William II, German Emperor, War declared by, on Russia, 2;

conversation with, in Aug. 1911, on the German Army, 9-10;

two great opportunities misused by, 105, 107, 176;

at Courtrai during the Battle of Ypres, 257;

orders of, to Prussian Guard to break British line, 277.

Wilson, Major-General (now Sir) H. F. M., G.O.C. 4th Division, B.E.F., 7, 25, 31;

after commanding the 12th Infantry Brigade, 26;

at the First Council of War, 3;

Sub-Chief of Staff, 5, 7;

characteristics of, 107-9;

sent to Joffre, 185;

friendship of, with Foch, 197;

and official visits to him, 221, 226, 324;

Le Gheer retaken by, 233.

Wilson, Lieut.-Colonel Gordon C., O.C. Royal Horse Guards, killed in action, 272.

Wiltshire (Duke of Edinburgh's) Regiment,

1st Batt., 21, 76, 160, 284;

2nd Batt., 29.

Wing, Brigadier-General F. A. N., C.B., C.R.A. 1st Corps, killed in action, an appreciation of, 150.

Wing, Major-General, G.O.C. 3rd Division (temp.), 20.

Wireless Telegraphy, effect of, on Warfare, 12.

Woodhouse, Surgeon-General T. P., P.M.O., H.Q. Staff, B.E.F., 6.

Woolwich, Conneau, once a cadet at, 235.

Worcestershire Regiment,

2nd Batt., 19;

in the Marne Battle, 127;

at Bercelaere, 247;

at Gheluvelt, 250;

Gheluvelt taken by, with the bayonet, 253-4;

the day saved by, 255;

3rd Batt., 21, 75-6, 160, 284.

Wounded, the, arrangements for evacuating, 44, 137-8, 157.

Wulverghem, Lahore Division (part) sent to, 233;

Cavalry retirement to (Nov. 1), 258, 259, 263.

Wytschaete, 246, 297;

chance of strong attack on (Dec. 18), how unavoidably let slip, 325.

Wytschaete-Messines ridge, fighting at (Oct. 31, Nov. 1, 2), 204, 246, 256, 257-9, 262, 264, 275, 277;

Immortal stand on, of the British cavalry, 204, 238, 262;

the crisis of the third phase of the Battle of Ypres, 277.

Yalu, Battle of, 231.

Yeomanry Forces (T.), arrival in France, 294-5;

fine quality of, and high standard of efficiency, speedily employed, 295;

Essex, 294, 295;

Leicestershire, 294, 295;

Northamptonshire, 294, 295;

Northumberland (Hussars), 29, 294, 295;

North Somerset, 29, 294, 295;

Oxfordshire (Hussars), 228, 247, 295;

at the Wytschaete-Messines ridge, 238, 262, 294;

Surrey, 295;

Warwickshire (Horse Artillery), 27, 294, 295.

York and Lancaster Regiment, 2nd Batt., 27, 160.

Yorkshire (East) Regiment, 1st Batt., 28.

Yorkshire Regiment, 2nd Batt., 29.

Yorkshire (West) Regiment, 1st Batt., 28.

Ypres, 242, 243, 260;

Allied forces converging upon, 208;

French's visit to, and conference at, 232-3;

cleared of French troops, 233;

German "frightfulness," at, 248;

attempts to relieve 1st Corps at, 265;

strong French reinforcements at, 270;

Battle of,

First, 16;

value in, of British "moral," 55;

observation points used, 148-9;

casualties at, and resulting from, 151,

table of, 286;

assistance rendered during, by the Indian contingent, 16, 196;

results largely due to Pulteney's initial leading of the 3rd Corps at, 206;

importance throughout, of the capture of the Kemmel Heights (Oct. 14), 208;

experiments in new weapons after, conducted for French, 353-5;

restriction of gun-fire during, due to lack of supplies, 349;

intensity of struggle during, 356;

1st Phase, points at issue immediately before, the British Empire itself at stake, 214-16;

German tactics in, 216;

opening of, 216;

extent covered by, 218, 224;

chief danger in, 225;

Allied and opponent forces engaged in, positions, actions, and movements, 231-2;

summary of results, 233-4, 235-6;

2nd Phase (Oct. 27-31), operations and endurance during,

French's estimate of, 237;

crisis of, 238-9, 277;

Allied and enemy forces engaged, 240;

3rd Phase, 257 sqq.;

crisis of, 277;

4th and Final Phase, 277-85;

Allied dispositions during, 277 sqq.;

crisis of, 277;

part played in, by 1st Corps emphasised, 285-6;

weather during, effect on the men in the trenches, 287-8 sqq.;

Strategic alternatives and problems arising to be dealt with after, 301-18;

Territorial troops taking part in, 297;

Second (1915), 342-3;

German use of poisoned gas at, and fierce attempt to break through, 356.

