The Invasion of 1910, with a full account of the siege of LondonLe Queux, William
Science
The Invasion of 1910, with a full account of the siege of London
Le Queux, William
Great Britain -- Defenses; Imaginary wars and battles
These formed the second infantry brigade of the 1st Division, and were
commanded by Brigadier-General Sir John Money. They were several hours
getting up to London, whence from Clapham Junction their trains circled
London on to the Great Eastern system to Braintree, where the Horn Hotel
was made the headquarters. By other trains in the small hours of the
morning the last of the Guards Brigade under Colonel (temporary
Brigadier-General) Lord Wansford departed, and duly arrived at Saffron
Walden, to join their comrades on the line of defence.
The divisional troops were also on the move early on Wednesday. Six
batteries of artillery and the field company of Royal Engineers left by
road. There was a balloon section accompanying this, and searchlights,
wireless instruments, and cables for field-telegraphy were carried in
the waggons.
The 2nd Division, under Lieutenant-General Morgan, C.B., was also
active. The 3rd Infantry Brigade, commanded by Major-General Fortescue,
composed of 2nd Battalion Northamptonshire Regiment, the 2nd
Bedfordshire, the 1st Princess of Wales’ Own, and the 1st Royal Welsh
Fusiliers, were preparing, but had not yet moved. The 4th Infantry
Brigade of the same division, consisting of the 3rd and 4th Battalions
King’s Royal Rifle Corps, the 2nd Sherwood Foresters, and the 2nd South
Lancashire, with the usual smartness of those distinguished regiments,
were quick and ready, now as ever, to go to the front. They were
entrained to Baldock, slightly east of Hitchin, where they marched out
on the Icknield Way. These were followed by Fortescue’s Brigade, who
were also bound for Baldock and the neighbourhood.
The bulk of the cavalry and field artillery of both divisions, together
with the divisional troops, were compelled to set out by march-route
from Aldershot for the line of defences. The single and all-sufficient
reason of this delay in sending out the cavalry and artillery was owing
to the totally inadequate accommodation on the railways for the
transport of so many horses and guns. The troop-trains, which were, of
course, necessary to transport the infantry, were not forthcoming in
sufficient numbers, this owing to the fact that at several points the
lines to London were still interrupted.
The orders to the cavalry who went by march-route were to get up to the
line proposed to be taken up by the infantry as quickly as possible, and
to operate in front of it to the east and north-east in screening and
reconnoitring duties. The temporary deficiency of cavalry, who ought, of
course, to have been the first to arrive at the scene, was made good as
far as possible by the general employment of hordes of motor-cyclists,
who scoured the country in large armed groups in order to ascertain, if
possible, the dispositions of the enemy. This they did, and very soon
after their arrival reported the result of their investigations to the
general officers commanding the 1st and 2nd Divisions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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