British Expeditionary Force retreat of 1914

E841079

The British Expeditionary Force retreat of 1914 was the rapid fighting withdrawal of British troops from advancing German forces in the opening weeks of World War I, following the Battle of Mons and shaping the early Western Front.

All labels observed (2)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (47)

Predicate Object
instanceOf World War I military operation
military retreat
alsoKnownAs Great Retreat (British sector)
belligerent German Empire
United Kingdom
characterizedBy fighting withdrawal
rapid movement
rear-guard engagements
commandedBy Field Marshal Sir John French
conflict World War I
coordinatedWith French Fifth Army retreat
country United Kingdom
endTime early September 1914
followedBy First Battle of the Marne
entrenchment on the Aisne
follows Battle of Mons
hasCause advance of German forces
hasEffect BEF withdrawal towards the River Marne
stabilization of the early Western Front
hasPart rear-guard actions during the retreat
retreat from Mons
stand at Le Cateau
historicalSignificance demonstrated mobility and resilience of the British Expeditionary Force
helped shape the early Western Front line
involves British I Corps
British II Corps
location Belgium
France
militaryTacticUsed defensive rearguard positions
delaying actions
opposedBy German First Army
linked to: German 1st Army

German Second Army
participant British Expeditionary Force
German Army
partOf Allied retreat in 1914
Western Front
precededBy British Expeditionary Force deployment to France
relatedTo German advance through Belgium
Schlieffen Plan
result heavy British casualties in rear-guard units
preservation of the core of the British Expeditionary Force
successful escape from German encirclement
startTime August 1914
strategicObjective avoid encirclement by German forces
fall back to a defensible line with French forces
maintain cohesion of the British Expeditionary Force
timePeriod opening weeks of World War I

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (2)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Battle of Le Cateau associatedWith British Expeditionary Force retreat of 1914
Great Retreat (1914) hasPart Retreat of the British Expeditionary Force
linked to: British Expeditionary Force retreat of 1914