The first confrontation between the British and German Armies occurred on 7 August 1914, three days after the outbreak of war when Regimental Sergeant Major Alhaji Grunshi belonging to the British West African Frontier Force in the German colony of Togoland in Africa. Two weeks later the British Expeditionary Force would encounter the German Army in Belgium. During the morning of 22nd August 1914 four miles north east from Mons at a village named Casteau, along the Mons – Charleroi Road. It was here that Corporal E. Thomas belonging to ‘C’ Squadron, 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards fired the he first hostile shot fired by a British soldier on European soil since the Battle of Waterloo in 1815. It was also the location where Captain Charles Hornby led the first mounted charge against German forces.
It was a glorious sunny morning on 22nd August 1914 as Major Tom Bridges led ‘C’ Company, 4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards across the Mons – Conde Canal. Bridges was sent ahead in advance of the BEF for reconnaissance purposes to gather intelligence. They rode along the Mons – Charleroi Road and at 7.00 a.m. as they approached the Chateau de Ghislain they sighted four mounted cavalrymen belonging to the 4th Cuirassiers from the 9th Cavalry Division approaching them. Major Tom Bridges immediately gave the order '4th Troop, dismounted, ready for action; 1st Troop behind, draw swords ready to go'.
Corporal E. Thomas recalled:‘I saw a troop of Uhlans coming leisurely down the road, the officer in front smoking a cigar. We were anxiously watching their movements when, quicker than I can write here, they halted, as if they smelt a rat. They had seen us! They turned quickly back.’ (‘I Was There, Volume 1’ edited by Sir John Hammerton, published by the Amalgamated Press 1938).
The four German cavalrymen may have heard Major Bridges orders, or the sound of 4th Troop dismounting, or 1st Troop drawing their sabres. Captain Charles Hornby commanded 1st Troop and as soon as the German cavalrymen turned and fled in the opposite direction Bridges ordered him to give pursuit. Captain Hornby was leading the first cavalry charge with drawn swords against German forces of the conflict. Corporal E. Thomas belonged to 4th Troop who had dismounted and he recalled the action that took placed that would result in him firing the first British shot of the First World War:
' Captain Hornby got permission to follow on with the sabre troop, and down the road they galloped. My troop was ordered to follow on in support, and we galloped on through the little village of Casteau. Then it was we could see the 1st Troop using their swords, and scattering the Uhlans left and right. We caught them up. We caught them up.
Captain Hornby gave the order, “4thTroop dismounted action!” We found cover for our horses by the side of the chateau wall. Bullets were flying past us and all round us, and possibly because I was rather noted for my quick movements and athletic ability in those days I was first in action. I could see a German cavalry officer some four hundred yards away standing mounted in full view of me, gesticulating to the left and to the right as he disposed of his dismounted men and ordered them to take up their firing positions to engage us. Immediately I saw him I took aim, pulled the trigger and automatically, almost as it seemed instantaneously, he fell to the ground, obviously wounded, but whether he was killed or not is a matter that I do not think was ever cleared up or ever became capable of proof.
That was the first shot that was fired by a rifle in the British Army, and I cannot repeat too often that at the time it seemed to me more like rifle practice on the plains of Salisbury. In one respect, however, and within a second or two, it was mighty different. From every direction, as it seemed, the air above us was thick with rifle and machine gun bullets, the whistling noise of them and the little flurries of hay which they sent up like smoke as they hit upon the stacks that were all around and which were offering cover to the combatants.’ (‘I Was There, Volume 1’ edited by Sir John Hammerton, published by the Amalgamated Press 1938).
Casualties included two slightly wounded men and two horses killed. Five German prisoners were captured during the sabre charge and C Company withdrew to Casteau. For this action Captain Charles Hornby received the Distinguished Service Order.
A memorial stands along the Mons – Charleroi Road which commemorates the British Expeditionary Forces first contact with German forces during World War One. The following words are inscribed on this memorial:
‘This tablet erected to commemorate the action of “C” squadron,
4th Royal Irish Dragoon Guards on 22nd August 1914
Then Corporal E.Thomas fired the first shot for the British expeditionary force and
Captain C.B. Hornby led the first mounted attack against the Germans.’
Paul Kendall is an expert on the history of the First World War. Kendall's previous works for The History Press include The Zeebrugge Raid 1918, Aisne 1914 and Bullecourt 1917.