ved at its destination in this country well within the
scheduled time.

The concentration was practically complete on the evening of
Friday, the 21st ultimo, and I was able to make dispositions to
move the Force during Saturday, the 22nd, to positions I
considered most favourable from which to commence operations which
the French Commander-in-Chief, General Joffre, requested me to
undertake in pursuance of his plans in prosecution of the
campaign.

The line taken up extended along the line of the canal from Conde
on the west, through Mons and Binche on the east. This line was
taken up as follows:--

From Conde to Mons inclusive was assigned to the 2nd Corps, and to
the right of the 2nd Corps from Mons the 1st Corps was posted. The
5th Cavalry Brigade was placed at Binche.

In the absence of my 3rd Army Corps I desired to keep the Cavalry
Division as much as possible as a reserve to act on my outer
flank, or move in support of any threatened part of the line. The
forward reconnaissance was entrusted to Brigadier-General Sir
Philip Chetwode with the 5th Cavalry Brigade, but I directed
General Allenby to send forward a few squadrons to assist in this
work.

During August 22 and 23 these advanced squadrons did some
excellent work, some of them penetrating as far as Soignies, and
several encounters took place in which our troops showed to great
advantage.

2. At 6 a.m. on August 23 I assembled the Commanders of the 1st
and 2nd Corps and Cavalry Division at a point close to the
position, and explained the general situation of the Allies, and
what I understood to be General Joffre's plan. I discussed with
them at some length the immediate situation in front of us.

From information I received from French Headquarters I understood
that little more than one, or at most two, of the enemy's Army
Corps, with perhaps one Cavalry Division, were in front of my
position; and I was aware of no attempted outflanking movement by
the enemy. I was confirmed in this opinion by the fact that my
patrols encountered no undue opposition in their reconnoitring
operations. The observation of my aeroplanes seemed also to bear
out this estimate.

About 3 p.m. on Sunday, the 23rd, reports began coming in to the
effect that the enemy was commencing an attack on the Mons line,
apparently in some strength, but that the right of the position
from Mons and Bra