the Civic Guard, had beaten back
German patrols from the place. Had the British now landed an army
at Ostend, Von Kluck, between the Belgian and British forces, would
have been in serious danger of annihilation. With the German right
wing thus crumpled, the whole of their offensive would have broken
down. But the British did not come, and so the Belgians were left
to fight it out single handed. This fighting went on for three
weeks, with accurate details lacking. Mainly it was upon the line
Aershot-Dyle Valley-Termonde, with Antwerp for the Belgian base.

On August 24, 1914, a German Zeppelin sailed over Antwerp and dropped
a number of bombs. The Belgians thrust their right wing forward
and recaptured Alost. They advanced their center to a siege of
Cortenburg. Malines seemed secure. To the Belgians this was a historic
triumph. Famous for its manufacture of lace under the name of Mechlin,
almost every street contained some relic of architectural interest.
The Cathedral of St. Rombaut, the seat of a cardinal archbishop,
held upon its walls some of Van Dyck's masterpieces. Margaret of
Austria had held court in its Palais de Justice.

In this emergency, Von Boehn was heavily reenforced with the Third
Army Corps, reserves from the south, and 15,000 sailors and marines.
His army was now between 250,000 and 300,000 men. This placed
overwhelming odds against the Belgians. But for four days they fought
a stubborn battle at Weerde.

This was from September 13 to 16, 1914, and resulted in the capture
of the Louvain-Malines railway by the Germans. The Belgians had
now fought to the extremity of what could be expected without aid
from the Allies. The sole action left for them was to fall back for
a defense of Antwerp. Von Kluck's right wing of the whole German
offensive had completed its task on Belgian soil.

* * * * *

CHAPTER V

COMING OF THE BRITISH

We now come to the arrival of the British on the Continent. In
using the term British, it, is expressly intended to comprise the
united forces of the British Isles.

On August 3, 1914, the British Government practically gave up hope
that war with Germany could be avoided, though it would appear to
have lingered until the ultimatum to Germany to vacate Belgian
soil remained unanswered. On that day the army was mobilized at
Aldershot.

On August 5, 1914, Lord Kitchener was recalled at the outset from
a journey to Egypt, and appointed Minis