The 2 field companies of the Royal Engineers of which Wright was the adjutant, the 56, Lance Corporal Charles Jarvis, Royal Engineers, a member of 57. The German victory forced the BEF into a retreat that was not checked until the First Battle of the Marne. 4th Division would remain in Britain and the 6th Division would remain in Ireland, for the time being. The battle of Mons was the first taste of war and major action of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), a small but elite fighting force of the British Army, in the First World War. On 6th August 1914 the decision was taken to send the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to France, comprising 2 Corps and a cavalry division commanded by Field-Marshal Sir John French. The Battle of Mons came to be seen as a British victory against insurmountable odds, like the Battle of Agincourt. Platoons and companies became separated during the night, rejoining their parent battalions hours later or during the next day. In the confusion of the advance some important demolition stores were missing. Britain despatched the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) to France to take up a position on the left of the French armies, with its concentration area around the fortified town of Mauberge, south of the Belgian border. The Austrian campaign against Serbia was of less significance militarily although important symbolically. The Lee Enfield was a robust and accurate weapon that continued in service with the British Army until the 1960s. The Battle of Mons marked the first battle between the British & German Armies in the First World War. Further platoons of the Royal Fusiliers came up to support Ashburner’s company, all suffering heavy casualties of officers and men. Mons was a battle of movement unlike the battles that followed which involved trench warfare. How Emperor Hadrian Became Rome’s ‘Absent Ruler’. German troops advancing through Belgium German troops invaded Belgium on August 3rd. They did so, but any movement in the canal salient was difficult due to the heavy German artillery fire and it took them some time to work their way forward. British transport passing the memorial to the Battle of Malplaquet, fought by the Duke of Marlborough on 11th September 1709 to the south of Mons, during the retreat: Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War. A curious and sad feature was that the Belgian population was largely unaware that their home was about to be turned into a battlefield. To the west of Mons the German attack on the straight section of the canal took longer to develop and was less intense. With the outbreak of the Great War units filled up with reservists who made up a substantial proportion of most battalions and cavalry regiments, in some cases up to 70%. The retreat continued until 5th September 1914, when the French counter-attack from Paris took place on the Marne and the Allied armies turned and pursued the Germans to the line of the Aisne River. Background to the Battle of Mons: The trigger for the Great War, or First World War, was the murder of the heir to the Austrian throne, Arch-Duke Ferdinand, and his duchess in Sarajevo on 28 th June 1914 by Gavrilo Princip, a member of a gang of Serbian Nationalists who objected to the annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina by Austria. There were 8 cavalry divisions, each with jäger infantry supporting units. The Mons canal ran through what was in 1914 an important coal mining area and its route was, in the area occupied by the BEF, almost continuously built up and covered with small enclosures, pit-heads and slag heaps for a mile or so to either side of the canal. Winner of the Battle of Mons:   The Schleiffen plan provided for a line of German formations wheeling through Belgium, outflanking the French armies by marching around the west side of Paris, while other German units held the French armies in a line from the Swiss frontier to the Belgian border. The Times newspaper wrote a frank account of the battle, with the reporter stating how many, many, more men were needed by the army. Bismarck, the German Chancellor in the 19th Century had memorably said that ‘If the British Army lands of the coast of Germany I will send a policeman to arrest it.’). German attack on the Nimy Bridge at the Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War: picture by W.S. The Mons Canal (‘Le Canal du Centre’ or ‘Le Canal de Condé’) runs from Charleroi on the Sambre River in the east to Condé on the Scheldt or L’Escault River. At around 4pm the 1st DCLI, still positioned to the north of the canal, fell back across the canal after shooting up a large detachment of German cavalry advancing down the road from Ville Pommeroeul. Germany declared war on France on 3rd August 1914. Neither of them wanted or should have met in that place because it is the worst battlefield that can possibly be imagined. Battle