Chapter I: Preface

In the following pages an attempt is made to record, however imperfectly, some of the scenes, and the impressions formed, during those great days of 1914 when our army was fighting so stubbornly and against such odds in France and Flanders.

The notes in many instances are disconnected, but the things seen presented themselves in a disconnected way, and if they are not all beautifully dovetailed one into another, they are at least given forth somewhat in the way in which I viewed and received them myself.

During the actual progress of this war, and when the war is happily over, much literature bearing on the great struggle will be produced, but I venture to think that of the personal narrative and the personal impression one cannot have too much.

The narrative includes my experiences at Le Havre, Harfleur, and the battle of the Marne, the march to the Aisne, the wait on the Aisne, the move across France to the new lines behind La Bassée, and the final move to Flanders not far from Ypres.

ARTHUR A. MARTIN.

CONTENTS

CHAP. PAGE

I. FROM PEACE TO WAR 1

II. LE HAVRE AND HARFLEUR 15

III. FROM LE HAVRE TO THE BAY OF BISCAY 25

IV. FROM THE BAY OF BISCAY TO EAST OF PARIS 35

V. THE ADVANCE TO THE MARNE 44

VI. WHAT I SAW OF THE BATTLE OF THE MARNE 53

VII. THE NIGHT OF THE MARNE 59

VIII. FROM THE MARNE TO THE AISNE 65

IX. THE AISNE AND THE TRAGEDY OF THE SUNKEN ROAD 84

X. MISSY ON THE AISNE 90

XI. ON THE AISNE AT MONT DE SOISSONS 103

XII. FIELD AMBULANCES AND MILITARY HOSPITALS 124

XIII. GOOD-BYE TO THE AISNE 141

XIV. THE LA BASSÉE ROAD AT CHÂTEAU GORRE 164

XV. BETHUNE 171

XVI. SOME MEDICAL ODDS AND ENDS 202

XVII. WE LEAVE BETHUNE 221

XVIII. OVER THE BELGIAN FRONTIER 231

XIX. WE LEAVE BELGIUM 265

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

THE AUTHOR OUTSIDE AMBULANCE HEADQUARTERS AT OUDERDOM _Frontispiece_

FACING PAGE

A ROAD OBSTRUCTION NEAR HARFLEUR 18

HARFLEUR—OUR SLEEPING QUARTERS 18

TRANSPORT _CESTRIAN_ IN THE BAY OF BISCAY 32

THE _CESTRIAN_ AT ST. NAZAIRE 32

AMBULANCES AT THE MARNE 54

HALT AT SERCHES 84

GUN TEAMS AT THE MARNE 88

THE WAY TO THE SUNKEN ROAD 88

MONT DE SOISSONS, SHOWING THE OLD TEMPLARS’ HALL AND CHURCH 104

LOADING WOUNDED AT SOISSONS. THE FIRST MOTOR AMBULANCE ON THE AISNE 122

THE LEAN-TO AT SOISSONS. UNLOADING WOUNDED 122

CHÂTEAU OF LONGPONT 142

VILLAGE OF LONGPONT 142

ON THE ROAD TO COMPIÈGNE 148

COMPIÈGNE, SHOWING THE BROKEN BRIDGE 156

AMBULANCE CROSSING THE OISE ON A PONTOON BRIDGE 156

LOW FLAT GROUND NEAR THE CANAL, WITH A TRENCH 168

TOWARDS LA BASSÉE 168

SLIGHTLY WOUNDED AND SICK AT BETHUNE 176

ÉCOLE JULES FERRY AT BETHUNE 176

TRENCHES IN FLANDERS 198

MONSIGNOR DISTRIBUTING MEDALS TO BELGIAN SOLDIERS AT THE ROADSIDE 252

GOING TOWARDS THE TRENCHES AT YPRES 268

FRENCH SOLDIERS GOING TO THE TRENCHES 268

A SURGEON IN KHAKI.