The Retreat from Mons Continues

Sir John French

Friday 28th August 1914: Today the 1st Bedfords continued their march through Noyon to the town of Pontoise-lès-Noyon, a distance of twenty five miles. Our contact stated: “Nothing much happened during the day, as we were going hard all the time, being sometimes held up by transport. Outside one of the towns Sir John French stood at the side of the road and watched us go by”.

It is to be hoped that the Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force took heart from the undiminished spirit of the men he watched, as our contact says: “Everyone in the best of spirits but tired and hungry. The heat was tremendous during the day and the dust appalling”.

Sources: X550/2/5; X550/2/7.