AftertheirdefeatbytheGermansatMonsin1914,theAlliesstagedaretreatfromBelgium.BritishGeneralDouglasHaiggottoLandrecieswithhismen,whereheentrustedalocalwatchmakerwiththetaskofrepairinghiswatch.However,thefiercenessoftheGermanadvanceandthespeedoftheAllies'retreatmeantthathehadtoleavewithoutit.
AttheendofthewarinNovember1918,HaigfoundhimselfinLandreciesagain.Hesoonlocatedthewatchmakeranddemandedthereturnofhiswatch.ThemansaidthatherememberedtheincidentwellbutthathehadgiventhewatchtooneofHaig'sofficersandaskedhimtopassiton.Baffledandunconvinced,HaigwaslefttoreflectonBelgianhonour.
一九一四年,同盟國軍隊在蒙斯為德軍所敗,從比利時撤退。英軍將領道格拉斯.黑格和同袍來到倫德裡希,請當地一個錶匠給他修理手錶。可是,由於德軍挺進勢不可當,盟軍撤退急如星火,黑格來不及把手錶取回,就得離去。
一九一八年十一月,戰爭結束,黑格回到倫德裡希。他不久就找到那錶匠,要討回手錶。錶匠說清楚記得那件事,但聲言已把手錶交給黑格手下一名軍官,託他把手錶奉還。黑格雖然不相信,卻無可奈何,從此對比利時人的信用頗為疑惑。
【附注】Reflect除了解作「反映」,還可指「思考」,其後用on帶出思考的事情,例如:Hereflectedonhisfinancialposition(他思量自己的經濟情況)。