Ypres Canal, the, the fighting along, 235, 246, 272-3, 279, 280.

Ypres Salient, the, the defence of, 238, 241-2;

honour to forces sharing in, 239, 280;

the great feature of the last phase of the battle, 277 sqq.;

latest and nearly successful enemy attack on, 283;

Evacuation of, by the British, 285.

Ypres-Armentières, Battle of, the more correct name for the 1st Battle of Ypres, 218.

Ypres-Menin road, British forces holding, 242;

driven back, 250.

Ypres-Messines line, question of a stand on, 252.

Ypres-Roulers line, 1st Corps' right directed on (Oct. 19), 226.

Yser Canal, British forces on, 232.

Yser, River, Belgian retreat on, 183, 192, 208, 217, 224, 262;

French forces on, 221, 224;

German menace to, 225;

heavy fighting on, 244;

German attack held, 278;

inundation, possibilities of, 242-3;

improved situation on, 336.

Zandvoorde, German counter-attack from, repulsed by the French, 322.

Zeebrugge, landing facilities at, 180-1;

evacuation of, 183;

how it might have been saved, 184;

proposed advance to, objects of, 303-4 sqq.;

French attitude to, 305, 307;

Grey's telegram on, 305 sqq.;

Kitchener's memorandum on, 308;

the objections to the plan, stated, 311-12;

and met, 312-13;

Joffre's final opinion on, 317-18;

increasing strength at and development as submarine base, as affecting Naval Co-operation, 308, 320 sqq.

Zillebeke, 250.

Zonnebeke, Cavalry Corps hard pressed at, 233;

and La Bassée, ground lost between up to Oct. 26, 233;

but no gap created, 234.

Zonnebeke Station, 242.

Zonnebeke-Langemarck-Bixschoote line reached by 1st Corps, 232.

Zonnebeke-St. Julien-Pilkem line, 3rd Cavalry Division driven back to, 227.

Zonnebeke-Westroosebeke line occupied by 3rd Cavalry Division, 220.(Back to Content)

ERRATA.

Page 20, line 7, Royal Artillery, for "XXIV. Brigade," read "XXXIV. Brigade."

Page 20, line 12, for "R.A.M.C.: 4th & 6th Field Ambulances," read "R.A.M.C.: 4th, 5th & 6th Field Ambulances."

Page 162, line 30, for "Sir Charles Haddon, Master General of the Ordnance," read "Sir Charles Hadden, President of the Ordnance Board, Woolwich Arsenal."

Footnote 1: 2nd Scots Fusiliers, unclassified, 27/10 to 4/11/14.(Back to Main Text)

Footnote 2: 1st S. Staffs, unclassified, 20/10 to 7/11.(Back to Main Text)

Footnote 3: 2nd S. Lancs, unclassified, 20/10 to 24/10.(Back to Main Text)

Footnote 4: 4th Royal Fusiliers, unclassified, 11/11/14.(Back to Main Text)

Footnote 5: 1st Scots Fusiliers, unclassified, 10 to 12/11.(Back to Main Text)

Footnote 6: The North and South Irish Horse went to France much earlier than these troops but were employed as special escort to G.H.Q.(Back to Main Text)

Footnote 7: A short speech which I made on this occasion in the House of Lords expressed my great appreciation of Lord Kitchener's capacity as a leader in the field.

I do not think Lord Kitchener was always credited by the country with the talent for command in the field which I know he really possessed, whilst, on the other hand, a rôle for which he was not well fitted was thrust upon him. As Commander-in-chief in France it would have helped him very much to have had a Secretary of State other than himself to deal with.(Back to Main Text)

Footnote 8: Round numbers are given. Expansion must be provided for at a similar rate. We need more guns and a correspondingly larger amount of ammunition.(Back to Main Text)