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

and the shells terrify them & they have nowhere to go if they leave their houses. 15 July 1916 Germans did not shell Poperinghe & some of the inhabitants ventured back to the town. 16 July 1916 The 6th Division relieved us in the line & I transferred my Head Quarters to ESQUELBECQUE which is looking its best. The following are the casualties in the 20th Division from May 15 to July 16 Officers killed 20 wounded 68 Other ranks [killed] 272 [wounded] 1496 Missing 12. This is heavier than usual due to the various raids & daily artillery shelling which has been going on & which brings retaliation. 17-19 July 1916 Orders received that the 36 Ulster Division is to relieve us. This Division lost very heavily on the Somme and after 48 hours fighting there they were pulled out. We are to take over from the 24th Division from BAILLEUL. The 60th Brigade

Object: Diary of service on the Western Front, 1916-1917, World War One (volume)

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