+advance they occupied the Polygon wood trenches. In the case of the 3rd
+Battalion these trenches zig-zagged along the eastern edge of the wood,
+while the 2nd Battalion trenches ran through the wood itself and were
+straight. In each case the general lie was north and south, in contrast
+to the trenches of the 6th Brigade on their left, which faced
+north-east, making, in fact, the first bend back in the Ypres salient.
+These Polygon wood trenches proved most abominably wet even for
+Flanders, the neighbourhood abounding in springs which kept them half
+full of water even in dry weather. Here the Coldstreamers stayed
+unrelieved for over three weeks, up to their knees in water, under
+ceaseless shell-fire, and sniped at with horrible precision on every
+occasion when they raised their heads. To add to the unpleasantness of
+the position, the woods in front were thick with unburied Germans, from
+which the whole atmosphere was polluted. Luckily during the whole of
+their tenure the wind blew from westerly quarters, which while it
+brought abominably wet weather, nevertheless blew the tainted air in
+the direction of the enemy.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="fighting">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE FIGHTING AT KRUISEIK
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+While four of the Guards' battalions were thus pushing their way
+through the Polygon wood near Reutel, the two Guards' battalions in the
+20th Brigade were enacting a small drama of their own at the village of
+Kruiseik, south of the Menin road. Here two companies of the Scots
+Guards, and the King's Company, 1st Grenadiers, had been posted in some
+advance trenches east of the village in the direction of the country
+road running from the village of Vieux Chien to Werwick. About 8.30 at
+night these advance trenches were attempted by peculiarly German
+methods. Through the intense darkness that reigned that night, and
+through the torrential rain, the enemy crept up close to our lines with
+the aid of every device known to twentieth century warfare. Some said
+they had come to surrender, others said they were the S. Staffords, and
+others again called appealingly for Captain Paynter, who was, in actual
+fact, in command of the right-hand of the two Scots Guards companies.
+That officer's response, however, took the form of a well-directed
+fire, and the friendly inquirers departed with some haste. Lord Claud
+Hamilton (1st Grenadiers), who was in charge of the machine-gun
+section, was also undeceived by the friendliness of the visitors, and
+his maxims contributed to the haste of their departure. This officer
+had now been seven days and nights, unrelieved, in the machine-gun
+trenches, and the coolness and resource which he displayed during that
+period gained for him the D.S.O. He was relieved early on the morning
+following this night attack by an officer of the Scots Guards, who was
+killed the same day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The inhospitable reception of the enemy above described made the night
+attack a distinct failure as far as Captain Paynter's company was
+concerned. The left-hand trenches were less fortunate. It may be that
+they were more unsuspecting, or perhaps the British accent of the
+figures advancing through the darkness was purer on the left than on
+the right. In any event a report reached the battalion headquarters in
+rear about nine o'clock that these trenches had been rushed and all the
+occupants killed. On receipt of this news the two reserve companies of
+the Scots Guards were sent up under Major the Hon. H. Fraser to
+investigate, and if necessary to retake the lost trenches. These two
+companies filed silently through the main street of Kruiseik, keeping
+close under the shadow of the houses on either side. Not a light was
+burning, and not a sound was to be heard.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the far end of the village Major Fraser halted the column, and went
+forward alone to try and get in touch with Captain Paynter in the
+right-hand forward trenches, and find out from him what the truth of
+the matter really was. He managed after a time to find that officer,
+who assured him that not only were his own trenches still uncaptured,
+but that he had every intention of keeping them so. As to the trenches
+on his left he knew nothing. With this information Major Fraser made
+his way back to the east end of the village, where he had left his men.
+He decided to investigate for himself the truth as to the left-hand
+trenches, and, accordingly, accompanied by Lieut. Holbeche, in the
+capacity of guide, and forty men, he crept down the cinder track which
+led from the road to the trenches in question. The trenches were in
+absolute silence, and he was beginning to doubt the story of their
+occupation, when suddenly a flashlight was turned on to his party, a
+word of command rang out, and a volley broke the stillness of the
+night. Major Fraser gave the word to charge, and the little party
+dashed forward with fixed bayonets, but they were shot down before the
+trenches were reached. Major Fraser was killed and Lieut. Holbeche
+severely wounded, and of the whole party only four returned.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the rest of the two companies which had been waiting
+at the end of the village street noticed a light in a house standing by
+itself in the fields. Lord Dalrymple and Captain Fox held a
+consultation and decided to surround it. When this was done, Sergt.
+Mitchell, with great courage, went up to the door and knocked. It was
+flung open and he was at once shot dead. The house, however, was well
+surrounded, and all within it were taken prisoners. They numbered over
+two hundred, including seven officers, and they were promptly sent to
+the rear under escort. Further back, however, the prisoners were
+transferred to the custody of some of the 2nd Queen's, and the Scots
+Guards escort rejoined the two companies at the end of the village,
+whereupon the lost trenches were attacked and re-captured, and
+connection once more established with Captain Paynter.<a href="#note8" name="noteref8">
+<small>[8]</small></a> This was not
+effected without considerable further loss. In addition to those
+already mentioned, Lieuts. Gladwin and Dormer were killed, and Col.
+Bolton, Lord Dalrymple, Captain Fox, Lord G. Grosvenor, and the Hon. J.
+Coke were all wounded, and, in the darkness of the night, fell into the
+enemy's hands. The 2nd Scots Guards in all lost nine officers during
+this night's fighting. On the following day the battalion was ordered
+to abandon the Kruiseik trenches, and was taken back into reserve,
+mustering only 450.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The withdrawal of the 2nd Scots Guards from the trenches east of
+Kruiseik, which it had cost them so dearly to hold, marks the first
+step in our retirement from the advanced position we had taken up,
+following the forward movement of October 19th, and consequently the
+first step in the straightening out of the salient bulge. They were not
+replaced, and this ground passed permanently out of our hands.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The King's Company, 1st Grenadiers, which, it will be remembered, were
+also posted in the advance trenches east of Kruiseik, by some means
+failed to receive the order to withdraw, with the result that, on the
+afternoon of the 26th, they found themselves absolutely isolated, and
+cut off from their army by the better part of half a mile. The
+position, on the face of it, appeared absolutely hopeless, as the
+Germans were by this time in occupation of the village of Kruiseik
+itself. However, as the Guards, like the Samurai, do not surrender
+while yet unwounded, they faced the situation, and actually fought
+their way back through the main street of the village. The Germans had
+machine-guns in the windows of the houses, but for once in a way these
+weapons were less effective than usual, and in the evening the company
+rejoined its battalion, considerably thinned in numbers, but
+triumphant. Lieut. Somerset was the only officer killed during this
+retirement.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The night of the 25th was a bad one in every way for the 20th Brigade,
+and the wastage of life owing to the darkness, and the rain, and the
+impossibility of distinguishing friend from foe, is not good to think
+upon. Here is another instance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 1st S. Staffords were attached for the moment to the 20th Brigade,
+to which brigade they were acting reserve. Before the Scots Guards had
+recovered the lost trenches, that is to say, while these and the
+buildings in rear of them were still in the occupation of the enemy,
+Captain Ransford was ordered up with a platoon of the S. Staffords to
+reinforce the firing line. In carrying out this order he came under
+fire both from the Germans in front and from our own troops in rear,
+and the whole detachment was practically wiped out. Captain Ransford
+himself, with great courage, went forward alone through the
+impenetrable darkness to try and sift the position, and discover who
+was who, but he fell in the attempt and was seen no more. There is
+consolation in the probability that losses owing to mistaken identity
+were not confined to our side.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 1st S. Staffords during the confused and sanguinary fighting of
+these two days, that is to say, the 25th and 26th, lost 13 officers and
+440 rank and file. As has so often happened in this war, the battalion
+in reserve was called upon for much of the most strenuous work, and in
+this particular case the S. Staffords had at one time or another to
+support each of the four units of the 20th Brigade. Much of this work
+was of a particularly difficult and dangerous nature, and in the
+darkness and confusion that prevailed the various units were apt at
+times to get very greatly mixed up, and to lapse into the condition of
+sheep without any accredited shepherd.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At one very critical moment in the ebb and flow of battle, it happened
+that the C.O., Col. Ovens, who was at the time in an advanced position
+with two companies of the S. Staffords, noticed a mob of some 300
+men of these mixed units retiring on his left. He sent off Captain
+White, the Quarter-Master of the regiment, to find out the cause.
+The reply was that an order had been received to retire. Captain
+White&#8212;suspecting German methods, or, at any rate, suspecting that the
+order originated with someone who was interested in its fulfilment&#8212;by
+super-human efforts succeeded in rallying the men and leading them
+back into the firing line, an act which beyond any question had a
+marked effect on the fortunes of the day, or, rather, of the night.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The desperate fighting of this period at and around Kruiseik will
+always be associated with the 20th Brigade. The other two brigades in
+the 7th Division were shifted about, as occasion required, to various
+points between Zonnebeke and Zandvoorde; but from October 19th to the
+29th, the 20th Brigade operated at Kruiseik alone. The gradual
+annihilation of this splendid brigade&#8212;possibly the finest in the whole
+army&#8212;forms a story which is no less stirring than it is tragic. The
+tragedy is obvious, but it is relieved by the thought of the superb
+devotion of each of the battalions that formed the command of General
+Ruggles-Brise. Each battalion, in its own allotted sphere, fought to a
+finish. Each battalion in its turn furnished an example of unflinching
+heroism which is an epic in itself. They not only fought till there
+were no more left to fight, but they fought up to the very end with
+success. It must have been a consolation to their gallant Brigadier,
+when in the end he was carried off the field with a shattered thigh, to
+feel that he had survived long enough to share in a glory which will
+never be excelled.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The worst sufferer in the early days of the Kruiseik fighting was
+the 2nd Battalion of the Border Regiment. The experiences of this
+regiment are of the highest interest, as being typical of the
+hold-on-at-all-costs spirit which animated the British force during
+the period of the German advance, and which was responsible for the
+miscarriage of all the desperate efforts of the enemy to break
+through. On October 22nd the battalion was posted along the road from
+Zandvoorde, at the point where it cuts the Kruiseik&#8212;Werwick road.
+Their trenches formed an ugly salient, which was commanded on three
+sides by the enemy's artillery, and at which particularly accurate
+practice could be, and was, made by the German batteries posted on the
+America ridge, about a mile to the south-east. Their instructions were
+to hold on to these trenches <i>at all costs</i> till relieved. They
+did hold on, and on the 27th they were relieved&#8212;at least, those of
+them that were left. Their relaxation during those six days consisted
+in counting the shells directed at them, and speculating as to the
+accuracy of the next shot. The constant prayer of every officer and
+man was for an infantry attack of some sort&#8212;German or British. The
+prayer was not answered. Their orders were to hold on at all costs
+till relieved. They were not relieved, so they held on. On the 24th,
+25th and 26th the shells fell in or around their trenches at the rate
+of two per minute from dawn till dark. Their casualties from this
+shell-fire averaged 150 a day and the enemy's guns fired unchallenged
+and unmolested by our own artillery. In those days the numerical
+superiority of the German artillery was overwhelming, and, as an
+inevitable consequence, our infantry afforded them passive but
+diminishing targets. In the case of the Border Regiment the target
+diminished rapidly. On the 23rd Captain Gordon and 2nd Lieut. Clancy
+were killed; on the 25th Major Allen and Lieut. Warren were killed,
+and Lieut. Clegg wounded; on the 26th Captain Lees, Captain
+Cholmondeley, Captain Andrews and Lieut. Surtees were killed, and
+Major Bosanquet and Lieut. Bevis were wounded. On the 27th the 300 men
+that remained were relieved&#8212;for the moment.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the afternoon of the 26th the pressure against this battalion became
+so severe, and their casualties were so high, that at two o'clock
+General Kavanagh was ordered to make a demonstration with the 7th C.B.
+in the direction of Zandvoorde, with a view to diverting some of the
+pressure. The 1st Life Guards were already in occupation of the
+Zandvoorde trenches, and the demonstration was entrusted to the Blues,
+who were, at the time, the reserve regiment to the brigade. The Blues
+were at Klein Zillebeke when the order arrived, and they at once got
+mounted and galloped along the road that connects that place with
+Zandvoorde. Lord Alastair Ker's squadron, which was leading, rode right
+through the 1st Life Guards trenches, and, turning to the right at the
+top of the ridge, dismounted and opened fire. Their squadron
+immediately came under a heavy fire and its casualties were
+considerable. In the meanwhile the other two squadrons of the Blues
+(Captain Brassey's and Captain Harrison's), dismounted behind the Life
+Guards, and advanced to the top of the ridge on foot, supporting the
+fire of the leading squadron. The demonstration was kept up till
+darkness fell, when the regiment, having carried out its orders with
+complete success, retired to a ch&#226;teau between Klein Zillebeke and
+Hollebeke, where it billeted for the night. Lord Alastair Ker and
+Trooper Nevin were both decorated for their gallantry on this occasion.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The continuation of the Zandvoorde trenches further south was still in
+the occupation of the 10th Hussars. These were heavily shelled all
+through the day, and the casualties among their officers continued to
+be on a high scale, Sir F. Rose and Lieut. Turnor being killed, and
+Major Crichton wounded.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="last">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE LAST OF KRUISEIK
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+The next two days were days of comparative calm&#8212;the lull before the
+desperate storm which was preparing to break upon the British force.
+On the morning of the 27th, the 6th Brigade, on the left of our line,
+which had so successfully pushed forward its position on the 24th,
+made a still further advance, the 1st K.R.R. on this occasion being
+the left-hand battalion, with the 1st S. Staffords on its right. The
+1st Berks and the King's Regiment were in support. The movement was
+again a complete success, the brigade advancing as far as the
+Paschendael&#8212;Becelaere road and occupying the crest of the ridge along
+which this road runs. Here the K.R.R. came under a very heavy
+shell-fire, and Prince Maurice of Battenberg and Captain Wells were
+killed, Captain Willis, Captain Llewellyn and 2nd Lieuts. Hone and
+Sweeting being wounded at the same time. The ground gained was,
+however, successfully held for the time being. The effect of this
+advance was to give a slightly concave formation to the eastern face
+of the Ypres salient, the two extremities now projecting beyond the
+centre trenches in the Polygon wood. This curious formation, however,
+was very temporary, both of the horns so formed having shortly to
+withdraw. The withdrawal of the southern horn was begun on the night
+of the 26th, during the events already narrated. We may now consider
+the subsequent events which led to its complete disappearance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the very small hours of the same morning on which the 6th Brigade
+advanced&#8212;before daylight, in fact&#8212;the 1st Scots Guards marched down
+the Menin road to resume its place in the 1st Brigade. At Gheluvelt the
+battalion deployed to the north of the road, and at once came under the
+blind shell-fire which ceased not night or day in this particular area.
+Captain Hamilton and Captain Balfour were killed, and Lieuts. Wickham
+and Roberts wounded. The battalion, however, worked its way up to its
+position on the left of the 1st Coldstream, and there awaited events.
+How dramatic those events were destined to prove was little suspected
+at the time.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A few hours later the 20th Brigade, returning from its one night's rest
+in the outskirts of Ypres, followed them down the same road, and filed
+into the shelter-trenches south of the road. Here they stayed till 5
+p.m. on the 28th, when they continued their march down the high road
+through Gheluvelt, and took over the trenches just west and south of
+the Kruiseik cross-roads.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Here for the moment we may leave them in order to take a glance at the
+general situation.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The day which followed, that is to say October 29th, was the first of
+the five days during which the Kaiser was present in person with his
+troops opposite Ypres. He had arrived with the avowed intention of
+stimulating the army to one supreme, irresistible effort which would
+carry all before it, and open the coveted road to Calais to the mass of
+troops now concentrated at Roulers and Menin.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The occasion was signalized on the morning of the 29th by a grand
+assault along and on each side of the Menin road. This broad highroad
+was the most direct and obvious route to Ypres, and the Germans&#8212;as
+their way is&#8212;went straight for the shortest cut. There was no secret
+about the enterprise; it was, in fact, known among all ranks of the
+British Army, and even published in some of the general orders of the
+evening before, that the XXVII. German Reserve Corps would attack
+Kruiseik and Zandvoorde at 5.30 a.m. on the 29th.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the light of this general knowledge, subsequent events are not
+wholly easy to understand. The attack came at the very hour which had
+been announced, and&#8212;as far as Kruiseik was concerned&#8212;at the very
+spot. Zandvoorde, as a matter of fact, was not implicated, and so can
+be left out of the discussion.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At Kruiseik our line of defence was just in rear of the cross-roads,
+about a quarter of a mile nearer Ypres than it had been on the 26th.
+The six regiments in the front line which came in the path of the
+attack were the 1st Grenadiers, 2nd Gordons and 2nd Scots Fusiliers
+south of the road, and the Black Watch, 1st Coldstream and 1st Scots
+Guards to the north of it. In reserve were the 2nd Scots Guards and the
+Border Regiment, the latter being in Gheluvelt, the former to the south
+of it.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 5.30 then, with true military punctuality, the Germans made their
+advance under cover of a thick fog, and, as subsequent events proved,
+succeeded in getting past and behind our first line without opposition.
+It is said that they marched in column of fours straight down the main
+Menin road, which, for some reason only known to staff officers, does
+not appear to have been in the charge of any of the first line troops.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+However that may be, the fact remains that the Germans did get past,
+without a shot being fired from either side, and established their
+machine-guns in the houses along the roadside in rear; with the result
+that the regiments next the road suddenly found themselves, without any
+warning, assailed by a murderous machine-gun fire from both rear and
+flank. To add to the unpleasantness of the situation, they were at the
+same time vigorously shelled by our own artillery. Under this combined
+attack the 1st Grenadiers next the road on the south side suffered very
+severely. Colonel Earle was wounded almost at the first discharge, and
+Major Stucley, who then took over command, was killed within a short
+interval. Owing to the thickness of the fog it was a matter of great
+difficulty to locate the enemy with any degree of accuracy, or to
+return a fire which appeared to come from the direction of our own
+reserves. Captain Rasch, who was now in command, accordingly decided to
+withdraw the battalion into the woods to the south, leaving the enemy
+to continue their fusilade at the empty trenches. With them went the
+left flank company of the Gordons, under Captain Burnett. "C" Company
+of the Gordons, which was on the right of Captain Burnett's company,
+was comparatively clear of the fire from the rear, and did not withdraw
+with the others. The subsequent exploits of this company were most
+remarkable, and will be described later on.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The fog now suddenly lifted, the sun came through, and the situation
+became comparatively clear to both sides. The Germans ceased their
+fusilade from behind at the empty trenches, and began to press
+southwards from the road, and westward from the direction of Menin, in
+great numbers. To meet this new movement, the 1st Grenadiers and
+Captain Burnett's company of the Gordons formed up and charged, driving
+the enemy back to the road in considerable disorder. In the moment of
+victory, however, they were heavily enfiladed from the trenches
+recently occupied by Captain Burnett's company, and numbers fell. They
+were again forced to withdraw to the south, the enemy following close
+on their heels. Once more the Grenadiers and Gordons reformed, and once
+more they drove the enemy back to the road, only to be themselves again
+driven back by weight of numbers. It was at this moment that Lieut.
+Brooke, of the Gordon Highlanders, who had been sent from the right
+flank with a message, arrived on the scene and&#8212;seeing the overwhelming
+superiority in numbers of the enemy&#8212;hurriedly collected a handful of
+men from the rear (servants, cooks, orderlies, etc.), and led them
+forward in a gallant attempt to do something towards equalizing
+numbers. He and nearly all his men were killed, but he was subsequently
+awarded the Victoria Cross for his action.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the Grenadiers were fighting to a finish. Refusing to
+be beaten or to give way, they fought up to the moment when the order
+arrived for them to retire to Gheluvelt. This was about 10 a.m. By that
+time 500 out of the 650 men who had gone into action had fallen, and
+out of the sixteen officers only four were left. No. 4 Company&#8212;the
+heroes of the successful charge on the 24th&#8212;alone lost 200 men, or, in
+other words, were wiped out.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Of the officers, Major Stucley, Captain Rennie, Lord R. Wellesley, the
+Hon. W. Forester and the Hon. A. Douglas-Pennant were killed, in
+addition to which Col. Earle, the Hon. C. Ponsonby, Lieuts. Lambert,
+Kenyon-Slaney and Powell were wounded. Lieut. Butt, the medical officer
+attached, was killed while dressing Col. Earle's wounds. The casualties
+of the Gordons were between two and three hundred.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While this had been going on south of the road, an almost identical
+state of things prevailed on the north side where were stationed the
+Black Watch and 1st Coldstream. These two battalions similarly found
+themselves, without any warning, mowed down in the fog by machine-gun
+fire from their rear and right flank. Gradually they too were forced
+back, fighting every yard of the way, but powerless to stem the masses
+of the enemy opposed to them. Both these battalions were practically
+annihilated. The 1st Coldstream battalion, in fact, may be said to have
+ceased to exist, for the time being, after this day. The remnant was
+shortly afterwards absorbed into the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. That
+remnant consisted of 180 rank and file; <i>no officers</i> and no
+senior N.C.O.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The right flank company of the 1st Scots Guards shared the fate of the
+two battalions on its right. It became isolated, was surrounded by
+masses of the enemy, and ceased to exist.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 11 a.m. the 2nd Scots Fusiliers, who had been on the right of the
+Gordons, and just outside of the pressure of the first attack, had in
+their turn to fall back, Col. Uniacke with two companies of the Gordons
+going forward again to aid them in their retirement.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+About noon things were looking pretty serious; the Germans were
+pressing on towards Gheluvelt in great numbers, both on the main road
+itself and to the north and south of it, and it seemed doubtful whether
+their impetus could be checked.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At this critical moment, a succession of incidents, small in
+themselves, but powerful as a combination, brought about a marked
+change in the fortunes of the day. It has already been mentioned that
+"C" Company of the Gordons, under Captain R. S. Gordon, had remained
+throughout the morning in its original trenches, the order to retire
+not having reached it. Curiously enough, another small detachment to
+its right was in a very similar position. This detachment consisted of
+a platoon of the 2nd Queen's, and about a hundred men of other units,
+under the command of Major Bottomley of the Queen's. The party had been
+sent forward to reinforce the 20th Brigade, and, at the time of the
+retirement, was in some dug-outs in a very advanced position on the
+high ground near Kruiseik. As in the case of "C" Company of the
+Gordons, the order to retire did not reach them, and they were left.
+Here then were two distinct and quite independent detachments,
+completely isolated, and cut off by a good half mile from the rest of
+the brigade. It seemed as though their destruction was a foregone
+conclusion. In the event, however, not only were they not destroyed,
+but they were able, from their unsuspected positions, to work very
+considerable havoc in the ranks of the enemy. It so happened that Major
+Bottomley's party contained an unusual number of marksmen, including
+Lieut. Wilson of the 2nd Queen's. These&#8212;quite regardless of their own
+perilous position, or of the fire which they were sure to draw upon
+themselves by their action&#8212;now laid themselves out to take advantage
+of their advanced position to pick off the Germans to right and left.
+The very audacity of the proceeding proved their saving, the enemy
+finding it very hard to properly locate a fire which seemed to come
+from their very midst. There was, however, some retaliation, and Lieut.
+Wilson was eventually shot through the head and killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It cannot well be claimed that sniping such as this&#8212;however
+effective&#8212;had any appreciable influence on the tide of battle, but
+this claim can be justly made in the case of "C" Company of the 2nd
+Gordons. This company's presence was equally unsuspected by the enemy,
+and, soon after midday, a German battalion proceeded to mass in close
+column within 300 yards of its position. Such a target was of course
+unmissable, and within five minutes the German battalion was
+annihilated, 850 dead and wounded being afterwards found on the spot
+where it had concentrated.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It is satisfactory to be able to record that both these gallant
+detachments successfully withdrew. Captain Gordon remained in his
+position till dusk, when, by exercising great care, he succeeded in
+rejoining his battalion. Major Bottomley actually remained in his
+position till the night of the following day, <i>i.e.</i>, the 30th,
+when he succeeded in safely extricating his party from their perilous
+position&#8212;a truly astonishing performance in view of the fact that the
+Germans were not only round him, but were in actual occupation of the
+trenches to right and left.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+While this was taking place south of the road, the 1st Scots Guards,
+north of the road, were gradually bringing about a change in the aspect
+of the fight. It will be remembered that the two battalions between
+them and the road, viz., the Black Watch and 1st Coldstream, had been
+engulfed and overwhelmed in the German advance, a fate which had also
+overtaken Captain de la Pasture's company of the 1st Scots Guards,
+which was on the right of that battalion. In this crisis&#8212;for it was
+undoubtedly an extremely critical moment&#8212;Captain Stephen, with a quick
+grasp of the situation, brought up the reserve company of the Scots
+Guards, together with some stragglers from the 1st Coldstream who had
+escaped the carnage on the right. Facing his command half right, he
+proceeded to pour volley after volley into the flank of the Germans
+pressing forward between him and the road. Some of the Germans turned
+to face this new attack, but the Guardsmen, fighting with superb
+courage, held them off throughout the afternoon. During this memorable
+performance on the part of Captain Stephen's company, the company
+commander himself and Sir G. Ogilvy were killed, and the Hon. G.
+Macdonald and Sir V. Mackenzie wounded. The 1st Scots Guards had now
+lost 10 officers and 370 men since they had marched down the Menin road
+two days before.<a href="#note9" name="noteref9">
+<small>[9]</small></a> The battalion received great praise in high
+quarters for the part it had played at this critical moment in the
+fortunes of the day, and there can be little doubt that the tremendous
+losses they had inflicted on the enemy had appreciably checked the
+German advance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Captain Gordon's attack had taken the enemy on the left flank, and
+Captain Stephen's on the right flank. They were yet to meet a still
+more severe check from in front. In partial reserve on the hill on
+which Gheluvelt stands, were detachments of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders,
+2nd Scots Guards, 2nd Queen's, S. Wales Borderers and the Border
+Regiment. It was about midday when the Germans, having forced their way
+as described through the regiments next the Menin road, began pushing
+forward towards Gheluvelt, the main body marching in column of fours
+along the road from Gheluvelt itself, where the main road passes
+through the village, the head of the advancing column was out of sight,
+owing to a bend in the road at the foot of the hill. Captain Watson,
+however, who was in charge of the machine-gun section of the Border
+Regiment, managed to get a couple of maxims through a ploughed field
+into some turnips on the north slope of the hill. From here there was a
+clear view of the road stretching away to Kruiseik, with the head of
+the German column about 1,200 yards distant. On to this column both
+machine-guns were now trained. The position was ideal for working
+execution on the enemy, but it was in no way entrenched, and fully
+exposed to the enemy's fire. The head of the enemy's column was soon
+knocked to pieces, and, on the other hand, one of the Border Regiment
+machine-guns was knocked out, but the other kept going till all the
+ammunition was expended. In the meanwhile the German infantry advancing
+south of the road had become visible to the several detachments
+afore-mentioned, of whom Major Craufurd of the Gordons had assumed
+temporary command, and these now opened a galling fire on the advancing
+ranks, which they succeeded in throwing into considerable confusion.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This moment proved the turning-point in the day's battle. The frontal
+fire from the Border Regiment's machine-guns and the above-named
+detachments, coupled with the enfilading fire from the 1st Scots Guards
+to the north of the road, brought the advancing force to a standstill,
+which&#8212;when the reserves from Gheluvelt were advanced&#8212;quickly
+developed into a retreat. The Germans fell back to Kruiseik, which they
+occupied, and which from this date on remained in their hands. The 3rd
+Brigade was brought forward to occupy the place of the Black Watch and
+1st Coldstream north of the road, the 1st Scots Guards and the Camerons
+retaining their original morning position.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This battle of the Kruiseik cross-roads had cost us very dear, some of
+the finest battalions in the British Army being practically
+annihilated, but there can be no question but that the losses of the
+attacking forces were incomparably greater. It must be borne in mind
+that the British forces which actually took part in this fight numbered
+at the outside 5,000, while the attacking force consisted of an entire
+Army Corps, that is to say, approximately, 24,000 infantry.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It may be interesting at this point, at the risk of forestalling
+matters a little, to explain the gradual process of retirement by which
+our line was straightened, and the bulge eliminated from our defensive
+position. It is less easy to explain why the process was so gradual. We
+may take our furthest advance east to have been on the 19th. On that
+date the 22nd Brigade pushed forward as far as the Roulers-Menin
+railway. There, however, they encountered very strong opposition, and
+withdrew to Zonnebeke&#8212;a distance of six miles&#8212;on the same day. The
+20th Brigade, however, did not take part in this retirement, and
+entrenched themselves at the point to which they had advanced, east of
+Kruiseik.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 24th the 6th Brigade made a second advance south of the
+Zonnebeke road; and on the following day the Guards' Brigade fought its
+way up into line on the right of the 6th Brigade, while the 5th and 1st
+Brigades filled the gap between the Guards' Brigade and the 20th
+Brigade at Kruiseik. These several advances resulted in a line of
+defence which jutted out from Zonnebeke to Reutel, and then&#8212;after
+passing east of Kruiseik and Zandvoorde&#8212;fell back quite suddenly, and
+in an all but straight line, to Klein Zillebeke. Klein Zillebeke, and
+Zonnebeke, then, were the starting-points to north and south of the
+bulge, and it is significant that these two points have never been
+lost; nor has our ultimate middle-of-November line, which ran along the
+high ridge connecting these two places, ever been forced. But till this
+obvious line of defence was reached, we lost ground on each occasion
+that the enemy attacked in force.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 26th we were driven back from east of Kruiseik to a position
+west of Kruiseik; on the 29th we lost Kruiseik and were driven back to
+Gheluvelt; on the 30th we lost Zandvoorde; and on the 31st we lost
+Gheluvelt, and were driven back to a new position nearer Veldhoek. On
+November 2nd we were driven from this position, and our line was
+retired another 300 yards towards Hooge. Here it remained till November
+11th, when the Prussian Guard captured this position, but was unable to
+drive us from the Veldhoek ridge. This ridge has, from that date to the
+present moment, proved the <i>ne plus ultra</i> of German advance, and
+it is fairly safe to predict that it will so remain to the end, unless
+voluntarily relinquished for sanitary or strategic reasons. This in
+itself is a cause for congratulation and even triumph, but not so is
+the thought of the many good men who laid down their lives between
+Kruiseik and Veldhoek in the defence of the indefensible.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In reckoning up these successive retirements from the point of view of
+military failure or success, or from the, perhaps, more interesting
+point of view of the relative fighting merits of those who retired and
+those who advanced, it is well to realize, from the start, the
+tremendous disparity in numbers and freshness of the opposing forces.
+The British commanders had, throughout this defence of Ypres, to ring
+the changes, as between reserve and firing line, with battalions, and
+sometimes even with companies. The German commanders could afford to do
+it with Army Corps.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Day after day, the same British battalions, jaded, depleted of
+officers, and gradually dwindling into mere skeletons, were called upon
+to withstand the attacks of fresh and fresh troops. It was not merely
+that the Germans had the superiority in numbers on each occasion when
+they attacked. This, of course, must always be the privilege of the
+attacking side; but they had also the unspeakable advantage of being
+able at any time to direct a stream of fresh troops against any given
+part of our thin, weary, battered line. Thus on October 29th the XXVII.
+Reserve Corps attacked Kruiseik; on the 30th the XV. Army Corps
+attacked Zandvoorde; on October 31st and November 1st we had the XIII.,
+XXIV., and II. Bavarian Corps attacking the line from the Menin road to
+Messines, to which on November 2nd must be added the XXVI. Army Corps.
+By this time, however, the 16th French Army had come up, and did
+something towards equalizing matters.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But again on November 11th, fifteen fresh battalions of the Prussian
+Guard were brought up, and all that Sir Douglas Haig had to put in
+their path were the remnants of the same unconquerable battalions that
+had now been fighting, without intermission, for close on three months.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="zandvoorde">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+ZANDVOORDE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+Following the loss of Kruiseik on the 29th came the loss of Zandvoorde
+on the 30th. The particular section in the line of defence known as the
+Zandvoorde trenches had from first to last been a death-trap, and had
+proved particularly expensive to the 3rd Cavalry Division, whose
+special privilege it had been to defend them. They curved round the
+south-east side of the village, following the contours of the ridge,
+and, being the most prominent feature in the entire Ypres salient, were
+particularly susceptible to shell-fire from all quarters, except the
+north. Their chief attraction, from the purely military point of view,
+lay in the fact that they were on the crest of a ridge some 120 feet
+high, which here juts out into the plain, and which faces the ridge of
+about the same height a mile and a quarter away, on which Kruiseik
+stands. Their weakness lay in the fact that they were practically
+surrounded by the enemy, and were even open to attack from the
+direction of Hollebeke, which lay due west of their southern extension.
+In these circumstances their loss on the 30th was not wholly a matter
+for regret.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At the moment of the final attack, the 7th C.B. (Household Cavalry) had
+already been in these trenches for three days and nights, under a
+ceaseless shell-fire from south and east, and occasionally even from
+west. In the case of the machine-gun section of the Blues, under Lord
+Worsley, that period was doubled, the detachment having been in the
+advance trenches for six days and nights unrelieved.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+There is reason to believe that the supreme attack on Zandvoorde had
+originally been planned for the 29th, so as to take place
+simultaneously with that on Kruiseik, but a delay in the arrival of the
+XV. German Army Corps resulted in its postponement till the following
+day. The expected reinforcements arrived during the night of the 29th
+and&#8212;all being now according to arrangement&#8212;the attack took place at
+daybreak on the following morning.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The attack took the form of a storm of shrapnel and high-explosives of
+so terrific a nature that by nine o'clock the Household Cavalry
+trenches had been literally blown to pieces, and the brigade was
+forced to retire slowly down the hill, keeping up a covering fire as
+it went. The retirement was effected in good order, but Lord Hugh
+Grosvenor's squadron of the 1st Life Guards, "C" Squadron of the 2nd
+Life Guards, and Lord Worsley's machine-gun section of the Blues did
+not succeed in withdrawing with the rest of the brigade, and their
+fate is still a matter of uncertainty. It is probable, however, that,
+in the pandemonium which was reigning, the order to retire did not
+reach them, and that those who survived the bombardment awaited the
+infantry attack which followed, and fought it out to an absolute
+finish. An officer in the R. Welsh Fusiliers' trenches, on the left of
+the Zandvoorde trenches, subsequently described the defence put up
+that day by the Household Cavalry as one of the finest feats of the
+war. It may well be that untold deeds of heroism remain yet to be
+recorded in connection with that morning's work.<a href="#note10" name="noteref10">
+<small>[10]</small></a>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The R. Welsh Fusiliers were on the right of the 22nd Brigade and on the
+left of the Household Cavalry, in trenches which curved back from the
+Zandvoorde trenches and faced in the main north-west, whereas the
+Zandvoorde trenches faced south-east. These trenches were at the best
+ill-constructed affairs, and were weakened in the middle by a big gap
+where the road from Zandvoorde to Becelaere passed through them.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Zandvoorde trenches passed into the hands of the enemy soon after
+nine, and the Germans at once swarmed into them and began making their
+way along towards the north, till they reached a position from which
+they could get the Welsh Fusiliers in flank. Then began the
+annihilation of this very gallant regiment. From the moment that the
+Zandvoorde trenches went, its position was hopeless, its right flank
+being completely unprotected, and its own trenches disconnected and
+ill-adapted for mutual protection. The regiment, however, fought as it
+had fought on the 19th and again on the 20th and 21st. It fought, in
+the words of the C. in C., "till every officer had been killed or
+wounded; only ninety men rejoined the brigade." As a matter of fact,
+the exact number of survivors out of a battalion which a fortnight
+earlier had numbered 1,100 was 86, and these were shortly afterwards
+absorbed into the 2nd Queen's, their only remaining officer being the
+Quartermaster.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Among those that fell on that day were Captain Barker, Col. Cadogan and
+his Adjutant, Lieut. Dooner. The latter was killed in a very gallant
+attempt to cross the interval which divided the trenches, and
+investigate the state of affairs on the right; and the Colonel fell in
+an equally gallant attempt to rescue his subordinate after he had
+fallen.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The position was now&#8212;as may be supposed&#8212;extremely serious, the enemy
+being in complete possession of the Zandvoorde ridge. The 7th C.B.
+(Household Cavalry), when it had fallen back in the morning, had
+retired through the 6th C.B. and formed up in rear.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Its retreat had been greatly assisted by the magnificent work of the
+two Horse Artillery Batteries attached, viz., "C" Battery, under Major
+White, and "K" Battery, under Major Lamont. Both displayed the greatest
+daring and activity, and the latter succeeded in completely knocking
+out a German battery which was just coming into action on the
+Zandvoorde ridge.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile, the only force which stood in the way of the enemy
+was the 6th C.B., that is to say, three cavalry regiments, all
+considerably weakened by fighting. The gravity of the situation lay in
+the fact that if the Klein Zillebeke position went, there was nothing
+further to prevent the enemy marching straight into Ypres, only three
+miles distant, in which case the 1st A.C. and 7th Division would have
+been irretrievably cut off from their base and supplies, and the
+capture or annihilation of these three divisions would have inevitably
+followed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Accordingly Sir Douglas Haig, quick to realize that the events of the
+next few hours would decide the making or marring of the campaign, sent
+out an ultimatum to the effect that the line to which we had now been
+driven, <i>i.e.</i>, from Gheluvelt to the corner of the canal north of
+Hollebeke, was to be held at all costs. Concurrently an urgent appeal
+was sent to General Allenby to send up with all possible speed any and
+all regiments available. Allenby sent the Scots Greys and the 3rd and
+4th Hussars&#8212;all from different brigades. The Greys and the 3rd
+Hussars arrived first on the scene, and passed across to the left flank
+of the 6th C.B., filling up, in fact, the gap between that brigade and
+General Bulfin's (2nd) Brigade on its left. The 4th Hussars, who had
+further to come, arrived in time to take up a position on the right of
+the Royals (who were the right-hand regiment of the 6th C.B.), and
+carry on the line of defence beyond the railway. The position then was
+that the line of the three regiments of the 6th C.B. was extended by
+the 3rd Hussars and Greys on the left, and by the 4th Hussars on the
+right.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 7th C.B., who had concentrated at the little village of Zwartelen
+in rear of the 6th C.B., now sent off two squadrons of the Blues to
+support the Royals, who were holding the ch&#226;teau at Hollebeke. This
+ch&#226;teau lies on the low ground to the east of the canal, whereas
+Hollebeke itself is on the west side. The ch&#226;teau was considerably in
+advance of the line which was ordered to be held, and with Zandvoorde
+gone was of no strategic importance. This combined force held off the
+enemy for some hours, during which time Sergt. McLellan, of the Royals,
+especially distinguished himself by several acts of great gallantry,
+but by midday the ch&#226;teau had to be abandoned and was occupied by
+German infantry. Except for this loss, the cavalry line held its ground
+throughout the day. There was no further infantry attack, but it had to
+stand a severe shelling all through the afternoon, and its casualties
+were numerous, among those of the 10th Hussars being Captain Kinkead,
+Captain Fielden, Captain Stewart and the Hon. H. Baring.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The R. Sussex, too, in General Bulfin's 2nd Brigade, on the left of the
+cavalry, came in for their full share of the bombardment and suffered
+very severely, Col. Crispin and Lieuts. Croft, Marillier and Lousada
+being killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At five o'clock in the afternoon the five cavalry regiments were
+relieved by Lord Cavan's Brigade, the 2nd Grenadier Guards under Major
+Lord Bernard Lennox<a href="#note11" name="noteref11">
+<small>[11]</small></a> taking over the position on the canal&#8212;later on
+to become famous under the name of Hill 60, while the Irish Guards
+continued the line on their left. The line was still further
+strengthened on the following morning by the addition of the
+Oxfordshire Light Infantry from the 5th Brigade, and the 2nd Gordon
+Highlanders from the 20th Brigade, these two battalions being added to
+General Bulfin's command, which was on the left of Lord Cavan's.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="gheluvelt">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+GHELUVELT
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+October 31st may be said to have witnessed the supreme effort of the
+enemy to break through to Ypres. The attack on this day was pressed
+simultaneously along the whole of our front from Messines to the Menin
+road, and lasted not only throughout the day but during the greater
+part of the night. This tremendous battle, covering as it did a
+frontage of twelve miles, can only be adequately described by cutting
+it up into three sections, the first of which deals with the fight
+along the Menin road, the second with the struggle at Klein Zillebeke,
+and the third with the attack on the cavalry corps at Wytschate and
+Messines.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We will deal first with the fight on the Menin road. Here, it will be
+remembered, our troops had been forced back on the 29th from a line
+just west of Kruiseik cross-roads to the Gheluvelt trenches,
+three-quarters of a mile further back, and on the higher ridge on which
+that village stands.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the morning of the 31st the new position was in its turn attacked,
+and under conditions which in many ways recalled the fight of two days
+before. There was, however, this difference, that, while the attack of
+the 29th had been in the nature of a surprise in the fog, and had been
+unheralded by any previous cannonade, that of the 31st was preceded by
+a bombardment which, in point of violence, threw into the shade
+everything which the campaign had yet witnessed. The expenditure of
+ammunition must have been colossal. This terrific discharge of missiles
+commenced at daybreak, and gradually increased in volume up to eleven
+o'clock, when it ceased and the infantry attack commenced.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The shell-fire had been mainly focussed on the 3rd and 22nd Brigades in
+the neighbourhood of Gheluvelt. By the association of these two
+Brigades, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Queen's (R. West Surrey
+Regiment) for the first time in history found themselves fighting side
+by side. The occasion was an historic one, but not without a strong
+note of tragedy, both battalions being in the direct track of the
+bombardment, and suffering very severely. Each battalion, too, lost its
+C.O. during the morning, Col. Pell of the 1st Battalion being killed
+and Col. Coles of the 2nd Battalion wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The tactics of the enemy in these Menin road attacks almost always
+took the same form. All the batteries within the area would
+concentrate on the road and on the trenches immediately to right and
+left of the road, making these positions absolutely untenable. Then,
+when the troops in the track of the shell-fire had fallen back dazed
+into semi-unconsciousness by the inferno, they would drive a dense
+mass of infantry into the gap, and so enfilade&#8212;and very often
+surround&#8212;the trenches which were still occupied to right and left of
+the gap. By this method, companies, and sometimes whole battalions,
+which had stuck out the shell-fire, were overwhelmed and annihilated.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Such a fate on this occasion overtook the right flank company of the
+South Wales Borderers just north of Gheluvelt. This company formed the
+northern boundary of the gap caused by the bombardment, and the German
+wedge, spreading out towards the right, bore down on it from three
+sides. Major Lawrence, in command of the company, faced half the men
+about and kept up the fight to the bitter end, but it was merely a
+question of selling their lives as dearly as possible. The tide swept
+over them and they ceased to exist.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The remaining companies of the South Wales Borderers managed to
+maintain their ground till the line north of the road was
+re-established in the following way.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At 1.30 the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment, who were in reserve at the six
+cross-roads at the corner of the Polygon wood, a mile to the rear, were
+ordered to retake the lost position. This they did in the following
+very gallant manner, led by Major Hankey. They deployed in the woods
+just to the rear of Gheluvelt, and, advancing in a series of short
+rushes, charged right up to the line of the lost trenches. The last
+rush had to be made across 200 yards of open ground in the face of a
+terrific shrapnel fire. Over 100 of the Worcesters fell in this last
+rush, but the remainder charged home and drove out the Germans with
+heavy loss. The old trenches were found to have been filled in, but a
+sunken road just in rear provided fair cover, and this the Worcesters
+now lined, joining up their left with the right of the South Wales
+Borderers. The Germans, however, were still in the village itself and
+the position was at best a precarious one. They managed, however, to
+hold on till dark.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Worcesters lost 187 men in this short, brilliant charge. The
+achievement was alluded to by the C. in C. as one of the finest in the
+whole campaign, and one which saved the army from a very awkward
+predicament.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 1st Scots Guards, on the left of the South Wales Borderers again,
+as on the 29th, stood firm throughout the day, and contributed in no
+small measure to the ultimate repulse of the enemy. In the afternoon
+one company of this battalion was detached to co-operate in the
+counter-attack made by the Worcesters, and generally to re-establish
+the broken line north of Gheluvelt. This they succeeded in doing, with
+very able support from the 42nd Battery R.F.A., but in the doing of it
+lost Captain Wickham and Major Vandeweyer, the former of whom was
+killed.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Meanwhile another historic resistance was being put up south of the
+road by the 2nd R. Scots Fusiliers. This battalion formed the southern
+boundary of the gap, just as the South Wales Borderers formed the
+northern boundary; and when the German infantry wedge was forced in, it
+found its trenches very badly raked from the gardens of the ch&#226;teau,
+where the enemy had installed some machine-guns. General Watt, the
+Brigadier, recognizing that the position of this regiment had now
+become untenable, telephoned through to them to retire. The wire,
+however, had been cut by shrapnel and the message did not arrive. Two
+orderlies were thereupon successively dispatched to order their
+retirement. Both were knocked over and again the order did not reach.
+In the meanwhile, Col. Baird Smith, having received no order to retire,
+continued to hold his ground with ever dwindling numbers, till in the
+end the German masses swept over them, and another gallant British
+battalion ceased to exist. Only seventy men, commanded by a junior
+officer, escaped the carnage of that day.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Five months later, General Watt, addressing the officers and men at
+Sailly, after another great performance by the same battalion, said
+with reference to this occasion: "Col. Baird Smith, gallant soldier
+that he was, decided and rightly to hold his ground, and the R. Scots
+Fusiliers fought and fought till the Germans absolutely surrounded them
+and swarmed into the trenches. I think it was perfectly splendid. Mind
+you, it was no case of 'hands up' or any nonsense of that sort; it was
+a fight to a finish. You may well be proud to belong to such a regiment
+and I am proud to have you in my brigade."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+To the south of the R. Scots Fusiliers, and in the same brigade, were
+the 2nd Bedfords. This regiment, too, had suffered very severely during
+the day, both its senior officers, Major Traill and Major Stares, being
+killed, but the brigade order to retire had not failed to reach it, as
+in the case of the Scotchmen, and it had been able to effect its
+withdrawal in good order.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Germans did not carry their advance beyond Gheluvelt. The ground
+they had gained had only been won by a prodigious expenditure of
+ammunition, followed by a reckless sacrifice of men, and their losses
+had been enormous. Their further progress, too, was barred by the
+troops which had been shelled out of the village in the morning. These
+were now formed up half facing the road between Gheluvelt and Veldhoek,
+and offered a successful bar to any further advance on the part of the
+enemy. The Germans, however, did not relinquish their attempts to push
+on to Veldhoek without further serious fighting, in the course of which
+the 2nd Queen's sustained still further losses, their three senior
+officers, Col. Coles, Major Croft and Major Bottomley falling wounded,
+as well as Captain Weeding and Lieut. Philpot. Night fell without any
+further advance on the part of the enemy. Gheluvelt itself, however, in
+spite of the gallant counter-attack north of the road, during the
+afternoon, may be considered as having been lost from this day on.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="messines">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+MESSINES AND WYTSCHATE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+In order to avoid the confusion inseparable from a constant change of
+scene, it will be best to deal briefly now with the doings at Messines
+and Wytschate, after which the Klein Zillebeke section can monopolize
+our attention up to the close of this little chronicle. In order to
+pick up the thread where it was dropped, it will be necessary to go
+back to the 30th. On that day General Allenby wired to Head Quarters
+that his numbers were too weak to hold his position from the canal at
+Hollebeke to the La Doune stream, south of Messines, for long unaided,
+and the C. in C. at once responded by sending up four battalions from
+the 2nd A.C. under General Shaw to his assistance. These, as will
+presently be seen, arrived in the very nick of time to save the
+situation. Pending their arrival, the cavalry had a truly colossal task
+before them. They were absurdly outnumbered; they had opposed to them,
+in the XXIV. and II. Bavarian Corps, some of the finest fighters in the
+German Army, stimulated by the presence of the Kaiser himself, and they
+were engaged in a form of warfare to which they had never been trained.
+French reinforcements were being hurried up, it is true, but it was
+reckoned that, at the earliest, they could not arrive in less than
+forty-eight hours. During these forty-eight hours, could the cavalry,
+with the assistance which had been sent up from the 2nd A.C.,
+successfully oppose the pressure of two army corps? This was the
+problem of the moment. We know now that it did succeed in doing so, but
+even with this fact behind us as a matter of history, we may still&#8212;in
+view of the extraordinary disparity in numbers&#8212;wonder as to how it was
+done.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+First let us deal with Messines, which was almost on the southern
+boundary of the Cavalry Corps position. Here we find posted the 1st and
+2nd C.B., or, to be more exact, these two brigades were in the trenches
+to the east of that town, the Bays being on the north side, then the
+9th Lancers and 4th Dragoon Guards, with the 5th Dragoon Guards to the
+south. In reserve, in the second line, were the 18th and 11th Hussars.
+The latter regiment had suffered severely from the bombardment on the
+previous day, their trenches being completely blown in and many men
+buried and killed. Amongst the officers, Lieuts. Chaytor and
+Lawson-Smith had been killed, and Lieut.-Col. Pitman, Major Anderson
+and the Hon. C. Mulholland wounded. Again, on the following day, the
+regiment lost a very fine athlete, and a champion boxer, in Captain
+Halliday, who was killed by a shell near the Convent.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In spite of an appalling bombardment, the regiments in the front line
+held on all through the night of the 30th, and up to midday on the
+31st. Then they began to be gradually driven back, and by 2 p.m. they
+were all in the town. The retirement was effected in perfect order.
+Corpl. Seaton, 9th Lancers, behaved with extraordinary courage during
+this movement and was recommended for the Victoria Cross. With the idea
+of helping the withdrawal of his regiment, he remained absolutely alone
+in his trench working his machine-gun till the enemy were within twenty
+yards. Incredible as it may appear, he then managed, thanks to great
+coolness and presence of mind, to rejoin his regiment unwounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Once in the town, the cavalry lined the houses of the main street from
+end to end, and there awaited developments. These took the form of a
+cessation of the shelling and a very determined attempt on the part of
+the Bavarians to take the town. They failed, however, to get across the
+square, being shot down in numbers from the windows of the houses
+opposite. A second and more carefully thought-out attack followed
+later, and it is doubtful how this might have ended but for the
+opportune arrival of the K.O.S.B. and the K.O.Y.L.I., one at each end
+of the town. This reinforcement once more turned the scale against the
+Bavarians, and for the second time they were driven back. Both the
+infantry battalions engaged, in the words of General Allenby to Sir
+Horace, "fought magnificently," but the K.O.Y.L.I. lost its CO., Col.
