William Robertson

Tag

(15)

1915

January

24
- Robertson ceases to be BEF quartermaster generalOn 24 January 1915 General William Robertson stepped down as Quartermaster General of the BEF to take over as chief of staff from Murray.
25
- Robertson becomes chief of staff of the BEFOn 25 January 1915 General William Robertson became Chief of the General Staff of the BEF. The government blocked Henry Wilson, French's favourite.

December

22
- Kiggell replaces RobertsonOn 22 December 1915 Gen. Launcelot Kiggell became Chief of the General Staff of the BEF in succession to William Robertson, who was leaving for London.
- Resignation of Archibald MurrayOn 22 December 1915 Gen. Archibald Murray stepped down as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He left behind a plan to concentrate forces in France.
23
- William Robertson becomes Chief of the Imperial General StaffOn 23 December 1915 General William Robertson became Chief of the Imperial General Staff, on condition that he, not Kitchener, advised the cabinet on strategy.
28
- Order to evacuate Cape HellesOn 28 December 1915 the order to evacuate Cape Helles, the last British bridgehead on the Gallipoli peninsula, reached the Dardanelles.

1916

January

10
- Murray takes command in EgyptOn 10 January 1916 Gen. Archibald Murray took over the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force from Monro to guard the Suez Canal and rebuild the Gallipoli divisions.

February

July

07
- Lloyd George becomes Secretary of State for WarIn early July 1916 David Lloyd George succeeded Kitchener at the War Office. Yet he had little influence on strategy, which was decided by General Robertson.

August

28
- Maude takes command in MesopotamiaOn 28 August 1916 Gen. Stanley Maude, until then commander of the Tigris Corps, took over the chief command in Mesopotamia from the ailing Gen. Percy Lake.

1917

February

26
- Calais conference on commandOn 26–27 February 1917 at Calais Lloyd George tried to place Haig's army under Nivelle's orders. It ended in a compromise for the spring offensive.

November

04
- British troops in ItalyOn 4 November 1917 it was announced that British troops were going to Italy. Lord Cavan's XIV Corps went from Flanders, and soon General Plumer took command.

1918

February

18
- Dismissal of RobertsonAfter a dispute over the general reserve the government removed Gen. William Robertson from the staff. On 19 February 1918 Henry Wilson became CIGS.