douglas haig family

French had been leaking information about the shell shortage to Charles à Court Repington of The Times, whom Haig detested and which he likened to "carrying on with a whore" (possibly a deliberately chosen analogy in view of French's womanising). [32] Kitchener's force was Anglo-Egyptian, and Haig was required to formally join the Egyptian Army, most of whose officers were British. French's Division took part in the capture of Bloemfontein (13 March 1900) and then Pretoria (5 June 1900). [44] After Major-General French's Colesberg Operations to protect Cape Colony, Roberts, newly arrived as Commander-in-Chief, appointed his protégé Colonel the Earl of Errol, over French's protests, to the job of Assistant Adjutant General of the Cavalry Division, with Haig, who had been promised the job (and the local rank of lieutenant-colonel), as his deputy. On July 11, 1905, Haig married Dorothy Maud Vivian, daughter of Baron Hussey Vivian. In time the two men made a good team. Douglas Haig (1861-1928), born in Edinburgh into the famous Haig Whisky distilling family. Haig was played by Sir John Mills in Richard Attenborough's 1969 film, Oh! [270] Other historians, notably John Keegan, refused to accept that the British Army underwent a "learning curve" of any sort; despite this example, Bourne wrote that there "is little disagreement among scholars about the nature of the military transformation". At Robertson's suggestion, Haig received Kitchener at his HQ (8 July – despite French's attempt to block the meeting), where they shared their concerns about French. William Haig, the 18th Laird, was made the kings Solicitor and Collector of the Burgh Taxes in Scotland in 1626. In many ways, the debate has now moved on from such stereotypes. Haig attended a Cabinet meeting in London (15 April) where the politicians were more concerned with the political crisis over the introduction of conscription, which could bring down the government and Haig recorded that Asquith attended the meeting dressed for golf and clearly keen to get away for the weekend. French also communicated with Conservative leaders and to David Lloyd George who now became Minister of Munitions in the new coalition government. The King (George V) wrote him a handwritten note ending: "I hope you will look upon this as a New Year's gift from myself and the country". One of his famous events in his military was when he became the commander for BEF or British Expeditionary Force during the World War 1. On Monday July 13, 2020. [34] Still without a formal position but accompanying the cavalry, Haig saw his first action in a skirmish south of Atbara (21 March), and in his report to Wood commented on the lack of British machine guns – despite persistent mythology that he did not appreciate machine guns, Haig had in fact made a special trip to Enfield to study the Maxim Gun, and throughout the campaign commented on its worth. empowered to issue orders to Haig). [138], From 1 July to 18 November 1916, Haig directed the British portion of the Battle of the Somme. He devoted much of his time to socialising – he was a member of the Bullingdon Club – and equestrian sports. Haig thought that Lloyd George's political position was weak and he would not last another six weeks (this was a false prediction, although Lloyd George did not have full freedom of action in a coalition government, his personal drive and appeal to certain sections of the public made him indispensable as Prime Minister). Although II Corps fought off the German attack at Mons on 23 August (the first British encounter with the Germans) the BEF was forced to withdraw after Lanzerac ordered a retreat exposing their right flank as well. Milner agreed but at a meeting on 27 April meeting the dispute was smoothed over, and British IX Corps moved to the French sector. Sir John French was forced to resign as CIGS, after having made the error of putting in writing a promise that officers would not be required to coerce Ulster; Haig respected Hubert Gough's principled stand but felt French had allowed himself to be used as a political tool by H. H. Haig claimed in his diary that a proposal that he be sent to report on the Gallipoli bridgehead, was shelved because of the imminence of French's removal. Plumer was moved to Italy with five divisions and heavy artillery, which made renewal of the Ypres offensive impossible. Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE (/heɪɡ/; 19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a senior officer of the British Army. He took up the post of Director of Staff Duties in the War Office in 1907. [170] If Derby had covered Haig's back, Haig was not grateful, likening Derby to "a feather pillow which bears the mark of the last person who sat on him". [4][5][6][11][12][13], Contents [hide] 1 Early life 2 Career 2.1 Junior officer 2.2 Sudan War, 1898 2.3 Boer War, 1899–1902 2.4 Inspector-General of Cavalry, India 2.5 Marriage and children 2.6 War Office 2.7 Chief of Staff, India 2.8 Aldershot 3 First World War 3.1 1914 3.1.1 Outbreak of War 3.1.2 Mons to the Marne 3.1.3 First Battle of Ypres 3.2 1915 3.2.1 Spring offensives 3.2.2 Loos 3.2.3 Haig replaces French 3.3 1916 3.3.1 Prelude to the Somme 3.4 1917 3.4.1 Cambrai 3.4.2 Aftermath of Cambrai 3.5 1918 3.5.1 Political manoeuvres 3.5.2 German Michael offensive 3.5.3 Doullens 3.5.4 German Georgette offensive 3.5.5 German Bluecher offensive 3.5.6 The Turn of the Tide and the Hundred Days 3.6 Executions during the First World War 3.7 Promotion of army dentistry during the First World War 4 Later life 5 Funeral 6 Reputation 6.1 Post-war opinion 6.2 Other historians 6.2.1 Tactical developments 6.2.2 Casualties 6.2.3 Alleged falsification of records 7 Haig in popular culture 7.1 Journalism and popular history 7.2 Drama and literature 8 Honours 9 Honorary Degrees 9.1 Freedom of the City 10 Legacy 11 See also 12 References 13 External links Early life[edit], As a Hussar at age 23 in 1885 Haig was born in a house on Charlotte Square, Edinburgh but technically it was addressed as 19 Hope Street, the side street to the south-west (a plaque exists). The failure of the Nivelle Offensive in April 1917 (which Haig had been required to support with a British offensive by the Third and First Armies at Arras) and the subsequent French mutiny and political crisis, discredited Lloyd George's plans for Anglo-French co-operation for the time being. [16], After a tour of the United States with his brother, Haig attended university, studying Political Economy, Ancient History and French Literature at Brasenose College, Oxford, 1880–1883. [249] After the service at the Abbey, the procession re-formed to escort the body to Waterloo station for the journey to Edinburgh, where it lay in state for three days at St Giles's Cathedral. After the war, Haig was created The 1st Earl Haig (with a subsidiary viscountcy and a subsidiary barony) and received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament. I Corps marched headlong into a thrust westward by fresh German forces and the result was the First Battle of Ypres. [72], Upon the outbreak of war in August 1914, Haig helped organize the British Expeditionary Force (BEF), commanded by Field Marshal Sir John French. They argue that he does not take into account the year 1918, when the officer corps succeeded in integrating infantry, artillery, armour and aircraft in a war-winning operational method, something that would have been impossible had these Edwardian officers been hostile to change in operational methodology and technological terms. Haig was portrayed as a cold and aloof man who was sceptical about the fighting abilities of the Australian and New Zealand troops arriving on the Western Front in 1916 and aggravated by the conduct of the Australians behind the lines. [60] Haig was appointed an Aide-de-Camp to King Edward VII in the October 1902 South Africa Honours list, with the brevet rank of colonel (thus keeping this rank instead of reverting to the substantive lower rank),[61] remaining an ADC until 1904. His speech angered several leading politicians, Carson repudiated it and Derby assured Haig of his backing. [3] Born 19 June 1861 Charlotte Square, Edinburgh Died 29 January 1928 (aged 66) 21 Prince's Gate, London Allegiance United Kingdom Service/branch British Army Years of service 1884–1920 Rank Field Marshal Battles/wars Mahdist War Second Boer War First World War Awards Knight of the Order of the Thistle Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Member of the Order of Merit Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC (19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a British senior officer during the First World War. By 20 March deployment of German trench mortars had been reported by deserters, and British artillery began some spoiling fire. The Germans abandoned the Schlieffen Plan and they were forced to withdraw to the Aisne. Some dub him "Butcher Haig" for the two million British casualties under his command, and regard him as representing the very concept of class based incompetent commanders, claiming that he was unable to grasp modern tactics and technologies. [34] The Adjutant-General Sir Redvers Buller refused to award Haig one of the four nominated places, citing his colour blindness, despite Haig having his eyesight rechecked by a German oculist and despite Haig's glowing testimonials from various senior officers, some of them lobbied by Haig and his sister. B. H. Liddell Hart, a military historian who had been wounded during the First World War, went from admirer to sceptic to unremitting critic. In 1918, Germany's Western Front armies were reinforced to a strength of almost 200 divisions by the release of troops from the Eastern Front, and launched major offensives in the west, enjoying great initial success, albeit with greater superiority of men and guns than