+King, who was killed while leading that regiment to the attack. The
+respite of the cavalry was short. The enemy was in over-powering force
+and they were not to be denied. They now proceeded for five solid hours
+to shell the place with every conceivable species of projectile known
+to warfare. At 2 a.m. on the 31st the infantry attacked for the third
+time.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the only available reserve was being hurried up from
+Neuve Eglise, as fast as motor-buses could bring it. This was the
+London Scottish, which had arrived at the front the day previous, after
+having been employed for some weeks at the base. They reached Messines
+during the preliminary bombardment on the night of the 30th, and,
+before going into action, were split up, half of the battalion joining
+up with the K.O.S.B. at one end of the town, and the rest with the
+K.O.Y.L.I. at the other. There was a full moon and a clear sky, and it
+was as light as day, and it has been said that for picturesque effect
+no incident in the war has equalled that night attack on Messines. An
+additional interest was lent to the scene by the fact that the London
+Scottish were the first Territorial battalion to be in action, and
+there was some speculation as to how their conduct would compare with
+that of the Regulars. It is now a matter of history that they acquitted
+themselves as well as the most tried troops, and that under
+exceptionally trying circumstances. If it be true that casualties in
+killed and wounded are the barometer of a regiment's intrepidity, then
+they indeed register high in the scale, for they lost 9 officers and
+400 men in that first night's fighting. In any event they rendered very
+valuable service in an acute emergency, and it is on record that in a
+hand to hand bayonet encounter with the Bavarians, they actually drove
+those noted warriors back. The odds, however, were altogether too great
+against the little British force, and on the morning of November 1st
+Messines passed into the hands of the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+A feat so remarkable as to rival the deeds of Shaw, the Lifeguardsman,
+was performed by Sergt.-Major Wright, of the Carabineers, during this
+defence of Messines. This N.C.O., while carrying a message to Head
+Quarters, found his path blocked by a part of the enemy. Without a
+moment's hesitation he charged them and cut his way through, killing
+five. Another Carabineer who behaved with repeated gallantry during
+these operations was Pte. Meston, and both he and Sergt.-Major Wright
+were given the D.C.M.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the same night, <i>i.e.</i>, the night of October 31st, Wytschate
+shared the fate of Messines.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 4th C.B. had succeeded in holding this place throughout the day,
+but during the course of the night they found themselves very hard
+pressed, and were gradually forced back. In this emergency the
+Northumberland Fusiliers and Lincolns were ordered up to the support of
+the cavalry.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+These two 9th Brigade battalions had arrived at Kemmel during the
+afternoon, having marched that day from Estaires, a distance of some
+twelve miles. They were in billets, resting after their hard day's
+work, when the message arrived, about one o'clock in the morning, to
+the effect that they were required. Within an hour from the receipt of
+the message both battalions were on the road, the Lincolns being the
+first to arrive on the scene of action. The country was totally unknown
+to the newcomers, but a cavalry sergeant was met who volunteered to
+lead them to the position occupied by the enemy. Under his guidance
+they entered the cutting through which the light railway, which runs
+along the edge of the road from Kemmel to Wytschate, passes just before
+it reaches the town. Here they became aware of a number of men moving
+in their direction, who called out in excellent English and Hindustani
+that they were British cavalry and Indians. Before the actual identity
+of these men could, in the gloom of the night, be ascertained for
+certain, the newcomers opened fire, both from the end of the cutting
+and from the sides; and the Lincolns, who were closely packed in the
+narrow defile, fell in numbers before they could be extricated. After
+getting clear, they met the Northumberland Fusiliers advancing from the
+direction of Kemmel, and together the two battalions formed up, and
+with great gallantry once more attacked the entrance to the town. The
+inequality in numbers, however, was too great. The Germans were
+literally swarming in the town, and it was clear that General Shaw's
+two battalions had been set to an impossible task. They retired to the
+outskirts of the town, where they held on till daylight, lying in the
+open fields. When dawn broke the London Scottish could be seen on their
+right, but no troops on their left. The unpleasantness of the situation
+was not in any way relieved by a heavy fire which our own artillery now
+opened upon the two battalions, under the mistaken impression that they
+were Germans. Many men were killed and wounded by this fire. In
+conformity with the general plan of retiring to the Wulverghem road,
+the Lincolns and Northumberland Fusiliers were now withdrawn, and
+Wytschate went the way of Messines. The Lincolns lost 400 men and all
+but 4 officers during this short night attack. Col. W. E. Smith was
+specially commended for the great personal courage which he showed
+during the attack, and for the skill with which he ultimately withdrew
+his regiment. Lieut. Blackwood was awarded the D.S.O. for very
+gallantly continuing to lead the attack after every officer senior to
+himself had fallen. The losses of the Northumberland Fusiliers were not
+quite so heavy, but were still very severe, especially in officers.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The dismounted cavalry line now retired to the Wulverghem to Kemmel
+road, where they entrenched themselves, but their numbers were quite
+inadequate for the frontage to be held. Pending the arrival of the
+French, Sir Horace was ordered by the C. in C. to send up to their
+assistance every available man from the 2nd A.C., which was recouping
+at Pradelles. The Dorsets and Worcesters were accordingly sent to Neuve
+Eglise, and the remaining seven and a half battalions&#8212;all
+skeletons&#8212;were sent up to east of Bailleul under General Morland. Such
+was the position on November 1st.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On this day the anxiously awaited 16th French Army began to arrive, the
+troops being railed up at the rate of eighty train loads a day, and at
+11 a.m. on the 2nd, both Messines and Wytschate were retaken by the
+French with some assistance from our cavalry. Some of the 12th Lancers,
+led by 2nd Lieut. Williams, of the Scots Greys, made a very brilliant
+bayonet charge during the recapture of the latter town. The
+above-mentioned officer was officially reported to have himself killed
+eleven Germans on this occasion, and was awarded the D.S.O.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The French now officially took over from us the line from Messines on
+the south to the canal on the north. It is interesting to note that,
+between October 27th and November 11th, some 200,000 French infantry,
+twenty regiments of cavalry and sixty pieces of heavy artillery reached
+Ypres, Poperinghe, and Bailleul. It is difficult to conceive of any
+more eloquent tribute to the astonishing performance of the thin little
+khaki ribbon, which had for a fortnight wound round Ypres, than the
+fact that this great force was found none too strong to hold one fourth
+of the front over which our handful of men had so far successfully
+resisted all the attempts of the enemy to break through. In calling
+attention to these figures, it is not intended in any sense to draw
+invidious comparisons between the relative merits of the French and
+British soldier, or even to suggest that the British troops
+accomplished a task of which the French would have been incapable. It
+is generally admitted by all our commanders at the front that the
+Frenchman as a fighter is unsurpassed, though his methods of fighting
+are not the same as ours; and, allowing for the fact that, in cases
+where the entire manhood of a nation fights, the average of individual
+excellence must obviously be lower than when only a select body of
+volunteers is engaged, for explanatory purposes with regard to the
+disposition of troops, one may safely reckon a French and British
+regiment as being of equal fighting value.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+All that is aimed at, then, is to try and bring to the mind of the
+reader, by a comparison of figures, some grasp of the immensity of the
+performance of our troops east and south of Ypres, during the desperate
+efforts of the enemy to break through in the last fortnight of October
+and the first fortnight of November. It is worthy of note, too, that in
+spite of the huge reinforcements brought up, no material advance was
+made on the position taken over from us on November 1st. It is true
+that on the day following, the newly-arrived French troops re-took
+Wytschate and Messines, from which we had been driven, but they were
+unable to hold those places, and the line along which they had found us
+facing the enemy was never perceptibly advanced. The new line at the
+beginning of November, held jointly by the French troops and British
+cavalry, ran&#8212;roughly speaking&#8212;from Klein Zillebeke to Ploegsteert,
+with a concave face which skirted Hollebeke, Wytschate, and Messines.
+Our 1st Cavalry Division, supported by some units from the 2nd A.C.,
+was withdrawn to Wulverghem, and the 2nd Cavalry Division went into
+reserve at Bailleul. Neuve Eglise became our advanced base for that
+part of the line, and was very quickly packed with British troops.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We have now taken a permanent farewell, as far as these pages are
+concerned, of all occurrences south of the canal at Hollebeke. We have
+seen the 2nd A.C. relieved by the Indians, and the Cavalry Corps
+relieved by the French, and, with this change of guardianship, we have
+seen two of the most important points in the line of defence pass out
+of the keeping of the original Expeditionary Force.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Of that force the 1st A.C. alone (with the 7th Division, which it had
+absorbed) still remained unrelieved east and south-east of Ypres. The
+force, however, which now stood between the enemy and the possession of
+Ypres, had by this time lost many of its distinctive characteristics.
+The actual battalion units had become in most cases reduced to a mere
+shadow of their original strength. The 7th Division had become part of
+the 1st A.C., and several battalions of the 2nd A.C. were acting in
+concert with this already mixed corps. Many of the brigades had been
+broken up from their original constituents, and the fragments
+consolidated into new and temporary brigades. Sir Horace was for the
+moment an A.C. commander without an A.C., the remnants of his six
+heroic brigades being scattered here and there along the whole front.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The first, and perhaps the most interesting, because the most
+strenuous, epoch in the war&#8212;as far as it concerned the British
+Force&#8212;was nearly closed; but not quite. Before that can be written of
+it, some great deeds had yet to be done, and were done. The Germans
+were still making continuous and determined efforts to break through to
+Ypres by way of Klein Zillebeke, and to that particular zone of the
+fighting our attention can henceforth be confined.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="klein">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+KLEIN ZILLEBEKE
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+When we last took leave of the Klein Zillebeke section of the
+fighting line, on the night of October 30th, the cavalry position from
+Klein Zillebeke to the canal had just been taken over by Lord Cavan
+with the 2nd Grenadiers and Irish Guards, the former being on the
+canal. On the left of the Irish Guards were the 2nd Gordon Highlanders,
+with the Oxford Light Infantry in reserve, and beyond them the Sussex
+and Northamptons, with their left joining up with the 22nd Brigade. On
+the left of the 22nd Brigade was the 21st Brigade, with the 2nd R.
+Scots Fusiliers on its extreme flank just south of the Menin road at
+Gheluvelt. The 20th Brigade was in reserve.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During the morning the 3rd Cavalry Division was kept at Verbranden
+Molen ready for emergencies, but about 1 p.m. orders were received for
+it to go to the support of the 3rd C.B. at St. Eloi. Contradictory
+orders were, however, afterwards received, and in the end the brigade
+joined up with the 4th Hussars, and together they held the two bridges
+over the canal at the bend just north of Hollebeke till nightfall. In
+this action Sergt. Seddons, of the 4th Hussars, showed great gallantry
+during the defence of the eastern bridge and was deservedly awarded the
+D.C.M. In the meanwhile the 6th C.B. was sent along the Menin road so
+as to be ready to co-operate with the 7th Division or the 1st A.C. in
+case of need. That need&#8212;as will presently be seen&#8212;very quickly arose.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The original plan for this day had been to attack and retake the
+Zandvoorde ridge, together with the trenches which had been lost the
+day before, but the enemy's extreme activity rendered this
+impracticable, and we were in the end forced to act purely on the
+defensive.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+We are now, be it remembered, dealing with the morning of October 31st,
+the day on which the cavalry were driven out of Wytschate and Messines
+and the 1st and 7th Divisions out of Gheluvelt. The terrific
+bombardment of that morning has already been described. It was chiefly
+concentrated on the Menin road, but the whole line from Gheluvelt to
+the canal was involved.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 2nd Brigade, which was between the two Guards' battalions and the
+7th Division, had a curious experience during the morning. It survived
+the bombardment, and when this slackened to allow the German infantry
+to advance, it was still in its trenches and prepared to remain there.
+About eight o'clock, however, General Bulfin summoned the four C.O.'s
+of the brigade, and ordered a general retirement of the brigade to the
+cross-roads at Zillebeke, about a mile in rear. This was duly carried
+out, and without much loss on the part of the Sussex and Northamptons,
+who were able to retire through the Zwartelen woods without coming
+under observation. The 2nd Gordon Highlanders, however (attached
+temporarily to the 2nd Brigade), were less fortunate. Their trenches
+were in the open, running north-eastward from Klein Zillebeke farm
+along the edge of the country lane known as the Brown Road, and, in
+retiring, they had to cross a considerable tract of exposed ground,
+during which they suffered very severely from machine-gun fire, Captain
+McLean's company being practically wiped out.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+It was afterwards freely rumoured that this order to retire had been
+delivered to General Bulfin, as a Divisional Order, by a German dressed
+in the uniform of a British Staff officer. Some colour is given to this
+rumour by the extreme improbability of such an order having been
+officially given after Sir Douglas Haig's ultimatum of the day before,
+that the line which this apocryphal order caused to be abandoned was to
+be held at all costs. In any event, it is a matter of history that
+those concerned did not accept the retired position as a permanency,
+and a counter-attack was quickly organized. The 6th C.B., which had
+been waiting in reserve on the Menin road, was brought up as far as the
+Basseville brook, where they deployed to the south, and, partly mounted
+and partly dismounted, charged through the Zwartelen woods.
+Simultaneously the Gordon Highlanders, now reduced to 300, and under
+the command of Major Craufurd (Col. Uniacke having been knocked out by
+a shell earlier in the day), charged on the right of the cavalry, with
+the Oxford Light Infantry extending the line again on their right.
+Before this united movement the Bavarian troops in the woods turned and
+ran, but, true to their principles, continued to cover their retreat
+with a heavy machine-gun fire. Two of these machine-guns were
+successfully located, and the 6th C.B. menhandled a gun into the firing
+line and knocked them both out in fine style. This broke the back of
+the resistance. The Bavarians started surrendering, and the Gordon
+Highlanders took a number of prisoners up to the time when Lieut.
+Grahame was shot dead by an officer who had surrendered to him; after
+that they took fewer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The enemy losses were very heavy. Eight hundred and seventy prisoners
+were taken during the day, and the number of killed and wounded in the
+woods ran into several hundreds.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This charge&#8212;successful though it had been in clearing the Zwartelen
+woods of the enemy&#8212;had not yet reinstated the 2nd Brigade in the line
+which they had occupied in the morning, before the much-discussed order
+to retire had arisen. General Bulfin therefore decided to try during
+the night to regain the morning position. Accordingly at midnight,
+under the full moon, and at the same time that the desperate battle was
+raging round Messines and Wytschate eight miles to the south-west, the
+2nd Brigade made their second counter-attack. This, as far as it went,
+was a complete success. The trenches were carried and occupied, and the
+Germans driven out. Unfortunately, however, the 22nd Brigade, on the
+left, found themselves unable to get up into line, and, owing to their
+left being unprotected, the 2nd Brigade battalions had one after the
+other&#8212;in succession from the left&#8212;to fall back again.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+These two attacks, <i>i.e.</i>, the afternoon charge through the woods
+and the midnight assault on the trenches, had now reduced the Gordons
+to 3 officers and 110 men, and these were for the time being
+amalgamated with the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, who were on their
+right. The Irish Guards remained in their original position, on the
+right of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, but the 2nd Grenadiers were
+relieved by French Territorials and went back into reserve.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The nett result of this terrible day's fighting was that our line was
+pushed back everywhere, except at Klein Zillebeke and Zonnebeke, the
+two points which marked the northern and southern limits of the Ypres
+salient. The effect of the recapture of the Gheluvelt position by the
+2nd Worcesters and 1st Scots Guards was neutralized by the cave in the
+line south of that place, which rendered Gheluvelt untenable. It had
+therefore to be abandoned. The loss of that place, however, was of no
+material importance, as its abandonment had long been recognized as a
+necessary step in the gradual straightening out of the Ypres salient.
+The only serious effect of the new line was that Klein Zillebeke, which
+for long had been the re-entering angle, so to speak, of the position,
+now, by the retirements to right and left of it, was pushed forward
+into a species of salient, and its vulnerability was thereby
+appreciably increased. This increased vulnerability at once transformed
+Klein Zillebeke into the centre of interest as far as this zone was
+concerned, this little village being&#8212;for reasons already given&#8212;a spot
+which at any and all costs had to be kept from the enemy. To Klein
+Zillebeke and neighbourhood, then, we may not unreasonably look for
+early developments.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+One of the many unhappy incidents of this day's costly fighting was the
+landing of a shell in the Divisional Head Quarters at Hooge, by which
+General Lomax received wounds from which he subsequently died, General
+Munro was rendered unconscious, and Col. Kerr and five staff officers
+were killed.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="relief">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE RELIEF OF THE SEVENTH DIVISION
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+All through the 31st and morning following, the Irish Guards on the
+right of the Gordon Highlanders were subjected to a relentless
+shelling, and their casualties were considerable. On the morning of
+November 1st both their machine-guns were knocked out, and at 3 p.m.
+news came that they were retiring. Lord Cavan sent word for them to
+hold on some 200 yards to the rear, and also for the French
+Territorials between them and the canal at Hollebeke to hold on to
+their position at all costs. This the French managed to do, with very
+great credit to themselves, at the same time throwing back their left
+so as to keep in touch with the new position.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Germans at once occupied the Irish Guards' trenches, but luckily
+did not realize the position sufficiently to pursue their advantage
+further, otherwise the consequences might have been serious. As it was,
+sufficient time was given for the 2nd Grenadiers and 7th C.B. to come
+up in support, and with this stiffening the new line was held for the
+rest of the day. But there was a cave at Klein Zillebeke.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Irish Guards had 400 casualties during this and the previous day's
+fighting, including 11 officers: Major Stepney, the Hon. A. Mulholland
+and Lieuts. Coke and Mathieson being killed, and Col. Lord Ardee
+(attached from the Grenadiers), the Hon. T. Vesey, the Hon. A.
+Alexander, Lieuts. Fergusson, Gore-Langton, Lord Kingston, and Lord
+Francis Scott (attached from Grenadiers), wounded. The last named
+officer and Captain Orr-Ewing (attached from Scots Guards) were each
+awarded the D.S.O. "for gallant and persistent attempts to rally the
+battalion."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the morning of November 2nd there was a renewal of the regulation
+attack along the Menin road. This time the attack took the form of a
+high-explosive bombardment of the barricade across the road at
+Veldhoek. This was soon demolished and an infantry attack on the 1st
+Brigade ensued, as a result of which that skeleton brigade yielded 300
+yards of ground, but held on to the trenches in rear till nightfall.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Further south, about 11.30 on the same morning, a tremendous attack was
+delivered against the 2nd Brigade, in the course of which Gen. Bulfin
+was wounded and part of the line driven in. An urgent appeal for
+support was sent to Lord Cavan, upon whom it now devolved to take over
+command of Gen. Bulfin's four battalions, in addition to his own two.
+He made his way with all speed to the scene of action, with a view to
+discovering the extent of the mischief. This proved to be (so far) that
+the Northamptons had been driven in, and that the enemy&#8212;following
+up&#8212;had broken through in numbers into the Hooge woods. Beyond the
+Northamptons, that is to say, on the left of his new command, the R.
+Sussex were still standing firm. This regiment, however, was greatly
+reduced in numbers, its casualties during the last four days having
+averaged over a hundred per day. On the 30th Col. Crispin had been
+killed; on the following day his successor, Major Green, had been
+killed, and the regiment was at the moment under the command of Captain
+Villiers. Lord Cavan found it in an extremely precarious situation,
+owing to its weak numerical condition, and the envelopment of its right
+flank, consequent upon the Northamptons' retirement. He thereupon
+hurried up the 2nd Grenadiers from reserve as far as the Brown Road,
+where he ordered them to leave their packs and go straight through the
+wood towards the south-east with the bayonet.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+These Ypres woods have all the appearance of an English copse wood,
+that is to say, they are formed of some six years' growth of hazel and
+ash, with standard oaks dotted about here and there. Incidentally they
+were at this time full of pheasants, destined to be shot in normal
+times by the Lords of the Ch&#226;teaux of Hooge, Gheluvelt and Heronhage.
+Precisely in the manner of a line of beaters driving game, the
+Grenadiers now pushed through the thick undergrowth, and while the
+pheasants rose before the advancing line, so did the Germans run. By
+4.30 the wood was cleared and the morning line restored. The
+Northamptons thereupon re-occupied their trenches, but they were not
+destined to be left there in peace. About six in the evening the
+Germans again attacked the same part of the line, this time advancing
+with discordant yells, thinking, no doubt, to repeat their performance
+of the morning. If so, the event must have come to them as something of
+a surprise, for the Northamptons&#8212;profiting possibly by their previous
+experience&#8212;coolly waited till the attacking party was within fifty
+yards of the trenches, and then mowed them down. Not a German reached
+the trenches, and over 200 dead were left on the ground.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At night the R. Sussex were brought back into reserve and the remnant
+of the Gordons went back to the 20th Brigade, which brigade was at the
+time in the grounds of the Hooge Ch&#226;teau. In addition to their previous
+losses, the Gordons had during the day lost their C.O., Major Craufurd,
+who was wounded in the early morning. The position of Lord Cavan's
+command was then, as follows: the Northamptons on the left, in touch
+with the R. Welsh Fusiliers in the 7th Division; then the Oxfordshire
+Light Infantry and the 2nd Grenadiers, who had become very much mixed
+up, and on the right the Irish Guards. Beyond were the French
+Territorials.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With the fall of night on the 2nd of November the acuteness of the five
+days' crisis may be said to have passed. The all-highest War Lord had
+come and gone; the supreme effort of the enemy to break through to
+Ypres had been made, and had failed; the British force had come out of
+the ordeal reduced to a shadow, and battered out of recognition, but
+unconquered. The Kaiser's forces had fallen back sullen and&#8212;for the
+time being&#8212;disheartened, realizing at last the hopelessness of the
+task they had been set to accomplish. Their losses had been prodigious,
+and though their repeated attacks had&#8212;at great sacrifice&#8212;forced back
+the face of the Ypres salient some two miles, the only military effect
+resulting therefrom was that the British force was at last in
+occupation of the true line of defence dictated by military prudence
+and the natural features of the country. From this line, that is to
+say, the ridge some 150 feet in height which runs from the corner of
+the canal at Hollebeke to Zonnebeke, they were never afterwards
+dislodged.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 3rd, 4th and 5th were in the main uneventful. November 5th was
+chiefly memorable in this year, not for anti-Popish demonstrations, but
+as the day on which the 7th Division&#8212;after three weeks' incessant
+fighting&#8212;was temporarily relieved. During the three weeks in question
+it had lost 356 officers out of a full complement of 400, and 9,664
+rank and file out of a total of 12,000. Battalions had been reduced to
+the dimensions of platoons, and had, in some cases, lost every
+combatant officer.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 7th Division's performance, during its three weeks east of Ypres,
+will go down to history as one of the most remarkable achievements in
+the records of war. Many other units had, by the second half of
+November, lost as heavily in officers and men as had the twelve
+battalions of the 7th Division&#8212;in one or two cases even more heavily;
+but the losses of these had been distributed over three months; those
+of the 7th Division were concentrated into three weeks. They had been
+suddenly pitchforked into a position of the most supreme
+responsibility. They found themselves more by chance than by design
+standing in the road along which the War Lord had elected to make his
+most determined efforts to reach Calais. These efforts came as a
+succession of hammer-blows, which gave the defending force neither rest
+nor respite, and to cope with which their numbers were ludicrously
+insufficient. Their failure, however, would have spelt disaster to the
+cause of the Allies, and&#8212;realizing this&#8212;they actually achieved the
+impossible. There is something particularly stirring in the thought of
+this small force beaten back step by step, as fresh and fresh troops
+were hurled upon it day after day, and yet never turning its back to
+the foe, never beaten, never despondent, and never for a moment failing
+in the trust which had been imposed upon it. The most remarkable
+feature about the 7th Division was that it had no weak spot in its
+composition. Each one of its twelve battalions lived up in every
+particular to the high standard of duty and efficiency which the
+Division set itself from the beginning. The troops were mostly veterans
+from abroad, who had been summoned back from foreign service too late
+to take part in the earlier stages of the war, and they may therefore
+in a sense be considered as picked troops.<a href="#note12" name="noteref12">
+<small>[12]</small></a>
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 7th and 15th Brigades from the 2nd A.C., who relieved the 7th
+Division, were themselves sadly thinned in numbers. The 7th Brigade,
+which took the place of the 20th Brigade, had, in fact, lost
+seventy-four per cent. of its numbers during the fighting round La
+Bass&#233;e, and was in almost as bad a plight as the 20th Brigade, which it
+relieved. The 15th Brigade, which replaced the 22nd, was rather
+stronger, having received drafts from home.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 20th Brigade went back to Locre, and the 22nd to Bailleul. The
+21st&#8212;which perhaps had suffered rather the least of the
+three&#8212;remained for the time being in the trenches.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At night the 6th C.B. took over the trenches at Heronhage Ch&#226;teau from
+the 3rd Brigade, who had been having a rough time during the preceding
+days, and these went back into reserve.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="zwartelen">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+ZWARTELEN
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+November 6th saw a certain renewal of the enemy's activity. The day
+opened very foggy, but by eleven o'clock there was a bright sun. In the
+morning the French once more re-took Wytschate and Messines, but again
+found them untenable, and in fact this was the last attempt on the part
+of the Allies to occupy either of these two places.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The respite of the poor 22nd Brigade from the trenches was short-lived,
+and the evening of the 6th saw them once more hurried up into the
+firing line. This came about in the following way. The French had now
+taken over all our trenches as far north as the Brown Road, our own
+troops being pushed up to the left. North of the French were the Irish
+Guards, and, beyond them, the 2nd Grenadiers. The French troops, who
+had so far held their ground with splendid tenacity, now found the
+position more than they could support. The German bombardment, with
+which they as usual opened the day, was more than usually severe, and
+lasted the whole morning, and about 2 p.m. it was followed by an
+infantry attack before which the left of the French and the right of
+the Irish Guards was driven in. As a result of this cave in the line,
+the left of the Irish Guards, which remained in the trenches, suffered
+considerably, Lord John Hamilton, Captain King-Harman and Lieut.
+Woodroffe being killed. An urgent message was sent to Gen. Kavanagh to
+bring up the 7th C.B., who were in readiness near Lord Cavan's Head
+Quarters behind Zillebeke, and the 22nd Brigade was also wired for to
+come up from Bailleul. The cavalry came galloping up to Zillebeke,
+where they dismounted and advanced on foot along and astride of the
+road from Zillebeke to Zwartelen, which runs along the foot of the
+ridge ending in Hill 60. Just short of Zwartelen they deployed, the 1st
+Life Guards on the left being told off to restore the Irish Guards'
+position, while the 2nd Life Guards attacked the position from which
+the French had been driven. The Blues were behind the centre of the
+line in support.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 1st Life Guards, under the Hon. A. Stanley, attacked the lost
+trenches of the Irish Guards with the greatest vigour, and within an
+hour had regained, at the point of the bayonet, the whole of the
+position lost. The Hon. A. Stanley received the medal for Distinguished
+Service for his conduct on this occasion, as did also Corpl. Baillie
+and Corpl. Fleming. Sergt. Munn, of the Irish Guards, also got the
+D.C.M. for rallying some men of his battalion and joining in the charge
+of the 1st Life Guards.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the meanwhile the Hon. Hugh Dawnay, commanding the 2nd Life Guards,
+sent off "B" Squadron to connect up with the right of the 1st Life
+Guards and clear the wood on the Klein Zillebeke ridge. "D" Squadron
+was sent off to cover the right flank of the whole combined movement by
+advancing along the edge of the Ypres to Armenti&#232;res railway, which is
+separated from the wood by about 500 yards of open ground; while Major
+Dawnay himself, with "C" Troop, attacked the village of Zwartelen, with
+the Blues under Col. Wilson on his left, and some 300 of the French,
+who&#8212;encouraged by the advance of the Household Cavalry&#8212;had reformed,
+on his right, that is to say, between him and "D" Squadron on the
+railway.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The whole scheme worked admirably. The attack by "B" Squadron on the
+Klein Zillebeke ridge wood was entirely successful, the enemy being
+driven out with loss and pursued for several hundred yards. The attack
+on Zwartelen&#8212;though perhaps a more formidable undertaking&#8212;was no less
+successful. The village was very strongly held, the houses in and
+around being occupied and defended, and the Household Cavalry's advance
+was met by a heavy rifle fire which caused many casualties, both Col.
+Wilson and Major Dawnay being killed while leading their respective
+regiments. In spite of heavy losses, however, the cavalrymen, with
+great steadiness and determination, pressed home their attack, and, at
+the point of the bayonet, carried the village and captured a number of
+prisoners, "C" Troop of the 2nd Life Guards afterwards pushing right
+through and occupying the trenches in the wood on the far side of the
+village. Lieut. Stewart-Menzies, Corpl. Watt, Corpl. Moulsen and Corpl.
+Anstice were all decorated for their gallantry during this brilliant
+performance on the part of "C" Troop. The latter N.C.O. displayed the
+greatest courage throughout the fight.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The success of the counter-attack was now to all appearances complete,
+all the ground lost in the morning having been regained. At this
+moment, however, the French on the right of "C" Troop again gave way,
+leaving a gap into which the enemy at once pressed. The position of "C"
+Troop was now greatly imperilled, and General Kavanagh ordered the
+Blues, and "B" Squadron of the 2nd Life Guards, to cross the Verbranden
+Molen road to its support. This was done, the Blues moving to the right
+and occupying Zwartelen and Hill 60, and in these several positions the
+combined force continued to fight out time; but some of the ground
+which had been regained had to be abandoned.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The situation was saved by the arrival about 6 p.m. of the 22nd
+Brigade, which had been hurried up from Bailleul in motor-buses. This
+brigade now took over the Household Cavalry position at Zwartelen,
+while the 2nd K.R.R., from the 2nd Brigade, relieved the squadron of
+the 2nd Life Guards which was holding the railway on the right flank.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Household Cavalry earned the very highest praise for their
+performance on this afternoon. They were handled with great skill by
+General Kavanagh, and the daring and dash of their advance undoubtedly
+averted what might have proved a very serious calamity. They lost
+seventeen officers during their advance, as follows:
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the 1st Life Guards the Hon. R. Wyndham (attached from the
+Lincolnshire Yeomanry) was killed and the Hon. H. Denison, the Hon. E.
+Fitzroy and Captain Hardy were wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the 2nd Life Guards the Hon. H. Dawnay, the Hon. A. O'Neill and
+Lieut. Peterson were killed and the Hon. M. Lyon, Lieut. Jobson, Lieut.
+Sandys and 2nd Lieut. Hobson were wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+In the Blues, Col. Wilson and Lieut. de Gunzberg were killed, and Lord
+Gerard, Lord Northampton and Captain Brassey were wounded.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The enemy's bombardment of the morning, and the infantry attack of the
+afternoon which followed, had by no means been confined to the area the
+loss and recapture of which has just been described. The 2nd
+Grenadiers, on the left of the Irish Guards, were as heavily attacked
+as any, but they succeeded in maintaining their ground throughout both
+morning and afternoon. Sergt. Thomas, who as Corpl. Thomas had so
+distinguished himself at Chavonne, once again showed the material of
+which he was made. His trench was subjected to a most appalling
+shelling. Only two of his platoon remained unwounded; he himself had
+twice been buried and the flank of his trench was exposed, but even in
+this apparently impossible position he held on, and was still in proud
+occupation of his trench when the arrival of the 7th C.B. and 22nd
+Brigade once more drove back the enemy. Sergt. Holmes and Corpl.
+Harrison in the same battalion also greatly distinguished themselves.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+At daybreak on the 7th, in the dull, misty atmosphere of a November
+morning, the 22nd Brigade deployed for an attempt to regain the
+position of the day before. This brigade, owing to its depleted
+condition, was now reduced to two composite battalions, the R. Welsh
+Fusiliers and 2nd Queen's being amalgamated into one battalion under
+the command of Captain Alleyne of the Queen's, and the Warwicks and S.
+Staffords into the other, under the command of Captain Vallentin of the
+S. Staffords. It is worthy of note that the brigade could furnish no
+officers of higher rank than a Captain; also that both the officers
+above-named fell on the second day of their command, Captain Alleyne
+being badly wounded and Captain Vallentin killed. The latter was
+posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for the great gallantry he had
+displayed in the command of his composite battalion.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The brigade deployed in four lines, of which the first two were formed
+by the 2nd Queen's, who now numbered about 400. In this formation they
+advanced till within 300 yards of the enemy's position, when the first
+two lines joined up and charged. In spite of a heavy machine-gun fire,
+which still further reduced the 400, the Queen's charged right home and
+in rapid succession carried first one and then a second line of
+trenches, the defenders being all bayoneted or put to flight. The
+second of these two positions&#8212;the same, in fact, as had been captured
+by the 2nd Life Guards the day before&#8212;proved to be too far ahead of
+the general line and had to be abandoned, as it was persistently
+enfiladed by machine-gun fire from a farm-house on the left; but the
+first line was successfully held till night, when the battalion was
+relieved. During this charge of the Queen's Lieut. Haigh was killed and
+Captain Alleyne, Captain Roberts, Lieuts. Lang-Browne, Collis and
+Pascoe were wounded. Three machine-guns were captured.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 22nd Brigade was now reduced to four officers, that is to say, one
+to each battalion, and at night they were finally relieved, and allowed
+to return to the retirement from which they had been so rudely
+summoned.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+During this same day there was some severe fighting in the Polygon
+wood, the Connaught Rangers being driven back and their trenches
+captured. The flank of the Coldstream Brigade thus became threatened,
+and for a time the position promised to be serious, but the 6th Brigade
+on the Zonnebeke road came to the rescue, the lost trenches were
+regained, and the continuity of the line once more established.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The morning of the 8th saw a renewal of the attempt to break through
+along the Menin road. At the first assault the French and two companies
+of the Loyal N. Lancashire Regiment in the first line were driven back,
+and the flank of the 1st Scots Guards became exposed. As a result the
+enemy was able to rake the trenches of the latter regiment with
+machine-guns and their casualties were heavy, Lieuts. Cripps,
+Stirling-Stuart, Monckton and Smith being killed. The battalion,
+however, held on till the morning position was once more restored by
+the two reserve companies of the Loyal N. Lancashires, who,
+counter-attacking with great spirit and determination, drove back the
+enemy from the position they had temporarily won.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="guard">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+THE PRUSSIAN GUARD ATTACK
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+From November 8th to 11th there was little fighting. It had been
+apparently realized at length by the German commanders that the troops
+they were at present employing were incapable of breaking the British
+line, but at the back of that admission there was evidently still the
+belief that the task was possible, provided the troops employed were
+sufficiently good. Accordingly the Prussian Guard was sent for. Pending
+the arrival of that invincible body there was a lull in the ceaseless
+hammer of battle; and in the meanwhile the weather changed for the
+worse. By the time the Prussian Guard was ready for its enterprise,
+that is to say by November 11th, it was about as bad as it could be. A
+strong west wind was accompanied by an icy rain, which fell all day in
+torrents. Luckily the wind and rain were in the faces of the enemy, a
+factor of no little importance.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The battle of November 11th may be looked upon as the last attempt but
+one of the Germans to break through to Calais during the 1914 campaign.
+The actual last serious attempt was on November 17th. On the 11th the
+cannonade began at daybreak and was kept up till 9.30. In violence and
+volume it rivalled that of October 31st. The entire front from Klein
+Zillebeke to Zonnebeke was involved, the enemy's design being&#8212;as on
+the 31st&#8212;to attack all along the front simultaneously so as to hamper
+and cripple the British commanders in the use of the very limited
+reserves at their disposal.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The newly-arrived troops were the 1st and 4th Brigade Prussian Guard,
+and some battalions of the Garde J&#228;ger, in all fifteen battalions, and
+to these was entrusted the main attack on the key of the position,
+<i>i.e.</i>, along, and north of, the Menin road.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The Prussian Guard attacked through Veldhoek, and in their advance
+displayed the invincible courage for which they have ever been famed.
+Such courage, however&#8212;though sufficiently sublime from the spectacular
+point of view&#8212;cannot fail to be expensive, and the losses among these
+gallant men were prodigious. It was afterwards said by a prisoner that
+they had been deceived by the silence in our trenches into thinking
+that the bombardment had cleared them, and so came on recklessly.
+However, in spite of their losses, by sheer intrepidity and weight of
+numbers, they succeeded in capturing all the front line trenches of the
+1st Brigade, who were astride the Menin road between Veldhoek and
+Hooge. In three places large bodies of the enemy succeeded in breaking
+through, and in each case their success furnished a subject for
+reflection as to the why and the wherefore of battles. For, having
+succeeded in doing that which they had set out to do, they stood
+huddled together in the plainest uncertainty as to how next to act, a
+point which was speedily settled by the arrival of our reserves, who
+fell upon the successful invaders and promptly annihilated them. One
+party of some 700 were accounted for to a man by the Oxfordshire Light
+Infantry, led by Col. Davies.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+Another party which had broken through in the Polygon wood was
+similarly dealt with by the Highland Light Infantry under Col.
+Wolfe-Murray, an operation during which Lieut. Brodie won the Victoria
+Cross for exceptional gallantry. This was the second Victoria Cross to
+fall to this battalion,<a href="#note13" name="noteref13">
+<small>[13]</small></a> which had indeed never failed in any
+situation which it had been called upon to face. Gen. Willcocks, in
+subsequently addressing the battalion, alluded with pride to "the
+magnificent glory" with which it had fought, and concluded with the
+remarkable words: "There is no position which the Highland Light
+Infantry cannot capture."
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The nett result of the day's fighting was that the enemy gained some
+500 yards of ground, which, from the military point of view, advantaged
+them nothing, and the gaining of which had cost them some thousands of
+their best men. The barrenness of the advance made cannot be better
+illustrated than by the fact that it was the last step forward of the
+invading army, till the asphyxiating gas was brought into play in the
+spring of 1915.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On the 12th the 1st Brigade, which had borne the brunt of the Prussian
+Guard attack, was taken back into reserve. It will be conceded that it
+was about time.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+This gallant Brigade, 4,500 strong in August, was now represented as
+follows:
+</p>
+
+<table summary="Brigade representations">
+
+<tr>
+<td>1st Scots Guards:</td>
+<td>Captain Stracey and 69 men.</td>
+</tr>
+
+
+<tr>
+<td>Black Watch:</td>
+<td>Captain Fortune and 109 men.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>Camerons:</td>
+<td>Col. McEwen,</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>&nbsp;</td>
+<td>Major Craig-Browne,</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>&nbsp;</td>
+<td>Lieut. Dunsterville and 140 men.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>1st Coldstream:</td>
+<td>No officers and 150 men.</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+<p>
+The 6th C.B. was now reinforced by the arrival of the North Somerset
+and Leicestershire Yeomanry Regiments. This strengthening was sorely
+needed, the brigade having been practically without rest since its
+arrival in Flanders. By the irony of fate the Hon. W. Cadogan, the
+Colonel of the 10th Hussars, was killed on the very day when these
+reinforcements arrived.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+With this addition to its strength the brigade was now required to
+find 800 rifles for its line of trenches along the Klein Zillebeke
+ridge, and in addition to furnish a reserve of 400, who&#8212;when not
+required&#8212;lived in burrows in the railway cutting at Hooge. Within a
+week, however, the reserve became a luxury of the past, and the
+brigade was called upon to find 1,200 rifles for the trenches.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+On November 17th we come to the last serious attempt of the enemy,
+during the 1914 campaign, to break through to Calais by way of Ypres.
+This final effort can be dismissed in a few words. It was made south of
+the Menin road by the XV. German Army Corps, and it took the form of
+two infantry attacks, one at 1 p.m. and another at 4 p.m.; and it
+failed utterly, the Germans leaving thousands of dead and wounded on
+the ground just in front of our trenches, to which they had been
+allowed to approach quite close.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The signal failure of this last spasmodic effort, and the subsequent
+passivity of the enemy, points with some significance to the conclusion
+that the position to which we had now been driven back along the
+Zillebeke&#8212;Zonnebeke ridge was impregnable, and was recognized as such
+by the enemy.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 6th C.B. and the 2nd Grenadiers were the most prominent figures in
+this victory of November 17th. In the course of the second attack the
+10th Hussars and 3rd Dragoon Guards allowed the enemy to come within a
+few yards of their trenches before they opened fire and mowed them down
+in masses. The 10th Hussars, however, again suffered somewhat severely
+in officers, the Hon. A. Annesley, Captain Peto, and Lieut. Drake being
+killed. The newly-arrived North Somerset Yeomanry, under Col. Glyn,
+behaved with the coolness and steadiness of veterans, and contributed
+in no small degree to the repulse of the enemy's second attack.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The 2nd Grenadiers received the highest praise from Lord Cavan for
+their part in this day's fighting. This battalion had now lost 30
+officers and 1,300 men since the beginning of the campaign, and on the
+following day it was sent back into reserve to recoup and reorganize.
+</p>
+
+
+
+<a name="epitaph">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="chapter">
+EPITAPH
+</p>
+
+
+<p>
+With the German failure of November 17th the first chapter in the Great
+War may be considered closed. The desperate and all but uninterrupted
+fighting which, for three months, followed the defence of the Mons
+canal, was succeeded by a long lull, during which both sides were
+busily engaged fighting a common foe. The winter of 1914 proved the
+wettest in the memory of man, and ague, rheumatism, frost-bite,
+gangrene and tetanus filled the hospitals with little less regularity
+than had the shot and shell of the autumn. Then came the great battle
+of Neuve Chapelle, and in another part of the world the grim struggles
+of the Dardanelles. These are another story, and some day this will be
+told; but great as may have been&#8212;and undoubtedly has been&#8212;the glory
+won in other fields, nothing can ever surpass, as a story of simple,
+sublime pluck, the history of the first three months of England's
+participation in the Great War. The word "pluck" is used with
+intention, for it conveys, perhaps, better than any other word a sense
+of that indomitable spirit which is superior to every rub of adverse
+fortune. There were no War Correspondents present with the First
+Expeditionary Force. There was no wrapping of specially favoured deeds
+in tinsel for the eyes of a cheap gallery. Even if the wrappers had
+been present, the general standard was too high for invidious
+selection. A mole-hill stands out on a plain, but makes no show in the
+uplands. V.C.'s, it is true, were won; but for every one given a
+hundred were earned. Military honours are the fruit of recommendation;
+but when Generals, Colonels, Company Officers and Sergeants are no
+more, the deed must be its own record; there is none left to recommend.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The grandeur of the doings of those First Seven Divisions lies, it may
+well be, in their immunity from the play of a cheap flashlight&#8212;a
+flashlight which too often distorts the perspective, and so illuminates
+the wrong spot. There is a gospel in the very reticence of the records
+of the regiments concerned&#8212;in the dignity with which, without any
+blare of trumpets, they tell of the daily answer to the call of a duty
+which balanced them ceaselessly on the edge of eternity. But it is
+always told as of a simple response to the call of duty, and not as a
+thing to be waved in the faces of an audience.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+But, though unflattered and unsung, those early deeds in France and
+Flanders can boast an epitaph which tells no lies, and which, in its
+simple tragedy, is more eloquent than a volume of strained panegyrics.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The register of "missing" is an enigma; it may mean many things. But
+the register of killed and wounded is no enigma. It tells, in the
+simplest terms, a tale of death and mutilation faced and found at the
+call of duty. Let us leave it at that.
+</p>
+
+<p>
+The First Expeditionary Force is no more. The distinctive names and
+numbers of the units that composed it still face one from the pages of
+the "Army List;" but of the bronzed, cheery men who sailed in August,
+1914, one third lie under the soil of France and Flanders. Of those
+that remain, some have been relegated for ever&#8212;and of a cruel
+necessity&#8212;to more peaceful pursuits; others&#8212;more hopefully
+convalescent&#8212;are looking forward with eagerness to the day when they
+will once more be fit to answer the call of duty and of country.
+</p>
+
+<br>
+<p class="ctr">
+THE END
+</p>
+
+
+<p class="ctr">
+<i>Printed at The Chapel River Press, Kingston, Surrey.</i>
+</p>
+
+<hr class="med">
+
+<p class="head">
+Footnotes
+</p>
+
+<a name="note1">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref1">[1]</a> Of this famous fighting family the twins Captain Rivy and
+Captain Francis Grenfell have both been killed during the present
+war. Their elder brother, R. S. Grenfell, was killed at Omdurman
+during the Egyptian campaign, and their cousin Claud Grenfell at
+Spion Kop, in the Boer war. Two other cousins, the Honourable
+J. Grenfell and Honourable G. Grenfell, have also fallen in the present
+war. Lieut.-Col. Cecil Grenfell, a brother of the twins, is at the
+moment of writing fighting in the Dardanelles.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note2">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref2">[2]</a> Killed June 6th, 1915.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note3">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref3">[3]</a> Col. Vandeleur, while leading the Cheshires at Givenchy, was
+<i>not</i> killed as originally reported, but was wounded, fell into the hands
+of the Germans and finally escaped to England.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note4">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref4">[4]</a> In this engagement Captain Kingston, Captain Lloyd, Captain
+Brennan and Lieut. Chance were killed, and Major Gabbett, Captain
+St. John, Captain Skaife and Lieuts. Jones and Naylor were wounded.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note5">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref5">[5]</a> 13th, 14th and 15th Brigades.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note6">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref6">[6]</a> 4th R. Fusiliers, 1st R. Scots Fusiliers, Northumberland Fusiliers
+and the Lincolnshire Regiment.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note7">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref7">[7]</a> Major Carter, D.S.O., was killed on November 10th, 1914. He
+was the third O.C. the Loyal N. Lancs, to be killed in action, Col.
+Lloyd having fallen on September 14th and Col. Knight at the
+battle of the Marne.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note8">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref8">[8]</a> Captain Paynter and Captain Fox got the D.S.O. for their share
+in the night's work.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note9">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref9">[9]</a> Up to the end of January, 1915, the total casualties in the two
+battalions Scots Guards amounted to 2,888 of all ranks.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note10">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref10">[10]</a> Among those missing on that morning was the Hon.
+Francis Lambton. He was subsequently reported to have been
+killed.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note11">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref11">[11]</a> Killed November, 1914.
+</p>
+
+<a name="note12">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref12">[12]</a>
+</p>
+
+<table class="small" summary="Divisions">
+
+<tr>
+<td>The 7th Division (Gen. Capper).</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>20th Brigade (Gen. Ruggles-Brise), 1st Grenadiers.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="indent">2nd Scots Guards, 2nd Battalion the Border Regiment.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="indent">2nd Gordon Highlanders (old 92nd).</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>21st Brigade (Gen. Watt), 2nd Yorkshire Regiment.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="indent">2nd Bedfordshire Regiment, 2nd R. Scots Fusiliers.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="indent">2nd Wiltshire Regiment.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td>22nd Brigade (Gen. Lawford), 2nd R. Warwickshire Regiment.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="indent">2nd Queen's (R. West Surrey Regiment), 1st R. Welsh Fusiliers.</td>
+</tr>
+
+<tr>
+<td class="indent">1st S. Staffordshire Regiment.</td>
+</tr>
+</table>
+
+<a name="note13">&nbsp;</a>
+<p class="foot">
+<a href="#noteref13">[13]</a> Pte. Wilson had gained the honour on September 14th.
+</p>
+
+
+
+
+
+
+
+<pre>
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The First Seven Divisions, by Ernest W. Hamilton
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+Project Gutenberg's The First Seven Divisions, by Ernest W. Hamilton
+
+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/license
+
+
+Title: The First Seven Divisions
+       Being a Detailed Account of the Fighting from Mons to Ypres
+
+Author: Ernest W. Hamilton
+
+Release Date: March 15, 2012 [EBook #39158]
+
+Language: English
+
+Character set encoding: ASCII
+
+*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS ***
+
+
+
+
+Produced by Charlene Taylor, Sigal Alon and the Online
+Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net (This
+file was produced from images generously made available
+by The Internet Archive/Canadian Libraries)
+
+
+
+
+
+
+THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS
+
+_McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD & STEWART, Ltd._
+
+[Illustration: Map showing the first seven days of the retreat from
+Mons, with the routes followed by each Division. The dates given refer
+to the nights during which the troops rested, the days being spent in
+marching.
+
+  1st Division Violet
+  2nd Division Green
+  3rd Division Blue
+  5th Division Red
+
+Approximate scale 7 miles to an inch.]
+
+
+
+
+_The First Seven Divisions_
+
+_Being a detailed account of the fighting from Mons to Ypres_
+
+_By Ernest W. Hamilton_
+(_Late Captain 11th Hussars_)
+
+_WITH MAPS_
+
+_TORONTO:
+McCLELLAND, GOODCHILD & STEWART. Ltd._
+
+_Printed in Great Britain_
+
+
+
+
+PREFACE
+
+
+The 1st Expeditionary Force to leave England consisted of the 1st A.C.
+(1st and 2nd Divisions) and the 2nd A.C. (3rd and 5th Divisions).
+
+The 4th Division arrived in time to prolong the battle-front at Le
+Cateau, but it missed the terrible stress of the first few days, and
+can therefore hardly claim to rank as part of the 1st Expeditionary
+Force in the strict sense. The 6th Division did not join till the
+battle of the Aisne. These two divisions then formed the 3rd A.C.
+
+In the following pages the doings of the 3rd A.C. are only very lightly
+touched upon, not because they are less worthy of record than those of
+the 1st and 2nd A.C., but simply because they do not happen to have
+come within the field of vision of the narrator.
+
+The 7th Division's doings are dealt with because these were
+inextricably mixed up with the operations of the 1st A.C. east
+of Ypres. The 3rd A.C., on the other hand, acted throughout as
+an independent unit, and had no part in the Ypres and La Bassee
+fighting with which these pages are attempting to deal.
+
+The main point aimed at is accuracy; no attempt is made to magnify
+achievements, or to minimise failures.
+
+It must, however, be clearly understood that the mention from time to
+time of certain battalions as having been driven from their trenches
+does not in the smallest degree suggest inefficiency on the part of
+such battalions. It is probable that every battalion in the British
+Force has at some time or another during the past twelve months been
+forced to abandon its trenches. A battalion is driven from its trenches
+as often as not owing to insupportable shell-fire concentrated on a
+particular area. Such trenches may be afterwards retaken by another
+battalion under entirely different circumstances, and in any case in
+the absence of shell-fire. That goes without saying. It may, therefore,
+quite easily happen that lost trenches may be retaken by a battalion
+which is inferior in all military essentials to the battalion which was
+driven out of the same trenches the day before, or earlier in the same
+day, as the case may be.
+
+I wish to take this opportunity of expressing the great obligations
+under which I lie to the many officers who have so kindly assisted me
+in the compilation of this work.
+
+
+
+
+CONTENTS
+
+
+
+                                                         PAGE
+
+PREFACE                                                     v
+
+BEFORE MONS                                                 1
+
+THE BATTLE OF MONS                                         12
+
+THE RETREAT FROM MONS (LANDRECIES AND MAROILLES)           33
+
+THE LE CATEAU PROBLEM                                      50
+
+LE CATEAU                                                  55
+
+THE RETREAT FROM LE CATEAU (VILLERS-COTTERETS AND NERY)    66
+
+THE ADVANCE TO THE AISNE                                   84
+
+THE PASSAGE OF THE AISNE                                   96
+
+TROYON (VERNEUIL AND SOUPIR)                              103
+
+THE AISNE                                                 120
+
+MANUVRING WESTWARD                                        141
+
+FROM ATTACK TO DEFENCE                                    159
+
+THE BIRTH OF THE YPRES SALIENT                            162
+
+THE STAND OF THE FIFTH DIVISION                           180
+
+NEUVE CHAPELLE                                            192
+
+PILKEM                                                    203
+
+THE SECOND ADVANCE                                        209
+
+THE FIGHTING AT KRUISEIK                                  218
+
+THE LAST OF KRUISEIK                                      230
+
+ZANDVOORDE                                                249
+
+GHELUVELT                                                 257
+
+MESSINES AND WYTSCHATE                                    265
+
+KLEIN ZILLEBEKE                                           278
+
+THE RELIEF OF THE SEVENTH DIVISION                        285
+
+ZWARTELEN                                                 294
+
+THE PRUSSIAN GUARD ATTACK                                 303
+
+EPITAPH                                                   310
+
+
+
+
+The following abbreviations are used:--
+
+  The C. in C. = Field Marshal Sir John French
+  A.C.         = Army Corps
+  C.B.         = Cavalry Brigade
+  K.O.S.B.     = King's Own Scottish Borderers
+  K.O.Y.L.I.   = King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry
+  K.R.R.       = King's Royal Rifles (60th)
+
+
+
+
+LIST OF MAPS
+
+
+Showing the first seven days of the        _Facing Title Page_
+retreat from Mons, with the routes
+followed by each division.
