SIR DOUGLAS HAIG

Waikato Times, Volume 88, Issue 13475, 4 May 1917, Page 2

SIR DOUGLAS HAIG

A PEN PORTRAIT. In Blackwoods Magazine th» writer who calls himself "Odysseus" thus describes a meeting with Sir Douglas Ha g at liia headquarters:

Tne door of the big room opens and 1 am told that Sir Douglas Haig will see me. I enter to find a strongly-built, resolute, handsome man of about fifty, his hair slightly grey, advancing to meet me with a courteous and friendly air. Upon the contour map in papiermac].e which lies upon the table beside his desk he explains to me the general position. As he does so there is a characteristic movement of the hands, elucidatory, incisive. "Let i:s consider the matter; and then—ht us get to the point," is their message. He shows me at once how we have taken nearly all the high ground diiven the Boche into the less eligible valley. Tt is all very quietly done, but lie gives one a top-dog feeling. _ "You will go there and there," ho says, "and you will see the attack we are delivering to-day on Thiepval, Gueudecourt and Morval." "Be careful, Slogu;ctt," he adds, addressing tl'e general whose guest I am, "not to go too far in that direction." And to me—"Don't let him lead you into danger; he is much too fond of exposing himself. '' This l;i>:d of solicitude for one's welfare is t.ne of those things the non-com-batant has to put up with, with the l>est grace he can muster. The man who speaks these words is plain and simple in his speech, with just a touch of the homeliness one meets north of the Tweed—a Scottish gentleman. \ Oxford man, cavalry officer, strong leader of men, D.H., as he is known in the Army, has borne for the past twenty-live months his full share of the brunt of tlii-s war. Tt is generally felt he7e in France that we have in him the right stamp ot man to force his way to victory. Yen have only to look at the line of his jaw, and the Scots' tranquility in hi-; eyes, to realise that.