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Chapter 1 complete.Mobilisation and Embarkation of the British Expeditionary Force. If an analysis be made of the War efforts of the Cities, Towns and Counties, which go to form the United Kingdom, it will be found that from a military standpoint no county can claim to have done more during the years 1914-1918 than the County of Middlesex. It might be said that the County, and London, the greatest City in the World, could hardly have done otherwise. But it must not be forgotten that in pre-war days, the Shires produced the greatest number of Territorial Force, leading to the pardonable supposition that in war time London and the County of Middlesex might be expected to put forth the maximum civilian effort, leaving largely to the Shires the task of raising the bulk of whatever additional military forces were necessary to augment the standing Army. The military efforts of London and the County of Middlesex were, however, prodigious. To say nothing of the Service Battalions of the New Army raised for war purposes, the Territorial Forces grew out of all proportion to their original strength. Three Regiments, the Royal Fusiliers, the Middlesex and the London (Territorials), were extended to an altogether extraordinary number of battalions, which before the War ended reached a combined total of not less than 100 battalions.(The Middlesex Regiment alone sent 26 Battalions into the field, and these fought ten theatres of war. The number of Battalions of the Regiment serving at home and abroad during the War was 46.) We are, however, only concerned with the Middlesex Regiment (The Duke of Cambridge's Own), to which the name Die-Hards is now frequently given from the proud soubriquet earned by the 1st Battalion in the Peninsular War. When war was declared between Great Britain and Germany on the 4th August, 1914, the Middlesex Regiment numbered ten battalions, four of which were regular (1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th), two Reserve (5th and 6th), and four Territorial (7th, 8th, 9th and 10th). The 1st Battalion (the 57th Foot) was stationed at Woolwich under the command of Lieut.-Colonel B. E. Ward. The 2nd Battalion (the 77th Foot) was at Malta and formed part of the Mediterranean garrison; Lieut.-Colonel R. H. Hayes commanded the Battalion. Of the 3rd and 4th Battalions, the former was in India-in the 8th (Lucknow) Division and stationed at Cawnpore- while the latter was quartered at Devonport, one of the four battalions which formed the 8th Infantry Brigade of the 3rd Division, then in the Southern Command. The 3rd Battalion was commanded by Lieut.-Colonel E. W. R. Stephenson and the 4th by Lieut.-Colonel C. P. A. Hull. The Headquarters of the two Reserve Battalions-the 5th (Royal Elthorne Militia) and the 6th (Royal East Middlesex Militia)-were at Mill Hill, where also the Depot of the Regiment was situated. Lieut.-Colonel C. S. Collison commanded the 5th Battalion and Lieut.-Colonel G. E. Barker the 6th Battalion. The Depot was under the command of Major W. D. Ingle. The four Territorial Battalions constituted the Middlesex Infantry Brigade of the Home Counties Division, then part of the Eastern Command. The 7th Battalion (Lieut.-Colonel E. J. King) had its Headquarters at Hornsey; the 8th (Lieut. - Colonel W. Garner) at Hounslow; the 9th (Lieut.-Colonel J. L. Blumfeld) at Willesden Green; and the 10th (Lieut.-Colonel C. R. Johnson) at Ravenscourt Park. The Middlesex Infantry Brigade was commanded by Colonel W. R. Clifford, and the Home Counties Division by Major-General J. C. Young. This fine Regiment was therefore able to put into the field, immediately war was declared and mobilisation had been ordered, at least 10,000 officers and men, well-trained, eager for battle, well-equipped and endowed by past generations with glorious traditions of esprit de corps and devotion to duty. To those who do not know the derivation of The Die-Hards it may be stated that the name was given to the Regiment by its own comrades of Wellington's Army of the Peninsular Wars. It was conferred on the 57th Foot after the Battle of Albuhera, and had its origin as follows :-In the Battle of Albuhera, fought on the 16th May, 1811, Colonel Inglis, who commanded the 57th Foot, having already had his horse shot under him, lay dangerously wounded on the ridge which was the key position of Wellington's Army, then being heavily attacked and out-numbered by French troops under