page_title: Richard Haking
section_title: Later war
hierarchical_section_title: Richard Haking / Later war
context_page_description: General Sir Richard Cyril Byrne Haking GBE, KCB, KCMG was a British general who commanded XI Corps in the First World War.
  Arguments over the late release of Haking's Corps on the first day of the Battle of Loos were instrumental in forcing the resignation of Sir John French as Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force. Haking is remembered chiefly for the high casualties suffered by his forces at the second Battle of Fromelles, launched while the Battle of the Somme was underway 80 km to the south, although at least one British historian has sought to defend his reputation, regarding him as an "intelligent and capable man" unfairly maligned in the popular mythology of the war. Although blocked from further promotion he continued to command XI Corps – including in Italy in the winter of 1917–18 and in Flanders in April 1918 – until the end of the war.
context_section_description: Liddell Hart later claimed that Haking had reported Broadwood (57th Division) in early 1917 for "lack of fighting spirit". Haking protested to Horne (GOC First Army) on 18 March 1917 about how he was expected to hold a four-division stretch of front with two divisions, putting too much strain on the units involved. Horne met with him personally to discuss his concerns.
  After being sent to reinforce the Italian Front following the disastrous Battle of Caporetto from November 1917 to March 1918, XI Corps was returned to the Western Front and was stationed at Béthune. It was almost immediately engaged by the assault in the German Spring Offensive of that year. Overall, the Corps protected the Channel ports, although some sections of the Corps were all but destroyed by the German "Georgette" Offensive. In particular the 2nd Portuguese Division suffered 7,000 casualties and 300 officers  (out of a divisional strength of 20,000) in the Battle of Estaires. Haking and his Corps "did well" in the halting of this offensive. Haking was not a believer in "defence in depth", but Andy Simpson argues that this was not necessarily a bad thing, as 55th (West Lancashire) Division under his command – fresh troops holding old fortifications – were able to hold their positions and even establish a defensive flank despite the rout of the Portuguese division to their south.
  Lloyd George told the War Cabinet (11 April) that the Liberal War Committee (a committee of backbench MPs) had made "very serious protests" to him that afternoon against the retention of "incompetent" officers like Gough (who had just been sacked after his Fifth Army had borne the brunt of the German March Offensive) and Haking. Unlike Gough, Haking retained his command.
  General Gomes da Costa later wrote (in O corpo de exercito portugues na Grande Guerra: A batalha do Lys) of "the esteem in which I held General Haking … who always showed himself through his knowledge of the Portuguese language, extremely intelligent and clever, a fine soldier and a loyal friend".
  Haking conducted a successful attack at La Bassee in June 1918. Simpson writes that his "performance continued to be far more convincing than earlier in the war". On 17 October 1918 his corps entered the line as part of Birdwood’s Fifth Army. Corrigan writes that that autumn Haking "earned a high reputation in the British Offensive which ended the war" whilst Simpson writes that "(h)is promise before the First World War was never realised during it, but he undoubtedly showed far more skill with the soldiers of 1918 than with those under his command in 1915–16".
  Haking was honoured with the Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George (KCMG) in 1918.
caption: Generals Tamagnini and Gomes da Costa, together with General Haking.
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