ther told me
that after the arduous time he had experienced when supporting the
Belgian Army, his horses stood in the most urgent need of rest, and
that, in any case, it would be impossible for him to leave his present
position for at least 24 hours. He promised, however, to do all in his
power to help me, and, as my story will presently show, he kept his
word splendidly.

I then went back to Le Cateau to pick up any messages or news from
Joffre or Lanrezac. Here I was gladdened by the sight of the
detrainment of the advanced troops of the 4th Division (General Snow).

After a brief halt at Le Cateau, I started again for my advanced
Headquarters at Bavai. The experiences of that afternoon remain
indelibly impressed on my memory. Very shortly after leaving Le Cateau
I was met by streams of Belgian refugees, flying from Mons and its
neighbourhood. They were lying about the fields in all directions,
and blocking the roads with carts and vans in which they were trying
to carry off as much of their worldly goods as possible. The whole
country-side showed those concrete evidences of disturbance and alarm
which brought home to all our minds what this retreat meant and all
that it might come to mean.

After much delay from these causes I reached Bavai about 2.30 p.m.,
and it was with great difficulty that my motor could wind its way
through the mass of carts, horses, fugitives and military baggage
trains which literally covered almost every yard of space in the small
town. The temporary advanced Headquarters were established in the
market place, the appearance of which defies description. The babel of
voices, the crying of women and children, mingled with the roar of the
guns and the not far distant crack of rifles and machine guns, made a
deafening noise, amidst which it was most difficult to keep a clear
eye and tight grip on the rapidly changing course of events.

In a close room on the upper floor of the Mairie I found Murray, my
Chief of Staff, working hard, minus belt, coat and collar. The heat
was intense. The room was filled with Staff Officers bringing reports
or awaiting instructions. Some of the Headquarters Staff had not
closed their eyes for 48 hours, and were stretched out on forms or
huddled up in corners, wrapped in that deep slumber which only comes
to brains which, for the time being, are completely worn out.

If some of the armchair critics who so glibly talk of the easy time
which Staff Officers, compa