+
+Showing disposition of troops at             _Facing page_ 12
+the battle of Mons.
+
+Showing line occupied by British                          102
+troops after the battle of the Aisne.
+
+Ypres and district                                        162
+
+
+
+
+THE FIRST SEVEN DIVISIONS
+
+
+
+
+BEFORE MONS
+
+
+When an entire continent has for eighteen months been convulsed by
+military operations on so vast a scale as almost to baffle imagination,
+the individual achievements of this division or of that division are
+apt to fade quickly out of recognition. Fresh scenes peopled by fresh
+actors hold the public eye, and, in the quick passage of events, the
+lustre of bygone deeds soon gets blurred. People forget. But when the
+deeds are such as to bring a thrill of national pride; when they set up
+an all but unique standard of valour for future generations to live up
+to, it is best not to forget.
+
+On the outbreak of war with Germany on August 3rd, 1914, the British
+Army was so small as to be a mere drop in the ocean of armed men who
+were hurrying to confront one another on the plains of Belgium. It was
+derisively described as "contemptible." And yet, in the first three
+months of the war, this little army, varying in numbers from 80,000 to
+130,000, may justly claim to have in some part moulded the history of
+Europe. It was the deciding factor in a struggle where the sides--at
+first--were none too equally matched. For this alone its deeds are
+worthy of record, and they are worthy of record too for another reason.
+They represent the supreme sacrifice in the interests of the national
+honour of what was familiarly known as our "regular army." Since the
+outbreak of the war, fresh armies have arisen, of new and unprecedented
+proportions. The members of these new armies are as familiar now to the
+public eye as the representatives of the old regular army are scarce.
+With the doings of these new armies the present pages have no concern.
+They are, it is true, the expression of a spirit of patriotism and duty
+so remarkable that their voluntary growth must for ever stand out as
+one of the grandest monuments in the history of Britain. But they form
+no part of the subject matter of these pages, which deal solely with
+the way in which the old regular army, led by the best in the land,
+saved the national honour in the acutest crisis in history, and
+practically ceased to exist in the doing of it.
+
+The regular army, small as it was, did not lie under the hands of those
+who would use it. Much of it was far away across the seas, guarding the
+outposts of the Empire. A certain proportion, however, was at hand, and
+with a smoothness and expedition which silenced, no less than it
+amazed, the critics of our military administration, 50,000 infantry,
+with its artillery and five brigades of cavalry, were shipped off to
+France almost before the public had realized that we were at war. From
+Havre or Boulogne, as the case might be, these troops either marched or
+were trained northwards; shook themselves into shape; gradually assumed
+the form of two army corps of two divisions each, of which the 1st
+Division was on the right and the 5th on the left (the 4th Division
+having not yet arrived), and in this formation faced the Belgian
+frontier to meet and check the invaders.
+
+The two advancing forces met at Mons, or, to be more accurate, the
+British force took up a defensive position at Mons--in conformity with
+the pre-arranged plan of extending the French line westwards--and there
+waited.
+
+From this time on, the doings of the Expeditionary Force become
+historically interesting, and its movements are worthy of study in
+detail. In the first instance, however, in order to arrive at a proper
+understanding of the circumstances which governed the position of the
+British troops on the occasion of their first stand, and which
+afterwards dictated the line of retreat and the roads to be followed in
+that retreat, and the successive points at which the retreating army
+faced about and fought, it is desirable to get a general grasp of the
+geographical side of things. The Germans were advancing from the
+north-east on Paris; that was their avowed intention; there was no
+secret about it; the leaders openly proclaimed their intentions; the
+soldiers advertised the fact in chalk legends scribbled on the doors of
+the houses; and--as the fashion is with Germans in arms--they were
+taking the most direct route to their objective, their artillery and
+transport following the great main roads that shoot out north-eastward
+from Paris towards Brussels, with their infantry swarming in endless
+thousands along the smaller collateral roads. Here and there, at
+intervals of from twenty to thirty miles, this system of parallel roads
+running north-east from Paris is crossed by other main roads running at
+right angles and forming, as it were, a skeleton check with the point
+of the diamond to the north. These main cross-roads had, in
+anticipation, been selected for the lines of defence along which our
+troops should turn and fight if necessary, for though it is laid down
+in the text-books of the wise that a line of defence must not run along
+a main road, such a road has obvious value for purposes of correct
+alignment. As the German advance was from the north-east, it is
+self-evident that the line of resistance or defence had to extend from
+north-west to south-east.
+
+When our troops, by forced marches, reached Mons on August 22nd, 1914,
+the primary business of the British Force was to prolong the French
+line of resistance in a north-westerly direction. The natural country
+feature which was geographically indicated for this purpose was the
+high road which runs from Charleroi through Binche to Mons, and this
+was the line for which our troops were originally destined. In effect,
+however, this line proved to be impracticable, for the simple reason
+that, when we reached it, the Germans were already in possession of
+Charleroi, and the French on our right had fallen back beyond the point
+of prolongation of this line. For the British Force in these
+circumstances to have occupied the Mons--Charleroi road would have laid
+it open to the very great risk--if not certainty--of being cut off and
+completely isolated. In these circumstances there was no alternative
+but to range our 1st A.C. along the Mons--Beaumont road, in rear of the
+original position contemplated, while the 2nd A.C. lined the canal
+between Mons and Conde. The position was not ideal, the formation being
+that of a broad arrow, with the two Army Corps practically at right
+angles to one another. However, it was the best that offered in the
+peculiar circumstances of the case. As it turned out in the end, the
+entire attack at Mons fell on the 2nd A.C., which lay back at an angle
+of forty-five degrees from the general line of defence. The battle of
+Mons may, therefore, in a sense be looked upon as an attempt at a
+flanking or enveloping movement on the part of the enemy, which was
+frustrated by the interposition of our troops.
+
+In view of the fact that the scene of the first shock with the enemy
+was fixed by necessity and not by choice, the Mons canal may be
+considered as a fortunate feature in the landscape. It ran sufficiently
+true to the required line to offer an obvious line of defence, and an
+ideal one, except for the flagrant defect that, after running from
+Conde to Mons in a mathematically straight line, on reaching the town
+it flings off to the north in a loop some two miles long by one and a
+half miles across. This loop, as well as the straight reach to Conde,
+was occupied by our troops. The formation of the British army, then,
+was not only that of a broad arrow, but of a broad arrow with a loop
+two miles long by a mile and a half across projecting from the point.
+Such a position could obviously not be held for long, and Sir Horace
+Smith-Dorrien, recognizing this, had prepared in advance a second and
+more defensible line running through Frameries, Paturages, Wasmes and
+Boussu. To this second line the troops were to fall back as soon as the
+salient became untenable. A glance at the map will serve to show that
+the effect of swinging back the right of the 2nd A.C. to this new
+position would be to at once bring the whole British Army into line,
+with a frontage facing the advance of the enemy from the north-east. In
+view, however, of the preparedness of the Germans and the comparative
+unpreparedness of the Allies, time was a factor in the case of the very
+first importance, and therefore the passage of the canal had to be
+opposed, if only for purposes of delay. It is important, however, to
+keep in mind that the real line which it was intended to defend at Mons
+was this second line. The intention was never carried out, because it
+was anticipated by an unexpected and most unwelcome order to retire in
+conformity with French movements on the right, which upset all plans.
+
+In the meanwhile, the enemy's entry into Mons itself had to be delayed
+as long as possible, which meant that the canal salient, bad as it was,
+had perforce to be defended. This dangerous but most responsible duty
+was entrusted to Sir Hubert Hamilton with his 3rd Division, and, as a
+matter of fact, the battle of Mons in the end proved to be practically
+confined to the three brigades of this division.
+
+The disposition of the division was as follows:
+
+General Shaw, with the 9th Brigade, was posted along the western face
+of the canal loop, his right-hand battalion being the 4th R. Fusiliers,
+who held the line from the Nimy bridge, at Lock 6, to the Ghlin bridge.
+To the left of the R. Fusiliers, were the R. Scots Fusiliers, and
+beyond them again half the Northumberland Fusiliers reaching as far as
+Jemappes. The Lincolns and the rest of the Northumberland Fusiliers
+formed the reserve to the brigade and were at Cuesmes in rear of the
+canal.
+
+On the right of the 9th Brigade was the 8th Brigade, occupying the
+north-east face of the canal salient. Of this brigade the 4th Middlesex
+on the left took up the line from the R. Fusiliers east of the Nimy
+bridge, and carried it on as far as the bridge and railway station at
+Obourg. Between Obourg and St. Symphorien were the 1st Gordon
+Highlanders, and on their right, thrown back so as to link up with the
+left of the 1st A.C., were the 2nd Royal Scots. The Royal Irish
+Regiment formed the brigade reserve at Hyon, and the 7th Brigade the
+divisional reserve at Cipley. So much then for the salient itself on
+which, as it turned out, the enemy's attack was mainly focussed. On the
+left of the 3rd Division, along the straight reach of the canal which
+runs to Conde, was Sir Charles Fergusson's 5th Division. Of this
+division we need only concern ourselves with the 13th Brigade, which
+continued the line of defence on the left of the 9th Brigade, the R.
+West Kents holding the ground from Mariette to Lock 5 at St. Ghislain,
+with the K.O.S.B. extended beyond them as far as Lock 4 at Les
+Herbieres. The K.O.Y.L.I. and Duke of Wellington's Regiment were in
+reserve. On the left of the K.O.S.B. was the E. Surrey Regiment and
+beyond again the 14th and 15th Brigades. Later on the line was still
+further extended to the west by the 19th Brigade, which arrived during
+the afternoon of the 23rd.
+
+Such then was the disposition of the 2nd A.C. The 1st A.C. lay back, as
+has been explained, almost at right angles to the line of the canal,
+along the two roads that branch off from Mons to Beaumont and Maubeuge
+respectively. On the first-named road was the 1st Division reaching as
+far as Grand Reng. This division, however, as events turned out, was
+merely a spectator of the operations of August 23rd. The 2nd Division
+was very much scattered, the 6th Brigade being at Givry, and the 5th at
+Bougnies, while of the 4th Brigade the two Coldstream Battalions were
+at Harveng and the rest of the brigade at Quevy.
+
+The gap between the 1st and 2nd A.C. was patrolled by the 2nd C.B., an
+operation which brought about the first actual collision between
+British and German troops. This was on the 22nd near Villers St.
+Ghislain, when Captain Hornby with a squadron of the 4th Dragoon Guards
+fell in with a column of Uhlans, which he promptly charged and very
+completely routed, capturing a number of prisoners.
+
+The rest of our cavalry was spread along the Binche road as a covering
+screen for the 1st A.C., with the exception of the 4th C.B. which was
+at Haulchin cross-roads, guarding the approach to that place from the
+direction of Binche, and at the same time keeping up a communication
+between the 1st and 2nd Divisions.
+
+Such then was, generally speaking, the position on August 22nd. During
+that night, however, all the cavalry was withdrawn from the Binche road
+and moved across to the left of our line, where they took up a position
+guarding that flank along the two roads running north and south through
+Thulin and Eloges to Andregnies. The 4th C.B., having the shortest
+journey to make, went four miles further west again to Quiverain. This
+change of position meant a twenty mile night march for the cavalry on
+the top of a hard day's patrol work, and the journey took them from six
+o'clock in the evening till two o'clock the following morning.
+
+
+
+
+THE BATTLE OF MONS
+
+
+The morning of the 23rd opened sunny and bright. The weather was set
+fair with a breeze from the east, a cloudless sky, and the promise of
+great heat at midday. A pale blue haze rounded off the distance, and
+softened the outlines of the tall, gaunt chimney stacks with which the
+entire country is dotted.
+
+With the first streak of dawn came the first German shell. It was
+evident from the outset that the canal loop had been singled out as the
+object of the enemy's special attentions. Its weakness from the
+defensive point of view was clearly as well known to them as it was to
+our own Generals. It was also fairly obvious to both sides that, if the
+enemy succeeded in crossing the canal in the neighbourhood of the
+salient, the line of defence along the straight reach to Conde would
+have to be abandoned. The straight reach of the canal was therefore,
+for the time being, neglected, and all efforts confined to the salient.
+ The bombardment increased in volume as the morning advanced and as
+fresh German batteries arrived on the scene, and at 8 a.m. came the
+first infantry attack.
+
+[Illustration: Map showing disposition of troops at the battle of Mons.
+Approximate scale 2 miles to an inch.]
+
+This first attack was launched against the north-west corner of the
+canal loop, the focus-point being--as had been anticipated--the Nimy
+bridge, on which the two main roads from Lens and Soignies converge.
+The attack, however, soon became more general and the pressure quickly
+extended for a good mile and a half to either side of the Nimy bridge,
+embracing the railway bridge and the Ghlin bridge to the left of it,
+and the long reach to the Obourg bridge on the right.
+
+The northern side of the canal is here dotted, throughout the entire
+length of the attacked position, with a number of small fir plantations
+which proved of inestimable value to the enemy for the purpose of
+masking their machine-gun fire, as well as for massing their infantry
+preparatory to an attack.
+
+About nine o'clock the German infantry attack, which had been
+threatening for some time past, took definite shape and four battalions
+were suddenly launched upon the head of the Nimy bridge. The bridge was
+defended by a single company of the R. Fusiliers under Captain
+Ashburner and a machine-gun in charge of Lieut. Dease.
+
+The Germans attacked in close column, an experiment which, in this case
+proved a conspicuous failure, the leading sections going down as one
+man before the concentrated machine-gun and rifle fire from the bridge.
+The survivors retreated with some haste behind the shelter of one of
+the plantations, where they remained for half an hour. Then the attack
+was renewed, this time in extended order. The alteration in the
+formation at once made itself felt on the defenders. This time the
+attack was checked but not stopped. Captain Ashburner's company on the
+Nimy bridge began to be hard pressed and 2nd Lieut. Mead was sent up
+with a platoon to its support. Mead was at once wounded--badly wounded
+in the head. He had it dressed in rear and returned to the firing line,
+to be again almost immediately shot through the head and killed.
+Captain Bowdon-Smith and Lieut. Smith then went up to the bridge with
+another platoon. Within ten minutes both had fallen badly wounded.
+Lieut. Dease who was working the machine-gun had already been hit three
+times. Captain Ashburner was wounded in the head, and Captain Forster,
+in the trench to the right of him, had been shot through the right arm
+and stomach. The position on the Nimy bridge was growing very
+desperate, and it was equally bad further to the left, where Captain
+Byng's company on the Ghlin bridge was going through a very similar
+experience. Here again the pressure was tremendous and the Germans made
+considerable headway, but could not gain the bridges, Pte. Godley with
+his machine-gun sticking to his post to the very end, and doing
+tremendous execution. The defenders too had most effective support from
+the 107th Battery R.F.A. entrenched behind them, the Artillery Observer
+in the firing line communicating the enemy's range with great accuracy.
+
+To the right of the Nimy bridge the 4th Middlesex were in the meanwhile
+putting up a no less stubborn defence, and against equally desperate
+odds. Major Davey, whose company was on the left, in touch with the
+right of the R. Fusiliers, had fallen wounded early in the day, and the
+position at that point finally became so serious that Major Abell's
+company was rushed up from reserve to its support. During this advance
+Major Abell himself, Captain Knowles and 2nd Lieut. Henstock were
+killed, and a third of the rank and file fell, but the balance
+succeeded in reaching the firing line trenches and--with this
+stiffening added--the position was successfully held for the time
+being.
+
+Captain Oliver's company, in the centre of the Middlesex line, was also
+very hard pressed, and Col. Cox sent up two companies of the R. Irish
+Regiment (who were in reserve at Hyon) to its support, another half
+company of the same regiment being at the same time sent to strengthen
+the right of the Middlesex line at the Obourg bridge, where Captain Roy
+had already been killed and Captain Glass wounded. The Gordons, on the
+right of the Middlesex, also suffered severely, but the Royal Scots
+beyond them were just outside of the zone of pressure, and their
+casualties were few.
+
+The attack along the straight reach of the canal towards Conde was less
+violent, and was not pressed till much later in the day. Here, lining
+the canal towards the west, was the 5th Division (13th, 14th and 15th
+Brigades). On the right of this division and in touch with the
+Northumberland Fusiliers, who were the left-hand battalion of the 9th
+Brigade (in the 3rd Division) were the 1st R. West Kents. This
+battalion had on the previous day, in its capacity as advance guard to
+the brigade, been thrown forward as a screen some distance to the north
+of the canal, where it sustained some fifty casualties, Lieuts.
+Anderson and Lister being killed and 2nd Lieut. Chitty wounded.
+Eventually, as the enemy advanced, the battalion was withdrawn to the
+south side of the canal, and on the 23rd it occupied the reach from
+Mariette on the east to the Pommeroeul--St. Ghislain road on the west,
+where two companies held the bridge at the lock. This position,
+however, was not seriously pressed, and the battalion had few further
+casualties during the day, though Captain Buchanon-Dunlop had the
+misfortune to be wounded by a shell at the outset of the attack.
+
+Towards midday the attack against the straight reach of the canal
+became general. The whole line was shelled, and the German infantry,
+taking advantage of the cover afforded by the numerous fir
+plantations--which here, as at Nimy, dotted the north side of the
+canal--worked up to within a few hundred yards of the water, and from
+the cover of the trees maintained a constant rifle and machine-gun fire
+on the defenders.
+
+About 3 o'clock in the afternoon the 19th Brigade under General
+Drummond arrived from Valenciennes and took up a position on the
+extreme left of our front, extending the line of the 5th Division as
+far as Conde itself, on the outskirts of which town were the 1st
+Cameronians, with the 2nd Middlesex on their right, and the 2nd R.
+Welsh Fusiliers again beyond.
+
+They were hardly in position before the action became general all along
+the line of the canal.
+
+The most serious attack in this quarter was on the bridge at Les
+Herbieres, held by the 2nd K.O.S.B. This regiment had thrown one
+company forward on the north side, along the Pommeroeul road, with the
+remaining companies lining the south bank of the canal, and the
+machine-guns dominating the situation on the north side of the canal
+from the top storey of the highest house on the south side. The
+dispositions for defence were good, but on the other hand the K.O.S.B.
+were throughout the action a good deal harassed by a thick wood running
+up close to the north bank, in which the Germans were able to
+concentrate without coming under observation. Several times their
+infantry were seen massing on the edge of this wood with a view to a
+charge, but on each occasion the attack died away under the rifle fire
+from the Pommeroeul road and canal bank, and the machine-gun fire from
+the tall house beyond.
+
+In the meanwhile, though undoubtedly inflicting very heavy losses on
+the enemy, the K.O.S.B. were losing men all the time, Captain Spencer,
+Captain Kennedy and Major Chandos-Leigh being early among the
+casualties. Curiously enough, the machine-gun position, though
+sufficiently conspicuous, was not located by the enemy for some
+considerable time, but eventually it became the object of much
+attention. In the end, however, it was luckily able to withdraw without
+loss, being more fortunate in this respect than the machine-gun section
+of the K.O.Y.L.I. on the right under Lieut. Pepys, that officer being
+the first man killed in action in the battalion, if not in the whole
+division.
+
+The Germans, in spite of all efforts, were able to make no material
+headway along the straight canal, nor was the advantage of the fighting
+in that quarter by any means on their side, but with the abandonment of
+the Nimy salient the withdrawal of the troops to the left of it became
+imperative, for reasons already explained, and in the evening the 5th
+Division received the order to retire. This was not till long after the
+3rd Division had abandoned the Nimy salient. The three brigades of this
+latter division, after putting up a heroic defence and suffering very
+severe casualties, got the order to retire at 3 p.m., whereupon the R.
+Fusiliers fell slowly back through Mons to Hyon, and the R. Scots
+Fusiliers, who had put up a great fight at Jemappes, through Flenu. The
+blowing up of the Jemappes bridge gave a lot of trouble. Corpl. Jarvis,
+R.E., worked at it for one and a half hours, continuously under fire,
+before he eventually managed to get it destroyed under the very noses
+of the Germans. He got a private of the R. Scots Fusiliers, named
+Heron, to help him, who got the D.C.M. Jarvis got the Victoria Cross.
+
+The retirement of the R. Fusiliers from their dangerous position along
+the western boundary of the salient was not an easy matter. Before
+cover could be got they had to cross 250 yards of flat open ground
+swept at very close range by shrapnel and machine-gun fire. Dease had
+now been hit five times and was quite unable to move. Lieut. Steele,
+who was the only man in the whole section who had not been killed or
+wounded, caught him up in his arms and carried him across the fire zone
+to a place of safety beyond, where however he later on succumbed to his
+wounds. Dease was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross, as also was
+Pte. Godley for his machine-gun work on the Ghlin bridge.
+
+The 9th Brigade after abandoning the salient remained in the open
+fields near the Mons hospital till two o'clock in the morning, when it
+continued its retirement towards Frameries. The wounded were left in
+the Mons hospital. At Flenu the R. Scots Fusiliers lingered rather too
+long, and were caught near the railway junction by some very mobile
+machine-guns, which caused a number of casualties, Captain Rose being
+killed, and several other officers wounded.
+
+By dusk the new line running through Montreuil, Boussu, Wasmes,
+Paturages and Frameries had been taken up by the greater part of the
+2nd A.C., but the two extremities, _i.e._, the 14th, 15th and 19th
+Brigades on the left and the 8th Brigade on the right, remained in
+their original positions till the middle of the night. The latter
+brigade then retired through Nouvelles and Quevy to Amfroipret, just
+beyond Bavai, where it bivouacked. This brigade in common with the 9th
+Brigade had suffered very severely, the Middlesex alone having lost 15
+officers and 353 rank and file.
+
+By night the Germans had completed their pontoon bridges across the
+canal, and it became evident that they were advancing in great force in
+the direction of Frameries, Paturages and Wasmes. Sir Horace realized
+that the 3rd Division had been too severely knocked about during the
+day to hold the position unaided for long against the weight of troops
+known to be advancing. He accordingly motored over to the C. in C. to
+ask for the loan of the 5th Brigade which was at Bougnies, four miles
+off, and on the main road to Frameries. This was readily granted him,
+and without delay the 5th Brigade set out, half of it remaining in
+Frameries, and the other half passing on to Paturages.
+
+In the meanwhile, however, came a most unwelcome change of programme.
+The first line in the Mons salient had been obviously untenable for
+long, and had been recognized as such by our commanders, but the line
+now held was a different matter altogether, and there was every
+reasonable expectation that it could be successfully defended, at any
+rate for a very considerable time. At 2 a.m., however, Sir Horace
+received the order to abandon it and retire without delay to the
+Valenciennes to Maubeuge road, as the French on our right were
+retreating. Not only was this unexpected order highly distasteful to
+the soldier-spirit of the corps, but it involved difficulties of a
+grave nature with regard to the clearance of the transport and
+impedimenta generally, and severe and costly rear-guard actions seemed
+inevitable. At Paturages the Oxfordshire L.I. from the newly-arrived
+5th Brigade was detailed for this duty, and dug itself in in rear of
+the town, while the 3rd Division continued its retirement to Bermeries.
+The Germans, however, contented themselves with shelling and then
+occupying the town, and made no attempt to follow through on the far
+side--a matter for pronounced congratulation, the position of the 5th
+Brigade being very bad and its line of retreat worse. It is to be
+supposed that the attractions of the town were for the moment stronger
+than the lust of battle. There also can be no question but that the
+Germans lost very heavily in their advance on Frameries and Paturages,
+the British shrapnel being beautifully timed, and knocking the
+attacking columns to pieces.
+
+At noon the 5th Brigade returned to its own division at Bavai, the 23rd
+Brigade R.F.A. remaining behind at Paturages to give all the exits from
+the town an hour's bombardment, in case the German pursuit might become
+too pressing.
+
+In the cobbled streets of Bavai a fine confusion was found to
+reign--companies without regiments and officers without companies, and
+various units mixed up anyhow. The Staff officers had their hands very
+full.
+
+In the meantime, while Frameries and Paturages were being occupied by
+the enemy with little or no infantry opposition, and with little
+attempt on the part of the enemy at further pursuit, the market square
+at Wasmes presented a very different scene. This town had been shelled
+from daybreak, the enemy's fire being replied to with magnificent
+courage and with the most conspicuous success by a single howitzer
+battery standing out by itself half a mile from the town. An officer,
+perched on the top of one of the huge slag heaps with which the country
+is dotted, was able to direct operations with the highest degree of
+accuracy, and rendered services to the retreating force which are
+beyond estimation.
+
+At ten o'clock the German infantry attacked the town with the utmost
+confidence, advancing through the narrow streets in close column. A
+certain surprise, however, awaited them. In the town, lining the market
+square and the streets to either side, were the K.O.Y.L.I., the R. West
+Kents, the Bedfords and the Duke of Wellington's Regiment, these
+regiments having been detailed for rear-guard work and having
+successfully withstood the bombardment. The heads of the German
+columns, the moment they appeared in sight, were met by a concentrated
+rifle and machine-gun fire and were literally mown down like grass.
+Their losses were enormous. Time after time they were driven back, and
+time after time they advanced again with splendid but useless courage.
+After two hours' fighting in the streets, during which the enemy was
+able to make no headway, our troops, having fulfilled their duty as
+rear-guard, were able to withdraw in good order to St. Vaast, which was
+reached at dusk. The losses on our side were heavy. The R. West Kents
+alone had Major Pack-Beresford, Captain Philips, and Lieuts. Sewell and
+Broadwood killed, and several other officers wounded. The Duke of
+Wellington's also lost heavily. Sergt. Spence of that regiment
+distinguished himself very greatly. During one of the German advances
+he was badly wounded, but ignoring his wounds he charged with a platoon
+down one of the narrow streets to the right of the square, and drove
+the enemy clean out of the town with great loss. He was awarded the
+D.C.M. as was also Sergt. Hunt of the Bedfords.
+
+Further west, at the extreme left of our line, the retirement was
+effected with even greater difficulty than at Wasmes. The second line
+of defence through Montreuil, Boussu, Wasmes, Paturages and
+Frameries--which in effect merely constituted a change of front with
+the right thrown half back--of necessity left the western end of our
+line in close proximity to the enemy's advance. In other words, the
+further west the greater the difficulty of retiring on account of the
+closer presence of the enemy. The 14th, 15th and 19th Brigades, with a
+view to conforming to the general direction of the second line of
+defence, had remained north of the Valenciennes--Mons road and railway
+throughout the night of the 23rd. In the morning, when the order to
+retire to the Valenciennes road came, the 15th and 19th Brigades
+crossed the railway at Quiverain, and the 14th at Thulin, but by this
+time the enemy was close upon their heels. The 1st Cavalry Division was
+able to help their retirement to a certain extent by dismounting and
+lining the railway embankment, from which position they got the
+advancing Germans in half flank, and did considerable execution. By
+11.30, however, they too had been forced to retire to Andregnies. An
+urgent message now arrived from Sir Charles Fergusson, commanding the
+5th Division, saying that he could not possibly extricate his division
+unless prompt and effective help was given by the cavalry. On receiving
+this message, General de Lisle, who was at Andregnies, sent off the
+18th Hussars to the high ground along the Quiverain to Eloges road with
+orders to there dismount and make the most of the ground. The 119th
+Battery R.F.A. was at this time just south-west of Eloges, and L
+Battery R.H.A. just north-east of Andregnies, both being on the main
+road to Angre and about three miles apart. The 4th Dragoon Guards and
+9th Lancers were in Andregnies itself.
+
+No sooner were his dispositions made than the German columns were seen
+advancing from the direction of Quiverain towards Andregnies. De Lisle
+told the two regiments in the village that they had got to stop the
+advance at all costs, even if it entailed a charge. The very suggestion
+of a charge never fails to act as a tonic to any British cavalry
+regiment, and in great elation of spirits the two cavalry regiments
+debouched from the village, the 4th Dragoon Guards making their exit
+from the left, and the two squadrons of the 9th Lancers from the right.
+
+The enemy were now seen some 2,000 yards away, the intervening ground
+being mainly stubble fields in which the corn stooks were still
+standing. The Germans no sooner saw the cavalry advancing with the
+evident intention of charging than they scattered in every direction,
+taking shelter behind the corn stooks and any other cover that
+presented itself, and opening fire from these positions. The cavalry
+advanced in the most perfect order, and was on the point of making a
+final charge when it became evident that this was impossible owing to a
+wire fence which divided two of the stubble fields.
+
+With great coolness and presence of mind, the two C.O.'s, Col. Mullens
+of the 4th Dragoon Guards, and Col. Campbell of the 9th Lancers,
+without pausing, wheeled their troops to the right, and took cover
+behind some big slag heaps, where they dismounted under shelter. From
+this position the cavalry opened a galling fire on the advancing
+Germans, the two batteries on the Angre road joining in. The original
+scheme of charging the enemy having been frustrated, it now became
+necessary to get fresh orders from Head Quarters, and Col. Campbell
+accordingly galloped back across the open, in full view of the enemy
+and under a salute of bullets, to see the Brigadier, leaving Captain
+Lucas-Tooth in command of the two squadrons of the 9th Lancers.
+
+For four hours the fight was kept up, the led horses being gradually
+withdrawn into safety, while the dismounted cavalry with their two
+attendant batteries held the enemy in check. During the whole of this
+period the Germans were quite unable to advance beyond the wire fence
+which had so suddenly changed a proposed charge into a dismounted
+attack. Captain Lucas-Tooth was awarded the D.S.O. for the gallantry
+with which he conducted this defence, and for the great coolness and
+skill with which he withdrew his men and horses.
+
+General de Lisle's object having now been achieved, the dismounted men
+were gradually withdrawn. During the course of one of these
+withdrawals, Captain Francis Grenfell, 9th Lancers, noticed Major
+Alexander of the 119th Battery in difficulties with regard to the
+withdrawal of his guns. All his horses had been killed, and almost
+every man in the detachment was either killed or wounded. Captain
+Grenfell offered assistance which was gladly accepted, and presently he
+returned with eleven officers of his regiment and some forty men. The
+ground was very heavy and the guns had to be run back by hand under a
+ceaseless fire, but they were all saved, Major Alexander, Captain
+Grenfell and the rest of the officers working as hard as the men.
+Captain Grenfell was already wounded when he arrived, and was again hit
+while manhandling one of the guns, but he declined to retire till they
+were all saved. For this fine performance, Major Alexander and Captain
+Grenfell[1] were each awarded the Victoria Cross, Sergts. Turner and
+Davids getting the D.C.M. Others no doubt merited it too, but where so
+many were deserving it was hard to discriminate.
+
+        [1] Of this famous fighting family the twins Captain Rivy and
+        Captain Francis Grenfell have both been killed during the
+        present war. Their elder brother, R. S. Grenfell, was killed
+        at Omdurman during the Egyptian campaign, and their cousin
+        Claud Grenfell at Spion Kop, in the Boer war. Two other
+        cousins, the Honourable J. Grenfell and Honourable G.
+        Grenfell, have also fallen in the present war. Lieut.-Col.
+        Cecil Grenfell, a brother of the twins, is at the moment of
+        writing fighting in the Dardanelles.
+
+We may now consider the retirement of the 2nd A.C. to the Valenciennes
+to Maubeuge road to have been successfully effected; and the fall of
+night saw this corps dotted at intervals along this road between
+Jerlain and Bavai.
+
+While they are there, enjoying their few hours' respite from marching
+and fighting, it may be well to cast a retrospective glance at the
+doings of the 1st A.C. This corps had so far had little serious
+fighting, but it had been very far from inactive, and in point of fact,
+it had probably covered more ground in the way of marching and
+counter-marching than its partner, owing to repeated scares of enemy
+attacks which did not materialize. At daybreak on the 24th, the 2nd
+Division was ordered to make a demonstration in the direction of Binche
+with a view to diverting attention from the retirement of the 2nd A.C.
+The 2nd Division now consisted of the 4th and 6th Brigades only, the
+5th Brigade having, as we know, gone to Frameries and Paturages to help
+the 3rd Division. These two brigades, then, advanced at daybreak in the
+direction of Binche to the accompaniment of a tremendous cannonade, in
+which the artillery of the 1st Division joined from the neighbourhood
+of Pleissant. There was a great noise and a vigorous artillery response
+from the enemy, but not much else, and after an hour or so the 2nd
+Division returned to the Mons--Maubeuge road, where it entrenched. Here
+it remained for some four hours, when it retired to the Quevy road and
+again entrenched. Nothing, however, in the way of a serious attack
+occurred, and at five o'clock in the evening it fell back to its
+appointed place just east of Bavai. The 1st Division shortly afterwards
+arrived at Feignies and Longueville, and the whole British Army was
+once more in line between Jerlain and Maubeuge, with Bavai as the
+dividing point between the two A.C.'s.
+
+
+
+
+THE RETREAT FROM MONS
+
+
+In modern warfare the boundary line between the words "victory" and
+"defeat" is not easy to fix. It is perhaps particularly difficult to
+fix in relation to the part played by any arbitrarily selected group of
+regiments; the fact being that the value of results achieved can only
+be truly gauged from the standpoint of their conformity with the
+general scheme. So thoroughly is this now understood that the word
+"victory" or "defeat" is seldom used by either side in connection with
+individual actions, except in relation to the strategical bearing of
+such actions on the ultimate aims of the War Council.
+
+The name of Mons will always be associated in the public mind with the
+idea of retreat, and retreat is the traditional companion of defeat.
+Incidentally, too, retreat is bitterly distasteful both to the soldier
+and the onlooking public. It must be borne in mind, however, that
+retreat is a more difficult operation than advance, and that when a
+retreat is achieved with practically intact forces, capable of an
+immediate advance when called upon, and capable of making considerable
+captures of guns and prisoners in the process of advance, a great deal
+of hesitation is needed before the word "defeat" can be definitely
+associated with such results.
+
+During the first three months of the war the general idea on both sides
+was to stretch out seawards, and so overlap the western flank of the
+opposing army. At the moment of the arrival of the British Force on the
+Belgian frontier, Germany had outstripped France in this race to the
+west, and there was a very real danger of the French Army being
+outflanked; so much so, in fact, that in order to avoid any such
+calamity, a rearrangement of the French pieces seemed called for, to
+the necessary prejudice of the general scheme. However, at the
+psychological moment, the much-discussed British Force materialized and
+became a live obstacle in the path of the German outflanking movement.
+Its allotted task was to baulk this movement, while the French
+combination in rear was being smoothly unfolded.
+
+It is now a matter of history that this was done. The German outflanking
+movement failed; Von Kluck's right wing was held in check; and the
+British Force fell back unbroken and fighting all the way, while the
+French dispositions further south and west were systematically and
+securely shaping for success.
+
+Was Mons, then, a defeat? For forty-eight hours the British had held up
+the German forces north of the Maubeuge--Valenciennes road; the left of
+the French Army had been effectively protected, and--over and above
+all--the British Force had succeeded in retiring in perfect order and
+intact, except for the ordinary wear and tear of battle. It had "done
+its job;" it had accomplished the exact purpose for which it had been
+put in the field, and it had withdrawn thirty-five miles, or
+thereabouts, to face about and repeat the operation.
+
+In attaching the label to such a performance, neither "victory" nor
+"defeat" is a word that quite fits. Such crude classifications are
+relics of primordial standards when scalps and loot were the only
+recognized marks of victory. To-day, generals commanding armies rather
+search for honour in the field of duty--duty accomplished, orders
+obeyed. These simple formulae have always been the watchwords of the
+soldier-unit, whether that unit be a man, a platoon, a company or a
+regiment. Now, with the limitless increase in the size of armaments, a
+unit may well be an Army Corps, or even a combination of Army Corps,
+and the highest aim of the general officer commanding such a unit must
+be--as of old--fulfilment of duty, obedience to orders.
+
+To the Briton, then, dwelling in mind on the battle of Mons, the
+reflection will always come with a certain pleasant flavour that the
+British Army was a unit which "did its job," and did it in a way worthy
+of the highest British traditions. More than this it is not open to
+man--whether military or civilian--to do.
+
+The British Army continued its retreat from the Maubeuge road in the
+early morning of the 25th. The original intention of the C. in C. had
+been to make a stand along this road. That, however, was when the
+numbers opposed to him were supposed to be very much less than they
+ultimately turned out to be. Now it was known that there were three
+Army Corps on his heels, to say nothing of an additional flanking corps
+that was said to be working up from the direction of Tournai. This last
+was quite an ugly factor in the case, as it opened the possibility of
+the little British Force being hemmed in against Maubeuge and
+surrounded. The road system to the rear, too, was sketchy, and by no
+means well adapted to a hurried retreat--especially east of Bavai; nor
+was the country itself suitable for defence, the standing crops greatly
+limiting the field of fire. All things considered, it was decided not
+to fight here, but to get back to the Cambrai to Le Cateau road, and
+make that the next line of resistance.
+
+Accordingly, about four o'clock on the morning of the 25th, the whole
+army turned its face southward once more. The 5th Division, which
+during the process of retirement had geographically changed places
+with the 3rd Division, travelled by the mathematically straight Roman
+road which runs to Le Cateau, along the western edge of the Foret de
+Mormal, while the 3rd Division took the still more western route by Le
+Quesnoy and Solesme, their retreat being effectively covered by the
+1st and 3rd C.B. At Le Quesnoy the cavalry, thinking that the enemy's
+attentions were becoming too pressing, dismounted and lined the
+railway embankment, which offered fine cover for men and horses. From
+here the Germans could be plainly seen advancing diagonally across the
+fields in innumerable short lines, which the cavalry fire was able to
+enfilade and materially check.
+
+In the meanwhile the 1st A.C., which had throughout formed the eastern
+wing of the army, had perforce to put up with the eastern line of
+retreat on the far side of the Foret de Mormal, a circumstance
+which--owing to the longer and more roundabout nature of the route
+followed--was not without its effect on the subsequent battle of Le
+Cateau. The six brigades belonging to the last named corps started at
+all hours of the morning between 4 and 8.30, at which latter hour the
+2nd Brigade--the last to leave--quitted its billets at Feignies and
+marched to Marbaix. The 1st Brigade went to Taisnieres, the 4th to
+Landrecies, the 6th to Maroilles, while the 5th got no farther than
+Leval, having had a scare and a consequent set-back at Pont-sur-Sambre.
+
+Here then we may leave the 1st A.C. on the night of the 25th,
+considerably scattered, and separated by distances varying from ten to
+thirty miles from its partner, which was at the time making
+preparations to put up a fight along the Cambrai--Le Cateau road.
+
+The original scheme agreed between the C. in C. and his two Army Corps
+commanders, had been that the 2nd Division should pass on westward
+across the river at Landrecies and link up with the 5th Division at Le
+Cateau, blowing up behind it the bridges at Landrecies and Catillon.
+This scheme was upset by the activity of the enemy on the east side of
+the Foret de Mormal, rear-guard actions being forced upon each of the
+three divisional brigades at Pont-sur-Sambre, Landrecies and Maroilles
+respectively. These rear-guard actions, coupled with the longer and
+worse roads they had to follow, in the end so seriously delayed the
+retirement of the 2nd Division as to entirely put out of court any
+question of their co-operation with the 2nd A.C. at Le Cateau on the
+26th.
+
+The 4th Brigade got the nearest at Landrecies, but it got there dead
+beat and then had to fight all night. The 1st Division was a good
+thirty miles off at Marbaix and Taisnieres, where it had its hands
+sufficiently full with its own affairs. This division may, therefore,
+for the moment, be put aside as a negligible quantity in the very
+critical situation which was developing west of the Sambre. The
+movements of the 2nd Division were not only more eventful in
+themselves, but were of far greater practical interest to the commander
+of the 2nd A.C. in his endeavour to successfully withdraw his harassed
+Mons army. We may, therefore, follow this division in rather closer
+detail during the day and night of the 25th.
+
+In reckoning the miscarriage of the arrangements originally planned, it
+must not be lost sight of that the march from the Bavai road to the Le
+Cateau road was the longest to be accomplished during the retreat. From
+Bavai to Le Cateau is twenty-two miles as the crow flies. It is
+probable that the 5th Division, following the straight Roman road, did
+not greatly exceed this distance, but to the route of the 3rd Division
+it is certainly necessary to add another five miles, and to that of the
+2nd Division, ten. In reflecting that the pursuing Germans had to cover
+the same distance, the following facts must be borne in mind. The
+training of our military schools has always been based to a very great
+extent on the experience of the previous war. The equipment of our
+military menage is also largely designed to meet the exigencies of a
+war on somewhat similar lines to that of the last. Our wars for sixty
+years past have been "little wars" fought in far-off countries more or
+less uncivilized; and the probability of our armies fighting on
+European soil has always been considered as remote. Germany, on the
+other hand, has had few "little wars," but has, on the other hand, for
+many years been preparing for the contingency of a war amidst European
+surroundings. As a consequence, her army equipment at the outbreak of
+war was constructed primarily with a view to rapid movements on paved
+and macadamized roads; certainly ours was not. The German advance was
+therefore assisted by every known device for facilitating the rapid
+movement of troops along the roads of modern civilization. Later on, by
+requisitioning the motor-lorries and vans of trading firms, we placed
+ourselves on more or less of an equal footing in this respect, but that
+was not when the necessity for rapid movement was most keenly felt. The
+Germans reaped a double advantage, for not only were they capable of
+quicker movement, but they were also able to overtake our rear-guards
+with troops that were not jaded with interminable marching.
+
+It must also be borne in mind that a pursuing force marches straight to
+its objective with a minimum of exhaustion in relation to the work
+accomplished, an advantage which certainly cannot be claimed for a
+retreating force which has to turn and fight.
+
+We may now return to the 2nd Division, setting out from La Longueville
+on its stupendous undertaking. At first the whole division followed the
+one road by the eastern edge of the Foret de Mormal, the impedimenta in
+front, the troops plodding behind. This road was choked from end to end
+with refugees and their belongings, chiefly from Maubeuge and district,
+and the average pace of the procession was about two miles an hour. An
+order came to hurry up so that the bridges over the Sambre could be
+blown up before the Germans came; but it was waste of breath. The
+troops were dead beat. Though they had so far had no fighting, they had
+done a terrible amount of marching, counter-marching and digging during
+the past four days, and they were dead beat. The reservists' boots were
+all too small, and their feet swelled horribly. Hundreds fell out from
+absolute exhaustion. The worst cases were taken along in the transport
+wagons; the rest became stragglers, following along behind as best they
+were able. Some of the cavalry that saw them pass said that their eyes
+were fixed in a ghastly stare, and they stumbled along like blind men.
+At Leval the division split up, the 4th Brigade taking the road to
+Landrecies, and the 6th that to Maroilles. The 5th Brigade, which was
+doing rear-guard to the division, got no farther than Leval, where it
+prepared to put up a fight along the railway line; for there was a
+scare that the Germans were very close behind. The Oxfordshire Light
+Infantry were even sent back along the road they had already travelled
+to Pont-sur-Sambre, where they entrenched. The Germans, however, did
+not come.
+
+
+THE FIGHT AT LANDRECIES
+
+The 4th (Guards') Brigade reached Landrecies at 1 p.m. This brigade had
+made the furthest progress towards the contemplated junction with the
+2nd A.C., and they were very tired. They went into billets at once,
+some in the barracks, some in the town. They had about four hours'
+rest; then there came an alarm that the Germans were advancing on the
+town, and the brigade got to its feet. The four battalions were split
+up into companies--one to each of the exits from the town. The
+Grenadiers were on the western side; the 2nd Coldstream on the south
+and east; and the 3rd Coldstream to the north and north-west. The Irish
+Guards saw to the barricading of the streets with transport wagons and
+such-like obstacles. They also loop-holed the end houses of the streets
+facing the country.
+
+As a matter of fact the attack did not take place till 8.30 p.m., and
+then it was entirely borne by two companies of the 3rd Battalion
+Coldstream Guards. At the north-west angle of the town there is a
+narrow street, known as the Faubourg Soyere. Two hundred yards from the
+town this branches out into two roads, each leading into the Foret de
+Mormal. Here, at the junction of the roads, the Hon. A. Monck's company
+had been stationed. The sky was very overcast, and the darkness fell
+early. Shortly after 8.30 p.m. infantry was heard advancing from the
+direction of the forest; they were singing French songs, and a
+flashlight turned upon the head of the column showed up French
+uniforms. It was not till they were practically at arms' length that a
+second flashlight detected the German uniforms in rear of the leading
+sections. The machine-gun had no time to speak before the man in charge
+was bayoneted and the gun itself captured. A hand-to-hand fight in the
+dark followed, in which revolvers and bayonets played the principal
+part, the Coldstream being gradually forced back by weight of numbers
+towards the entrance to the town. Here Captain Longueville's company
+was in reserve in the Faubourg Soyere itself, and through a heavy fire
+he rushed up his men to the support of Captain Monck.
+
+The arrival of the reserve company made things rather more level as
+regards numbers, though--as it afterwards transpired--the Germans were
+throughout in a majority of at least two to one. Col. Feilding and
+Major Matheson now arrived on the spot, and took over control. Inspired
+by their presence and example, the two Coldstream companies now
+attacked their assailants with great vigour and drove them back with
+considerable loss into the shadows of the forest. From here the Germans
+trained a light field-gun on to the mouth of the Faubourg Soyere, and,
+firing shrapnel and star-shell at point-blank range, made things very
+unpleasant for the defenders. Flames began to shoot up from a wooden
+barn at the end of the street, but were quickly got under, with much
+promptitude and courage, by a private of the name of Wyatt, who twice
+extinguished them under a heavy fire. A blaze of light at this point
+would have been fatal to the safety of the defenders, and Wyatt, whose
+act was one involving great personal danger, was subsequently awarded
+the Victoria Cross for this act, and for the conspicuous bravery which
+he displayed a week later when wounded at Villers-Cotteret.
+
+In the meanwhile Col. Feilding had sent off for a howitzer, which duly
+arrived and was aimed at the flash of the German gun. By an
+extraordinary piece of marksmanship, or of luck, as the case may be,
+the third shot got it full and the field-gun ceased from troubling. The
+German infantry thereupon renewed their attack, but failed to make any
+further headway during the night, and in the end went off in their
+motor-lorries, taking their wounded with them.
+
+It turned out that the attacking force, consisting of a battalion of
+1,200 men, with one light field-piece, had been sent on in these
+lorries in advance of the general pursuit, with the idea of seizing
+Landrecies and its important bridge before the British could arrive
+and link up with the 2nd A.C. The attack _qua_ attack failed
+conspicuously, inasmuch as the enemy was driven back with very heavy
+loss; but it is possible that it accomplished its purpose in helping
+to prevent the junction of the two A.C.'s. This, however, is in a
+region of speculation, which it is profitless to pursue further.
+
+The Landrecies fight lasted six hours and was a very brilliant little
+victory for the 3rd Coldstream; but it was expensive. Lord Hawarden
+and the Hon. A. Windsor-Clive were killed, and Captain Whitehead,
+Lieut. Keppel and Lieut. Rowley were wounded. The casualties among the
+rank and file amounted to 170, of whom 153 were left in the hospital
+at Landrecies. The two companies engaged fought under particularly
+trying conditions, and many of the rank and file showed great
+gallantry. Conspicuous amongst these were Sergt. Fox and Pte. Thomas,
+each of whom was awarded the D.C.M. The German losses were, of course,
+unascertainable, but they were undoubtedly very much higher than ours.
+
+At 3.30 a.m. on the 26th, just as the 2nd A.C. in their trenches ten
+miles away to the west were beginning to look northward for the enemy,
+the 4th Brigade left Landrecies and continued its retirement down the
+beautiful valley of the Sambre.
+
+
+MAROILLES
+
+On the same night the town of Maroilles further east was the scene of
+another little fight. About 10 p.m. a report arrived that the main
+German column was advancing on the bridge over the Petit Helpe and that
+the squadron of the 15th Hussars which had been left to guard the
+bridge was insufficient for the purpose. The obstruction of this bridge
+was a matter of the very first importance, as its passage would have
+opened up a short cut for the Germans, by which they might easily have
+cut off the 4th Brigade south of Landrecies. Accordingly the 1st Berks
+were ordered off back along the road they had already travelled to hold
+the position at all costs. The ground near the bridge here is very
+swampy, and the only two approaches are by means of raised causeways,
+one of which faces the bridge, while the other lies at right angles.
+Along this latter the Berks crept up, led by Col. Graham.
+
+The night was intensely dark, and the causeway very narrow, and bounded
+on each side by a deep fosse, into which many of the men slipped. The
+Germans, as it turned out, had already forced the bridge, and were in
+the act of advancing along the causeway; and in the pitch blackness of
+the night the two forces suddenly bumped one into the other. Neither
+side had fixed bayonets, for fear of accidents in the dark, and in the
+scrimmage which followed it was chiefly a case of rifle-butts and
+fists. At this game the Germans proved no match for our men, and were
+gradually forced back to the bridge-head, where they were held for the
+remainder of the night.
+
+In the small hours of the morning the Germans, who turned out not to be
+the main column, but only a strong detachment, threw up the sponge and
+withdrew westward towards the Sambre, following the right bank of the
+Petit Helpe. Whereupon the 1st Berks--having achieved their
+purpose--followed the rest of the 2nd Division along the road to
+Etreux.
+
+
+
+
+THE LE CATEAU PROBLEM
+
+
+It is necessary now to cast a momentary eye upon the general situation
+of the British forces on the night of August 25th. The 3rd and 5th
+Divisions, in spite of the severe fighting of the 23rd and 24th, and in
+spite of great exhaustion, had successfully accomplished the arduous
+march to the Le Cateau position. The 19th Brigade and the 4th Division,
+the latter fresh from England, were already there, extending the
+selected line towards the west. So far, so good. The 1st and 2nd
+Divisions, however, owing to causes which have already been explained,
+were not in a position to co-operate; and it was clear that, if battle
+was to be offered at Le Cateau, the already battered 2nd A.C.
+(supplemented by the newly-arrived troops) would have to stand the
+shock single-handed.
+
+A consideration of these facts induced the C. in C. to change his
+original intention of making a stand behind the Le Cateau road, and he
+decided to continue his retirement to the single line of rail which
+runs from St. Quentin to Roisel, where his force would be once more in
+line. This change of plan he communicated to his two Army Corps
+commanders, Sir Douglas Haig and Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. The former
+fell in with it gladly; the latter, however, was not to the same extent
+a free agent, and he returned word that, in view of the immense
+superiority in numbers of the German forces, which were practically
+treading on his heels, and of the necessarily slow progress made by his
+tired troops, it was impossible to continue his retirement, and that he
+had no alternative but to turn and fight. To which the C. in C. replied
+that he must do the best he could, but that he could give him no
+support from the 1st A.C., that corps being effectively cut off by
+natural obstacles from the scene of action. As a matter of fact the 1st
+Division was a good thirty miles away to the east at Marbaix and
+Taisnieres. The 2nd Division was nearer, but very much scattered, the
+5th Brigade--owing to rear-guard scares--being still twenty miles behind
+at Leval, and quite out of the reckoning, as far as the impending
+battle was concerned. The 4th Brigade, on the other hand, in spite of
+its all-night fight at Landrecies, might, by super-human efforts, have
+crossed the Sambre during the night at the little village of Ors, and
+reached the flank of the Le Cateau battlefield towards eight on the
+following morning; but the wisdom of such a move would have been more
+than questionable in view of the complete exhaustion of the troops,
+and, in point of fact, no such order reached the brigade. The orders
+were to fall back on St. Quentin, and by the time the first shot was
+fired at Le Cateau, the brigade was well on its way to Etreux.
+
+Four miles further east, at Maroilles, the order to retire raised some
+doubts and a certain difference of opinion among the various commanders
+of the 6th Brigade as to the best route to be followed in order to
+arrive at the St. Quentin position. Local opinion was divided, and, in
+the end, the commanders assembled at midnight in the cemetery to decide
+the point, with the result that it was arranged that each C.O. should
+follow the road that seemed best to him.
