At twenty minutes to one the first shots swept from the woods upon the British line.  Presently, Von Kluck’s main attack developed with great rapidity.  The German artillery was brought to the front edge of the woods to hurl a storm of shells on the British trenches.  It was returned with equal vigor.  But very soon it became apparent to British commanders along the line that the German artillery fire was in far greater volume than what might be expected from two army corps, whose normal complement would be some 340 guns.  Instead it was estimated 600 German guns were shortly brought into action.

The battle field was described by the Germans as “an emptiness.”  The term is intended to emphasize that the old martial display and pomp has completely gone.  A grand advance upon each other, with trumpets sounding, banners fluttering, brilliant uniforms, and splendid cavalry charges, was impossible with long range weapons hailing storms of bullets and shells of devastating explosive power.  Cover was the all important immediate aim of both attack and defense.  In this respect as we have seen, the German gray-green uniform assisted by rendering them almost invisible within shelter of such woods as those before Mons. On the other hand, the brown khaki shade of the British field uniforms—­originally designed for the same purpose on the sandy wastes of Egypt and Northern India—­became conspicuous upon a green background.

As the battle of Mons developed, the British line of the Conde Canal was swept with German shrapnel.  German shells, also, began bursting in the suburbs of Mons and in the near-by villages.  Sir Douglas Haig’s right thus came under strong fire.  German aeroplanes assisted by dropping smoke bombs over the British positions to give the angle of range for their artillery.  Thereupon fights above took place between British and German airmen, while the armies beneath thundered shot and shell upon each other.  The Germans came on in massed formation of attack.  The British were accustomed to attack in open extended line, and their shooting from any available cover was generally excellent.  They could not understand the German attack in such close order that they were mowed down in groups of hundreds.

The German infantry rifle fire, breaking from the shelter of the woods to encounter a stronger British fire than was anticipated, was at first ineffective.  As to the mass formation they depended upon overwhelming reserves to take the places of those dead piled in heaps before the British trenches.  It was General Grant’s “food for powder” plan of attack repeated.

Thus the battle raged upon the entire length of the British line, with repeated advances and retreats on the part of the Germans.  Now and then the bodies almost reached the British trenches, and a breach seemed in certain prospect.  But the British sprang upon the invaders, bayonet in hand, and drove them back to the shelter of the woods.  The Irish regiments, especially, were considered invincible in this “cold steel” method of attack, their national impulsive ardor carrying them in a fury through the ranks of an enemy.  But at Mons always the Germans returned in ever greater numbers.  The artillery increased the terrible rain of shells.  Pen pictures by British soldiers vividly describe the battle somewhat conflictingly.