Having declared war with Germany on 4th August 1914 and with Austria on 12th August, the agreed British Expeditionary Force (BEF) of six infantry divisions and two cavalry brigades started to arrive in France at ports like Boulogne and Le Havre.
The first divisions to arrive and to start assembling outside of Mons were the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 5th Divisions. They were joined by 19th Infantry Brigade of 6th Division and the 4th Division arrived on the 22nd/23rd and marched directly to Le Cateau where it defended the left flank of the BEF on 26th August.
Little did anyone know that the ‘War that would be all over by Christmas’ would carry on until November 1918 and cost the lives of very nearly one million British and Empire troops.
LEST WE FORGET.
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