Soult. Refusing to be carried to the rear, he lay in front of the Regimental Colours, encouraging his men and calling out to them " Die Hard, 57th, Die Hard! "From that day the Regiment was dubbed by its comrades of Wellington's Army The Die-Hards. And it will be seen how, over a hundred years later, in the year 1915 another gallant officer of the Regiment died with the old cry, "Die Hard," on his lips. The circumstances under which war was declared, and the rupture of diplomatic relations between Great Britain and. Germany, are now well-known and need not be repeated, and we are immediately concerned with the issue of orders to mobilise, the mobilisation of the Army and the transfer of the British Expeditionary Force to France and Flanders. 4th August, War declared A state of war was declared to exist between Great Britain 4th August. and Germany "as from 11 p.m. on the 4th August, 1914." Seven WAR Declared. hours previously (at 4. p.m.), when it was evident that war was inevitable, the British Government had, given orders for the mobilisation of the Army and the Territorial Forces; the Naval Reserves were also called out. 4th Battalion In Devonport, mobilisation orders reached the 4th Middlesex 4th at 5.25 p.m., and the Battalion Diary records that at 5.45 p.m. (20 minutes later) an official roll showing all officers (23) fit was despatched to the War Office.(The War Diary of the 1st Battalion does not begin until 23rd August, the first entry being made at Valenciennes on that date.) The first day of mobilisation was the 5th August, and thereafter proceeded rapidly and smoothly until the morning of the 8th, when all companies under Company Commanders paraded for inspection. During the day the Regimental Colours were sent to Mill Hill (the Depot), and late at night (at 10:45p.m.) mobilisation was reported complete. For the next three days the Battalion carried out training, and several long route marches were made. 13th August. On the morning of the 13th the Battalion (in Brigade) entrained at Devonport for Southampton, and, on reaching Southampton Docks, embarked during the afternoon and early evening on board the Mombasa, rutting out to sea later "for an unknown destination." The rapid and secret transfer of the British Expeditionary Force, under the command of General Sir John French, from England to France was one of the early marvels of the War, for it was not until the British public read newspaper accounts of the arrival of British troops at Boulogne that anything was known of the silent departure of our little Army. 14th August, 4th Battalion It was about midday on the 14th when the Mombasa arrived off Boulogne and slowly
nosed her way into the harbour, then crowded with craft of every description.
Disembarkation proceeded almost immediately, and as the troops stepped ashore
the quays were crowded with Boulannais, who for several days past had spent
most of their time gaping open-mouthed at the arrival of transport after transport
full of troops and munitions of war, which came into the harbour, discharged
their human burdens rapidly, and quickly disappeared again in the direction
of England. Then, as the troops formed up and marched off through the narrow,
crowded streets to the Rest Camp on the hills above the town, the excited populace
broke bounds, thrust presents of flowers and all sorts of things into the hands
of the British soldiers with cries of "A bas Guillaume! " " Coupez
la gorge! " and similar bloodthirsty sentiments, and begged as souvenirs
buttons or cap badges. 15th August Throughout the 15th, the 4th Middlesex remained in the Rest Camp above Boulogne, but at 12:15 a.m. on the 16th the Battalion again entrained for "an unknown destination." How great a space of time, how many terrible, troublous years were to pass, ere battalions of the Regiment once .more set foot in a French coastal town, en route for England! How much precious blood had been spilled and how many brave and gallant souls had gone to their deaths ere, at "the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month" of the year 1918, the " Cease fire" sounded! Aulnoye, a small village, south of Pont-sur-Sambre and east of the Forét de Mormal, was the "unknown destination" of the 4th Middlesex, and here the Battalion arrived at 12 noon, detrained, and marched off at 3.30 p.m. to Taisnières, four miles south of Aulnoye. For the concentration area allotted to the British Expeditionary Force was "between Maubeuge and Le Cateau, about twenty-five