Current Information:

Age-42

Queen's Gate Gardens, Kensington

Braine Communal Cemetery, France

After the opening battles of the war at Mons on 23rd August, 1914 and Le Cateau on 26th August, the British Army (BEF), in conjunction with the French Army, began a retreat that took them all the way back to the River Marne, 200 miles to the south. With the Germans in hot pursuit they were forced to fight a series of rear guard actions as they fell back in extremely hot weather. The Great Retreat, as it became known, came to an end on 5th September, 1914 when the allied forces attacked along the River Marne and drove the Germans back to the River Aisne.

The following extract from the 5th Dragoon Guards War Diary describes the death of Bertrand Stewart on 12th September, 1914. He belonged to the West Kent Yeomanry but was attached to the Intelligence Branch of the Cavalry Division.

12th Sep 1914.  Continued advance.  BAYS (2nd Dragoon Guards) sent on an hour ahead as advanced guard.  On reaching the crossroads near CERSEUIL, B Sqn was sent down the road leading to BRAINE, and reported this village was held.  A Sqn was put into the wood on the right of the road, and B Sqn prolonged their line to the right.  The BAYS were on the left of the road, and C Sqn in the road in support.  At this point, Maj BERTRAND STEWART, attached to the INTELLIGENCE BRANCH at HQ, went down the road too carelessly to see what was happening and was shot dead.  He had suffered already at the hands of the Germans, as he had been imprisoned by them for two years for spying.