Early on the 3rd September there was a conference of the First Army at Hinges Château; it was the first Headquarters I had been in when I took over our front in October 1914, and I found myself back in the old familiar room and seated at the same spot where we had begun our great adventure. How much had passed since those early days; how few of my old comrades of the Staff, or indeed of any kind, still remained with us! My thoughts could interest nobody but myself, but to me as I look back they were the last I should ever reflect, as a fighting soldier; for within an hour I was no longer Commander of the Indian Corps. Discipline is the marrow of an army; silence, when it is imperative that one should uphold the authority which the King has placed over us, is sometimes hard to endure. An hour later, on my way back to my Headquarters, I told my Staff officer that I had seen the Army Commander and my end had come. He was not surprised; who that was present could be? Only twenty days previously I had had the honour of receiving the G.C.M.G. at the hands of His Majesty, and had been summoned afterwards to his presence, as I have already told, when he graciously congratulated me and praised the work of the Indian Corps, and within three weeks I was forced to leave the Corps in which I had served with a loyalty that no man could exceed. _Nemo repente fit turpissimus._ I had gone to the Conference in high spirits; I was leaving it, little caring whither I went. I should have to depart before even I could shake the hand of many brave Indians, officers and men, my lifelong friends. I felt I must perforce go without saying a word, lest any spark of ill-feeling should be revealed. The enemy was before us; individuals had to go under, rightly or wrongly, but, above all, no Indian soldier should know from me that his commander was leaving for such a reason. They would, of course, not understand it, and so I knew the bitter pill must be swallowed. I had long foreseen what must come; that it came with a greater suddenness than even I had imagined possible is another story. In my Diary under 5th September I find: This day last year I was appointed to command the Indian Corps and the self-same day a year later I got my orders to go. The only order in fact I have received is, that I may proceed on leave, and that was given me verbally by the Military Secretary. It is war time and so I must hold my peace for the foe is at the gates, but if this is justice then chivalry has indeed departed. From that day to this I have never received any orders. ARGUMENTUM BACULINUM. Even the India Office was not informed, and my own intimation some days later, that I had left, was the first they heard of the fact. Would this have been possible in any other Army Corps? Lord Kitchener saw me on 16th September, or ten days after my return, and informed me that he had heard verbally, but had no official report and had telegraphed for it.