World War I: The B.E.F. Makes a Stand at Mons

August 23, 1914 - The British Expeditionary Force fights the Battle of Mons - its first major engagement of World War I. Taking a position along the Mons-Condé Canal to the left of the French Fifth Army, the BEF prepared to defend the town of Mons against the advancing Germans. Early on the morning of August 23, the lead elements of the German First Army began approaching the British lines. A brief skirmish erupted in nearby village of Casteau during which the first British shots of the war were fired. Around 9:00 AM, eight German battalions attacked the 3rd Division's lines west of Mons. Professionally trained soldiers, the British opened fire with their Lee-Enfield rifles and inflicted heavy casualties on the attackers. So rapid was the British fire, that the Germans believed they were facing machine guns. As the day went on, the BEF's position began to deteriorate with the arrival of additional German forces and the collapse of the French Fifth Army on their right. By afternoon, though they were beating back the Germans, the commander of the BEF, Sir John French, ordered his men to start falling back. Fighting a classic rearguard action, several units incurred heavy losses covering the BEF's withdrawal. Though forced to retreat, French and his men bought Allied forces valuable time to regroup and establish new lines.