In the early hours of 24^th August the men entrained for 24 hours for a journey to Le Cateau arriving at 4am the following day. It was during this journey that the Battalion suffered its first casualty. An officer’s horse became alarmed during the train journey and kicked a groom from the carriage. He was killed outright. On de-training, a hurried breakfast was taken before a march to Solesmes in the NorthWest to cover the retreat from Mons. The men were very tired after their journey, the heat of the train and the 6-mile march.

On 25^th August, the Battalion was dug in to the south of Solesmes (Bellvue Farm). Heavy firing could be heard in the distance. In the afternoon, the Battalion was moved to Briastre and remained there until darkness fell. There had been heavy rain and storms during the day.

At 10.30pm the Battalion marched off to Beauvois-Fonteine au Pierre through almost knee deep mud. At 2am, the men reached their destination drenched and exhausted. They lay in the twisted streets for a short rest and to eat some biscuits.

The men took their place roughly facing northwest towards Catteniers, astride a light railway. The men had to work hard to dig in using trenching tools to throw up cover when they were attacked by machine gun and artillery fire. There were small skirmishes and firefights all over the Le Cateau battlefield.

The right flank was exposed by a German lodgment at Caudry and, at about 3am, the men of the Hants’ and the East Lancs’ were ordered to retire across a ravine to reform in front of the village of Ligny. As the men retired, it seemed as though the whole of the German army was firing on them with every gun it had. Quite some casualties were sustained. However, when the Germans tried to advance on Ligny they were repulsed by determined fire from the British. At about 5pm, the Battalion moved from Ligny to Caullery and from there to Clery. The men tramped until midnight when a halt was called at Serain.

There, the men received a brief but well-earned rest taking soup with bread, or tea. The retreat had been unmolested by the Germans who did not occupy Ligny until the next day. Since arriving in France on 22^nd August and halting at Serain 5 days later, the Hants’ had lost 48 men killed, 120 wounded. A baptism of fire indeed.

On 27^th August, before dawn, the men stumbled southwards again through Beaurevoir to Nauroy. There they halted at 7am and a small breakfast was consumed. At about 9.30am, it was reported that German Cavalry was approaching the town. The men were ordered to retreat but came under heavy fire. In moving across the country to avoid artillery, the men became separated and formed three distinct groups. These groups ended up in Le Verquier, Tertry and Vermand but were reunited in Ham on 28^th August.

After covering 15 miles on indifferent roads and in great summer heat, the men halted at Freniches 6 miles short of Noyon. The R.A.M.C had arrived earlier and a hot meal had been prepared. This was the first night of rest the men had had since their arrival in France. This brief respite was broken by the order to march. Little progress was made as the roads were blocked. The men eventually bivvy’d at Les Cloyes. The retreat resumed at 6am on 30^th August crossing the R.Aisne, reaching Pierrefronds that evening. The next day the men moved westwards through the forest of Compeign halting at its southwest corner. From there, the men could cover St Sauveur and Verberie. There were a few minor brushes between picquets and German Cavalry.

On 1^st September 1914 orders were given to move around the area of Baron, 10 miles to the south of Verberie. At 6am, the men were attacked by units of Cavalry resulting in some fierce fighting. At one stage, the fighting was hand to hand in a turnip field. The enemy came off 2^nd best and appeared not to want to pursuit the matter. That evening, the men camped at Rosiers and had a really good meal. There had been 6 casualties that day.

There then followed marching without any fighting at all. However, there was unbearable summer heat. A halt was called at Dammartin and 52 replacements were received. Now, instead of retreating, the men were advancing. The men had marched for 2 weeks covering 200 miles. They were often short of food and always short of sleep. The action of the men in that short time showed that there was a great deal of spirit in the ranks and it was testimony to their fitness and discipline. It must have been very difficult for them to understand why they were retreating from the enemy upon whom they had inflicted serious casualties. The retreat had tested the resolve of the men more than the fighting itself.

7^th September found the men at Les Corbieres, bivvy’d on high ground overlooking LaFerte. It had been a fairly tiring day without firing even a shot. There was little action other than the occasional sniper fire and covering the advance of other units. During these advances, the men saw evidence of the carnage of war. Bodies of men and horses, flayed to death my machine gun fire were there for all to see.

12^th September brought the BEF into contact with the enemy again. The Hants’ was used to test a bridge over the Aisne at Vesle. At 10pm after 3 hours in billets at Septmonts the men set out to look for the bridge. They found that, although the girders had been cut through, it was fairly firm. At midnight the Hants’ led the rest of the brigade across the bridge. It was tedious work and risky too. By 3am, the whole of the brigade was over the bridge and advanced on to higher ground at Bucy le Long just as daylight was breaking. German outposts were surprised and beat a hasty retreat.

