ermission to reproduce them.

Had Lord Fisher's death occurred before the proofs were finally passed
for press, certain references to that great servant of the State would
have been somewhat modified.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I Page

THE OUTBREAK OF WAR....................................... 1

Unfair disparagement of the War Office during the war --
Difficulties under which it suffered owing to pre-war misconduct
of the Government -- The army prepared, the Government and the
country unprepared -- My visit to German districts on the Belgian
and Luxemburg frontiers in June 1914 -- The German railway
preparations -- The plan of the Great General Staff indicated by
these -- The Aldershot Command at exercise -- I am summoned to
London by General H. Wilson -- Informed of contemplated
appointment to be D.M.O. -- The unsatisfactory organization of
the Military Operations Directorate -- An illustration of this
from pre-war days -- G.H.Q. rather a nuisance till they proceeded
to France -- The scare about a hostile maritime descent --
Conference at the Admiralty -- The depletion of my Directorate to
build up G.H.Q. -- Inconvenience of this in the case of the
section dealing with special Intelligence services -- An example
of the trouble that arose at the very start -- This points to a
misunderstanding of the relative importance of the War Office and
of G.H.Q. -- Sir J. French's responsibility for this, Sir C.
Douglas not really responsible -- Colonel Dallas enumerates the
great numerical resources of Germany -- Lord Kitchener's
immediate recognition of the realities of the situation -- Sir J.
French's suggestion that Lord Kitchener should be
commander-in-chief of the Expeditionary Force indicated
misconception of the position of affairs.

CHAPTER II

EARLY DAYS AT THE WAR OFFICE............................. 18

Plan of issuing _communiques_ given up owing to the disposition
to conceal reverses that manifested itself -- Direct telephonic
communication with the battlefield in Belgium -- A strange
attempt to withhold news as to the fall of Brussels -- Anxiety
during the retreat from Mons -- The work of the Topographical
Section at that time -- Arrival of refugee officers and other
ranks at the War Office --