Soldiers of the BEF who fought at Mons became eligible for a campaign medal , the 1914 Star , often colloquially called the Mons Star , honouring troops who had fought in Belgium or France On 19 August 1914 , Kaiser Wilhelm allegedly issued an Order of the Day which read in part : " . . . my soldiers to exterminate first the treacherous English ; walk over Field Marshal French 's contemptible little Army . " This led to the British " Tommies " of the BEF proudly labelling themselves " The Old Contemptibles " . No evidence of the Order of the Day has been found in German archives and the ex-Kaiser denied giving it . According to the controversial book '' Falsehood in War-Time '' , an investigation conducted by General Frederick Maurice traced the origins of the Order to the British GHQ , where it had been concocted for propaganda purposes
1914 Star
1914 Star
Battle of Mons