Editing Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig (section)

==Career==

===Junior officer===
Early in his military career, Haig played polo for England on a tour of the United States (August 1886). He would remain a polo enthusiast all his life, serving as Chairman of the Hurlingham Polo Committee from 1914 until 1922, President of the Army Polo Committee, and founder of the Indian Polo Association.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hpa-polo.co.uk/download/1927-May-1928-Sep.pdf|title=Polo Monthly 1928|access-date=15 February 2019}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref><ref>Groot 1988, p. 31.</ref>

Haig saw overseas service in [[British Raj|India]] (sent out November 1886), where he was appointed the regiment's [[adjutant]] in 1888.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=25840|page=4012|date=24 July 1888|nolink=y}}</ref> He was something of a disciplinarian,<ref>Groot 1988, p. 33.</ref> but impressed his superiors by his administrative skill and analysis of training exercises. He was promoted to [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] on 23 January 1891.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26156|page=2309|date=28 April 1891|nolink=y}}</ref>

[[File:Photograph of the young Douglas Haig as an officer with the 7th Hussars. (4687893437).jpg|thumb|left|Photograph of the young Douglas Haig as an officer with the 7th Hussars.]]

Haig left India in November 1892 to prepare for the entrance exam for the Staff College, Camberley, which he sat in June 1893. Although he was placed in the top 28 (the number of places awarded by exam) he was not awarded a place as he had narrowly failed the compulsory mathematics paper. He concealed this failure for the rest of his life<ref>Groot 1988, p. 38.</ref> and in 1910 recommended dropping the mathematics paper as a requirement.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 135.</ref> Adjutant-General Sir [[Redvers Buller]] refused to award Haig one of the four nominated places, citing his [[colour-blind|colour blindness]], despite Haig having his eyesight rechecked by a German oculist and despite glowing testimonials. It has been postulated that Buller was looking for a rationale to give a place to an infantry officer.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 40.</ref>

Haig returned briefly to India as second-in-command of the squadron which he had himself commanded in 1892, then returned to the UK as [[Aide-de-camp]] to Sir Keith Fraser, Inspector General of Cavalry.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26526|page=3655|date=26 June 1894|nolink=y}}</ref> Fraser was one of those who had lobbied for Haig to enter the Staff College, and he was finally nominated in late 1894, a common practice in the day for promising candidates. While waiting to take up his place, he travelled to Germany to report on cavalry manoeuvres there, and served as staff officer to [[John French, 1st Earl of Ypres|Colonel John French]] on manoeuvres. The careers of French and Haig were to be entwined for the next twenty-five years, and Haig helped French write the cavalry drillbook, published 1896.<ref name="Neillands 2006, p29"/>

Haig entered the [[Staff College, Camberley]] in 1896, where he was apparently not popular with his peers. For example, they chose Captain [[Edmund Allenby, 1st Viscount Allenby|Edmund Allenby]] as [[Master of Fox Hounds|Master of the Drag Hunt]], despite Haig being the better rider.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 48.</ref>{{sfn|Heathcote|1999|p=156}} Haig impressed the chief instructor, Lieutenant Colonel [[George Francis Robert Henderson]], and completed the course, leaving in 1897. Camberley's old-fashioned curriculum<ref>see for example Travers 1987</ref> especially influenced Haig, as he was an absorber of doctrine rather than an original thinker. Haig was taught that victory must come from defeating the main enemy army in battle, and that attrition (the "wearing out fight") was merely a prelude to the commitment of reserves for a decisive battlefield victory; traces of this thought can be seen at Loos and the Somme. Great emphasis was placed on morale and mobility, and on [[Joachim Murat|Murat]]'s cavalry pursuit after [[Napoleon]]'s [[Battle of Jena|Jena campaign of 1806]].<ref>Groot 1988, p. 50.</ref>

===Mahdist War, 1898===
In early January Haig was picked by [[Evelyn Wood (British Army officer)|Evelyn Wood]] (by then Adjutant-General) as one of three recent staff college graduates requested by [[Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener|Kitchener]] for a campaign in the [[Mahdist War]] in the [[Sudan]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=26950|page=1866|date=22 March 1898|nolink=y}}</ref> He may have been picked to keep an eye on Kitchener, as Wood invited him to write to him in confidence. Haig needed little encouragement to (privately) criticise his superiors – he was especially critical of Kitchener's dictatorial habits.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 54.</ref> Kitchener's force was Anglo-Egyptian, and Haig was required to formally join the [[Egyptian Army]], most of whose officers were British. The plan had been for him to train and take command of an Egyptian cavalry squadron, but Kitchener did not want a command reshuffle with combat imminent.<ref>Groot 1988, pp. 55–56.</ref> Unlike many British officers, Haig believed that the Egyptians could make good soldiers if properly trained and led.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 58.</ref> Still without a formal position but accompanying the cavalry, Haig saw his first action in a skirmish south of Atbara (21 March). In his report to Wood about the skirmish, Haig commented on the lack of British machine guns. While later criticized for his failure to optimize the use of machine guns, Haig made a special trip to [[Royal Small Arms Factory|Enfield]] to study the [[Maxim Gun]], and throughout the campaign commented on its worth.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 59.</ref>

