Current Information:

Age-23

34, Victor Road, Kensal Green

Wiheries Communal Cemetery, Belgium

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 24 hours and outnumbered two to one, the BEF dug in along the Mons-Conde canal. The battle commenced at 9 am and lasted all day. By nightfall the BEF had withdrawn to the Valenciennes-Maubeuge road, a position from which the Great Retreat began the next day. During this retreat, the 19th Hussars  were divided  among 5^th Division (A Squadron),  4^th Division  (B Squadron),  6^th Division  (C Squadron) and at some stage on 24th August, Frederick Williams was killed.