BRITISH ABANDON COLCHESTER.
On Tuesday, 10th September, the "Daily News" published the following
telegram from its war correspondent, Mr. Edgar Hamilton:
"CHELMSFORD, _Monday, Sept._ 9.
"I sit down, after a sleepless night, to indite the account of our
latest move. We hear that Sheffield has fallen, and our troops are in
flight. As, by the time this appears in print, the enemy will of
necessity be aware of our abandonment of Colchester, the censor will
not, I imagine, prevent the despatch of my letter.
"For our move has been made one of a retrograde nature, and I do not
doubt that the cavalry of the German IXth Corps are close behind us and
in touch with our own. But I must not, in using the word 'retrograde,'
be supposed to criticise in any way the strategy of our generals. For
every one here is, I am sure, fully persuaded of the wisdom of the step.
Colchester, with its plucky little garrison, was altogether too much 'in
the air,' and stood a great risk of being isolated by a converging
advance of the IXth and Xth Corps of the German invaders, to say nothing
of the XIIth (Saxon) Corps at Maldon, which since the unfortunate battle
of Purleigh has shown itself very active to the north and east.
"The Saxons have refrained from attacking our Vth Corps since its
repulse, and it has been left almost in peace to entrench its position
from Danbury to the southward; but, on the other hand, while not
neglecting to further strengthen their already formidable defences
between the Blackwater and the Crouch, their cavalry have scoured the
country up to the very gates of Colchester. Yesterday morning the 16th
Lancers and the 17th Hussars--who had fallen back from Norwich--together
with some of the local Yeomanry, moved out by the Tolleshunt d'Arcy and
Great Totham roads, and drove in their patrols with some loss. At
Tiptree Heath there was a sharp cavalry engagement between our red
Lancers and several squadrons of a sky-blue hussar regiment. Our people
routed them, but in the pursuit that followed would have fared badly, as
they fell in with the four remaining squadrons supported by another
complete regiment, had it not been for the opportune arrival of the
Household Cavalry Brigade, which had moved north-east from Danbury to
co-operate. This completely changed the aspect of affairs. The Germans
were soundly beaten, with the loss of a large number of prisoners, and
galloped back to Maldon in confusion. In the meantime, the 2nd King's
Own Royal Lancaster Regiment and the 5th Battery R.F. Artillery had been
sent down to Witham by train, whence they marched up to the high ground
near Wickham Bishops. They and the Yeomanry were left there in a
position to cover the main London Road and the Great Eastern Railway,
and at the same time threaten any movement of the enemy by the Great
Totham Road. When the news of our success reached Colchester, soon after
midday, we were all very jubilant. In fact, I fear that a great many
people spent the afternoon in a species of fool's paradise. And when
towards the evening the announcement of our splendid victory at Royston
was posted up on the red walls of the fine town hall, and outside the
Cups, there was an incipient outbreak of that un-English excitement
known as 'Mafficking.'
"But this exultation was fated to be but short-lived, even though the
Mayor appeared on the balcony of the Town Hall and addressed the crowd,
while the latest news was posted outside the offices of the 'Essex
Telegraph,' opposite the post office. The wind was in the north, and
about 5.45 in the afternoon the sound of a heavy explosion was heard
from the direction of Manningtree. I was in the Cups Hotel at the time
arranging for an early dinner, and ran out into the street. As I emerged
from the archway of the hotel I distinctly heard a second detonation
from the same direction. A sudden silence, ominous and unnatural, seemed
to fall on the yelping jingoes in the street, in the midst of which the
rumble of yet another explosion rolled down on the wind, this time from
a more westerly direction. Men asked their neighbours breathlessly as to
what all this portended. I myself knew no more than the most ignorant of
the crowd, till in an officer who rushed hastily by me in Head Street,
on his way into the hotel, I recognised my friend Captain Burton, of the
Artillery.
"I buttonholed him at once.
"'Do I know what those explosions were?' repeated he in answer to my
inquiry. 'Well, I don't know, but I'm open to bet you five to one that
it's the sappers blowing up the bridges over the Stour at Manningtree
and Stratford St. Mary.'
"'Then the Germans will have arrived there?' I queried.
"'Most probably. And look here,' he continued, taking me aside by the
arm, and lowering his voice, 'you take my tip. We shall be out of this
to-night. So you'd best pack up your traps and get into marching order.'
"'Do you know this?' said I.
"'Not officially, or I shouldn't tell you anything about it. But I can
put two and two together. We all knew that the General wouldn't be fool
enough to try and defend an open town of this size with such a small
garrison against a whole army corps, or perhaps more. It would serve no
good purpose, and expose the place to destruction and bring all sorts of
disaster on the civil population. You could have seen that for yourself,
for no attempt whatever has been made to erect defences of any kind,
neither have we received any reinforcements at all. If they had meant to
defend it they could certainly have contrived to send us some Volunteers
and guns at any rate. No, the few troops we have here have done their
best in assisting the Danbury Force against the Saxons, and are much too
valuable to be left here to be cut off without being able to do much to
check the advance of the enemy. If we had been going to try anything of
that kind, we should have now been holding the line of the river Stour;
but I know we have only small detachments at the various bridges,
sufficient only to drive off the enemy's cavalry patrols. By now, having
blown up the bridges, I expect they are falling back as fast as they can
get. Besides, look here,' he added, 'what do you think that battalion
was sent to Wickham Bishops for this morning?'
