The German forces which concentrated on this far Western front, from Namur to about Tournai, consisted of no fewer than 13 Army Corps, each Corps being augmented by an extra Division. These Reserve Divisions were, I believe, combined into separate "Reserve Corps."
The Corps were divided up:—
5 under von Kluck (First German Army),
attacking British.
4 under von Buelow (Second German
Army), attacking 5th French Army.
4 under von Hausen (Third German
Army), attacking 4th French Army.
The general lines of advance will be seen in plan A (page 71) and plan B (page 98).
Thus, the total German force concentrated on or about this immediate front must have numbered at least 812,500, with, say, 3,010 field-guns and 936 machine-guns.
It is not unreasonable to add to this total the not inconsiderable number of cavalry which operated, more or less independently, on the extreme flanks, and particularly from Tournai down through Amiens towards Le Havre.
The French Forces
The total strength, all ranks, of a French Army Corps is, roughly, 40,000, with, say, 160 field- and 48 machine-guns.
In this area there were present 3 corps under Lanrezac (5th French Army) holding the line Charleroi-Namur, and 3 corps under de Langle de Gary (4th French Army) holding a line west of the River Meuse south-west from Namur.
Away on the left flank of the British was another Corps, of Territorials, under d'Amade; and near Maubeuge, in reserve, were two or three Cavalry Divisions. These last did not, I believe, operate; and the Territorials were also fully occupied in their own area.