"access to the Cabinet so as to bypass Kitchener. However, he did succeed in securing the appointment of Sir Eric Geddes to take charge of military railways behind British lines in France, with the honorary rank of major-general. Lloyd George told a journalist, Roy W. Howard, in late September that ""the fight must be to a finish – to a knockout"", a rejection of President Wilson's offer to mediate. Lloyd George was increasingly frustrated at the limited gains of the Somme Offensive, criticising General Haig to Ferdinand Foch on a visit to the Western Front in September (British casualty ratios"
"and the Conservatives, and were abandoned. Lloyd George gained a heroic reputation with his energetic work as Minister of Munitions, 1915–16, setting the stage for his move up to the height of power. After a long struggle with the War Office, he wrested responsibility for arms production away from the generals, making it a purely industrial department, with considerable expert assistance from Walter Runciman. The two men gained the respect of Liberal cabinet colleagues for improving administrative capabilities, and increasing outputs. When the Shell Crisis of 1915 dismayed public opinion with the news that the Army was running short of"
"the first day of the bloody action at Gettysburg. John F. Reynolds was one of the most universally admired officers of the Army of the Potomac. A compassionate man, he was said to be genuinely concerned for the wellbeing of the soldiers under his command. By general consensus he was also the army's best horseman. Noted for his equestrian skills, he reportedly could pick up a dime from the ground while his mount was at full gallop. A handsome man, General Reynolds stood six feet tall and was narrow-waisted. He had black hair and a full beard and was deeply"
"blond hair refused to turn grey, making it harder for Egyptians to take him seriously. His appearance added to his mystique: his long legs made him appear taller, whilst a cast in his eye made people feel he was looking right through them. Kitchener, at 6'2"", towered over most of his contemporaries. Sir Evelyn Baring, the ""de facto"" British ruler of Egypt, thought Kitchener “the most able (soldier) I have come across in my time”. In 1890, a War Office evaluation of Kitchener concluded: ""A good brigadier, very ambitious, not popular, but has of late greatly improved in tact and"
"vote of confidence. He won over the House with a powerful refutation of Maurice's allegations. Meanwhile, the German offensive stalled. By summer the Americans were sending 10,000 fresh men a day to the Western Front, a speedup made possible by leaving their equipment behind and using British and French munitions. The German army had used up its last reserves and was steadily shrinking in numbers, further weakening its resolve. Victory came on 11 November 1918. At the end of the war Lloyd George's reputation stood at its zenith. Bonar Law, who was from a similar modest provincial background, said ""He"
"proud to be able to write home to [tell] my wife that we would be going to an investiture at Buckingham Palace to receive the medal from King George VI."" His citation reads: ""Throughout the whole action which lasted until the early morning of 9th October, Sgt. Emery displayed not only the highest qualities of leadership and devotion to duty, but also showed an utter disregard for his own safety during a time of extreme danger. When not engaged actively in attacking and directing fire onto the enemy, Sgt. Emery was a constant source of encouragement and cheerfulness to his"
"Richard Lloyd George, 2nd Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor Richard Lloyd George, 2nd Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor (15 February 1889 – 1 May 1968) was a British soldier and peer in the peerage of the United Kingdom, a member of the House of Lords from 1945 until his death. The son of the Liberal prime minister David Lloyd George by his first wife, Margaret Owen, Lloyd George was educated at Portmadoc School and Christ's College, Cambridge, graduating BA in 1910. During the First World War he was commissioned into the Royal Engineers and rose to the rank of Major. He became"
"Boswell in Lloyd George's life"". In the summer of 1917, during Lloyd George's first year as prime minister, Riddell assessed his personality: His energy, capacity for work, and power of recuperation are remarkable. He has an extraordinary memory, imagination, and the art of getting at the root of a matter...He is not afraid of responsibility, and has no respect for tradition or convention. He is always ready to examine, scrap or revise established theories and practices. These qualities give him unlimited confidence in himself... He is one of the craftiest of men, and his extraordinary charm of manner not only"
