A Journal From Our Legation in BelgiumGibson, Hugh
History
A Journal From Our Legation in Belgium
Gibson, Hugh
Belgium -- History -- German occupation, 1914-1918
Everybody here is intensely curious as to what has become of the British
army; the most generally accepted story is that troops have been landed
at Calais, Dunkirk and Ostend, but although this is generally believed,
there seems to be absolutely no official confirmation of it. Everyone
seems to take it for granted that the British will turn up in good form
when the right time comes, and that when they do turn up, it will have a
good effect. If they can get to the scene of hostilities without everybody
knowing about it, it increases by just so much their chances of success
and anyone that knows anything at all is keeping mum and hoping that no
British soldier will stumble over a chair and make a noise and give away
the line of march.
Our letters from London indicate intense satisfaction with the appointment
of Kitchener and confidence that he will get a maximum of service out of
the forces at his command.
We have been looking from one moment to another for news of a big naval
engagement, but suppose the British Navy is somewhere waiting for a chance
to strike.
Colonel Fairholme, the British Military Attache, has made a number of
trips to the front and reports that the morale of the Belgian troops is
excellent, that the organisation is moving like clockwork, and, as he
expresses it, that "every man has his tail up."
This evening I went over to the British Legation to see the Colonel, and
learn whatever news he had that he could give me. There was a great
scurrying of servants and the porter was not to be found in the chancery.
The door to Grant-Watson's room was ajar, so I tapped, and, on being
bade in a gruff voice to "Come in," walked into the presence of a
British officer in field uniform, writing at Webber's desk. He was dusty
and unshaven, and had evidently come in from a long ride. I promptly
backed out with apologies and was hustled out of the place by Kidston,
who came running out from the Minister's office. I asked him if the rest
of the army was hidden about the chancery, and his only reply was to
tell me to run along and find the navy, which they themselves had not
been able to locate. They evidently have all they need to know about the
whereabouts of the army, but have succeeded in keeping it dark.
C.M. came over to the Legation this afternoon to get some books for her
mother. We fixed her up and put her in her car, when she announced that
on the way over she had been arrested and taken to the police station as
a German. People are pointing out spies on the street, and anybody that
is blond and rosy-cheeked stands a fine show of being arrested every
time he goes out. She had impressed this car with a suspected number and
paid for it by being made into a jail bird.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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