Item 0021
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| Accession number | 912L : 2090/14 |
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MAD RACE WITH DEATH . HEROIC CHARGE BY THE 9TH LANCERS . ACTION PRAISED BY SIR JOHN FRENCH . In the records of the 9th Lancers nothing will be more to their honour than their glorious charge at Thuin . The action was graphically described by Trooper Walter Charman , who is staying at his hoine , Blindley Heath , on sick leave , having been wounded three weeks ago . " We spent the morning , " he said , under a hail of whiz zing shells in holding back the enemy in order that our infantry might withdraw . After we fed the horses we were ordered to mount and take shelter behind some cot tages . The enemy's fire became more gal ling to our men , and we were told to pre pare for action . There were 11 of the Ger man guns on the outskirts of a wood a mile or so away . We could not see them , but they kept up an incessant fire . A , B. and C Squadrons of the 9th Lancers formed up , the 18th Hussars and the 4th Dragoons being in support . I was in C Squadron , and my officer was Captain F. O. Grenfell , and his brother was in command of B Squadron . Colonel Campbell said the guns must be taken , and the bugle sounded the charge . Away we galloped over several fields of corn under a hail of shells and rifle fire . We then could see the gunners at work , and we became furious . We yelled and shouted and frantically rode at them , all the time meeting a withering fire . The hissing and the scream of the shrapnel were terrific , but nothing could hold us back . The rifle fire ceased ; we must have ridden their infantry down . We cleared everything in front of us , and dashed through the barbed wire entanglements . When within 100 yards of the guns the gunners RAN FOR SHELTER INTO THE WOODS and those who did not get away were cut up . We put the gups out of action , and yelled like madmen . Then we were ordered to go back into the village , Away raced through another hai , or shells from guns on our left , and there was a nec apd , neck race with death . tve When we pulled rein there were only 72 live horses of the 400 that faced the guns as the bagle sounded the charge , and many of these had to be killed because they were badly wounded . We took shelter under a railway embank ment for three - quarters of an hour . Shells from a distant hill were still bursting over our heads . Our own battery of four guns was gradually being silenced , and my leader , Captain Grenfell , shouted : We must save those guns or the 9th Lancera will be wiped out . " Our battery was being shelled and the position looked hopeless . We were again racing away , but this time to save our own guns . We had to face heavy fire but we got our gans . There was only one gunner left , and he was about to fire his last shell when we rescued him and took the guns away . It was in this action tha Captain F. O. Gronted was wounds and He wor he was taken to the hospital . not stop there . He insisted on leaving , as we withdrew from the villa e he led squadron . Trooper Charman added that the Commander of the Infantry Division thanked us for what we had done , saying we had undoubtedly saved his en from being cut up . General Trench sent a letter of praise , which was read to the troops , who highly appreciated his action . " 24th August 1914 9TH LANCERS . Lieutenant - Colonel D. G. M. Campbell . Captain D. K. L. Lucas - Tooth . Captain F. O. Grenfell . Captain L. W. De V. Sadleir Jackson , D.S.O. Lieutenant R. L. Benson . No. 4099 Squadron Serjeant - Major H. Durant . No. 5001 Serjeant A. W. Turner . No. 4997 Serjeant G. Davids . No. 4758 Serjeant S. Caldwell . mentioned in Jespatches 1914 . LE CATEAU , AUG . 26 , 1914 . By FREDERIC COLEMAN , Author of " From Mons to Ypres with French . " Sir John French's Headquarters were at Le Cateau when the sound of the guns ushered in the daylight on Monday , August 24 , 1914. The " Old Contemptibles were fighting at Mons . As the thin line was beaten back at one or two points during the day excitement reigned in Le Cateau . Towards night wounded began to come back with tales of Hun hordes pressing south in overwhelming numbers . Captain Francis Gren fell , of glorious memory , sorely wounded , told us the story of the wonderful charge of the 9th Lancers and 4th Dragoon Guards at Audregnies . I slept in my car that night at the door of Gene ral French's Headquarters château on the edge of Le Cateau . Rumours of an impending British re tirement were in the air on the morning of August 25. Generals and staff officers dashed hither and thither . All wore a worried look . French horsemen , British cavalry , British in fantry columns , and all manner of transport blocked the streets of Le Cateau . The great re treat had begun and all men thereabouts knew it , though few fully realised as yet the danger of disaster . The whole of General Smith - Dorrien's 2nd Corps was retiring to a line which ran roughly from Cambrai to Le Cateau . The Tommies were tired but cheery . They had been hammered but had bitten back fiercely . They hated retreat , and were worn almost to the limit of human endurance by constant rearguard actions . Then came August 26. Smith - Dorrien's en forced rearguard action , a battle born in the clear dawn and lasting through two - thirds of a sultry day , gave the men of the " Old Army " a chance to show the stuff of which they were made . 