The Retreat from Mons. Arthur Corbett-Smith

9th Lancers.

       18th Hussars.

      3rd Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL H. DE LA POER GOUGH.

      4th Hussars.

       5th Lancers.

       16th Lancers.

      4th Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL HON. C. E. BINGHAM.

      Household Cavalry (composite Regiment).

       6th Dragoon Guards.

       3rd Hussars.

      And—

      the 5th Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL SIR P. W. CHETWODE. 12th Lancers. 20th Hussars. 2nd Dragoons.

      ROYAL HORSE ARTILLERY

       Batteries "D," "E," "I," "J," "L."

      SECOND ARMY CORPS

      General Officer Commanding-in-Chief— GENERAL SIR H. L. SMITH-DORRIEN.

      3rd DIVISION

      General Officer Commanding—MAJOR-GENERAL H. I. W. HAMILTON.

      7th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL F. W. N. McCRACHEN.

      3rd Batt. Worcester Regt.

       1st Batt. Wilts Regt.

       2nd Batt. S. Lancs. Regt.

       2nd Batt. R. Irish Rifles.

      8th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL B. J. C. DORAN.

      2nd Batt. R. Scots.

       4th Batt. Middlesex Regt.

       2nd Batt. R. Irish Regt.

       1st Batt. Gordon Highlanders.

      9th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL F. C. SHAW. 1st Batt. Northumberland Fusiliers. 1st Batt. Lincolnshire Regt. 1st Batt. R. Scots Fusiliers. 4th Batt. R. Fusiliers.

      CAVALRY (attached)

       A Squadron 15th Hussars.

      ROYAL ENGINEERS

       56th and 57th Field Companies.

      ROYAL ARTILLERY

      R.F.A. Batteries—107, 108, 109, 6, 23, 49, 29, 41, 45; (Howitzer) 128, 129, 130. Heavy Battery R. G. A.—48. An Ammunition Column and an Ammunition Park.

      5th DIVISION

      General Officer Commanding—MAJOR-GENERAL SIR C. FERGUSSON.

      13th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL G. J. CUTHBERT. 2nd Batt. K. O. Scottish Borderers. 1st Batt. R.W. Kent Regt. 2nd Batt. Yorks L.I. 2nd Batt. W. Riding Regt.

      14th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL S. P. ROLT. 2nd Batt. Suffolk Regt. 1st Batt. Duke of Cornwall's L.I. 1st Batt. East Surrey Regt. 2nd Batt. Manchester Regt.

      15th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL COUNT A. E. W. GLEICHEN.

      1st Batt. Norfolk Regt.

       1st Batt. Cheshire Regt.

       1st Batt. Bedford Regt.

       1st Batt. Dorset Regt.

      CAVALRY (attached)

       A Squadron 19th Hussars.

      ROYAL ENGINEERS

       17th and 59th Field Companies.

      ROYAL ARTILLERY

       R.F.A. Batteries—11, 52, 80, 119, 120, 121, 122, 123, 124; (Howitzer) 37, 61, 65. Heavy Battery R.G.A.—108. An Ammunition Column and an Ammunition Park.

      19th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—MAJOR-GENERAL L. G. DRUMMOND. 2nd Batt. R. Welsh Fusiliers. 1st Batt. Middlesex Regt. 1st Batt. Scottish Rifles. 2nd Batt. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders.

      ROYAL FLYING CORPS

      Aeroplane Squadrons Nos. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

      ARMY SERVICE CORPS

      Horsed and Mechanical Transport.

      ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS

      There came into line at Le Cateau on August 25th the—

      4th DIVISION

      General Officer Commanding—MAJOR-GENERAL T. D. O. SNOW.

      10th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL J. A. L. HALDANE.

       1st Batt. R. Warwickshire Regt.

       1st Batt. R. Irish Fusiliers.

       2nd Batt. Seaforth Highlanders.

       2nd Batt. R. Dublin Fusiliers.

      11th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL A. G. HUNTER-WESTON. 1st Batt. Somersetshire L.I. 1st Batt. Hampshire Regt. 1st Batt. E. Lancs. Regt. 1st Batt. Rifle Brigade.

      12th Infantry Brigade

      Brigade Commander—BRIGADIER-GENERAL H. F. M. WILSON. 1st Batt. R. Lancs. Regt. 2nd Batt. R. Inniskilling Fusiliers. 2nd Batt. Lancashire Fusiliers. 2nd Batt. Essex Regt.

      CAVALRY (attached)

       B Squadron 19th Hussars.

      ROYAL ENGINEERS

       7th and 9th Field Companies.

      ROYAL ARTILLERY

      R.F.A. Batteries—39, 68, 88 (xiv. Brigade); 125, 126, 127 (xxix Brigade); 27, 134, 135 (xxxii. Brigade); 31, 35, 55 (xxxvii. Brigade).

      Heavy Battery R.G.A.—31.

      LINES OF COMMUNICATION AND ARMY TROOPS

      1st Batt. Devonshire Regt.

       1st Batt. Cameron Highlanders

      The Retreat from Mons

CHAPTER I

       MOBILISATION

       Table of Contents

       Now all the youth of England are on fire, And silken dalliance in the wardrobe lies; Now thrive the armourers, and honour's thought Reigns solely in the breast of every man.

      August 5th, 1914! "Who would have dreamed of such a thing!" exclaimed the big majority. "So it has come at last," said the small minority.

      Broadly speaking, there you have the country's opinion during those now dimly remembered days which followed immediately upon Germany's throwing down of the gauntlet.

      Officers and men of our once-upon-a-time professional Army did not bother very much about it either way. War was their job. Active service was to be welcomed as a picnic change from the monotony of soldiering in England. Also, to the man keen on his profession (and since the Boer War such men have been steadily increasing in numbers) it meant the chance of promotion and of showing what he was made of.

      A