British dead at Le Cateau.

The Great Retreat is the name given to the slow, fighting retreat by Allied forces to the River Marne, early in World War I, after their defeat by the Imperial German Armies at the Battle of Mons on 23 August 1914. The Allies were closely pursued by the Germans, acting under the Schlieffen Plan. On the 25th of September, 1914, the British, French & Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons & set up defensive positions in Le Cateau. ... European military alliances in 1915. ... The Marne is a river in France, a tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. ... Combatants Allies: • Serbia, • Russia, • France, • Belgium, • British Empire and Dominions, • United States, • Italy, • ...and others Central Powers: • Germany, • Austria-Hungary, • Ottoman Empire, • Bulgaria Commanders {{{commander1}}} {{{commander2}}} Strength {{{strength1}}} {{{strength2}}} Casualties 5 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) 3 million military, 3 million civilian (full list) {{{notes}}} World War I... Flag of the German Empire, 1871–1919: black-white-red Coat of arms The term German Empire commonly refers to Germany, from its foundation as a unified nation-state on January 18, 1871, until the abdication of Emperor Wilhelm II on November 9, 1918. ... Combatants Britain Germany Commanders Sir John French Alexander von Kluck Strength 4 divisions 8 divisions Casualties 1,600 5,000 (estimate) The Battle of Mons (Flemish name for Mons is Bergen) was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in World War I. Following the surrender of the... August 23 is the 235th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (236th in leap years), with 130 days remaining. ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Alfred Graf von Schlieffen The Schlieffen Plan, the German General Staffs overall strategic blueprint for victory on the Western Front against France in the years up to 1914, takes its name from its author, Alfred Graf von Schlieffen. ...

Le Cateau

The Allies retreated from Mons, past Maubeuge (which fell to the Germans on 7 September after a successful siege), to the town of Le Cateau. [[Image:Mons_Square. ... September 7 is the 250th day of the year (251st in leap years). ... The Siege of Maubeuge took place between August 24 and September 7, 1914 when the French garrison of the Maubeuge Fortress finally surrendered to the Germans at the start of World War I on the Western Front. ... On the 25th of September, 1914, the British, French & Belgians retreated from the Battle of Mons & set up defensive positions in Le Cateau. ...

On 25 September, Corps Commander Horace Smith-Dorrien ordered British II Corps to stand and fight. The Allies set up defensive positions around the town and prepared for the inevitable attack. On the morning of the 26th, the Germans launched a heavy assault on the British positions. Soon both British flanks began to break. The Allied lines were only kept together by the arrival of French cavalry. September 25 is the 268th day of the year (269th in leap years). ... General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien (May 26, 1858–August 12, 1930) was a British soldier and commander of the British II Corps of the BEF during the Great War. ... September 26 is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 96 days remaining. ...

Of the 40,000 Allied troops fighting at Le Cateau, 7,812 were killed, captured or wounded. Many British regiments had disappeared from the rolls altogether. About 2,600 men became prisoners of war, although in one lucrative German account it is suggested that 12,000 prisoners had been taken. Thirty eight Allied artillery guns were also lost. Le Cateau-Cambrésis is a commune in northern France, in the Nord département. ...

Some notable Allied losses at Le Cateau were Lt-Col Charles Brett, OC 2nd Suffolks, Lt-Col Alfred Dykes, OC 1st King's Own, and Lt-Col Edward Panter-Downes, OC 2nd Royal Irish Regiment, who were all killed in action. Although none of the men have a known grave, all are commemorated on the Memorial to the Missing at La Ferté sous Jouarre.

That night, the Allies retreated to St. Quentin. Saint-Quentin is a commune of northern France. ...

St. Quentin

On the 27th, the Germans launched an all-out attack on St. Quentin (also called the Battle of the Guise ). The Belgians counter-attacked the Germans to slow them down and give the embattled British a much needed respite. The French and Belgian reserves managed to push the German 1st Army back enough to stall its advance. Once again, the Allies managed to disengage and withdraw successfully. The stunned Germans soon recovered and changed their route to push south towards the River Marne and Paris, in close pursuit of the retreating Allies. Combatants France, Belgium Germany Commanders Charles Lanrezac Alexander von Kluck, Karl von Bulow Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown {{{notes}}} The Battle of St. ... The Marne is a river in France, a tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ...

German troops advancing near St. Quentin.

There have been a number of battles known as the Battle of St. ...

The Marne

The Allied retreat finally ended at the River Marne where they prepared to make a stand to defend Paris. This led to the First Battle of the Marne, which was fought from September 5 to 10, 1914. This battle would prove to be the major turning point of the war by denying the Germans an early victory. The Marne is a river in France, a tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. ... The Eiffel Tower has become a symbol of Paris throughout the world. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Germany Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von Bulow Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000 including; 80,000 French dead 1,701 British dead Approximately 250,000 total The First Battle of the Marne was... September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ...

Field Marshall John French, commander of the British Expeditionary Force, began to make contingency plans for a full retreat to the ports on the English Channel followed by an immediate British evacuation. The French Military Governor of Paris, General Joseph Simon Gallieni, was tasked with the defence of the city. He wanted to organise the French and British armies to counter the weight of the German advance. So, after consulting with Lord Kitchener, Gallieni managed to secure overall command of the BEF, and ordered Marshall French not to withdraw to the channel. Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... John French has been the name of two famous soldiers: Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres was the commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I, during 1914-15. ... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939 - 1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... Satellite view of the English Channel The English Channel (French: La Manche, IPA: , the sleeve), also for some time known in England as the British Sea, is the part of the Atlantic Ocean that separates the island of Great Britain from northern France, and joins the North Sea to the... Joseph Simon Gallieni (24 April 1849 - 27 May 1916) was a French military leader in the French colonies and later in World War I. He was born at Saint-Beat, in the department of Haute-Garonne. ... Lord Kitchener can refer to: Field Marshal Horatio Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener, prominent British soldier in Sudan, Boer War, and World War I Any of his heirs who have held the title Earl Kitchener Calypso music singer born Aldwyn Roberts; see: Lord Kitchener (calypsonian) This is a disambiguation page — a...

