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Experiences of the Great War

First military action

Douglas Haig's first true experience of war came in 1898 at Omdurman, a colonial battle in the Sudan. Omdurman is famous for being the last battle to involve a full-scale cavalry charge.

Another future war leader was also there — the young Winston Churchill, whom Haig asked to convey messages for him.

In this diary entry from the Sudan in 1898, Haig talks about the logistics of moving the British Army in the desert:

'Monday, April 4.
Cav[alry]. B[riga]de. left camp at 5.10 a.m. The 1st. Bde. (McDonald) at 5 a.m. Difficulty abt. camels. 80 allowed for Cav. Bde. but at 4 a.m. only 62 had turned up. Ride on with camping parties of Bde. to mark out camp at Aladar.'

Other experiences