Four days later he was made staff officer of [[Robert Broadwood|Broadwood]]'s cavalry brigade. Haig distinguished himself at his second action, the Battle of Nukheila (6 April), where he supervised the redeployment of squadrons to protect the rear and then launch a flank attack. He was present at the [[Battle of Atbara]] (8 April), after which he criticised Kitchener for launching a frontal attack without taking the Dervishes in flank.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 62.</ref> During the latter action Haig risked his life rescuing a wounded Egyptian soldier under enemy fire,<ref name="Mead 2014, p. 94">Mead 2014, p. 94.</ref> an act which moved several officers present to believe Haig should receive the [[Victoria Cross]].<ref name="Mead 2014, p. 94"/> After Atbara, Kitchener was given reinforcements and Haig received a squadron of his own, which he commanded at [[Battle of Omdurman|Omdurman]] (in reserve during the battle, then on a flank march into the town afterwards). He was promoted to [[Brevet (military)|brevet]] [[Major (United Kingdom)|major]] on 15 November 1898.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27023|page=6690|date=15 November 1898|nolink=y}}</ref>

===Second Boer War, 1899–1902===
Haig returned to the United Kingdom hoping for a position at the War Office, but was instead appointed (May 1899) brigade major to the [[1st Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)|1st Cavalry Brigade]] at Aldershot.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27080|page=3105|date=16 May 1899|nolink=y}}</ref>

Haig had recently lent £2,500 (in a formal contract with interest, worth £400,000 in 2024) to the brigade commander, John French, to cover his losses from South African mining speculations. The loan allowed French to maintain his commission.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 70.</ref> Haig was promoted to the substantive rank of major on 26 June 1899.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27102|page=4583|date=25 July 1899|nolink=y}}</ref>

Haig was soon appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General (September 1899)<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27122|page=6008|date=3 October 1899|nolink=y}}</ref> and then Assistant Adjutant General (i.e. chief staff officer) of French's brigade-sized force as it was sent to the [[Second Boer War|Boer War]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27203|page=3815|date=19 June 1900|nolink=y}}</ref> He took part in French's first battle, [[Battle of Elandslaagte|Elandslaagte]] (21 October). French and Haig were ordered to leave [[Siege of Ladysmith|Ladysmith]] as the four-month siege began, to take charge of the new Cavalry Division arriving from the UK. The two men escaped on the last train to leave Ladysmith (2 November 1899), lying down as it passed through enemy fire.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 74.</ref>

Haig continued to be sceptical of the importance of artillery, basing his opinions on interviews with enemy prisoners.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 75.</ref> After French's [[Colesberg]] Operations to protect Cape Colony, [[Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts|Frederick Roberts]], newly arrived as Commander-in-Chief, appointed his protégé Colonel the [[Charles Hay, 20th Earl of Erroll|Earl of Erroll]], 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. Cavalry played a leading role in this stage of the war, including the [[relief of Kimberley]] (15 February 1900), which featured a spectacular British cavalry charge at [[Klip Drift]]. Haig was briefly (21 February 1900) given command of the 3rd Cavalry Brigade, then made AAG to the Cavalry Division after Erroll was moved to a different job. French's Division took part in the capture of [[Bloemfontein]] (13 March 1900) and Pretoria (5 June 1900). Haig privately criticised Roberts and thought him a "silly old man".<ref>Groot 1988, p. 85.</ref>

After Roberts had won the conventional war, Kitchener was left in charge of fighting the Boers, who had taken to guerrilla warfare. 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 [[Christiaan de Wet|de Wet]] around Bloemfontein. In January 1901 Haig was given a column of 2,500 men with the [[local rank]] of brigadier-general, patrolling Cape Colony, and chasing Commandant Kritzinger. As was standard policy at that time, Haig's actions included burning farmsteads as part of the [[scorched earth]] policies ordered by Lord Kitchener as well as rounding up [[Boers|Boer]] women and children to be placed in [[Internment|concentration camps]].<ref>Groot 1988, p. 87.</ref>