Gallieni's plan was a very simple one: All allied units would counter-attack the Germans along the Marne, hopefully halting their advance. As this was going on, allied reserves would be thrown in to restore the ranks and attack the German flanks. At Noon on September 5, the battle commenced when the French 6th Army, led by General Michel-Joseph Maunoury, accidentally stumbled into the forward guard of the German 1st Army under General Alexander von Kluck. September 5 is the 248th day of the year (249th in leap years). ... General Michel-Joseph Maunoury (1847-1923) was a commander of French forces in the early days of World War I. He was recalled from retirement at the age of 67 in August 1914 to lead the so-called Army of Lorraine. But his place in history would be made in... Alexander Heinrich Rudolph von Kluck (May 20, 1846 - October 19, 1934) was a German general during World War I. He was born in Münster, Westphalia. ...

Opening of the Western Front in France, Belgium 1914

The British would not join the battle until September 9, until von Kluck made a huge mistake in his tactics. As the French 6th Army retreated back towards the Marne that day, von Kluck ordered his forces to pursue and annihilate them. In doing so, he opened up a 50 km gap between the German 1st and 2nd Armies on his right flank. Seeing such a great opportunity the Allies; all three infantry corps and the two cavalry divisions of the BEF and the French 5th Army, quickly moved into this gap and attacked both the German Armies' exposed flanks with full force. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x900, 71 KB)Map showing the course of the Race to the Sea during 1914 following the Battle of the Aisne. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (740x900, 71 KB)Map showing the course of the Race to the Sea during 1914 following the Battle of the Aisne. ... Western Front was a term used during the First and Second World Wars to describe the contested armed frontier between lands controlled by Germany to the East and the Allies to the West. ... September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... The Marne is a river in France, a tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. ...

German Chief of the General Staff Helmuth von Moltke suffered a nervous breakdown upon hearing of the danger to his two armies. His subordinates took over both German 2nd and 1st Armies were ordered to withdraw to the Aisne River and regroup. Von Moltke is said to have reported to the Kaiser: "Your Majesty, we have lost the war." Helmuth von Moltke Chief of the General Staff Helmuth Johann Ludwig von Moltke (May 25, 1848–June 18, 1916), also known as Moltke the Younger, was a nephew of Field Marshal Count Moltke and served as the Chief of the German General Staff from 1906 to 1914. ... Aisne is a river in France, tributary of the river Oise. ... German Emperor Wilhelm II (born Friedrich Wilhelm Viktor Albrecht von Hohenzollern 27 January 1859–4 June 1941), was the last German Emperor (Kaiser) and the last King (König) of Prussia, ruling from 15 June 1888 to 9 November 1918. ...

The total British casualties amounted to 1,701 of all ranks, killed, wounded or missing between 6 September and 10 September. September 6 is the 249th day of the year (250th in leap years). ... September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ...

Some notable casualties for the British Army were Brig.-Gen. Neil Findlay, CRA 1st Division, who died as a result of wounds received on 10 September 1914 and is buried at Vailly British Cemetery and Lt-Col Guy Knight, OC 1st Loyal North Lancs. Knight died the next day and was buried at Priez Communal Cemetery. September 10 is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years). ... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

The German retreat between September 9 and September 13 signaled the abandonment of the Schlieffen Plan. In the battle's aftermath, both sides dug in for trench warfare and four years of grueling stalemate ensued. The defeat of the German Army on the River Marne was decisive. Their war plan, to quickly overcome France before turning attentions to Russia, had come to nothing despite the enormous efforts expended. It has sometimes been argued that Germany could no longer win the war after their defeat on the Marne in 1914. September 9 is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years). ... September 13 is the 256th day of the year (257th in leap years). ... Alfred Graf von Schlieffen The Schlieffen Plan, the German General Staffs overall strategic blueprint for victory on the Western Front against France in the years up to 1914, takes its name from its author, Alfred Graf von Schlieffen. ... The Marne is a river in France, a tributary of the Seine in the area east and southeast of Paris. ... Combatants France United Kingdom Germany Commanders Joseph Joffre John French Helmuth von Moltke Karl von Bulow Alexander von Kluck Strength 1,071,000 1,485,000 Casualties Approximately 263,000 including; 80,000 French dead 1,701 British dead Approximately 250,000 total The First Battle of the Marne was... 1914 (MCMXIV) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Around six hundred Paris taxicabs, mainly Renault AG, were commandeered by Gallieni and used to transport six thousand French reserve infantry troops to the battle. Alternative meaning: taxicab geometry. ... Renault S.A. is a French vehicle manufacturer producing small to upper-midsize cars, vans, buses and trucks. ...

The tables were now turned with the Allies pursuing the retreating Germans. Their next major clash was to be the First Battle of the Aisne. The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German 1st army (led by Alexander von Kluck) & 2nd army (led by Karl von Bulow) as they retreated after the First Battle of the Marne earlier in September. ...