Chapter I: Front Matter

The Daily Telegraph
WAR BOOKS

THE FIGHTING RETREAT TO PARIS

The Daily Telegraph

WAR BOOKS

=HOW THE WAR BEGAN=
By W. L. COURTNEY, LL.D., and J. M. KENNEDY.

=THE FLEETS AT WAR=
By ARCHIBALD HURD.

=THE CAMPAIGN OF SEDAN=
By GEORGE HOOPER.

=THE CAMPAIGN ROUND LIEGE=
By J. M. KENNEDY.

=IN THE FIRING LINE=: Stories of Actual Fighting by the Men who
Fought. By A. ST. JOHN ADCOCK.

=GREAT BATTLES OF THE WORLD=
By STEPHEN CRANE, Author of “The Red Badge of Courage.”

=THE RED CROSS IN WAR=
By Miss M. F. BILLINGTON.

=FORTY YEARS AFTER=: The Story of the Franco-German War.
By H. C. BAILEY, with Introduction by W. L. COURTNEY, LL.D.

=A SCRAP OF PAPER=: The Inner History
of German Diplomacy. By Dr. E. J. DILLON.

=HOW THE NATIONS WAGED WAR=
By J. M. KENNEDY.

=BRITISH REGIMENTS AT THE FRONT=
The Glorious Story of their Battle Honours.

=HACKING THROUGH BELGIUM=
By EDMUND DANE.

=AIRCRAFT IN WAR=
By ERIC S. BRUCE.

=FAMOUS FIGHTS OF INDIAN NATIVE REGIMENTS=
By REGINALD HODDER.

=THE FIGHTING RETREAT TO PARIS=
By ROGER INGPEN.

=MOTOR TRANSPORT IN WAR=
By HORACE WYATT.

=THE RUSSIAN ADVANCE=
By MARR MURRAY.

HODDER AND STOUGHTON

THE FIGHTING
RETREAT TO PARIS

BY
ROGER INGPEN

HODDER AND STOUGHTON
LONDON NEW YORK TORONTO
MCMXIV

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

PAGE

Mobilisation and transport of the British Expeditionary Force—The
King’s message to his troops—Sir John French’s order of the
day—Lord Kitchener’s address—Death of General Grierson—
Disposition of the French Forces in the North—Advance of the
Germans—Sir John French on the movements of the British troops
—Fighting at Mons—The Kaiser’s Army Order 9

CHAPTER II

The Battle of Mons, August 23rd—Sir John French’s despatch—The
West Kents in action—An aeroplane duel—A Royal Engineer’s
experience—Missing their regiment—Royal Field Artillery and
German shrapnel—Captain Grenfell 22

CHAPTER III

Fighting at Charleroi in the French lines—A railway official’s
adventure—A Zouave officer’s impressions—French artillery
—Heavy German casualties—The fall of Namur—A Belgian
soldier’s tribute 45

CHAPTER IV

The British troops retire into France—The adventures of a
Chaplain to a field ambulance—The Royal Field Artillery—A
wounded gunner—Losing his regiment—A Gordon Highlander’s
experiences—Operations of the French troops—British versus
German cavalry—Sir John French’s account of the events of
August 25—The Battle of Cambrai—The Rev. Owen S. Watkins’
adventures—Mr. Asquith announces a wonderful feat of arms 63

CHAPTER V

Sir John French on the operations of the British Army to August 28
—Lord Kitchener on the four days’ battle—Fighting in the
Valley of the Meuse—Charleville 106

CHAPTER VI

The French Army on the Oise—Sir John French on the operations of
the British troops on August 28—The fight at St. Quentin—
A sharp action at Compiègne—At Chantilly—English soldiers
shopping—A quiet day—British losses and resources—The
enemy at Senlis—The end of the retreat—A view of a great
military feat—Sir John French’s despatch 123

CHAPTER VII

The German advance on Paris—the Government quit the Capital for
Bordeaux—The fortifications of Paris—Preparations for a
siege—The German change of plan—Sir John French’s despatch
—German vengeance—The failure of the Crown Prince’s Army—
Declaration of the Triple Entente—Conclusion 160

POSITIONS OF THE BRITISH FORCES IN THE RETREAT TOWARDS PARIS.]

The Retreat to Paris