Diary of service on the Western Front, 1914, World War One

Smith, William Douglas

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Title:: Diary of service on the Western Front, 1914, World War One

Collection:: SMITH, Maj Gen Sir William Douglas (1865-1939)

Archive reference:: SMITH, WD 2/1

Catalogue record URL (AtoM):: https://archives.kingscollections.org/index.php/smith-wd-2-1

Level of description:: Item

Date of material:: 13 Aug - 30 Oct 1914

Creator:: Smith, William Douglas

Source collection title:: SMITH, Major General Sir William Douglas (1865-1939)

Extent:: 1 volume

Description (scope):: Manuscript copy diary relating to Smith's command of 1 Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers, Aug-Oct 1914, including: their arrival in France, 13 Aug 1914; the Battle of Mons, 23 Aug 1914; the retreat from Mons to the River Marne, Aug-Sep 1914; the Battle of Le Cateau, 26 Aug 1914; his high opinion of German infantry tactics, and the German use of aerial reconnaissance (5 Sep 1914); the First Battle of the Marne, 5-12 Sep 1914; the First Battle of the Aisne, 13-28 Sep 1914; the death of Major General Sir Hubert Ion Wetherall Hamilton, 14 Oct 1914; the Battle of La Bassee, 18-29 Oct 1914. Volume also includes: printed messages from King George V and Field Marshal Sir John French; a printed translated extract from an alleged order by Emperor Wilhelm II of Germany for the destruction of 'General French's contemptible little army', 9 Aug 1914; instructions, 22 and 23 Aug 1914, for an anticipated attack, including instructions by Captain R Stevens, 9 Infantry Brigade [Captain Reginald Walter Morton Stevens, died 28 Aug 1914]; a report on 'A' and 'C' companies, 1 Royal Scots Fusiliers, 25-27 Aug 1914, at Vendegies-sur-Ecaillon and Le Cateau, by Major Athel Murray Hay Forbes.

Copyright:: Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied from open material for research purposes only. Requests to publish original material should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, via the Archives.; King's College London Archives

Full text

[Inserted document continued: in the direction of SOLESMES, and I marched on to that town, where I found that an engagement was going on, & I was informed that our infantry was retiring towards LE CATEAU. We reached that place about midnight and I placed myself under the orders of Lieutenant Colonel Delmé Radcliffe, commanding Royal Welch Fusiliers, belonging to the 19th Infantry Brigade. We marched out of LE CATEAU about 4am on the 26th, just as the enemy's troops began to enter the town, and formed up with the reserve brigade (19th Infantry Brigade) on the left flank of the position held by the Division overlooking LE CATEAU. The reserve Brigade shortly afterwards received orders to move over to the right flank of the position, and 'A' & 'C' companies 1st Royal Scots Fusiliers were directed to cover the brigade during this change of position. On reaching the right flank of the position 'A' company entrenched on the extreme right but in rear of the front line of trenches, and 'C' company occupied a trench prepared for it by a Field Company Royal Engineers, on the left of 'A' company. This was about 9am & the enemy's artillery were already in action against the forward trenches of the position. 'A' & 'C' companies occupied their trenches throughout the day; there were no casualties from the enemy's fire, & the two companies retired about 5pm when

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