On the evening of September 14th 1914, Lt Birch and his men were detailed to escort Brigadier General Landon who was in command of the 3rd Infantry Brigade.
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| General Herman Landon |
The 3rd Brigade, part of 1st Infantry Division, mobilised with the British Expeditionary Force on the outbreak of the First World War and was sent to France. He commanded it during the Retreat from Mons, the Battle of the Marne and the Battle of the Aisne, and was promoted to Major-General in October. During the First Battle of Ypres, the divisional commander, Major General Samuel Lomax, was killed in action, and Landon took acting command. By the end of the battle in November, he himself was invalided home, and was relieved as divisional commander by Major General David Henderson. He was formally replaced in command of his brigade by Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Butler on 13 November.
On his recovery in December, he was appointed Inspector of Infantry, and early in 1915 was appointed to command the 9th (Scottish) Division of the New Army. He accompanied it to France, but was replaced in September due to ill health, before the division saw combat at the Battle of Loos. In October he took command of the 33rd Division, this time remaining with the division when it went into combat at the Battle of the Somme in July 1916. In September he was appointed to command the 35th Division, remaining with it until July 1917, when his health forced him to retire from active service. From August 1917 to May 1918 he commanded the 64th Division in the Home Forces, finally retiring from the Army on 19 August 1919.
During the war, he was Mentioned in Despatches three more times. After the War, he was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG). He also received the Croix de Guerre and was appointed a Commander of the Belgian Order of Leopold.
The following is an account by Sgt Drucker who at the time of the incident was the Corporal in charge of 1 Platoon "A" Company 2nd Bttn Welch Regiment.
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