Experiences of a Dug-out, 1914-1918

Experiences of a Dug-out,
1914-1918, by

Charles Edward Callwell This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere
at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it,
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Title: Experiences of a Dug-out, 1914-1918
Author: Charles Edward Callwell
Release Date: June 14, 2007 [EBook #21833]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
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EXPERIENCES
OF A DUG-OUT
1914-1918

BY THE SAME AUTHOR.
THE LIFE OF LIEUTENANT-GENERAL SIR STANLEY MAUDE
K.C.B., C.M.G., D.S.O. Illustrations and Maps.
THE DARDANELLES Maps.
TIRAH 1897 Maps.
The last two of these volumes belong to Constable's "Campaigns and
their Lessons" Series, of which Major-General Sir C. E. Callwell is
Editor.

[Illustration: AT THE "CROW'S NEST" (page 273) 1. Colonel
Maslianikov 2. Major-General Callwell 3. Captain Wigram 4.
Major-General Savitzky 5. Baron Meyendorff]

EXPERIENCES
OF A DUG-OUT
1914-1918
BY MAJOR-GENERAL SIR C. E. CALLWELL, K.C.B.

WITH A FRONTISPIECE

LONDON: CONSTABLE & COMPANY LIMITED 1920

NOTE
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
Plan of issuing communiqués given up owing to the disposition to
conceal reverses that manifested itself -- Direct telephonic
communication with the battlefield in Belgium -- A strange attempt to
withhold news as to the fall of Brussels -- Anxiety during the retreat
from Mons -- The work of the Topographical Section at that time --
Arrival of refugee officers and other ranks at the War Office -- One of
the Royal Irish affords valuable information -- Candidates for the
appointment of "Intelligence Officer" -- How one dealt with
recommendations in regard to jobs -- Linguists -- The discoverer of
interpreters, fifty produced as if by magic -- The Boy Scouts in the War
Office -- An Admirable Crichton -- The scouts' effective method of
handling troublesome visitors -- Army chaplains in embryo -- A
famous cricketer doing his bit -- A beauty competition outside my door
-- The Eminent K.C. -- An impressive personality -- How he benefits
the community -- The Self-Appointed Spy-Catcher -- Gun platforms
concealed everywhere -- The hidden dangers in disused coal mines in
Kent -- Procuring officers for the New Armies -- "Bill" Elliot's
unorthodox methods -- The Military Secretary's branch meets with a
set-back -- Visits from Lord Roberts -- His suggestion as to the
commander-in-chiefship in China -- His last visit -- The Antwerp
business -- The strategical situation with regard to the Belgian field
army --