Haig, << hayg, >> Douglas (1861-1928), one of the most able British generals of his day, commanded the United Kingdom’s forces in France during World War I (1914-1918). In 1918, he directed several successful offensives, including the attack that broke Germany’s defensive Siegfried Line (see Siegfried Line ). Haig, who took command in France in December 1915, was also associated with two tragic campaigns. His troops suffered over 400,000 casualties in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and about 250,000 in the Third Battle of Ypres in 1917.
Douglas Haig was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, on June 19, 1861. After the war, he was made an earl. Haig died on Jan. 30, 1928.
