liged us to modify our hopes and anticipations
until, at the close of the first battle of Ypres, we certainly felt at
our own G.H.Q. that the Allied Forces in Great Britain, France and
Belgium, could effect nothing of importance unless and until one of
two things happened.

Either there must be a considerable augmentation of our forces,
including a vastly increased supply of heavy artillery, machine guns,
trench artillery and ammunition--_or_, the enemy's forces on the
Western front must be so weakened by the necessity of sending troops
to stem the Russian advance in the East, as to enable the Allies with
their available forces to assume the offensive with success.

Now the only resources in regard to _personnel_ upon which the Allies
at that time had to depend for any considerable accession of strength
was the British "New Army," whose entry into the line of
battle must perforce be gradual. It could not be expected to make its
weight felt for a long time to come.

After the fall of Antwerp I realised that, by taking up our position
on the extreme left flank we should find ourselves very near to the
coast, and a good opportunity would be afforded of gaining the
co-operation of the Fleet. In other words, the paramount thought in my
mind was that the British and Belgian forces, co-operating with the
British Fleet, should constitute in themselves the left flank of the
Allied line in the West.

Whilst on the Aisne I had a visit from Mr. Winston Churchill, who was
then First Lord of the Admiralty. He arrived on the night of September
26th and left on the 28th. Winston Churchill had been for several
years one of my most intimate friends. I saw much of him during the
South African War, but it was not until about 1905 or 1906 that I
really got to know him well. His complex character is as difficult to
describe as it is to analyse. To those who do not understand him, the
impetuous disposition, which is one of his strongest characteristics,
is apt to throw into shadow the indomitable courage, tireless energy,
marvellous perspicuity and quick virile brain-power which are the main
features of Winston Churchill's extraordinary personality.

His experience and knowledge of public affairs must be unrivalled;
for, at an age when most men are undergoing the grinding drudgery
which falls to the lot of nearly all successful statesmen, lawyers,
soldiers or ecclesiastics, he was holding the highest offices in the
Government; and not e