ABSTRACT
On the night of August 4th5th, once the War Telegram had been despatched, nothing that could do could influence the situation. The Admiralty earnestly desired this, for their capture was an essential factor in the protection of our maritime communications. German East Africa was a menace to the British Colonies which surrounded it and German South West Africa was regarded by the Union Government as a threat to South Africa. A number of questions were raised, more especially by Haig and other officers who had not taken part in the pre-war discussions at the Committee of Imperial Defence. A report was current that Germany had violated Dutch territory in the so-called Limburg Appendix. This report had led French to suggest tentatively for consideration that the Expeditionary Force might be sent to Antwerp to co-operate with the Belgian and Dutch Armies as the three combined would form a respectable force on the flank of the German invaders.