Over the next three weeks, there was little action other than an occasional halfhearted advance on British positions. There was also the usual sniper fire. The men were busy digging in and improving positions.

The German effort at a knock out blow on the western front had been thwarted. Each side prolonged its outer flank, continually trying to outflank the other. The enemy hoped to seize the ports cutting off the British supply lines. This created a line northwards over the R.Oise and R.Somme into Flanders. Before the end of September it had been decided to move the British into Flanders replacing them with French troops on the line.

The move began on 1^st October 1914. The men of the Hants’ were moved on 4^th October after dark. The men left Bucy le Long and crossed the Aisne at Venizel and bivv’d at Ville Montoire. Starting off again at 1am the following day the men reached Billy sur Ourcq before dawn. 5 marches, mainly by night, took the Hants’ westwards to the railway line at Estree St Denis. The men entrained early on 11^th October and reached Wizernes by way of Montdidier and Amiens. The men were de-trained and marched 2 miles to barracks at Oiselle. 3 weeks in trenches had not been good practice for marching and it was difficult to keep the men fit. The marches had left the men in poor condition and many were left with feet in bandages.

On 12^th October the men were bussed to Hondeghem taking 5 hours due to stops and poor navigation! The BEF had engaged the enemy at Meteren and held fast. The Hants’ had been ordered up to assist but was not engaged.

The men found themselves at Balleul on October 14^th as advance guard to the division. The only opposition came from some cavalry and cyclists! However, they were easily pushed back. The locals were so overjoyed at seeing the British troops that they supplied the men with fresh fruit, eggs and even hot coffee.

Much of the following day was spent on outpost south of Balleul. At dark, orders were given to push on to the R.Lys and take Nieppe. The Hants’ took the bridge and established itself with the loss of 12 men, killed by machine gun fire. October 16^th found the men at Pont Nieppe and by evening were billeted at Erquingham.

From 17^th – 19^th October, the men were engaged on spy hunting and caught several German soldiers in plain clothes.

On 20^th October, the German army pushed onto the offensive. Three companies from the Hants were sent to Armentieres in support. They were shelled and lost a Major along with several other ranks.

October 21^st was spent in reserve until 10am, when the Battalion was sent to Ploegsteert (Plug Street) to support the left side of the Division.

On October 22^nd, the men relieved the Kings Own at Le Touquet crossroads. They came under heavy fire and were attacked. The Germans were repulsed however. The Hants’ was dug in 700 yards from the enemy, the foreground was littered with German dead. By that evening, the men were billeted at a chateau near Plug Street. 4 days were spent digging the line.

On 28^th October the Hants’ relieved the Somerset Light Infantry east of Plug Street. The firing line was 200 yards long, the enemy was 1200 yards away. At 6pm on 29^th an enemy attack formed at Le Gheer but was repelled.

On 30^th October, the men were treated to their worst bombardment yet. The trenches and garrison suffered badly and the enemy made several determined advances. One isolated trench was taken and several lives lost, as well as prisoners taken. The trench was later retaken. Later, much of the line was re-dug only to be damaged again in another bombardment. Another German attack reached the barbed wire but it was repelled.

The 1^st and 2^nd November 1914 saw the men heavily shelled again. This shelling was accompanied by several infantry attacks. At one stage the enemy broke into a trench and attempted to roll up the line, but they were driven back. By this stage, the men were weary and needed constant vigilance.

On 3^rd November, the Hants’ bivvy’d at Plug Street. Since going to the line they had lost another 48 men killed, 51 missing and 121 injured.

On 4^th November, the men relieved the East Lancs’ at Le Gheer. They had a quiet 4 days until 7^th November when there was a concerted attack by the Germans. The enemy used 8 divisions for an attack on the 11^th Brigade that included the Hants’. The enemy was forced back and left a long line of dead. However, the Hants’ lost 34 men killed or missing with 20 wounded. The men held the line at Le Gheer for a further week. Sniping killed 13 men and injured 39 others.

The trenches became waterlogged and muddy and the last weeks of November were spent trying to improve the line. The trenches were constantly caving in and had to be shored up all of the time. The men were wading around knee deep in viscous mud. Brewer’s Vats were brought in for the men to bathe.

On 18^th December the Hants’ was ordered to attack an enemy machine gun post at "The Birdcage." It was a fatal operation and resulted in the loss of 15 men killed, 25 injured. The post was not taken.

By the end of 1914 the losses for the Hants’ stood at 265 killed or missing and 390 wounded. This does not take into account the losses through illness caused by the conditions of life in the trenches.