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- group 'The Great War: British expeditionary force'
The Great War: British expeditionary force
In 1914, Britain despatched its first round of forces to fight in Belgium and France; they were known as the British Expeditionary Force or BEF. Although the term is applicable to all the forces that fought throughout the war, it is usually reserved for those men who volunteered for the regular army before the war, taking part in the first battles. The BEF was created by Richard Burdon Haldane, under the guidance of Douglas Haig in 1912, and its mobilisation in 1914 showed how well trained, equipped and organised these British troops were. They would suffer heavy losses in The First Battle of Ypres, but many would go on to hold high ranking positions for the rest of the war, strategically leading the troops into battle. They are remembered for their spirit and camaraderie, through poems, and legends such as The angel of Mons.
Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
1891-1969Field Marshal
Sitter in 47 portraits
John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
1886-1946Army officer; recipient of the Victoria Cross
Sitter in 5 portraits
Hon. Julian Henry Francis Grenfell
1888-1915Soldier; poet; eldest son of 1st Baron Desborough
Sitter in 1 portrait
(William) Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside
1880-1959Field Marshal and farmer
Sitter in 12 portraits
Sir George Mark Watson MacDonogh
1865-1942Lieutenant-General; Director of Military Intelligence
Sitter in 5 portraits
Sir Charles Carmichael Monro, 1st Bt
1860-1929Colonial governor and Commander-in-Chief
Sitter in 9 portraits
Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
1887-1976Field Marshal
Sitter in 50 portraits
Henry Seymour Rawlinson, 1st Baron Rawlinson of Trent
1864-1925General and Commander-in-Chief of Army in India
Sitter in 19 portraits
Sir Edward Louis Spears, 1st Bt
1886-1974Major-General, liaison officer and politician; MP for Loughborough and Carlisle
Sitter associated with 12 portraits
Christopher Birdwood Thomson, Baron Thomson
1875-1930Captain and Secretary of State for Air
Sitter in 9 portraits