author
Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French
1852–1925
A cavalry officer who became one of the best-known British commanders of his day, he led the British Expeditionary Force in the opening phase of the First World War. His career mixed battlefield fame, political controversy, and high office in both Britain and Ireland.
1 Audiobook
1914
by Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French
About the author
Born in Kent in 1852, John Denton Pinkstone French first spent a short time in the Royal Navy before joining the army and making his name as a cavalry officer. He served in campaigns in Sudan and South Africa, and his role in the Boer War brought him wide public attention and helped establish his reputation as a bold, energetic commander.
French reached the top of the British Army before the First World War, serving as Chief of the Imperial General Staff and then as a field marshal. In 1914 he took command of the British Expeditionary Force in France and Belgium, leading it through the war's difficult opening months. His time in command was closely watched and often debated, and he was replaced in late 1915.
Later he held senior posts at home and served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He was created Earl of Ypres, a title that reflected his connection to one of the most important wartime fronts, and he died in 1925. Today he is remembered as a major, complicated figure in British military history: admired for his drive and experience, but also discussed for the limits of his leadership in a new kind of war.