When the war started the German cavalry led the fast movement of the German forces. The photo above shows German Dragoons with their shining helmets covered with cloth, they still carry lances, as did all German dragoons in the early days of the war.

Corporal Denore's gave this account of contact with the enemy in a 1930s magazine article found amongst my Grandfathers papers, we have since found the full account in a book called "True World War I Stories" edited by Jon Lewis.

Corporal Denore said "About midday we deployed and opened fire on a regiment of German cavalry. They dismounted and returned our fire, which was all 'rapid' and was telling on them.

Then suddenly they mounted and disappeared out of range. We continued to march back for about 4 hours. Then again we deployed and opened fire on more German cavalry, but this time they kept out of range. We stayed all night firing occasionally at what we hoped were German cavalry.

Again at dawn we started to march. The roads were in a terrible state and there was very little order about anything. Mixed up with us were refugees with all sorts of conveyances. The men were discarding their equipment in wholesale fashion in spite of orders to the contrary. Also many of them fell out only to rejoin again at dusk after riding on wagons".

The photo above is from my Grandfathers collection and has the following notes : - "2nd Cavalry Brigade retreating after the battle of Mons and have halted besides a French farmyard hours after the battle".