French entreaty that Great Britain mark visibly on French soil
her unity with that nation at the supreme crisis. For some days
previously British reluctance to enter the war while a gleam of hope
remained to confine, if not prevent, the European conflagration,
had created a feeling of disappointment in France.

The British expeditionary army consisted at first--that is previous
to the Battle of the Marne--of two and a half army corps, or five
divisions, thus distributed: First Corps, Sir Douglas Haig; Second
Corps, General Smith-Dorien; Fourth Division of the Third Corps,
General Pulteney. The Sixth Division of the Third Corps and the
Fourth Corps under General Rawlinson were not sent to France till
after the end of September, 1914. It contained besides about one
division and a half of cavalry under General Allenby. A British
division varies from 12,000 to 15,000 men (three infantry brigades
of four regiments each; three groups of artillery, each having
three batteries of six pieces; two companies of sappers, and one
regiment of cavalry). The force totaled some 75,000 men, with 259
guns. The whole was placed under the command of Field Marshal Sir
John French, with Lieutenant General Sir Archibald Murray, Chief
of Staff.

Field Marshal French was sixty-two and was two years younger than
Lord Kitchener. His responsibilities were great, how great no one at
the beginning of the war realized his capabilities for the developing
scope of the task untried, but as a serious and courageous officer
he fully merited the honors he had already won.

By August 7, 1914, Admiral Jellicoe was able to guarantee a safe
passage for the British army across the English Channel. A fortunate