s coming to be called the
Western Front. During the week or so that elapsed before G.H.Q. of the
Expeditionary Force proceeded to the theatre of war, its cream thought
fit to spend the hours of suspense in creeping on tiptoe in and out of
my apartment, clambering on and off a table which fronted this
portentous map, discussing strategical problems in blood-curdling
whispers, and every now and then expressing an earnest hope that this
sort of thing was not a nuisance. It was a most intolerable nuisance,
but they were persons of light and leading who could not be addressed
in appropriate terms. As hour to hour passed, and H.M. Government
could not make up its mind to give the word "go" to the Expeditionary
Force, G.H.Q.'s language grew stronger and stronger until the walls
resounded with expletives. It was not easy to concentrate one's
attention upon questions arising in the performance of novel duties in
a time of grave emergency under such conditions, and it was a genuine
relief when the party took itself off to France.

One was too busy to keep notes of what went on in those days and I am
not sure of exact dates, but I think that it was on the 6th of August
that a wire, which seemed on the face of it to be trustworthy, came to
hand from a German port, to the effect that transports and troops were
being collected there to convey a military force somewhither. This
message caused the Government considerable concern and very nearly
delayed the despatch of the Expeditionary Force across the Channel.
One was too new to the business to take the proper steps to trace the
source of that message, which, as far as I remember, purported to
emanate from one of our consuls; but I have a strong suspicion that
the message was faked--was really sent off by the Germans. Lord
Kitchener had taken up the appointment of Secretary of State that
morning, and in the afternoon he walked across Whitehall, accompanied
by my immediate chief, Sir C. Douglas the C.I.G.S., General Kiggell,
and myself, to discuss the position with Mr. Churchill and the chiefs
of the Admiralty in the First Lord's room. Whitehall was rendered
almost impassable by a mass of excited citizens, and Lord Kitchener on
being recognized was wildly cheered. Nothing could have been clearer
and more reassuring than Mr. Churchill's exposition of the naval
arrangements to meet any attempt at a landing on our shores, and any
one of the War Office quartette who may have been troubled