Throughout the war Haig's sister, Henrietta, had been lobbying Evelyn Wood for her brother to have command of a cavalry regiment when the war was over. French, probably not wanting to part with a valuable assistant, recommended Herbert Lawrence for the vacant command of the 17th Lancers, but Roberts, now Commander-in-Chief back in Britain, overruled him and gave it to Haig (May 1901). As the 17th Lancers were in South Africa at the time Haig was able to combine that command with that of his own column.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 91</ref>

As the war drew to a close Haig had to locate and escort the Boer leader [[Jan Christiaan Smuts]] to the peace negotiations at Vereeninging. Haig was [[mentioned in despatches]] four times for his service in [[South Africa]] (including by Lord Roberts on 31 March 1900,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27282 |page=846 |date=8 February 1901 |nolink=y}}</ref> and by Lord Kitchener on 23 June 1902<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27459 |date=29 July 1902 |pages=4835–4837|nolink=y}}</ref>), and appointed a [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Order of the Bath]] (CB) in November 1900.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=27359 |date=27 September 1901 |page=6304|nolink=y}}</ref> He was promoted to the substantive rank of [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]] on 17 July 1901.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27334|page=4710|date=16 July 1901|nolink=y}}</ref>

Following the war, Haig left [[Cape Town]] with 540 officers and men of the 17th Lancers on the SS ''German'' in late September 1902.<ref name=times1902>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Army in South Africa - Troops returning Home |date=2 October 1902 |page=4 |issue=36888}}</ref> The regiment was supposed to stay in South Africa but in the end returned home sooner than planned, and arrived at Southampton in late October, when they were posted to [[Edinburgh]].<ref name=times1902/> 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.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27490|page=6897|date=31 October 1902|nolink=y}}</ref>

===Inspector general of Cavalry, India===
Haig continued as the commanding officer of the [[17th Lancers]] until 1903, stationed in Edinburgh. In October he was then appointed [[inspector general]] of cavalry in [[British Raj|British India]], for which he was promoted to substantive colonel whilst holding the local rank of [[Major general (United Kingdom)|major general]] while in his new assignment.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27642|page=781|date=5 February 1904}}</ref> He would have preferred command of the cavalry brigade at [[Aldershot]], where French was now the [[general officer commanding]], but had first to spend a year on garrison duty at Edinburgh until the previous incumbent completed his term.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27642|page=781|date=5 February 1904|nolink=y}}</ref>

Haig's war service had earned him belated but rapid promotion: having been a captain until the relatively advanced age of thirty-seven, by May 1904, when he received his promotion,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27675|page=3004|date=10 May 1904}}</ref> he had become the youngest major general in the [[British Army]] at that time. He was present at the [[Rawalpindi Parade 1905]] to honour the [[George V|Prince]] and Princess of Wales' visit to India. At this time a great deal of the energies of the most senior British generals were taken up with the question of whether cavalry should still be trained to charge with sword and lance (the view of French and Haig). Lord Roberts, now commander-in-chief of the British Army, warned Kitchener (now [[Commander-in-Chief, India]]) to be "very firm with Haig" on this issue, and wrote that Haig was a "clever, able fellow" who had great influence over Sir John French.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 102.</ref>

===Marriage and children===
On leave from India, Haig married Dorothy Maud Vivian on 11 July 1905 after a whirlwind courtship (she had spotted him for the first time when he was playing polo at Hurlingham two years earlier). She was a daughter of [[Hussey Vivian, 3rd Baron Vivian]] and Louisa Duff.<ref name=mosley>Charles Mosley, Ed, Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition. Wilmington, Delaware, U.S.: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003, volume 1.</ref>{{rp|562}}

The couple had four children:
* Lady Alexandra Henrietta Louisa Haig<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Alexandra Haig|url=http://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/portrait/mw202501/|publisher=National Portrait Gallery|access-date=22 June 2013}}</ref> (9 March 1907 – 1997); First married to Rear-Admiral [[Clarence Howard-Johnston]], with whom she had three children: [[James Howard-Johnston]], Xenia, and Peter. She secondly married in 1954 historian [[Hugh Trevor-Roper]], who was later created Baron Dacre of Glanton.
* Lady Victoria Doris Rachel Haig (7 November 1908 – 1993). Married Colonel [[Claud Andrew Montagu Douglas Scott]] on 10 August 1929, with whom she had two children (divorced 1951)<ref name=mosley />{{rp|562}}
*[[George Haig, 2nd Earl Haig|George Alexander Eugene Douglas Haig, 2nd Earl Haig]] (15 March 1918 – 10 July 2009)
*[[Irene Astor, Baroness Astor of Hever|Lady Irene Violet Freesia Janet Augusta Haig]] (7 October 1919 – 2001); wife of [[Gavin Astor, 2nd Baron Astor of Hever]]

