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
Information from the enemy’s camp--which was subsequently made
public--showed that well before daylight the advance of the VIIth German
Corps had begun from Doncaster, while along the main road through
Warmsworth and Conisborough sturdily tramped the 13th Division, all
Westphalians, formed into three infantry brigades and commanded by
Lieut.-General Doppschutz. The 14th Division, under Lieut.-General von
Kehler, moving through Balby and Wadworth, prolonged the flank to the
south. The advance of both divisions was thus steadily continued
south-westward parallel to the River Rother, which lay between
themselves and the British. It was therefore plain that the plan of the
senior officer--General Baron von Bistram, commanding the VIIth
Corps--was that the attack should be carried out mainly by that corps
itself, and that strong support should be given to it by the VIIIth
Corps, which was coming, as has already been shown, from East Retford,
and which could effectively assist either to strike the final blow
against our Army, or, keeping well to the south, could threaten
Sheffield from the direction of Staveley.
No one knew what resistance the British were prepared to offer. Full of
courage and patriotism, they were dominated by the proud traditions of
English soldiers; still, it was to be remembered that they consisted
mainly of raw levies, and that they were opposed by a force whose
training and equipment were unequalled in the world, and who outnumbered
them in proportion of about four to one.
What was to be expected? Sheffield knew this--and was breathless and
terrified.
The great thunderstorm of the night helped to swell the Rivers Don and
Rother, and as the invaders would have to cross them, doubtless under a
terrific fire, the battle must result in enormous casualties.
Early on Sunday morning it was evident that the all-important blow, so
long threatened, was about to be struck. During the night great masses
of German artillery had been pushed up to the front, and these now
occupied most of the dominating hills, commanding not only all
approaches to the British position over the River Rother, but they were
even within effective range of the key of the British position itself.
Hundreds of guns--many of them coming under the head of
siege-artillery--were concentrated a little to the east of Whiston,
whence they were able to pour in an oblique fire upon the defences. This
artillery belonged evidently to the VIIth German Corps, and had, with
great labour and difficulty, been hauled by all available horses, and
even by traction-engines, right across the country to where they were
now placed. The heaviest metal of all had been posted on Bricks Hill, an
eminence of some four hundred feet, immediately above the Rother, and
about six thousand yards from Catcliffe, already referred to as the key
of our defences.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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