Mons Battlefield Guide
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
© P.Tombelle EDITORIAL Dear Visitor, As everyone knows, the First World War was incredibly bloody, and millions of lives were lost. Mons did not escape the devastation unscathed. Indeed, by sheer circumstance, Mons provided the setting for significant, and terribly tragic events. The "Battle of Mons" has a particular resonance, both mythical and real, on the other side of the Channel. Mythical because of the well-known "Legend of the Angels of Mons"; real because the British suffered major losses there, including the first and the last soldiers to die in battle. It was in Mons that Private Parr and Private Ellison were killed, becoming the very first and the very last British soldiers to die in the conflict and making Mons “the place of the first & the last”. In addition, Lieutenant Dease and Private Godley were awarded the first two Victoria Cross medals of the First World War for acts of bravery committed on our soil. These events explain the notoriety of the "Battle of Mons", and impose on each and every one of us a duty to remember. In 2014, the City of Mons will be gearing up to celebrate the centenary of the Battle in the presence of a number of different European officials. The City of Mons would therefore like to uphold the memories of the men and women who fought for their dreams and whose courage still resonates in our hearts and minds. From legend to reality, Mons will be organising a highly symbolic memorial tour, which includes a visit to the Saint-Symphorien Military Cemetery, a real haven of peace, where British and German graves are now united for eternity. Through this "Mons Battlefield Guide", you will be able to step back in time on a journey of discovery through which the horrors of war may make way for contemplative memories. We hope you enjoy reading it. MONS 14-18 Mons Battlefield Guide 1 GETTING TO MONS CONTENTS By train By Air and / or Domestic Train Mons is situated one hour south of Brussels by train. Brussels There are direct trains from both of the major Belgium airports Editorial ................................................................................................................................................................................................p.1 is served by fast trains (TGV) coming from major French cities (Brussels International, in Brussels and Brussels South, in Char- Getting to Mons .................................................................................................................................................................................p.2 (Paris, Lille, Lyon, Marseille) as well as from elsewhere in Europe leroi). Mons is also accessible by train from any town or city in (Amsterdam, Aachen, Cologne, etc.) Once in Brussels, check the Belgium that has a station. Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................................................p.3 train schedules for the next available train to Mons. There are The Legend of the Angels of Mons ...............................................................................................................................................p.8 several every hour. By car Time Line ............................................................................................................................................................................................p.9 Mons is located just off the Paris-Brussels Motorway (E42) at exit 24. Point 0: The Grand-Place of Mons ........................................................................................................................................... p.10 Point 1: The Road Bridge ............................................................................................................................................................ p.10 Point 2: The Rail Bridge .................................................................................................................................................................p.11 Point 3: Commemorative Plaque .............................................................................................................................................. p.13 Point 4: Obourg Station ............................................................................................................................................................... p.14 Point 5: Mons Cemetery .............................................................................................................................................................. p.15 Point 6: Royal Irish Regiment Monument ............................................................................................................................... p.16 Map ................................................................................................................................................................................................. p.18 Point 7: Chateau Gendebien ......................................................................................................................................................p.20 Point 8: Bois-là-Haut .................................................................................................................................................................... p.21 Point 9: At La Bascule Monument .............................................................................................................................................p.22 Point 10: Saint-Symphorien Cemetery ......................................................................................................................................p.24 The Losses ........................................................................................................................................................................................p.26 Cemeteries around Mons where British Soldiers Lie ................................................................................................................p.28 Mons Memorial Museum .............................................................................................................................................................p.29 Tormented Civilians .........................................................................................................................................................................p.30 Order of the British Forces during the First Battle of Mons .......................................................................................................p.32 Brussels: 69 km Amsterdam: 275 km Charleroi: 48 km Berlin: 819 km Liège: 131 km Paris: 248 km Namur: 74 km Lille: 78 km Ghent: 119 km Maubeuge: 20 km Bruges: 132 km Valenciennes: 40 km Antwerp: 119 km Lens: 95 km Luxembourg: 231 km Reims: 205 km 2 MONS 14-18 Mons Battlefield Guide Cologne: 255 km MONS 14-18 Mons Battlefield Guide 3 many bridges and locks to defend; the enemy would perforce try INTRODUCTION to use those obvious crossing-points. In addition, the range of fire accessible to both infantry and artillery was far too limited. It was also a bad choice because the surrounding villages, both on the canal Origins of the conflict The Battle of Mons and in the rear, were mazes of small streets and lanes where it was urope began boiling in 1904, when discord first erupted difficult to manoeuvre. Again, the spot was less than ideal because between the eastern and western blocks. On one side was The battle named after Mons occurred due to a combination the countryside was dotted with numerous slag heaps. Although Ethe Triple Alliance (Germany, Italy and Austria-Hungary) and of circumstances that were totally independent of the wishes any one of them might have made a good vantage point, they on the other the Triple Entente (France, Great Britain and Russia). of the two sides. Neither side wanted to meet in the area. overlooked one another. Last but not least, it was an awful position It was about the worst battlefield imaginable. because the configuration of the salient made it virtually impossible The whole continent was a powder keg, and the inevitable finally to defend. It required the deployment of too many men in an area happened on 28th June, 1914. Archduke Franz Ferdinand of that was exposed on all sides. Austria (nephew and heir to the Emperor of Austria) and his he British did not have time wife were assassinated in Sarajevo, the capital of Bosnia. The to fortify the sector sufficiently, It bears repeating, however, that Sir John French and his gen- assassins were Bosnian Serb members of a terrorist group that Tbut that had never been their erals had not chosen the site of their defence; extraneous factors, went by the name of "The Black Hand". intention anyway. Their position was circumstances, had imposed this position upon them. only meant to be a temporary base On 28th July, 1914, Austria issued an ultimatum which was rejec- before the big thrust in the planned The Germans’ position is even plainer to see. Neither the German ted by Belgrade, upon which Austria declared war on Serbia. offensive. Regrettably, the sudden General Staff nor the commanders of armies and corps were The inexorable march of the First World War had begun. and unexpected flight of the French aware of the British presence in Belgium. They knew that an expe- prise, but Russia mobilized troops. Germany and then France followed suit. Fifth Army obliged Field Marshal ditionary force had disembarked in the