miles long from north-east to south-west and averaging ten miles wide." (o "Official History of the War (Military Operations).") In Taisnières the Middlesex billeted, and with them in the same village were the three other battalions of the 8th Infantry Brigade, i.e., 2nd Royal Scots, 2nd Royal Irish Regiment, 1St Gordon Highlanders, aid Brigade Headquarters. And here, for a while, it is necessary to turn from the concentration of the Ist and IInd Corps in order to explain how it was that the British Expeditionary Force came to be on the left flank of the French Armies, then in line from approximately the Swiss Frontier to Charleroi. Although in pre-war days no definite written agreement existed between France and Great Britain, whereby the latter was bound to send troops to assist the French in repelling an unprovoked attack by Germany, the British Government had more than once allowed France to believe that in the event of war British troops would be sent across the Channel. Proof of this may be found in "the. formation of an Expeditionary Force," which existed (at least on paper) for several years prior to 1914. The manner in which the British Government decided to employ this Expeditionary Force is thus described in the Official History (Military Operations) of the War "On 5th and 6th August, two meetings, attended by the principal Ministers, including Lord Kitchener, who became Secretary of State for War on the 6th, and by the leading members of the Staffs of the Navy and Army of Britain, assembled to consider the conduct of the War. The exact state of affairs at the moment was that Great Britain, France, and Russia were at war with Germany; that Belgium had been wantonly attacked but was making a better defence than had been expected; that Austria was at war with Serbia only; and that Italy was neutral. The main military questions to be considered were the employment and disposition of the Expeditionary Force, questions which were complicated by the delay in mobilisation. It was deter-mined first that the Force, less the 4th and 6th Divisions, should embark for the Continent. In order to reduce the chance of a German landing in force interfering with this move, the Secretary of State decided that the 18th Infantry Brigade of the 6th Division, then at Lichfield, should move to Edinburgh, and two infantry brigades of the 4th Division should proceed to Cromer and York, in each case accompanied by some artillery. The 11th Infantry Brigade of the 4th Division was already at Colchester. Five Cyclist battalions and eventually the Yeomanry Mounted Division were also sent to the East Coast. The rest of the 6th Division was to remain in Ireland. "Then came the final decision as to the destination of the Expeditionary Force. In view of the attack on Belgium, had the British contingent been of a size adequate for independent operations of a substantial character, there would have been much to be said in favour of making Antwerp the base of its military operations; but as it was so small, and as Antwerp, owing to part of the Scheldt being Dutch territorial waters, would have to be reached after disembarkation at Ostend and other ports, and operations in the north might involve separation from the French, the suggestion was not followed. There remained the area already considered with the French-namely, that around Le Cateau and Avesnes. Certain military opinion, however, was against a concentration of the British Forces in any area in advance of Amiens. Finally, it was agreed to leave the decision with our Allies, the French." The Council then broke up, having decided, amongst other things, "to embark ultimately five, but for the present only four, of the divisions and the Cavalry Division of the Expeditionary Force, to commence on the 9th." In presenting his official report to the French Government, Marshal Joffre later stated " The directions for concentration did not mention the place eventually reserved for the British Army. . . . In the event of its arrival, its employment was looked for at the place which should be especially reserved for it, on the left of the line of the French which it would thus prolong." And that is how the B.E.F. came to concentrate in the area between Maubeuge and Le Cateau.(The original British Expeditionary Force consisted of 1st Corps (Lieut. General Sir Douglas Haig), 1st and 2nd Divisions; IInd Corps (Lieut.