2
II CALM BEFORE THE STORM 10
III THE ADVANCE TO MONS 14
IV MONS 21
V THE BEGINNING OF THE RETREAT 27
VI DARKNESS 34
VII VENÉROLLES 39
VIII ST. QUENTIN AND LA FÈRE 44
IX SIR JOHN FRENCH 51
X A PAUSE, AND MORE MARCHING 55
XI A REAR-GUARD ACTION 62
XII VILLIERS-COTTERETS 66
XIII HEAT AND DUST 74
XIV THE OCCUPATION OF VILLIERS 78
XV THE LAST LAP 86
XVI THE TURN OF THE TIDE 95
XVII THE ADVANCE BEGINS 98
XVIII THE CROSSING OF THE MARNE 104
XIX AN ADVANCED-GUARD ACTION 109
XX DEFENCE 117
XXI THE DEFENCE OF THE BRANDY 122
XXII STRATEGY AS YOU LIKE IT 126
XXIII THE LAST ADVANCE 133
XXIV SATURDAY NIGHT 141
XXV THE CROSSING OF THE AISNE 151
XXVI THE CELLARS OF POUSSEY 161
XXVII THE FIRST TRENCHES 168
XXVIII IN RESERVE AT SOUVIR 177
XXIX TO STRAIGHTEN THE LINE 186
XXX THE JAWS OF DEATH 193
XXXI THE FIELD HOSPITAL 204
XXXII OPERATION 213
XXXIII ST. NAZAIRE 219
XXXIV SOMEWHERE IN MAYFAIR 221
CHAPTER I
LEAVING ENGLAND
No cheers, no handkerchiefs, no bands. Nothing that even suggested the time-honoured scene of soldiers leaving home to fight the Empire's battles. Parade was at midnight. Except for the lighted windows of the barracks, and the rush of hurrying feet, all was dark and quiet. It was more like ordinary night operations than the dramatic departure of a Unit of the First British Expeditionary Force to France.
As the Battalion swung into the road, the Subaltern could not help thinking that this was indeed a queer send-off. A few sergeants' wives, standing at the corner of the Parade ground, were saying good-bye to their friends as they passed. "Good-bye, Bill;" "Good luck, Sam!" Not a hint of emotion in their voices. One might have thought that husbands and fathers went awa