Opening salvos
'The 1st Troop with Captain Hornby at their head went after them, and the rest of the squadron followed on in support, with drawn swords. Our troop officer, Lieutenant Pigeon, led the troop at a fast canter, and everyone was highly excited. As the Germans retired into the village they met up with a larger group of cavalrymen, and, owing to the congestion, were soon caught by the 1st Troop. A fight immediately broke out, swords clashing with lances. The German lances proved too unwieldy at close quarters and several of the enemy were downed. However, we arrived just after the Germans had scattered, with the main body splitting off and carrying on up the main road. We continued to give chase, our horses slipping all over the place as we clattered along the road's square-set stones.
'...the troop returned their swords, reached for their rifles and dismounted...'
'Our chase continued for perhaps a mile or more, until we found ourselves flying up a wide, rising road, tree-lined on both sides. The Germans, reaching the road's crest, turned and, though they were still mounted, began firing back down the hill. "Action front, dismount," rapped Hornby, "Get the horses under cover!" In one movement the troop returned their swords, reached for their rifles and dismounted, dashing for cover, lying flat on their stomachs behind the trees. Glancing up the hill, I saw several Germans filling the road. They made a perfect target, and Drummer Thomas, (a bandsman in the regiment) was the first into action, and shot one German from his horse.
'The Troops' rapid fire sent bullets swarming up the road, but as a designated horse holder, I did not come into action. Before dismounting, the troop had been riding in fours, and being number three, it was my job to take the reins of the two horses on my left and those of the one on my right. Spurred on by Hornby's command I made for a high redbrick garden wall that surrounded the grounds of a château and which, because it stood at right angles to the road, offered us suitable protection.
'A gate was rushed open into the neighbouring field and I, along with the other horse holders, rode through to comparative safety. It is not an easy job to bring four horses through a narrow opening; even in battle, each of us had to ensure our horses didn't catch their hips on the gate. We almost accomplished our minor feat without problems when the very last horse through got a bullet in her stomach.
'...the very last horse through got a bullet in her stomach...'
'The whole action can't have lasted much more than three minutes and as the fighting abated, the order was given to cease fire and withdraw. As the troopers ran back to collect their horses, I noticed a dark chauffeur-driven limousine pull up outside the gateway to the field and, though the fighting had scarcely stopped, out stepped a young, fair-headed woman who proceeded to walk over and speak to the dismounted Captain Hornby. It transpired that she was a nurse and she asked, in the light of what was already taking place, if she might be allowed to go on duty at Mons.
'We never knew the extent of German casualties, although as we rode back to Casteau in high spirits, a civilian ambulance passed us to render the Germans any assistance it could. As far as I am aware, we came out of the action with three prisoners, all suffering from sword wounds. We had no casualties except among the horses, which included the one with a bullet in her stomach. She managed to bring her man out, but she was finished, being pole-axed in a village nearby and handed over to a Belgian butcher.'
Published: 2002-03-26
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