Experiences of a Dug-out, 1914-1918

Some passages in this Volume have already appeared in Blackwood's Magazine. The Author has to express his acknowledgements to the Editor for permission 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