"also ineffective. Asquith was replaced by Lloyd George in late 1916. He had a strong hand in the managing of every affair, making many decisions himself. Historians credit Lloyd George with providing the driving energy and organisation that won the War. Although Germans were using Zeppelins to bomb the cities, morale remained relatively high due in part to the propaganda churned out by the national newspapers. With a severe shortage of skilled workers, industry redesigned work so that it could be done by unskilled men and women (termed the ""dilution of labour"") so that war-related industries grew rapidly. Lloyd George"
"conducive to literary creativity. During the 1940s these were restyled by architect Sir Clough Williams-Ellis. David Lloyd George (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was a British Liberal politician and statesman, and Prime Minister of the Wartime Coalition Government (1916–22). Lloyd George grew up in Llanystumdwy in Caernarfonshire. As a child, he was educated in the local Anglican school, Llanystumdwy National School. Tŷ Newydd was originally a farm, whose land extended to the road adjacent to Lloyd George’s other home, Brynawelon. Brynawelon was later the home of his daughter Megan. In 1942, Lloyd George and his wife Frances bought"
"officers. The honour guard was provided by his entire cavalry brigade together with detachments of troops from the rest of the French Army of the Rhine, flags and standards were flown veiled in black crepe. Those present included chairman of the Inter-Allied Rhineland High Commission, Paul Tirard; commander of the French Army of the Rhine, General Jean Degoutte and generals Georges Demetz and Henri Mordacq (together with at least eleven other French generals). There were delegations from the Belgian, British and American armies as well as Roman Catholic and Jewish chaplains. Degoutte spoke of Waddington as a brilliant military leader"
"the SAS. After the end of the siege, PC Trevor Lock was widely considered a hero. He was awarded the George Medal, the United Kingdom's second-highest civil honour, for his conduct during the siege and for tackling Oan during the SAS raid, the only time during the siege that he drew his concealed side arm. In addition, he was honoured with the Freedom of the City of London and in a motion in the House of Commons. Police historian Michael J. Waldren, referring to the television series ""Dixon of Dock Green"", suggested that Lock's restraint in the use of his"
"he could [tell the story] 'backwards and in high heels' and get away with it."" Others referred to it as very readable, and found the military scenes compelling. Heinlein's descriptions of training and boot camp in the novel, based on his own experiences in the military, have been described as being rendered with remarkable skill. A 1960 review in the ""New York Herald Tribune"" praised the ""brilliantly written"" passages describing infantry combat, and also called attention to the discussion of weapons and armor, which, according to other reviewers, demonstrated Heinlein's ""undiminished talent for invention"". Scholar George Slusser described the book"
"much as any soldier who fell in the field."" The British and German publics also took a positive view of Lody. His trial became something of a celebrity occasion; as ""The New York Times"" observed, on the first day, ""many fashionably dressed women thronged the galleries of the courtroom"" and the final day was attended by ""many leaders of London society as well as by prominent jurists, politicians, and military and naval men."" The ""Daily Express"" opined that ""one cannot withhold a tribute to his daring resourcefulness and inflexible courage"" and called Lody ""one of the cleverest spies in Steinhauer's"
"Secretary of War George W. Randolph. Von Borcke became a close confidant and aide to Stuart and, conspicuous on the battlefield for his large height and girth and the extremely large sword he wielded, became known as the ""giant in gray."" Stuart soon was impressed by the new arrival, and the two became fast friends. Following the cavalry's famed ""ride around McClellan's army"", Stuart wrote, ""Capt. Heros von Borcke, a Prussian cavalry officer, who lately ran the blockade, assigned me by the honorable Secretary of War, joined in the charge of the First Squadron in gallant style, and subsequently, by"
"are now on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in the Imperial War Museum in London. George Fosbery Lieutenant Colonel George Vincent Fosbery VC (11 April 1832 – 8 May 1907) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. He was also a designer and inventor of firearms. An Old Etonian, Fosbery was 31 years old, and a lieutenant in the 4th Bengal European Regiment, British Indian Army during the Umbeyla Campaign during which he was awarded"
"with his remarkable ability to convince people to do what he wanted and thus get ideas put into actual useful high-speed motion. His top aide Winston Churchill said of Lloyd George: ""He was the greatest master of the art of getting things done and of putting things through that I ever knew; in fact no British politician my day has possessed half his competence as a mover of men and affairs."" Victorian attitudes and ideals that had continued into the first years of the 20th century changed during the First World War. The almost three million casualties were known as"