Haig had ever had for his own offensives. reporting to the Secretary of State for War, not direct to the Cabinet) and that the British military representative at the Supreme War Council in Versailles be Deputy CIGS and a member of the Army Council (i.e. On 11 August Haig, contrary to the wishes of Marshal Foch, insisted on a halt to the Amiens offensive (rather than engage new German troops with tired Allied ones who had outrun much of their artillery cover) and launched a new attack by Byng's Third Army on 21 August between the Scarpe and the Ancre. Contingency plans were made (11 May) although it is unclear that they would ever have been executed. [127], Stretcher bearers recovering wounded during the Battle of Thiepval Ridge, September 1916. Carlyon also points out that there is a case to answer for his support of more dubious commanders such as Ian Hamilton, Aylmer Hunter-Weston and Hubert Gough. Douglas [Haig], 1st Earl Haig, KT GCB OM GCVO KCIE (1861 - 1928) Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC From Wikipedia (19 June 1861 – 29 January 1928) was a British senior officer during World War I. Haig is also portrayed sweeping up model soldiers from a large map with a dustpan and brush, and tossing them casually over his shoulder. Edward Douglas-Haig Cameron, Jr. Edward Douglas-Haig Cameron, Jr., Eddie Cameron, 75 years of age passed away peacefully on January 22 of this new year from … Monro was promoted to GOC First Army in Haig's place, not Rawlinson whom Haig would have preferred and for reasons of seniority Haig was forced to accept the weak-willed Launcelot Kiggell, not Butler as chief of staff BEF in succession to Robertson. Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina, was also named after him. John Haig, Rachel Mckinas Mackerras Haig (born Veitch), ...zabeth De Prée (born Haig), Hugh Veitch Haig, Janet Stein Haig, Henrietta Frances Jameson (born Haig), John Alicius Haig, George Ogilvy Haig. Haig eventually agreed that the French could use XXII Corps if necessary "for exploitation". He was promoted to brevet major on 15 November 1898. Haig did not approve of the Northcliffe press attacks on Kitchener, whom he thought a powerful military voice against the folly of civilians like Churchill (despite the fact the Kitchener had played a role in planning the Gallipoli expedition and was an opponent of the strong General Staff which Haig wanted to see). [342], To ALL RANKS OF THE BRITISH ARMY IN FRANCE AND FLANDERS, The Turn of the Tide and the Hundred Days, Promotion of army dentistry during the First World War. Cooperation improved when the Germans launched their "Gneisenau" Offensive on 9 June, to widen the "Bluecher" salient westwards. [249][250] "Great crowds lined the streets ... come to do honour to the chief who had sent thousands to the last sacrifice when duty called for it, but whom his war-worn soldiers loved as their truest advocate and friend. [111], Haig had long thought French petty, jealous, unbalanced ("like a bottle of soda water … incapable of thinking … and coming to a reasoned decision"), overly quick to meddle in party politics and easily manipulated by Henry Wilson. His funeral in 1928 was a huge state occasion. [32], Haig left India in November 1892 to prepare for the entrance exam for the Staff College, Camberley, which he sat in June 1893. [211] Haig had opposed Maurice in taking his concerns into public, but was disappointed at how Lloyd George was able to get off the hook with a "claptrap speech". [152], The Third Army attacked at Cambrai (6.20 am on 20 November) with six infantry and five cavalry divisions, 1,000 guns (using a surprise predicted barrage rather than a preliminary bombardment) and nine tank battalions of 496 tanks (325 combat, 98 support) on unbroken ground, an area held by two German divisions. [258] Haig thought these views "most mischievous" but was willing to accept criticism of his command, although he argued that decisions he took in August and September 1918 were responsible for the war ending in November. The Cavalry Division was disbanded (November 1900) and French, with Haig still his chief of staff, was put in charge of an all-arms force policing the Johannesburg area, later trying to capture the Boer leader de Wet around Bloemfontein. Gilbert also opposed the rising power of the Clan Douglas family. Such trauma was still poorly understood at that time. [75] He was also involved in setting up the Imperial General Staff (larger colonies were to have local sections of the General Staff, with trained staff officers), for which his work was praised by Haldane. Haig was created Earl Haig, Viscount Dawick and Baron Haig, of Bemersyde in the County of Berwick, received the thanks of both Houses of Parliament and a grant of £100,000 (his secretary Philip Sassoon had asked for £250,000), to enable him to live in the style appropriate to a senior peer.

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