French, John Denton Pinkstone (1852-1925), the first Earl of Ypres, commanded the first units of British soldiers sent to Belgium and France during World War I (1914-1918). Impulsive and short-tempered, French was ill-suited for such a large and difficult command. His inability to break the German line led to his dismissal from command in late 1915.
French was born in Ripple, Kent, on Sept. 28, 1852. The son of a Royal Navy officer, he became a midshipman at age 14 aboard a training ship. In 1874, French transferred to the Army. In 1884, he took part in the failed attempt to relieve General Charles Gordon in Khartoum, Sudan. French commanded a cavalry division during the Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) and received a knighthood early in the war. After serving as a corps commander, he became inspector general of the forces in 1907 and later served as chief of the Imperial General Staff.
With the outbreak of World War I in August 1914, French was named commander-in-chief of the British Expeditionary Force. French’s command was criticized for a series of military failures, including the disastrous Battle of Loos in September 1915. Three months later, French was forced to resign his command. He returned to the United Kingdom, commanding the British Home Forces from 1916 to 1918. His time in that post included the suppression of the 1916 Easter Rising in Ireland. King George V made him a viscount in 1916 and an earl in 1922. From 1918 to 1921, French was lord lieutenant, or British governor, of Ireland. He died in Kent on May 22, 1925.
See also Anglo-Boer Wars ; Gordon, Charles George ; World War I .
