SIR DOUGLAS HAIG.

Taranaki Daily News, 28 December 1915, Page 5

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG.

THIRTY YEARS A SOLDIER. .SERVICES AT THE WAR. ABLE AXD SKILFUL LEADEU. General Sir Douglas Haig, who, at Sir John French's suggestion, has been appointed to succeed the latter in the command of the British forces in France and Flanders, has a long period of distinguished service to his credit. His record in the present war especially has stamped him as an able leader, and the skill and determination that he has displayed in several engagements have been the subject of high commendation by Sir John French, with whom he has been closely associated since the beginning of the campaign. Sir Douglas Haig, who has been 30 years a soldier, is 54 years of age, having been born in Edinburgh in 1801. He was educated at Clifton and at Brasenose College, Oxford, and afterwards entered the Royal Military College at Sandhurst. Joining the 7th Hussars in February, 18S5, he was promoted captain in 1891, brevet-major in 1893 and brevet-lieutenant-colonel in 1900. In 1901 he was transferred to the command of the 17th Lancers, and commanded the raiment until 1!)03. In the following year he was promoted major-general and lieu-tenant-general in 19io.

SERVICE IN SOUTH AFRICA. Sir Douglas Haig has seen service in Egypt and South Africa. During the Nile Expedition of 1898 he served' with the Egyptian Army, and was present at the battles of Atbara and Omdurman, on whicli occasions he was mentioned in despatches From 1899 to 1002 he took part in the operations in South Africa, being present at the battles of Flandsh'.ngte, ftiardiberg and Belfast, and in the operations around Colesburg and for the relief of Kimberley. He acted as deputy-assistant-adjutant-general for the cavalry in Natal and was chief of staff to General Sir John French during the Colesburg operations. In 1900 he was appointed as-sistant-adjnUnt-general of the cavalry division, ami commanded n group of columns during 190) and 1!>02. He was again mentioned in despatches.

For his services lie was made a brevet-lieutenant-cokmel and a C.'B. in. 1900 and A.D.C. to the King in 1902. He has the Egyptiiui war medal with two clasps and the Khedive's medal, and for the South African war the Queen's medal with seven clasps and the King's medal. In the year following the termination of the South African war Sir Douglas was appointed inspector-general of cavalry in India, an appointment which, he held from 1903 to 1000, when he took up the post of director of military training at headquarters for one year, and director of staff duties from 1907 to 1909. In 1909 he was appointed chief of the staff in India, with the temporary rank of lieutenant-general, and on the formation of the general staff in India in 1910 he became its first chief. In March, 1912, he was appointed, general officer eommandlng-in-chief at Aldershot. He was created a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1903, and in 1909 a Knight Commander of the same order. In 1911 he was created a Knight Commander of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire. RECORD IN THE PRESENT WAR.

On the outbreak of the present war, in August, 1914, Sir Douglas Haig, who had held the Aldershot command since 1912, was appointed to the command, under Sir John French, of the First Army Corps. He rendered valuable service in several of the earlier engagements of the war, especially in the battle of the Aisr.c. In his official report of this battle, Sir John French said: "The action of the First Corps, under the direction and command of Sir Douglas Haig, was of so skilful, bold and decisive a character that he gained positions which alone have enabled me to maintain my position for more than three weeks of very severe fighting." In another portion of the same despatch Sir John French wrote: "I cannot sepak too highly of the valuable services rendered by Sir Douglas Haig and the army corps under his command. Day after day and night after night the enemy's infantry has been hurled against him in violent counter-attack which has never, on any one occasion, succeeded, whilst the trenches all over his position have been under continuous heavy artillery fire."' PROMOTION TO RANK OF GENERAL. On November 10, 1914, Sir Douglas Haig was promoted from the rank of lieut.-general to that of general "for distinguished service in the field." He was also received- in audience by the King at Buckingham Palace. In January of this year President Poincare conferred upon Sir Douglas the French distinction of Grand Officer of the Leigon of Honor. In the operations at Neuve Chapelle the new commander-in-chief also attained prominence, Sir John French, in his report on the operations there, referred to the "gallantry and dash of tte troops . . . under the able and determined leadership of General Sir Douglas Haig." Sir Douglas Haig's extensive experiences of cavalry operations have been published under the title of "Cavalry Studies." He is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society aad of the Royal Society of Arts. He is a well-known polo player, hating played for his regiment in thi fnter-?lc-gimental Tournament, at ITiiriingnam, w'en they won in 1885 mi.l ISSB, also in Tiidia in 1889, and aga'.n at Hurlinejham in 1903. He was married in 1905 to the Hon. Dorothy Maud Vivian, daughttf of Lord Vivia^