Who is Sir Douglas Haig from The Great War and Modern Memory and what is their importance?

Sir Douglas Haig commanded the British forces in World War I. He is described as a stubborn Scot, who was inflexible and intolerant, especially of the French. A religious man, Haig attended a Church of Scotland service every week, no matter where he was stationed. He attended Clifton College as a youth.

Haig realized the shortcomings in the method of attack the British had historically used, and he believed that any successful attack had to be broader and stronger. Thus, he and his staff spent six months planning in an attack in 1916, which was to take place at the Somme. Among the troops, this attack became known as the Great Fuck-up. It was the largest military engagement in the history of the world and it was a disaster for the British. There was no element of surprise; the Germans were dug in and waiting for them, and the event marked the end of hopes to break through the German lines and end the war. In spite of the events at the Somme, Haig was promoted to the rank of Field Marshall in early 1917.