-General Sir James Grierson, who, however, died in a train en route for the Concentration Area, and was succeeded by Lieut. General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien), 3rd and 5th Divisions; the Cavalry Division (Major Genera1 E. Allenby). The IIIrd Corps, which for the time being was not sent overseas, was to be commanded by Lieut. Genera1 W. P. Pulteney.) 1st Battalion Before the Expeditionary Force sailed, certain troops were sent across to France to guard the Lines of Communication,(The 1st Devonshire Regiment, 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers, 1st Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 1st Duke of Cambridge's Own (Middlesex Regiment), 2nd Princess Louise's (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders). All but the first-named subsequently formed the 19th Infantry Brigade (Major General L. 0. Drummond).) and amongst these was the 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment.(The 1st Battalion Middlesex Regiment was the first British Regiment to arrive in France, and was accorded a tremendous reception by the French.) The Battalion landed at Havre, two companies on 11th and two companies on 12th August, remaining in camp for ten days until the 19th Infantry Brigade was formed and moved up to the Mons-Conde Line, arriving at Valenciennes about 3 p.m. on the 23rd August, during the Battle of Mons. For the present, however, attention is centred on the 4th Middlesex, busily engaged in company training and in route-marching at Taisnières, preparatory to moving up to the position assigned to the B.E.F. in the line of battle. 20th August On the 20th August, the 8th Infantry Brigade moved from Taisnières to new billets, 2nd Royal Scots to St. Aubyn, 1st Gordon Highlanders to St. Remy and the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment and 4th Middlesex Regiment to Moncean. At 8.30 p.m. on the same date, preliminary Divisional Orders were received containing instructions for the march to Maubeuge. The concentration of the B.E.F. was virtually complete, (§ On the morning of the 20th August, the force was disposed as follows Allenby's Cavalry (Cavalry Division Headquarters at Aibes) ready to join hands with the French Fifth Army (Lanrezac) east of Maubeuge, Jeumont, Damousies' and Cousoire; IInd Corps east of Landrecies (Corps Headquarters at Landrecies), 3rd Division-Marbaix, Taisnières, Noyelles 5th Division-Maroilles, Landrecies, Ors; 1st, Corps east of Bohain (Corps Headquarters, Wassigny), 1st Division, Boué, Esqueheries, Leschelle; 2nd Division-Grougis, Mennevret, Hannappes.) and Sir John French was ready to move his force northwards in accordance with the general strategic plan. The French plan of operations (or rather the modified plan) had begun to take shape about the 16th of the month. In the original scheme of operations (Plan 17) the French General Staff had laid down plans for two offensives, one between the wooded district of the Vosges and the Moselle below Toul, and the other north of the line Verdun-Metz. This plan was based on the supposition that the Germans would attack across the common frontier between France and Germany. On the other hand, the German plan (Graf Schlieffen's) provided for a sweep through Belgium with a strong right wing in an endeavour to envelop the French armies from the west and drive them up against the Swiss frontier. The French offensive in Alsace had already begun (and was making headway) when news of the advance through Belgium of strong German forces compelled General Joffre to change his plans in order to meet the threat from the north against his left wing. He therefore stopped his offensive in Alsace, gave orders for the attack between Metz and the Vosges to be of a secondary nature, whilst the main attack was now to be made through Luxembourg and Belgian Luxembourg, striking at the flank and communications of the German forces which had crossed the Meuse between Namur and the Dutch frontier, thus hoping to break the enemy's centre, then fall on his right wing with the Fifth French Army, British Army and Belgian Army (in the order given from right to left) and roll it up towards the common frontier between Belgium and Germany. The British line of advance was to be by way of Soignies in the general direction of Nivelles, i.e., first a north-easterly movement followed by a turn eastwards. On the evening of the 20th, British G.H.Q. issued orders for the movement northwards to take place during the next three days. The 5th Cavalry Brigade to move on the 21st to the neighbourhood of Binche, the right of the British line, the Cavalry Division marching level with it, but on the left, and proceeding to Lens on the 22nd; the IInd Corps on the 21st and to reach the line Goegniès-Bavai, and the 1st Corps the line Avesnes-Landrecies. On the 22nd the IInd Corps was to move north-westwards to a line from Mons westward to Thulin, the 1st Corps north-eastwards to the line Hautmont-Hargnies; the wheel eastward to take place on the 23rd.