+
+It will be seen then that the disposition of the 1st A.C. was such that
+the C. in C. by no means overstated the case when he told Sir Horace
+that he could give him no help from that quarter. The position of the
+2nd A.C. was now very nearly desperate, and it is to be doubted whether
+Sir Horace or the C. in C. himself saw the dawn break on August 26th
+with any real hope at heart that the three divisions west of the Sambre
+could be saved from capture or annihilation.
+
+On paper the extrication of Sir Horace's force seemed in truth an
+impossibility. Three British divisions, very imperfectly entrenched,
+were awaiting the onset of seven German divisions, flushed with
+uninterrupted victory, and backed up by an overwhelming preponderance
+in artillery. Both flanks of the British force were practically in the
+air, the only protection on the right being the 1st and 3rd C.B. at Le
+Souplet, and on the left Allenby with another two Cavalry Brigades at
+Seranvillers. As a buffer against the German army corps which was
+threatening the British flank from Tournai, two Cavalry Brigades were
+clearly a negligible quantity. Desperate diseases call for desperate
+remedies, and the C. in C. had recourse to the only expedient in which
+lay a hope of salvation from the threatened flank attack, should it
+come.
+
+General Sordet was at Avesnes with three divisions of French cavalry,
+and the C. in C.--with all the persuasion possible--put the urgency of
+the situation before him. The railways were no help; they ran all
+wrong; cavalry alone could save the situation; would he go? General
+Sordet--with the permission of his chief--went. It was a forty mile
+march, and cavalry horses were none too fresh in those days. Still he
+went, and in the end did great and gallant work; but not on the morning
+of the 26th. On that fateful day--or at least on the morning of that
+fateful day--his horses were ridden to a standstill, and he could do
+nothing.
+
+
+
+
+LE CATEAU
+
+
+The battle of August 26th is loosely spoken of as the Cambrai--Le
+Cateau battle, but, as a matter of fact, the British troops were never
+within half a dozen miles of Cambrai, nor, for that matter, were they
+actually at Le Cateau itself. The 5th Division on the right reached
+from a point halfway between Le Cateau and Reumont to Troisvilles, the
+15th Brigade, which was its left-hand brigade, being just east of that
+place. Then came the three brigades of the 3rd Division, the 9th
+Brigade being north of Troisvilles, the 8th Brigade on the left of it
+north of Audencourt, with the 7th Brigade curled round the northern
+side of Caudry in the form of a horseshoe. Beyond was the 4th Division
+at Hautcourt. The whole frontage covered about eight miles, and for
+half that distance ran along north of the Cambrai to St. Quentin
+railway.
+
+The 4th Division, under Gen. Snow, had just arrived from England; and
+these fresh troops were already in position when the Mons army
+straggled in on the night of the 25th and was told off to its various
+allotted posts by busy staff officers. The allotted posts did not turn
+out to be all that had been hoped for. Trenches, it is true, had been
+prepared (dug by French woman labour!), but many faced the wrong way,
+and all were too short. The short ones could be lengthened, but the
+others had to be redug. The men were dead beat: the ground baked hard,
+and there were no entrenching tools--these having long ago been thrown
+away. Picks were got from the farms and the men set to work as best
+they could, but of shovels there were practically none, and in the
+majority of cases the men scooped up the loosened earth with mess-tins
+and with their hands. The result was, trenches by courtesy, but poor
+things to stand between tired troops and the terrific artillery fire to
+which they were presently to be subjected.
+
+The battle of Le Cateau was in the main an artillery duel, and a very
+unequal one at that. The afternoon infantry attack was only sustained
+by certain devoted regiments who failed to interpret with sufficient
+readiness the order to retire. Some of these regiments--as the price of
+their ignorance of how to turn their backs to the foe--were all but
+annihilated. But this is a later story. Up to midday the battle was a
+mere artillery duel. Our infantry lined their inadequate trenches and
+were bombarded for some half a dozen hours on end. Our artillery
+replied with inconceivable heroism, but they were outnumbered by at
+least five to one. They also--perhaps with wisdom--directed their fire
+more at the infantry than at the opposing batteries. The former could
+be plainly seen massing in great numbers on the crest of the ridge some
+two thousand yards away, and advancing in a succession of lines down
+the slope to the hidden ground below. They presented a tempting target,
+and their losses from our shrapnel must have been enormous. By the
+afternoon, however, many of our batteries had been silenced, and the
+German gunners had it more or less their own way. The sides were too
+unequal. Our infantry then became mere targets--_Kanonen Futter_.
+It was an ordeal of the most trying description conceivable, and one
+which can only arise where the artillery of one side is hopelessly
+outnumbered by that of the other; and it is to be doubted whether any
+other troops in the world would have stood it as long as did the 2nd
+A.C. at Le Cateau. The enemy's bombardment was kept up till midday.
+Then it slackened off so as to allow of the further advance of their
+infantry, who by this time had pushed forward into the concealment of
+the low ground, just north of the main road. By this time some of the
+5th Division had begun to dribble away. That awful gun fire, to which
+our batteries were no longer able to reply, coupled with the
+insufficient trenches, was too much for human endurance. Sir Charles
+Fergusson, the Divisional General, with an absolute disregard of
+personal danger, galloped about among the bursting shells exhorting the
+division to stand fast. An eye-witness said that his survival through
+the day was nothing short of a miracle. It was a day indeed when the
+entire Staff from end to end of the line worked with an indefatigable
+heroism which could not be surpassed. In the 19th Brigade, for
+instance, Captain Jack, 1st Cameronians, was the sole survivor of the
+Brigade Staff at the end of the day, and this was through no fault of
+his. While supervising the retirement of the Argyll and Sutherlands, he
+coolly walked up and down the firing line without a vestige of
+protection, but by some curious law of chances was not hit. He was
+awarded a French decoration.
+
+In spite of all, however, by 2.30 p.m., the right flank of the 5th
+Division had been turned, the enemy pressing forward into the gap
+between the two Army Corps, and Sir Charles sent word that the Division
+could hold its ground no longer. Sir Horace sent up all the available
+reserves he had, viz., the 1st Cameronians and 2nd R. Welsh Fusiliers
+from the 19th Brigade, together with a battery, and these helped
+matters to some extent, but the immense numerical superiority of the
+enemy made anything in the nature of a prolonged stand impossible, and
+at 3 p.m. he ordered a general retirement. This was carried out in
+fairly good order by the 3rd and 4th Divisions, which had been less
+heavily attacked. The withdrawal of the 5th Division was more
+irregular, and the regiments which stuck it to the end--becoming
+practically isolated by the withdrawal of other units to right and
+left--suffered very severely.
+
+This irregularity in retirement was noticeable all along the
+battle-front, some battalions grasping the meaning of the general order
+to retire with more readiness than others. Among those in the 5th
+Division who were slow to interpret the signal were the K.O.S.B. and
+the K.O.Y.L.I.
+
+These two 13th Brigade battalions were next one another just north of
+Reumont, with the Manchester Regiment on the right of the K.O.Y.L.I. It
+was common talk among the men of the 5th Division that the French were
+coming up in support, and that, therefore, there must be no giving way.
+The French in question were--and only could be--Gen. Sordet's cavalry,
+who, at the time, were plodding away in rear on their forty mile trek
+to the left flank of our army, and who could never under any
+circumstances have been of help to the 5th Division on the right of the
+Le Cateau battle-front. However, that was the rumour and they held on.
+Some of the K.O.S.B. in the first line trenches saw some men on their
+flank retiring, and, thinking it was a general order, followed suit.
+Col. Stephenson personally re-conducted them back to their trenches. He
+was himself almost immediately afterwards knocked out by a shell; but
+the force of example had its effect, and there was no more retiring
+till the general order to that effect was unmistakable. This was about
+three o'clock. The final retirement of those battalions which had held
+on till the enemy was on the top of them was very difficult, and very
+costly in casualties, as they were mowed down by shrapnel and
+machine-gun fire the moment they left their trenches. It was during
+this retirement that Corpl. Holmes, of the K.O.Y.L.I, won his Victoria
+Cross by picking up a wounded comrade and carrying him over a mile
+under heavy fire. Another Victoria Cross in the same battalion was won
+that day by Major Yate under very dramatic circumstances. His company
+had been in the second line of trenches during the bombardment, and had
+suffered terribly from the enemy's shell-fire directed at one of our
+batteries just behind. When the German infantry came swarming up in the
+afternoon, there were only nineteen sound men left in the company.
+These nineteen kept up their fire to the last moment and then left the
+trench and charged, headed by Major Yate. There could be but one
+result. Major Yate fell mortally wounded, and his gallant band of
+Yorkshiremen ceased to exist. It was the Thermopylae of B Company, 2nd
+K.O.Y.L.I. This battalion lost twenty officers and six hundred men
+during the battle, and was probably the heaviest sufferer in the 5th
+Division. It stuck it till the last moment and the enemy got round its
+right flank.
+
+The 3rd Division line, further west, was also forced about three
+o'clock in the afternoon, when the enemy in great numbers broke through
+towards Troisvilles, to the right of the 9th Brigade, causing the whole
+division to retire. The actual order to retire in this case was passed
+down by word of mouth from right to left by galloping Staff officers,
+who--in the pandemonium that was reigning--were unable to get in touch
+with all the units of each battalion. As a result the retirement was
+necessarily irregular, and--as in the case of the 5th Division--the
+battalions that "stuck it" longest found themselves isolated and in
+time surrounded. This was the case with the 1st Gordon Highlanders, in
+the 8th Brigade, to whom the order to retire either never penetrated,
+or to whom it was too distasteful to be acted upon with promptitude.
+The exact circumstances of the annihilation of this historic battalion
+will never be known till the war is over, but the nett result was that
+it lost 80 per cent. of its strength in killed, wounded and missing.
+The same fate overtook one company of the 2nd R. Scots in the same
+brigade. This company was practically wiped out and the battalion as a
+whole had some 400 casualties in killed and wounded. The whole
+division, in fact, suffered very severely in carrying out the
+retirement, the ground to the rear being very open and exposed, and the
+enemy's rifle and machine-gun fire incessant. The village of Audencourt
+had been heavily shelled all day and was a mass of blazing ruins,
+effectually barring any retirement by the high road, and forcing the
+retreating troops to take to the open country. Once, however, behind
+the railway, the retreat became more organized, and a series of small
+rear-guard fights were put up from behind the shelter of the
+embankment.
+
+The 23rd Brigade R.F.A., under Col. Butler, put in some most efficient
+work at this period, and materially assisted the retirement of the 8th
+Brigade. With remarkable coolness the gunners, entirely undisturbed by
+the general confusion reigning, continued to drop beautifully-timed
+shells among the advancing German infantry. The work of the artillery,
+in fact, all along the line was magnificent, and deeds of individual
+heroism were innumerable. The 37th Battery, for instance, kept up its
+shrapnel-fire on the advancing lines of Germans till these were within
+300 yards of its position. Then Captain Reynolds, with some volunteer
+drivers, galloped up with two teams, and hitched them on to the two
+guns which had not been knocked out. Incredible as it may appear, in
+view of the hail of bullets directed at them, one of these guns was got
+safely away. The other was not. Captain Reynolds and Drivers Luke and
+Brain were given the Victoria Cross for this exploit. Sergt. Browne, of
+the same battery, got the D.C.M. The 80th Battery was another that
+distinguished itself by exceptional gallantry at Ligny during the
+retreat, and three of its N.C.O.'s won the D.C.M. Near the same place
+the 135th Battery also covered itself with glory. In fact, it is not
+too much to say that the situation on the afternoon of August 26th was
+very largely saved by the splendid heroism of our Field Artillery; and
+for the exploits of this branch of the service alone the battle of Le
+Cateau must always stand out as a bright spot in the annals of British
+arms.
+
+The Germans did not pursue the 3rd Division beyond the line of the
+villages above named. In the case of the 5th Division there was no
+pursuit at all, in the strict sense of the term. That is to say, there
+were no rear-guard actions. The division made its way through Reumont,
+to the continuation of the straight Roman road by which it had reached
+Le Cateau, and down this road it continued its retreat unmolested. Rain
+began to fall heavily and numbers of the men, heedless alike of rain or
+of pursuing Germans, dropped like logs by the roadside and slept.
+
+The extrication of the Le Cateau army from a position which, on paper,
+was all but hopeless, was undoubtedly a very fine piece of generalship
+on the part of Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien. The C. in C. in his despatch
+wrote: "I say without hesitation that the saving of the left wing of
+the army under my command, on the morning of August 26th, could never
+have been accomplished unless a commander of rare and unusual coolness,
+intrepidity and determination had been present to personally conduct
+the operation."
+
+
+
+
+THE RETREAT FROM LE CATEAU
+
+
+Le Cateau may without shame be accepted as a defeat. There was at no
+time, even in anticipation, the possibility of victory. It was an
+affair on altogether different lines to that of Mons. At Mons the
+British Army had been set a definite task, which it had cheerfully
+faced, and which it had carried through with credit to itself and with
+much advantage to its ally. Its ultimate retirement had only been in
+conformity with the movements of that ally. Everything worked according
+to book.
+
+But Le Cateau was quite another affair. Here we find half the British
+force temporarily cut off from the other half by _force majeure_,
+and turning at bay on a pursuer whom it could no longer escape. There
+was never any question of victory. The disparity in numbers and in
+armament left no room for illusions on that score. Searching deep below
+the surface, we might perhaps find that the main factor in deciding
+that Briton and German should cross swords at Le Cateau was the
+primitive impulse--always strong in the Anglo-Saxon breed--to face an
+ugly crisis and die fighting. In the event the British force faced the
+foe, and fought, but it did not die--as an army; a result due to
+consummate generalship on the part of the Army Corps Commander, aided
+by a strange laxity, or over-caution, as the case may be, on the part
+of the enemy.
+
+Why the Germans did not pursue with more vigour will never be known
+till the history of this period comes to be written from the German
+side. The failure to pursue after Mons is intelligible. While the 2nd
+A.C. was defending the group of manufacturing towns north of the
+Valenciennes road, the 1st A.C. on the right was thrown forward in
+echelon, and formed a standing menace to the left flank of the
+advancing enemy. A too eager pursuit, in advance of the general line,
+might well have resulted in the isolation and capture of the German
+right.
+
+At Le Cateau, however, there was no such risk. Here the German attack
+had been mainly concentrated against the 5th Division, evidently with
+the idea of turning the British right flank, and forcing in a wedge
+between the 1st and 2nd Army Corps. This was in effect done, and all
+that remained was for the Germans to push their advantage home in order
+to separate, at any rate, a large percentage of the 2nd A.C. from the
+main body on its left. This could have been effected without any fear
+of a flank attack from the 1st A.C, that corps being at the time far
+too scattered and distant to make any concerted move; and in any case
+being hopelessly cut off by the Sambre.
+
+Why this programme was not carried through to its consummation can only
+be guessed at. It may be that the enemy had only imperfect information
+as to the movements of the 1st A.C.; or it may be that they were
+deterred by the knowledge that General d'Amade was hurrying up on their
+right flank from the direction of Arras with the 61st and 62nd Reserve
+Divisions; or it may be again that the advancing troops had been too
+roughly handled by the British at bay to allow of pursuit. This last
+hypothesis is not only the most flattering to British self-esteem, but
+it is also eminently possible. In any case the fact remains that they
+did not pursue. Sir Horace, on the other hand, had no idea of letting
+this supineness on the part of the enemy influence his own policy.
+
+The troops were kept moving. On the afternoon of the 26th, the 5th
+Division managed to get back as far as Estrees, and the 3rd Division to
+Vermand and Hargicourt, each arriving at its destination about dark.
+The weather was very bad, and the majority of the men were crowded into
+farm-barns, but many dropped by the roadside where they were and slept,
+heedless of the pouring rain.
+
+On the far side of the river the 4th and 6th Brigades, whom we last saw
+at Landrecies and Maroilles, got to Etreux and Hannappes respectively
+about 2 p.m., and bivouacked by the roadside; but the 5th Brigade,
+moving by way of Taisnieres and Prisclies, could get no further than
+Barzy, and was therefore still far behind the line of the 2nd A.C.
+retreat, and, in fact, of its own division. The 2nd Brigade got to Oisy
+without mishap. The 1st Brigade was not so fortunate, the Munster
+Fusiliers being overtaken at Bergues and captured _en masse_ with
+the exception of some 150 who escaped with the aid of the 15th Hussars.
+Two guns of the 118th Battery, which were with them were captured at
+the same time. A mile or two further south, on the high ground just
+beyond Etreux, the brigade was again attacked, the Black Watch, who
+were then doing rear-guard, coming under a severe artillery fire. This
+was most effectively replied to by the 117th Battery under Major
+Packard and the pursuit was checked. The battery in withdrawing was
+charged by a squadron of German cavalry, but the charge died away under
+the fire of the Black Watch.
+
+The story of the rescue of the Munsters by the 15th Hussars is one of
+which the latter regiment may well be proud. Two troops only of the
+15th Hussars were engaged, and yet the number of honours that fell to
+them is remarkable. Mr. Nicholson got the Cross of the Legion of
+Honour, Sergt. Papworth got the Victoria Cross, and Sergt. Blishen,
+Corpl. Shepherd and Corpl. Aspinall the D.C.M.
+
+The story of this affair is as follows: It was reported to the General
+commanding that the Munster Fusiliers were in trouble, and the 15th
+Hussars, who were acting as divisional cavalry, were sent back to help.
+The country in the neighbourhood of Bergues is a difficult one, being
+traversed by numerous narrow byways cutting in all directions, and the
+15th Hussars, not knowing just where the Munster Fusiliers were,
+separated into troops and beat the country northwards. Just south of
+Bergues, where the road from that place meets the main road to La
+Capelle, Mr. Nicholson's troop found 150 of the Munster Fusiliers in
+great difficulties, with some Germans in pursuit not 200 yards distant.
+He at once dismounted the troop and, sending the horses off for shelter
+to a farmyard behind, lined the hedges on the side of the main road and
+opened fire on the Germans. These retired to a farm some 200 yards up
+the road, from which they presently brought a machine-gun to bear on
+the hedges, and under cover of this they shortly afterwards emerged,
+driving a herd of cattle before them down the road. The Hussars,
+however, shot down both cattle and Germans and sent the survivors
+scuttling back once more into the farm.
+
+In the meanwhile the Hon. E. Hardinge's troop, having heard the
+firing, arrived on the scene from another direction and--also
+dismounting--crept up to a position from which they could command
+the farmyard, and opened fire on the Germans massed inside, doing
+tremendous execution at first, as it was a complete surprise. The
+Germans, however, quickly recovered themselves and returned the fire
+with machine-guns. Almost at the first discharge Mr. Hardinge fell
+mortally wounded, and Sergt. Papworth took over command of the troop.
+
+Bodies of the enemy were now seen advancing on all sides, and it was
+obvious that, if the little British force was to escape being
+surrounded, it was time to move. There is always a disposition on such
+occasions for very tired men to throw up the sponge and surrender. In
+the present instance, however, any such inclination was summarily
+checked by the energy and determination of Mr. Nicholson and Sergt.
+Papworth, who, taking prompt charge of the situation, brought the whole
+party--Munsters and all--safely out of the difficulty. They had to put
+in twenty-eight miles of steady marching before they finally caught up
+with their division.
+
+On the 27th the retreat was resumed, the troops starting as usual in
+the small hours of the morning. The 1st Division, in place of following
+the route taken by the 2nd Division, crossed the Sambre and went
+through Wassigny to Hauteville; the 2nd Division went to Mont d'Origny,
+and the 3rd and 5th Divisions joined up at Ham, the former, which had
+been greatly harassed and delayed throughout by hostile cavalry and
+horse artillery, arriving some hours after the other. On arrival at its
+destination the whole division dropped by the side of the road and
+slept.
+
+Next morning the whole 2nd A.C. followed the one road from Ham to
+Noyon, the 5th Division, which was still some hours ahead of the 3rd,
+passing on through Noyon to Pommeraye, where it billeted.
+
+On the other side of the river the two divisions of the 1st A.C. also
+joined up and went through La Fere to the group of villages to the
+south of that place, where they billeted, the 1st Brigade at St.
+Gobain, the 2nd at Fresancourt, the 4th at Berlancourt, the 5th at
+Servais and the 6th at Deuillet and Amigny.
+
+The monotony of retreat was in some part relieved by several rear-guard
+brushes during the day between the 3rd and 5th C.B. on the one hand and
+some Prussian Uhlans of the Guard on the other, in one and all of which
+the honours rested very emphatically with the British cavalry.
+
+The 29th August, 1914, will probably be imprinted for ever in the minds
+of those who took part in the famous Mons retreat, for on this day the
+troops rested. For eight days they had now been marching practically
+without ceasing and the feet of many were literally stripped of skin;
+they had dug trenches innumerable and had fought various engagements,
+great and small, for the most part in the blazing heat of an
+exceptionally hot August, and with a minimum of sleep and food. But on
+the 29th they rested.
+
+The whole Expeditionary Force was now once more in touch, and, with its
+arrival at the La Fere line, the acute pressure of the retreat may be
+said to have been at an end. The various divisions were re-organized;
+mixed up brigades were once more sorted out; stragglers and
+"temporarily attached" restored to their lost battalions, and the whole
+force put into ship-shape working order. Gen. Sordet, who had rendered
+incalculable service with his cavalry on our left flank, was now
+relieved by the 6th French Army, which came into position on our left
+in the neighbourhood of Roye, while the 5th French Army continued our
+line towards the east. The British Army, in fact, refreshed by its rest
+on the 29th, was now in perfect trim to turn and fight at any moment.
+But this was not to be for awhile yet. Gen. Joffre's scheme called for
+a still further retirement.
+
+At 1 p.m. on the 29th the French Generalissimo visited the C. in C. at
+his Head Quarters at Compiegne and explained to him the outline of his
+plan. Sir Douglas Haig, Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien and Gen. Allenby were
+also present. As a result of this conference, the bridges over the Oise
+were blown up (an operation which again cost us some good lives from
+among the R.E.), and the British force retired another twenty miles to
+a line north of the Aisne, between Soissons and Compiegne.
+
+The 2nd A.C. set out on this march about 3 p.m.; the 1st A.C. followed
+some twelve hours later, marching in one column through the Foret de
+St. Gobain, after which it divided up, the 1st Division going to
+L'Allemande and the 2nd Division to Passy.
+
+On the morning of the 31st the march was once more resumed, the 2nd
+Division leaving at 6.30 a.m. and marching via Pernaut and Cutry to
+Soucy, which was reached at 4.30 p.m., while the 1st Division retired
+to Missy-a-Bois.
+
+The 3rd A.C. took a wrong turn near Vellerie this day and for a time
+lost themselves, but in the end joined up with the new line, which
+reached--broadly speaking--from Crepy to Villers-Cotterets.
+
+
+VILLERS-COTTERETS
+
+At the latter place we were again forced into a rear-guard action. At
+nine o'clock the 4th (Guards') Brigade, which was acting rear-guard,
+was overtaken at Soucy, where--in accordance with orders--it had faced
+about while the 2nd Division was having a two hours' halt for rest and
+dinner. It was no case of surprise, the brigade being thoroughly
+prepared and, indeed, expecting to have to hold the enemy in check.
+
+Dispositions were therefore made accordingly. The 2nd Grenadiers and
+3rd Coldstream held the ground from Montgobert to Soucy, with the
+Coldstream lining the long grass ride that runs through the woods at
+Haramont. They were supported by two batteries of the 41st Brigade
+R.F.A. The 2nd Coldstream and Irish Guards were posted in rear of the
+first line along the northern edge of the Foret de Villers-Cotterets,
+at the base of the ridge known as the Rond de la Reine.
+
+The enemy commenced by shelling the front line, and shelling it with
+such accuracy that Gen. Scott-Ker ordered the Grenadiers and 3rd
+Coldstream to fall back through the 2nd line and take up a position in
+rear. This was done, but subsequently these two battalions were
+brought up into line with the Irish Guards along the northern edge of
+the wood, whilst the 2nd Coldstream were sent back to take up a
+covering position in rear of the wood, along the railway east and west
+of Villers-Cotterets Halte. Such was the position without much change
+up to midday, when the enemy's attack began to slacken and shortly
+afterwards they appeared to have had enough of it and drew off. The
+4th Brigade thereupon resumed its march as far as Thury, which was
+reached about 10.30 p.m. Their casualties in this action amounted to
+over 300. The Irish Guards had Col. the Hon. G. Morris and Lieut.
+Tisdall killed; Major Crichton and Lord Castlerosse wounded. In the
+Grenadiers the Hon. J. Manners and Lieut. McDougall were killed, and
+in the Coldstream, Lieut. G. Lambton was killed and Captain Burton and
+Captain Tritton wounded. The Brigadier-Gen. Scott-Ker was himself
+badly wounded in the thigh, and the command of the brigade was taken
+over by Col. Corry.
+
+
+NERY
+
+The same morning witnessed a very heroic little action at Nery. During
+the preceding night the 1st C.B. had billeted in this little village,
+together with L Battery R.H.A., which was attached to the brigade. The
+village lies low in a broken and hilly country. To the south and east
+of it the ground rises suddenly and very steeply, forming a long ridge
+which juts out into the plain from the north. Along these heights
+Lieut. Tailby, of the 11th Hussars, was patrolling in the early
+morning, and in a very thick fog, when he suddenly bumped right into a
+column of German cavalry. He had hardly time to gallop back and warn
+the brigade before shot and shell began to fly thickly into the
+village. The German force, as it afterwards turned out, consisted of
+no less than six cavalry regiments, with two batteries of six guns
+each attached; and there is reason to believe that they were just as
+surprised at the encounter as was the 1st C.B. However that may be,
+the advantage in position, as well as in numbers, was greatly on the
+side of the Germans, who, from the heights they were on, completely
+dominated the ground below. Even the sun favoured them, for when that
+broke through about five o'clock, it was at the backs of the enemy and
+full in the faces of the defenders.
+
+The lifting of the fog soon cleared up any doubts in the minds of all
+concerned as to how matters stood. On the heights above, with the sun
+behind them, were the six German regiments, dismounted, with their
+twelve guns. Down below in an open orchard on the western side of the
+village were the Bays and L Battery R.H.A. They were still in the
+position in which they had bivouacked the night previous. Beyond them
+were the 5th Dragoon Guards. The 11th Hussars were on the south-east
+side of the village nearest the enemy, but more or less hidden from
+view and protected from the enemy's fire by the lie of the land.
+
+Then began one of those rare episodes which will live for ever in
+history and romance.
+
+The position of L Battery had not been chosen with a view to action.
+Except for the fog, it would never have been caught there; but having
+been caught there it accepted the situation. Owing to the broken nature
+of the ground, only three of its guns could be brought to bear on the
+enemy's position, but these three were quickly at work. The Bays, who
+were the regiment chiefly in the line of fire, got their horses into
+safety and then joined in with rifle and machine-gun fire, taking what
+shelter they could; but this did not amount to much, and the sun was in
+their eyes. None of these disadvantages made themselves felt in the
+case of the 11th Hussars, who, from their sheltered position, were able
+to bring a most effective machine-gun fire to bear on the flank of the
+Germans. Their doings, however, we may pass by. The focus-point of
+German attention was the little Horse Artillery Battery down in the
+apple-orchard. This now became the target for a perfect tornado of shot
+and shell, and at a range of only 400 yards. Two of the three guns were
+quickly knocked out, and the fire of batteries, rifles and maxims
+became concentrated on the one that remained.
+
+Men and officers combined to serve this one gun. Captain Bradbury, in
+command, had one leg taken off by a shell, but he propped himself up,
+and continued to direct the fire till he fell dead. Lieut. Campbell
+died beside him, as did also Brig.-Major Cawley, who came up with
+orders from Head Quarters. Lieut. Gifford and Lieut. Mundy both fell
+wounded, and Sergt.-Major Dorrell took over command. With the support
+of Sergt. Nelson, Gunner Darbyshire and Driver Osborne he cheerfully
+continued this absurd and unequal duel.
+
+In the meanwhile the 5th Dragoon Guards had been ordered to work round
+to the north-east, in order to make a diversion from that flank. This
+they were able to do to a certain extent, though at some cost, Col.
+Ansell being shot through the head and killed at the very outset. The
+regiment, however, were not strong enough, single-handed, to make more
+than a demonstration, and the whole situation was far from promising
+when, by the mercy of Providence, the 4th C.B. most unexpectedly
+arrived on the scene from the direction of Compiegne. These lost no
+time in dismounting and joining up with the 5th Dragoon Guards, the
+four combined regiments pouring a steady fire into the flank of the
+enemy.
+
+This new development entirely changed the aspect of affairs, and,
+finding the situation getting rather too hot for them, the Germans made
+off hurriedly in the direction of Verrines, abandoning eight of their
+guns and a maxim.
+
+They tried in the first instance to man-handle their guns out of
+action, but the steady fire of the cavalry on their flank, supplemented
+now by a frontal fire from the Bays, who had by this time installed
+their machine-gun in the Sugar Factory to the west of the village,
+proved too much for them, and they abandoned the attempt. The whole
+affair had so far lasted little over an hour; but the last word had yet
+to be said, for the 11th Hussars jumped on to their horses, galloped
+off in pursuit and captured fifty horses and a number of prisoners. The
+German casualties in killed and wounded were also considerable, and on
+our side the troops in the open orchard suffered very severely. The
+Bays showed great daring and activity throughout, Mr. de Crespigny
+particularly distinguishing himself. They lost seven officers, and out
+of L Battery only three men emerged unwounded. To the survivors of this
+battery, however, it must for ever be a source of gratification to
+reflect that the last shot in that preposterous duel was fired by the
+battered and bloodstained thirteen-pounder down in the apple-orchard,
+and that it was fired at the backs of the enemy.
+
+Captain Bradbury, Sergt.-Major Dorrell and Sergt. Nelson were awarded
+the Victoria Cross, the former posthumously. The last two named were
+also given their commissions. Lieut. Gifford got the Cross of the
+Legion of Honour, and the entire battery earned a name which will live
+as long as history.
+
+There is a sequel to this gallant little affair which is sufficiently
+satisfactory to record. The 1st and 4th C.B. billeted that night at
+Borest, and continued their progress south next day through the Foret
+d'Ermenonville. Here, abandoned among the birch trees of the forest,
+they found two of the guns which the Germans had succeeded in getting
+away from Nery. It was a small incident, but very satisfactory as a
+finale.
+
+
+
+
+THE ADVANCE TO THE AISNE
+
+
+On the following day, September 2nd, the British Force found itself
+facing the Marne from the north bank, and the whole of September 3rd
+was occupied in getting the troops across, an operation of some little
+delicacy, as it involved in many cases the exposure of our flank to the
+enemy. During the process of transit the whole of the British
+cavalry--which had hitherto been distributed along the length of our
+line--was concentrated by the river side in the open ground at Gournay.
+By nightfall the whole force was on the south side and the bridges had
+been blown up.
+
+The following day saw the end of the great retreat. There was, it was
+true, a further retirement of some twelve miles to a line running from
+Lagny to Courtagon, but this last proved to be the southernmost point
+of France which our troops were destined to see.
+
+The British Army had now in twelve days covered a distance from Mons of
+140 miles as the crow flies, and of considerably more as troops march.
+During these twelve days two pitched battles had been fought, in
+addition to many rear-guard actions and cavalry skirmishes. The bulk of
+the fighting had so far fallen on the 2nd A.C., whose casualties
+already amounted to 350 officers and 9,200 men. However, the long,
+demoralizing retreat had now at last reached the turning-point. At
+Rebaix we picked up 2,000 fresh troops belonging to the 6th Division.
+These had been trained up from the mouth of the Loire, Havre being no
+longer reckoned safe, and were a welcome stiffening to the footsore
+veterans from Mons.
+
+The period that follows is familiarly known as the battle of the Marne,
+a broad classification which--as such--is allowable, but which is apt
+to mislead. In the strict sense there was no battle during the British
+advance. The fighting that took place between September 5th and
+September 14th was desultory, and was chiefly in the nature of
+independent and--to a great extent--disconnected engagements, mostly of
+the advance guard and rear-guard type. The tributaries of the Marne,
+the Grand Morin and the Petit Morin were each defended, the latter as
+stubbornly as was the Marne itself, and, in point of fact, some of the
+hardest fighting which the advancing army met with was on the 10th,
+after the Marne had been left well behind.
+
+The advance at first was slow and cautious. When an army has for
+fourteen days been systematically falling back before an enemy, the
+only casualties within its ken are its own. It may be assumed--and with
+every right--that there are also killed and wounded among the pursuing
+force. But they are never seen. Only khaki-clad figures fill the field
+ambulances; only khaki-clad figures are left behind in the hospitals,
+and in the cemeteries and roadside trenches. The ever-swelling roll of
+"missing" is all on one side. There are no missing among those who
+pursue. In such circumstances, to the tired soldier-mind the pursuing
+enemy becomes in time invested with a species of invulnerability. At
+the end of fourteen days that enemy has assumed an altogether
+fictitious value for evil; it becomes a death-dealing engine,
+relentlessly sweeping up wounded and stragglers, and itself showing no
+scars; it inspires an all but superstitious dread. To such a frame of
+mind the sight of a few grey-clad figures stretched upon the ground and
+a few groups of grey-clad prisoners marching to the rear acts as a very
+salutary tonic. The scales drop from the eyes; the glamour of the
+unknown fades away, and the enemy sinks from its apotheosis to the
+level of mere mortal clay.
+
+It took two days for this new spirit to get hold of the British force
+feeling its way northward. Then it got confidence and began to push;
+and in exact ratio to the vigour of its push was the tale of prisoners
+and guns captured.
+
+The turn of the tide came on September 5th. On that day General Joffre
+told the C. in C. that he was going to take the offensive. The German
+advance had--as all the world now knows--swerved off from Paris towards
+the south-east, thereby half exposing its right flank to the 6th French
+Army. Gen. Joffre quickly made the exposure complete by wheeling that
+army towards the east, at the same time throwing forward the left of
+his line. Von Kluck was quick to realize that he was in a tight place,
+and with characteristic promptitude cleared out northwards.
+
+The pursued army spun on its heels and followed, but followed at first
+with an excess of caution which was perhaps excusable in a tired army
+to whom anything but retreat was a new experience.
+
+At the moment of the above surprising change in the tide of war, the
+6th French Army line ran due north and east from Ermenonville to Lagny.
+This line was pressing eastward. The British force lay between Lagny
+and Courtagon, facing north, and in a continuation of the same line on
+our right came Conneau's cavalry and the 6th French Army.
+
+September 6th, which was practically the first day of the advance, saw
+little fighting, our troops advancing some ten miles only to the line
+of the Grand Morin, which was not defended with any great show of
+vigour. We took a few prisoners only, and some maxims.
+
+On the 7th there was much more doing, but it was chiefly cavalry work.
+McCracken's 7th Brigade, however, met with a fairly stubborn resistance
+at Coulommiers, in the course of which the S. Lancs sustained a good
+many casualties. De Lisle's 2nd C.B. was, as usual, in the forefront of
+all that was doing. This brigade got in touch with the enemy soon after
+leaving Fretoy. The 9th Lancers, who were doing advance guard to the
+brigade, pushed on, however, with great boldness, till they reached the
+village of Moncel, which was found to be in occupation of German
+cavalry. Without a moment's hesitation, and without any knowledge of
+the strength opposed to it, the leading troop took the village at a
+gallop and cleared it of the enemy. They were, however, themselves
+compelled shortly afterwards to withdraw, as two fresh squadrons of the
+enemy--who proved to be the 1st Guard Dragoons--came down on the
+village from the north. At the same time a third squadron appeared to
+the west of the village. These new arrivals were at once charged by
+Col. Campbell and Major Beale-Brown at top speed with a troop and half
+of the 9th Lancers. They rode clean through the Germans, who faced the
+charge, and then--wheeling to the right--the Lancers joined up with the
+troop that had already entered the village.
+
+The Germans now retreated to the north side of the village. In
+anticipation of this movement a squadron of the 18th Hussars had
+already been posted dismounted among the corn stooks on that side.
+These now opened fire on the retiring Germans, some seventy of whom
+turned and charged the dismounted Hussars in line. The latter with
+great nerve and steadiness let the Dragoons get within 100 yards of
+them, and then practically annihilated them with a volley. Only a dozen
+escaped.
+
+The casualties among the 2nd C.B. were not heavy, but Col. Campbell,
+while leading the charge south of the village, was wounded in the arm
+by a lance. Captain Reynolds at the same time was very badly wounded in
+the shoulder, and Lieut. Allfrey, while trying to extract the lance
+from the wound, was killed.
+
+The general order was now for the British Army to advance to the
+north-east in the direction of Chateau Thierry and so try and reach the
+Marne. The country round here, however, was very difficult, especially
+in the thickly-wooded neighbourhood of the Petit Morin, and the advance
+was at first slow and cautious. The 8th Brigade on reaching the valley
+of the Petit Morin met with a strong resistance, which gave it some
+trouble before it managed to cross at Orly, where the enemy had left
+six machine-guns strongly posted on the opposing slope. However, after
+J Battery R.H.A.--which had displayed the greatest gallantry throughout
+these operations--had pounded the position for some time, the 4th
+Middlesex under Col. Hull (now the only colonel left in the 8th
+Brigade) and the R. Scots drew up on the edge of the wood topping the
+narrow valley, and at a given signal dashed down the slope to the
+bridge and up the far side; whereupon the Germans made off, abandoning
+their machine-guns, and the position was won.
+
+In the course of this advance the R. Scots lost 2nd Lieut. Hewat, who
+was killed, and Lieut. Hay, who was badly wounded by two bullets in the
+side, but the casualties among the rank and file were not heavy. They
+captured some 200 prisoners in the village of Orly. The 2nd Division at
+La Tretoire met with a very similar resistance, but here the 2nd and
+3rd Coldstream and some of the cavalry managed to get across higher up
+at La Force, and turned the flank of the resistance. The enemy's
+defence--as at Orly--proved to emanate from few men but many mobile
+machine-guns, which, by the time the passage had been forced, were far
+beyond pursuit or capture, but which had been as effective for purposes
+of obstruction as a brigade. The Coldstream did not dislodge the enemy
+without casualties, among those wounded being the Hon. C. Monk, Lieut.
+Trotter, Sir R. Corbet and 2nd Lieut. Jackson.
+
+On the same day on the right of the line the Black Watch and the
+Camerons, the latter of whom had now been appointed to the 1st Brigade
+vice the Munster Fusiliers, did some very fine work between Bellot and
+Sabloniere, and took a quantity of prisoners; but they had to fight
+hard for them, and both regiments had a number of casualties, Captain
+Dalgleish and the Hon. M. Drummond in the Black Watch being killed. The
+1st C.B. co-operated with the two Scotch regiments by attacking the
+village of Sabloniere, which was finally captured, together with many
+prisoners, by the 11th Hussars. In addition to this little cavalry
+success, the 3rd and 5th C.B. each had an encounter this day with
+German cavalry, and in both instances maintained the unquestioned
+superiority of the British in this particular arm of the service.
+
+At five o'clock on the morning of the 9th the 2nd A.C. started out for
+the Marne. The whole A.C. had to cross by the one bridge at Chailly, so
+the operation was a protracted one, but by dark they were all across
+and had pushed ahead some miles north of the river. A German battery on
+the heights above Nanteint was attacked with great determination and
+captured by the Lincolns during this advance, the Germans sticking with
+great gallantry to their guns till every man of the battery had been
+killed or wounded.
+
+The 3rd A.C, on the left of the 2nd, had considerable trouble in
+crossing at La Ferte. Here the bridge had been destroyed, and the north
+bank was strongly held by the enemy (with machine-guns as usual). The
+R.E. came to the rescue with a pontoon bridge, but the German fire was
+persistent, and it was night before the bridge was completed.
+
+The 1st A.C. in the meanwhile had crossed at Chateau Thierry, but not
+without some destructive opposition from machine-guns.
+
+On the morning of the 10th the advance became a race between the 5th
+and the 2nd Divisions. These two set out northwards at 5 a.m. covered
+by Gough with the 3rd and 5th C.B. The 3rd Division had been stopped at
+Germigny, and had consequently fallen behind, and the 4th and 6th
+Divisions--as we have seen--had to put up with a long wait at La Ferte.
+The advance was therefore in the shape of a wedge, the effect of which
+was to threaten the flank of the Germans in front of the 6th French
+Army and cause them to retire with considerable haste. By midday,
+however, the 3rd Division on our left had all but come up into line,
+and the formation became more orthodox again. Our aeroplanes, favoured
+by beautiful weather, were now doing fine work, and, by the information
+they gave, made it possible to push the advance right up to the line of
+the Ourcq. There was little serious opposition, but desultory fighting
+took place here and there all along the line, and at Montreuil the
+Cornwalls suffered some serious losses.
+
+We captured a number of prisoners during this advance to the Ourcq. The
+9th Brigade alone took 600 north of Germigny, and at Haute Vesnes the
+6th Brigade captured 400 and put as many more _hors de combat_,
+the 1st K.R.R., who were well supported by the 50th Battery R.F.A.,
+being the main contributors to this result. In all, we took over 2,000
+prisoners that day and many guns. The woods were everywhere full of
+stragglers, many of whom were only too glad to surrender. Others,
+however, put up a fight and were only taken after a stubborn
+resistance.
+
+On the 11th Gen. Joffre shifted the advance half a point to the east,
+the effect of which was to narrow the front of the British troops and
+so cause a good deal of congestion on the few roads at our disposal.
+
+On this day a sudden and very abominable change came over the weather,
+the wind chopping round to the north-west, and the temperature dropping
+in one day from great heat to bitter cold. Rain fell continuously, and
+there was wide-spread lamentation over the greatcoats thrown away in
+the heat of the Mons retreat.
+
+
+
+
+THE PASSAGE OF THE AISNE
+
+
+On September 12th the battle of the Aisne may be said to have begun.
+The first and second stages of the war, the retreat from Mons, and the
+advance from the Grand Morin, were of the past. The third stage--the
+passage and occupation of the Aisne by our troops--covers a period of
+some four weeks, the greater part of which was, comparatively speaking,
+barren of incident. The first three days, however, were eventful, and
+the 14th saw one of the most stubbornly contested battles of the war.
+This will be dealt with in its place.
+
+The 12th saw the first real check to our fifty-mile advance. Very early
+in the day it became apparent to our commanders that the retreat of the
+Germans had been in accordance with a plan pre-arranged (in the event
+of certain happenings) and that the pursued now definitely stood at
+bay. The situation was not one to encourage a reckless offensive. A
+wide valley some two miles across, down the centre of which wound the
+sluggish Aisne, now swollen and discoloured by the rains; steep
+down-like bluffs on either side of the valley, furrowed by deep-cut
+roads that twisted down to the lower ground--the bluffs in many places
+thickly and picturesquely wooded. To the west Soissons, to the east
+Rheims; and in face, on the opposite slope, the great German Army. It
+was not known at the time that, on the Craonne plateau crowning the
+slopes opposite, the forethought of the Germans had prepared in advance
+a complete system of very elaborate trenches, of a kind then new to
+warfare, but since horribly familiar. These were supplemented in many
+cases by the old stone quarries and caves which run the length of the
+heights.
+
+Such was the scene in which the German and the Allied armies were
+destined to face one another for over a year, dealing out ceaseless
+death, desolation and pain, and gaining no fraction of military
+advantage for either side. That this was so is now history, but on
+September 12th, 1914, the future was still the future, and neither side
+had as yet had experience of the dead-wall method of fighting which has
+ever since characterized the Great War. The British commanders
+therefore, and the troops under them, prepared to push on with all the
+enthusiasm inspired by the events of the past week.
+
+The first honours in the opening of this new act of the war-drama fell
+to the 1st C.B. who in the early hours of the morning were ordered to
+get possession of the village of Braine, a place of some importance, as
+it commanded the only road down to Missy on the southern side of the
+valley. The place was held by a battalion of German infantry, the
+houses loop-holed, and the streets barricaded. The 1st C.B. advanced
+from Cerseuil to the edge of the valley, and, leaving their horses on
+the high ground, made down the slope to the river on foot. The place
+was stubbornly defended, and was not taken without a certain amount of
+loss on our side, Captain Springfield in the Bays being killed, and
+Captain Pinching wounded, but after some rather fierce house-to-house
+fighting in the main street, the place was eventually captured and
+cleared of the enemy by nine o'clock, the German casualties amounting
+to some 300.
+
+Sir Hubert Hamilton thereupon advanced the 3rd Division to Brenelle,
+while Sir Charles Fergusson passed on with the 5th Division through the
+captured village of Braine to Sermoise. Away on the right the 1st and
+2nd Divisions advanced as far as Courcelles and Vauxcere.
+
+The first infantry division to come into action in the Aisne valley
+was the 4th, under Gen. Snow, who--having crossed the Ourcq
+unopposed--arrived at Buzancy on the morning of the 12th and found the
+right of the 6th French Army bombarding the Germans, who were in
+occupation of the Mont de Paris, just south of Soissons. Snow at once
+chimed in with his own guns, and a tremendous artillery duel resulted,
+in which the Germans after a time threw up the sponge and made off
+across the Soissons bridge, which they destroyed behind them.
+
+The 3rd and 5th C.B. were in the meantime at Chaudun awaiting
+developments.
+
+The south side of the Aisne was now clear of the enemy, and the problem
+arose as to how best to get our troops across. The weather was still as
+bad as could be, with a bitter cold driving rain from the north-west
+which made any air reconnaissance an impossibility. It was essential,
+however, to learn the state of the bridges, so other means had to be
+devised. The Missy bridge was of especial importance, and Lieut.
+Pennycuik, R.E., volunteered to find out all about this by floating
+down the river on an improvised raft. This he succeeded in doing, at no
+little risk to himself, and reported the bridge practically destroyed,
+the north end having been blown up. The bridge at Conde was intact but
+inaccessible, the long, straight approach to it being open to
+concentrated machine-gun fire throughout. It had obviously been left as
+a bait, and to have attempted it would have been to have played
+straight into the enemy's hands. The question was, in fact, discussed
+between the C. in C. and Sir Horace, but they decided that, as its
+capture could only be effected at a great sacrifice of life, and as its
+possession was strategically of very little value to the enemy, it
+should be left alone.
+
+On our extreme right near Bourg there was no trouble about crossing,
+the aqueduct, which here carries the canal across the river, having
+survived the attempts of the enemy to blow it up; and by this the 1st
+Division and some of the cavalry and artillery crossed easily enough
+during the middle of the day on the 13th, and pushed forward some three
+or four miles along the Laon road. The rest of the cavalry crossed
+further up the river at Villers. This wing of the army met with very
+little systematic opposition, but desultory shell-fire and machine-gun
+fire was going on all the time, and the 1st Scots Guards had some
+casualties, Houldsworth being killed and Monckton and Balfour wounded.
+
+By nightfall the 1st Brigade had reached Moulins, the 2nd and 3rd
+Brigades being at Geny. The 5th Brigade had succeeded in reaching Pont
+d'Arcy by 9 a.m., but found the bridge there destroyed, one solitary
+girder partly submerged alone remaining, and by this they scrambled
+across in single file, with a blind shell-fire playing all around.
+Single girders, however, are not recognized as a military means of
+communication, so the R.E. set to work to build a pontoon bridge
+alongside.
+
+The 4th Brigade, on the left of the 2nd Division, had the worst time
+this day; they made an attempt to cross at Chavonne itself, but were
+vigorously opposed, the enemy being in possession of the village, and
+keeping up a ceaseless machine-gun fire which cost us some good men.
+The Irish Guards were the chief sufferers, especially in officers,
+Captain Berners, Lord Guernsey and Lord Arthur Hay being killed.
+However, late in the afternoon, some of the 2nd Coldstream got
+themselves ferried across in a small boat which was found--minus
+oars--higher up the river, whereupon the enemy, who as usual were weak
+in numbers, but strong in machine-guns, made off. The rest of the
+brigade then crossed in single file by the remains of the bridge,
+which--like that at Pont d'Arcy--still offered a shaky foothold from
+shore to shore.
+
+[Illustration: Map showing line occupied by British troops after the
+battle of the Aisne. Approximate scale 3 miles to an inch.]
+
+
+
+
+TROYON
+
+
+The 14th of September probably saw more real fighting in the
+old-fashioned sense than any other day in which the British troops had
+been engaged. The whole line covering a frontage of twenty miles was
+involved, but the fiercest conflict was always on the right with the
+1st A.C. This day's fighting is sometimes referred to as the battle of
+the Aisne, and sometimes as the battle of Troyon. The former is too
+indefinite, in view of the protracted fighting on the river of that
+name; the latter is too parochial. In real truth there were four
+distinct but synchronous battles taking place that day along our front,
+viz., at Troyon, Verneuil, Soupir and Chivres. The most sanguinary,
+and undoubtedly the most important as far as results go, was the first
+of these. It may fairly be said that the British victory at Troyon on
+September 14th was one of the most brilliant achievements of the War.
+The generalship displayed was of a high order, and the troops engaged
+behaved with the greatest steadiness and courage.
+
+Proceedings commenced at the very first streak of dawn. General
+Bulfin's 2nd Brigade, which had got as far as Moulins on the 13th, set
+out at four o'clock on the following morning along the road to
+Vendresse. This road runs between the wooded downs on either side, and
+the idea was to bring the rest of the 1st Division along it as soon as
+the heights to right and left had been cleared. Half a mile short of
+Vendresse the R. Sussex, the 60th and the Northamptons scaled the downs
+to the right of the road, and deployed in the order named, the Sussex
+on the left, the 60th in the middle, and the Northamptons on the right,
+just east of Troyon. Beyond the Northamptons were the 1st Coldstream,
+who had been detached from the 1st Brigade. The Loyal N. Lancashire
+Regiment remained in reserve down at Vendresse, and about six o'clock
+the other three battalions of the 1st Brigade came marching through
+them, along the road towards Cerny. About half a mile further on, these
+three battalions scaled the heights on the left of the road, so as to
+continue the line of the 2nd Brigade, which was on the right of the
+road. Here they deployed and remained till the 3rd Brigade came up on
+their left some three hours later.
+
+The day was a particularly unpleasant one. There was a cold and
+persistent rain from the north-west right in the faces of the British,
+and accompanied by a kind of fog which made it impossible to see
+clearly for more than a couple of hundred yards ahead, and which was
+responsible for a good deal of unfortunate confusion through the day as
+to the identity of friend and foe. It also, as may be supposed, greatly
+increased the difficulty of our Gunners, who found it impossible to
+locate the enemy accurately, or to get exact information as to the
+correctness of their range.
+
+Having dealt with the disposition of the three brigades of the 1st
+Division, we can now turn to the actual fight at Troyon. The main
+objective of our attack here was the Sugar Factory which stands near
+the five cross-roads on the Chemin des Dames. The Factory itself was
+very strongly held with machine-guns, and was flanked by two batteries
+of artillery. For a quarter of a mile on each side of it were the
+German trenches, on the one side running along the Chivy road, and on
+the other along the Chemin des Dames, the two forming an obtuse angle
+with the apex at the Factory itself. In addition, the enemy had four
+big eleven-inch guns behind their line, the fire from which greatly
+harassed our troops all through these operations as they completely
+outranged our batteries. The approach to this position was over turnip
+and beet fields, very wet and sticky with clay, and sloping gently
+upwards towards the Factory. As long as the 2nd Brigade was on the
+steep sides of the downs it was comparatively sheltered from the
+enemy's fire, but the moment this sloping plateau was reached, a
+tremendous fire burst upon it at close range from rifles, machine-guns,
+and from two batteries of artillery, which were in position behind the
+trenches along the Chemin des Dames.