"I told him my theories as set forth above.
"'Oh, yes, that's all right,' he answered. 'But you may bet your boots
that there's more in it than that. In my opinion, the General has had
orders to clear out as soon as the enemy are preparing to cross the
Stour, and the Lancasters are planted there to protect our left flank
from an attack from Maldon while we are retreating on Chelmsford.'
"'But we might fall back on Braintree?' I hazarded.
"'Don't you believe it. We're not wanted there--at least, I mean, not
so much as elsewhere. Where we shall come in is to help to fill the gap
between Braintree and Danbury. I think, myself, we might just as well
have done it before. We have been sending back stores by rail for the
last two days. Well, good-bye,' he said, holding out his hand. 'Keep all
this to yourself, and mark my words, we'll be off at dusk.'
"Away he went, and convinced that his prognostications were correct--as,
indeed, in the main they proved--I hastened to eat my dinner, pay my
bill, and get my portmanteau packed and stowed away in my motor. As soon
as the evening began to close in I started and made for the barracks,
going easy. The streets were still full of people, but they were very
quiet, and mostly talking together in scattered groups. A shadow seemed
to have fallen on the jubilant crowd of the afternoon, though, as far as
I could ascertain, there were no definite rumours of the departure of
the troops and the close advent of the enemy.
"When I arrived at the barracks, I saw at once that there was something
in the wind, and pulled up alongside the barrack railings, determined to
watch the progress of events. I had not long to wait. In about ten
minutes a bugle sounded, and the scattered assemblage of men on the
barrack-square closed together and solidified into a series of quarter
columns. At the same time the Volunteer battalion moved across from the
other side of the road and joined the Regular troops. I heard a sharp
clatter and jingling behind me, and, looking round, saw the General and
his staff with a squad of cavalry canter up the road. They turned into
the barrack gate, greeted by a sharp word of command and the rattle of
arms from the assembled battalions. As far as I could make out, the
General made them some kind of address, after which I heard another word
of command, upon which the regiment nearest to the gate formed fours and
marched out.
"It was the 2nd Dorsetshire. I watched anxiously to see which way they
turned. As I more than expected, they turned in the direction of the
London Road. My friend had been right so far, but till the troops
arrived at Mark's Tey, where the road forked, I could not be certain
whether they were going towards Braintree or Chelmsford. The Volunteers
followed; then the Leicestershires, then a long train of artillery,
field batteries, big 4.7 guns, and howitzers. The King's Own Scottish
Borderers formed the rearguard. With them marched the General and his
staff; I saw no cavalry. I discovered afterwards that the General,
foreseeing that a retirement was imminent, had ordered the 16th Lancers
and the 7th Hussars, after their successful morning performance, to
remain till further orders at Kelvedon and Tiptree respectively, so that
their horses were resting during the afternoon.
"During the night march the former came back and formed a screen behind
the retiring column, while the latter were in a position to observe and
check any movement northwards that might be made by the Saxons, at the
same time protecting its flank and rear from a possible advance by the
cavalry of Von Kronhelm's Army, should they succeed in crossing the
river Stour soon enough to be able to press after us in pursuit by
either of the two eastern roads leading from Colchester to Maldon. After
the last of the departing soldiers had tramped away into the gathering
darkness through the mud, which after yesterday's downpour still lay
thick upon the roads, I bethought me that I might as well run down to
the railway station to see if anything was going on there. I was just in
time.
"The electric light disclosed a bustling scene as the last of the
ammunition and a certain proportion of stores were being hurried into a
long train that stood with steam up ready to be off. The police allowed
none of the general public to enter the station, but my correspondent's
pass obtained me admission to the departure platform. There I saw
several detachments of the Royal Engineers, the Mounted Infantry--minus
their horses, which had been already sent on--and some of the
Leicestershire Regiment. Many of the men had their arms, legs, or heads
bandaged, and bore evident traces of having been in action. I got into
conversation with a colour-sergeant of the Engineers, and learned these
were the detachments who had been stationed at the bridges over the
Stour. It appears there was some sharp skirmishing with the German
advance troops before the officers in command had decided that they were
in sufficient force to justify them in blowing up the bridges. In fact,
at the one at which my informant was stationed, and that the most
important one of all, over which the main road from Ipswich passed at
Stratford St. Mary, the officer in charge delayed just too long, so
that a party of the enemy's cavalry actually secured the bridge, and
succeeded in cutting the wires leading to the charges which had been
placed in readiness to blow it up. Luckily, the various detachments
present rose like one man to the occasion, and, despite a heavy fire,
hurled themselves upon the intruders with the bayonet with such
determination and impetus, that the bridge was swept clear in a moment.
