13th August 1914, Vitry-le-Francois.
The troop of Cuirassiers escorting the Staff Cars were gorgeously equipped and attired, their brass and steel equipment burnished to a gleam, the only note that they were at war was the dull brown covers worn over their breastplates.
The staff car was driven by a corporal of the Army Service Corps, in the rear of the vehicle were two men, Winston Churchill Secretary of State for War and First Lord of the Admiralty and his principal military adviser Sir John French.
They were met by General Joffre along with President Poincare at his headquarters, Churchill began by inquiring how the battle progressed, Joffre replied in French "I wanted more artillery and shells and the fools refused" and soon Churchill, Joffre and Poincare were in an involved discussion as Joffre spoke of the success then failure in the Alsace along with his removal of the General in Command and his appointment of General Pau to the Army of the Alsace.
Joffre then said that the attack into the Lorraine would commence the following day, whilst this conversation was going on Sir John French stood there, clearly only partially understanding and constantly asking Churchill what was being said, Churchill’s patience was being worn down by this and he snapped to one of the liaison officers, “Translate for Sir John,” his frustration evident.
Churchill spoke of his fear that the war would be long and only end in the exhaustion of the combatants. He ran through the planning and preparation which had been made and legislated through the Defence of the Realm Act, which empowered the Purchasing Commissioners. The Registration of Manpower Act which was being rushed through Westminster under the eye of Lloyd George to ensure that skilled personnel were not sucked out of industry into the Army and Navy, but which ensured that those who the Army needed would be made available.
He touched briefly on the planning going on to support the Belgians directly, two of the six regular divisions and a brigade of cavalry would be going directly to Ostend, they would be followed by 2 Territorial Division and a Yeomanry Division, hurriedly being embodied, and reinforced from those who had taken the Imperial Service Obligation.
Switching to English for Sir John, Churchill bade him to cover what support would be going direct to France, namely 4 Infantry Divisions and a Cavalry Division, with it to be reinforced by 4 Territorial Divisions and 2 Yeomanry Divisions as they became available.
The home army would be stripped to the bone for initial reinforcements, along with the special reserve. Many of the regulars would be returned to Britain as the Territorial Divisions became available. They would form training cadre, with their place taken by individual territorials transferring to regular regiments for the duration of the war. The territorial soldiers who had refused to take the Imperial Service Obligation would be transferred to training Battalions which would feed reinforcements to BEF. Training and recruitment was to be undertaken by the territorials, special reservists and other returned soldiers, however as many of those with front line experience as possible would be used for the final polish prior to deployment.
The numerous volunteers were registered and then released back to their civilian occupations, they would be called up for training and dispatched to France as individual reinforcements. The home establishment would only attempt to train as many men as could be practicably equipped and trained at any one time. Most volunteers would not expect to be called up for service for at least 3-6 months, whilst the training establishment was built up and the equipment to supply them was procured.
It was understood that the Territorials would have to stand in the line until more volunteers came on stream, they would also be re-equipped as a matter of priority, much of their equipment was obsolete and whilst it would be needed to begin with it would be first priority for replacement. The six initial territorial divisions planned for deployment were undergoing rapid training and hardening and already significant issues were being identified. The other divisions would be reinforced with new volunteers prior to deployment.
Joffre was unhappy with this, but somewhat mollified by Sir Johns passionate vow that Britain’s army would do all that could be done by mortal men. Both Churchill and Sir John French were adamant that untried divisions would not be thrown into the line. The British Army would grow but its growth would be managed whilst the vital resource that was its regular and territorial forces would have to be used as the nucleus of that growth was preserved as much as the hazards of war allowed.
The Indian Army would also be arriving with two Regular Divisions and one of Cavalry, they would supplement the Regular Army and the Territorial Force, likewise the dominions had already pledged forces and they would be available within six months.
Both Churchill and Poincare then resumed their discussions in French and touched on industrial preparations. They also agreed to form a pair of liaison committees which would facilitate sharing of resources as practical. It was at this point that Churchill informed Poincare, Joffre and Sir John French that Lieutenant General Girouard would be Quarter Master General and General Officer Commanding Lines of Communications for the BEF. Noting that he was already in discussions with General Smith Dorien as to how this role was to be carried out.
It was agreed that liaison officers would be supplied by both sides to the research committees, it was also agreed that for the duration of the war both parties would share such industrial and military technology as was available.