+
+It is difficult to conceive of conditions more unfavourable for attack:
+a driving rain in the faces of the assailants, an entrenched enemy, and
+an uphill approach across clay fields saturated with wet and two feet
+deep in beet plants. However, the order was to advance, so undeterred
+by the gaps ploughed in their ranks, the brigade pressed steadily on.
+The objective of the R. Sussex on the left was the enemy's trenches
+along the Chivy road. Towards this they pushed on at the slow plodding
+tramp which was the best pace which could be raised in the
+circumstances, till they reached the comparative shelter of a sunken
+lane. In this lane the R. Sussex machine-gun section was able to get a
+position from which it could partially enfilade the Chivy road
+trenches, and so effective was its fire from this angle, that after a
+time a white flag was raised, and several hundred Germans were seen
+running forward with their hands up. Col. Montresor and many other
+officers and men of the Sussex left the lane to accept this surrender,
+whereupon the enemy, from the Factory itself and from the trenches to
+right and left of it, poured a deadly fire into the confused mass of
+Germans and British, mowing them down in scores. In this indiscriminate
+massacre the R. Sussex lost very heavily, Col. Montresor, Maj. Cookson,
+and Lieuts. Daun and Hughes being killed, and Captain Cameron wounded.
+The Germans too suffered severely, but about 200 of them were got
+safely into the lane and sent off to the rear with a platoon as escort.
+
+The R. Sussex being now very considerably reduced in numbers, the Loyal
+N. Lancashires were brought up from reserve, one company being sent to
+support the Sussex, while two and a half companies came up on the right
+of the 60th, _i.e._, between the 60th and the Northamptons. These
+two and a half companies being fresh troops were now ordered to attack
+the Sugar Factory. The position of the Factory and the lie of the
+ground has already been described. The Loyal N. Lancashires, in order
+to carry out the attack as ordered, had to advance over a quarter of a
+mile of open ground under fire, not only from their front, but from
+both flanks as well, on account of the angle formed by the German
+trenches to right and left of the Factory. Their casualties during this
+advance were terrible. The C.O., Maj. Lloyd, and his Adjutant, Captain
+Howard-Vyse, were killed in the first rush. Fifty per cent. of the men
+fell in crossing that fire-swept zone, but the remainder carried
+steadily on and, at the point of the bayonet, drove out the enemy and
+captured the Factory, an achievement which must undoubtedly rank as one
+of the finest of the War.
+
+The R. Sussex now pushed forward again, and Lieut. Dashwood, the
+machine-gun officer, got his maxims into the Factory, and from there
+enfiladed the two German batteries along the Chemin des Dames. At the
+same time some of the R. Sussex and the 6oth crept up along the road
+leading from Vendresse to the Factory, till they were in a position
+to enfilade the German trenches to the east of it. This manoeuvre
+produced an immediate surrender, the Germans leaving their trenches and
+hoisting the white flag. Warned, however, by their experience earlier
+in the day, the British remained prudently under cover of the road, and
+it was as well they did, for the two German batteries in rear of the
+trenches at once began bombarding this new situation at point-blank
+range, with the result that, while the British in the road took no
+harm, the unfortunate Germans who had tried to surrender were
+practically wiped out by their own people.
+
+This patriotic act was destined to be the last that these particular
+batteries performed, for Lieut. Dashwood with the Sussex machine-guns
+got on to them from the Factory and rendered them incapable of further
+damage. The horses were all killed, and such gunners as survived made
+off, abandoning the guns.
+
+The Factory itself was not held, being of no military value and
+presenting a first-class target for the German artillery. Lieut.
+Dashwood withdrew his machine-guns to a farm-house some 200 yards down
+the road, and from this point was able to do considerable execution on
+the retreating enemy. He was soon, however, located, and Lieut. Pelham,
+who was assisting him, was killed. The section, however, ultimately
+managed to get away safely and rejoin its battalion. The vacated
+Factory was at once heavily bombarded by the enemy, and our troops
+derived no little satisfaction from seeing shell after shell drop where
+they were not.
+
+The victory of Troyon was now complete, and it was one of which the
+troops engaged had every reason to be proud. The results, too, were
+very far-reaching, the position thus gained being never afterwards
+wrested from the British troops during their stay at the Aisne.
+
+The casualty list in this sanguinary little fight was a heavy one. The
+Loyal N. Lancashires lost 15 officers, including their C.O. and
+Adjutant, and over 500 rank and file. The value of their gallant
+performance was, however, officially recognized, and Captain Spread,
+who displayed great courage throughout the day, received the Military
+Cross. The R. Sussex lost 250 rank and file and 9 officers, also
+including their Colonel, while in the 60th, Major Foljambe, Captain
+Cathcart, Lieut. Bond and 2nd Lieuts. Forster, Thompson and Davison
+were killed.
+
+Whilst the 2nd Brigade plus the 1st Coldstream had been engaged with
+the Factory and the German entrenchments along the Chemin des Dames
+side of it, the Black Watch and Camerons were busy dislodging the
+other German wing from their trenches along the Chivy road. This again
+was a costly affair. The Camerons were enfiladed at close range by the
+German artillery on the other side of the Factory, and had lanes torn
+through their ranks. Col. Grant-Duff was killed while heading a
+bayonet charge of the Black Watch, side by side with his Adjutant,
+Captain Rowan Hamilton. The 1st Scots Guards, who were on the hill
+between Vendresse and Troyon, also lost their C.O. as well as their
+second in command, Col. Lowther being wounded and Major Garnier
+killed, as were also Lieuts. Inigo Jones and Thornhill. Sir V.
+Mackenzie and Lieut. Stirling-Stuart were wounded at the same time.
+The Scotsmen, however, did not mean stopping that day, and in spite of
+desperate losses the Chivy road trenches were finally carried at the
+point of the bayonet and a number of prisoners taken. But it cost the
+1st Brigade 49 officers and 1,100 rank and file.
+
+Much of the success during this day was due to the gallant behaviour of
+the 116th Battery R.F.A. attached to the 1st Brigade. At an early
+period in the day this battery, for fear of misdirection in the mist,
+had worked its guns up into a dangerously exposed position close to the
+firing line. From here they were able to work great damage to the
+German defences, but, as a natural consequence, themselves suffered
+severely in the process. Major Nicholson, in command of the battery,
+had been wounded early in the morning while reconnoitring for this
+position, the command then devolving upon Captain Oliver, who took the
+battery into action. Some 1,200 rounds were fired during the day, and
+replenishment of ammunition had to be done entirely by hand, all spare
+men and drivers being led up in relays by Lieut. Gardiner. The battery
+remained exposed to a very galling fire till after nightfall, when it
+was withdrawn by order of Col. Geddes, commanding the 25th Brigade
+R.F.A., as its position was in front of the infantry line actually
+occupied. Lieut. Simson, well known as a Rugby International, was
+killed during the operation. Great courage and devotion to duty was
+shown by Bombardier Collins, the battery telephonist, who, though
+painfully wounded early in the proceedings, continued at his post
+throughout the day. The battery was warmly thanked and praised by
+General Maxse, commanding the 1st Brigade, for the assistance it had
+given him.
+
+By noon the 1st and 2nd Brigades were extended in a straight line
+running east and west through the Factory. Eventually, however, the
+line which was actually occupied and entrenched and maintained
+throughout the Aisne period against incessant counter-attacks had its
+right resting on the Chemin des Dames half a mile east of the Factory,
+and from there inclined gradually backwards till it reached the river
+east of Soissons. When we consider that the position won this day on
+the Chemin des Dames was four miles north of the river, the oblique
+line thereafter held by the British troops was a lasting monument to
+the remarkable achievement of the 1st Division on September 14th.
+
+There can be no shadow of doubt that the Germans were completely taken
+by surprise by the unexpected rapidity of the 1st Division's advance.
+It was a fine piece of generalship, and had Sir Douglas Haig only had
+fresh troops to bring up from reserve, it is probable that the Germans
+would have been swept back another mile or two.
+
+Fresh reserve troops, however, were too great a luxury for our small
+force. The Loyal N. Lancashires had in the morning been the reserve
+battalion to the 2nd Brigade, and of these fifty per cent. had fallen.
+Some of the R. Sussex and 1st Coldstream, as a matter of fact, did
+penetrate as far as Cerny, following the road from Troyon which cuts
+through the high ground beyond in a narrow defile. This road was
+literally choked with the enemy's dead. At Cerny they found every
+symptom of confusion and surprise, abandoned kits, baggage and
+munitions, and no sign of organized resistance. The detachment,
+however, was small, and as it was unsupported on either flank it was
+deemed wise to retire.
+
+
+VERNEUIL
+
+We can now move across on to the next range of heights to the left, and
+see how it there fared with the 3rd and 5th Brigades. Here matters were
+neither so eventful nor so decisive as on the Troyon ridge. It was ten
+o'clock before the 3rd Brigade came up into line, and was ordered to
+extend to the left and join up with the right of the 2nd Division,
+which was in the neighbourhood of Braye. While carrying out this order
+and when within a mile or so of Verneuil, they suddenly came up against
+two strong German columns which were advancing with some unknown
+object. The rest of the day's proceedings in this quarter may be
+briefly described as a series of attacks and counter-attacks, which
+lasted all through the day, between these two German columns and our
+3rd, 5th and 6th Brigades. In the fiercely contested combat between
+these two forces honours were during the earlier part of the day fairly
+easy, but towards dusk the Germans sensibly weakened, both in attack
+and defence, and the British troops undoubtedly had the last word.
+
+The most conspicuous episode in this section of the fighting was a
+really great performance on the part of an Edinburgh man named Wilson,
+in the Highland Light Infantry. That battalion had just made a most
+successful and dramatic charge, led by Sir Archibald Gibson-Craig and
+Lieut. Powell (both killed), and had established itself in a forward
+position with its left on a small wood. From this wood a German
+machine-gun began playing on the ranks of the battalion with such
+disastrous accuracy that it soon became clear that either the
+machine-gun must be silenced or the position evacuated. Pte. Wilson
+thought the former alternative preferable, and, getting a K.R.R. man to
+go with him, crept out towards the wood. The K.R.R. man was shot almost
+at once, but, quite undeterred, Wilson went on alone, killed the German
+officer and six men, and single-handed captured the machine-gun and two
+and a half cases of ammunition. It need scarcely be said that he got
+the Victoria Cross.
+
+Another Victoria Cross earned this day by another Scotsman was little
+less remarkable, though of an entirely different order.
+
+Pte. Tollerton, a fine, powerful man in the Scottish Rifles, noticed an
+officer fall badly wounded in the firing line. Though himself wounded
+both in the head and hand, Tollerton carried the officer to a place of
+safety, after which he himself returned to the firing line and there
+remained fighting, in spite of his wounds, throughout the day. At dusk
+he returned to the wounded officer. In the meanwhile the firing line
+had fallen back, with the result that Tollerton and the officer were
+left behind. The latter was quite incapable of moving, and Tollerton
+remained with him for three days and nights, till eventually both were
+rescued.
+
+
+SOUPIR
+
+Once more it is necessary to shift our scene still more to the left and
+nearer again to the Aisne, where the Cour de Soupir farm stands on the
+crest of the river bluff.
+
+The capture of this position was the work of the Guards' Brigade. At 8
+a.m., at the time when the 1st and 2nd Brigades were in the very thick
+of their fight at Troyon, the 2nd Division, which was still on the
+south side of the river, began to cross by the new pontoon bridge at
+Pont d'Arcy, the 6th Brigade moving up the valley to Braye, while the
+5th Brigade fought its way up the wooded slopes above Soupir. These
+last two brigades, as we have seen, linked up with the 3rd Brigade in
+the neighbourhood of Verneuil.
+
+The 4th Brigade went down the right bank of the river as far as
+Chavonne, where it remained till midday, when it got the order to scale
+the heights in support of the 5th Brigade, which was reported in
+difficulties. Accordingly the 3rd Coldstream and Irish Guards forced
+their way up through the woods north of Soupir, while the 2nd
+Grenadiers and two companies of the 2nd Coldstream made for the hamlet
+of Les Grouins on the left, where the idea was that they were to get in
+touch with the 1st Cavalry Division, which was also reported in
+difficulties. The other two companies 2nd Coldstream stayed in reserve,
+in a wood clearing on the bluff, half a mile south of La Cour de Soupir
+farm.
+
+The track from Chavonne to the farm zigzags steeply up the bluff above
+the river through thick woods. Up this track, now ankle-deep in mud,
+the Guards scrambled in column of fours till they reached the flatter
+ground above, where they at once came under very heavy fire from the
+neighbourhood of the farm. Col. Feilding, who was acting Brigadier,
+thereupon deployed the two battalions to the left, and, as soon as the
+Grenadiers had come up into line on their left flank, the three
+battalions charged through the mist and rain in the direction of La
+Cour de Soupir farm. As had been the case with the 2nd Brigade, they
+were met by a very severe machine-gun and rifle fire at close range,
+the moment they emerged on to the flatter ground above, and their
+casualties were very considerable; but, notwithstanding, they kept
+going, captured the farm and trenches and drove out the enemy with
+heavy loss.
+
+An unfortunate incident, very similar in many respects to that which
+had befallen the R. Sussex at Troyon, occurred during the capture of
+these trenches, and was responsible for the deaths of many good men.
+
+Just to the left of the farm a number of Germans were seen advancing
+with hands up and white flags. Some of the 3rd Coldstream went out to
+accept the surrender, whereupon a second line of Germans sprang up,
+and, firing on friend and foe alike, mowed them down indiscriminately.
+
+There can be little doubt that both this and the Troyon incident on the
+same day were not acts of deliberate treachery on the part of the
+Germans, but were purely "no surrender" demonstrations, and were
+probably aimed more at their compatriots than at the British.
+
+In this engagement the 3rd Coldstream lost Captain Banbury, Lieut.
+Ives, Lieut. Bingham, Lieut. P. Wyndham, Captain Vaughan and Lieut.
+Fane, of whom the first four were killed, and 160 rank and file. The
+position gained, however, was never afterwards lost, but, from
+September 14th on, was held by the Guards' Brigade for twenty-nine
+consecutive days, in the face of a rapid succession of counter-attacks
+of the fiercest description, this position being singled out by the
+Germans for their most determined efforts at recapture.
+
+
+
+
+THE AISNE
+
+
+The meteoric advance of the 1st A.C. on the 14th had left the western
+wing of the British force far behind. Had the 2nd A.C. had the luck to
+find a bridge which had defied destruction--as was the case at
+Bourg--there is no knowing but that they might have pushed forward
+shoulder to shoulder with the 1st A.C. and established themselves on
+the heights beyond. No such good fortune, however, was theirs. At
+Venizel, Missy and Vailly the bridges had been successfully demolished
+and the approaches to the river were everywhere difficult, especially
+at Missy, where for three-quarters of a mile the ground on the south
+side of the river lies flat and exposed. The bridge at Conde, as has
+already been explained, was intact--had, in fact, been designedly left
+so by the enemy--and for that very reason was outside of consideration
+as far as the problem of crossing the river was concerned. It became,
+therefore, a matter for the R.E., and with characteristic promptitude
+that indefatigable corps started in on its work of repair and
+construction. The work had to be carried out under no small
+difficulties, and to the accompaniment of a systematic shelling, the
+enemy on the heights beyond having the exact range of the river. There
+were considerable casualties among the Engineers. By midday, however,
+on the 14th the work was practically completed, the road bridges at
+Venizel, Missy and Vailly, and the railway bridge east of Venizel,
+having been repaired, in addition to which eight pontoon bridges had
+been thrown over the river at varying intervals. This was good work on
+the part of the R.E., nor did their labours begin and end with the work
+of repair and construction. Captain Johnstone[2] and Lieut. Flint
+worked below Missy all through this day up to seven o'clock in the
+evening, bringing back the wounded on rafts and returning with
+ammunition--all the time under fire. The former got the Victoria Cross
+for this; the latter the D.S.O.
+
+        [2] Killed June 6th, 1915.
+
+Handicapped though they were in comparison with the 1st A.C. by the
+lack of a negotiable bridge, the three divisions at the Soissons end of
+the line were by no means disposed to sit still while the Sappers were
+working at their pontoon. The 11th Brigade (in the 4th Division) got
+itself ferried across below Venizel early in the day, and lost no time
+in getting into its position to the west of Bucy, where it dug itself
+in near St. Marguerite. At midday the 12th Brigade were able to cross
+by the repaired road bridge at Venizel and they at once linked up with
+the 11th Brigade at Bucy, just in time to take part in an attack which
+was made upon the Vregny heights opposite at 2 p.m. Meanwhile a pontoon
+bridge was being built close to the Venizel road bridge, and by 5.30
+this, too, was finished, and the 10th Brigade crossed and completed the
+concentration of the 4th Division.
+
+A mile higher up, at Missy, the 5th Division was in the meantime
+experiencing great difficulty in getting to the river, the flat ground
+approaching it being swept by a murderous fire from the far side. The
+13th Brigade, in fact, was foiled in all its attempts in this
+direction, and remained throughout the day at Sermoise. The 14th
+Brigade, however, managed to cross early in the afternoon at Moulins
+des Roches and with all the speed possible linked up with the 4th
+Division on its left, arriving at its post just in time to help in
+repelling a strong German counter-attack, which was launched against
+our lines at three o'clock. These two brigades in retaliation made
+repeated attacks on the Chivres heights during the afternoon, but
+without success, and at night they fell back to St. Marguerite.
+
+The 3rd Division reached the river at Vailly. Here the bridge had been
+blown up, but a single plank bridged the gap made at the north end, and
+by this the 8th and 9th Brigades got across in single file. The 7th
+Brigade in the meanwhile was getting across on rafts--three men at a
+time--a slow and tiresome business, which occupied the whole day. It
+was midday by the time the 9th Brigade, which followed the 8th, had
+crossed by the single plank above-mentioned, but they pushed forward at
+once and secured the heights opposite, the R. Fusiliers establishing
+themselves well forward on the Maison Rouge spur to the left, and the
+Lincolns on the Ostel spur, within half a mile of La Cour de Soupir
+farm held by the Guards. Here they remained all night, but at seven
+o'clock next morning the R. Fusiliers were heavily attacked and driven
+back to the Maison Rouge farm, with the loss from among their officers
+of Captain Byng, Captain Cole, Captain Attwood and 2nd Lieut. Hobbs.
+The Northumberland Fusiliers, who had pushed forward along the road up
+the wooded valley between the spurs, also had serious casualties, and
+had to withdraw. The Lincolns at the same time were driven from the
+Ostel spur and by 1 p.m. had re-crossed the river to the south side.
+
+Once more, after another very wet night, the 5th Division on the 15th
+attacked the Chivres heights, and, once more failing, had to fall back
+to a line from St. Marguerite to the bank of the river between Sermoise
+and Conde. There they dug themselves in and there they remained till
+the end of the Aisne battle. The position was very bad from a strategic
+point of view, as it was on the low ground by the river, with the
+Germans only 400 yards away on the heights beyond; but it was the best
+that could be done. The 5th Division was greatly upset at its second
+failure to take the Chivres heights. It did not realize (as, indeed,
+who did at that time?) that the Allied advance had reached its farthest
+north, and that the Chivres heights were to remain untaken by either
+French or English for very many months to come.
+
+The failure of the British left to advance encouraged the Germans to
+deliver counter-attacks all along the line, especially against the
+advanced position held by the 1st A.C. These, however, failed just as
+completely as had our own attempt to advance on the left. Several very
+determined attacks were made against the Guards' Brigade at the Soupir
+farm, but all were repulsed with heavy loss.
+
+The enemy was all this time steadily outranging our artillery with its
+big eleven-inch guns, popularly known as "Black Marias." The difficulty
+of properly entrenching against this long-range cannonade was greatly
+increased by the scarcity of proper tools, but, by means of a mixed
+assortment of implements, borrowed from the farms, a certain amount of
+protection was secured, and this was steadily improved upon from day to
+day. It began to be realized by now, by all parties concerned, that
+these entrenchments were likely to be rather more permanent than the
+emergency ditches scooped out with hands and mess-tins at Mons and Le
+Cateau, and in point of fact the line held at this time remained
+practically unchanged till the removal of the troops to Flanders.
+
+On the right the 1st A.C. held the ground from the Chemin des Dames
+through Chivy to La Cour de Soupir. On their left was the 3rd Division
+about a mile to the north of Vailly. Then came the gap caused by the
+bridge at Conde being in the German hands. Beyond this the 5th
+Division--as we have seen--held the ground from the bend in the river
+east of Missy to St. Marguerite; and beyond St. Marguerite the 4th
+Division joined up with the 6th French Army. The 6th Division arrived
+at this time, thus technically completing General Pulteney's 3rd A.C.
+As a matter of fact, however, the C. in C., at the first, utilized the
+greater part of this division to strengthen the 1st A.C. on the right,
+where the greatest German pressure was being felt, the remainder being
+held in reserve.
+
+About noon on the 16th, the line held by the Guards' Brigade at the
+Soupir farm, always the special object of German attention, was treated
+to an exceptionally violent bombardment. So accurate, in fact, was this
+fire, that the Brigadier-General ordered a temporary retirement to the
+shelter of the road behind and below. Very shortly after this
+retirement had taken place, it was seen that a barn at one end of the
+farm buildings, which had just been vacated, was on fire. This barn was
+being used as a temporary hospital, and in it at the time were some
+fifty wounded Germans. It was clearly a case for very prompt action and
+very risky action, but there was no hesitation about it. Without the
+loss of a moment, Major Matheson, who at the time was commanding the
+3rd Coldstream, called for volunteers, and accompanied by Major Steele
+and Drs. Huggan and Shields and some men of No. I Company under Lord
+Feilding, he rushed forward through the shell-fire to the blazing
+building. All concerned worked with such goodwill that every wounded
+man was successfully got into safety and with few casualties on our
+side, but a few minutes later Dr. Huggan, who had been very active in
+the rescue work, was killed by a shell which burst in a quarry into
+which some of the wounded had been carried. The same shell killed
+twelve others, including three officers of the 52nd Oxford Light
+Infantry who were attached at the time to the Guards' Brigade, and
+wounded fifty more. Dr. Huggan, who was best known as a Scotch
+International football player, had greatly distinguished himself on
+former occasions, both at Landrecies and Villers-Cotterets, by his
+courage and devotion to the wounded. He was buried in the garden of the
+farm.
+
+The 16th was otherwise an uneventful day, but on the 17th there was a
+good deal of fighting here and there, enlivened by some fine individual
+acts of bravery and devotion.
+
+An incident on the right of our line at this time attracted much
+attention on account of the German methods which it disclosed--methods
+with which we afterwards became much more familiar. At the village of
+Troyon a captain and two subalterns and 160 men of the Northamptons had
+entrenched themselves by the roadside some distance ahead of the main
+body. Two hundred and fifty yards to their front, and separated from
+them by a turnip field, was a German entrenchment containing from 400
+to 500 men. For five days the Northants men had to remain in trenches
+which were knee deep in water. Rain fell ceaselessly, and on the 17th
+seemed to come down harder than ever. Ague appeared among the men, and
+considerably reduced their effective strength. On the 15th the captain
+in command showed himself for a moment above the trench and was at once
+killed. Shortly afterwards the senior lieutenant was also killed. The
+command then devolved upon the junior lieutenant, who had less than a
+year's service.
+
+On the 17th--to the surprise of all--the Germans were seen advancing
+across the turnip field holding up their hands. It was to be assumed
+that they too had had enough of their water-logged trenches. The
+Northamptons, naturally gratified at this surrender, left the trench to
+meet them. When, however, the German officer saw how few men they had
+to deal with, he changed his mind and ordered his men to charge. The
+young lieutenant promptly shot the German officer and a sergeant with
+his revolver, but was himself immediately shot down, though, strange to
+say, not killed. The affair, however, would obviously have gone very
+badly for the Northamptons, who were outnumbered by three or four to
+one, if the 1st Queen's, who had been looking on from the right flank,
+suspecting foul play, had not promptly brought their machine-gun to
+bear on the situation. The 1st Coldstream were also quickly on the
+spot, and the German force was accounted for to a man.
+
+Further west, in the Soupir district, the Guards' Brigade, who seemed
+specially singled out at this period for all the enemy's most ferocious
+attacks, were given a particularly bad time on this day. All attacks,
+however, were beaten off with severe loss to the enemy.
+
+One incident is worth recording. North of Chavonne, where the 2nd
+Grenadiers were posted, there was a barn from which some snipers were
+keeping up a very irritating fire on the battalion. There was no
+artillery available at the moment for its destruction, and yet its
+destruction was of all things most desirable for the safety of the
+battalion. While the problem was under consideration, Corpl. Thomas, of
+the 2nd Grenadiers, decided on a line of action. They were in a
+wheat-field in which the sheaves were stacked ready for carting. With a
+couple of comrades whom he persuaded to accompany him, he left the
+trenches, caught up a sheaf in each hand, and raced full tilt for the
+barn. There they piled up the sheaves against the wood-work, set fire
+to them and raced back again. Not a man of the party was touched,
+though both coming and going they ran through a hail of bullets. It is
+satisfactory to record that the barn burnt bravely and that the enemy
+retired with some rapidity. Later on, on November 6th, this same
+Grenadier, then a sergeant, gained the D.C.M. for another act of
+conspicuous gallantry.
+
+The British force had now been five days on the Aisne, and had lost an
+average of 2,000 men per day. On the 17th, one of the 2,000 to fall for
+his country was Captain Wright, R.E. He was only a unit--one out of a
+host that fell; but he stands out, both on account of the manner of his
+death and because only a short three weeks before he had gained the
+Victoria Cross for great gallantry during the destruction of one of the
+bridges over the Mons canal. On this occasion the 5th C.B. had to get
+across to the south side of the river. Now that further advance was for
+the time being out of the question, the north side of the Aisne was
+clearly no place for cavalry. So the 5th C.B. had to get back across
+the pontoon bridge at Vailly. The bridge itself and both banks were
+under shell-fire, but Captain Wright, who was responsible for the
+bridge, considered himself equally responsible for the safety of those
+who crossed. The casualties among the cavalry were not many; but there
+were some; and it was while helping one of these wounded men into
+shelter that Captain Wright was killed.
+
+On the night following, there was another gallant death among the
+Sappers. It was highly important to establish telephonic communication
+between the 9th Brigade on the north bank and Divisional Head Quarters
+on the south bank. There was no bridge and there was no boat. The river
+was swollen, sixty yards across and very uninviting. A private in the
+R.E. volunteered to try and swim across with a line; but he was a
+married man, and Lieut. Hutton, R.E., would not allow it. He himself
+took the line, plunged into the river, and very nearly got across, but
+was sucked under by the eddies and drowned.
+
+Another act this day which gained no Victoria Cross was that of Captain
+Everlegh, of the 52nd Oxford Light Infantry, who left the shelter of
+his trench to help a wounded animal, and was killed by a shell in so
+doing. It does not detract from the nobility of the act that the animal
+in question was only a pig.
+
+The German attack was still mainly confined to the right end of our
+line, where the Germans ceaselessly, and always unsuccessfully, tried
+to drive the 1st A.C. from the heights on which they had established
+themselves in the first day's fighting. The Germans lost very heavily
+in these attacks and our own casualties were far from light. On the
+20th the Aisne casualty list had mounted up to 561 officers and 13,000
+men. In order to make up deficiencies, the C. in C. decided to send up
+the 18th Brigade, out of the 6th Division, just arrived, to support the
+2nd Brigade on the extreme right of our line.
+
+The 18th Brigade, on its arrival, took up a position between the 2nd
+Brigade and the French, with the W. Yorks as its right-hand battalion.
+It was this battalion's first day's fighting, and its initiation was a
+particularly cruel one, for the French troops, who should have
+protected its right, coolly went away to their dinner, leaving the
+flank of the W. Yorks absolutely unprotected, with the result that they
+found themselves mercilessly enfiladed and driven from their trenches
+with considerable loss. The Sherwood Foresters, also in the 18th
+Brigade, were in reserve down a steep slope in rear of the W. Yorks
+trenches. They were lying down in groups, talking over the prospects of
+their first day in the fighting line, when the news of the disaster
+above reached them. Without waiting to get into any formation, they
+jumped to their feet and charged up the slope. The officers were so far
+ahead as to be conspicuous, and nearly half of their number fell, but
+the survivors charged home, and, supported by some of the 4th Dragoon
+Guards, dismounted, led by Major Bridges, they joined up with the W.
+Yorks and re-took the lost trenches. The French, returning hurriedly
+from their dinner, full of apologies for their absence, and anxious to
+make reparation, put in some useful work with the bayonet on our flank.
+
+This little affair cost us six hundred men, the Sherwood Foresters
+alone losing fourteen officers.
+
+Between September 20th and 25th the battle of the Aisne seemed on the
+high road to die of inanition. It had come in like a lion; it went out
+like a very small lamb. When we use the term "battle of the Aisne" we
+are, of course, talking parochially. The Aisne battle has now been
+raging for an indefinite number of months over a front of a hundred
+miles. For us, however, the meaning of the term does not extend beyond
+the four weeks during which British and German troops faced one another
+between Soissons and Bourg. This is the only battle of the Aisne we are
+at present concerned with, and this battle began to get very quiet and
+uneventful. The weather, however, took a turn for the better, the wind
+shifting round out of the north-west, and sunshine once more took the
+place of the bitter rain storms of the past fortnight.
+
+On the 25th, German activity was to some extent revived by the arrival
+of 200,000 reinforcements from Brussels and from the neighbourhood of
+Verdun. These came up by train by way of Liege and Valenciennes, and
+were distributed at various points along the enemy's right. The Verdun
+troops were reported very weary. The stimulus afforded by the arrival
+of these new troops was, however, merely sporadic, and from the point
+of view of public interest the Aisne battle may be said to have shot
+its bolt. Its waning days were, however, illuminated by one individual
+act of such remarkable courage that the history of the Aisne period
+would scarcely be complete without it.
+
+On the morning of the 28th, while the 2nd Coldstream were on the left
+of the 4th Brigade at what was known as the Tunnel post, the men of
+Captain Follett's company were sent out in a very thick mist to
+reconnoitre. It was a risky undertaking, for the German lines were very
+close. Suddenly the mist lifted, and two out of the three were
+instantly shot, the third getting home with only a graze. As leaving
+them where they lay meant fourteen hours' exposure before they could be
+got in under cover of darkness, Pte. Dobson volunteered to try and get
+them in at once. The undertaking appeared on the face of it an absolute
+impossibility, as it involved crossing a good deal of open ground in
+full view of the enemy. However, Dobson crawled out and managed to
+reach the men, one of whom he found dead, and the other wounded in
+three places. He applied first-aid dressings and then crawled back. A
+few minutes later he crawled out again, this time in company with
+Corpl. Brown, the two men dragging a stretcher between them on which
+the wounded man was placed and dragged back into safety, none of the
+three being hit. It need scarcely be added that Dobson got the Victoria
+Cross for this most remarkable performance, Corpl. Brown being awarded
+the D.C.M.
+
+Towards the end of September operations in the Champagne country, as
+has been said, were beginning to stagnate. The Aisne had ceased to be a
+battlefield on which contending forces strove for position, and met in
+open shock on the downs, or in the beet fields. It had degenerated into
+a scene of mutual siege, where, in parallel lines of trenches, two
+armies were content to sit down and block progress. In view of the
+steady decrease in the distance between the hostile trenches, artillery
+operations had gradually assumed a more or less complimentary character
+and the game of war became restricted to sniping and construction work.
+With each succeeding day the position became more and more aggravated
+as trenches were made deeper and more secure, and entanglements of all
+kinds reduced still further the possibility of surprise or assault. For
+the soldier on duty such operations have but little interest; for the
+historian or the student of war they have none. We may, therefore, turn
+without reluctance to the more general situation, which by now was
+rapidly beginning to develop in interest.
+
+The end of September and the beginning of October found both the
+Germans and the Allied Armies extending their flanks westward. As
+growing familiarity with the trench system of warfare began to make it
+clear to both sides that no further progress was possible by means of
+direct pressure, the German and Allied leaders began to scent a more
+favourable outlet for their energies on the western flank of
+operations, where--and where only--a roadway still lay open. The
+gradual shifting of German troops westward, or, to be more accurate,
+north-westward, could have no meaning but that of an attempt to force
+their way into France along the flat plains of Western Flanders; and
+no sooner was such an intention made plain than a corresponding
+movement was made by the Allies in an endeavour to forestall the enemy
+and envelop his flank before he could extend it. It was clear that the
+German move postulated the speedy capture of Antwerp, as the fall of
+that fortress was a necessary preliminary to any extended movement
+along the Belgian seaboard. A considerable British force was in
+process of being sent to Antwerp, and in addition to this force, the
+7th Division and 3rd Cavalry Division were landed at Zeebrugge on
+October 7th, with a view to co-operating either with the Antwerp
+troops or with the main Allied Army as circumstances dictated.
+
+A consideration of these several important factors in the situation
+suggested to the C. in C. the desirability of entrusting the western
+extension movement, in the first instance, to the British Army at the
+moment occupying the Aisne trenches. Not only would such an exchange of
+positions greatly increase the facilities for bringing up supplies and
+for communications generally with England, but, in the event of the
+co-operation of the 7th and 3rd Cavalry Divisions, it would have the
+advantage of putting that detached body of troops in touch with the
+left of the main British Army and so of consolidating the command.
+
+General Joffre at first demurred, on account of the obvious objections
+attending the transfer from one set of troops to another of trenches
+situated so very close to those of the enemy as were ours on the Aisne,
+such transfer only being possible at night and under the strictest
+precautions. The C. in C, however, was insistent, and in the end the
+French General was persuaded that the advantages of the plan outweighed
+the drawbacks. There can be no question now but that the judgment of
+the C. in C. was fully endorsed by the event.
+
+The transfer of troops was begun on October 3rd, on which day the
+cavalry set out by road for Flanders, and two days later the 2nd A.C.
+started entraining for St. Omer at Pont Ste. Maxence and Soissons.
+Nothing could have been more auspicious than the start of the cavalry
+as they turned their backs on the Aisne valley. The heavy rains of
+mid-September had been succeeded by a spell of magnificent weather, and
+on the morning of the 3rd it was at its best. The sun shone out of a
+clear sky, and, slanting over the backs of the men as they rode, fell
+full on the wooded slopes above Le Moncel and Chivres, where the tints
+of autumn were already beginning to show among the green. Below, down
+the valley, the winding Aisne showed up here and there, reflecting back
+the blue of the sky. The spirits of all ranks were in tune with the
+weather and the scene. Trench warfare offers no opportunities to
+cavalry--as cavalry--and the change westward at any rate carried with
+it the promise of increased action.
+
+
+
+
+MANOEUVRING WESTWARD
+
+
+General Foch, with his Head Quarters at Doulens, at this time commanded
+all the French troops north of Noyon, and the Flanders plan of campaign
+was arranged between him and the C. in C. as follows: The 2nd A.C. was
+to occupy the canal line from Aire to Bethune, and the 3rd A.C. on
+arrival was to extend that line northward. The road running from
+Bethune to Lille was to be the dividing line between French and
+British, and the aim of the British force was to be to wheel to the
+right and so menace the flank of the Germans facing the 21st French
+Army Corps under General Maistre. The 7th Division and the 3rd Cavalry
+Division from Belgium were to co-operate in this general wheeling
+movement as circumstances permitted.
+
+This scheme, as things turned out, was destined to be entirely upset by
+the fall of Antwerp on October 9th. For the first week it worked
+admirably, and the cavalry patrols and infantry outposts opposed to us
+fell back--as had been anticipated--before our advance. Then German
+reinforcements began to come up. Four Army Corps were railed up from
+the eastern frontier, to which were presently added some 90,000 troops
+released by the fall of Antwerp.
+
+However, before these things happened, we had made some progress from
+our original line in an attempt to carry out the formulated scheme. On
+October 11th the detrainment of the 2nd A.C. was completed and Sir
+Horace moved his two divisions into position between Aire and Bethune.
+On October 12th the 3rd A.C, under General Pulteney, arrived at St.
+Omer and moved forward to Hazebrouck. The moment this Army Corps was in
+position Sir Horace made the first move in the contemplated sweep by
+pushing forward the 3rd Division, which was on the left of the 2nd A.C,
+with orders to cross the Lawe Canal, which the enemy was reported to be
+holding in force. The advance was carried out with but little serious
+opposition, except in the neighbourhood of the locks at Etroa, where
+the 2nd R. Scots in the 8th Brigade met with a stubborn resistance, in
+the course of which Lieut. Trotter was killed and Captain Croker (in
+command of the battalion) and Captain Heathcote badly wounded. The
+battalion, however, in spite of losses, continued to advance with great
+gallantry to the line of the canal, which Captain Tanner and Lieut.
+Cazenove, with the leading company, eventually succeeded in crossing by
+the lock-gates, an exploit for which the former received the D.S.O. and
+the latter the Military Cross. The defenders thereupon at once gave
+way, suffering heavily in their retirement from the rifle fire of the
+4th Middlesex on the right.
+
+On the following morning the 3rd Division advance was renewed, the
+brigade chiefly concerned being once again the 8th, in the centre. This
+brigade set out at 6.30, the Middlesex being on the right, the R. Scots
+in the centre, and the 1st Gordon Highlanders on the left.
+
+The country was dead flat, and the advance very slow owing to the
+innumerable water-dykes with which the country is intersected and which
+could only be crossed by means of planks or ladders borrowed from the
+farms.
+
+About midday the Middlesex captured the village of Croix Barbee and the
+R. Scots performed the same office by Pont de Hem, but shortly
+afterwards further advance was checked, the enemy being found in
+considerable force and strongly entrenched, and the country offering no
+sort of cover. The brigade, however, though unable to advance, refused
+to retire, and very fierce fighting ensued, in the course of which the
+enemy made two most determined counter-attacks, one on Lieut.
+Henderson's Company on the left of the R. Scots, and one on Captain
+Passy's Company on the left of the Middlesex line. Both these attacks
+were repulsed with heavy loss to the enemy, but the casualties on our
+side were also severe, Lieut. Henderson--who was awarded the Cross of
+the Legion of Honour for the great gallantry which he displayed
+throughout these operations--being badly wounded, and Captain Passy's
+Company being reduced to the dimensions of a platoon. By nightfall the
+R. Scots had lost, during the day, 9 officers and close on 400 men.
+Second-Lieuts. Hewitt, Kerr and Snead-Cox had been killed, and of
+Captain Morrison's Company all the officers and 175 rank and file had
+been either killed or wounded.
+
+The losses in the Middlesex were almost as severe, Lieut. Coles, among
+others, being killed and Major Finch and Captain Passy severely
+wounded. Both battalions, however, maintained their ground with the
+utmost determination.
+
+On the 14th some more of the actors in the approaching drama began to
+fall into their allotted places. The immortal 7th Division reached
+Ypres from Dixmude at midday and went into billets. The 3rd Cavalry
+Division arrived at the same time and from the same quarter, and split
+up, the 6th C.B. going to Wytschate and the 7th C.B. to Kemmel. The
+original Cavalry Brigades had now been re-organized, de Lisle taking
+over the 1st Division from Allenby, Gough retaining the second, and
+both divisions forming a "Cavalry Corps" under General Allenby. The 3rd
+Cavalry Division, on the other hand, had no part or parcel in this
+Cavalry Corps, being a separate and independent organization, under
+General the Hon. J. Byng.
+
+During the day the Cavalry Corps captured the high ground above Bethune
+after some stiff fighting, while the 3rd A.C. advanced and occupied
+Bailleul, which was found to be full of German wounded. The 9th Brigade
+on the left of the 3rd Division was still pushing ahead, but the 8th
+Brigade was found to have got too far in advance of the troops further
+north, who had the bigger sweep to make, and General Doran, the
+Brigadier, ordered the brigade to entrench where it was, the R. Irish
+Regiment under Major Daniell being brought up from reserve to fill the
+gaps made the previous day in the ranks of the 4th Middlesex and 2nd R.
+Scots.
+
+Sir Hubert Hamilton, the Divisional General, shortly afterwards came
+along on foot to inspect the trenches, disregarding warnings as to the
+great danger he was running. He proceeded on foot down the Richebourg
+Road, which was swept by shell-fire, in company with Captain Strutt,
+commanding the R. Scots, and was almost immediately killed by a shell,
+Captain Strutt being at the same time rendered unconscious. The
+General's A.D.C., Captain Thorp, ran forward and knelt by Sir Hubert's
+body, trying to screen it from the shells which were now falling
+thickly on the road. Captain Strutt shortly afterwards recovered
+consciousness, but was almost immediately severely wounded by another
+shell, and the command of the R. Scots devolved on Lieut. Cazenove.
+This battalion had now lost 15 officers and over 500 men in the last
+three days' operations, but its casualties were to a certain extent
+repaired by the timely arrival of a draft of 180 men and several
+officers from home.
+
+While the 3rd Division was thus pushing slowly ahead in the face of
+great natural difficulties, the 5th Division was being heavily engaged
+in the neighbourhood of Givenchy. Little forward progress was either
+asked for or expected from this division, the canal south of Givenchy
+having been, from the first, the selected pivot of the proposed
+wheeling movement. It was also a matter of common knowledge that the
+Germans were in far greater strength here than they were further north,
+the original idea of the wheeling movement having been, in fact,
+entirely based on the knowledge of the gradually diminishing strength
+of the German forces as they stretched northwards.
+
+The first regiment to take a conspicuous part in the terrific fighting
+which for three weeks raged round Givenchy was the Dorsets. This was
+on the 13th, _i.e._, on the same day on which the 8th Brigade made its
+advance to Croix Barbee and Pont de Hem.
+
+It was a miserable day, foggy and wet. The Dorsets were on the extreme
+right of our army, in a line of trenches on the low ground between
+Givenchy and the canal. The attack was pressed with great vigour by the
+enemy, and the 1st Bedfords, on the left of the Dorsets, were driven
+out of the village of Givenchy. The left flank of the Dorsets was now
+exposed to enfilading fire from the ridge on which Givenchy stands, and
+their position was distinctly precarious. Some of the left-hand
+trenches were all but surrounded, the enemy having pressed forward into
+the gap at Givenchy, and from thence bearing down on the flank of the
+Dorsets. That regiment, however, held on with the utmost tenacity and
+successfully defended its position against repeated and most determined
+attacks; but the position was distinctly critical, and it was felt to
+be essential that orders of some sort should be received from Brigade
+Head Quarters. The telephonic communication had unfortunately been cut
+and there was no means of getting a message through except by hand,
+which, in the circumstances, seemed an all but impossible undertaking.
+A private of the name of Coombs, however, volunteered to try, and on
+the outward voyage actually got through untouched, but on returning
+with the necessary orders he was shot clean through the chest, but
+continued running for another 200 yards till he had delivered his
+message.
+
+The orders received were that the Dorsets were to hold on, and this
+they continued to do, and with such good results that about 10 a.m. a
+long line of Germans was seen advancing with hands up and a white flag.
+The Dorsets left their trenches to accept this surrender and were
+instantly raked from end to end by concealed machine-guns from beyond
+the canal. These machine-guns had evidently been trained on the
+Dorsets' position in anticipation of that which actually happened,
+proving beyond any question that the whole thing was one carefully
+thought-out piece of treachery. The Dorsets being got fairly in line,
+and fully exposed to the concentrated fire of several machine-guns,
+literally fell in hundreds. Major Roper was killed and Col. Bols was
+shot through the back and actually taken prisoner, but in the
+subsequent confusion he managed to crawl away and rejoin what was left
+of his battalion. The most unsatisfactory part of the whole affair was,
+that if the French Territorials on the south side of the canal,
+_i.e._, on the right of the Dorsets, had been where they ought to
+have been, that which happened never could have happened; but instead
+of being up in line, for some unexplained reason they were a quarter of
+a mile behind.
+
+The loss, however, was limited--as a loss--to the treacherous massacre
+of several hundred gallant men, and the capture of two of the
+supporting guns. The Gunners, as usual, behaved with the utmost
+gallantry, but they too came under the same enfilading fire as the
+Dorsets and every man of the detachment except Captain Boscawen fell
+either killed or wounded. Two of the guns were captured, but, with
+this, the material advantage gained by the enemy began and ended, for
+the 1st Cheshires were brought up from reserve and, with their
+co-operation, the morning's line was re-occupied. The Cheshires,
+however, themselves suffered considerably, among their casualties being
+their C.O., Col. Vandeleur, who was killed while leading the attack.[3]
+
+        [3] Col. Vandeleur, while leading the Cheshires at Givenchy,
+        was _not_ killed as originally reported, but was wounded,
+        fell into the hands of the Germans and finally escaped to
+        England.
+
+On the 15th, as though in fury at the loss of their gallant General,
+the 3rd Division, now under the command of General Mackenzie, fought
+with a dash and determination which were irresistible. Their advance
+was continually checked by the country dykes, but, in spite of these
+hampering obstacles, the Germans were everywhere driven back with heavy
+loss. The 4th Middlesex and the 2nd R. Scots again did particularly
+good work, and, further north, in the 9th Brigade, the R. Fusiliers and
+the Northumberland Fusiliers gained high praise from the A.C. Commander
+for the vigour and activity with which they pushed forward in the face
+of strong opposition.
+
+Conneau's cavalry, filling the eight-mile gap between the two Army
+Corps, also made good progress, as did the 3rd A.C., on the left. In
+the case of the latter Army Corps the 6th Division succeeded in
+reaching Sailly without encountering serious opposition, while the 4th
+Division got as far as Nieppe. The 2nd A.C., in its attempt to wheel,
+had so far advanced its left flank three miles in the last four days at
+a cost of 90 officers and 2,000 men. It had, however, inflicted very
+heavy losses on the enemy.
+
+On the 16th the 3rd Division continued the wheeling movement with
+little opposition till it reached the village of Aubers, which was
+found to be strongly held, and where it was brought up short.
+
+So much for the present as regards the general movement forward of the
+four divisions of infantry working south of Le Gheir. The attempt to
+drive the enemy back was destined to prove abortive, but this was not
+generally recognized by October 17th, and the idea was still to push
+our troops forward. This general desire to advance soon communicated
+itself to the 15th Brigade, on the extreme right of the British line at
+Givenchy, which had so far been looked upon as the pivot on which the
+left was to sweep round, and on the morning of the 17th the brigade was
+ordered to push ahead. During the night of the 16th the 1st Devons had
+taken over the trenches just north of the canal in which the Dorsets
+had suffered such terrible casualties three days earlier. The 1st
+Bedfords were on their left, and on their right, of course, were the
+French Territorials south of the canal.
+
+At 5 a.m. on the morning of the 17th a great bombardment was
+concentrated upon Givenchy, and the Germans were soon shelled out of
+that place, which had been in their possession since the 13th. A
+general advance was thereupon ordered.
+
+As a precaution against the calamity which had overtaken the Dorsets,
+the Devons put one company on the south side of the canal. This company
+was in touch with the French Territorials--so long as these latter kept
+up in line, which, as it proved, was not for long. The advance was made
+under considerable difficulties, as the country afforded no natural
+cover, and the enemy was found to be in far greater force than had been
+anticipated. However, in spite of a most continued and stubborn
+resistance, the Devons, in obedience to orders, succeeded in advancing
+their position 1,000 yards, and held on there till dusk, waiting for
+the French Territorials on their right and the regiment on their left
+to come up into line. These, however, failed to arrive, and it soon
+became clear that for the Devons to remain isolated at the point to
+which they penetrated could only result in the capture of the entire
+battalion. Their retirement, however, in the circumstances, was a
+matter of extreme difficulty, the country being quite flat and entirely
+destitute of cover. The enemy were favoured by an exceptionally clear
+field for their fire, and all their attention was naturally focussed on
+the one battalion which had dared to push so far ahead. The men were
+sheltering as best they could in ditches and behind haystacks, of which
+there was fortunately a fair sprinkling. When the order came to retire
+some crept away under shelter of the hedges; others had not even this
+cover, and had to take their chance in the open.
+
+One detachment of some forty men were sheltering behind a large
+haystack in the open. They were quickly located, and shrapnel and
+machine-gun fire was concentrated on the haystack, which soon began to
+dwindle under the hail of missiles. Lieut. Worrall, who was one of the
+party, thereupon set fire to the haystack, and told the men to make a
+bolt for it singly, under cover of the smoke. This they successfully
+did, and with few further casualties--all but Sergt. Harris and another
+man, who were wounded and could not move. The haystack was now
+beginning to blaze fiercely and it was clear the men could not be left.
+Lieut. Worrall picked up Sergt. Harris and carried him 400 yards across
+the open to the shelter of the canal bank, where he left him. Then he
+went back for the other man.
+
+In the meanwhile the line further north was still making a certain
+progress. At Lorgies a party of the K.O.S.B. Cyclists, under Corpl.
+Wheeler, rode right into the enemy outposts. They promptly dismounted,
+and, opening fire, held the enemy for half an hour till the brigade
+(the 13th) arrived on the scene and captured the place. Still further
+north again Gen. Shaw and his 9th Brigade was as usual fairly active.
+About 4 p.m. the R. Scots Fusiliers and the Northumberland Fusiliers
+attacked and carried the village of Aubers with the bayonet, completely
+routing the occupying troops; and a little later the R. Fusiliers and
+Lincolns performed the same office by the village of Herlies.
+
+Aubers stands on the crest of the ridge which faces Neuve Chapelle.
+Herlies, on the other hand, lies at the foot of a long, gradual slope
+of open, cultivated land. The village was defended on the west side by
+a semi-circular line of trenches, protected by barbed wire
+entanglements. The defenders had also a Horse Artillery Battery and--as
+usual--a great number of machine-guns posted here and there in any
+suitable buildings. The two attacking battalions, on the other hand,
+were supported by a R.F.A. battery and a section of howitzers. These
+did admirable preliminary work, and at dusk the two regiments--Lincolns
+on right, R. Fusiliers on left--charged the trenches, carried them
+hot-handed and pursued the Germans into the village. Here further
+pursuit was unfortunately checked by the too great activity of our own
+artillery, but the position won was occupied and held for six days. The
+Lincolns, who were the chief sufferers, lost seventy-five men and two
+officers during this attack.
+
+Further north, Conneau's cavalry added their share to the day's work by
+capturing Fromelles, so that there was an appreciable advance all
+round, which would have been greater still had not the 7th Brigade,
+which was on the right of the 3rd Division, failed to take the village
+of Illies.
+
+The position then at night on the 17th was that the pivot point
+remained on the canal, south of Givenchy. From that point the line of
+the 2nd A.C. curved round behind La Bassee and through Violaines, after
+which it zig-zagged towards the north-east in an irregular salient, the
+3rd A.C. being thrown back on its left.
+
+Such was still the state of things on the morning of the 18th, when the
+Germans--having been reinforced during the night by the XIII. Division
+of the VII. Corps--made counter-attacks all along the line of the 2nd
+A.C. All these were repulsed with loss to the enemy, but our own line
+made no advance, the stumbling-block being still Illies, which
+continued to defy capture by the 7th Brigade.
+
+At dusk the undefeated 9th Brigade stormed and took the trenches one
+mile north-east of Illies, but as they were unsupported on either
+flank, they had to abandon the position and fall back. The 1st R. Scots
+Fusiliers did particularly good work on this occasion, and suffered
+correspondingly, Captain Burt and Lieuts. Cozens-Brooke, the Hon. J.
+Doyle, and Fergusson-Barton being killed, and six other officers
+wounded. In the meanwhile Conneau had advanced from Fromelles and
+attacked Fournes, but this attack failed.
+
+Meanwhile, in the Armentieres district, the 3rd A.C. was making great
+efforts to play up to its allotted part in the wheel to the south, the
+4th Division being north of Armentieres, the 6th Division south of it.
