Arrival of British Troops Known to the Germans

Wednesday 21^st July 1915: A member of the Bedfordshire Yeomanry, now attached to the Headquarters of a Division at the Front(1) says: “Our Division has left and after various marches and a six hours’ train ride we have settled in a new part of France where English troops have never been. You can imagine the curiosity of the people and especially of the French soldiers whom we relieved and who have since departed. The country is very hilly and pretty(2), such a contrast to the monotonous flat country up north. I expect you will soon have news in the papers about the new line we have taken up along with some Regular Divisions. The French soldiers were very elated at our arrival and some, who had evidently worked in England, shouted greetings. One told me that before his Regiment left the trenches the Germans had told them we were coming to relieve them and that they would soon have three lines of trenches back they had lost some little time previously. What a wonderful system of espionage they must have”(3)

Sources: Biggleswade Chronicle, 20th August 1915

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(1) 1st Cavalry Division

(2) This sounds like the Somme area.

(3) In fact they were tapping unscrambled Allied telephone lines