Current Information:

Age-29

25, Halidon Street, Homerton

The Battle of Mons  August 23, 1914

This was the first battle fought by the British Army (BEF) in the war. Since landing in France ten days earlier the four infantry divisions and five cavalry brigades of the BEF had advanced to a position on the left flank of the French Armies only to find themselves directly in the line of the advance of the German First Army as they swept through Belgium and headed for Paris.

With orders to hold the German advance for 24hours and outnumbered two to one, the BEF dug in along the Mons-Conde canal. The battle commenced at 9am and lasted all day. By nightfall the BEF had withdrawn to a position along the Valenciennes-Maubeuge road, a position from which the Great Retreat began the next day. British casualties, killed, wounded or missing, amounted to 1600 for the battle. German casualties were higher. On the west of the line, the 1st Royal West Kent battalion of 13 Brigade, 5th Division covered the canal bridges immediately east of St. Ghislain in excellent trenches and with “A” Company pushed forward to the road junction south of Tertre. At 11.10am the Germans advanced and met considerable opposition from  this company and from artillery fire from the canal as a result of which suffered heavy casualties.  The enemy moved up machine guns and artillery but “A” Company hung on in order to cover the withdrawal of a squadron of 19th Hussars from the direction of Hautrage.  In the end the German pressure became too strong and they moved back by platoons but only half of them made it back to the canal. Covered by artillery the Germans now attacked the main positions of 1st Royal West Kent but the British infantry was very well positioned and they stopped them 300 yards away from the  canal. The battalion was still holding their position north of the Canal at dusk but at midnight withdrew 3 miles south-east to Wasmes. One of their casualties was William Wilson.