21st August 1914

[Anthony Pigott]

S.-D., having crossed from England, arrives at Amiens at 8 a.m.. After meeting his new Staff at Bavai, he motors to meet French at Le Cateau.

"He received me pleasantly, and explained the general situation as far as he could, for the fog of war was peculiarly dense at that time. I gleaned, however, that we were to move on the morrow to the general line of the Mons-Conde Canal, ... but that it was only to be a preliminary step to a further move forward which would take the form of a slight right-wheel into Belgium, the British Army forming the outer flank, pivoting on the French 5th Army."

"Shortly after leaving G.H.Q. on my return journey to Bavai I found the road blocked, bullets flying, and the sound of firing. Fairly puzzled as to how the enemy could have got there, I got out of my motor to find a battery in considerable confusion held up by sharpshooters across the road. ... The battery had been challenged by some French Territorials on outpost duty, and not understanding what was required of it had tried to push on with the result that fire was opened on it and one of our gunners killed and two wounded. This was a bad beginning, but a brief parley arranged matters and I got to my head-quarters at 11 p.m., approved of the orders for the move next morning and turned in."

[Guest Brummy]

German troops invade south Africa, right from the start this was a Global conflict

Brum