(t These somewhat tedious details are necessary in order to understand the movements and operations in which the 4th Middlesex Regiment was actively involved.) 21st August, 4th Battalion Before dawn on the morning of the 21st the troops paraded. 2! The Cavalry had already gone forward when the 8th Infantry ' Brigade, forming the advanced guard of the 3rd Division, set out at 5.30 a.m., followed by the 7th and 9th Infantry Brigades; the 5th Division was in rear of the 3rd and the 1st Corps behind the IInd Corps. The early morning was misty, but when the atmosphere had cleared the sun poured down with merciless severity upon the marching infantrymen. The way lay through Maubeuge, where the inhabitants gave the troops a hearty welcome and provided much-needed refreshment. Five miles north of the town was the village of Bettignies and here, about 1 p.m., the 8th Brigade went into billets, having covered 15 miles since early morning. The troops had marched well, but the feet of the reservists were still tender, which, added to the fact that their boots were new and in many instances ill-fitting, was responsible for 15 men falling out of the ranks of the 4th Middlesex. The Brigade then formed an outpost line two miles north and north-east, two platoons of "D" Company of the Middlesex with troops from other battalions being detailed for this duty. About five miles west of Bettignies lay the old battlefield of Malplaquet, now overlooked by the outposts of the 9th Infantry Brigade on the left of the 8th Brigade. At nightfall on the 21st August, the 3rd Division (on right) occupied the line Bettignies-Feignies-La Longueville ; the 5th Division (on the left) the line Houdain-St. Waast-Gommegnies; the 1st (right) and the 2nd (left) Divisions of the 1st Corps had moved up to the line Avesnes-Landrecies. Certain intelligence had reached G.H.Q. throughout the day; hostile cavalry with some infantry and guns had been located by British airmen, south-east of Nivelles; other German cavalry divisions had been reported on the line Ghent-Audenarde and between Charleroi and Seneffe; the main German forces were said to be on line extending from Grammont, through Enghien, Nivelles, Genappes and Sombreffe to Charleroi. The Fifth French Army (Lanrezac), on the right of the B.E.F., was in contact with infantry of the Second German Army (von Bülow) along the whole line of the river Sambre, from Tamines to Pont a Celles. Just before midnight on 21st, G.H.Q. issued orders for the next day's march: the IInd Corps was to occupy an outpost line from Givry (inclusive) through Harmignies to the Bois La Haut by 12 noon, and Nimy and the line of the Mons Canal westward as far as the bridge south of Pommerceul (inclusive) not later than 1 p.m. As soon as these outposts had been established, the cavalry (acting as a screen whilst the IInd Corps was moving forward) would withdraw, the 5th Cavalry Brigade to Binche and the Cavalry Division to the left of the IInd Corps. On completion of these moves the 3rd Division would hold the right and the 5th Division the left of the IInd Corps front. 21st-22nd August, 4th Battalion The night of the 21st-22nd August passed without incident. At 3 a.m. the 4th Middlesex Regiment was ordered to form the advanced guard of the 3rd Division during the move northwards on the 22nd. The Battalion paraded early and marched off along the Mons road, followed by the remaining units of the 8th Brigade, to which the XL Brigade, R.F.A., had been attached. The 4th Middlesex and the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment were ordered to entrench and hold the line Nouvelles-Harveng, towards Havay, facing eastwards, whilst the remainder of the 8th Brigade and XL Brigade, R.F.A., were held in reserve, first near Asquillies, and subsequently near Belian Station, in order that the Cavalry Division might withdraw westwards through the infantry. The Middlesex had already marched five miles when a halt was called and the order given to "charge magazines with 10 rounds." All ranks