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Hello Margaret,

I must say, this is a most fasinating post. I have really enjoyed the replies so far and look forward to the eventual outcome.

I did a bit of auction surfing and found this that was auctioned at DNW a few years back. This would have been a superb find:

Lot 1369, 6 Jul 04
Category: BOOKS
Estimate: £120-£150
Hammer Price: £110


Description

Mainwaring, A. E., A Statement, original pamphlet, 8pp, with inserts, covering the ‘Elkington/Mainwaring’ affair, 24-28 August 1914, signed by the author, ‘A. E. Mainwaring, late Lt. Col. R. Dublin Fusiliers’ and also by (Captain) ‘C. A. Haggard’, late of the Queen’s and Middlesex Regiment, hardback covers, good condition, rare £120-150

Footnote

The author of the pamphlet, Lieutenant-Colonel A. E. Mainwaring, was commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion Royal Dublin Fusiliers, which formed part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Division at Le Cateau. Lieutenant-Colonel J. F. Elkington, commanded the 1st Battalion The Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

One of the letter inserts written in ink reads, ‘Note: Lt. Col. J. F. Elkington, 1/R. Warwick Regt. & Lt. Col. A. E. Mainwaring, 2/R. Dublin Fusiliers were tried by courtmartial & cashiered - Lt. Col. Elkington later joined the French Foreign Legion, was wounded & decorated & re-installed in the British Army. As far as I know Lt. Col. Mainwaring did nothing’. (signed) ‘C.A.H.’

Regards

Adrian

Another book that dealt with this incident was:
'Dishonoured: The "Colonel's Surrender" at St Quentin, The Retreat from Mons, August 1914.' by Peter Scott, published by Tom Donovan, London, 1994.

A copy of Colonel's Mainwaring's statement is included in Ashby's book, as is one written by Colonel Elkington, which is published for the first time in the book.

The whole affair was a complex one and, although the two Colonels were blamed for it, a variety of circumstances contributed to it. These included the shock to the British troops of the early German successes, the shambles of the retreat from Mons, the exhaustion of the British troops under the command of the two Colonels, the over-estimate of the German threat to St Quentin, the Mayor of St Quentin's panic, Mainwaring's ill-health, misunderstandings between the officers involved, and perhaps more. The subsequent shame of the British was due to the fact that a decision to surrender turned out to be needless since most of the men involved managed to leave the town, avoid capture by the Germans and reach the main British force.

Regards
Brett

Thank you - I have some interesting reading ahead!

Wow, that would have been a find! Do you think that this pamphlet was his explanation of his actions at San Quentin? I have heard that they never found the transcripts of the courtmarshal, so no one knows how the case was argued.
As for C.A.H. who could he be? To A.E.'s defense I know that he wrote on the subjects of pool/billiards and on the game of Bridge. And that he lived next door to Titanic officer Boxhall who opened a tobacco shop in Sussex.
Thanks for the finding that!

Would you explain to me, as you would to a two year old, what it is you have in reference to AE Mainwaring? I am thinking medals, but "water damage to the paper" has me stumped. Where was Arthur E. Mainwaring in 1903?

MDevlin5353 wrote: Would you explain to me, as you would to a two year old, what it is you have in reference to AE Mainwaring? I am thinking medals, but "water damage to the paper" has me stumped. Where was Arthur E. Mainwaring in 1903?

Mark Wilkie wrote: There was a Captain A. E. Mainwaring in the 2nd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers. WO 100/269 shows his QSA having three clasps: CC, OFS, & TVL. WO 100/347 shows he got the KSA (SA 1901 & SA 1902 clasps). I can't quite make it out because there is some water damage to the margin of the paper but it looks like he had been posted to the 3rd Roy. Dub. Fusiliers at that time (11-5-1903).

Cheers,

Mark

Hello Margaret, I presume this is a reference to my reply to your original post from a week ago. The post was reference to the medal roster pages for a Queen's South Africa Medal (QSA) and King's South Africa Medal (KSA) to a Captain A. E. Mainwaring in the 2nd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers and I gave details of the clasps listed that he had been awarded. In the margin of the KSA roster there is a note but it is difficult to read as the paper of the medal roster suffered some kind of damage that makes the note very difficult to read. It seems to say something about a posting to the 3rd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers. The roster is dated 11 May 1903.

Best regards,

Mark