Mons - Nimy

The next position the Germans reached was Nimy, west of Obourg. It was here that the 4^th Royal Fusiliers held a road and rail bridge.

Nimy Rail Bridge

Nimy Road Bridge

As the German pressure grew, and with the Middlesex retreating on their right flank, the Fusiliers were forced to conform with the movement, and began their own withdrawal.

Nimy - attack on the bridge

 

The Battle of Mons – The 4th Battalion, The Royal Fusiliers at Nimy Railway Bridge

During this action Lieutenant Maurice Dease and private Sydney Godley held two battalions of German infantry manning a  machine gun on Nimy Railway Bridge. They continued firing till their ammunition ran out. Both men were awarded the Victoria Cross, the first of the Great War. Dease was mortally wounded, and Godley was taken a Prisoner of War.

Nimy - VC action location

Lt Dease & Pvt Godley VC action Nimy Rail Bridge

Nimy Rail Bridge - VC Memorial

 

Lt Maurice Dease VC

Maurice James Dease VC

Pvt Sidney Godley VC

Sidney Frank Godley VC

 

Mons - Obourg

At 09:00 23^rd August 1914, German Artillery opened fire on the 4^th Middlesex Regiment defending the area of Obourg. German infantry began to press forward with the aim of crossing the canal. Despite the best efforts of the Middlesex, the Germans were able to cross the canal and penetrate into the Middlesex right flank. With theor position becoming untenable, the Middlesex began to withdraw.

Battle of Mons - 4 / Middlesex Regiment

Source: In the Foosteps - the Battle od Mons - 4th Middlesex Regiment

 

At Oburg station an unknown soldier climbed onto the roof of a building and engaged the advancing Germans whilst his colleagues withdrew, losing his life in the process. His action is commemorated on a plaque on the remains of the old station.

Obourg - Location of 4th Middlesex memorial

Obourg - 4th Middlesex Memorial

Obourg - Plaque recalling the actions of an unknown soldier

 

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

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

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

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

French Army Memorial Sambreville