"degree of skill which had never been surpassed. In such operations, the covering of the Army by its cavalry and light troops necessarily forms an important feature; and a glance at the manner in which this duty was fulfilled by Uxbridge, with the cavalry, horse artillery, and a few light battalions of infantry, at his disposal, is sufficient to show that the exemplification of such feature on this occasion was exceedingly beautiful. Indeed, so orderly and so perfect were all the arrangements connected with this retreat, from its commencement to its close, that the movements partook more of the appearance"
"transported troops and supplies to the Continental battlefront. von Clausewitz and Napoleon Bonaparte considered him one of the greatest generals of all time, an evaluation agreed with by George S. Patton and others. He was also renowned for his constancy of purpose and the equality of his troops—no one part of his armies was considered better or received preferred treatment, as was common in other armies where the cavalry were the elite, followed by the artillery, and both disdained the lowly infantry. In Gustavus' army the units were extensively cross trained. Both cavalry and infantry could service the artillery, as"
"far from rough, I have seen few men who gave me such a sensation of force ... a fit leader for the wild men he commanded"". Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery later wrote: ""I would name Sir John Monash as the best general on the western front in Europe"". For his services during the war, and in addition to his creation as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath, Monash was appointed as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George on 1 January 1919. He also received numerous foreign honours – the French"
"status as favourites to Queen Elizabeth, all had two suits of armour each, in addition to large garnitures with many extra pieces. Several of the armours depicted in this album survive to the present day. The armours of Robert Dudley, William Somerset, and William Herbert are all at the Royal Armouries at the Tower of London, and Christopher Hatton's armour is at the Royal Armouries gallery in Leeds, along with the half-harness (the only one in the album) of a notable soldier, tactician and military writer of the Elizabethan era named John Smythe. The complete garniture of George Clifford is"
"disparaged by Conservatives for his radicalism. George Riddell, 1st Baron Riddell, a wealthy newspaper publisher, was a close confidant and financial supporter of Lloyd George from 1908 to 1922, and Riddell's revealing diary is a valuable source for the period. During Lloyd George's first year as prime minister, in summer 1917, Riddell assessed his personality:His energy, capacity for work, and power of recuperation are remarkable. He has an extraordinary memory, imagination, and the art of getting at the root of a matter...He is not afraid of responsibility, and has no respect for tradition or convention. He is always ready to"
"the Coalition ended) complaining that, in a noisy Commons debate, Lloyd George had claimed to have been a personal friend of Wilson's. Wilson's funeral was a public affair attended by Lloyd George and the cabinet, Foch, Nivelle and Weygand from France as well as many of his former army colleagues including French, Macready, Haig and Robertson. The field marshal was buried in the crypt of St Paul's Cathedral. Wilson was a man of great charm. Contemporaries described him as a ""delightful whirlwind"" and wrote that ""there was something spectacular and theatrical about him"". Politicians enjoyed his levity, e.g. referring to"
"perfect in every proportion, he had a handsome, manly face. Altogether, he was a perfect specimen of manhood. The dignity of his bearing, devoid as it was of all arrogance or affectation, arrested the attention of all who came within his influence. The affability of his manners made him approachable and agreeable under all conditions. He was exceedingly punctilious in points of etiquette, and I well recall that although we officers were quartered around in the buildings in the most inconvenient places, he took special pains to seek us all out and make a friendly call upon each one. His"
"his historical adviser Liddell Hart. Gough was initially impressed by the former Prime Minister's charisma, and was almost persuaded that he had had nothing to do with his sacking in April 1918, until he remembered that both Esher and Birkenhead had told him the truth years earlier. Lloyd George, who may well have been keen to appease a potential critic, eventually sent Gough a letter (described as ""carefully worded"" by Farrar-Hockley) claiming that new facts had come to his attention since that date, and admitting that Gough had been ""let down"" and that ""no General could have won that battle""."
