BEF 1914: Nery

[daggers]

A small footnote note for this thread which I have found today.  In post #29 the CO’s name was transcribed as ‘Selater-Booth’ but should read ‘SClater-Booth’.

This might help future searchers.

D

[joerookery]

Today I was probing around about this engagement. There are all sorts of British accounts. But did everybody realize how their opponent-4KD- was severely crippled? People interested in this might want to look at page 144 of the new book "German failure in Belgium, August 1914.  While it is normal for us to look at unit symbols on a map, that specific symbol does not live up to the expected full division.

[BullerTurner]

On 28/06/2019 at 00:54, joerookery said:

Today I was probing around about this engagement. There are all sorts of British accounts. But did everybody realize how their opponent-4KD- was severely crippled? People interested in this might want to look at page 144 of the new book "German failure in Belgium, August 1914.  While it is normal for us to look at unit symbols on a map, that specific symbol does not live up to the expected full division.

How much less than a division was confronted by the units of the BEF?  It seems that they were still outnumbered.  And, perhaps most importantly, were able to recover from being surprised in their lines, receiving many casualties before the battery was able to win the fire-fight with German MG and artillery.  Which permitted the infantry and cavalry to make an effective counter-attack?

 

 

[joerookery]

A fair question. I don't know exactly yet. We were looking at the other side of Belgium for our next book but David Filsell planted a seed that we look to the west for the follow-on book if there is to be one. I do know this: the  two cavalry  brigades that participated in Halen were reduced to two squadrons each.  those remaining squadrons were for the most part not mounted on any  kind of expected  horse. Comments were made about the ragtag appearance of the entire organization of the 4KD.   The artillery had been greatly reduced, but my initial look had issues between the dates and the strengths. While the machine gun battalion was not reduced that much, I have real questions about how much ammunition they still had. there was an emergency re supply from second corps but again the dates seem extremely murky. I think the British were terribly outnumbered but the effectiveness of the Germans is highly suspect. horse losses had been outrageous. Their replacements were far less than acceptable. I believe that 4KD was relieved of any major duty after the engagement. They just did not have enough effectiveness left.