Experiences of a Dug-out, 1914-1918 | Page 2

The project of our Government -- The despatch of the Seventh

Division and the Third Cavalry Division to Belgian Flanders --
Organization of base and line of communications overlooked -- A
couple of transports "on their own" come to a halt on the Goodwins --
Difficulty of the strategical situation -- Death of Sir C. Douglas.
CHAPTER III
LORD KITCHENER'S START................................... 42
A first meeting with Lord Kitchener -- Sent up to see him in Pretoria by
his brother under unpromising conditions -- The interview -- The
Chief's pleasant reception -- A story of Lord K. from the Sudan -- An
unpleasant interview with him in August 1914 -- Rare meetings with
him during the first two or three months -- His ignorance of War Office
organization -- His lack of acquaintance with many matters in
connection with the existing organization of the army -- His
indisposition to listen to advice on such subjects -- Lord K. shy of
strangers -- His treatment of the Territorial Forces -- Their weak point
at the outset of hostilities, not having the necessary strength to mobilize
at war establishment -- Effect of this on the general plans -- The way
the Territorials dwindled after taking the field -- Lord K. inclined at
first to pile up divisions without providing them with the requisite
reservoirs of reserves -- His feat in organizing five regular divisions in
addition to those in the Expeditionary Force -- His immediate
recognition of the magnitude of the contest -- He makes things hum in
the War Office -- His differences of opinion with G.H.Q. -- The
inability of G.H.Q. to realize that a vast expansion of the military
forces was the matter of primary importance -- Lord K.'s relations with
Sir J. French -- The despatch of Sir H. Smith-Dorrien to command the
Second Corps -- Sir J. French not well treated at the time of the
Antwerp affair -- The relegation of the General Staff at the War Office
to the background in the early days -- Question whether this was
entirely due to its having suffered in efficiency by the withdrawals
which took place on mobilization -- The General Staff only eliminated
in respect to operations.
CHAPTER IV

LORD KITCHENER'S LATER RECORD............................ 60
The munitions question and the Dardanelles to be dealt with later --
The Alexandretta project of the winter of 1914-15 -- Such an operation
presented little difficulty then -- H.M.S. Doris' doings -- The scheme
abandoned -- I am sent to Paris about the Italian conventions just after
the Dardanelles landings -- Concern at the situation after the troops had
got ashore at Helles and Anzac -- A talk with Lord K. and Sir E. Grey
-- Its consequences -- Lord K. seemed to have lost some of his
confidence in his own judgement with regard to operations questions --
The question of the withdrawal of the Queen Elizabeth from the
Aegean -- The discussion about it at the Admiralty -- Lord K.'s inability
to take some of his colleagues at their own valuation -- Does not know
some of their names -- Another officer of distinction gets them mixed
up in his mind -- Lord K.'s disappointment at the early failures of the
New Army divisions -- His impatience when he wanted anything in a
hurry -- My own experiences -- Typists' idiosyncrasies aggravate the
trouble -- Lord K. in an unreasonable mood -- His knowledge of French
-- His skilful handling of a Portuguese mission -- His readiness to see
foreign officers when asked to do so -- How he handled them -- The
Serbian Military Attaché asks for approval of an attack by his country
upon Bulgaria at the time of Bulgarian mobilization -- A dramatic
interview with Lord K. -- Confidence placed in him with regard to
munitions by the Russians -- His speeches in the House of Lords -- The
heat of his room -- His preoccupation about the safety of Egypt -- He
disapproves of the General Staff plan with regard to its defence -- His
attitude with regard to national service -- His difficulties in this matter
-- His anxiety to have a reserve in hand for delivering the decisive blow
in the war -- My last meeting with him -- His pleasure in going to
Russia -- His failure to accomplish his mission, a great disaster to the
Entente cause -- A final word about him -- He did more than any man
on the side of the Allies to win the war -- Fitz.
CHAPTER V
THE DARDANELLES.......................................... 86

The Tabah incident -- The Dardanelles memorandum of 1906 -- Special
steps taken with regard to it by Sir H. Campbell-Bannerman -- Mr.
Churchill first raises the question -- My conference with him in
October 1914 -- The naval