August 24 - The Retreat from Mons

Following the action at Mons, the 5th French Army withdraws, and the BEF had little choice but to do the same. The retreat of the BEF begins II Corps at at 4am. The initial objective is the line from La Longueville to La Boiseserrette. This is the first stage in what becomes known as the "Great Retreat", which lasts nearly two weeks, and takes the Allies back to the Marne.

Edward Croft, with the RFA located at Grand-Reng, is in action half a mile south-east of Villers-Sire-Nicole, although the Brigade War Diary adds, "no engagement". At 6.30pm the Brigade marches to La Longueville.

The retreat from Mons

Namur falls to the Germans.

Allied forces abandon the line on the River Sambre.

August 23 - Mons

Mons was the first major action of the BEF in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British Army attempted to hold the line of the Mons–Condé Canal against the advancing German 1st Army. Although the British fought well and inflicted disproportionate casualties on the numerically superior Germans, they were eventually forced to retreat due both to the greater strength of the Germans and the sudden retreat of the French Fifth Army, which exposed the British right flank.

The Battle of Mons

During the battle, the first Victoria Crosses are awarded to Lieutenant Maurice Dease (the first psthumous award) and Private Sidney Godley.

Edward Croft,with the RFA, moves from Cartignies (in France) to Grand-Reng (in Belgium).

British artillery on the march

 
The Belgian town of Namur is evacuated by the Allies. French forces withdraw from Lorraine.

Japan declares war on Germany.

On the Eastern Front, the Battle of Tannenberg begins between Russia and Germany.