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

Smith, William Douglas

Information & Metadata

Volume

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

posted near VEUILLY la POTIERE. 7th Fusiliers attacked with one battery in support. C & D Companies ordered to support right of 7th Fusiliers. A great deal of wood fighting and our troops were fired on by Artillery of 5th Division. On topping the rise we saw hundreds of white flags. Fire ordered to cease & I took two companies down and captured about 100 prisoners [in pencil: many more were captured by other troops.] Billeted at DAMMARD. 11 September 1914 Marched to GRAND [RIZNY - crossed out] ROZOY about 13 miles. Germans were not seen and I am afraid they have slipped us. Heavy firing on our left rear during afternoon. Probably French followed Germans to SOISSONS. 12 September 1914 9th Infantry Brigade formed the advance guard to the division, marched through BRAISNE.

fullscreen: Diary of service on the Western Front, 1914, World War One (volume)

Volume

Downloads, Alternative views & Citations

Volume

Image

Image fragment

Citation links