No diary entry.
During this time there was some very hot weather. The heat of the march and the crowded roads proved extremely trying, some battalions being 18 hours on the road – much of which was paved with cobblestones.
The date is written but there is no entry on this day – the retreat continues
Sir John French the Commander in Chief of the BEF [British Expeditionary Force] decided that the safety of his troops depended on his conforming to the movements of the French. It was agreed that the Franco-British Armies should fall back to the River Marne so the last stage of the Retreat began. Continue reading
LE CATELET – 3.30 a.m.
No entry for today. The diary is then left blank for the following half page and the seven following full pages – both sides. At the top of the second blank page the date ‘1st Sept’ is faintly written. Continue reading
Battalion halted at 5 a.m. near village of HAUCOURT. Half an hour after halting Battalion was shelled with shrapnel & at the same time the King’s Own and Lancs Fusiliers (12th Brigade) were surprised & came under heavy M. Gun Rifle & Shell & suffered heavily.
Roused at 1 a.m. & Battalion left Bivouac 1.30. Marched till 5 a.m. & then halted for breakfast. Heard gunfire in the distance. Saw Allies Aeroplane pass over.
Arrived LE CATEAU at 11 p.m. & disentrained. Marched to BEAUMONT about 6 Kilometres and bivouacked. Told we are 60 miles from the fighting. Everyone excited & eager.
Disembarked 4 a.m. & marched to Camp situated on Hill on outskirts of town. Resting. Issue of Maps. Paraded at 7 p.m. & marched to Station and entrained. Had great send off from inhabitants of the Town. Train left at 11 p.m.
Arrived 5 a.m. and embarked on S.S.CALEDONIA. Arrived Boulogne 10.30 p.m.
1914
August 21st Friday. Harrow
Left Camp at 11 p.m. and entrained.
The first entries of Beck’s diary, August 1914. DHC ref: D-1820/1/7
At the outbreak of World War One Quartermaster Sergeant Beck was stationed with the 1st Battalion Warwickshire Regiment at Shorncliffe as part of the 10th Brigade of the 4th Division. The 4th Division was held back from the original British Expeditionary Force (BEF) by a last minute decision to defend England against a possible German landing.