ench Territorial Divisions to join them and
act with them.

The first intimation I had of this was a wire from Lord Kitchener,
received late at night on October 3rd, which ran as follows:--

"I do not know when the two Divisions promised by the French
Government from Havre will be able to start.

"Could you ascertain this and let me know your views on the
situation and how you contemplate acting?"

To this I replied in the early hours of the 4th:--

"I do not know what has passed direct between English and French
Governments, but French General Headquarters told me positively in
answer to repeated enquiry that they are only sending one Territorial
Division from Havre to Ostend, which they say is to start at once by
sea.

"With reference to the last sentence in your message 1315, please
refer to my message F272 dispatched last night at 7.30. I shall get
report from officer I sent yesterday to Bruges and Antwerp directly
and will wire again."

That part of my message F272 (referred to above), which bears on the
subject, runs as follows:--

"French wish us to use Boulogne for 7th Division and Cavalry to
disembark.... I am strongly averse to sending any troops inside the
fortress (of Antwerp) even if they could be got there."

General Joffre's telegram for me of October 8th has already been
quoted, and I had previously been in constant communication with him
on this subject. When I dispatched telegram F272 I knew that Joffre's
views accorded with my own.

That the wishes of the Allied Commanders were ignored in London is
further shown by the following message received by me from the
Secretary of State for War at 2.30 p.m. on October 4th:--

"I am embarking 7th Division and portion of Cavalry Division to-day,
but I cannot get report from Antwerp on the military situation from
which I can decide where they should be disembarked.

"My present opinion is Zeebrugge, where there are good
landing facilities. Can you send Rawlinson by motor to Antwerp to take
charge and study the situation before the troops arrive?"

This message was amplified by the following message which was sent
later in the day:--

"I am arranging following Expeditionary Force for relief Antwerp:--

British Force:

"7th Division, under Gen. Capper, 18,000 men, 63 guns; Cavalry
Division, under Gen. Byng, 4,000 men, 12 guns. To arrive at Zeebrugge
October 6th and October 7th.

"Naval detachments under Gen. Alston, 8,000 men, already ther