Tuesday, 25 March 2014

Mons - Battle of Mons

On the eve of the Battle of Mons the British Expeditionary Force were preparing defensive positions in the area of Mons. To the east were I Corps, with II Corps along the Conde - Mons canal and around the town of Mons in a salient on the Central Canal.

To their north the German First Army were wheeling south west and the advance elements had been involved already in skirmishes with the BEF.

Lt Spears the Liaison Officer to the French Fifth army had told Field Marshall French about the position the French Army was in following the actions along the Sambre, and the intent of General Lanzerac to withdraw.

Field Marshall French stated he would hold the line for 24 hours then withdraw in order to conform with the French movements.

Battle of Mons - Strategic Situation

Battle of Mons - Dispositions

Battle of Mons

The Battle of Mons 23 August 1914

Mons

In the centre of Mons is the Grand Place dominated by the Hotel De Ville (Town Hall).

Mons - Hotel de Ville

It was here that the men of the 4th Royal Fusiliers relaxed in 1914.

Men of the 4th Royal Fusiliers relaxing in the Grand Place 1914

Relaxing in the Grand Place 1914

Near the entrance to the town hall is a brass monkey where the tradition is to rub it to bring you good luck.

Mons - Brass Monkey Hotel De Ville

Mons - rubbing the monkey

And the Grand Place is a fine place to enjoy a Leffe Royal

Enjoying a Leffe Royale in Mons

Monday, 24 March 2014

MONS - BEF Deployment

The British Expeditionary Force began it's deployment to France on 14th August 1914. They concentrated in the area of Maubeuge and Le Cateau and were virtually complete by 20th August when a general advance was ordered by General Joffre.

BEF Concentration area

The area would have been familiar to the predecessors of the BEF Regiments, Marlborough had fought there during the War of Spanish Succession over 200 years previously.

Near the French / Belgian border on the Rue De Mons stands the Malpaquet memorial to commemorate the battle there 11th September 1709 when Marlborough defeated the French.

Malpaquet memorial 2014

BEF pass Malpaquet memorial 1914

Mons - First British Artilley round on Western Front

Following the British Army's opening shots of the Great War, the Royal Artillery followed with the opening rounds of the war.

The British cavalry were holding bridges in the area of Peronnes, east of the main BEF positions in the Mons area. A troop from 16^th Lancers were enraged an enemy patrol, and to cover their withdrawal the guns of E Battery RHA unlimbered and fired the first British Artillery round of the Great War.

1914 - First round fired by RA on the Western Front

1964 - Veterans of E Battery at location of the first RA round fired on the Western Front

2014 - At the location of the first RA round fired on the Western Front

A small commemorative stone marks the spot where the first round was fired by E Battery.

First RA round fired on Western Front commemoration stone plaque

Not the easiest of thing to photograph !

LOCATION

Location of first British artillery round fired on Western Front

Mons - First Shots WW1

Early in the morning of 22^nd August 1914, a cavalry patrol from the 4^th Dragoon Guards were investigating reports from the local population that the Germans were in the village of Casteau to the north east of Mons.

Casteau

The Dragoons encountered the Germans on the main road in the village and in the subsequent engagement drummer E Thomas fired what is believed to be the first shots of the great war.

First shots fired memorial

First Shots fired memorial plaque

Fate would once again visit this location, as opposite the memorial is the place is the location of the last shot fired prior to the Armistice 11^th November 1918.

First & last shots Casteau

Last shots fired plaque

Sambreville - Battle of Charleroi

In August 1914 the French Fifth Army was in position between the River Sambre to its north and the River Meuse to its west. The German Second Army were starting to wheel south west and looking to force crossing points over the Sambre.

The French occupied the high ground above the Sambre with outposts guarding the bridges. Poor intelligence and bad planning left some bridges unsecured. German patrols found the unsecured bridges and the Germans crossed in strength establishing a bridgehead.

The French counter attacked, very much in the style of the battle of Waterloo

The French sustained heavy losses, and subsequent German attacks drove them back 20 km from the Sambre.

