The Famous Dispatches of the British Commander in Chief to Lord
Kitchener, Secretary of State for War.




I.

*First Report from the Front*


7th September, 1914.

My lord: I have the honor to report the proceedings of the field force
under my command up to the time of rendering this dispatch.

1. The transport of the troops from England both by sea and by rail was
effected in the best order and without a check. Each unit arrived at its
destination in this country well within the scheduled time.

The concentration was practically complete on the evening of Friday, the
21st ultimo, and I was able to make dispositions to move the force
during Saturday, the 22d, to positions I considered most favorable from
which to commence operations which the French Commander in Chief, Gen.
Joffre, requested me to undertake in pursuance of his plans in
prosecution of the campaign.

The line taken up extended along the line of the canal from Condé on the
west, through Mons and Binche on the east. This line was taken up as