+The centre of interest was still to the south of Armentieres, the
+concentration of German troops north of that town being still only in
+process of development. For the moment, then, we can neglect affairs
+further north, and follow the attempted wheeling movement of the troops
+south of Armentieres to its furthest point east.
+
+On the afternoon of the 18th the 16th Brigade captured Radinghem, the
+two battalions chiefly concerned being the 2nd Lancs. and Yorks. and
+the 1st Buffs. These two battalions, who were on the right of the 6th
+Division, gallantly stormed and carried the village and then--in the
+impetuosity of success and enterprise--followed on beyond after the
+retreating Germans. Here, in pushing forward through an impenetrable
+wood, they suddenly found themselves swept from all sides by concealed
+machine-guns, which literally rained bullets on them. The casualties
+here were very high, the Lancs. and Yorks. alone losing 11 officers and
+400 men. Col. Cobbold and Major Bailey, however, who displayed the
+greatest coolness and courage throughout, succeeded in withdrawing the
+remains of the battalion in good order and getting it back to
+Radinghem.
+
+The two battalions, in spite of their heavy losses, retained possession
+of this village throughout the night, though--had the Germans
+counter-attacked in force--things might have gone badly with them, as
+they were two miles ahead of the rest of the division.
+
+
+
+
+FROM ATTACK TO DEFENCE
+
+
+It was now generally recognized that the wheeling movement originally
+contemplated was an impossibility. Between Armentieres and Givenchy the
+3rd, 5th, and 6th Divisions, and Conneau's cavalry, which was acting
+with them, had opposed to them the II., IV., VII. and IX. German
+Cavalry Divisions, several battalions of Jaegers, the XIII. Division of
+the VII. A.C., a brigade of the III. A.C., and the whole of the XIV.
+A.C., which had recently moved north from in front of the 21st French
+Army. They were therefore sufficiently outnumbered, even at this
+period, to put any idea of further advance quite out of the question.
+It now became merely a matter of holding on to that which they had
+got--if possible.
+
+The 2nd A.C. front, owing to the irregularity of the advance, was of a
+zig-zag character, and on the night of the 19th Sir Horace ordered a
+slight retirement so as to straighten out the line. It was quickly
+evidenced that this step was not taken a moment too soon, for on the
+following day the Germans, confident in the sufficiency of their
+numbers, attacked all along the line, and succeeded in re-capturing Le
+Pilly, and with it the whole of the R. Irish Regiment. This was
+something of a disaster, but luckily the attack was not equally
+successful elsewhere. The 1st Cheshires, though attacked with great
+vigour, held their ground unshaken throughout this day and the next,
+and inflicted heavy loss on the enemy. Two platoons of the R.
+Fusiliers, who were sent up to establish communication between Herlies
+and the R. Irish Regiment at Le Pilly, were caught in flank, owing to
+the capture of the latter place, and suffered severely, Captain Carey,
+in command, being killed.
+
+The 9th Brigade, which had throughout these operations been on the left
+of the 3rd Division, was now temporarily transferred to the 3rd A.C.,
+whose line, reaching as it did from Radinghem to Le Gheir, was
+considered by the C. in C. to be too thin for safety. The removal of
+this brigade had the effect of widening the gap between the 2nd and 3rd
+A.C.'s by a further four or five miles, and the responsibilities of
+Conneau's cavalry were correspondingly increased, the left of the 2nd
+A.C. now stopping short at Riez, which was held by the 1st Gordons. The
+weakening of the 2nd A.C. by the borrowing of one of its brigades and
+the capture of one of its battalions was made up to it in some measure
+by the arrival of the Lahore Division of Indians, under General Watkis,
+which took up a position in rear of it at Neuve Chapelle.
+
+With the additional assistance which had been lent him, Gen. Pulteney
+was everywhere successful in holding his ground. At one moment in the
+day the enemy succeeded in getting possession of Le Gheir, but as the
+loss of this place would have laid bare the flank of the cavalry at St.
+Yves, Gen. Hunter-Weston decided that it must be retaken at any cost,
+and the work was entrusted to the K.O. Regiment and the Lancs.
+Fusiliers. These two battalions, finely handled by Col. Butler, of the
+Lancs. Fusiliers, proved themselves quite equal to the call made upon
+them, and not only re-captured the lost trenches, but took 200
+prisoners and released 40 of our own men who had been captured.
+
+
+
+
+THE BIRTH OF THE YPRES SALIENT
+
+
+It is necessary now to turn for the moment to the scene further north,
+where a mild interest was beginning to be displayed in England in the
+war-clouds which were gathering round the picturesque and historical
+Flemish town of Ypres. It will be remembered that, on the 14th, Sir
+Henry Rawlinson, with the 7th Division and the 3rd Cavalry Division,
+had reached Ypres from Dixmude. On their first arrival, the 3rd Cavalry
+Division had been sent south of Ypres, the 6th C.B. going to Wytschate
+and the 7th C.B. to Kemmel; but as the Cavalry Corps under General
+Allenby gradually drew up from the direction of Bethune, the 6th and
+7th C.B. (3rd Cavalry Division) were withdrawn to the north side of
+Ypres, where they worked the ground between Zonnebeke and the Foret
+d'Houlthust, filling, in fact--as well as might be--the gap between the
+French Cavalry to the north and the left of the 7th Division. This
+latter division, since its arrival, had pushed forward with little or
+no opposition to a convex position some six miles east of Ypres, which
+embraced the villages of Zonnebeke, Kruiseik and Zandvoorde. South of
+Zandvoorde there was a considerable hiatus, Allenby's Cavalry Corps,
+which had unexpectedly found itself opposed by the XIX. Saxon Corps and
+three divisions of German Cavalry, having not yet got into proper touch
+with the right of the 7th Division. This, however, in view of the fact
+that the 7th Division was on the outside of the wheeling movement, and
+had therefore the bigger sweep to make, was a matter of little moment,
+and one which would have speedily righted itself at a later stage, had
+the original plan been successfully carried through. A matter of more
+moment at the time was that the 22nd Brigade, on the left of the 7th
+Division at Zonnebeke, was considerably in arrear of the 20th Brigade
+at Kruiseik, whereas the converse should have been the case.
+Accordingly, in the early morning of the 19th, the 22nd Brigade was
+ordered to advance from Zonnebeke in the direction of the straight road
+connecting Roulers and Menin, so as to bring the left shoulder of the
+7th Division well forward. When this had been done, the 20th and 21st
+Brigade were to join in the general advance.
+
+[Illustration: Ypres and its surroundings.]
+
+The main idea on the extreme left of our line, at the moment, was to
+seize the bridge over the River Lys at Menin, and so impede the further
+advance of the German reinforcements which were being steadily railed
+up from the direction of Lille. In the event it turned out that the
+manoeuvre was impracticable owing to the insufficiency in numbers of
+the British force operating east of Ypres. This force, it will be
+understood, consisted, at the time, of the 7th Division alone,
+supported by two cavalry brigades on its left flank, whereas the
+Germans had by the 19th concentrated on the spot a force of five or six
+times this magnitude. However, in the intention lies the explanation of
+the subsequent Ypres salient. The original idea was strategically
+sound, but it was frustrated owing to the difficulty and consequent
+delay in concentration which accompanied the transfer of the British
+force from the Aisne to its new field of operation in Flanders. It was
+a race as to which army could concentrate with the greatest rapidity,
+and the Germans--having by far the easier task and by far the shorter
+road to travel--got in first.
+
+At 5 a.m., then, on the 19th, the 22nd Brigade set out from Zonnebeke
+on its forward movement, the 2nd Queen's on the left, the 1st R. Welsh
+Fusiliers in the centre, and the 2nd Warwicks on the right, the 1st S.
+Staffords being in reserve.
+
+This 22nd Brigade, as it turned out, was the only one in the 7th
+Division which was destined to do any fighting this day. The 20th
+Brigade, which was at Kruiseik, some couple of miles in advance of the
+22nd, never really came into action. As a matter of fact, they were in
+the act of deploying for an attack on Ghelowe about 11 a.m., when news
+was brought by an airman that two fresh German Army Corps had suddenly
+made their appearance, moving up from the direction of Courtrai. As far
+as this brigade was concerned, then, the original order to advance was
+cancelled, it being clearly impracticable for one division to take the
+offensive against four. By this time, however, the 22nd Brigade had
+advanced some six miles from Zonnebeke to the neighbourhood of the
+straight road and the parallel railway which connect Roulers and Menin.
+The news of the unexpected reinforcement of the enemy in front was duly
+communicated to General Lawford, commanding the brigade, and he at once
+ordered the retirement of his four battalions. This order reached the
+Queen's and the Warwicks about 11.30, but did not penetrate through to
+the R. Welsh Fusiliers, who accordingly pressed on towards Ledeghem,
+quite ignorant of the new development, or of the fact that they were
+unsupported by the battalions on either flank. Ledeghem was found to be
+very strongly occupied, and on reaching the high road from Roulers to
+Menin, just short of the railway, the battalion found itself not only
+attacked in force from in front, but at the same time enfiladed from
+the direction of the main road on the left, and very heavily shelled
+from Keselburg on the right front. To this artillery fire there was no
+response whatever from our own gunners, who, it is to be presumed, were
+in ignorance of the single-handed advance of the R. Welsh Fusiliers,
+and had withdrawn with the rest of the brigade. The German artillery
+accordingly had it all its own way, and their shrapnel played havoc in
+the ranks of the gallant Welshmen. Nine officers[4] had already fallen
+when at 1.20 the order to retire reached the C.O. The order now was
+that the battalion was to withdraw to a ridge in rear, near the
+windmill at Dadizeele, and there act rear-guard to the rest of the
+brigade. This order was carried out without any great further loss, the
+enemy showing no disposition at the moment to advance, and eventually
+the brigade reached Zonnebeke in the dusk of the evening.
+
+        [4] In this engagement Captain Kingston, Captain Lloyd, Captain
+        Brennan and Lieut. Chance were killed, and Major Gabbett,
+        Captain St. John, Captain Skaife and Lieuts. Jones and Naylor
+        were wounded.
+
+Throughout that night a constant stream of refugees passed through
+Zonnebeke on their way westward from Roulers, which was burning. These
+were all subjected to examination, but their number was too great to
+make close examination possible, and that many spies got through among
+them is unquestionable.
+
+It very soon became apparent that the newly-arrived German troops had
+no intention of letting the grass grow under their feet. During the
+night they had put behind them the six miles which separate Ledeghem
+from Zonnebeke, and at eleven o'clock on the morning of the 20th they
+started bombarding the latter place. Once more fate elected that the R.
+Welsh Fusiliers should stand in the path of the attack. They were now
+on the left of the 22nd Brigade, and they were attacked not only from
+the direction of the road, but from their left flank, which was very
+much exposed, the line of the cavalrymen north of the road being even
+more extended than that of the 7th Division. However, in spite of
+everything, they held their ground with great determination throughout
+this day and the next. Their losses, however, were again very severe
+indeed. This was, in fact, the first of the 7th Division battalions to
+undergo that gradual process of annihilation which was destined in time
+to be the fate of all. The extreme tension of the situation at
+Zonnebeke was in some part relieved by the arrival on the scene, during
+the night, of the 4th (Guards) Brigade, who took over the ground north
+of the Zonnebeke road from the cavalry. This brigade formed part of the
+1st A.C. which had arrived at St. Omer from the Aisne on the 17th and
+18th, and had been billeted outside Ypres on the night of the 19th.
+
+The question as to how best to dispose of this 1st A.C. was an
+extremely delicate one. The numerical weakness of the Cavalry Corps,
+holding the Wytschate and Messines line, suggested strongly that it
+would be of the greatest use in that area. On the other hand was the
+very grave danger of the Allies' left flank being turned by the sudden
+advance of fresh German forces north and east of Ypres, of sufficient
+strength to break through the very thin line guarding that quarter. In
+this dilemma, the C. in C., with consummate judgment, decided to send
+Sir Douglas Haig's Army Corps to the northern side of Ypres. The wisdom
+of this step became apparent on the very next day, that is on the day
+when the 22nd Brigade advanced to the Roulers-Menin road, and were
+forced back by the unexpected appearance of two Army Corps whose
+presence was unknown to our air-scouts. These fresh German forces as we
+have seen, pursued the 22nd Brigade as far as Zonnebeke, and there
+attacked our line with the utmost determination on the 20th and 21st.
+On the first of these two days, the brigade, as already described,
+managed to hold its own--though at great sacrifice--but the German
+attacking force was all the time being augmented, while our defensive
+force, owing to continuous losses, was getting weaker; and it is hardly
+conceivable that the enemy's advance could have been checked for
+another twenty-four hours, except for the timely arrival of the 1st
+A.C.
+
+As soon as the destination of this corps had been decided on between
+the C. in C. and Sir Douglas Haig, the latter hurried forward the
+Guards' Brigade to the assistance of the 7th Division, and these--as
+has already been explained--came up into line on the left of the R.
+Welsh Fusiliers on the night of the 20th, and were unquestionably very
+largely instrumental in preventing something in the nature of a
+_debacle_ on the 21st.
+
+On that morning the enemy renewed the attack in great force at
+daybreak, and kept up a succession of violent assaults till four in the
+afternoon. The Welsh Fusiliers were again in the very path of the
+attack, but the presence of the Guards' Brigade on their left, north of
+the Zonnebeke road, just made the difference. With this backing, they
+successfully held out from daybreak till 4 p.m., by which time their
+trenches had been wholly annihilated and a retirement became necessary.
+Their difficulties were increased by the giving out of their
+ammunition, but the situation was to some extent saved by the gallantry
+of Sergt.-Drummer Chapman, who brought up fresh supplies under a very
+heavy fire. Another Welsh Fusilier who won great distinction during the
+day was Pte. Blacktin, who was awarded the D.C.M. for the continued
+heroism with which he attended to the wounded throughout the two days'
+fighting. Of these there were now, unfortunately, only too many, the
+Welsh Fusiliers having--in three successive days' fighting--lost 23
+officers and 750 men. Their retirement in the evening was assisted by
+the 2nd Queen's, who (with the exception of one company, which was away
+to the right, supporting the Northumberland Hussars between the 22nd
+and 21st Brigade) were in the second line. This battalion too suffered
+severely during the operations, Lieuts. Ingram and Ive being killed,
+and Major Whinfield, Lieuts. Heath, Haigh, Williams and Gabb wounded.
+They effectively, however, checked the further advance of the enemy. By
+a piece of good fortune the S. Staffords, on the right of the Welsh
+Fusiliers, were also in a position to give the advancing Germans a very
+bad time. They had a body of expert shots posted in the upper windows
+of St. Joseph's school, from which point of vantage they were able to
+get the Germans in flank. The school was being shelled all the time,
+but was not hit. During the night which followed, however--a night of
+exceptional darkness--the Germans found an opportunity of pushing
+forward round the left flank of the S. Staffords, but without
+succeeding in dislodging them, till an order arrived at four o'clock in
+the morning for their retirement, as they were ahead of the line.
+
+In the meanwhile the Guards' Brigade, north of the road, had not been
+idle, and it is not too much to say that, except for the arrival of
+this brigade in the very nick of time, the position would have been
+very nearly desperate. As it was, however, their presence at once made
+itself felt. The fire of the S. Staffords from the right, the Guards'
+Brigade from the left, and the 2nd Queen's from in face, was more than
+the German advance was prepared at the moment to push forward against,
+and it came to a standstill. The Guards' casualties were considerable,
+especially in the case of the 3rd Coldstream, who had the Hon. C. Monck
+and Lieut. Waller killed, and Colonel Feilding, Lieut. Darrell and
+Lieut. Leese wounded. Lord Feilding was given the D.S.O. for
+conspicuous gallantry on this occasion. The 52nd Oxford Light Infantry,
+acting with the Guards' Brigade, proved in every way worthy of the
+association, and fully lived up to its great fighting reputation.
+Amongst those who particularly distinguished themselves in this
+regiment during the fight were Lieut. Spencer, Corpl. Hodges and Pte.
+Hastings.
+
+In the events of these three days is to be found the origin of the
+singular bulge, or--in military parlance--salient, which throughout
+October characterized the disposition of our forces east of Ypres. By
+the unexpected appearance to our front of 80,000 fresh German troops,
+our contemplated progress eastward had perforce to be replaced, on the
+spur of the moment, by a grim determination to hold on as long as
+possible to the ground we had already won. This was, no doubt, a
+natural desire, but its fruit was unsound.
+
+On the evening of October 21st the position was that the 21st Brigade
+at Becelaere and the 20th at Kruiseik and Zandvoorde were still very
+considerably ahead of the 22nd, which, as we have seen, had been driven
+back to Zonnebeke. North of Zonnebeke the line of the 1st Division fell
+still further back, facing, in fact, very nearly due north, while south
+of Zandvoorde there was no line at all, the 7th Division here ending in
+space, for reasons already given. Later on the 3rd Cavalry
+Division--when released from its duties north of Zonnebeke--were
+detailed for the duty of keeping up the communication between
+Zandvoorde and the Cavalry Corps far back at Hollebeke, Wytschate and
+Messines, but even so, the line they occupied fell back almost at
+right angles from our true front, and was a constant source of anxiety.
+For a General voluntarily to relinquish ground already won is probably
+the supreme act of renunciation, at the same time it is obvious that
+three sides of a square are longer than the fourth side, and therefore
+require more men for their defence, and it is no exaggeration to say
+that between October 20th and 26th the Ypres salient bore a perilous
+resemblance to three sides of a square.
+
+The timely arrival of the 1st A.C. had undoubtedly saved the situation
+for the moment, as far as the German attempt to break through at
+Zonnebeke was concerned, but the position was still one for the very
+gravest anxiety. Even with the addition of the 1st A.C. we had only
+three infantry divisions and two cavalry brigades with which to defend
+the entire front from Bixschoote, due north of Ypres, to Hollebeke,
+nearly due south of it. From Bixschoote to Hollebeke, as the crow
+flies, is a matter of some eight miles, but, as our front at that time
+jutted out as far as Becelaere, six miles east of Ypres, it may be
+reckoned that the frontage to be defended was not less than sixteen
+miles in length. The strength of the enemy--that is to say, of the
+force which was immediately pressing forward at this moment on the
+Ypres frontage--may be approximately reckoned at 100,000; and had the
+German General at this juncture pushed his forces along all the main
+avenues to Ypres, it is difficult to see how he could have been held
+back. The line of defence was ridiculously extended--extended indeed
+far beyond the recognized limits of effective resistance, and there
+were no reserves available with which to strengthen any threatened
+spot. Every fighting man was in the long, thin line that swept round in
+that uncomfortable curve from Bixschoote to Hollebeke. The 89th French
+Territorial Division was, it is true, in general reserve, at
+Poperinghe, but this division was composed entirely of untried troops
+who could in no sense claim to be comparable to the French regulars.
+The 87th French Territorial Division, again, had as much as it could do
+to attend to its own affairs north of Ypres, and was not to be counted
+on as a source of reinforcement.
+
+From this time on, the whole of our line north of the Zonnebeke road
+was gradually taken over by the 1st A.C., the 6th and 7th C.B., who had
+so far been responsible for that section of the front, being thereby
+released and retiring to Hooge, from which point, for the time being,
+they acted as a kind of mobile reserve--the fan-like arrangement of
+roads which branches out eastward from Ypres enabling them to be sent
+with the least possible delay to any threatened point on the front.
+
+For purposes of descriptive clearness, it may perhaps be pardonable,
+even at the risk of labouring the point a little, to call attention
+once more to the fact that the British force in Flanders now consisted
+of two distinct and separate armies, which we may call the North and
+South Army. The South Army was made up of the 2nd A.C., the 3rd A.C.,
+and the 19th Brigade, and was supported by Conneau's cavalry, which
+operated between these two Army Corps, and by the Lahore Indians in
+rear. The line of this army extended as far north as Le Gheir, or,
+rather, let us say, Ploegsteert, to which place the left of the 3rd
+A.C. shortly withdrew.
+
+The North Army consisted of the 1st A.C. and the 7th Division,
+supported by the 3rd Cavalry Division, and the southernmost point in
+its charge at the moment was Hollebeke, or, to be more precise, the
+canal which turns off sharply towards Ypres just north of Hollebeke.
+The eight miles gap between the North Army and the South Army was held
+by the Cavalry Corps under Allenby.
+
+The terrific fighting, then, of the end of October and beginning of
+November may be considered as taking place in three distinct sections,
+viz.--the South Army, the Cavalry Corps, and the North Army. The
+latter, it may be added, had the 89th French Territorial Division in
+support, and Gen. Bidon, with the 87th French Territorial Division, on
+its left, north of Ypres.
+
+The fact that the 1st A.C. had arrived on the scene absolutely at the
+psychological moment in order to avert disaster, was made abundantly
+clear, not only by the effective support which the 2nd Division of that
+Army Corps was able to lend north of the Zonnebeke road on the 21st,
+but also by the immediate demand which arose further south for the
+services of the released 3rd Cavalry Division. These two Cavalry
+Brigades, it will be remembered, had been replaced on the night of the
+20th by the 2nd Division, who had taken over their position north of
+the Zonnebeke road.
+
+At 1 p.m. on the following day, that is, at the same time that the
+Welsh Fusiliers were being so fiercely attacked along the Zonnebeke
+road, news arrived that Gough's 2nd Cavalry Division was being very
+hard pressed, and had been forced to fall back on Messines. This left a
+gap, or--to be more accurate--widened the gap on the right of the 7th
+Division at Zandvoorde, and the 6th C.B. (10th Hussars, Royals, and 3rd
+Dragoon Guards) were sent off to fill it, as well as might be, by
+occupying the two canal crossings north of Hollebeke. This they did
+with success, and the 10th Hussars and 4th Hussars (from the 3rd C.B.)
+even attacked the Chateau de Hollebeke itself, but were unable to take
+it, on account of its being still under fire from our own artillery.
+Later on in the evening, however, it was felt that the line south-west
+of Zandvoorde was dangerously open, and the 6th C.B. was shifted in
+that direction, the 10th Hussars at 3 o'clock in the morning taking
+over the Zandvoorde trenches from the 2nd Scots Guards in the 20th
+Brigade. The 7th C.B. went into reserve at St. Eloi, where it remained
+for the night. In the meanwhile the C. in C. had sent up the 7th Indian
+Brigade to help support Gough.
+
+This transfer of the Zandvoorde trenches into the keeping of the 3rd
+Cavalry Division was the first abridgement of the immense frontage
+(from Zonnebeke to south of Zandvoorde) held by the 7th Division. From
+this time on, till the moment when they were permanently abandoned, it
+will be found that these Zandvoorde trenches were in the occupation
+either of the 6th C.B. or the 7th C.B. They formed the most dangerous
+position in the whole line of defence, being in the form of a
+promontory which jutted out defiantly into the enemy's country. The 3rd
+Cavalry Division suffered very severely during its nine days' defence
+of these deadly trenches, the 10th Hussars, who were perhaps the worst
+sufferers, losing on the very first day of occupation Col. Barnes,
+Major Mitford and Captain Stewart.
+
+
+
+
+THE STAND OF THE FIFTH DIVISION[5]
+
+
+In the meanwhile, further south, at and around Givenchy, a situation
+was developing which in point of dramatic interest, and as a test of
+indomitable resolution, bid fair to rival the defence of Ypres. From
+Givenchy to Le Gheir the 2nd and 3rd A.C. had now definitely assumed
+the defensive, and the story of how that defence was maintained in the
+face of overwhelming odds, and under conditions of extreme difficulty
+and fatigue, is one of which Britain may ever be justly proud.
+
+        [5] 13th, 14th and 15th Brigades.
+
+The 21st French Army was, throughout these La Bassee operations,
+responsible for the ground up to the canal south of Givenchy. From that
+point the 5th Division took up the line; then came the 3rd Division,
+then the 6th, and finally, with its left resting on Le Gheir, the 4th
+Division. Behind the 5th and 3rd Divisions were the Indians.
+
+Between Le Gheir and Zandvoorde, which we may take as the southernmost
+point of the arm of Ypres, was Allenby's Cavalry Corps.
+
+In the case of the South Army, as with the Army of Ypres, the impetus
+of the first advance had carried our troops to a line which was only
+afterwards maintained under great strain, in the face of the masses of
+troops which the enemy were gradually concentrating in this particular
+area. La Bassee and Ypres became, for the time being, the two points on
+which German attention was specially riveted. With the avowed intention
+of breaking through to Calais by one or other of these routes, troops
+were being systematically railed up from the east and massed along the
+Belgian frontier. It was officially computed that by October 20th there
+were 250,000 German troops north of La Bassee, and that by the middle
+of November that number had been increased to 750,000.
+
+The fact that it was the British Army which stood between this vast
+mass of armed men and its projected advance was in all probability not
+entirely a matter of chance. If the attempt to break through either at
+Ypres or La Bassee had succeeded, the little British force would either
+have been wiped out, or hopelessly disgraced in the eyes of its allies.
+In either case the prestige of England would have received a rude
+shock; and, with a German base established at Calais, she would have
+been in imminent danger of losing something more than prestige.
+
+The fact, then, that the Kaiser's selected road to Calais or Paris, as
+the case might be, lay through the thirty miles of front held by the
+British troops, was in all probability part of a carefully-thought-out
+plan. One factor in the case, however, had been overlooked, or at least
+under-rated, viz.--the indomitable tenacity of the British soldier in
+the face of difficulties. Of this essentially British quality the
+Germans had as yet had no practical experience. At Mons and Le Cateau
+we had dropped back before their onslaughts--dropped back, it is true,
+in obedience to orders, and in conformity with a pre-arranged plan.
+Still, we had dropped back. At the Aisne there had been no serious
+attempt on the part of the enemy to break through our lines. Such had
+not been part of the German programme at the moment. It was therefore
+not wholly unnatural, that the very thin British line between Givenchy
+and Ypres, should have been reckoned at German Head Quarters as being
+penetrable at any point where sufficient pressure was brought to bear.
+
+In the face of beliefs such as these, the stone-wall resistance put up
+by our three war-worn Army Corps must have been a source of equal
+astonishment and exasperation to the wire-pullers in Berlin. To the
+Britisher it must always bring a thrill of justifiable pride. Many of
+the regiments engaged were technically "annihilated." Their officers
+went; their senior N.C.O.'s went; they were worn to the last stage of
+mental and physical exhaustion by sleeplessness, and by unceasing
+digging and fighting. And still they held on. There were no "hands
+uppers" among these men from Britain. We gave ground, of course, both
+in the La Bassee area and at Ypres. In the latter case a withdrawal of
+some kind was dictated by every consideration of military prudence. The
+original bulge was a danger from every point of view, and with no
+compensating advantage. It thinned our line and laid us open at all
+times to the risk of enfilading attacks from north and south.
+
+At La Bassee, too, we had got too far ahead, and from the military
+point of view we lost nothing by falling back a few miles. But from the
+three points in the line of vital strategical importance, Givenchy,
+Ploegsteert and Klein Zillebeke, we were never driven. Those points
+were held on to with a stubborn determination which nothing could break
+through; and to the battalions on whose shoulders fell the main weight
+of this burden is due the homage of all who stayed at home. It is not
+suggested that there was an entirely uniform standard of excellence
+throughout all the units engaged. Any attempt to make such a
+representation would be a gross injustice to those battalions which
+stand out, and which have for ever immortalized themselves, and the
+honour of British arms, by an indomitable resistance which can find few
+parallels in the history of war.
+
+But at first we got too far ahead at La Bassee as at Ypres, and this
+soon became very clear. During a thick fog on the morning of the 21st,
+some of the 5th Division were driven out of their trenches; and in lieu
+of making any attempt to retake the trenches so lost, Gen. Morland--who
+on Sir Charles Fergusson's promotion had taken over command of the
+division--thought it advisable to readjust the entire line.
+
+Further north, just east of Fromelles, the 19th Brigade had also to
+give ground. They fought all through this day with great gallantry, but
+their losses were very heavy, and, in spite of all efforts, by evening
+they had been forced back over a mile. The Argyll and Sutherland
+Highlanders were specially conspicuous on this occasion; they fought
+with indomitable valour, and it was only with the greatest reluctance
+that in the end they obeyed the order to abandon their trenches. In
+Sergt. Ross's platoon eighty per cent. had been killed or wounded, but
+the gallant sergeant still refused to give way.
+
+This succession of small reverses was, of course, disappointing in view
+of the anticipations of the week before, but they brought home to all
+concerned a thorough realization of the change of outlook. This was
+still further emphasized by the shifting northwards of the 3rd A.C., a
+step which was rendered necessary by the obvious inadequacy of the
+Cavalry Corps numbers for the frontage allotted to it. By this move
+that frontage was appreciably shortened, but the gap between the 2nd
+and 3rd A.C. was correspondingly widened, and the difficulty of
+Conneau's gallant but highly tried corps of cavalry was proportionately
+increased. The effect on the Frenchmen was at once felt, these being
+driven out of Fromelles on the following afternoon with very heavy
+loss. On the same afternoon the 5th Division again suffered severely.
+The Cheshires were driven out of Violaines, and the Dorsets--terribly
+thinned though they had been by the fighting of the 13th--seeing them
+hard pressed, left their trenches and dashed up in support, but the
+odds were too heavy and both were driven back with loss. The Germans
+thereupon occupied Rue du Marais, a little village on the northern
+slope of the Givenchy ridge, but their advantage was short-lived, for
+they were promptly counter-attacked by the Manchesters and Worcesters
+and driven out again.
+
+In the meanwhile the Devons had been forced to fall back some two miles
+from Canteleux, which they had now occupied for three days, to
+Givenchy, the former place having been formed into an untenable salient
+by the withdrawal of the troops on either flank.
+
+In the evening General Morland told Sir Horace that the 5th Division
+was completely worn out with constant digging and fighting, and that he
+doubted whether they could withstand another attack. The 2nd A.C. had
+already in the last ten days lost 5,000 men, to which the 5th Division
+had contributed more than its share. This division had, in fact, from
+first to last had a most trying time. It had borne the brunt of the
+fighting at Le Cateau, and at the Aisne it had struck what proved to be
+by far the most difficult crossing. It had subsequently throughout the
+Aisne fighting been forced to occupy trenches in the low ground by the
+river, which were throughout dominated by the German artillery on the
+heights beyond. Then, within one week of leaving the Aisne trenches,
+they were once more engaged in ceaseless battling day and night against
+superior numbers, for on the several battalions of this division in
+turn devolved the paramount duty of holding the Givenchy position at
+all costs.
+
+That night Sir Horace motored twenty-five miles over to St. Omer to
+explain the situation to the C. in C., who was most sympathetic and
+promised that he would send all that he could spare of the Lahore
+Indians to be at Estaires at eight o'clock next morning, with a rider
+to the effect that they were not to be used except in emergency, as
+they were destined for other work. As a matter of fact they were not
+used, the 5th Division proving equal to the occasion without foreign
+assistance.
+
+Throughout the 23rd, 24th and 25th the Germans continued to attack
+Givenchy with the utmost persistence, but without succeeding in
+dislodging the Devons. That gallant regiment, however, was becoming
+very weak in officers. During their three days at Canteleux, Captain
+Chichester and Lieut. Ridgers had been killed, and Col. Gloster and
+Lieut. Tillett wounded. Then on the 24th, Lieut. Ainslie was killed,
+and on the following day Captain Besley and Lieut. Quick were killed,
+the latter while running to the next regiment to tell them that the
+Devons meant holding on and that they must do the same. On the 20th
+they relieved the Manchesters at Festubert. The latter regiment, during
+its occupation of Festubert, had held its difficult position with
+magnificent determination and had won two Victoria Crosses, 2nd Lieut.
+Leach and Sergt. Hogan being each awarded the Cross for valour.
+
+On the following day, the whole line in the neighbourhood of Festubert
+was subjected to a particularly infernal shelling, every known species
+of missile being hurled against it. The Devons stood firm through it
+all, but the regiment on their left--an Indian regiment for the first
+time in the firing line--found it too much for them, and after having
+lost most of their officers they retired, their trenches being at once
+occupied by the enemy. This made the position of the Devons very
+precarious. With as little delay as possible the reserve company of the
+regiment under Lieut. Hancock and Lieut. Dunsterville was brought up,
+and with great gallantry the company attacked and drove the Germans out
+of the right-hand section of the lost trenches, the 58th Vaughan Rifles
+at the same time retaking the left-hand section. Both Lieut. Hancock
+and Lieut. Dunsterville were killed during the charge, and Lieut.
+Ditmas thereupon took over command of the company, but he himself was
+subsequently killed, after displaying conspicuous gallantry. On the
+31st, as a part of the general process of transfer, the Devons were at
+length relieved, after sixteen days of almost continuous fighting. They
+received a great ovation from the other troops on their withdrawal.
+Lieut.-Col. Gloster was given the C.M.G. and Lieut. Worrall the
+Military Cross. Other officers who showed conspicuous ability and
+daring were Lieuts. Lang, Prior and Alexander. Sergt.-Major Webb, who
+on several occasions had given proof of remarkable courage and
+coolness, got the D.C.M., as also did Lance-Corpl. Simmons and Pte.
+Worsfold, the latter of whom greatly distinguished himself by carrying
+numerous messages at Festubert after the telegraphic communication was
+cut.
+
+We have now, however, got considerably ahead of the general situation,
+from which we digressed on October 22nd in order to keep in touch with
+the position at and around Givenchy. We must therefore once more take
+up the thread at that date.
+
+During the 23rd, 24th and 25th there was no movement of marked
+importance in the southern area, but continuous attacks all along the
+line still further reduced the number and vitality of the 5th
+Division, and by the evening of the 25th it was rapidly becoming
+evident to all concerned that the condition of that division, and
+indeed of the entire 2nd A.C. in greater or less degree, was extremely
+serious. The casualties of this Army Corps since its arrival in
+Flanders now amounted to 350 officers and 8,204 men, and those that
+survived were in a state of extreme exhaustion both mental and
+physical.
+
+Sir Horace summoned General Maude, Col. Martyn (who had taken over
+the command of the 13th Brigade when Col. Hickie had been invalided
+home on October 13th), and Count Gleichen, the three Brigadiers of
+the 5th Division, to meet General Morland, and all agreed that the
+situation was very grave indeed, and that human endurance was nearly
+at the breaking point. General Maude (14th Brigade), however,
+reported that Col. Ballard was determined to hold the canal trenches
+with the Norfolks to the last gasp, and that the Devons next the
+Norfolks at Givenchy were equally resolute, though terribly thinned
+by casualties. All, however, agreed that however willing the spirit
+might be, the flesh was too weak to make any prolonged resistance.
+The Generals themselves were well-nigh worn out with the ceaseless
+strain, and with want of sleep, their nights being largely occupied
+in motoring hither and thither for purposes of consultation with
+other commanders. Two or three hours' sleep in a night was a luxury.
+Luckily the Germans--accurate as their information usually was--seem
+to have failed to realize the extreme exhaustion of the troops facing
+them at this part of the line, otherwise the history of events might
+have been different.
+
+
+
+
+NEUVE CHAPELLE
+
+
+The 3rd Division had perhaps, if anything, been so far less highly
+tried in the way of ceaseless fighting against odds than the 5th
+Division, but any deficiency in this respect was fully made up to them
+by the fighting at Neuve Chapelle on the 25th, 26th and 27th.
+
+This very costly three days' fighting opened on the night of the 25th,
+during a heavy downpour of rain which succeeded a beautiful day, by a
+furious attack, from the neighbourhood of the Bois de Biez, on the left
+of the 7th Brigade and the right of the 8th Brigade. This wood, which
+played a prominent part in these three days' fighting, lies about half
+a mile to the south-east of Neuve Chapelle, in the centre of the
+equilateral triangle formed by that place, Aubers and Illies. The
+Germans advanced out of the wood with great courage and with every
+appearance of meaning business, but the 7th Brigade and the 15th Sikhs,
+who had taken over from Conneau's cavalry the day before, managed to
+stand their ground, and in the end drove the enemy back with very heavy
+loss, though themselves suffering severely, the Sikhs, who fought
+superbly, alone losing 200 in officers and men.
+
+The 8th Brigade was not so fortunate, the R. Irish Rifles, who were the
+right-hand battalion, being driven out of their trenches, which lay
+north of the La Bassee road on the east side of the village. The
+situation for the moment was critical, but the lost trenches were very
+gallantly retaken by the 4th Middlesex, led by Col. Hull, and the 4th
+R. Fusiliers. The latter battalion suffered considerably in the
+operation, Lieuts. Hope-Johnstone and Waller being killed. This
+battalion had now only 200 men left. The whole of the 9th Brigade, in
+fact, had been reduced to mere skeletons. This brigade (Shaw's) had a
+magnificent record behind it.[6] From the time when, at Mons, it had
+borne the brunt of the German attack and put up such a magnificent
+defence, it had never failed in any task for which it had been called
+upon; and it is possible that its great fighting reputation and the
+cheerfulness with which it undertook any duty assigned it, coupled with
+the undoubted military talents of its Brigadier, had earned for it
+rather more than its fair share of difficult and dangerous work. During
+the past fortnight it had fought with great gallantry and with
+invariable success, and during that short period it had lost 54
+officers and 1,400 men.
+
+        [6] 4th R. Fusiliers, 1st R. Scots Fusiliers, Northumberland
+        Fusiliers and the Lincolnshire Regiment.
+
+On the following day the attack was renewed, the Germans suddenly
+swarming once again out of the Bois de Biez opposite, and the R. Irish
+Rifles were again driven in, their trenches being at once occupied by
+the enemy, many of whom entered the town and remained there throughout
+the day.
+
+The 7th Brigade on the right and the 9th Brigade on the left now had
+the Germans wedged in between them. The Northumberland Fusiliers (the
+old Fighting Fifth) on the right of the 9th Brigade, now found the
+position untenable in the weak numerical condition to which they had
+been reduced, and they were compelled to withdraw to the western side
+of the town. During this withdrawal, which was carried out in excellent
+order, Corpl. Fisk found time to extinguish some flames which were
+enveloping the limber of one of our guns--a gallant act performed under
+very heavy fire for which he was given the D.C.M.
+
+On the night of the 26th the position at Neuve Chapelle was a curious
+one. The enemy were in possession of all the trenches on the north-east
+side of the town, but on the south-east side the Wiltshire Regiment,
+the R. West Kents, the K.O.Y.L.I. and the East Surrey were still
+holding their ground, in advance of the town. The rest of the 3rd
+Division were thrown back behind the town.
+
+About 11 a.m. on the 27th the usual morning attack was made on the
+Wiltshire Regiment, whose left flank was now, of course, quite
+unprotected, and by noon they too had been forced to retire, the
+Germans in great numbers following closely on their heels. The position
+of the R. West Kents was now most precarious, as they had the enemy on
+three sides of them, and it seemed inevitable that they must follow the
+example of the several regiments on their left, who had been
+successively forced to give way. Such, however, was not their opinion,
+and, undismayed by the apparent hopelessness of their position, they
+promptly set about preparing a defence which proved to be one of the
+most remarkable of the campaign. Major Buckle, who was in command, on
+seeing the Wiltshires forced back, at once made his way to the left of
+his battalion in order to reorganize the formation so as to meet the
+altered conditions, but he was almost immediately killed, Captain
+Legard being killed at the same time and Lieuts. Williams and Holloway
+wounded. All the company officers on the left flank were now down, but
+the new movement was carried out under the direction of Sergt.-Major
+Penny and Sergt.-Major Crossley, the reserve company wheeling to its
+left, while the left of the firing line threw back its flank, so as to
+present a convex face to the position now occupied by the enemy. All
+this was carried out under a murderous fire. In this formation the
+battalion held on till the evening, when our troops in rear of the town
+counter-attacked with momentary success. This success was mainly
+brought about by the 47th Sikhs and the 9th Bhopal Regiment, who made a
+fine dash into the town from the direction of Croix Barbee, the
+first-named regiment showing great courage, but they both suffered
+heavy losses from the ubiquitous German machine-guns in the houses. At
+the same time three groups of the French Cyclist Corps made an attack
+from the Pont Logis side. The impetus of these combined attacks drove
+the Germans back for the time being, and indeed for the whole of that
+night, but their concealed machine-guns continued to play havoc in the
+ranks of the assailants, and in the early morning of the 28th the
+attacking force had to fall back, the Germans once more re-occupying
+the town.
+
+The position of the R. West Kents was now as bad again as ever, and
+once more half the battalion had to face about to its left flank and
+rear. The execution of this movement again took its toll of officers,
+Captain Battersby and Lieut. Gore being killed, and Lieut.
+Moulton-Barratt wounded. The battalion had now lost twelve out of the
+fourteen officers with which it had gone into these trenches, 2nd
+Lieut. White and 2nd Lieut. Russell alone being left, and on these two
+it now devolved to maintain the spirit of the corps. The remarkable
+position had by this time developed that practically the whole of Neuve
+Chapelle was in the hands of the enemy, with the exception of the
+little south-east corner by the La Bassee road, which was still
+stubbornly held by the undefeated R. West Kents. On the other side of
+the La Bassee road, and in the angle which that road makes with the
+Richebourg road, the K.O.Y.L.I. were still standing firm with the East
+Surrey beyond them, but these last two regiments were not so hardly
+pressed, the main attack being always on the eastern side of the main
+La Bassee road.
+
+We must now take a glance at the Neuve Chapelle position from the
+larger military point of view. The counter-attacks on the 27th had
+failed mainly owing to the exhaustion and insufficiency of the troops
+employed. The place, however, being of considerable strategic
+importance (to us), the Divisional Head Quarters determined that it
+could not be left in the hands of the enemy, and an attack on a more
+important scale was therefore organized for the following day. Sir
+Horace motored across at night and saw General Conneau, who told him
+that in addition to the six hundred Chasseurs already in the line, he
+could lend him a regiment of dismounted cavalry and nine batteries of
+artillery. The C. in C. also sent him the 2nd C.B. under Col. Mullens,
+of which the 4th Dragoon Guards arrived on the evening of the 27th, the
+9th Lancers and 18th Hussars during the early part of the night. The
+whole were placed under the command of General McCracken of the 7th
+Brigade, to whom the details of the attack on the following day were
+entrusted.
+
+At 8 a.m. on the 28th, some two hours after the Indians and French
+cyclists had been forced to retire, proceedings were started with a
+general bombardment of the village. This was a matter of some little
+delicacy on account of the position still held by the R. West Kents and
+K.O.Y.L.I., and the difficulty was not made lighter by the fog which
+lay thick on the plain in the early hours of the morning. In the
+circumstances the accuracy of the French artillery was remarkable. The
+north side of the village was given a great bombardment, and at eleven
+o'clock the sun came through, the fog cleared, and the infantry attack
+began. The artillery had now played its part, but, to assist in the
+assault, one gun of the 41st Battery was pushed forward to the junction
+of the Armentieres and La Bassee roads. From this point of vantage it
+was able to work considerable execution on the German infantry massed
+in the north-east corner of the village, but, as an inevitable
+consequence, was itself singled out for special attention on the part
+of the enemy. At the same time, as the attack became more general, its
+sphere of usefulness became greatly circumscribed, and finally Lieut.
+Lowell, who was in command, resolved to make an attempt to report the
+position to his C.O. with a view to getting further instructions. To do
+this, however, it was necessary to leave his shelter and negotiate a
+hundred yards of bullet-swept road. He was hit almost at once, but kept
+on his way till a second bullet brought him down in the road. A gunner
+of the name of Spicer thereupon ran out to get him under cover, but was
+himself at once knocked over, and subsequently died. Bomb. Bloomfield
+then went out to the assistance of his officer and comrade, and was
+fortunate enough to get them both under cover without himself being
+wounded.
+
+In the meanwhile, the infantry attack was gallantly pressed home, the
+47th Sikhs and the 2nd C.B. (on foot) fighting splendidly from street
+to street. In spite of all, however, the attack once more failed, and
+at 5 p.m. the Germans were still in possession of the village, always
+excepting the one small corner still held by the R. West Kents and
+K.O.Y.L.I.
+
+The anticlimax of the whole thing, and a cause for reflection as to the
+objects for which modern armies fight one another, is furnished by the
+fact that in the evening the Germans quietly vacated the town,
+apparently realizing--after the sacrifice of some 5,000 men--that the
+position was either untenable, or was not worth the cost of keeping.
+Our losses in the last day's fighting alone amounted to 65 officers and
+1,466 men. The heroes of the three days' fighting were of course the R.
+West Kents, who immortalized themselves by a performance which in many
+ways must be unique. The two surviving officers, 2nd Lieuts. White and
+Russell, were each awarded the D.S.O., and were, in addition, the
+subjects of some particularly flattering remarks on the part of Sir
+Horace. The two Sergt.-Majors above referred to were each given the
+D.C.M., as also was Sergt. Stroud and Pte. Alison. At 2 a.m. on the
+29th, the battalion was finally relieved by the Seaforths, having lost
+over 300 men in the Neuve Chapelle trenches.
+
+This affair of Neuve Chapelle marks the close of the 2nd A.C.
+operations in the La Bassee district. On the 31st the British troops
+began to be formally relieved by General Willcocks and his Indians.
+This corps had now been augmented by the arrival of the Ferozapore
+Brigade, to be followed almost immediately by the Secunderabad Cavalry
+Brigade and the Jodhpur Lancers. By 10 a.m. on the 31st the transfer of
+positions was complete, and Sir Horace and his gallant but war-worn
+A.C. withdrew to Hazebrouck. A certain proportion of the 2nd A.C. was
+afterwards called upon to support General Willcocks, but for the most
+part we shall, in the future, find them co-operating with the 1st A.C.
+and the 7th Division in the neighbourhood of Ypres.
+
+As far, then, as this record of events goes, we may now bid farewell to
+the fighting area between Armentieres and La Bassee, and follow
+exclusively the events east and south of Ypres. These were destined to
+develop into a succession of battles, in which small numbers of British
+troops successfully opposed large numbers of German troops, and the
+details of which furnish, in the words of Sir J. French, "one of the
+most glorious chapters in the annals of the British Army."
+
+
+
+
+PILKEM
+
+
+Having now taken a permanent farewell of the fighting in the La Bassee
+area, with a view to following uninterruptedly the more exciting
+situation which had gradually been developing around Ypres it becomes
+necessary once more to pick up the thread of the northern doings where
+it was dropped.
+
+It will be remembered that on Oct. 19th, 20th and 21st there had been
+very fierce fighting in and around Zonnebeke, where the enemy made
+persistent efforts to break through to Ypres--efforts which were
+frustrated by the timely arrival of the 1st A.C. on the night of the
+20th, This Army Corps during the night took over the entire line from
+Bixschoote to Zonnebeke, and on the 21st the Guards' Brigade, on the
+right of this line, was able to contribute largely to the repulse of
+the German attack.
+
+On the 22nd the pressure was shifted to the left of the 1st A.C. line,
+the 1st Brigade being attacked in great force at Pilkem from the
+direction of Staden. The Germans advanced to their attack with the
+utmost determination and with a complete disregard of danger, singing
+"_Die wacht am Rhein_" and waving their rifles over their heads. The
+focus-point of the attack was the position occupied by the Camerons,
+who eventually, by sheer weight of numbers, were driven back, but not
+before they had taken an appalling toll of the enemy, 1,500 of the
+latter being found dead upon the ground the following day.
+
+General Lomax, commanding the division, had no idea of leaving the
+enemy in peace to enjoy this temporary triumph, and at nine o'clock on
+the same evening the 2nd Brigade, which was billeted some eight or nine
+miles to the south at the village of Boesinghe, received orders to
+retake the lost trenches. The R. Sussex regiment was left at Boesinghe,
+but the remaining three battalions, viz., the 1st Loyal N. Lancashires,
+the 2nd K.R.R. (60th) and the 1st Northamptons, set out and marched all
+night to the little village of Pilkem, which was reached at 5 a.m.
+
+The brigade, which had had no food all night, was given no time for
+rest or breakfast, but was ordered to attack the trenches at once. In
+the brigade order of October 28th, dealing with this action, General
+Bulfin, the Brigadier, singles out the 1st Loyal N. Lancashire Regiment
+for special praise. It may, therefore, be allowable to confine our
+description of the action to a brief review of the part played by this
+battalion, which, it will be remembered, had behaved with such
+remarkable gallantry at the battle of Troyon.
+
+At 6 o'clock, in the dim light of an autumn morning, the brigade set
+out from Pilkem. The lost trenches lay more or less parallel to the
+Bixschoote to Langemarck road, a mile to the north of Pilkem. The
+attacking troops advanced in line, the K.R.R. being on the left, the
+Loyal N. Lancashires in the centre, with the Northamptons on the right.
+The 2nd S. Staffords and the 1st Queen's (from the 3rd Brigade) were in
+support. In this order they advanced to within 300 yards of the
+trenches, where they began to come under a very heavy rifle fire. Major
+Carter,[7] commanding the L. N. Lancashires, decided to charge at once
+with the bayonet, and he sent a message to this effect to the K.R.R. on
+his left, asking them to advance with him. This, however, they were
+unable to do, and Major Carter accordingly decided to attack alone.
+Captain Henderson, with the machine-gun section, pushed forward to a
+very advanced position on the left, from which he was able to get a
+clear field for his guns, and the battalion formed up for the attack.
+Captain Crane's and Captain Prince's companies were in the first line;
+the other two were in support. The order to fix bayonets was given; a
+bugler sounded the "Charge," and with loud cheers the battalion dashed
+forward, and in less than ten minutes had carried the trenches and
+cleared them of the enemy. Six hundred prisoners were taken, a number
+which might have been increased but that further pursuit was checked by
+our own artillery.
+
+        [7] Major Carter, D.S.O., was killed on November 10th, 1914. He
+        was the third O.C. the Loyal N. Lancs, to be killed in action,
+        Col. Lloyd having fallen on September 14th and Col. Knight at
+        the battle of the Marne.
+
+During this most gallant charge on the part of the Loyal N.
+Lancashires, the Queen's and Northamptons on the right advanced and
+occupied the inn at the cross-roads, where the road from Pilkem joins
+the main road to Langemarck.
+
+The victory was now complete. The L. N. Lancashires lost 6 officers and
+150 men killed and wounded. They won, however, very high praise from
+the Brigadier and from General Lomax, the Divisional General. Captain
+Henderson was awarded the Military Cross for
+
+    "conspicuous gallantry and ability on Oct. 23rd, when, with his
+    machine-gun detachment, he performed most valuable services in the
+    final attack and charge, inflicting heavy losses on the enemy. He
+    pushed his guns close up to a flank, and helped in a great degree
+    to clear the enemy's trenches."
+
+One cannot convey a sense of the really remarkable nature of this
+performance better than by quoting the words of General Bulfin in the
+G.O. already referred to. "In spite," it says, "of the stubborn
+resistance offered by the German troops, the object of the engagement
+was accomplished, but not without many casualties in the brigade. By
+nightfall the trenches previously captured by the Germans had been
+re-occupied, about 600 prisoners captured, and fully 1,500 German dead
+were lying out in front of our trenches. The Brigadier-General
+congratulates the L. N. Lancashires, the Northamptons and the K.R.R.
+but desires especially to commend the fine soldierlike spirit of the L.
+N. Lancashires, which advancing steadily under heavy shell and rifle
+fire, and aided by its machine-guns, were enabled to form up within a
+comparatively short distance of the enemy's trenches. Fixing bayonets,
+the battalion then charged, carried the trenches, and then occupied
+them, and to them must be allotted the majority of the prisoners
+captured. The Brigadier-General congratulates himself on having in his
+brigade a battalion which, after marching the whole of the previous
+night, without food or rest, was able to maintain its splendid record
+in the past by the determination and self-sacrifice displayed in this
+action."