of Mons On August 23, 1914, in their first confrontation on European soil since the Battle of Waterloo in 1815, four divisions of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), commanded by … This fire coupled with supporting machine guns decimated the advancing German formations. Bagdatopoulos. From the left flank of 3rd Division: 13th Brigade comprising 1st Royal West Kents (1st RWK) and 2nd King’s Own Scottish Borderers (2nd KOSB) with 2nd King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (2nd KOYLI) and 2nd Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (2nd DWK) in reserve. The British and the French had approached the town of Mons (which had mostly been abandoned by the locals) with little of idea of the numbers or location of the German Army. The Royal Fusiliers and the RSF were already doing so. The RIR’s machine gun section dispersed a German cavalry attack but was then wiped out by gunfire. Modern weaponry - from machine guns to howitzers - were utilized, as well as traditional infantry, but also the use of centuries old cavalry-based … What Is Social Darwinism and How Was It Used in Nazi Germany? Soldiers of 1st Gordon Highlanders and 2nd Royal Irish Regiment at Mons on 22nd August 1914: Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War. Each nationality at the outset of the war seems to have had the expectation that the war would be finished by Christmas 1914 with their own victory. It was apparent from the outset of the Great War that the principal theatres of war would be the Western Front between France and Germany and the Eastern Front between Germany and Austria and Russia. Lieutenant Maurice Dease 4th Royal Fusiliers, awarded a posthumous Victoria Cross for his handling of his machine gun at the Nimy Bridge: Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War. The armies on the Western Front in the Great War from 1914 were the Germans against the French, the British and the Belgians. For the French and German armies reservists completed regular formations but also formed reserve units up to divisional and corps strength. The Battle of Mons was fought August 23, 1914, during World War I (1914-1918) and was the British Army's first engagement of the conflict. The 8th Brigade extricated itself from the canal salient and withdrew without further interference from the Germans. This was due to the intense artillery fire on the British line, giving the expectation of high casualties, and to the confused nature of the withdrawal. This brigade joined the 6th Dragoon Guards, Carabineers, on the canal. While the German guns took some time to range on the British line, once they had done so the British positions seemed to be constantly smothered by bursting shells. Wounded soldiers from the Battle of Mons back in ‘Blighty’: Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War. The BEF retreated in compliance with Lanrezac’s French Fifth Army on their right. Companies of the Northumberland Fusiliers hung on to cover Wright’s attempts. The British took up position along the Mons-Condé Canal to the north of the town.eval(ez_write_tag([[468,60],'historyhit_com-banner-1','ezslot_15',161,'0','0'])); It was agreed that the BEF would hold the canal for 24 hours and dig trenches on the south side of the canal. It is clear that none of the armies involved in the war at this early stage anticipated the impact of the modern weapons they were deploying and in particular the impact of machine guns and concentrated artillery fire. He later died of his wounds.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'historyhit_com-leader-2','ezslot_18',145,'0','0'])); When Lieutenant Dease had been mortally wounded, Private Sidney Godley offered to defend the Railway Bridge while the rest of the section retreated and was also awarded the VC. The French did not intend to rely upon these units and kept them well back in reserve. Source: Martin Marix Evans (2002), Over the Top: Great Battles of the First World War. The actions of the BEF in the various incidents are described in the next sections. At the outbreak of war the German Commander in Chief was the Kaiser, Wilhelm II. Map of the Battle of Mons 23rd August 1914 in the First World War: map by John Fawkes. The Germans expected the BEF to land in the area of Calais before moving in a south-easterly direction and von Kluck’s First Army was deployed to meet this threat. German casualties are unknown with accuracy but are thought to have been around 5,000 killed, wounded and missing from the fighting along the Mons Canal Line. The French Cavalry Corps (under Sordet) moved into Belgium. What Happened on D-Day and How Successful Were the Landings? See more ideas about world war i, battle, world war one. The attack was driven back but the increasing threat was clear. The BEF fought fiercely but were eventually pushed back. Several road and railway bridges crossed the canal and each of these