The First World War

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by palo5

Was that him?

The same guy who said General French was likely to be stupid, and therefore General Haig would be better?

In simple terms yes, but it was more complicated than that!

[palo5]

Originally Posted by rupertramjet

In simple terms yes, but it was more complicated than that!

Of course - politics. Only politics

Robertson was not at all a genius. In my army he might get to major, same as Haig. But no higher. Or corporal

Btw, wasn't Haig a whisky millionaire?

[rupertramjet]

Originally Posted by palo5

Robertson was not at all a genius. In my army he might get to major, same as Haig. But no higher. Or corporal

By the times his achievement was incredible, about five rankers were commissioned each year, and few rose above Major.

Btw, wasn't Haig a whisky millionaire?

He was, his father was an alcoholic, and his mother was gentry, although her family was broke, so she married beneath her, it did not matter that her husband had a £10000 income in 1880, he was still middle class 'in trade'. Haig was financially independent, due to their death, by the age of eighteen.

[Ennath]

In 1916, the German General Staff over-estimated the strength of the neutral Dutch Army by 50 percent, at 300,000 rather than 200,000, despite having flooded the Netherlands with spies for more than two years.

[richardoe]

Robertson was CIGS, but he was a General. He wasnt promoted to Field Marshal until after he quit as CIGS, which I find odd.

[rupertramjet]

Robertson was far from unique in this, from October 1914–26 September 1915, CIGS was a Lieutenant General, Sir James Wolfe-Murray, actually most of them were, because the Higher Post, Chief of the Defence Staff, was nominally the Chief of the Armed Forces, so to have a five star in role would have in theory, undermined his position, however all CIGS, and later Chief of the General Staff, were promoted to Field Marshall on leaving the post.

The last one was Sir Peter Inge in 1994-1997. five star rank having ceased to be awarded, a five star remains on the active list, until death. The Honourary Rank of Field Marshall in June 2012 was awarded to Charles Guthrie. Eight years after he retired.

[haroldeye]

There is a photo somewhere of a collection of Green Howards with every rank from Field Marshall to Private soldier and all serving. Not bad for a small county Regiment from North Yorkshire.

[rupertramjet]

Field Marshall Lord Inge, General Lord Dannat, and I believe that the next on just might be a Green Howard! Which means that this County Regiment will have produced three of the last ten Chiefs! The Devon and Dorset have the highest number of Staff Officers per capita of any Regiment, so perhaps readers of my earlier post, when we were discussing amalgamation will see why I argued against it and fell out with my mentor!

Bit Like Lord Dannatt, who as Sir Richard, let rip at the then Labour Government over pay, conditions and the state of both single and married accommodation in the armed forces, he then let rip at them for the state of the equipment and support. Very much a soldiers soldiers, admired and loved by his men, he was appointed as an advisor to David Cameroon prior to his winning the General Election, at which, always a man of principal he resigned saying that the new Government should take advice from their Military Chiefs only.

Famously Labour tried to black his name, by claiming his expenses were excessive when he was Chief, only to find that he actually did most of his catering from Lidls anf had actually spent a total of £278 on entertaining through out his tenure, which include dinners for several High Ranking Officials from overseas.

He is heavily involved in Service Charities, married to Pippa they have three Sons and a Daughter, one of his sons served in both Iraq and Afghanistan, earning a Mention in Despatches.

[Ennath]

Although World War I broke out in August of 1914, planning for the 1916 Olympics, to be held in Berlin, continued on the theory that the conflict would be a short one, and the games were not actually cancelled until March of 1915.

[richardoe]

The next Chief of the Defence Staff is indeed from The Green Howards. He will be unique as he will not have been CGS. And being cynical I wonder if having so many senior officers meant they couldnt lobby to keep the regiment??