The wires were reconnected, and the bridge cleared of our men just as
the Germans, reinforced by several of their supporting squadrons, who
had come up at a gallop, dashed upon it in pursuit. The firing key was
pressed at this critical moment, and, with a stunning report, a whole
troop was blown into the air, the remaining horses, mad with fright,
stampeding despite all that their riders could do. The road was cut, and
the German advance temporarily checked, while the British detachment
made off as fast as it could for Colchester.
"I asked the sergeant how long he thought it would be before the Germans
succeeded in crossing it. 'Bless you, sir, I expect they're over by
now,' he answered. 'They would be sure to have their bridging companies
somewhere close up, and it would not take them more than an hour or two
to throw a bridge over that place.' The bridges at Boxted Mill and
Nayland had been destroyed previously.
"The railway bridge and the other one at Manningtree were blown up
before the Germans could get a footing, and their defenders had come in
by rail. But my conversation was cut short, the whistle sounded, the men
were hustled on board the train, and it moved slowly out of the station.
As for me, I hurried out to my car, and, putting on speed, was soon
clear of the town, and spinning along for Mark's Tey. It is about five
miles, and shortly before I got there I overtook the marching column.
The men were halted, and in the act of putting on their greatcoats. I
was stopped here by the rearguard, who took charge of me, and would not
let me proceed until permission was obtained from the General.
"Eventually this officer ordered me to be brought to him, I presented my
pass; but he said, 'I am afraid that I shall have to ask you either to
turn back or to slow down and keep pace with us. In fact, you had
better do the latter. I might, indeed, have to exercise my powers and
impress your motor, should the exigencies of the Service require it.' I
saw that it was best to make virtue of necessity, and replied that it
was very much at his service, and that I was very well content to
accompany the column. In point of fact, the latter was strictly true,
for I wanted to see what was to be seen, and there were no points about
going along with no definite idea of where I wanted to get to, with a
possible chance of falling into the hands of the Saxons into the
bargain. So a Staff officer, who was suffering from a slight wound, was
placed alongside me, and the column, having muffled itself in its
greatcoats, once more began to plug along through the thickening mire.
My position was just in front of the guns, which kept up a monotonous
rumble behind me. My companion was talkative, and afforded me a good
deal of incidental and welcome information. Thus, just after we started,
and were turning to the left at Mark's Tey, a bright glare followed by a
loudish report came from the right of the road. 'What's that?' I
naturally ejaculated. 'Oh, that will be the sappers destroying the
junction with the Sudbury line,' he replied. 'There's the train waiting
for them just beyond.'
"So it was. The train that I had seen leaving had evidently stopped
after passing the junction, while the line was broken behind it. 'They
will do the same after passing the cross line at Witham,' volunteered
he.
"A mile or two further on we passed between two lines of horsemen, their
faces set northwards and muffled to the eyes in their long cloaks.
'That's some of the 16th,' he said, 'going to cover our rear.'
"So we moved on all night through the darkness and rain, and with the
first glimmer of dawn halted at Witham. We had about nine miles still to
go to reach Chelmsford, which I learned was our immediate destination,
and it was decided to rest here for an hour, while the men made the best
breakfast they could from the contents of their haversacks. But the
villagers brought out hot tea and coffee, and did the best they could
for us, so we did not fare so badly after all. As for me, I got
permission to go on, taking with me my friend the Staff officer, who had
despatches to forward from Chelmsford. I pushed on at full speed. We
were there in a very short space of time, and during the morning I
learned that the Braintree Army was falling back on Dunmow, and that the
Colchester garrison was to assist in holding the line of the river
Chelmer."
NOTICE.
CONCERNING WOUNDED BRITISH SOLDIERS.
In compliance with an order of the Commander-in-Chief
of the German Imperial Army, the Governor-General
of East Anglia decrees as follows:--
(1) Every inhabitant of the counties of Norfolk,
Suffolk, Essex, Cambridge, Lincolnshire, Yorkshire,
Nottingham, Derby, Leicester, Northampton, Rutland,
Huntingdon, and Hertford, who gives asylum to or
lodges one or more ill or wounded British soldier, is
obliged to make a declaration to the mayor of the town
or to the local police within 24 hours, stating name,
grade, place of birth, and nature of illness or injury.
Every change of domicile of the wounded is also to
be notified within 24 hours.
In absence of masters, servants are ordered to make
the necessary declarations.
The same order applies to the directors of hospitals,
surgeries, or ambulance stations, who receive the
British wounded within our jurisdiction.
(2) All mayors are ordered to prepare lists of the
British wounded, showing the number, with their
names, grade, and place of birth in each district.
(3) The mayor, or the superintendent of police, must
send on the 1st and 15th of each month a copy of
his lists to the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief.
The first list must be sent on the 15th September.
(4) Any person failing to comply with this order
will, in addition to being placed under arrest for
harbouring British troops, be fined a sum not exceeding
L20.
(5) This decree is to be published in all towns and
villages in the Province of East Anglia.
=Count VON SCHONBURG-WALDENBURG,
Lieutenant-General,
Governor of German East Anglia.=
IPSWICH, _September_ 6, 1910.
[Illustration: COPY OF ONE OF THE ENEMY'S PROCLAMATIONS.]