The week’s war news

The first reports of British troops going into action were now being received. The “Stiff Fights” referred to o were the battles of Mons and d the less well known Le Cateau. In line with the pre-war r agreements made between the French and British governments the British Expeditionary Force had taken up position on the extreme left of the French line at Maubege. Following reconnaissance reports by cavalry and aerial patrols the BEF advanced to Mons to counter the German advance. Contact between cavalry patrols was made on 22nd August and the main battle commenced on 23rd August 1914 with heavy fighting on the line of the Mons-Conde Canal where the Germans suffered severe casualties due to the rapid fire andmarksmanship and marksmanship of the British regulars. By the early hours of the 24th August it became clear that the superior German numbers had forced the withdrawal of the French forces on the flank of the BEF and they were forced to retreat to avoid encirclement much to the frustration and puzzlement of the men who believed they had fought the Germans to a standstill. The long retreat to the Marne had started. Almost immediately after the retreat began the BEF was forced to split in two to pass on either side