Funny how Mons got written out. There was a persistent legend of an angel appearing to retreating British troops there in 1914. Mons was recaptured on the last day of the war. In truth the fighting was never more than "a mile or two from Mons" but there was a famous skirmish during the retreat during which hundreds of horses and men were killed which makes that line of the song most poignant.
A clearing of mist suddenly revealed to the attacking Germans some British cavalry and a battery of horse artillery (L Battery RHA) with the men in bivouacs and the horses picketed. The 12 German guns present poured fire in to the dream target causing unimaginable carnage. L Battery was rapidly reduced from 4 guns to one, but this gun kept on firing for an hour against the 12 until no one lived to serve it. Their efforts turned the tide against the attackers.^^
With a tramp and creak and jingle,
Keith.