SIR DOUGLAS HAIG

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 42, 13 November 1918, Page 7

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG

Sir Douglas Haig, tho Commto of|j the victorious British ariwcs, 4' i to the full the truth o f' th « maxim which teaches , the Briton that,, "dogged does it.". Haig took over from Sir John, (now Viscount)'l'rench in tha, dark and perilous days when seemed, as if onlv a miracle could save l rnn <£~*. and Europe—lrom the might 01 the tier-, man host, and not having then the weight of men and metal to essay operations against the formidable lines in front of hnu, settled down to kill Ocrmans." Trench warfare became a deadly science in which tho human factor . weighed with the British .Man for man, tactics for tactics, tho British weie 100 "ood for tho Germans, and tliib fact, was driven homo to the enemy by our terrible raiders, who not only steadily, sapped tho moral of the German fiont . line, but acquired most valuable infor- ; niation regarding the enemj's dofifflswa. j plans. Then came tho first Battle of tho : Somnie, wh6u'llaig, assured at last of ; tha requisite weight ot men' and metal, ; launched a terrific offensive on a limited!. front. For the '.first time since the war be»nn the Germans experienced the diabolical furv of an intensive bombard-, mcnt. That was the turning ot a tide that surged successfully on, and would iwitablv have reached its flood had not ■ Russia failed us. Russia's collapss threw > ns back once more 011 the defensive, until ; tho arrival of Amcrica on the battle-.- : front enabled the new Allied General- I issimo, Marshal Foch, to counter and 1 smash tho enemy to his knees. Sir Dou- : "las Haig has been popular with tha j Army and his Stall. He lias stood high 1 in the confidence of tho nation and U»e : Government. He is a native of Fife- : shire, Scotland, and in tho Scots .rcgw ments is with sentimental familiarity referred to as "Duggie" (the Scotch ab-. breviattoh of Douglas). Haig is a cavalryman, and obtained early recognition as a capable leader and a sound staff man,, j He served in the Sudan AVar under, ■ Kitchener, and in South Africa was j French's Chief of Staff in the opera- 1 tions rouml Colesberg, afterwards commanding a group of columns. He was Chief of Staff in India from 11109-12;' and was in command at Aldershot on ; tho outbreak of war. Re went "over" with French as Commander of the Brit* isli First Army, and rendered distinguish* j ed and conspicuous service in the dark 1 days, subsequently attaining to Comman- i dei'-m-Chief on Lord French's depart ' ture. Haig was given his field-marshal's | batoji last year. I