Battle of Charleroi

French Army Memorial Sambreville

Invasion of Belgium - Namur

On the 4th August 1914 German Cavalry crossed the border into Belgium signalling the start of the First World War. They were the lead elements of the army of the North, a collection of German Corps tasked with coup de main operations on the fortress cities of Liege and Namur. The intent was to secure the cities to allow the main bodies of the Germany to execute the Schlieffen plan by securing vital communication links through Belgium.

Schlieffen Plan

Von Moltke, Chief of German General staff, 1906
“LIEGE and NAMUR are of no importance in themselves . They would be weakly garrisoned but they were strong places. They block the Meuse railway, who’s use during war can not therefore be counted upon. Its is of the greatest importance to take LIEGE by an early stage, in order to have the railway in ones hands. The possession of Liege is the absolute essential of our advance

The fortress city of Liege lasted 8 days from the 8th to 16th August.

Liege Fortresses

To the east of Liege along the Meuse was Namur. The city was strategically placed at the point that the River Meuse divided into the River Sambre.

Namur - Sambre & Meuse diverge

The fortresses defending the city were engaged from the 22nd August to 25th August 1914.

Namur Fortresses

As the Belgians in Namur resisted the German siege, the French and British forces to the west of the city were engaged in the Battle of Charleroi and the Battle Of Mons, leaving the city isolated and capitulation inevitable.

Namur Citadel

Battle of Waterloo

Napoleon Bonaparte became Consol of France in 1799 and proclaimed himself Emperor of France in 1804.

He fought a series of wars (Napoleonic Wars) in which France fought with coalitions against other coalitions. Initially successful, he extended French Power and influence throughout continental Europe. However the Peninsular War (1807–14) and the French invasion of Russia in 1812 saw his Grande Armée reduced in capability, and he was eventually defeated at the Battle of Leipzig in October 1813. The Army defeated, France was invaded, and Napoleon was exiled to Alba.

In 1815, Napoleon escaped from Elba, returning to France where he seized power. Many states who were opposed to Napoleon began to mobilise their armies. Napoleon sought to attack his enemies before they could form an effective coalition against France. He took the army of the North into Belgium to conduct a preemptive strike against the coalition allies.

On the 16th June 1815, he defeated the Prussians at the Battle of Ligny, and a blocking action at Quatre Bras prevented the Anglo-Dutch Army from reinforcing the Prussians .

Two days later he met Wellington at Waterloo.

Battle of Waterloo

The Waterloo battlefields runs north south over rolling countryside with a number of ridges. Key features include Hougoumont and La Haye Sante.

Waterloo Ground

Battlefield looking south - Hougoumont on the right

British positions looking east - La Haye Sante on the right

Battle of Waterloo - Plan

The Battle of Waterloo commenced at 11am with the French artillery bombardment of Hougomont. In response, the British artillery began to cannonade the infantry on the French left flank. At noon the French infantry began their assault on Hougomont.

At 1:30 pm, D'Erlon's Corps moves it's guns and infantry forward, and 74 guns commencea bombardment of the British left flank. The British infantry moved behind the ridge on which they were located and lay down, the effect being to reduce the effectiveness of French cannon fire. After 30 minutes of firing, the artillery stopped and 17,000 French infantry advanced. The assault on La Haye Sainte began with the Kings German Legion holding firm. As the French advance over the slope, the British infantry stood up and engages the French infantry, forcing them back.

The British cavalry were committed to charge into the French infantry, and then recalled once the French attack was broken up. Some units did not hear the recall signalled on the bugle, continuing to the French gun line where they were overwhelmed by the French cavalry.

At 4pm Blucher's Prussians began arriving at the battlefield, threatening the French flank. To try to turn the battle before the Prussians brought all their troops to bear, the French made 12 cavalry attacks to try to break the British centre, however they were unable to penetrate the British infantry squares.

At 19:30 Napoleon committed the Imperial Guard in a last attempt to break the British line as more Prussians arrived. The British Guards , so far uncommitted, forced the French Guard to retreat by volleys of musket fire and bayonet charges.

With the French Guard in retreat, Hougomont still in British hands and the Prussians on the Battlefield in numbers, Wellington gave the orders for a general attack in pursuit of the French.