The WFA website will be undergoing routine maintenance work from 12 noon BST on Monday 29th June. You may experience brief interruptions to the Registration and Member login features.

Learning on the Job – Sir Douglas Haig 1916-1918

Published on 12 December 2021
Submitted by Clive Harris

When Sir Douglas Haig took command of the BEF in late 1915, he soon realised he would have to become as much a ‘Battlefield Manager’ as ‘Battlefield Commander’.

To achieve this successfully, he was required to charm, inspire and mould those serving beneath him, this presentation looks at how he personally, developed and overcame the challenges of total war.

Learning on the Job – Sir Douglas Haig 1916-1918
Key benefits of membership

Becoming a member of The Western Front Association (WFA) offers a wealth of resources and opportunities for those passionate about the history of the First World War. Here's just three of the benefits we offer:

Online Webinar Icon
Online webinars

The WFA regularly makes available webinars which can be viewed 'live' from home. These feature expert speakers talking about a particular aspect of the Great War.

Iwasthere Icon
I Was There!

Featured on The WFA's YouTube channel are modern day re-interpretations of the inter-war magazine 'I Was There!' which recount the memories of soldiers who 'were there'.

Pensionrecords Icon
Pension records

Explore over 8 million digitized pension records, Medal Index Cards and Ministry of Pension Documents, preserved by the WFA.

Other Articles

Smith Thumb
27 June 2026

Identifying William Smith M.M. – a 25 year search

Read more
Gemini Generated Image Gg9hb7gg9hb7gg9h (1)
19 June 2026

Salonika 1915-1918: The British Way in Warfare

Read more
Bath War Hospital Ward No.10
18 June 2026

‘He did his duty: Now at rest’

Read more
481948034 1042611437906522 7089280953515673236 N
14 June 2026

Trooping the Colour 1919: The largest ever event

Read more
Statistics BME
10 June 2026

Statistics of the Military Effort of the British Empire During the Great War 1914–1920

Read more