"'After the combats in the neighbourhood of Schoonaerde and Appels, the
Lieutenant-General in command of the 4th Army Division has begged me to
convey his warmest congratulations to all the officers, sub-officers,
brigadiers, and men of the regiment who, for several consecutive days,
carried out an extremely difficult and exposed service in the trenches.
The exceptionally firm and resolute conduct of the 1st Regiment of
Lancers has won the admiration of Lieutenant-General Michel and I
am proud and happy to transmit to all those who have merited it the
testimony of his great satisfaction. We shall none of us ever forget
those of our comrades who fell during these cruel days, nor any of
those whom we have lost since the beginning of the campaign, and our
courage and activity will be greater than ever now, in order to avenge
and honour their memory.'"
The retreat led us in the direction of the Yser, and we were frequently
in close contact with the enemy's Cavalry at Thourout, Moerbeke,
Vladsloo, and Bovekerque, and finally, after the great battle, the
Squadrons, giving up for the time their spurs, mingled during long
months with the foot-soldiers, in order to share with them in the work
of organising and defending the trenches.
The King considered that the 1st Regiment of Lancers had specially
distinguished itself at Schoonaerde, at Selzaete, and before Dixmude,
and rewarded a number of my brave officers by granting to them the
following distinctions:
Colonel A.E.M. Joostens, Major A.E.M. Lemercier, Captain Commander
Cartuyvels: Officers of the Order of Leopold.
Major A.E.M. Yperman, Captain Commander Ch. de Melotte: Knights of the
Legion of Honour.
Captain Commander de Thier, Rosseels: Knights of the Order of Leopold.
Lieutenants Pulincx, Delfosse, Deboek, Laffineur, Orban: Knights of the
Order of Leopold.
Sub-Lieutenants Dugardin, Cartuyvels de Collaert, Ch. de Melotte:
Knights of the Order of Leopold.
Drs. Brasseur, Hallez, Godenne: Knights of the Order of Leopold.
Lieutenants Moreau, de Kerchove, de Denterghem: Knights of the Order of
Leopold and a citation in the minutes of the Army.
Lieutenant Rolin: Knight of the Order of Leopold and a decoration of
the Order of St. Anne (3rd class).
Lieutenant Bertrand: Knight of the Order of the Crown.
Commander Bosquet: A citation in the minutes of the Army.
Army Doctor Evrard. A citation in the minutes of the Army.
Lieutenants Verhaegen, Roup, Fichefet, Count d'Ursel (Georges): A
citation in the minutes of the Army.
Sub-Lieutenant Baron Sloet van Oldruytenborg: A citation in the minutes
of the Army.
It would take too long to enumerate the rewards of the lower ranks and
of the cavalrymen, but I would not finish this brief account without
expressing to them my admiration and taking off my hat to all of them,
whilst repeating the words of a great chief: "I would go down on my
knees to them all."
Wulpen, October, 1915.
CHAPTER XVIII
The Termonde Bridge