Battle of Mons

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The Battle of Mons was a First World War engagement in August 1914 where the British Expeditionary Force first clashed with the German army in Belgium, marking the start of Britain's major ground fighting on the Western Front.


Statements (46)
Predicate Object
instanceOf First World War battle
battle
alsoKnownAs First Battle of Mons
associatedWith British Expeditionary Force 1914 campaign
belligerent British Empire
German Empire
BritishCasualtiesApprox approximately 1,600 killed
approximately 2,000 wounded
campaign Battle of the Frontiers
casualties heavy casualties on both sides
combatant British Expeditionary Force
German First Army
commander Alexander von Kluck
Douglas Haig
John French
conflict World War I
country Belgium
date August 1914
endDate 1914-08-23
followedBy Battle of Le Cateau
Great Retreat
front Western Front
GermanCasualtiesApprox several thousand casualties
hasMemorial Mons war memorials
St. Symphorien Military Cemetery
hasPart Great Retreat
locatedIn Hainaut Province
Western Front
notableFor effective British rifle fire
origin of the "Angels of Mons" legend
opponentForceStrengthApprox about 70,000 British troops
significantly larger German forces
partOf First World War
opening battles of the Western Front
place Mons
precededBy Battle of Liège
result British strategic withdrawal
German tactical victory
river Mons–Condé Canal
significance first clash between British and German forces in World War I
first major engagement of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front
startDate 1914-08-23
strategy British defensive action along Mons–Condé Canal
German attempt to outflank Allied left
tacticalOutcome orderly British retreat
year 1914

Referenced by (7)
Subject (surface form when different) Predicate
Arthur Currie ("Battle of Mons (1918)")
Lord Gort
battle
Battle of Mons ("First Battle of Mons")
alsoKnownAs
European theatre of World War I
hasPart
Mons Officer Cadet School, Aldershot
namedAfter
Middlesex Regiment
notableEngagement
Battle of Aachen ("Battle of the Mons Pocket")
precededBy

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