How a fictional short story about phantom archers became a wartime miracle legend

Wars & Conflicts · Published 15 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 1914, author Arthur Machen published a story about ghostly bowmen protecting British troops. Despite his insistence that the tale was entirely imaginary, the public transformed it into a divine miracle. This legend of the Angels of Mons persisted for decades, fueled by propaganda, hoaxes, and a desperate need for hope.

The legend originated in September 1914 when Arthur Machen published 'The Bowmen' in The Evening News. Set during the British retreat from the Battle of Mons, the story depicted spectral archers from the Battle of Agincourt intervening to save British soldiers. Machen, a master of the 'false document' technique, wrote the piece as pure fiction. However, readers and even parish magazine editors began treating the narrative as a factual account, eventually evolving the bowmen into angelic warriors.

By 1915, the story had become a cultural phenomenon used to bolster morale during a period of military setbacks, including the sinking of the Lusitania and Zeppelin attacks. While some scholars suggest military intelligence may have covertly encouraged these rumors as propaganda, the Society for Psychical Research investigated the claims in 1915 and found no credible first-hand evidence. They concluded the reports were merely rumors, lacking any authoritative source.

The myth proved remarkably durable, surviving long after the war. Brigadier-General John Charteris attempted to provide post-war corroboration in his 1931 memoir, but analysis of his original notes shows he likely fabricated or 'amplified' the account retrospectively. Even into the 21st century, the legend continued to spawn hoaxes, such as a 2001 claim involving fictional film footage of a soldier named William Doidge. This later deception was eventually exposed as a marketing stunt for a mansion, highlighting how the desire for supernatural validation can override historical reality.

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