"the most distinguished English cavalry leader since Oliver Cromwell, and argues that although he did not achieve victory, his personality inspired the BEF in 1914 (this was acknowledged at the time by Robertson and by Smith-Dorrien, who informed the King's adviser Wigram (6 November 1914) that in situations where other men would have panicked ""Sir John is unmoved and invariably does the right thing""). Holmes acknowledges that French's qualities were marred by his ""undisciplined intellect and mercurial personality"", but concludes by quoting Churchill's verdict that ""French, in the sacred fire of leadership, was unsurpassed"". Brian Bond described French as ""a"
"""The Straits Times"" of Singapore thought that Bottomley could have rivalled Lloyd George as a national leader: ""Though he deserved his fate, the news of his passing will awaken the many regrets for the good which he did when he was Bottomley the reformer and crusader and the champion of the bottom dog"". A later historian, Maurice Cowling, pays tribute to Bottomley's capacity and industry, and to his forceful campaigns in support of liberty. In his sketch for the ""Oxford Dictionary of National Biography"", Morris delivers a different judgement: ""[H]e claimed to serve the interests of others, but sought only"
"Arnold Loosemore Arnold Loosemore (7 June 1896, Sheffield, England – 10 April 1924) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. One of seven sons of a Sheffield gardener, Arnold Loosemore enlisted in the Army on 2 January 1915 aged 18 years and 7 months. Posted to the York and Lancaster Regiment, in July 1915 he left Liverpool for the ill-fated Gallipoli campaign arriving in Suvla Bay in August 1915. Surviving this campaign and returning home, he"
"that of military history, making it from something only for ""retired colonels and armchair fantasists"" into a ""sleek, attention-grabbing subject"" always on the bestseller lists. Lowe argues that ""What made [""Stalingrad""] so refreshing was the way that he combined academic rigour with a storyteller’s sensibility. While he always kept a grip on the view of the battle from above, his true skill was in describing the way it looked from below, from the point of view of the ordinary soldiers"", with pacing and sense of character providing almost the readability of a novel. Richard Bernstein, in ""The New York Times"","
"off Secretary Lane in St. George's, Bermuda. His VC is in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery in the Imperial War Museum in London. George Samson George McKenzie Samson VC (7 January 1889 – 28 February 1923) was a Scottish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces, for his actions during the Gallipoli Campaign of the First World War. Samson was from Carnoustie in Angus, 26 years old, and a seaman in the Royal Naval Reserve when he was awarded the"
"Barbarians (rugby). He won two Distinguished Service Orders, a Commander of the Order of the British Empire and a Knight of the Order of the Holy Sepulchre during his military career. Sir David Willcocks MC witnessed George Taylor's skills 1st hand when they served closely together, and stated: ""not only his great courage and inspiring leadership, but also the care with which we reconnoitred and planned every attack or defensive engagement, in order to minimise casualties ... his courage and concern called forth in all ranks a deep loyalty and affection."" ""The Independent"" noted, ""This time Taylor's soldiering was recognised"
"Corporal Matthew Bishop. It was this range of abilities that makes Marlborough outstanding. Even his old adversaries recognised the Duke's qualities. In his ""Letters on the Study of History"" (1752), Bolingbroke declared – ""I take with pleasure this opportunity of doing justice to that great man ... [whose memory] as the greatest general, and as the greatest minister that our country, or perhaps any other has produced, I honour"". His success was made possible because of his enormous reserves of stamina, willpower and self-discipline; his ability to hold together the Alliance against France, made possible by his victories, can hardly"
"was promoted major in 1941 and returned to his architectural practice after the war. He died aged 71 in 1958. Barefoot's medals are currently on display at the Imperial War Museum in London. Herbert Barefoot Herbert John Leslie Barefoot, GC (15 May 1887 – 23 December 1958) was a British Army officer and a recipient of the George Cross, the highest award for gallantry for actions not involving direct enemy action granted to British military personnel. He was educated as Dulwich College between 1900 and 1905. Before the First World War, he trained as an architect. In the war, he"