+
+
+
+
+THE SECOND ADVANCE
+
+
+The 2nd Brigade remained in the position it had captured for
+twenty-four hours, when it was relieved by the French. In fact during
+the night of the 23rd and the morning of the 24th the entire line from
+Bixschoote to Zonnebeke, which the 1st A.C. had taken over from the 3rd
+Cavalry Division three days earlier, was in turn taken over from them
+by the French, a Division of the 87th Territorials relieving the 1st
+Division between Bixschoote and Langemarck, and the 18th Corps of the
+9th French Army taking the place of the 2nd Division from Langemarck to
+Zonnebeke.
+
+The 1st Division went into reserve at Ypres, whilst the 2nd Division
+moved down to its right across the Zonnebeke road, and took over the
+position of the 22nd Brigade, which also went back into reserve with
+its numbers sadly thinned by the fighting of the last three days.
+
+On the following night the 1st Division came up on the right of the 2nd
+Division and took over the line from west of Reutel to the Menin road,
+thus relieving the 7th Division of any further responsibility north of
+that road.
+
+This proved to be the final shuffle of the Ypres defence force, and the
+positions now taken over proved--broadly speaking--to be permanent. It
+will be well, therefore, for a thorough understanding of what followed,
+that these positions should be clearly fixed in the reader's mind. They
+were as follows: North of the Zonnebeke road the French had now taken
+over entire charge. From the Zonnebeke road to a point near the
+race-course in the Polygon wood, west of Reutel, was the 2nd Division;
+on its right, reaching to the Menin road, was the 1st Division, and
+from the Menin road to Zandvoorde the 7th Division, with the 3rd
+Cavalry Division in the Zandvoorde trenches. So far, so good. Our line
+was everywhere strengthened and consolidated. Between Zonnebeke and
+Zandvoorde three divisions now occupied the ground hitherto held by the
+three brigades of the 7th Division; but, on the other hand, fresh
+German troops were daily arriving in their thousands at Roulers and
+Menin, and though the line of our resistance might be stronger, the
+pressure of attack was correspondingly increased.
+
+The shortening and thickening of our line was not, as events proved,
+accomplished one moment too soon, for on the morning of the 24th the
+British position was attacked all along its length with a determination
+which could hardly have been withstood by the attenuated line of a week
+before.
+
+The 2nd Battalion of the Warwickshire Regiment accomplished a fine
+achievement on this morning. At dawn they were marched away from
+Zonnebeke to retake the trenches south of Reutel out of which the
+Wiltshire Regiment had been shelled. The operation entailed an advance
+of a mile over ground which was constantly under fire. The final act
+was the rushing of the German position, the nucleus of which was a
+small detached farm-house in which were several machine-guns. Col.
+Loring, who had already been wounded, himself led this last charge and
+fell dead in the act. The house, however, was captured and the whole
+German position rushed and occupied, the enemy being driven out with
+very considerable loss. The Warwicks lost 105 men and several officers.
+
+Almost at the same moment a very similar act, in many respects, was
+performed by Captain Dunlop's company of the 1st S. Staffords, which it
+will be remembered had been detached from its battalion on the 21st for
+the support of the Northumberland Hussars. Here again a farm-house
+bristling with machine-guns had to be rushed, and here again in the
+very moment of victory the leader fell dead.
+
+These single company engagements were a special characteristic of the
+fighting at this period. Owing to our scarcity of men, it was seldom
+that an entire battalion could be spared for purposes of support, and
+single companies were consequently sent hither and thither to do the
+work of battalions--to fill gaps, strengthen weak spots, and even--as
+sometimes happened--to retake lost positions and drive back parties of
+the enemy which had broken through. A case in point on this very
+morning of October 24th was that of No. 4 Company 1st Grenadier Guards.
+The circumstances here were that the Germans had succeeded in breaking
+through the right flank of the 21st Brigade, and, as serious
+consequences threatened, a counter-attack was ordered to be made by
+Major Colby with No. 4 Company of the Grenadiers, who were at the time
+on the left of the 20th Brigade. The undertaking in this case was an
+extremely difficult and dangerous one, both on account of the numerical
+insufficiency of a single company for the task assigned it, and also
+because the attack entailed the negotiation of our own barbed wire
+entanglement. This entanglement, it need scarcely be said, was under a
+very constant fire from the enemy, making the undertaking, on the face
+of it, almost a hopeless one. However, it was done. The Grenadiers
+crawled through, over or under the wire, reformed on the far side,
+charged and drove the enemy back once more to their own lines. The
+losses of the Grenadiers were very severe, and, as in the case of the
+other two companies, the leader, Major Colby, fell dead at the head of
+his men. Lieut. Antrobus was also killed and Captain Leatham was
+severely wounded. In the meanwhile the 5th Brigade had been brought up
+from reserve and completed the rout of the enemy.
+
+On the same morning the 6th Brigade, which had taken over the position
+of the 22nd Brigade south of the Zonnebeke road, began pushing forward
+with the ambitious view of re-occupying the advance trenches originally
+held by the 7th Division along the Paschendael--Becelaere road. The 1st
+Berkshire Regiment, under Col. Graham, was on the left of the brigade
+next the road, with the King's Regiment on its right, the other two
+battalions being in support. In this formation the brigade now advanced
+with such dash and vigour as completely to outstrip the troops to right
+and left. The woods in front were full of Germans; every yard gained
+had to be fought for, and there were considerable casualties, Col.
+Bannatyne, of the King's, being amongst those killed. However, the
+brigade made its point and got into the old trenches, but as the French
+on the north side of the road had not succeeded in making the same
+progress, the position was a precarious one, and two companies of the
+Berkshire Regiment had to be thrown back almost at right angles, that
+is to say, parallel with the road, in order to cover the half mile
+which separated them. The performance of this regiment was a distinctly
+meritorious one, several guns being captured as well as prisoners, and
+it was duly recognized as such in high quarters, Lieut. Nicholson and
+Lieut. Hanbury-Sparrow getting the D.S.O. for their conduct on this
+occasion, while Sergt.-Major Smith, Sergt. Taylor and Pte. Bossom were
+awarded the D.C.M.
+
+The push and enterprise of this regiment on the 24th roused the
+activity and emulation of the whole division, which, on the following
+morning, was ordered to advance against Reutel. The attack opened with
+a furious bombardment of that place by our artillery, and in the
+afternoon the 4th Brigade was ordered to clear the Polygon wood, the
+object now being to bring up the 4th and 5th Brigades in line with the
+6th.
+
+The 4th Brigade advanced with the Irish Guards and 2nd Grenadiers in
+the front line, the two Coldstream battalions being in support. Night
+fell before any great advance could be made. The night was one of
+torrential rain, which the troops passed in the extremity of misery
+waiting for the dawn. The attack was then resumed, the 2nd Coldstream
+coming up into line between the Irish Guards and the Grenadiers. Later
+on the 3rd Coldstream were also brought up into line on the right of
+the Grenadiers. The 5th Brigade was on the right of the 4th. Good
+progress was made, and the line with the 6th Brigade having been
+established, the men dug themselves in at dusk. This wearisome but
+highly necessary step had hardly been completed before a furious
+counter-attack was made at 10 p.m. It was, however, repulsed with loss,
+and the 2nd Division, cold, wet and weary, remained unmolested for the
+rest of the night.
+
+This successful advance on the 26th was--as far as this chronicle is
+concerned--the last act of the 4th (Guards) Brigade as an integral
+unit. From this time on, the 2nd Grenadiers and the Irish Guards will
+be found acting quite independently in another part of the field, under
+the command of Lord Cavan, while the 2nd and 3rd Coldstream remained in
+the Polygon wood trenches under Col. Pereira. Later on these two
+Coldstream battalions were joined by the remnant of the 1st Battalion
+from the 1st Brigade, so that the regiment was, in fact, consolidated.
+It is important in view of subsequent events to keep this clearly in
+mind. The Coldstream--with the exception of the 1st Battalion--will not
+again appear in these pages as actors in the great Ypres drama. But
+though not directly under the limelight, the role allotted to them
+henceforth was probably as trying as that to which any regiment could
+be subjected. For twenty-two consecutive days from the date of the
+advance they occupied the Polygon wood trenches. In the case of the 3rd
+Battalion these trenches zig-zagged along the eastern edge of the wood,
+while the 2nd Battalion trenches ran through the wood itself and were
+straight. In each case the general lie was north and south, in contrast
+to the trenches of the 6th Brigade on their left, which faced
+north-east, making, in fact, the first bend back in the Ypres salient.
+These Polygon wood trenches proved most abominably wet even for
+Flanders, the neighbourhood abounding in springs which kept them half
+full of water even in dry weather. Here the Coldstreamers stayed
+unrelieved for over three weeks, up to their knees in water, under
+ceaseless shell-fire, and sniped at with horrible precision on every
+occasion when they raised their heads. To add to the unpleasantness of
+the position, the woods in front were thick with unburied Germans, from
+which the whole atmosphere was polluted. Luckily during the whole of
+their tenure the wind blew from westerly quarters, which while it
+brought abominably wet weather, nevertheless blew the tainted air in
+the direction of the enemy.
+
+
+
+
+THE FIGHTING AT KRUISEIK
+
+
+While four of the Guards' battalions were thus pushing their way
+through the Polygon wood near Reutel, the two Guards' battalions in the
+20th Brigade were enacting a small drama of their own at the village of
+Kruiseik, south of the Menin road. Here two companies of the Scots
+Guards, and the King's Company, 1st Grenadiers, had been posted in some
+advance trenches east of the village in the direction of the country
+road running from the village of Vieux Chien to Werwick. About 8.30 at
+night these advance trenches were attempted by peculiarly German
+methods. Through the intense darkness that reigned that night, and
+through the torrential rain, the enemy crept up close to our lines with
+the aid of every device known to twentieth century warfare. Some said
+they had come to surrender, others said they were the S. Staffords, and
+others again called appealingly for Captain Paynter, who was, in actual
+fact, in command of the right-hand of the two Scots Guards companies.
+That officer's response, however, took the form of a well-directed
+fire, and the friendly inquirers departed with some haste. Lord Claud
+Hamilton (1st Grenadiers), who was in charge of the machine-gun
+section, was also undeceived by the friendliness of the visitors, and
+his maxims contributed to the haste of their departure. This officer
+had now been seven days and nights, unrelieved, in the machine-gun
+trenches, and the coolness and resource which he displayed during that
+period gained for him the D.S.O. He was relieved early on the morning
+following this night attack by an officer of the Scots Guards, who was
+killed the same day.
+
+The inhospitable reception of the enemy above described made the night
+attack a distinct failure as far as Captain Paynter's company was
+concerned. The left-hand trenches were less fortunate. It may be that
+they were more unsuspecting, or perhaps the British accent of the
+figures advancing through the darkness was purer on the left than on
+the right. In any event a report reached the battalion headquarters in
+rear about nine o'clock that these trenches had been rushed and all the
+occupants killed. On receipt of this news the two reserve companies of
+the Scots Guards were sent up under Major the Hon. H. Fraser to
+investigate, and if necessary to retake the lost trenches. These two
+companies filed silently through the main street of Kruiseik, keeping
+close under the shadow of the houses on either side. Not a light was
+burning, and not a sound was to be heard.
+
+At the far end of the village Major Fraser halted the column, and went
+forward alone to try and get in touch with Captain Paynter in the
+right-hand forward trenches, and find out from him what the truth of
+the matter really was. He managed after a time to find that officer,
+who assured him that not only were his own trenches still uncaptured,
+but that he had every intention of keeping them so. As to the trenches
+on his left he knew nothing. With this information Major Fraser made
+his way back to the east end of the village, where he had left his men.
+He decided to investigate for himself the truth as to the left-hand
+trenches, and, accordingly, accompanied by Lieut. Holbeche, in the
+capacity of guide, and forty men, he crept down the cinder track which
+led from the road to the trenches in question. The trenches were in
+absolute silence, and he was beginning to doubt the story of their
+occupation, when suddenly a flashlight was turned on to his party, a
+word of command rang out, and a volley broke the stillness of the
+night. Major Fraser gave the word to charge, and the little party
+dashed forward with fixed bayonets, but they were shot down before the
+trenches were reached. Major Fraser was killed and Lieut. Holbeche
+severely wounded, and of the whole party only four returned.
+
+In the meanwhile the rest of the two companies which had been waiting
+at the end of the village street noticed a light in a house standing by
+itself in the fields. Lord Dalrymple and Captain Fox held a
+consultation and decided to surround it. When this was done, Sergt.
+Mitchell, with great courage, went up to the door and knocked. It was
+flung open and he was at once shot dead. The house, however, was well
+surrounded, and all within it were taken prisoners. They numbered over
+two hundred, including seven officers, and they were promptly sent to
+the rear under escort. Further back, however, the prisoners were
+transferred to the custody of some of the 2nd Queen's, and the Scots
+Guards escort rejoined the two companies at the end of the village,
+whereupon the lost trenches were attacked and re-captured, and
+connection once more established with Captain Paynter.[8] This was not
+effected without considerable further loss. In addition to those
+already mentioned, Lieuts. Gladwin and Dormer were killed, and Col.
+Bolton, Lord Dalrymple, Captain Fox, Lord G. Grosvenor, and the Hon. J.
+Coke were all wounded, and, in the darkness of the night, fell into the
+enemy's hands. The 2nd Scots Guards in all lost nine officers during
+this night's fighting. On the following day the battalion was ordered
+to abandon the Kruiseik trenches, and was taken back into reserve,
+mustering only 450.
+
+        [8] Captain Paynter and Captain Fox got the D.S.O. for their
+        share in the night's work.
+
+The withdrawal of the 2nd Scots Guards from the trenches east of
+Kruiseik, which it had cost them so dearly to hold, marks the first
+step in our retirement from the advanced position we had taken up,
+following the forward movement of October 19th, and consequently the
+first step in the straightening out of the salient bulge. They were not
+replaced, and this ground passed permanently out of our hands.
+
+The King's Company, 1st Grenadiers, which, it will be remembered, were
+also posted in the advance trenches east of Kruiseik, by some means
+failed to receive the order to withdraw, with the result that, on the
+afternoon of the 26th, they found themselves absolutely isolated, and
+cut off from their army by the better part of half a mile. The
+position, on the face of it, appeared absolutely hopeless, as the
+Germans were by this time in occupation of the village of Kruiseik
+itself. However, as the Guards, like the Samurai, do not surrender
+while yet unwounded, they faced the situation, and actually fought
+their way back through the main street of the village. The Germans had
+machine-guns in the windows of the houses, but for once in a way these
+weapons were less effective than usual, and in the evening the company
+rejoined its battalion, considerably thinned in numbers, but
+triumphant. Lieut. Somerset was the only officer killed during this
+retirement.
+
+The night of the 25th was a bad one in every way for the 20th Brigade,
+and the wastage of life owing to the darkness, and the rain, and the
+impossibility of distinguishing friend from foe, is not good to think
+upon. Here is another instance.
+
+The 1st S. Staffords were attached for the moment to the 20th Brigade,
+to which brigade they were acting reserve. Before the Scots Guards had
+recovered the lost trenches, that is to say, while these and the
+buildings in rear of them were still in the occupation of the enemy,
+Captain Ransford was ordered up with a platoon of the S. Staffords to
+reinforce the firing line. In carrying out this order he came under
+fire both from the Germans in front and from our own troops in rear,
+and the whole detachment was practically wiped out. Captain Ransford
+himself, with great courage, went forward alone through the
+impenetrable darkness to try and sift the position, and discover who
+was who, but he fell in the attempt and was seen no more. There is
+consolation in the probability that losses owing to mistaken identity
+were not confined to our side.
+
+The 1st S. Staffords during the confused and sanguinary fighting of
+these two days, that is to say, the 25th and 26th, lost 13 officers and
+440 rank and file. As has so often happened in this war, the battalion
+in reserve was called upon for much of the most strenuous work, and in
+this particular case the S. Staffords had at one time or another to
+support each of the four units of the 20th Brigade. Much of this work
+was of a particularly difficult and dangerous nature, and in the
+darkness and confusion that prevailed the various units were apt at
+times to get very greatly mixed up, and to lapse into the condition of
+sheep without any accredited shepherd.
+
+At one very critical moment in the ebb and flow of battle, it happened
+that the C.O., Col. Ovens, who was at the time in an advanced position
+with two companies of the S. Staffords, noticed a mob of some 300
+men of these mixed units retiring on his left. He sent off Captain
+White, the Quarter-Master of the regiment, to find out the cause.
+The reply was that an order had been received to retire. Captain
+White--suspecting German methods, or, at any rate, suspecting that the
+order originated with someone who was interested in its fulfilment--by
+super-human efforts succeeded in rallying the men and leading them
+back into the firing line, an act which beyond any question had a
+marked effect on the fortunes of the day, or, rather, of the night.
+
+The desperate fighting of this period at and around Kruiseik will
+always be associated with the 20th Brigade. The other two brigades in
+the 7th Division were shifted about, as occasion required, to various
+points between Zonnebeke and Zandvoorde; but from October 19th to the
+29th, the 20th Brigade operated at Kruiseik alone. The gradual
+annihilation of this splendid brigade--possibly the finest in the whole
+army--forms a story which is no less stirring than it is tragic. The
+tragedy is obvious, but it is relieved by the thought of the superb
+devotion of each of the battalions that formed the command of General
+Ruggles-Brise. Each battalion, in its own allotted sphere, fought to a
+finish. Each battalion in its turn furnished an example of unflinching
+heroism which is an epic in itself. They not only fought till there
+were no more left to fight, but they fought up to the very end with
+success. It must have been a consolation to their gallant Brigadier,
+when in the end he was carried off the field with a shattered thigh, to
+feel that he had survived long enough to share in a glory which will
+never be excelled.
+
+The worst sufferer in the early days of the Kruiseik fighting was
+the 2nd Battalion of the Border Regiment. The experiences of this
+regiment are of the highest interest, as being typical of the
+hold-on-at-all-costs spirit which animated the British force during
+the period of the German advance, and which was responsible for the
+miscarriage of all the desperate efforts of the enemy to break
+through. On October 22nd the battalion was posted along the road from
+Zandvoorde, at the point where it cuts the Kruiseik--Werwick road.
+Their trenches formed an ugly salient, which was commanded on three
+sides by the enemy's artillery, and at which particularly accurate
+practice could be, and was, made by the German batteries posted on the
+America ridge, about a mile to the south-east. Their instructions were
+to hold on to these trenches _at all costs_ till relieved. They
+did hold on, and on the 27th they were relieved--at least, those of
+them that were left. Their relaxation during those six days consisted
+in counting the shells directed at them, and speculating as to the
+accuracy of the next shot. The constant prayer of every officer and
+man was for an infantry attack of some sort--German or British. The
+prayer was not answered. Their orders were to hold on at all costs
+till relieved. They were not relieved, so they held on. On the 24th,
+25th and 26th the shells fell in or around their trenches at the rate
+of two per minute from dawn till dark. Their casualties from this
+shell-fire averaged 150 a day and the enemy's guns fired unchallenged
+and unmolested by our own artillery. In those days the numerical
+superiority of the German artillery was overwhelming, and, as an
+inevitable consequence, our infantry afforded them passive but
+diminishing targets. In the case of the Border Regiment the target
+diminished rapidly. On the 23rd Captain Gordon and 2nd Lieut. Clancy
+were killed; on the 25th Major Allen and Lieut. Warren were killed,
+and Lieut. Clegg wounded; on the 26th Captain Lees, Captain
+Cholmondeley, Captain Andrews and Lieut. Surtees were killed, and
+Major Bosanquet and Lieut. Bevis were wounded. On the 27th the 300 men
+that remained were relieved--for the moment.
+
+On the afternoon of the 26th the pressure against this battalion became
+so severe, and their casualties were so high, that at two o'clock
+General Kavanagh was ordered to make a demonstration with the 7th C.B.
+in the direction of Zandvoorde, with a view to diverting some of the
+pressure. The 1st Life Guards were already in occupation of the
+Zandvoorde trenches, and the demonstration was entrusted to the Blues,
+who were, at the time, the reserve regiment to the brigade. The Blues
+were at Klein Zillebeke when the order arrived, and they at once got
+mounted and galloped along the road that connects that place with
+Zandvoorde. Lord Alastair Ker's squadron, which was leading, rode right
+through the 1st Life Guards trenches, and, turning to the right at the
+top of the ridge, dismounted and opened fire. Their squadron
+immediately came under a heavy fire and its casualties were
+considerable. In the meanwhile the other two squadrons of the Blues
+(Captain Brassey's and Captain Harrison's), dismounted behind the Life
+Guards, and advanced to the top of the ridge on foot, supporting the
+fire of the leading squadron. The demonstration was kept up till
+darkness fell, when the regiment, having carried out its orders with
+complete success, retired to a chateau between Klein Zillebeke and
+Hollebeke, where it billeted for the night. Lord Alastair Ker and
+Trooper Nevin were both decorated for their gallantry on this occasion.
+
+The continuation of the Zandvoorde trenches further south was still in
+the occupation of the 10th Hussars. These were heavily shelled all
+through the day, and the casualties among their officers continued to
+be on a high scale, Sir F. Rose and Lieut. Turnor being killed, and
+Major Crichton wounded.
+
+
+
+
+THE LAST OF KRUISEIK
+
+
+The next two days were days of comparative calm--the lull before the
+desperate storm which was preparing to break upon the British force.
+On the morning of the 27th, the 6th Brigade, on the left of our line,
+which had so successfully pushed forward its position on the 24th,
+made a still further advance, the 1st K.R.R. on this occasion being
+the left-hand battalion, with the 1st S. Staffords on its right. The
+1st Berks and the King's Regiment were in support. The movement was
+again a complete success, the brigade advancing as far as the
+Paschendael--Becelaere road and occupying the crest of the ridge along
+which this road runs. Here the K.R.R. came under a very heavy
+shell-fire, and Prince Maurice of Battenberg and Captain Wells were
+killed, Captain Willis, Captain Llewellyn and 2nd Lieuts. Hone and
+Sweeting being wounded at the same time. The ground gained was,
+however, successfully held for the time being. The effect of this
+advance was to give a slightly concave formation to the eastern face
+of the Ypres salient, the two extremities now projecting beyond the
+centre trenches in the Polygon wood. This curious formation, however,
+was very temporary, both of the horns so formed having shortly to
+withdraw. The withdrawal of the southern horn was begun on the night
+of the 26th, during the events already narrated. We may now consider
+the subsequent events which led to its complete disappearance.
+
+In the very small hours of the same morning on which the 6th Brigade
+advanced--before daylight, in fact--the 1st Scots Guards marched down
+the Menin road to resume its place in the 1st Brigade. At Gheluvelt the
+battalion deployed to the north of the road, and at once came under the
+blind shell-fire which ceased not night or day in this particular area.
+Captain Hamilton and Captain Balfour were killed, and Lieuts. Wickham
+and Roberts wounded. The battalion, however, worked its way up to its
+position on the left of the 1st Coldstream, and there awaited events.
+How dramatic those events were destined to prove was little suspected
+at the time.
+
+A few hours later the 20th Brigade, returning from its one night's rest
+in the outskirts of Ypres, followed them down the same road, and filed
+into the shelter-trenches south of the road. Here they stayed till 5
+p.m. on the 28th, when they continued their march down the high road
+through Gheluvelt, and took over the trenches just west and south of
+the Kruiseik cross-roads.
+
+Here for the moment we may leave them in order to take a glance at the
+general situation.
+
+The day which followed, that is to say October 29th, was the first of
+the five days during which the Kaiser was present in person with his
+troops opposite Ypres. He had arrived with the avowed intention of
+stimulating the army to one supreme, irresistible effort which would
+carry all before it, and open the coveted road to Calais to the mass of
+troops now concentrated at Roulers and Menin.
+
+The occasion was signalized on the morning of the 29th by a grand
+assault along and on each side of the Menin road. This broad highroad
+was the most direct and obvious route to Ypres, and the Germans--as
+their way is--went straight for the shortest cut. There was no secret
+about the enterprise; it was, in fact, known among all ranks of the
+British Army, and even published in some of the general orders of the
+evening before, that the XXVII. German Reserve Corps would attack
+Kruiseik and Zandvoorde at 5.30 a.m. on the 29th.
+
+In the light of this general knowledge, subsequent events are not
+wholly easy to understand. The attack came at the very hour which had
+been announced, and--as far as Kruiseik was concerned--at the very
+spot. Zandvoorde, as a matter of fact, was not implicated, and so can
+be left out of the discussion.
+
+At Kruiseik our line of defence was just in rear of the cross-roads,
+about a quarter of a mile nearer Ypres than it had been on the 26th.
+The six regiments in the front line which came in the path of the
+attack were the 1st Grenadiers, 2nd Gordons and 2nd Scots Fusiliers
+south of the road, and the Black Watch, 1st Coldstream and 1st Scots
+Guards to the north of it. In reserve were the 2nd Scots Guards and the
+Border Regiment, the latter being in Gheluvelt, the former to the south
+of it.
+
+At 5.30 then, with true military punctuality, the Germans made their
+advance under cover of a thick fog, and, as subsequent events proved,
+succeeded in getting past and behind our first line without opposition.
+It is said that they marched in column of fours straight down the main
+Menin road, which, for some reason only known to staff officers, does
+not appear to have been in the charge of any of the first line troops.
+
+However that may be, the fact remains that the Germans did get past,
+without a shot being fired from either side, and established their
+machine-guns in the houses along the roadside in rear; with the result
+that the regiments next the road suddenly found themselves, without any
+warning, assailed by a murderous machine-gun fire from both rear and
+flank. To add to the unpleasantness of the situation, they were at the
+same time vigorously shelled by our own artillery. Under this combined
+attack the 1st Grenadiers next the road on the south side suffered very
+severely. Colonel Earle was wounded almost at the first discharge, and
+Major Stucley, who then took over command, was killed within a short
+interval. Owing to the thickness of the fog it was a matter of great
+difficulty to locate the enemy with any degree of accuracy, or to
+return a fire which appeared to come from the direction of our own
+reserves. Captain Rasch, who was now in command, accordingly decided to
+withdraw the battalion into the woods to the south, leaving the enemy
+to continue their fusilade at the empty trenches. With them went the
+left flank company of the Gordons, under Captain Burnett. "C" Company
+of the Gordons, which was on the right of Captain Burnett's company,
+was comparatively clear of the fire from the rear, and did not withdraw
+with the others. The subsequent exploits of this company were most
+remarkable, and will be described later on.
+
+The fog now suddenly lifted, the sun came through, and the situation
+became comparatively clear to both sides. The Germans ceased their
+fusilade from behind at the empty trenches, and began to press
+southwards from the road, and westward from the direction of Menin, in
+great numbers. To meet this new movement, the 1st Grenadiers and
+Captain Burnett's company of the Gordons formed up and charged, driving
+the enemy back to the road in considerable disorder. In the moment of
+victory, however, they were heavily enfiladed from the trenches
+recently occupied by Captain Burnett's company, and numbers fell. They
+were again forced to withdraw to the south, the enemy following close
+on their heels. Once more the Grenadiers and Gordons reformed, and once
+more they drove the enemy back to the road, only to be themselves again
+driven back by weight of numbers. It was at this moment that Lieut.
+Brooke, of the Gordon Highlanders, who had been sent from the right
+flank with a message, arrived on the scene and--seeing the overwhelming
+superiority in numbers of the enemy--hurriedly collected a handful of
+men from the rear (servants, cooks, orderlies, etc.), and led them
+forward in a gallant attempt to do something towards equalizing
+numbers. He and nearly all his men were killed, but he was subsequently
+awarded the Victoria Cross for his action.
+
+In the meanwhile the Grenadiers were fighting to a finish. Refusing to
+be beaten or to give way, they fought up to the moment when the order
+arrived for them to retire to Gheluvelt. This was about 10 a.m. By that
+time 500 out of the 650 men who had gone into action had fallen, and
+out of the sixteen officers only four were left. No. 4 Company--the
+heroes of the successful charge on the 24th--alone lost 200 men, or, in
+other words, were wiped out.
+
+Of the officers, Major Stucley, Captain Rennie, Lord R. Wellesley, the
+Hon. W. Forester and the Hon. A. Douglas-Pennant were killed, in
+addition to which Col. Earle, the Hon. C. Ponsonby, Lieuts. Lambert,
+Kenyon-Slaney and Powell were wounded. Lieut. Butt, the medical officer
+attached, was killed while dressing Col. Earle's wounds. The casualties
+of the Gordons were between two and three hundred.
+
+While this had been going on south of the road, an almost identical
+state of things prevailed on the north side where were stationed the
+Black Watch and 1st Coldstream. These two battalions similarly found
+themselves, without any warning, mowed down in the fog by machine-gun
+fire from their rear and right flank. Gradually they too were forced
+back, fighting every yard of the way, but powerless to stem the masses
+of the enemy opposed to them. Both these battalions were practically
+annihilated. The 1st Coldstream battalion, in fact, may be said to
+have ceased to exist, for the time being, after this day. The remnant
+was shortly afterwards absorbed into the 2nd and 3rd Battalions. That
+remnant consisted of 180 rank and file; _no officers_ and no senior
+N.C.O.
+
+The right flank company of the 1st Scots Guards shared the fate of the
+two battalions on its right. It became isolated, was surrounded by
+masses of the enemy, and ceased to exist.
+
+At 11 a.m. the 2nd Scots Fusiliers, who had been on the right of the
+Gordons, and just outside of the pressure of the first attack, had in
+their turn to fall back, Col. Uniacke with two companies of the Gordons
+going forward again to aid them in their retirement.
+
+About noon things were looking pretty serious; the Germans were
+pressing on towards Gheluvelt in great numbers, both on the main road
+itself and to the north and south of it, and it seemed doubtful whether
+their impetus could be checked.
+
+At this critical moment, a succession of incidents, small in
+themselves, but powerful as a combination, brought about a marked
+change in the fortunes of the day. It has already been mentioned that
+"C" Company of the Gordons, under Captain R. S. Gordon, had remained
+throughout the morning in its original trenches, the order to retire
+not having reached it. Curiously enough, another small detachment to
+its right was in a very similar position. This detachment consisted of
+a platoon of the 2nd Queen's, and about a hundred men of other units,
+under the command of Major Bottomley of the Queen's. The party had been
+sent forward to reinforce the 20th Brigade, and, at the time of the
+retirement, was in some dug-outs in a very advanced position on the
+high ground near Kruiseik. As in the case of "C" Company of the
+Gordons, the order to retire did not reach them, and they were left.
+Here then were two distinct and quite independent detachments,
+completely isolated, and cut off by a good half mile from the rest of
+the brigade. It seemed as though their destruction was a foregone
+conclusion. In the event, however, not only were they not destroyed,
+but they were able, from their unsuspected positions, to work very
+considerable havoc in the ranks of the enemy. It so happened that Major
+Bottomley's party contained an unusual number of marksmen, including
+Lieut. Wilson of the 2nd Queen's. These--quite regardless of their own
+perilous position, or of the fire which they were sure to draw upon
+themselves by their action--now laid themselves out to take advantage
+of their advanced position to pick off the Germans to right and left.
+The very audacity of the proceeding proved their saving, the enemy
+finding it very hard to properly locate a fire which seemed to come
+from their very midst. There was, however, some retaliation, and Lieut.
+Wilson was eventually shot through the head and killed.
+
+It cannot well be claimed that sniping such as this--however
+effective--had any appreciable influence on the tide of battle, but
+this claim can be justly made in the case of "C" Company of the 2nd
+Gordons. This company's presence was equally unsuspected by the enemy,
+and, soon after midday, a German battalion proceeded to mass in close
+column within 300 yards of its position. Such a target was of course
+unmissable, and within five minutes the German battalion was
+annihilated, 850 dead and wounded being afterwards found on the spot
+where it had concentrated.
+
+It is satisfactory to be able to record that both these gallant
+detachments successfully withdrew. Captain Gordon remained in his
+position till dusk, when, by exercising great care, he succeeded in
+rejoining his battalion. Major Bottomley actually remained in his
+position till the night of the following day, _i.e._, the 30th,
+when he succeeded in safely extricating his party from their perilous
+position--a truly astonishing performance in view of the fact that the
+Germans were not only round him, but were in actual occupation of the
+trenches to right and left.
+
+While this was taking place south of the road, the 1st Scots Guards,
+north of the road, were gradually bringing about a change in the aspect
+of the fight. It will be remembered that the two battalions between
+them and the road, viz., the Black Watch and 1st Coldstream, had been
+engulfed and overwhelmed in the German advance, a fate which had also
+overtaken Captain de la Pasture's company of the 1st Scots Guards,
+which was on the right of that battalion. In this crisis--for it was
+undoubtedly an extremely critical moment--Captain Stephen, with a quick
+grasp of the situation, brought up the reserve company of the Scots
+Guards, together with some stragglers from the 1st Coldstream who had
+escaped the carnage on the right. Facing his command half right, he
+proceeded to pour volley after volley into the flank of the Germans
+pressing forward between him and the road. Some of the Germans turned
+to face this new attack, but the Guardsmen, fighting with superb
+courage, held them off throughout the afternoon. During this memorable
+performance on the part of Captain Stephen's company, the company
+commander himself and Sir G. Ogilvy were killed, and the Hon. G.
+Macdonald and Sir V. Mackenzie wounded. The 1st Scots Guards had now
+lost 10 officers and 370 men since they had marched down the Menin road
+two days before.[9] The battalion received great praise in high
+quarters for the part it had played at this critical moment in the
+fortunes of the day, and there can be little doubt that the tremendous
+losses they had inflicted on the enemy had appreciably checked the
+German advance.
+
+        [9] Up to the end of January, 1915, the total casualties in the
+        two battalions Scots Guards amounted to 2,888 of all ranks.
+
+Captain Gordon's attack had taken the enemy on the left flank, and
+Captain Stephen's on the right flank. They were yet to meet a still
+more severe check from in front. In partial reserve on the hill on
+which Gheluvelt stands, were detachments of the 2nd Gordon Highlanders,
+2nd Scots Guards, 2nd Queen's, S. Wales Borderers and the Border
+Regiment. It was about midday when the Germans, having forced their way
+as described through the regiments next the Menin road, began pushing
+forward towards Gheluvelt, the main body marching in column of fours
+along the road from Gheluvelt itself, where the main road passes
+through the village, the head of the advancing column was out of sight,
+owing to a bend in the road at the foot of the hill. Captain Watson,
+however, who was in charge of the machine-gun section of the Border
+Regiment, managed to get a couple of maxims through a ploughed field
+into some turnips on the north slope of the hill. From here there was a
+clear view of the road stretching away to Kruiseik, with the head of
+the German column about 1,200 yards distant. On to this column both
+machine-guns were now trained. The position was ideal for working
+execution on the enemy, but it was in no way entrenched, and fully
+exposed to the enemy's fire. The head of the enemy's column was soon
+knocked to pieces, and, on the other hand, one of the Border Regiment
+machine-guns was knocked out, but the other kept going till all the
+ammunition was expended. In the meanwhile the German infantry advancing
+south of the road had become visible to the several detachments
+afore-mentioned, of whom Major Craufurd of the Gordons had assumed
+temporary command, and these now opened a galling fire on the advancing
+ranks, which they succeeded in throwing into considerable confusion.
+
+This moment proved the turning-point in the day's battle. The frontal
+fire from the Border Regiment's machine-guns and the above-named
+detachments, coupled with the enfilading fire from the 1st Scots Guards
+to the north of the road, brought the advancing force to a standstill,
+which--when the reserves from Gheluvelt were advanced--quickly
+developed into a retreat. The Germans fell back to Kruiseik, which they
+occupied, and which from this date on remained in their hands. The 3rd
+Brigade was brought forward to occupy the place of the Black Watch and
+1st Coldstream north of the road, the 1st Scots Guards and the Camerons
+retaining their original morning position.
+
+This battle of the Kruiseik cross-roads had cost us very dear, some of
+the finest battalions in the British Army being practically
+annihilated, but there can be no question but that the losses of the
+attacking forces were incomparably greater. It must be borne in mind
+that the British forces which actually took part in this fight numbered
+at the outside 5,000, while the attacking force consisted of an entire
+Army Corps, that is to say, approximately, 24,000 infantry.
+
+It may be interesting at this point, at the risk of forestalling
+matters a little, to explain the gradual process of retirement by which
+our line was straightened, and the bulge eliminated from our defensive
+position. It is less easy to explain why the process was so gradual. We
+may take our furthest advance east to have been on the 19th. On that
+date the 22nd Brigade pushed forward as far as the Roulers-Menin
+railway. There, however, they encountered very strong opposition, and
+withdrew to Zonnebeke--a distance of six miles--on the same day. The
+20th Brigade, however, did not take part in this retirement, and
+entrenched themselves at the point to which they had advanced, east of
+Kruiseik.
+
+On the 24th the 6th Brigade made a second advance south of the
+Zonnebeke road; and on the following day the Guards' Brigade fought its
+way up into line on the right of the 6th Brigade, while the 5th and 1st
+Brigades filled the gap between the Guards' Brigade and the 20th
+Brigade at Kruiseik. These several advances resulted in a line of
+defence which jutted out from Zonnebeke to Reutel, and then--after
+passing east of Kruiseik and Zandvoorde--fell back quite suddenly, and
+in an all but straight line, to Klein Zillebeke. Klein Zillebeke, and
+Zonnebeke, then, were the starting-points to north and south of the
+bulge, and it is significant that these two points have never been
+lost; nor has our ultimate middle-of-November line, which ran along the
+high ridge connecting these two places, ever been forced. But till this
+obvious line of defence was reached, we lost ground on each occasion
+that the enemy attacked in force.
+
+On the 26th we were driven back from east of Kruiseik to a position
+west of Kruiseik; on the 29th we lost Kruiseik and were driven back to
+Gheluvelt; on the 30th we lost Zandvoorde; and on the 31st we lost
+Gheluvelt, and were driven back to a new position nearer Veldhoek. On
+November 2nd we were driven from this position, and our line was
+retired another 300 yards towards Hooge. Here it remained till November
+11th, when the Prussian Guard captured this position, but was unable to
+drive us from the Veldhoek ridge. This ridge has, from that date to the
+present moment, proved the _ne plus ultra_ of German advance, and
+it is fairly safe to predict that it will so remain to the end, unless
+voluntarily relinquished for sanitary or strategic reasons. This in
+itself is a cause for congratulation and even triumph, but not so is
+the thought of the many good men who laid down their lives between
+Kruiseik and Veldhoek in the defence of the indefensible.
+
+In reckoning up these successive retirements from the point of view of
+military failure or success, or from the, perhaps, more interesting
+point of view of the relative fighting merits of those who retired and
+those who advanced, it is well to realize, from the start, the
+tremendous disparity in numbers and freshness of the opposing forces.
+The British commanders had, throughout this defence of Ypres, to ring
+the changes, as between reserve and firing line, with battalions, and
+sometimes even with companies. The German commanders could afford to do
+it with Army Corps.
+
+Day after day, the same British battalions, jaded, depleted of
+officers, and gradually dwindling into mere skeletons, were called upon
+to withstand the attacks of fresh and fresh troops. It was not merely
+that the Germans had the superiority in numbers on each occasion when
+they attacked. This, of course, must always be the privilege of the
+attacking side; but they had also the unspeakable advantage of being
+able at any time to direct a stream of fresh troops against any given
+part of our thin, weary, battered line. Thus on October 29th the XXVII.
+Reserve Corps attacked Kruiseik; on the 30th the XV. Army Corps
+attacked Zandvoorde; on October 31st and November 1st we had the XIII.,
+XXIV., and II. Bavarian Corps attacking the line from the Menin road to
+Messines, to which on November 2nd must be added the XXVI. Army Corps.
+By this time, however, the 16th French Army had come up, and did
+something towards equalizing matters.
+
+But again on November 11th, fifteen fresh battalions of the Prussian
+Guard were brought up, and all that Sir Douglas Haig had to put in
+their path were the remnants of the same unconquerable battalions that
+had now been fighting, without intermission, for close on three months.
+
+
+
+
+ZANDVOORDE
+
+
+Following the loss of Kruiseik on the 29th came the loss of Zandvoorde
+on the 30th. The particular section in the line of defence known as the
+Zandvoorde trenches had from first to last been a death-trap, and had
+proved particularly expensive to the 3rd Cavalry Division, whose
+special privilege it had been to defend them. They curved round the
+south-east side of the village, following the contours of the ridge,
+and, being the most prominent feature in the entire Ypres salient, were
+particularly susceptible to shell-fire from all quarters, except the
+north. Their chief attraction, from the purely military point of view,
+lay in the fact that they were on the crest of a ridge some 120 feet
+high, which here juts out into the plain, and which faces the ridge of
+about the same height a mile and a quarter away, on which Kruiseik
+stands. Their weakness lay in the fact that they were practically
+surrounded by the enemy, and were even open to attack from the
+direction of Hollebeke, which lay due west of their southern extension.
+In these circumstances their loss on the 30th was not wholly a matter
+for regret.
+
+At the moment of the final attack, the 7th C.B. (Household Cavalry) had
+already been in these trenches for three days and nights, under a
+ceaseless shell-fire from south and east, and occasionally even from
+west. In the case of the machine-gun section of the Blues, under Lord
+Worsley, that period was doubled, the detachment having been in the
+advance trenches for six days and nights unrelieved.
+
+There is reason to believe that the supreme attack on Zandvoorde
+had originally been planned for the 29th, so as to take place
+simultaneously with that on Kruiseik, but a delay in the arrival of the
+XV. German Army Corps resulted in its postponement till the following
+day. The expected reinforcements arrived during the night of the 29th
+and--all being now according to arrangement--the attack took place at
+daybreak on the following morning.
+
+The attack took the form of a storm of shrapnel and high-explosives of
+so terrific a nature that by nine o'clock the Household Cavalry
+trenches had been literally blown to pieces, and the brigade was
+forced to retire slowly down the hill, keeping up a covering fire as
+it went. The retirement was effected in good order, but Lord Hugh
+Grosvenor's squadron of the 1st Life Guards, "C" Squadron of the 2nd
+Life Guards, and Lord Worsley's machine-gun section of the Blues did
+not succeed in withdrawing with the rest of the brigade, and their
+fate is still a matter of uncertainty. It is probable, however, that,
+in the pandemonium which was reigning, the order to retire did not
+reach them, and that those who survived the bombardment awaited the
+infantry attack which followed, and fought it out to an absolute
+finish. An officer in the R. Welsh Fusiliers' trenches, on the left of
+the Zandvoorde trenches, subsequently described the defence put up
+that day by the Household Cavalry as one of the finest feats of the
+war. It may well be that untold deeds of heroism remain yet to be
+recorded in connection with that morning's work.[10]
+
+        [10] Among those missing on that morning was the Hon. Francis
+        Lambton. He was subsequently reported to have been killed.
+
+The R. Welsh Fusiliers were on the right of the 22nd Brigade and on the
+left of the Household Cavalry, in trenches which curved back from the
+Zandvoorde trenches and faced in the main north-west, whereas the
+Zandvoorde trenches faced south-east. These trenches were at the best
+ill-constructed affairs, and were weakened in the middle by a big gap
+where the road from Zandvoorde to Becelaere passed through them.
+
+The Zandvoorde trenches passed into the hands of the enemy soon after
+nine, and the Germans at once swarmed into them and began making their
+way along towards the north, till they reached a position from which
+they could get the Welsh Fusiliers in flank. Then began the
+annihilation of this very gallant regiment. From the moment that the
+Zandvoorde trenches went, its position was hopeless, its right flank
+being completely unprotected, and its own trenches disconnected and
+ill-adapted for mutual protection. The regiment, however, fought as it
+had fought on the 19th and again on the 20th and 21st. It fought, in
+the words of the C. in C., "till every officer had been killed or
+wounded; only ninety men rejoined the brigade." As a matter of fact,
+the exact number of survivors out of a battalion which a fortnight
+earlier had numbered 1,100 was 86, and these were shortly afterwards
+absorbed into the 2nd Queen's, their only remaining officer being the
+Quartermaster.
+
+Among those that fell on that day were Captain Barker, Col. Cadogan and
+his Adjutant, Lieut. Dooner. The latter was killed in a very gallant
+attempt to cross the interval which divided the trenches, and
+investigate the state of affairs on the right; and the Colonel fell in
+an equally gallant attempt to rescue his subordinate after he had
+fallen.
+
+The position was now--as may be supposed--extremely serious, the enemy
+being in complete possession of the Zandvoorde ridge. The 7th C.B.
+(Household Cavalry), when it had fallen back in the morning, had
+retired through the 6th C.B. and formed up in rear.
+
+Its retreat had been greatly assisted by the magnificent work of the
+two Horse Artillery Batteries attached, viz., "C" Battery, under Major
+White, and "K" Battery, under Major Lamont. Both displayed the greatest
+daring and activity, and the latter succeeded in completely knocking
+out a German battery which was just coming into action on the
+Zandvoorde ridge.
+
+In the meanwhile, the only force which stood in the way of the enemy
+was the 6th C.B., that is to say, three cavalry regiments, all
+considerably weakened by fighting. The gravity of the situation lay in
+the fact that if the Klein Zillebeke position went, there was nothing
+further to prevent the enemy marching straight into Ypres, only three
+miles distant, in which case the 1st A.C. and 7th Division would have
+been irretrievably cut off from their base and supplies, and the
+capture or annihilation of these three divisions would have inevitably
+followed.
+
+Accordingly Sir Douglas Haig, quick to realize that the events of the
+next few hours would decide the making or marring of the campaign, sent
+out an ultimatum to the effect that the line to which we had now been
+driven, _i.e._, from Gheluvelt to the corner of the canal north of
+Hollebeke, was to be held at all costs. Concurrently an urgent appeal
+was sent to General Allenby to send up with all possible speed any and
+all regiments available. Allenby sent the Scots Greys and the 3rd and
+4th Hussars--all from different brigades. The Greys and the 3rd
+Hussars arrived first on the scene, and passed across to the left flank
+of the 6th C.B., filling up, in fact, the gap between that brigade and
+General Bulfin's (2nd) Brigade on its left. The 4th Hussars, who had
+further to come, arrived in time to take up a position on the right of
+the Royals (who were the right-hand regiment of the 6th C.B.), and
+carry on the line of defence beyond the railway. The position then was
+that the line of the three regiments of the 6th C.B. was extended by
+the 3rd Hussars and Greys on the left, and by the 4th Hussars on the
+right.
+
+The 7th C.B., who had concentrated at the little village of Zwartelen
+in rear of the 6th C.B., now sent off two squadrons of the Blues to
+support the Royals, who were holding the chateau at Hollebeke. This
+chateau lies on the low ground to the east of the canal, whereas
+Hollebeke itself is on the west side. The chateau was considerably in
+advance of the line which was ordered to be held, and with Zandvoorde
+gone was of no strategic importance. This combined force held off the
+enemy for some hours, during which time Sergt. McLellan, of the Royals,
+especially distinguished himself by several acts of great gallantry,
+but by midday the chateau had to be abandoned and was occupied by
+German infantry. Except for this loss, the cavalry line held its ground
+throughout the day. There was no further infantry attack, but it had to
+stand a severe shelling all through the afternoon, and its casualties
+were numerous, among those of the 10th Hussars being Captain Kinkead,
+Captain Fielden, Captain Stewart and the Hon. H. Baring.
+
+The R. Sussex, too, in General Bulfin's 2nd Brigade, on the left of the
+cavalry, came in for their full share of the bombardment and suffered
+very severely, Col. Crispin and Lieuts. Croft, Marillier and Lousada
+being killed.
+
+At five o'clock in the afternoon the five cavalry regiments were
+relieved by Lord Cavan's Brigade, the 2nd Grenadier Guards under Major
+Lord Bernard Lennox[11] taking over the position on the canal--later on
+to become famous under the name of Hill 60, while the Irish Guards
+continued the line on their left. The line was still further
+strengthened on the following morning by the addition of the
+Oxfordshire Light Infantry from the 5th Brigade, and the 2nd Gordon
+Highlanders from the 20th Brigade, these two battalions being added to
+General Bulfin's command, which was on the left of Lord Cavan's.
+
+        [11] Killed November, 1914.
+
+
+
+
+GHELUVELT
+
+
+October 31st may be said to have witnessed the supreme effort of the
+enemy to break through to Ypres. The attack on this day was pressed
+simultaneously along the whole of our front from Messines to the Menin
+road, and lasted not only throughout the day but during the greater
+part of the night. This tremendous battle, covering as it did a
+frontage of twelve miles, can only be adequately described by cutting
+it up into three sections, the first of which deals with the fight
+along the Menin road, the second with the struggle at Klein Zillebeke,
+and the third with the attack on the cavalry corps at Wytschate and
+Messines.
+
+We will deal first with the fight on the Menin road. Here, it will be
+remembered, our troops had been forced back on the 29th from a line
+just west of Kruiseik cross-roads to the Gheluvelt trenches,
+three-quarters of a mile further back, and on the higher ridge on which
+that village stands.
+
+On the morning of the 31st the new position was in its turn attacked,
+and under conditions which in many ways recalled the fight of two days
+before. There was, however, this difference, that, while the attack of
+the 29th had been in the nature of a surprise in the fog, and had been
+unheralded by any previous cannonade, that of the 31st was preceded by
+a bombardment which, in point of violence, threw into the shade
+everything which the campaign had yet witnessed. The expenditure of
+ammunition must have been colossal. This terrific discharge of missiles
+commenced at daybreak, and gradually increased in volume up to eleven
+o'clock, when it ceased and the infantry attack commenced.
+
+The shell-fire had been mainly focussed on the 3rd and 22nd Brigades in
+the neighbourhood of Gheluvelt. By the association of these two
+Brigades, the 1st and 2nd battalions of the Queen's (R. West Surrey
+Regiment) for the first time in history found themselves fighting side
+by side. The occasion was an historic one, but not without a strong
+note of tragedy, both battalions being in the direct track of the
+bombardment, and suffering very severely. Each battalion, too, lost its
+C.O. during the morning, Col. Pell of the 1st Battalion being killed
+and Col. Coles of the 2nd Battalion wounded.
+
+The tactics of the enemy in these Menin road attacks almost always
+took the same form. All the batteries within the area would
+concentrate on the road and on the trenches immediately to right and
+left of the road, making these positions absolutely untenable. Then,
+when the troops in the track of the shell-fire had fallen back dazed
+into semi-unconsciousness by the inferno, they would drive a dense
+mass of infantry into the gap, and so enfilade--and very often
+surround--the trenches which were still occupied to right and left of
+the gap. By this method, companies, and sometimes whole battalions,
+which had stuck out the shell-fire, were overwhelmed and annihilated.
+
+Such a fate on this occasion overtook the right flank company of the
+South Wales Borderers just north of Gheluvelt. This company formed the
+northern boundary of the gap caused by the bombardment, and the German
+wedge, spreading out towards the right, bore down on it from three
+sides. Major Lawrence, in command of the company, faced half the men
+about and kept up the fight to the bitter end, but it was merely a
+question of selling their lives as dearly as possible. The tide swept
+over them and they ceased to exist.
+
+The remaining companies of the South Wales Borderers managed to
+maintain their ground till the line north of the road was
+re-established in the following way.
+
+At 1.30 the 2nd Worcestershire Regiment, who were in reserve at the six
+cross-roads at the corner of the Polygon wood, a mile to the rear, were
+ordered to retake the lost position. This they did in the following
+very gallant manner, led by Major Hankey. They deployed in the woods
+just to the rear of Gheluvelt, and, advancing in a series of short
+rushes, charged right up to the line of the lost trenches. The last
+rush had to be made across 200 yards of open ground in the face of a
+terrific shrapnel fire. Over 100 of the Worcesters fell in this last
+rush, but the remainder charged home and drove out the Germans with
+heavy loss. The old trenches were found to have been filled in, but a
+sunken road just in rear provided fair cover, and this the Worcesters
+now lined, joining up their left with the right of the South Wales
+Borderers. The Germans, however, were still in the village itself and
+the position was at best a precarious one. They managed, however, to
+hold on till dark.
