I am arranging the omnibuses and armoured cars for you as quickly as possible. Rawlinson has got a very good naval armoured train which I have attached to him, but which you had better take over when he joins up.
The destruction of the Zeppelin and its shed was a gallant feat of arms.
Naval affairs at the moment imperatively keep me here—Alas! I hope you will not allow Joffre to deprive you of Dunkirk as your advanced base and fortified camp. In view of embarkation facilities Calais or Boulogne ought to be entrenched too—so that you have both. But we all feel Dunkirk is the right place, and belongs to you.
The wave of [German] reinforcements from the East, and the slow development of the Russian pressure, makes the situation rather grim just now.
I hope greatly to see you soon. Only five hours from your lines!
I earnestly trust the day goes well. But anyhow we will compel the end to do so.
You will want the big army I expect before your task is finished.
On October 16 General Joffre telegraphed to Lord Kitchener as follows:—
‘Now that the operations extend up to the coast of the North Sea between Ostend and the advanced defences of Dunkirk, it would be important for the two Allied Navies to participate in these operations by supporting our left wing and acting with long-range guns on the German right wing. The Commander of the Naval Forces would then act in concert with General Foch through the Governor of Dunkirk.’
This duty we instantly accepted.