Age 23 in 1885, in his hussar's uniform
French, Joffre and Haig (left to right) visit the front line during 1915.
The statue of Field Marshal Haig, standing outside the theatre in Montreuil-sur-Mer
Haig in Newfoundland
Haig's grave (right) next to his wife, with the standard military headstone used in the First World War
Douglas Haig was born in a house on Charlotte Square, Edinburgh. He was not an aristocrat by birth, or even landed gentry. His father John Richard Haig - an irascible alcoholic - was middle class ("in trade"), and as head of the family's successful Haig & Haig whisky distillery had an income of £10,000 per year (£1,160,000 in 2018), an enormous amount at the time. His mother Rachel was from a gentry family fallen on straitened circumstances.
Haig's education began in 1869 as a boarder at Mr Bateson's School in Clifton Bank, St Andrews. Later in 1869, he switched to Edinburgh Collegiate School, and then in 1871 to Orwell House, a preparatory school in Warwickshire. He then attended Clifton College. Both of Haig's parents died by the time he was eighteen.
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. He was one of the best young horsemen at Oxford and quickly found his way into the University polo team. Although he passed his exams (a requirement for university applicants to Sandhurst), he was not eligible for a degree as he had missed a term's residence due to sickness, and if he had stayed for longer he would have been above the then age limit (23) to begin officer training in the Royal Military College at Sandhurst, which he entered in January 1884. Because he had been to university Haig was considerably older than most of his class at Sandhurst, and was Senior Under-Officer, was awarded the Anson Sword, and passed out first in the order of merit. He was commissioned as a lieutenant into the 7th (Queen's Own) Hussars on 7 February 1885.
Douglas Haig took part in the Omdurman campaign (1897-1898) and in the Boer War (1899-1902). He served as inspector general of cavalry in India from 1903 until 1906, when he became director of military training at the War Office. There he played a large part in implementing Haldane's military reforms.
In 1909 he was appointed chief of staff of the Indian Army, and in 1911 he was promoted over the heads of many senior officers to command the military training center at Aldershot. On the outbreak of war in 1914 Haig commanded the First Army Corps, one of the two that composed the British Expeditionary Force under Sir John French. At the end of the year the corps was expanded into an army, which Haig commanded in the campaigns of 1915, Neuve Chapelle, and Loos. Increasing discontent with French's command - felt not least by Haig - came to a head in December 1915, and Haig was named to succeed him. He remained in command of the British Army in France till the end of the war.
From 1 July to 18 November 1916, Haig directed the British portion of a major Anglo-French offensive, the British offensive at the Somme. The French insisted that Haig continue the offensive on the Somme and their insistence continued throughout the duration of the battle, even after the French went on the offensive at Verdun in October 1916. Although too much shrapnel was used in the bombardment, Haig was not entirely to blame for this: as early as Jan 1915 Haig had been impressed by evidence of the effectiveness of High Explosive shells and had demanded as many of them as possible from van Donop.
After ceasing active service, Haig devoted the rest of his life to the welfare of ex-servicemen, making many speeches and answering all letters in his own hand. Haig pushed for the amalgamation of organisations, quashing a suggestion of a separate organisation for officers, into the British Legion which was founded in June 1921.
On leave from India, Haig married Dorothy Maud Vivian (1879-1939) 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 Crespigny Vivian and Louisa Duff. The couple had four children.
(1879–1939)
(9 March 1907 – 1997)
First married to Rear-Admiral Clarence Dinsmore Howard-Johnston, with whom she had three children. She secondly married in 1954 historian Hugh Trevor-Roper, who was later created Baron Dacre of Glanton.
(7 November 1908 – 1993)
George Alexander Eugene Douglas Haig (15 March 1918 – 10 July 2009) was a British artist and peer who succeeded to the Earldom of Haig on 29 January 1928, at the age of nine, upon the death of his father, Field Marshal the 1st Earl Haig. Until then he was styled Viscount Dawick. Throughout his life, he was usually known to his family and friends as Dawyck Haig.
Lady Irene Violet Freesia Janet Augustia Haig (7 October 1919 – 12 August 2001) was an English philanthropist and member of the Astor family.