became the focus of the German attacks. After half an hour of re-organisation the attack was renewed in more open order. Soldiers of the 1st Lincolns in position to the south of Mons: Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War. In less than three minutes Dan Snow describes the British Army's first battle of World War One. Along the line the British regiments withdrew as the Germans pressed their attack, bringing up bridging pontoons to cross the canal. Now, the Canadians had a chance to capture Mons on the last day of the war. Another popular story was that the longbowmen of Agincourt’s ghosts had guarded against the Germans. Captain Wright placing explosives under the bridge at Mariette in the Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War: picture by G.D. Rowlandson. The pursuing British Dragoon Guards were brought up short by fire from a regiment of German Jӓgers. Two-thirds of it, merely 80,000 men, had crossed the channel as the British Expeditionary Force. The Royal Artillery comprised batteries of field and horse artillery. 23rd August 1914 was a Sunday and began with ringing of bells, much of the population hurrying to church, with trains bringing in holiday makers from the cities. As a result of this battle, troops that should have manned the Westwall never got there. The battles around Mons between the British and Germans in August 1914 are another case where popular belief is that the British won an important victory against the odds. However heavy casualties were inflicted on the German infantry during their attacks on the British positions, although the numbers were insignificant compared with casualties in the battles later in the war. The armies of each country were from 1871 onwards organised with such a war in mind. Captain Hornby, 5th Dragoon Guards, a successful polo player in India before the war: Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War. Other British battalions maintained positions north of the canal until the general withdrawal began. Artillery support was provided for the British infantry by Royal Field Artillery batteries firing 18 pounder quick firing guns positioned in sections and single guns behind the canal. Total British casualties of the day’s fighting were around 1,500 killed wounded and missing. There was then 5 or 4 years service in the Reserve followed by 11 years in the Landwehr. Despite the valiant efforts of the BEF, the British were increasingly becoming surrounded, facing total annihilation, and were eventually forced to retreat after 48 hours holding back the German army. As part of the army reforms the old concept of ‘service for life’ was abandoned. Initially, in August 1914, the BEF took only 4 infantry divisions to France with the remaining 2 infantry divisions following later in the year. The BEFcomprised 2 corps of infantry, I and II Corps, and a cavalry division; 85,000 men and 290 guns. Several authorities, including Brigadier Edmonds in the ‘Official History of the War’, describe the British positions on the Mons Canal as an ‘outpost line’, stating that the intention was to hold positions on the higher and more open ground a mile or so to the south of the canal. For the section from Mons to Condé the canal follows a straight line running east to west. Initially II Corps fell back to the line Montreuil-Wasmes-Paturages-Frameries during the evening. With the pact between France and Russia it was clear that Germany, with its ally Austria-Hungary, would have to fight on an eastern front against Russia as well as the western front against France. This withdrawal was the beginning of the ‘Retreat from Mons’ which ended south of the Marne on 5th September 1914. But is this indeed the case? A 7 Inch Yorkie Saved 250 US Soldiers three days of digging and kept 40 US Planes Operational During WWII; The squadron of the 4th Dragoon Guards arrived in the brigade lines with captured German soldiers, horses and equipment to the cheers of the brigade. The Royal Garrison Artillery manned the heavy 60 pounders guns. The Battle of Mons Graupius was fought in 83 CE between the invading forces of Rome, under the general Agricola, and the Picts, the indigenous people of modern-day Scotland, under their leader Calgacus.The only account of the battle is found in the Agricola by the Roman historian Tacitus (56-117 CE) who was Agricola's son-in-law.The location of the battle is not known, and as many as 29 … The Battle of Mons comprises one of the so-called Battles of the Frontier that took place during August 1914, at Mulhouse, Lorraine, the Ardennes, Charleroi - and Mons. To the west of the RWKs, the 2nd KOSB held the north canal bank, the battalion’s 2 machine guns positioned on the top storey of a house on the south side of the canal. Persued by the Germans, they pulled-back over 200 miles into France.eval(ez_write_tag([[728,90],'historyhit_com-large-mobile-banner-2','ezslot_14',163,'0','0'])); Government