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] |
| MANŒUVRING 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