Mons 1914: The BEF's tactical triumph

Osprey Campaign #49

by David Lomas, Ed Dovey (Illustrator)

Osprey's examination of the Battle of Mons of World War I (1914-1918). When the First World War broke out in August 1914 the Imperial German Army mistakenly assumed that the BEF – 'that contemptible little army' – would be easily defeated. They were stopped in their tracks by the numerically inferior British force, whose excellent marksmanship cost the closed packed German ranks dear. Eventually forced to fall back by overwhelming German numbers, the British carried out a masterful fighting retreat across Belgium and northern France. At Mons, nine and a half British battalions held four German divisions at bay for an entire day. This book examines not just the battle of Mons itself but also the ensuing British retreat including the actions at Le Cateau and Villers-Cotterêts.

Genres: Military History, World War I, History, Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published September 15, 1997

Reviews

[Marcus · Rating 3 out of 5]

In most respects, ‘Mons 1914’ is your usual Osprey Campaign booklet - the narrative provides essential information in well-structured format, the maps and graphics material are of excellent quality. Personally I find the author's claim for this operation to be a ‘tactical triumph’ for one of the sides a bit cheeky. I also wish for the narrative to provide a bit more space to the controversy surrounding this campaign, especially regarding very bad relations between Sir John French and general Lanzerac and the impact they had on the events that followed.

‘Monz 1914’ provides the essential facts about the campaign, but just barely. It glosses over most of the controversies surrounding this action and, at least in my opinion, puts a somewhat odd spin on the outcome of the engagement. It’s a decent starting point for a study of BEF’s experiences during the starting days of WWI, but I would suggest for the reader to find a ‘proper’ history book for a more complete and nuanced picture.

[Leon O'Flynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is such a significant period of military history. The BEF is taking on the German Army, and still are thinking it's going to be like previous wars.

[Frederick Coxen · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author didn't add anything new accept a few additional details and lots of photos - which I suppose is the reason for its inflated price. However, I did find the colorful maps extremely useful in understanding how the battle progressed.