censorship prevented the defeat being reported immediately, and it took until 30 August for the news to emerge. Once it was clear that the Germans were invading Belgium, Great Britain declared war on Germany and Austria. As a former regular soldier, Scotsman Joe Cassells was a … This was the “first confrontation on European soil since the Battle of Waterloo in 1815” ().Four divisions of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), under the command of Sir John French – as confusing as that is – battled against the German 1 st Army “over the 60-foot-wide Mons Canal in Belgium” (). The Battle of Mons was the first major battle of World War One. A squadron of the 4th Dragoon Guards commanded by Major Tom Bridges was the first British unit into action. The opening episodes of the battle were confused by the lack of knowledge each side possessed of the deployment of the other. On the left of 5th Division the independent 19th Brigade came up to the Mons Canal during the 23rd August with, in line from the right; 2nd Royal Welch Fusiliers (2nd RWF), 2nd Middlesex and 1st Cameronians with 2nd Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (2nd ASH) in reserve. The British did not have enough men to defend the length of the canal, so protected the areas by its bridges. Other British cavalry regiments, the Scots Greys and 16th Lancers, engaged the German cavalry screen. At around 3pm the British 19th Brigade arrived by train at Valenciennes and came up to occupy positions at the western end of the canal line, taking over from the single cavalry regiment, 6th Dragoon Guards (the Carabineers). The British War Medal and the Victory Medal alone were known as ‘Mutt and Jeff’. The 4th Middlesex and the 2nd Royal Irish Regiment suffered around 450 and 350 casualties respectively. Finally the German army command decided to let the British withdraw without further interference and bugles sounded the ‘Cease Fire’ along the German line, much to the surprise of the British. Here are 10 facts about the Battle of Mons. On 20th August 1914 Sir John French, the British Commander-in-Chief, reported to General Joffre, the French Commander-in-Chief, that the concentration of the BEF was complete. The Bridges at Mons The Belgian town of Mons is at a junction of transport networks, including the … II Corps commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir John Grierson comprised 3rd and 5th Divisions. War:  The First World War known as the ‘Great War’. In the light of Germany’s invasion of Belgium, Britain declared war on Germany the same day and began mobilising. The need for this withdrawal was not easily understood by the British troops who considered that they had seen off the German attacks, but was necessary for the BEF to conform to the French Fifth Army on its right and to avoid encirclement by the German corps moving south on their left. To the immediate east of Mons the canal forms a semi-circular bulge or salient to the north, with the village of Nimy at the north west of the bulge and Obourg on the north east side. During 22nd August 1914 the British II Corps moved up to the section of the Mons Canal between Obourg and Condé, 3rd Division taking the right flank with 5th Division on its left. The BEF was expected to come up on the left flank. 125th Würtemberg Infantry Regiment of the German Army during exercises in around 1905: Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War: illustration by Major General von Specht. The Sappers did what they could in the circumstances. In preparation for the execution of the Schlieffen Plan the German armies were formed up with their First Army under von Kluck on the right, advancing through Belgium; Second (under Bulow) and Third (under Hausen) Armies also advancing through Belgium; Fourth Army advancing on Sedan; Fifth Army advancing on Verdun from Thionville and Metz; with Sixth and Seventh Armies in Southern Lorraine holding the left wing up to the border of Switzerland. The guns were forced to withdraw but the heavy fire brought down on the Brandenburgers effectively ruined the 3 battalions of the regiment. During the 23rd August the 17th Division of von Kluck’s 9th Corps crossed the canal to the east of the salient beyond the reach of the British defensive line and attacked the Gordons holding the high ground on Bois La Haut, so that it was simply a matter of time before the canal salient became untenable by the British, regardless of the success of their action against the regiments of the German 9th Corps attacking across the canal from the north. Visit our dedicated Podcast page or visit Podbean below. It was fought along the eastern borders of France and in southern Belgium.eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'historyhit_com-medrectangle-4','ezslot_8',143,'0','0'])); During the Battle of the Frontiers, British and French troops attempted to stop the German advance and prevent