5th Lancers

[MacM]

Hoping someone has the war diary or other information on the activities of the 5th Lancers in early September 1914. I have come across this account by a North Irish Horse officer in the Belfast News-Letter on 9 October 1914:

"We joined with the 5^th Lancers ... and got into an awful hole at ----. We crossed the river, getting up on the heights with a troop, and there was a battery just going into action 800 yards away. We had to get down into the town. We were joined by two other troops and one of the 5^th. To get away back all of us had to gallop down the road with two companies of infantry. We had two men hit and four horses, and the 5^th had one man and three horses. I have never seen such bad shooting. After that we had the open to cross, and they gave us a real taste of shrapnel."

I'm keen to know where this action took place, and when. It may have been 8 September at St Cyr (referred to in the Official History), or perhaps the following day around Montreuil. But I'm just guessing. Hopefully there's a 5th Lancers expert out there who can point me in the right direction.

[sotonmate]

War Diary is in WO95/1134/2 which is not yet digital. If you have no success during the next week send me a PM and I will look it up at Kew on my visit.

[MacM]

Many thanks sotonmate. Will let you know how I go.