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John French
Person page: John French →
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(14)
1914
August
04
British Expeditionary Force headquarters appointed
On 4 August 1914 the command of the British Expeditionary Force was appointed. Field Marshal Sir John French became its Commander-in-Chief.
September
01
Lord Kitchener arrives in France
On 1 September 1914 Lord Kitchener met Field Marshal Sir John French in Paris and stopped the plan to withdraw the British from the front behind the Seine.
05
End of the retreat from Mons
On 5 September 1914 the British Expeditionary Force ended its retreat from Mons. After almost two weeks of marching it halted south of the Marne, near Paris.
October
03
The British leave the Aisne front
On 3 October 1914 the British Expeditionary Force began secretly leaving the Aisne front. It was to move north, closer to the Channel ports.
19
British complete their move to Flanders
On 19 October 1914 Haig's I Corps finished detraining near Hazebrouck. The whole British army, moved from the Aisne, now stood in Flanders.
31
Key event
Critical day at Ypres
On 31 October 1914 the Germans broke the British line at Gheluvelt. A counter-attack by the 2nd Worcestershire closed the gap, ending the Battle of Gheluvelt.
1915
January
24
Murray leaves the BEF staff
On 24 January 1915 John French sent the BEF chief of staff, General Archibald Murray, on sick leave. The next day he demanded his resignation.
25
Robertson becomes chief of staff of the BEF
On 25 January 1915 General William Robertson became Chief of the General Staff of the BEF. The government blocked Henry Wilson, French's favourite.
May
04
End of the Battle of St. Julien
During the night of 3–4 May 1915 the British secretly left the tip of the Ypres salient. In the morning the Germans were still shelling empty trenches.
December
15
Resignation of John French
Under 15 December 1915 a chronology records Field Marshal French's resignation. The government forced him to give up the British command in France after Loos.
19
Haig becomes commander of British forces in France
On 19 December 1915 General Douglas Haig took over command of the British Expeditionary Force from John French. He was to command it until the end of the war.
1916
February
16
War Office takes over air defence
On 16 February 1916 the air defence of London passed from the Admiralty to Field Marshal John French, and soon after that of the whole country.
1918
May
05
French becomes Lord Lieutenant of Ireland
In early May 1918 Field Marshal John French became Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, to govern it as a "military viceroy" during the conscription crisis.
17
Arrests of Sinn Féin leaders
On the night of 17/18 May 1918 police and troops in Ireland arrested the leaders of Sinn Féin, including de Valera and Griffith, over the "German Plot".