ISBN 1-84884134-5
£19.99
234pp plus Index
The author, better known perhaps as Lord Hutton, re-tells the story of the surrender of two battalions during the retreat from Le Cateau in the summer of 1914.
Although the story is well known, Lord Hutton does an excellent job of giving the background to the incident and detailing the events of the surrender of the 1st Royal Warwicks and the 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers.
As much as is known of the officers involved (Lieutenant-Colonels Elkington and Wainwaring) is set out, together with other important players such as: Major Tom Bridges, Brigadier-General Aylmer Haldane and Major-General Sir Thomas d'Oyly Snow.
There is sufficient detail for a battlefield visitor to find the places described, and there are useful and clear maps showing the various dispositions and unit movements.
A description of the courts martial of Elkington and Mainwaring is given, but without the complete trial papers existing the author is obviously unable to provide the full details of the trials.
Lord Hutton concludes by relating the post-trial career of Lt-Col Elkington who joined the French Foreign Legion.
Altogether this is an excellent account which is certainly recommended.
Reviewed by: David Tattersfield.
