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<-- EDIT BELOW THIS LINE --> August 23rd, 1914. The Battle of Mons was the first battle between German and British forces on the western front. The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) arrived in France on August 14th way behind schedule. Their Commander-in-Chief was Sir John French. He planned to meet up with French General Lanrezac's Fifth Army near Charleroi on the Sambre. Before the BEF reached Charleroi, however, they met cavalry patrols from the German First Army at Soignies on August 22nd. French made plans to attack the Germans, ignoring advice from other sources. He was unaware of the Germans' full strength and that they had won battles at Lorraine and Ardennes.

Overnight French told his five divisions to take defensive places at the Mons Canal. Both French and the German First Army's commander, General von Kluck, were surprised at meeting each other. von Kluck planned to launch an attack against the BEF on the 23rd. French commanded his two infantry corps, Smith-Dorrien and Haig, to lead groups east and west of Mons across forty kilometers. Once the battle commenced, the British realized they were outnumbered 70,000 to 160,000 to the Germans. Also, the Germans had 600 guns, while the British had only 300.

Despite that, von Kluck's army began terribly against Smith-Dorrien's army, the Britsh riflemen causing heavy losses on the advancing Germans. The British riflemen were so efficient that von Kluck assumed they were using machine guns. By mid-afternoon von Kluck's army still were struggling at the offense. However, after the first few days of battle the British had suffered around 1,600 soldiers killed or wounded.

While von Kluck had paused his attack so he could draft in reserves, French, who had heard that General Lanrezac had retreated and couldn't help out the BEF, ordered a retreat to the British's second line of defense.

von Kluck's offense started to do better in the evening, and it was then French realized how strong the Germans were. French then ordered Smith-Dorrien and Haig to retreat even farther. At first von Kluck did not send his army after them, instead deciding to address the many casualties from earlier in the day. At the end, he gave the defeated British almost 8,000 casualties at the Battle of Le Cateau, which followed directly afterward on the 26th.

http://www.firstworldwar.com/battles/mons.htm http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/battle-of-mons