them out-flanking the French army, yet it resulted in a series of stunning German victories and Allied retreats. At Jemappes, Corporal Jarvis of the Royal Engineers worked for an hour and a half under German fire to demolish the bridge with the assistance of Private Heron of the RSF, earning himself a Victoria Cross and Heron a DCM. The Battle of Mons was the last of four Battles of the Frontiers that took place. This important element of the plan was also abandoned in the face of clamours from the commanders on the German left wing to be permitted to attack the French and push them back. The Royal Field Artillery also operated field batteries armed with the 4.5 inch howitzer. The British Royal Field Artillery was equipped with the 18 pounder quick firing field gun and the Royal Horse Artillery with the smaller equivalent 13 pounder gun, both effective weapons remaining the mainstay of British field artillery for the rest of the Great War. The Mons battle signified the first engagement between British and German forces on the Western Front, and began on 23 August 1914. Commanders at the Battle of Mons:  Field-Marshal Sir John French commanding the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) with Lieutenant-General Sir Douglas Haig commanding I Corps and General Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien commanding II Corps against General von Kluck commanding the German First Army. Other nationalities took part on the side of the Western Allies on the Western Front in small numbers: Portuguese, Poles and Russians. The 5th Cavalry Brigade remained with Haig’s I Corps on the right of the BEF. The change was that the wheeling German armies would pass to the east of Paris, not to the west as von Schlieffen intended. These 2 battalions suffered the same fate as all the German mass attacks against the Mons Canal line, cut down by rifle and machine gun fire from the concealed British infantry. Units from the Indian Army arrived in France later in 1914 in time for the ‘Race to the Sea’, which ended in the savage fighting around Ypres. ‘Our little contemptibles’: Battle of Mons on 23rd August 1914 in the First World War: picture by William Barnes Wollen, The previous battle in the First World War is the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), The next battle in the First World War is the Battle of Mons (2nd  Day): Elouges. In "The Mons Myth: A Reassessment of the Battle", author Terrance Zuber examines British and German records to see if this is what happened. There were some 12 or more bridges and locks in the section of the canal covered by the British line and this was a difficult order to comply with in the few hours available. It is apparent that it was the high command’s intention to use the canal as an obstacle to the German advance. The Battle of Mons was the first battle fought by the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) against fellow Europeans since 1855. The German army was well advanced in radio communication and in the use of airplanes for reconnaissance and artillery spotting. Battle of Mons, (August 23, 1914) engagement between the British Expeditionary Force and the German army at Mons, Belgium, during the Battle of the Frontiers in the opening weeks of World War I. In accordance with its treaty with Austria, Germany declared war on Russia and in accordance with its treaty with Russia, France declared war on Germany. The Boer War in 1899 to 1901 taught the British Army the importance of concealment when under fire and the art of concealed movement around the battlefield. The canal barges and boats had been sunk by the Royal Engineer field companies. This would have the consequence that the German right wing would not be able to swing well clear of the French left flank. Battle of Monongahela 1755 – Braddock’s Defeat, Battle of Kabul and the retreat to Gandamak, Gallipoli Part I : Naval Attack on the Dardanelles, Gallipoli Part II: Land attack on Gallipoli Peninsular, Gallipoli Part III: ANZAC landing on 25th April 1915, Gallipoli Part IV: First landings at Cape Helles and Y Beach on 25th April 1915, Battle of Jutland Part I: Opposing fleets, Battle of Jutland Part II: Opening Battle Cruiser action on 31st May 1916, Battle of Jutland Part III: Clash between British and German Battle Fleets during the evening 31st May 1916, Battle of Jutland Part IV: Night Action 31st May to 1st June 1916, Battle of Jutland Part V: Casualties and Aftermath, General Braddock’s Defeat on the Monongahela in 1755 I, Gallipoli Part I: Naval Attack on the Dardanelles, Gallipoli Part II: Genesis of the land attack on the Gallipoli Peninsula, Walter Bloehm, a reserve officer in the German 12, The Angel of Mons:  In September 1914 a journalist, Arthur Machen, published in the Evening Standard newspaper a story called ‘, Lieutenant Maurice Dease, the machine gun officer of 4. 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