+
+The Worcesters lost 187 men in this short, brilliant charge. The
+achievement was alluded to by the C. in C. as one of the finest in the
+whole campaign, and one which saved the army from a very awkward
+predicament.
+
+The 1st Scots Guards, on the left of the South Wales Borderers again,
+as on the 29th, stood firm throughout the day, and contributed in no
+small measure to the ultimate repulse of the enemy. In the afternoon
+one company of this battalion was detached to co-operate in the
+counter-attack made by the Worcesters, and generally to re-establish
+the broken line north of Gheluvelt. This they succeeded in doing, with
+very able support from the 42nd Battery R.F.A., but in the doing of it
+lost Captain Wickham and Major Vandeweyer, the former of whom was
+killed.
+
+Meanwhile another historic resistance was being put up south of the
+road by the 2nd R. Scots Fusiliers. This battalion formed the southern
+boundary of the gap, just as the South Wales Borderers formed the
+northern boundary; and when the German infantry wedge was forced in, it
+found its trenches very badly raked from the gardens of the chateau,
+where the enemy had installed some machine-guns. General Watt, the
+Brigadier, recognizing that the position of this regiment had now
+become untenable, telephoned through to them to retire. The wire,
+however, had been cut by shrapnel and the message did not arrive. Two
+orderlies were thereupon successively dispatched to order their
+retirement. Both were knocked over and again the order did not reach.
+In the meanwhile, Col. Baird Smith, having received no order to retire,
+continued to hold his ground with ever dwindling numbers, till in the
+end the German masses swept over them, and another gallant British
+battalion ceased to exist. Only seventy men, commanded by a junior
+officer, escaped the carnage of that day.
+
+Five months later, General Watt, addressing the officers and men at
+Sailly, after another great performance by the same battalion, said
+with reference to this occasion: "Col. Baird Smith, gallant soldier
+that he was, decided and rightly to hold his ground, and the R. Scots
+Fusiliers fought and fought till the Germans absolutely surrounded them
+and swarmed into the trenches. I think it was perfectly splendid. Mind
+you, it was no case of 'hands up' or any nonsense of that sort; it was
+a fight to a finish. You may well be proud to belong to such a regiment
+and I am proud to have you in my brigade."
+
+To the south of the R. Scots Fusiliers, and in the same brigade, were
+the 2nd Bedfords. This regiment, too, had suffered very severely during
+the day, both its senior officers, Major Traill and Major Stares, being
+killed, but the brigade order to retire had not failed to reach it, as
+in the case of the Scotchmen, and it had been able to effect its
+withdrawal in good order.
+
+The Germans did not carry their advance beyond Gheluvelt. The ground
+they had gained had only been won by a prodigious expenditure of
+ammunition, followed by a reckless sacrifice of men, and their losses
+had been enormous. Their further progress, too, was barred by the
+troops which had been shelled out of the village in the morning. These
+were now formed up half facing the road between Gheluvelt and Veldhoek,
+and offered a successful bar to any further advance on the part of the
+enemy. The Germans, however, did not relinquish their attempts to push
+on to Veldhoek without further serious fighting, in the course of which
+the 2nd Queen's sustained still further losses, their three senior
+officers, Col. Coles, Major Croft and Major Bottomley falling wounded,
+as well as Captain Weeding and Lieut. Philpot. Night fell without any
+further advance on the part of the enemy. Gheluvelt itself, however, in
+spite of the gallant counter-attack north of the road, during the
+afternoon, may be considered as having been lost from this day on.
+
+
+
+
+MESSINES AND WYTSCHATE
+
+
+In order to avoid the confusion inseparable from a constant change of
+scene, it will be best to deal briefly now with the doings at Messines
+and Wytschate, after which the Klein Zillebeke section can monopolize
+our attention up to the close of this little chronicle. In order to
+pick up the thread where it was dropped, it will be necessary to go
+back to the 30th. On that day General Allenby wired to Head Quarters
+that his numbers were too weak to hold his position from the canal at
+Hollebeke to the La Doune stream, south of Messines, for long unaided,
+and the C. in C. at once responded by sending up four battalions from
+the 2nd A.C. under General Shaw to his assistance. These, as will
+presently be seen, arrived in the very nick of time to save the
+situation. Pending their arrival, the cavalry had a truly colossal task
+before them. They were absurdly outnumbered; they had opposed to them,
+in the XXIV. and II. Bavarian Corps, some of the finest fighters in the
+German Army, stimulated by the presence of the Kaiser himself, and they
+were engaged in a form of warfare to which they had never been trained.
+French reinforcements were being hurried up, it is true, but it was
+reckoned that, at the earliest, they could not arrive in less than
+forty-eight hours. During these forty-eight hours, could the cavalry,
+with the assistance which had been sent up from the 2nd A.C.,
+successfully oppose the pressure of two army corps? This was the
+problem of the moment. We know now that it did succeed in doing so, but
+even with this fact behind us as a matter of history, we may still--in
+view of the extraordinary disparity in numbers--wonder as to how it was
+done.
+
+First let us deal with Messines, which was almost on the southern
+boundary of the Cavalry Corps position. Here we find posted the 1st and
+2nd C.B., or, to be more exact, these two brigades were in the trenches
+to the east of that town, the Bays being on the north side, then the
+9th Lancers and 4th Dragoon Guards, with the 5th Dragoon Guards to the
+south. In reserve, in the second line, were the 18th and 11th Hussars.
+The latter regiment had suffered severely from the bombardment on the
+previous day, their trenches being completely blown in and many men
+buried and killed. Amongst the officers, Lieuts. Chaytor and
+Lawson-Smith had been killed, and Lieut.-Col. Pitman, Major Anderson
+and the Hon. C. Mulholland wounded. Again, on the following day, the
+regiment lost a very fine athlete, and a champion boxer, in Captain
+Halliday, who was killed by a shell near the Convent.
+
+In spite of an appalling bombardment, the regiments in the front line
+held on all through the night of the 30th, and up to midday on the
+31st. Then they began to be gradually driven back, and by 2 p.m. they
+were all in the town. The retirement was effected in perfect order.
+Corpl. Seaton, 9th Lancers, behaved with extraordinary courage during
+this movement and was recommended for the Victoria Cross. With the idea
+of helping the withdrawal of his regiment, he remained absolutely alone
+in his trench working his machine-gun till the enemy were within twenty
+yards. Incredible as it may appear, he then managed, thanks to great
+coolness and presence of mind, to rejoin his regiment unwounded.
+
+Once in the town, the cavalry lined the houses of the main street from
+end to end, and there awaited developments. These took the form of a
+cessation of the shelling and a very determined attempt on the part of
+the Bavarians to take the town. They failed, however, to get across the
+square, being shot down in numbers from the windows of the houses
+opposite. A second and more carefully thought-out attack followed
+later, and it is doubtful how this might have ended but for the
+opportune arrival of the K.O.S.B. and the K.O.Y.L.I., one at each end
+of the town. This reinforcement once more turned the scale against the
+Bavarians, and for the second time they were driven back. Both the
+infantry battalions engaged, in the words of General Allenby to Sir
+Horace, "fought magnificently," but the K.O.Y.L.I. lost its CO., Col.
+King, who was killed while leading that regiment to the attack. The
+respite of the cavalry was short. The enemy was in over-powering force
+and they were not to be denied. They now proceeded for five solid hours
+to shell the place with every conceivable species of projectile known
+to warfare. At 2 a.m. on the 31st the infantry attacked for the third
+time.
+
+In the meanwhile the only available reserve was being hurried up from
+Neuve Eglise, as fast as motor-buses could bring it. This was the
+London Scottish, which had arrived at the front the day previous, after
+having been employed for some weeks at the base. They reached Messines
+during the preliminary bombardment on the night of the 30th, and,
+before going into action, were split up, half of the battalion joining
+up with the K.O.S.B. at one end of the town, and the rest with the
+K.O.Y.L.I. at the other. There was a full moon and a clear sky, and it
+was as light as day, and it has been said that for picturesque effect
+no incident in the war has equalled that night attack on Messines. An
+additional interest was lent to the scene by the fact that the London
+Scottish were the first Territorial battalion to be in action, and
+there was some speculation as to how their conduct would compare with
+that of the Regulars. It is now a matter of history that they acquitted
+themselves as well as the most tried troops, and that under
+exceptionally trying circumstances. If it be true that casualties in
+killed and wounded are the barometer of a regiment's intrepidity, then
+they indeed register high in the scale, for they lost 9 officers and
+400 men in that first night's fighting. In any event they rendered very
+valuable service in an acute emergency, and it is on record that in a
+hand to hand bayonet encounter with the Bavarians, they actually drove
+those noted warriors back. The odds, however, were altogether too great
+against the little British force, and on the morning of November 1st
+Messines passed into the hands of the enemy.
+
+A feat so remarkable as to rival the deeds of Shaw, the Lifeguardsman,
+was performed by Sergt.-Major Wright, of the Carabineers, during this
+defence of Messines. This N.C.O., while carrying a message to Head
+Quarters, found his path blocked by a part of the enemy. Without a
+moment's hesitation he charged them and cut his way through, killing
+five. Another Carabineer who behaved with repeated gallantry during
+these operations was Pte. Meston, and both he and Sergt.-Major Wright
+were given the D.C.M.
+
+On the same night, _i.e._, the night of October 31st, Wytschate
+shared the fate of Messines.
+
+The 4th C.B. had succeeded in holding this place throughout the day,
+but during the course of the night they found themselves very hard
+pressed, and were gradually forced back. In this emergency the
+Northumberland Fusiliers and Lincolns were ordered up to the support of
+the cavalry.
+
+These two 9th Brigade battalions had arrived at Kemmel during the
+afternoon, having marched that day from Estaires, a distance of some
+twelve miles. They were in billets, resting after their hard day's
+work, when the message arrived, about one o'clock in the morning, to
+the effect that they were required. Within an hour from the receipt of
+the message both battalions were on the road, the Lincolns being the
+first to arrive on the scene of action. The country was totally unknown
+to the newcomers, but a cavalry sergeant was met who volunteered to
+lead them to the position occupied by the enemy. Under his guidance
+they entered the cutting through which the light railway, which runs
+along the edge of the road from Kemmel to Wytschate, passes just before
+it reaches the town. Here they became aware of a number of men moving
+in their direction, who called out in excellent English and Hindustani
+that they were British cavalry and Indians. Before the actual identity
+of these men could, in the gloom of the night, be ascertained for
+certain, the newcomers opened fire, both from the end of the cutting
+and from the sides; and the Lincolns, who were closely packed in the
+narrow defile, fell in numbers before they could be extricated. After
+getting clear, they met the Northumberland Fusiliers advancing from the
+direction of Kemmel, and together the two battalions formed up, and
+with great gallantry once more attacked the entrance to the town. The
+inequality in numbers, however, was too great. The Germans were
+literally swarming in the town, and it was clear that General Shaw's
+two battalions had been set to an impossible task. They retired to the
+outskirts of the town, where they held on till daylight, lying in the
+open fields. When dawn broke the London Scottish could be seen on their
+right, but no troops on their left. The unpleasantness of the situation
+was not in any way relieved by a heavy fire which our own artillery now
+opened upon the two battalions, under the mistaken impression that they
+were Germans. Many men were killed and wounded by this fire. In
+conformity with the general plan of retiring to the Wulverghem road,
+the Lincolns and Northumberland Fusiliers were now withdrawn, and
+Wytschate went the way of Messines. The Lincolns lost 400 men and all
+but 4 officers during this short night attack. Col. W. E. Smith was
+specially commended for the great personal courage which he showed
+during the attack, and for the skill with which he ultimately withdrew
+his regiment. Lieut. Blackwood was awarded the D.S.O. for very
+gallantly continuing to lead the attack after every officer senior to
+himself had fallen. The losses of the Northumberland Fusiliers were not
+quite so heavy, but were still very severe, especially in officers.
+
+The dismounted cavalry line now retired to the Wulverghem to Kemmel
+road, where they entrenched themselves, but their numbers were quite
+inadequate for the frontage to be held. Pending the arrival of the
+French, Sir Horace was ordered by the C. in C. to send up to their
+assistance every available man from the 2nd A.C., which was recouping
+at Pradelles. The Dorsets and Worcesters were accordingly sent to Neuve
+Eglise, and the remaining seven and a half battalions--all
+skeletons--were sent up to east of Bailleul under General Morland. Such
+was the position on November 1st.
+
+On this day the anxiously awaited 16th French Army began to arrive, the
+troops being railed up at the rate of eighty train loads a day, and at
+11 a.m. on the 2nd, both Messines and Wytschate were retaken by the
+French with some assistance from our cavalry. Some of the 12th Lancers,
+led by 2nd Lieut. Williams, of the Scots Greys, made a very brilliant
+bayonet charge during the recapture of the latter town. The
+above-mentioned officer was officially reported to have himself killed
+eleven Germans on this occasion, and was awarded the D.S.O.
+
+The French now officially took over from us the line from Messines on
+the south to the canal on the north. It is interesting to note that,
+between October 27th and November 11th, some 200,000 French infantry,
+twenty regiments of cavalry and sixty pieces of heavy artillery reached
+Ypres, Poperinghe, and Bailleul. It is difficult to conceive of any
+more eloquent tribute to the astonishing performance of the thin little
+khaki ribbon, which had for a fortnight wound round Ypres, than the
+fact that this great force was found none too strong to hold one fourth
+of the front over which our handful of men had so far successfully
+resisted all the attempts of the enemy to break through. In calling
+attention to these figures, it is not intended in any sense to draw
+invidious comparisons between the relative merits of the French and
+British soldier, or even to suggest that the British troops
+accomplished a task of which the French would have been incapable. It
+is generally admitted by all our commanders at the front that the
+Frenchman as a fighter is unsurpassed, though his methods of fighting
+are not the same as ours; and, allowing for the fact that, in cases
+where the entire manhood of a nation fights, the average of individual
+excellence must obviously be lower than when only a select body of
+volunteers is engaged, for explanatory purposes with regard to the
+disposition of troops, one may safely reckon a French and British
+regiment as being of equal fighting value.
+
+All that is aimed at, then, is to try and bring to the mind of the
+reader, by a comparison of figures, some grasp of the immensity of the
+performance of our troops east and south of Ypres, during the desperate
+efforts of the enemy to break through in the last fortnight of October
+and the first fortnight of November. It is worthy of note, too, that in
+spite of the huge reinforcements brought up, no material advance was
+made on the position taken over from us on November 1st. It is true
+that on the day following, the newly-arrived French troops re-took
+Wytschate and Messines, from which we had been driven, but they were
+unable to hold those places, and the line along which they had found us
+facing the enemy was never perceptibly advanced. The new line at the
+beginning of November, held jointly by the French troops and British
+cavalry, ran--roughly speaking--from Klein Zillebeke to Ploegsteert,
+with a concave face which skirted Hollebeke, Wytschate, and Messines.
+Our 1st Cavalry Division, supported by some units from the 2nd A.C.,
+was withdrawn to Wulverghem, and the 2nd Cavalry Division went into
+reserve at Bailleul. Neuve Eglise became our advanced base for that
+part of the line, and was very quickly packed with British troops.
+
+We have now taken a permanent farewell, as far as these pages are
+concerned, of all occurrences south of the canal at Hollebeke. We have
+seen the 2nd A.C. relieved by the Indians, and the Cavalry Corps
+relieved by the French, and, with this change of guardianship, we have
+seen two of the most important points in the line of defence pass out
+of the keeping of the original Expeditionary Force.
+
+Of that force the 1st A.C. alone (with the 7th Division, which it had
+absorbed) still remained unrelieved east and south-east of Ypres. The
+force, however, which now stood between the enemy and the possession of
+Ypres, had by this time lost many of its distinctive characteristics.
+The actual battalion units had become in most cases reduced to a mere
+shadow of their original strength. The 7th Division had become part of
+the 1st A.C., and several battalions of the 2nd A.C. were acting in
+concert with this already mixed corps. Many of the brigades had been
+broken up from their original constituents, and the fragments
+consolidated into new and temporary brigades. Sir Horace was for the
+moment an A.C. commander without an A.C., the remnants of his six
+heroic brigades being scattered here and there along the whole front.
+
+The first, and perhaps the most interesting, because the most
+strenuous, epoch in the war--as far as it concerned the British
+Force--was nearly closed; but not quite. Before that can be written of
+it, some great deeds had yet to be done, and were done. The Germans
+were still making continuous and determined efforts to break through to
+Ypres by way of Klein Zillebeke, and to that particular zone of the
+fighting our attention can henceforth be confined.
+
+
+
+
+KLEIN ZILLEBEKE
+
+
+When we last took leave of the Klein Zillebeke section of the
+fighting line, on the night of October 30th, the cavalry position from
+Klein Zillebeke to the canal had just been taken over by Lord Cavan
+with the 2nd Grenadiers and Irish Guards, the former being on the
+canal. On the left of the Irish Guards were the 2nd Gordon Highlanders,
+with the Oxford Light Infantry in reserve, and beyond them the Sussex
+and Northamptons, with their left joining up with the 22nd Brigade. On
+the left of the 22nd Brigade was the 21st Brigade, with the 2nd R.
+Scots Fusiliers on its extreme flank just south of the Menin road at
+Gheluvelt. The 20th Brigade was in reserve.
+
+During the morning the 3rd Cavalry Division was kept at Verbranden
+Molen ready for emergencies, but about 1 p.m. orders were received for
+it to go to the support of the 3rd C.B. at St. Eloi. Contradictory
+orders were, however, afterwards received, and in the end the brigade
+joined up with the 4th Hussars, and together they held the two bridges
+over the canal at the bend just north of Hollebeke till nightfall. In
+this action Sergt. Seddons, of the 4th Hussars, showed great gallantry
+during the defence of the eastern bridge and was deservedly awarded the
+D.C.M. In the meanwhile the 6th C.B. was sent along the Menin road so
+as to be ready to co-operate with the 7th Division or the 1st A.C. in
+case of need. That need--as will presently be seen--very quickly arose.
+
+The original plan for this day had been to attack and retake the
+Zandvoorde ridge, together with the trenches which had been lost the
+day before, but the enemy's extreme activity rendered this
+impracticable, and we were in the end forced to act purely on the
+defensive.
+
+We are now, be it remembered, dealing with the morning of October 31st,
+the day on which the cavalry were driven out of Wytschate and Messines
+and the 1st and 7th Divisions out of Gheluvelt. The terrific
+bombardment of that morning has already been described. It was chiefly
+concentrated on the Menin road, but the whole line from Gheluvelt to
+the canal was involved.
+
+The 2nd Brigade, which was between the two Guards' battalions and the
+7th Division, had a curious experience during the morning. It survived
+the bombardment, and when this slackened to allow the German infantry
+to advance, it was still in its trenches and prepared to remain there.
+About eight o'clock, however, General Bulfin summoned the four C.O.'s
+of the brigade, and ordered a general retirement of the brigade to the
+cross-roads at Zillebeke, about a mile in rear. This was duly carried
+out, and without much loss on the part of the Sussex and Northamptons,
+who were able to retire through the Zwartelen woods without coming
+under observation. The 2nd Gordon Highlanders, however (attached
+temporarily to the 2nd Brigade), were less fortunate. Their trenches
+were in the open, running north-eastward from Klein Zillebeke farm
+along the edge of the country lane known as the Brown Road, and, in
+retiring, they had to cross a considerable tract of exposed ground,
+during which they suffered very severely from machine-gun fire, Captain
+McLean's company being practically wiped out.
+
+It was afterwards freely rumoured that this order to retire had been
+delivered to General Bulfin, as a Divisional Order, by a German dressed
+in the uniform of a British Staff officer. Some colour is given to this
+rumour by the extreme improbability of such an order having been
+officially given after Sir Douglas Haig's ultimatum of the day before,
+that the line which this apocryphal order caused to be abandoned was to
+be held at all costs. In any event, it is a matter of history that
+those concerned did not accept the retired position as a permanency,
+and a counter-attack was quickly organized. The 6th C.B., which had
+been waiting in reserve on the Menin road, was brought up as far as the
+Basseville brook, where they deployed to the south, and, partly mounted
+and partly dismounted, charged through the Zwartelen woods.
+Simultaneously the Gordon Highlanders, now reduced to 300, and under
+the command of Major Craufurd (Col. Uniacke having been knocked out by
+a shell earlier in the day), charged on the right of the cavalry, with
+the Oxford Light Infantry extending the line again on their right.
+Before this united movement the Bavarian troops in the woods turned and
+ran, but, true to their principles, continued to cover their retreat
+with a heavy machine-gun fire. Two of these machine-guns were
+successfully located, and the 6th C.B. menhandled a gun into the firing
+line and knocked them both out in fine style. This broke the back of
+the resistance. The Bavarians started surrendering, and the Gordon
+Highlanders took a number of prisoners up to the time when Lieut.
+Grahame was shot dead by an officer who had surrendered to him; after
+that they took fewer.
+
+The enemy losses were very heavy. Eight hundred and seventy prisoners
+were taken during the day, and the number of killed and wounded in the
+woods ran into several hundreds.
+
+This charge--successful though it had been in clearing the Zwartelen
+woods of the enemy--had not yet reinstated the 2nd Brigade in the line
+which they had occupied in the morning, before the much-discussed order
+to retire had arisen. General Bulfin therefore decided to try during
+the night to regain the morning position. Accordingly at midnight,
+under the full moon, and at the same time that the desperate battle was
+raging round Messines and Wytschate eight miles to the south-west, the
+2nd Brigade made their second counter-attack. This, as far as it went,
+was a complete success. The trenches were carried and occupied, and the
+Germans driven out. Unfortunately, however, the 22nd Brigade, on the
+left, found themselves unable to get up into line, and, owing to their
+left being unprotected, the 2nd Brigade battalions had one after the
+other--in succession from the left--to fall back again.
+
+These two attacks, _i.e._, the afternoon charge through the woods
+and the midnight assault on the trenches, had now reduced the Gordons
+to 3 officers and 110 men, and these were for the time being
+amalgamated with the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, who were on their
+right. The Irish Guards remained in their original position, on the
+right of the Oxfordshire Light Infantry, but the 2nd Grenadiers were
+relieved by French Territorials and went back into reserve.
+
+The nett result of this terrible day's fighting was that our line was
+pushed back everywhere, except at Klein Zillebeke and Zonnebeke, the
+two points which marked the northern and southern limits of the Ypres
+salient. The effect of the recapture of the Gheluvelt position by the
+2nd Worcesters and 1st Scots Guards was neutralized by the cave in the
+line south of that place, which rendered Gheluvelt untenable. It had
+therefore to be abandoned. The loss of that place, however, was of no
+material importance, as its abandonment had long been recognized as a
+necessary step in the gradual straightening out of the Ypres salient.
+The only serious effect of the new line was that Klein Zillebeke, which
+for long had been the re-entering angle, so to speak, of the position,
+now, by the retirements to right and left of it, was pushed forward
+into a species of salient, and its vulnerability was thereby
+appreciably increased. This increased vulnerability at once transformed
+Klein Zillebeke into the centre of interest as far as this zone was
+concerned, this little village being--for reasons already given--a spot
+which at any and all costs had to be kept from the enemy. To Klein
+Zillebeke and neighbourhood, then, we may not unreasonably look for
+early developments.
+
+One of the many unhappy incidents of this day's costly fighting was the
+landing of a shell in the Divisional Head Quarters at Hooge, by which
+General Lomax received wounds from which he subsequently died, General
+Munro was rendered unconscious, and Col. Kerr and five staff officers
+were killed.
+
+
+
+
+THE RELIEF OF THE SEVENTH DIVISION
+
+
+All through the 31st and morning following, the Irish Guards on the
+right of the Gordon Highlanders were subjected to a relentless
+shelling, and their casualties were considerable. On the morning of
+November 1st both their machine-guns were knocked out, and at 3 p.m.
+news came that they were retiring. Lord Cavan sent word for them to
+hold on some 200 yards to the rear, and also for the French
+Territorials between them and the canal at Hollebeke to hold on to
+their position at all costs. This the French managed to do, with very
+great credit to themselves, at the same time throwing back their left
+so as to keep in touch with the new position.
+
+The Germans at once occupied the Irish Guards' trenches, but luckily
+did not realize the position sufficiently to pursue their advantage
+further, otherwise the consequences might have been serious. As it was,
+sufficient time was given for the 2nd Grenadiers and 7th C.B. to come
+up in support, and with this stiffening the new line was held for the
+rest of the day. But there was a cave at Klein Zillebeke.
+
+The Irish Guards had 400 casualties during this and the previous day's
+fighting, including 11 officers: Major Stepney, the Hon. A. Mulholland
+and Lieuts. Coke and Mathieson being killed, and Col. Lord Ardee
+(attached from the Grenadiers), the Hon. T. Vesey, the Hon. A.
+Alexander, Lieuts. Fergusson, Gore-Langton, Lord Kingston, and Lord
+Francis Scott (attached from Grenadiers), wounded. The last named
+officer and Captain Orr-Ewing (attached from Scots Guards) were each
+awarded the D.S.O. "for gallant and persistent attempts to rally the
+battalion."
+
+On the morning of November 2nd there was a renewal of the regulation
+attack along the Menin road. This time the attack took the form of a
+high-explosive bombardment of the barricade across the road at
+Veldhoek. This was soon demolished and an infantry attack on the 1st
+Brigade ensued, as a result of which that skeleton brigade yielded 300
+yards of ground, but held on to the trenches in rear till nightfall.
+
+Further south, about 11.30 on the same morning, a tremendous attack was
+delivered against the 2nd Brigade, in the course of which Gen. Bulfin
+was wounded and part of the line driven in. An urgent appeal for
+support was sent to Lord Cavan, upon whom it now devolved to take over
+command of Gen. Bulfin's four battalions, in addition to his own two.
+He made his way with all speed to the scene of action, with a view to
+discovering the extent of the mischief. This proved to be (so far) that
+the Northamptons had been driven in, and that the enemy--following
+up--had broken through in numbers into the Hooge woods. Beyond the
+Northamptons, that is to say, on the left of his new command, the R.
+Sussex were still standing firm. This regiment, however, was greatly
+reduced in numbers, its casualties during the last four days having
+averaged over a hundred per day. On the 30th Col. Crispin had been
+killed; on the following day his successor, Major Green, had been
+killed, and the regiment was at the moment under the command of Captain
+Villiers. Lord Cavan found it in an extremely precarious situation,
+owing to its weak numerical condition, and the envelopment of its right
+flank, consequent upon the Northamptons' retirement. He thereupon
+hurried up the 2nd Grenadiers from reserve as far as the Brown Road,
+where he ordered them to leave their packs and go straight through the
+wood towards the south-east with the bayonet.
+
+These Ypres woods have all the appearance of an English copse wood,
+that is to say, they are formed of some six years' growth of hazel and
+ash, with standard oaks dotted about here and there. Incidentally they
+were at this time full of pheasants, destined to be shot in normal
+times by the Lords of the Chateaux of Hooge, Gheluvelt and Heronhage.
+Precisely in the manner of a line of beaters driving game, the
+Grenadiers now pushed through the thick undergrowth, and while the
+pheasants rose before the advancing line, so did the Germans run. By
+4.30 the wood was cleared and the morning line restored. The
+Northamptons thereupon re-occupied their trenches, but they were not
+destined to be left there in peace. About six in the evening the
+Germans again attacked the same part of the line, this time advancing
+with discordant yells, thinking, no doubt, to repeat their performance
+of the morning. If so, the event must have come to them as something of
+a surprise, for the Northamptons--profiting possibly by their previous
+experience--coolly waited till the attacking party was within fifty
+yards of the trenches, and then mowed them down. Not a German reached
+the trenches, and over 200 dead were left on the ground.
+
+At night the R. Sussex were brought back into reserve and the remnant
+of the Gordons went back to the 20th Brigade, which brigade was at the
+time in the grounds of the Hooge Chateau. In addition to their previous
+losses, the Gordons had during the day lost their C.O., Major Craufurd,
+who was wounded in the early morning. The position of Lord Cavan's
+command was then, as follows: the Northamptons on the left, in touch
+with the R. Welsh Fusiliers in the 7th Division; then the Oxfordshire
+Light Infantry and the 2nd Grenadiers, who had become very much mixed
+up, and on the right the Irish Guards. Beyond were the French
+Territorials.
+
+With the fall of night on the 2nd of November the acuteness of the five
+days' crisis may be said to have passed. The all-highest War Lord had
+come and gone; the supreme effort of the enemy to break through to
+Ypres had been made, and had failed; the British force had come out of
+the ordeal reduced to a shadow, and battered out of recognition, but
+unconquered. The Kaiser's forces had fallen back sullen and--for the
+time being--disheartened, realizing at last the hopelessness of the
+task they had been set to accomplish. Their losses had been prodigious,
+and though their repeated attacks had--at great sacrifice--forced back
+the face of the Ypres salient some two miles, the only military effect
+resulting therefrom was that the British force was at last in
+occupation of the true line of defence dictated by military prudence
+and the natural features of the country. From this line, that is to
+say, the ridge some 150 feet in height which runs from the corner of
+the canal at Hollebeke to Zonnebeke, they were never afterwards
+dislodged.
+
+The 3rd, 4th and 5th were in the main uneventful. November 5th was
+chiefly memorable in this year, not for anti-Popish demonstrations, but
+as the day on which the 7th Division--after three weeks' incessant
+fighting--was temporarily relieved. During the three weeks in question
+it had lost 356 officers out of a full complement of 400, and 9,664
+rank and file out of a total of 12,000. Battalions had been reduced to
+the dimensions of platoons, and had, in some cases, lost every
+combatant officer.
+
+The 7th Division's performance, during its three weeks east of Ypres,
+will go down to history as one of the most remarkable achievements in
+the records of war. Many other units had, by the second half of
+November, lost as heavily in officers and men as had the twelve
+battalions of the 7th Division--in one or two cases even more heavily;
+but the losses of these had been distributed over three months; those
+of the 7th Division were concentrated into three weeks. They had
+been suddenly pitchforked into a position of the most supreme
+responsibility. They found themselves more by chance than by design
+standing in the road along which the War Lord had elected to make his
+most determined efforts to reach Calais. These efforts came as a
+succession of hammer-blows, which gave the defending force neither
+rest nor respite, and to cope with which their numbers were
+ludicrously insufficient. Their failure, however, would have spelt
+disaster to the cause of the Allies, and--realizing this--they
+actually achieved the impossible. There is something particularly
+stirring in the thought of this small force beaten back step by step,
+as fresh and fresh troops were hurled upon it day after day, and yet
+never turning its back to the foe, never beaten, never despondent, and
+never for a moment failing in the trust which had been imposed upon
+it. The most remarkable feature about the 7th Division was that it had
+no weak spot in its composition. Each one of its twelve battalions
+lived up in every particular to the high standard of duty and
+efficiency which the Division set itself from the beginning. The
+troops were mostly veterans from abroad, who had been summoned back
+from foreign service too late to take part in the earlier stages of
+the war, and they may therefore in a sense be considered as picked
+troops.[12]
+
+[12]
+        The 7th Division (Gen. Capper).
+           20th Brigade (Gen. Ruggles-Brise), 1st Grenadiers.
+            2nd Scots Guards, 2nd Battalion the Border Regiment.
+            2nd Gordon Highlanders (old 92nd).
+
+           21st Brigade (Gen. Watt), 2nd Yorkshire Regiment.
+            2nd Bedfordshire Regiment, 2nd R. Scots Fusiliers.
+            2nd Wiltshire Regiment.
+
+           22nd Brigade (Gen. Lawford), 2nd R. Warwickshire Regiment.
+            2nd Queen's (R. West Surrey Regiment), 1st R. Welsh
+                  Fusiliers.
+            1st S. Staffordshire Regiment.
+
+The 7th and 15th Brigades from the 2nd A.C., who relieved the 7th
+Division, were themselves sadly thinned in numbers. The 7th Brigade,
+which took the place of the 20th Brigade, had, in fact, lost
+seventy-four per cent. of its numbers during the fighting round La
+Bassee, and was in almost as bad a plight as the 20th Brigade, which it
+relieved. The 15th Brigade, which replaced the 22nd, was rather
+stronger, having received drafts from home.
+
+The 20th Brigade went back to Locre, and the 22nd to Bailleul. The
+21st--which perhaps had suffered rather the least of the
+three--remained for the time being in the trenches.
+
+At night the 6th C.B. took over the trenches at Heronhage Chateau from
+the 3rd Brigade, who had been having a rough time during the preceding
+days, and these went back into reserve.
+
+
+
+
+ZWARTELEN
+
+
+November 6th saw a certain renewal of the enemy's activity. The day
+opened very foggy, but by eleven o'clock there was a bright sun. In the
+morning the French once more re-took Wytschate and Messines, but again
+found them untenable, and in fact this was the last attempt on the part
+of the Allies to occupy either of these two places.
+
+The respite of the poor 22nd Brigade from the trenches was short-lived,
+and the evening of the 6th saw them once more hurried up into the
+firing line. This came about in the following way. The French had now
+taken over all our trenches as far north as the Brown Road, our own
+troops being pushed up to the left. North of the French were the Irish
+Guards, and, beyond them, the 2nd Grenadiers. The French troops, who
+had so far held their ground with splendid tenacity, now found the
+position more than they could support. The German bombardment, with
+which they as usual opened the day, was more than usually severe, and
+lasted the whole morning, and about 2 p.m. it was followed by an
+infantry attack before which the left of the French and the right of
+the Irish Guards was driven in. As a result of this cave in the line,
+the left of the Irish Guards, which remained in the trenches, suffered
+considerably, Lord John Hamilton, Captain King-Harman and Lieut.
+Woodroffe being killed. An urgent message was sent to Gen. Kavanagh to
+bring up the 7th C.B., who were in readiness near Lord Cavan's Head
+Quarters behind Zillebeke, and the 22nd Brigade was also wired for to
+come up from Bailleul. The cavalry came galloping up to Zillebeke,
+where they dismounted and advanced on foot along and astride of the
+road from Zillebeke to Zwartelen, which runs along the foot of the
+ridge ending in Hill 60. Just short of Zwartelen they deployed, the 1st
+Life Guards on the left being told off to restore the Irish Guards'
+position, while the 2nd Life Guards attacked the position from which
+the French had been driven. The Blues were behind the centre of the
+line in support.
+
+The 1st Life Guards, under the Hon. A. Stanley, attacked the lost
+trenches of the Irish Guards with the greatest vigour, and within an
+hour had regained, at the point of the bayonet, the whole of the
+position lost. The Hon. A. Stanley received the medal for Distinguished
+Service for his conduct on this occasion, as did also Corpl. Baillie
+and Corpl. Fleming. Sergt. Munn, of the Irish Guards, also got the
+D.C.M. for rallying some men of his battalion and joining in the charge
+of the 1st Life Guards.
+
+In the meanwhile the Hon. Hugh Dawnay, commanding the 2nd Life Guards,
+sent off "B" Squadron to connect up with the right of the 1st Life
+Guards and clear the wood on the Klein Zillebeke ridge. "D" Squadron
+was sent off to cover the right flank of the whole combined movement by
+advancing along the edge of the Ypres to Armentieres railway, which is
+separated from the wood by about 500 yards of open ground; while Major
+Dawnay himself, with "C" Troop, attacked the village of Zwartelen, with
+the Blues under Col. Wilson on his left, and some 300 of the French,
+who--encouraged by the advance of the Household Cavalry--had reformed,
+on his right, that is to say, between him and "D" Squadron on the
+railway.
+
+The whole scheme worked admirably. The attack by "B" Squadron on the
+Klein Zillebeke ridge wood was entirely successful, the enemy being
+driven out with loss and pursued for several hundred yards. The attack
+on Zwartelen--though perhaps a more formidable undertaking--was no less
+successful. The village was very strongly held, the houses in and
+around being occupied and defended, and the Household Cavalry's advance
+was met by a heavy rifle fire which caused many casualties, both Col.
+Wilson and Major Dawnay being killed while leading their respective
+regiments. In spite of heavy losses, however, the cavalrymen, with
+great steadiness and determination, pressed home their attack, and, at
+the point of the bayonet, carried the village and captured a number of
+prisoners, "C" Troop of the 2nd Life Guards afterwards pushing right
+through and occupying the trenches in the wood on the far side of the
+village. Lieut. Stewart-Menzies, Corpl. Watt, Corpl. Moulsen and Corpl.
+Anstice were all decorated for their gallantry during this brilliant
+performance on the part of "C" Troop. The latter N.C.O. displayed the
+greatest courage throughout the fight.
+
+The success of the counter-attack was now to all appearances complete,
+all the ground lost in the morning having been regained. At this
+moment, however, the French on the right of "C" Troop again gave way,
+leaving a gap into which the enemy at once pressed. The position of "C"
+Troop was now greatly imperilled, and General Kavanagh ordered the
+Blues, and "B" Squadron of the 2nd Life Guards, to cross the Verbranden
+Molen road to its support. This was done, the Blues moving to the right
+and occupying Zwartelen and Hill 60, and in these several positions the
+combined force continued to fight out time; but some of the ground
+which had been regained had to be abandoned.
+
+The situation was saved by the arrival about 6 p.m. of the 22nd
+Brigade, which had been hurried up from Bailleul in motor-buses. This
+brigade now took over the Household Cavalry position at Zwartelen,
+while the 2nd K.R.R., from the 2nd Brigade, relieved the squadron of
+the 2nd Life Guards which was holding the railway on the right flank.
+
+The Household Cavalry earned the very highest praise for their
+performance on this afternoon. They were handled with great skill by
+General Kavanagh, and the daring and dash of their advance undoubtedly
+averted what might have proved a very serious calamity. They lost
+seventeen officers during their advance, as follows:
+
+In the 1st Life Guards the Hon. R. Wyndham (attached from the
+Lincolnshire Yeomanry) was killed and the Hon. H. Denison, the Hon. E.
+Fitzroy and Captain Hardy were wounded.
+
+In the 2nd Life Guards the Hon. H. Dawnay, the Hon. A. O'Neill and
+Lieut. Peterson were killed and the Hon. M. Lyon, Lieut. Jobson, Lieut.
+Sandys and 2nd Lieut. Hobson were wounded.
+
+In the Blues, Col. Wilson and Lieut. de Gunzberg were killed, and Lord
+Gerard, Lord Northampton and Captain Brassey were wounded.
+
+The enemy's bombardment of the morning, and the infantry attack of the
+afternoon which followed, had by no means been confined to the area the
+loss and recapture of which has just been described. The 2nd
+Grenadiers, on the left of the Irish Guards, were as heavily attacked
+as any, but they succeeded in maintaining their ground throughout both
+morning and afternoon. Sergt. Thomas, who as Corpl. Thomas had so
+distinguished himself at Chavonne, once again showed the material of
+which he was made. His trench was subjected to a most appalling
+shelling. Only two of his platoon remained unwounded; he himself had
+twice been buried and the flank of his trench was exposed, but even in
+this apparently impossible position he held on, and was still in proud
+occupation of his trench when the arrival of the 7th C.B. and 22nd
+Brigade once more drove back the enemy. Sergt. Holmes and Corpl.
+Harrison in the same battalion also greatly distinguished themselves.
+
+At daybreak on the 7th, in the dull, misty atmosphere of a November
+morning, the 22nd Brigade deployed for an attempt to regain the
+position of the day before. This brigade, owing to its depleted
+condition, was now reduced to two composite battalions, the R. Welsh
+Fusiliers and 2nd Queen's being amalgamated into one battalion under
+the command of Captain Alleyne of the Queen's, and the Warwicks and S.
+Staffords into the other, under the command of Captain Vallentin of the
+S. Staffords. It is worthy of note that the brigade could furnish no
+officers of higher rank than a Captain; also that both the officers
+above-named fell on the second day of their command, Captain Alleyne
+being badly wounded and Captain Vallentin killed. The latter was
+posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for the great gallantry he had
+displayed in the command of his composite battalion.
+
+The brigade deployed in four lines, of which the first two were formed
+by the 2nd Queen's, who now numbered about 400. In this formation they
+advanced till within 300 yards of the enemy's position, when the first
+two lines joined up and charged. In spite of a heavy machine-gun fire,
+which still further reduced the 400, the Queen's charged right home and
+in rapid succession carried first one and then a second line of
+trenches, the defenders being all bayoneted or put to flight. The
+second of these two positions--the same, in fact, as had been captured
+by the 2nd Life Guards the day before--proved to be too far ahead of
+the general line and had to be abandoned, as it was persistently
+enfiladed by machine-gun fire from a farm-house on the left; but the
+first line was successfully held till night, when the battalion was
+relieved. During this charge of the Queen's Lieut. Haigh was killed and
+Captain Alleyne, Captain Roberts, Lieuts. Lang-Browne, Collis and
+Pascoe were wounded. Three machine-guns were captured.
+
+The 22nd Brigade was now reduced to four officers, that is to say, one
+to each battalion, and at night they were finally relieved, and allowed
+to return to the retirement from which they had been so rudely
+summoned.
+
+During this same day there was some severe fighting in the Polygon
+wood, the Connaught Rangers being driven back and their trenches
+captured. The flank of the Coldstream Brigade thus became threatened,
+and for a time the position promised to be serious, but the 6th Brigade
+on the Zonnebeke road came to the rescue, the lost trenches were
+regained, and the continuity of the line once more established.
+
+The morning of the 8th saw a renewal of the attempt to break through
+along the Menin road. At the first assault the French and two companies
+of the Loyal N. Lancashire Regiment in the first line were driven back,
+and the flank of the 1st Scots Guards became exposed. As a result the
+enemy was able to rake the trenches of the latter regiment with
+machine-guns and their casualties were heavy, Lieuts. Cripps,
+Stirling-Stuart, Monckton and Smith being killed. The battalion,
+however, held on till the morning position was once more restored by
+the two reserve companies of the Loyal N. Lancashires, who,
+counter-attacking with great spirit and determination, drove back the
+enemy from the position they had temporarily won.
+
+
+
+
+THE PRUSSIAN GUARD ATTACK
+
+
+From November 8th to 11th there was little fighting. It had been
+apparently realized at length by the German commanders that the troops
+they were at present employing were incapable of breaking the British
+line, but at the back of that admission there was evidently still the
+belief that the task was possible, provided the troops employed were
+sufficiently good. Accordingly the Prussian Guard was sent for. Pending
+the arrival of that invincible body there was a lull in the ceaseless
+hammer of battle; and in the meanwhile the weather changed for the
+worse. By the time the Prussian Guard was ready for its enterprise,
+that is to say by November 11th, it was about as bad as it could be. A
+strong west wind was accompanied by an icy rain, which fell all day in
+torrents. Luckily the wind and rain were in the faces of the enemy, a
+factor of no little importance.
+
+The battle of November 11th may be looked upon as the last attempt but
+one of the Germans to break through to Calais during the 1914 campaign.
+The actual last serious attempt was on November 17th. On the 11th the
+cannonade began at daybreak and was kept up till 9.30. In violence and
+volume it rivalled that of October 31st. The entire front from Klein
+Zillebeke to Zonnebeke was involved, the enemy's design being--as on
+the 31st--to attack all along the front simultaneously so as to hamper
+and cripple the British commanders in the use of the very limited
+reserves at their disposal.
+
+The newly-arrived troops were the 1st and 4th Brigade Prussian Guard,
+and some battalions of the Garde Jaeger, in all fifteen battalions, and
+to these was entrusted the main attack on the key of the position,
+_i.e._, along, and north of, the Menin road.
+
+The Prussian Guard attacked through Veldhoek, and in their advance
+displayed the invincible courage for which they have ever been famed.
+Such courage, however--though sufficiently sublime from the spectacular
+point of view--cannot fail to be expensive, and the losses among these
+gallant men were prodigious. It was afterwards said by a prisoner that
+they had been deceived by the silence in our trenches into thinking
+that the bombardment had cleared them, and so came on recklessly.
+However, in spite of their losses, by sheer intrepidity and weight of
+numbers, they succeeded in capturing all the front line trenches of the
+1st Brigade, who were astride the Menin road between Veldhoek and
+Hooge. In three places large bodies of the enemy succeeded in breaking
+through, and in each case their success furnished a subject for
+reflection as to the why and the wherefore of battles. For, having
+succeeded in doing that which they had set out to do, they stood
+huddled together in the plainest uncertainty as to how next to act, a
+point which was speedily settled by the arrival of our reserves, who
+fell upon the successful invaders and promptly annihilated them. One
+party of some 700 were accounted for to a man by the Oxfordshire Light
+Infantry, led by Col. Davies.
+
+Another party which had broken through in the Polygon wood was
+similarly dealt with by the Highland Light Infantry under Col.
+Wolfe-Murray, an operation during which Lieut. Brodie won the Victoria
+Cross for exceptional gallantry. This was the second Victoria Cross to
+fall to this battalion,[13] which had indeed never failed in any
+situation which it had been called upon to face. Gen. Willcocks, in
+subsequently addressing the battalion, alluded with pride to "the
+magnificent glory" with which it had fought, and concluded with the
+remarkable words: "There is no position which the Highland Light
+Infantry cannot capture."
+
+        [13] Pte. Wilson had gained the honour on September 14th.
+
+The nett result of the day's fighting was that the enemy gained some
+500 yards of ground, which, from the military point of view, advantaged
+them nothing, and the gaining of which had cost them some thousands of
+their best men. The barrenness of the advance made cannot be better
+illustrated than by the fact that it was the last step forward of the
+invading army, till the asphyxiating gas was brought into play in the
+spring of 1915.
+
+On the 12th the 1st Brigade, which had borne the brunt of the Prussian
+Guard attack, was taken back into reserve. It will be conceded that it
+was about time.
+
+This gallant Brigade, 4,500 strong in August, was now represented as
+follows:
+
+    1st Scots Guards: Captain Stracey and 69 men.
+    Black Watch:      Captain Fortune and 109 men.
+    Camerons:         Col. McEwen,
+                      Major Craig-Browne,
+                      Lieut. Dunsterville and 140 men.
+    1st Coldstream:   No officers and 150 men.
+
+The 6th C.B. was now reinforced by the arrival of the North Somerset
+and Leicestershire Yeomanry Regiments. This strengthening was sorely
+needed, the brigade having been practically without rest since its
+arrival in Flanders. By the irony of fate the Hon. W. Cadogan, the
+Colonel of the 10th Hussars, was killed on the very day when these
+reinforcements arrived.
+
+With this addition to its strength the brigade was now required to
+find 800 rifles for its line of trenches along the Klein Zillebeke
+ridge, and in addition to furnish a reserve of 400, who--when not
+required--lived in burrows in the railway cutting at Hooge. Within a
+week, however, the reserve became a luxury of the past, and the
+brigade was called upon to find 1,200 rifles for the trenches.
+
+On November 17th we come to the last serious attempt of the enemy,
+during the 1914 campaign, to break through to Calais by way of Ypres.
+This final effort can be dismissed in a few words. It was made south of
+the Menin road by the XV. German Army Corps, and it took the form of
+two infantry attacks, one at 1 p.m. and another at 4 p.m.; and it
+failed utterly, the Germans leaving thousands of dead and wounded on
+the ground just in front of our trenches, to which they had been
+allowed to approach quite close.
+
+The signal failure of this last spasmodic effort, and the subsequent
+passivity of the enemy, points with some significance to the conclusion
+that the position to which we had now been driven back along the
+Zillebeke--Zonnebeke ridge was impregnable, and was recognized as such
+by the enemy.
+
+The 6th C.B. and the 2nd Grenadiers were the most prominent figures in
+this victory of November 17th. In the course of the second attack the
+10th Hussars and 3rd Dragoon Guards allowed the enemy to come within a
+few yards of their trenches before they opened fire and mowed them down
+in masses. The 10th Hussars, however, again suffered somewhat severely
+in officers, the Hon. A. Annesley, Captain Peto, and Lieut. Drake being
+killed. The newly-arrived North Somerset Yeomanry, under Col. Glyn,
+behaved with the coolness and steadiness of veterans, and contributed
+in no small degree to the repulse of the enemy's second attack.
+
+The 2nd Grenadiers received the highest praise from Lord Cavan for
+their part in this day's fighting. This battalion had now lost 30
+officers and 1,300 men since the beginning of the campaign, and on the
+following day it was sent back into reserve to recoup and reorganize.
+
+
+
+
+EPITAPH
+
+
+With the German failure of November 17th the first chapter in the Great
+War may be considered closed. The desperate and all but uninterrupted
+fighting which, for three months, followed the defence of the Mons
+canal, was succeeded by a long lull, during which both sides were
+busily engaged fighting a common foe. The winter of 1914 proved the
+wettest in the memory of man, and ague, rheumatism, frost-bite,
+gangrene and tetanus filled the hospitals with little less regularity
+than had the shot and shell of the autumn. Then came the great battle
+of Neuve Chapelle, and in another part of the world the grim struggles
+of the Dardanelles. These are another story, and some day this will be
+told; but great as may have been--and undoubtedly has been--the glory
+won in other fields, nothing can ever surpass, as a story of simple,
+sublime pluck, the history of the first three months of England's
+participation in the Great War. The word "pluck" is used with
+intention, for it conveys, perhaps, better than any other word a sense
+of that indomitable spirit which is superior to every rub of adverse
+fortune. There were no War Correspondents present with the First
+Expeditionary Force. There was no wrapping of specially favoured deeds
+in tinsel for the eyes of a cheap gallery. Even if the wrappers had
+been present, the general standard was too high for invidious
+selection. A mole-hill stands out on a plain, but makes no show in the
+uplands. V.C.'s, it is true, were won; but for every one given a
+hundred were earned. Military honours are the fruit of recommendation;
+but when Generals, Colonels, Company Officers and Sergeants are no
+more, the deed must be its own record; there is none left to recommend.
+
+The grandeur of the doings of those First Seven Divisions lies, it may
+well be, in their immunity from the play of a cheap flashlight--a
+flashlight which too often distorts the perspective, and so illuminates
+the wrong spot. There is a gospel in the very reticence of the records
+of the regiments concerned--in the dignity with which, without any
+blare of trumpets, they tell of the daily answer to the call of a duty
+which balanced them ceaselessly on the edge of eternity. But it is
+always told as of a simple response to the call of duty, and not as a
+thing to be waved in the faces of an audience.
+
+But, though unflattered and unsung, those early deeds in France and
+Flanders can boast an epitaph which tells no lies, and which, in its
+simple tragedy, is more eloquent than a volume of strained panegyrics.
+
+The register of "missing" is an enigma; it may mean many things. But
+the register of killed and wounded is no enigma. It tells, in the
+simplest terms, a tale of death and mutilation faced and found at the
+call of duty. Let us leave it at that.
+
+The First Expeditionary Force is no more. The distinctive names and
+numbers of the units that composed it still face one from the pages of
+the "Army List;" but of the bronzed, cheery men who sailed in August,
+1914, one third lie under the soil of France and Flanders. Of those
+that remain, some have been relegated for ever--and of a cruel
+necessity--to more peaceful pursuits; others--more hopefully
+convalescent--are looking forward with eagerness to the day when they
+will once more be fit to answer the call of duty and of country.
+
+
+THE END
+
+
+_Printed at The Chapel River Press, Kingston, Surrey._
+
+
+
+
+
+
+End of Project Gutenberg's The First Seven Divisions, by Ernest W. Hamilton
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