6th Division, which
had now been ordered to France.

On the morning of the 31st, Headquarters were moved to Dammartin.
After riding round to see whatever troops I could, we reached there
early in the afternoon. Huguet was waiting for me with more
information and messages from Joffre. The demand that we should stand
and fight was not only urgently repeated, but was actually backed by
imperative messages from the French President, and from Lord Kitchener
and the British Government, yet at this very moment Lanrezac was
actually throwing back the left flank of the 5th Army and widening the
gap between us. At the same time Lord Kitchener was assuring the Home
Government that our losses were comparatively small, and that all
deficiencies had been made good.

I retain the most profound belief that, had I yielded to these violent
solicitations, the whole Allied Army would have been thrown back in
disorder over the Marne, and Paris would have fallen an easy prey into
the hands of the Germans.

It is impossible to exaggerate the danger of the situation as it
existed. Neither on this day nor for several subsequent days did one
man, horse, gun, or machine gun reach me to make good deficiencies.

I refused. This brought Lord Kitchener to Paris, where I met him on
September 1st at the British Embassy. I went there with my Chief of
Staff at his urgent request, regarding him as a representative of His
Majesty's Government.

I deeply resented being called away from my Headquarters at
so critical a time. Two important actions were fought by considerable
detachments of the Army under my command during this day, over which
there was no one to exercise any co-ordinating control. Either might
have easily brought on a general engagement.

The interview had one important result. M. Millerand (the War
Minister) and M. Viviani (the Prime Minister) were present at the
Conference, and before them all I was able to give a clear exposition
of my views as to the future conduct of the Allied operations.

M. Millerand undertook to lay this document before General Joffre at
once. This great statesman and invaluable servant of his country
occupied the post of War Minister during most of the time I was in
France. His invariable kindness and courtesy, coupled with his skilful
and astute appreciation of the military situation throughout all its
difficult and varying periods, will always be gratefully remembered by
me.

The result of my proposals