Angels of Mons

[StefanM]

".....Arch Whitehouse in an earlier book, Heroes and Legends of World War I states that after the battle on what is known as the "Retreat from Mons" some Coldstream Guards being the last to withdraw, got lost in the area of the Mormal Forest and had dug-in to make a last stand. Whitehouse reports an angel then appeared as a dimly outlined female figure. She was tall and slim, wearing a white flowing gown. The Guardsmen followed the glowing figure across an open field to a hidden, sunken road which enabled them to escape."




"She was tall and slim, wearing a white flowing gown" , although not directly described as The Virgin Mary this description echoes similar ones in the so-called Marian apparitions

[HARRY THE MOLE]

A little more information on the 'Angels' and the retreat from Mons. As I said earlier, there will always be those that believe such an event took place.
As Mr Machine himself mentioned in the forward of his book, there are no names given to the witnesses. Click on image to enlarge and read.

[StefanM]

I wonder if the original letter said to have been sent by Brigadier-General John Charteris to his wife on 5 September 1914 which reportedly predates The Bowmen by 14 days still exists in an archive somewhere?

I am intrigued to find any period postcards depicting the "Angels of the Mons" given that the 'myth' would have be widely known and probably a morale boosting image symbolic of divine protection.

[don_kihotis7]

".....Arch Whitehouse in an earlier book, Heroes and Legends of World War I states that after the battle on what is known as the "Retreat from Mons" some Coldstream Guards being the last to withdraw, got lost in the area of the Mormal Forest and had dug-in to make a last stand. Whitehouse reports an angel then appeared as a dimly outlined female figure. She was tall and slim, wearing a white flowing gown. The Guardsmen followed the glowing figure across an open field to a hidden, sunken road which enabled them to escape."




"She was tall and slim, wearing a white flowing gown" , although not directly described as The Virgin Mary this description echoes similar ones in the so-called Marian apparitions

I have seen numerous videos with Greek veterans saying that they saw the Holy Mother on the mountains of Pindos when the Italians attacked in 1940. They felt Her protection and this was encouraging them to continue fighting in those terrible winter conditions.

Therefore i don't find it difficult to believe that the stories of the Angels of Mons are real.

Another testimony regarding these incidents comes from my cousin. He was a soldier here in Cyprus during the Turkish invasion of 1974. They had received an order to go to the Northern part of Nicosia and assist the resisting Greek and Cypriot squadrons which were located in that region. They were heading there as a convoy and he was sitting in the first vehicle of the convoy. Soon they had noticed Turkish airplanes coming towards them. He and 2 other guys jumped from the jeep and fall on the ground taking cover in a hole, next to the road, which was covering them like a trench. The planes threw Napalm bombs torching all the vehicles of the convoy incuding the soldiers inside. My cousin and the other 2 guys were saved because the flames passed above them. When the flames went off, he got out of the trench/hole and he saw the Holy Mother standing opposite. This incident marked his life therefore he never talks about the war unless you push him or ask for something in particular. I know that to some people these may seem hard to believe and i respect that. But i know my cousin and he had absolutely no reason to lie to me or make up a nice story.

[StefanM]

I have seen numerous videos with Greek veterans saying that they saw the Holy Mother on the mountains of Pindos when the Italians attacked in 1940. They felt Her protection and this was encouraging them to continue fighting in those terrible winter conditions.

Therefore i don't find it difficult to believe that the stories of the Angels of Mons are real.

Another testimony regarding these incidents comes from my cousin. He was a soldier here in Cyprus during the Turkish invasion of 1974. They had received an order to go to the Northern part of Nicosia and assist the resisting Greek and Cypriot squadrons which were located in that region. They were heading there as a convoy and he was sitting in the first vehicle of the convoy. Soon they had noticed Turkish airplanes coming towards them. He and 2 other guys jumped from the jeep and fall on the ground taking cover in a hole, next to the road, which was covering them like a trench. The planes threw Napalm bombs torching all the vehicles of the convoy incuding the soldiers inside. My cousin and the other 2 guys were saved because the flames passed above them. When the flames went off, he got out of the trench/hole and he saw the Holy Mother standing opposite. This incident marked his life therefore he never talks about the war unless you push him or ask for something in particular. I know that to some people these may seem hard to believe and i respect that. But i know my cousin and he had absolutely no reason to lie to me or make up a nice story.

