'The Old Contemptibles'

"The Old Contemptibles" refers to the professional soldiers of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) who served in France and Flanders from August 5 to November 22, 1914, earning the name from Kaiser Wilhelm II's dismissive "contemptible little army" comment, which they proudly adopted as a badge of honor for their bravery and skill in early, intense fighting like the Retreat from Mons. They were a highly trained, regular army, distinct from the later mass conscription forces, and formed the Old Contemptibles Association. 

• The title applied to all ranks serving in France and Flanders between August 5 and November 22, 1914.
• After the war, the Old Contemptibles Association was formed in 1925 for these veterans, who remained "chums" and held annual remembrance services. 

Legacy 

• They are remembered as elite, experienced soldiers who held the line in the crucial early months of World War I, before the large armies of Kitchener's New Army were fully formed.