November 11th, 1914

While I research and write and piece together Charley Bailey's story; today I pause to remember the young men and boys who were, for the first time in their lives, having to take another mans life.  I think about the poor souls who were fighting and dying on a battlefield 100 years ago today.

And I think of my Great Uncle Charley Bailey.  
Charley was not on the front lines. He was one of the medical personnel who were setting up to tend to those who were.
Charley's military records show that he entered France on the 7th of November, 1914.  On this day 100 years ago, he would likely be arriving at or just arrived at what was to become the #2 Stationary Hospital at Le Torquet.  

The weeks from late September through November 1914 have come to be known as "The Race to the Sea".  The first trenches were being dug about mid September but compared to the next four years of trench warfare, these were battles on the move.

German troops had been attempting to reach Paris. The French were determined to slow the enemies advance. 
As the armies maneuvered, their movement took a north westerly direction toward the  French-Belgian coast and the Channel ports of Calais and Dunkirk.

On November 11th 1914, there was an appeal in the Times of London for citizens to loan their motorized vehicles as the French wounded were suffering terribly owing to the delay in transport from the front to the nearest hospital available.

100 years ago today, the 'Great War' was in it's infancy. There are four bloody years of days and nights ahead till the Armistice is signed on November 11, 1918.  
We would not mark the first Remembrance Day until November 1919.  Lest We Forget.