Haig had used his leave in 1905 to lobby for a job at the War Office, but the proposal was rejected by [[H. O. Arnold-Forster]], the [[Secretary of State for War]], as too blatantly relying on royal influence.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 108.</ref>

===War Office===
The Boer War had exposed Britain's lack of a general staff and modern reserve army. In August 1906 Haig was appointed Director of Military Training at the [[War Office (UK)|War Office]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=27946|page=6015|date=4 September 1906|nolink=y}}</ref> Haldane later wrote that Haig had "a first rate general staff mind" and "gave invaluable advice".<ref>Groot 1988, p. 118.</ref> Although both men later claimed that the reforms had been to prepare Britain for continental war, they created a small professional army within a budget, with conscription politically impossible.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 119.</ref>

The reforms reorganised the militia, yeomanry and volunteers into the new [[Territorial Force]]. Haig was intolerant of what he regarded as old-fashioned opinions and not good at negotiating with strangers.<ref>Groot 1988, pp. 121–124.</ref> Haig had wanted a reserve of 900,000 men, but Haldane settled for a more realistic 300,000.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 126.</ref> Haig's skills at administration and organising training and inspections were better employed in setting up an Expeditionary Force of 120,000 men in 1907. As an intimate of Haldane Haig was able to ensure high priority for cavalry, less for artillery, contrary to the advice of Lord Roberts (now retired). Haig's records of his time supervising artillery exercises show little interest in technical matters.<ref>Groot 1988, pp. 125–126.</ref>

In November 1907 Haig was moved sideways to Director of Staff Duties.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28082|page=7897|date=22 November 1907|nolink=y}}</ref> He required commanders to take the staff officers assigned to them (rather than choose their own by patronage) and assigned staff officers to the new Territorial Army. He supervised publication of "Field Service Regulations", which was later very useful in expanding the BEF, although it still stressed the importance of cavalry charging with sword and lance. At this time he was completing a separate work, "Cavalry Studies",<ref>Neillands 2006, p. 31.</ref> and devoting much time to cavalry exercises.<ref>Groot 1988, pp. 128–129.</ref>

===Chief of Staff, India===
By 1909 it seemed likely that an Anglo-German War loomed and Haig was reluctant to accept appointment as [[Chief of the General Staff (India)|Chief of the General Staff in India]].<ref>Groot 1988, pp. 133–134.</ref> He passed the Director of Staff Duties job to his loyal follower Brigadier-General [[Launcelot Kiggell]], to whom he wrote with "advice" every fortnight. Haig, who had been knighted for his work at the War Office back in June,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=12155|page=701|date=29 June 1909|city=e}}</ref> was promoted to lieutenant-general in November 1910.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28433|page=7908|date=4 November 1910|nolink=y}}</ref> In India he had hoped to develop the Indian General Staff and to organise despatch of the [[British Indian Army]] to a future European war. The latter was vetoed by Viceroy [[Charles Hardinge, 1st Baron Hardinge of Penshurst|Lord Hardinge]]. An Indian Corps would serve on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] early in the conflict, and Indian troops were used in comparatively small formations in the Middle East.<ref>Groot 1988, p. 137.</ref>

===Aldershot===
Haig left India in December 1911, and took up an appointment as GOC [[Aldershot Command]] (which had the 1st and 2nd divisions and the 1st Cavalry Brigade under its command) in March 1912.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28587|page=1663|date=5 March 1912|nolink=y}}</ref> In May he was appointed colonel of the 17th Hussars, in succession to Major General [[Thomas Cooke (British Army officer)|Thomas Cooke]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28611|page=3794|date=24 May 1912}}</ref>

In the [[Army Manoeuvres of 1912]] he was decisively beaten by Lieutenant General [[James Grierson (British Army officer)|Sir James Grierson]] despite having the odds in his favour, because of Grierson's superior use of air reconnaissance. At dinner afterwards Haig abandoned his prepared text, and although he wrote that his remarks were "well received", [[John Charteris]] recorded that they were "unintelligible and unbearably dull" and that the visiting dignitaries fell asleep. Haig's poor public speaking skills aside, the manoeuvres were thought to have shown the reformed army efficient.<ref>Groot 1988, pp. 141–142.</ref> In June 1913 he was appointed a [[Order of the Bath|Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]] (KCB) in the [[1913 Birthday Honours]].<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28724|page=3904|date=30 May 1913|supp=y}}</ref>