Thank you for posting this interesting account from your cousin, he was indeed very fortunate to have escaped the flames. I can accept that these types of religious visions are real in the sense that the person experiences something and I am open-minded as to the explanation. I have always been intrigued by the so-called Marian apparitions

[don_kihotis7]

Hi Scorpion. Before i forget, here is a video of a Greek veteran who gives his own testimony about the appearance of the Holy Mother, what She said to him and how She rescued him and his comrades during battle. This testimony was written in the army report of that day and it has been documented in a book written by General Katsimitsos which was later published by the Greek Army Administration.



It's in Greek and unfortunately most people will not be able to understand what it says. I am at work now, so i will translate what he said to the reporter, later when i get back home.

p.s. credits for spotting the video goes to member Herrzark

[StefanM]

Hope you don't mind that I edited your post to play the YouTube file directly in the post


Is this a poster illustration about the event?

[don_kihotis7]

No i don't think so. This looks like a poster wishing "May the Holy Mother be with you" for all soldiers.

[StefanM]

No i don't think so. This looks like a poster wishing "May the Holy Mother be with you" for all soldiers.

It seems the Holy Mother is as important a figure to Greeks as she is to Poles

Below a 'Ryngraf' of the Polish underground army sometimes worn suspended from a uniform chest pocket button:



Featuring "Our Lady of Częstochowa" or "Black Madonna" of the Jasna Gora Monastery



Some further Polish "ryngaf" featuring the "Black Madonna"

[StefanM]

Back to the Angels of Mons story it seems not all of the reports tie in with interpretations of the Bowmen story or St. George on horseback but are of a different more ethereal nature:

"…..Shortly afterwards this same lady met a member of the family of an officer, General N., who also had been at Mons. He stated that in that rearguard action there was one specially critical moment. The German cavalry was rapidly advancing, and very much outnumbered our forces. Suddenly, he saw a sort of luminous cloud, or light interpose itself between the Germans and our forces. In the cloud there seemed to be bright objects moving: he could not say if they were figures or not, but they were moving and bright. The moment this cloud appeared the German onslaught seemed to receive a check; the horses could be seen rearing and plunging, and they ceased to advance. He said it was his opinion that if that check, whatever its cause, had not come, the whole force would have been annihilated in twenty minutes."

There are several others using similar descriptions of a luminous or dark cloud with moving light forms. Also online I found a small period bibliography on the subject:

• Altsheler, J.A. The Hosts of the Air: the story of a quest in the Great War. Appleton, London. 1915.
• Begbie, H. On the Side of the Angels. Hodder and Stoughton, London. 1915.
• Campbell, P. Back of the Front. Newnes, London. 1915.
• Charteris, J. At G.H.Q. Cassell. 1931.
• Churchwoman, A. The Chariots of God. Stockwell, London. 1915.
• Corbett-Smith, A. The Retreat from Mons – by one who shared in it. Cassell. 1917. (An early personal account, which makes no mention of any strange or supernatural event).
• Crosland, T.W.H. The Showmen: A Legend of the War. Laurie, London. 1915.
• Garnier, Col. The Visions of Mons and Ypres: their meaning and purpose. R.Banks, London. 1915.
• Machen, A. The Bowmen and other Legends of the war. Simpkin Marshall, London 1915.
• Pearson, J.J. The Rationale of the Angel Warriors at Mons during the retreat and the apparitions at the battles of the Marne and the Aisne. Christian Globe, London. 1915.
• Phillips, A.F. and Thurston Hopkins, R. War and the Weird. Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent & Co., London. 1916.
• Shirley, R. Angel Warriors at Mons: an Authentic Record. Newspaper Publishing Co., London. 1915.
• Stuart, R. Dreams and Visions of the War. Pearson, London. 1917.
• Taylor, I.E. Angels, Saints and Bowmen at Mons. Theosophical Publishing Society. 1916.
• Terraine, J. Mons. Pan. 1962.
• Terraine, J. The Smoke and the Fire. Sidgwick & Jackson. 1980.
• Warr, C.L. The Unseen Host – Stories of the Great War. Alexander Gardner, Paisley. 1916.

One short 31 page booklet title mentions other "apparitions at the battles of the Marne and the Aisne"