The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-12-22
GEN. HAIG TAKES COMMAND OF
BRITISH In FRANCE
GEN. FRENCH .RETIRES
Field Marshal Requests Relief From
Duties of the Field-Receives Title
as Mark Of Appreciation Of His
Work-New Chieftain l., an Able
Soldier.
Soldier.

Field Marshal Sir John French.
who, at his own request, has been re-
Geved Of the command Of the British
forces in France and Flanders, has
been succeeded by Gen. Sir Douglas
Haig. Since the landing of the eXpe-
dictionary force Sir Douglas Haig has
commanded the First army and has
been repeatedly mentioned in dis
patches by his chief, whose place he
now takes.
:. The change had been expected for.
some time and it was announced IN
the House of Commons Wednesday
that statement would be published
Immediately. 49, Sir John French be-.
comes commander-in-ehief Of the
armies in the United Kingdom and
for his 16 months service at the
front has been created .yiscount of the
United Kingdom. =
The war Offices announcement
reads as follows:
Gen. Sir Douglas Haig has been.
appointed to succeed Field Marshall
Sir John French in command Of the
armies in France and Flanders.
"Since the commencement. Of the
war, during over 6 months of severe
and inceSsant strain, Field Marshal
French has most ably commanded
our armies in France and Flanders:
and he has now, at his own instance,
relinquished that command.
"Ris majesty's government, with
Full appreciation of and gratitude for
the conspicuous services which Field
Marshal French has rendered to his
country at the front, have, with the:
kings approval, requested him to ac-
cept the appointment of field marshal
commanding-in-chief the troops sta
toned in the United Kingdom and
Field Marshal. French has accepted
that appointment.
''The king has been pleased to con-
fer upon Sir John French the dig
nifty of. visceunt of the United King
DOM"
General Sir Douglas Haig, who will
succeed Field Marshal Sir John
French as commander Of the British
forces in Srance and Belgium is 54
years old. He began his military
career with the Seventh Hussars in
1885 and served in the Sudan and
South African cam paigns,. in both OF
which he won distinctive honors- and
promotion. At the outbreak OF the
present war he was general officer
commanding at Aldershot and after
wards was made commander of the
First army. :
Several times during the war Gen.
Haig has come in for high praise in
the dispatches Of the general he is
succeeding. At the battle of she Aisne
his conduct was described by Field
Marshal Sir John French as "bold,
skilful and decisive" In November
Of that year Sir Douglas, then lieu
tenant general, was promoted to the
rank of general for distinguished SER
vice in the field.
Field Marshal French in his dis
patches to the British war office de-
scribing the famous retreat from
Mons, credited Sir Douglas with hav-
ing extricated his corps from a diff
.fcult position at ,Landrecies.
Gen. Haig is a Scotchman. He
won his first honor under Gen. Kitch-
ener in the Soudan, where he was
promoted to brevet major on the
field. for gallantry at Atbara and be-
fore Khartoum.
Field Marshal Sir John French had
been in charge Of the British forces
on the continent since the outbreak
of the war. He Is one of the best
known of the British soldiers and al
ways has had the reputation Of being
skilful and dashing leader of men.
He was born in 1852. He served
four years in the navy but not liking
the sea, he joined the militia and
through it entered the army. He has
seen wide service.
During the famous Ulster move
ment in March of 1914 Field Mar.
shal French, then chief Of staff OF
the British army, resigned his COM
mission, giving guarantees to the
army officers that they would not be
ordered to fight the Ulst unionists
and regarding the reputation of the
document by the government as
slight on himself, he resigned. Sir
Douglas Haig then became chief OF
staff but at the outbreak OF the war
Field Marshal French was appointed
to command the expedition ary army.
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