5th Division , 3rd Division , 4th Division , 19th Brigade , the indomitable cavalry brigades and the overpowered field and horse artillery - how magnificently they fought ! My last sight of Le Cateau was during that historie forenoon of August 26. when the left wing of the British Exveditionary Force , under Smith Dorrieu , beat back for long hours the Hun masses . Five hundred Hun guns on a front of less than ten miles crashed in a pandemonium of sound . Wave on wave of Germans came on , to be mowed down and rolled back by the accurate rifle fire of the best soldiers the world has ever seen . Then came the inevitable ont - flanking of Sir Charles Fergusson's 5th Division and the further retreat . But the Army was saved and civilisation saved with it . Le Cateau was lost . The Huns have held it these long four years . But British cavalry rode down its streets yesterday . Peading thet , nause one moment a thought to the men who s punished the Huns before they fell back in 1914 - the " Old Contemptibles " -the men of Mons . and TA SHOT BY WOUNDED GERMAN . Lientenant Frederic de Vere Bruce All frey , of the 9th Lancers , whose death was officially announced last week , according to news received by his parents , was shot dead by a wounded German after he had dis mounted to extract a lance from a wounded comrade's leg . Thirty of the 9th Lancera charged 150 of the German cavalry . 7 September 1914 9th LANCERS BEALE - BROWNE , Maj . D. J. E. BOVILL , Lleut . PORTER , Capt J. G. CROSSLEY , Lleut . F. S. DIGGLE . Lleut . L. W. NORMAN , Lleut , C. W. WILSON , 3900 Actg . - Sergt . - Maj . A. HILLMAN , 612 Sergt . J. ( temp . Capt . ) A. O. 6 . HUSSEY , 4288 Sergt . J. W. TWYFORD , 4283 Lep . G. W. BAKER , 2482 Pte . II . mentioned in Jespatches 1914 The following death is also reported from a private source in France . Brooke , Major V. R. , C.I.E. , D.S.O. , 9th Lancers . Aged forty - one , the fifth son of Sir Victor Brooke . Entered Army 1894 , served in South African War 1899-1902 , slightly wounded , mentioned in despatches twice , Queen's medal , five clasps , King's medal , two clasps , D.S.O. Kabul Mission , 1904 1903 ( brevet - major ) , lately Military Sec retary to Viceroy of India . October 1914 26 Lancer GENERAL INFORMATION ( Extract from Routine Orders ) . The following telegrams have been received by the Commander in onlar From the Commander - in - Chief , French Asmies . The English Army , in engaging alone without hesitation very superior forces of the enemy , has strongly contributed to assure the security of the left flank of the French Army . It has done so with a devotion , energy and perseverance to which I wish at once to tender my homage , and which in the future will be a powerful facter in assuring the final triumph of our ause F The French Army will never forget the great service rendered . Animated by the same spirit of sacrifice , and the same determina ... tion to conquer as the British Army , they will show their appreciation and greatful feelings in the approaching combate . From the Secretary of State for War : -- Your troops have déne marvellously well under their Commanders during the severe attack , which they have had to withstand practically alene . Express to them all the thanks of the King and Government . From the Seoretary of State for War : -- The First Lord asks me to transmit to you the following message from the Home Fleet : -- The Officers and Men of the Grand Fleet wish to express to their comrades of the Army admiration of the magnificent stand made against great odds and wish them the brilliant suoeess which the Fleet feels sure awaits their further efforts . From the Admiralty : Early this morning , a concerted operation of some consequence , was attempted against the Germans in the Heliogoland Bight . Strong forces of destroyers , supported by light oruisers and battle cruisers and working in conjunction with submarines , intercepted and attacked the German destroyers and cruisers guarding approaches to the German coast . According to the information which has reached the Admiralty , sc fár the operation has been fortunate and fruitful . The British destroyers have been heavily engaged with the enemy'a destrèyers . All British destroyers are reported afloat and returning in good erder . Two German destroyers were sunk and many damaged . The enemy's cruisers were engaged by the British oruisers and battle oruisers . The first light oruiser squadron sank the " Maintz , " receiving only alight damage . The First Battle Cruiser Squadron sank one cruiser , " Koln " class , and another - oruiser disappeared in the mist heavily on fire and in sinking condition . All the German cruisers which engaged were thus disposed of . The Battle Oruiser Squadron although attacked by submarines and floating mines successfully evaded them and is undamaged . The Light Cruiser Squadren suffered no casualties . The Flotilla Cruiser " Amethyst " and the Destroyed " Laertes " are damaged . No other vessels are seriously injured . British loss of life reported not heavy . The Commanding Officers concerned in the skillfully handled operations were Rear - Admirale Moore , Beatty and Christian , and Commodores Keyes , Tyrwhitt and Goodenough . October 1914 . |
