t in this tremendous episode in the history of
the world. The new lessons had to be learned in a hard school and
through a bitter experience. However, for good or for evil, I have
always been possessed of a sanguine temperament. No one, I felt, had
really been able to gauge the respective fighting values of the French
and German Armies. I hoped for the best and rather believed in it; and
in this confident spirit, although anxious and watchful, I landed at
Boulogne at 5 p.m. on August 14th, 1914.

It will be a fitting close to this chapter if I add the instructions
which I received from His Majesty's Government before leaving.

"Owing to the infringement of the neutrality of Belgium by Germany,
and in furtherance of the Entente which exists between this country
and France, His Majesty's Government has decided, at the request of
the French Government, to send an Expeditionary Force to
France and to entrust the command of the troops to yourself.

"The special motive of the Force under your control is to support and
co-operate with the French Army against our common enemies. The
peculiar task laid upon you is to assist the French Government in
preventing or repelling the invasion by Germany of French and Belgian
territory and eventually to restore the neutrality of Belgium, on
behalf of which, as guaranteed by treaty, Belgium has appealed to the
French and to ourselves.

"These are the reasons which have induced His Majesty's Government to
declare war, and these reasons constitute the primary objective you
have before you.

"The place of your assembly, according to present arrangements, is
Amiens, and during the assembly of your troops you will have every
opportunity for discussing with the Commander-in-Chief of the French
Army, the military position in general and the special part which your
Force is able and adapted to play. It must be recognised from the
outset that the numerical strength of the British Force and its
contingent reinforcement is strictly limited, and with this
consideration kept steadily in view it will be obvious that the
greatest care must be exercised towards a minimum of losses and
wastage.

"Therefore, while every effort must be made to coincide most
sympathetically with the plans and wishes of our Ally, the gravest
consideration will devolve upon you as to participation in forward
movements where large bodies of French troops are not engaged and
where your Force may be unduly exposed to atta