The Fighting Retreat To Paris

Set against the dawning days of the Great War, this vivid account follows the British Expeditionary Force as it scrambles from London to the battle‑scarred fields of France and Belgium. Through official dispatches, soldiers’ letters and on‑the‑ground anecdotes, listeners hear the urgency of mobilization, the king’s solemn message, and the early clash at Mons that tested a nation’s resolve. The narrative balances strategic overviews with intimate moments—an engineer’s narrow escape, a chaplain’s steadying presence, and the stark realities of artillery fire.

As the German advance forces the Allies into a fighting retreat toward Paris, the book charts the chaotic but determined movements of infantry, cavalry and artillery across the Oise and Meuse valleys. Personal recollections reveal the blend of fear and camaraderie that sustains the troops— a Gordon Highlander’s gritty perseverance, a railway official’s daring dash, and the morale‑boosting words of Sir John French. Listeners are offered a frontline window onto the early war’s brutal reality before the larger strategic shifts unfold.