by now were in a state of excitement. Mons was in sight, and as the troops marched along the road they were given eggs and eatables of all kinds by the eager population. Many of these Belgians had never seen a British soldier, for not since Waterloo had Great Britain sent troops to Flanders. Later in the afternoon 8th Brigade Headquarters issued orders to the Middlesex and Royal Irish to hold the line, road junction at Faubourg Barthelemy (just east of Mons)-Harmignies-Givry; the former Battalion to move to the northern and the latter to the southern part of this line, which faced north-east. G.H.Q. had reported that a hostile force of all arms was advancing on Bray and was engaging the British cavalry. Again at 5 p.m. orders were received from 3rd Divisional Headquarters to" throw the line forward and northwards thus :- left at Nimy, holding the Canal bridges (I) immediately north of Nimy, (II) at Lock No. 5, (III) near Obourg Station." (The 4th Middlesex Regiment was detailed for this): "right at St. Symphorien and Villers-St. Ghislain" (these two places to be held by the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment) . . "The following orders were also given :- (22nd August) 1st Gordon Highlanders to hold and entrench the eastern slopes of Bois La Haut from road junction at Faubourg 4 Barthélemy to road junction 300 yards north-east of Spiennes B (inclusive) : 2nd Royal Scots to continue the line to high ground near Harmignies Station." After issuing these orders 8th Brigade Headquarters and XL Brigade, R.F.A., went into billets at Mesvin. Meanwhile the Middlesex had gone forward to take up their outpost lines at the bridges. The four companies were disposed in the following positions :-" D" Company on the right at the two bridges near Obourg Station, "B" Company was on the left of "D "-in touch with the 4th Royal Fusiliers. "C" Company just east of the Convent along the Obourg-Mons road, "A" Company holding a line of houses prepared for defensive purposes, south of the railway between Obourg and Nimy. Lieut.-Col. (then Captain) G. L. Oliver said of his corps (" C ") " "C" Company were well dug in in section and platoon trenches just behind a hedge stretching from a road to the end of the hedge-frontage about 350 yards. Next to the road on its right the hedge became a garden wall and this was loopholed and strengthened. "A section was placed bath on the road to protect the right rear of the Company as it was not in touch with any other unit. "On the left of the Company were the Maxim Guns and on the left of these was "A" Company, occupying amongst other things some houses. There was a thick wood on "C" Company's front and in front of this in the line of the Canal was "D" Company. "B" Company was on "D" Company's left and in touch with the Royal Fusiliers. "Behind "C" Company was a Convent surrounded by very high unclimbable railings or wall and in the N.W. corner were the stables." Battalion Headquarters were in a quarry north of the Obourg-Mons road. The Battalion now set to work to throw up entrenchments, but had hardly begun when a party of Uhlans fired on "D" Company, which returned the fire. No one was hit, but the Battalion had (all unconsciously) established the fact that the 4th Battalion Middlesex Regiment was the first British infantry unit to fire on the Germans in the Great War.(* So far as the whole B.E.F. was concerned, the first shot of the War was fired by "C" Squadron of the 4th Dragoon Guards early on the morning of 22nd August in the neighbourhood of Soignies.) A little later a German Taube was observed hovering overhead and was fired on by the troops, but flew away undamaged. At nightfall on 22nd August the 8th Infantry Brigade held a line from Villers-St. Ghislain-St. Symphorien and Nimy, joining up on the latter flank with the 4th Royal Fusiliers of the 9th Infantry Brigade. The 7th Infantry Brigade was in reserve. The 5th Division was on the left of the 3rd along the line of the Mons-Condé Canal. The 1st Corps was even then still on the road, to take up its position on the right of the IInd Corps. The 5th Cavalry Brigade was at Binche and Allenby's Cavalry Division the western flank of the B.E.F. Thus on the night of the 22nd August, Sir John French's Army was approximately on the line assigned to it) i.e., on the left flank of the French Armies, ready to advance and attack the enemy according to General Joffre's scheme of operations. |
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