Henry Horne, 1st Baron Horne
Encyclopedia
General
Henry Sinclair Horne, 1st Baron Horne GCB
, KCMG
(19 February 1861 – 14 August 1929) was a military officer in the British Army
, most notable for his generalship during World War I
. He was the only British
artillery
officer to command an army
in the war. Until recently Horne was the unknown General of the Great War and did not have a biographer. It was believed that he had not kept a diary and that his wife had destroyed all his letters after his death. The donation of his extensive papers, which include his diaries and letters, to the Imperial War Museum by the family has allowed his career to be re-evaluated (see Further Reading below).
, receiving an artillery commission from the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in May 1880.
in the Second Boer War
under Sir John French
. In the latter stages of the war, he was mentioned in dispatches
. In 1905 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and served with the Royal Horse Artillery
under Sir Douglas Haig
. His military career was unremarkable until 1912 when he was promoted to brigadier
and appointed Inspector of Artillery.
, Horne distinguished himself with a rearguard action that allowed Haig's I Corps to retreat almost effortlessly; admittedly the German Army
made few attacks toward Haig's forces, as they were occupied by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien
's costly defensive action.
Horne fought with distinction in the British Expeditionary Force's actions throughout 1914; in October of that year, he was promoted to major general
and created a Companion of the Order of the Bath
. A few months later, he was given command of the 2nd Division. In May 1915, Horne's division participated in the first British night attack of the war, distinguishing itself at the Battle of Festubert
, France
; the attack faltered, partly because the artillery ran out of ammunition. The media launched vicious attacks on the Secretary of State for War
, Lord Kitchener; the blame was eventually laid on General French who was sacked at the year's end. Significantly, the artillery were reorganised after this fiasco at General Horne's suggestion.
, where they organised and executed the evacuation of Gallipoli
. For several months, Horne was placed in charge of the Suez Canal
defences (and given command of the XV Corps
).
March 1916 saw him back on the Western Front
. He joined the Fourth Army
which was preparing for an attack on the Somme
. On 1 July 1916, General Horne's XV Corps participated in the costliest battle of the First World War. In the pre-battle plans, Horne advocated and became an architect of the "creeping barrage
" which was used for the rest of the war. The Battle of the Somme
, which raged on for four months, ended with over a million casualties on both sides—more than 57,000 casualties occurred on the first day. 13 British divisions participated in the attack; General Horne's XV Corps consisted of the 21st
and 7th Divisions. His divisions focused their attack on two villages, Fricourt
and Mametz
; they captured both on the first day for about 8,000 casualties.
In September, Horne was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
and, after the successful capture of Flers
, he was promoted to general
and succeeded Sir Charles Monro
as commander of the First Army
. His first trial occurred in April 1917, when his troops were sent on a diversionary attack on the fearsome Vimy Ridge, which rose hundreds of feet over the surrounding landscape. French Army
commander Robert Nivelle
was critical of Horne's plan; Nivelle was the one found incompetent and, after one month of relative failure (and a mutiny), Nivelle was sacked and replaced with Philippe Pétain
.
The attack on Vimy Ridge was spearheaded by the First Army's "shock troops" (the Canadian Corps
). The ensuing Battle of Vimy Ridge
, the first of a series of actions known as the Battle of Arras
was successful: supported by Horne's 1,000-odd artillery pieces, the Canadian forces took the ridge in four days, with approximately 10,000 casualties (against 20,000 German casualties). The capture of Vimy Ridge would prove essential to the British Army: it served as the backbone of the British defence from March 1918 onward.
Nivelle's failure and sacking lengthened the actions around Arras. With success imminent, General Haig began siphoning troops northward, where many would participate in the Battles of Messines
and Passchendaele. The First Army served mainly as a diversion and a placeholder until April 1918.
In April, the Germans embarked on the Spring Offensive
which was similar to the Allied Somme Offensive two years previous. At first, the attack was successful. On Horne's front, nine German divisions attacked his weak left flank which was manned by two exhausted Portuguese
divisions. The Germans advanced six miles to the banks of the River Lawe, where they were repulsed by the 55th
and 51st
Divisions.
After this final German offensive, the British took the initiative permanently. General Haig's forces embarked on the Hundred Days Offensive
, which ended the war; General Horne's troops distinguished themselves in the lengthy offensive.
and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
. For his wartime services he received the thanks of Parliament
and was raised to the peerage
as Baron Horne, of Stirkoke in the County of Caithness. He was promoted to head of the Eastern Command
in 1919 and retired from the army in 1923. He was appointed Master Gunner of St. James's Park, an honorary position he would hold until his death; he was also appointed Colonel of the Highland Light Infantry
.
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General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Henry Sinclair Horne, 1st Baron Horne GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(19 February 1861 – 14 August 1929) was a military officer in the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, most notable for his generalship during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. He was the only British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
officer to command an army
Army
An army An army An army (from Latin arma "arms, weapons" via Old French armée, "armed" (feminine), in the broadest sense, is the land-based military of a nation or state. It may also include other branches of the military such as the air force via means of aviation corps...
in the war. Until recently Horne was the unknown General of the Great War and did not have a biographer. It was believed that he had not kept a diary and that his wife had destroyed all his letters after his death. The donation of his extensive papers, which include his diaries and letters, to the Imperial War Museum by the family has allowed his career to be re-evaluated (see Further Reading below).
Background and education
Horne was born on Feb 19, 1861 in the parish of Wick in Caithness, Scotland, the third son of Major James Horne and Constance Mary Shewell. He was first educated at HarrowHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
, receiving an artillery commission from the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in May 1880.
Early military career
From 1899 to 1902 Horne fought with the cavalryCavalry
Cavalry or horsemen were soldiers or warriors who fought mounted on horseback. Cavalry were historically the third oldest and the most mobile of the combat arms...
in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
under Sir John French
John French, 1st Earl of Ypres
Field Marshal John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, ADC, PC , known as The Viscount French between 1916 and 1922, was a British and Anglo-Irish officer...
. In the latter stages of the war, he was mentioned in dispatches
Mentioned in Dispatches
A soldier Mentioned in Despatches is one whose name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which is described the soldier's gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy.In a number of countries, a soldier's name must be mentioned in...
. In 1905 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and served with the Royal Horse Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
under Sir Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig
Field Marshal Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig, KT, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCIE, ADC, was a British senior officer during World War I. He commanded the British Expeditionary Force from 1915 to the end of the War...
. His military career was unremarkable until 1912 when he was promoted to brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
and appointed Inspector of Artillery.
First World War
War broke out two years later and Horne was appointed to command a force of artillery under General Haig, who commanded I Corps. At the Battle of MonsBattle of Mons
The Battle of Mons was the first major action of the British Expeditionary Force in the First World War. It was a subsidiary action of the Battle of the Frontiers, in which the Allies clashed with Germany on the French borders. At Mons, the British army attempted to hold the line of the...
, Horne distinguished himself with a rearguard action that allowed Haig's I Corps to retreat almost effortlessly; admittedly the German Army
German Army
The German Army is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Following the disbanding of the Wehrmacht after World War II, it was re-established in 1955 as the Bundesheer, part of the newly formed West German Bundeswehr along with the Navy and the Air Force...
made few attacks toward Haig's forces, as they were occupied by Sir Horace Smith-Dorrien
Horace Smith-Dorrien
General Sir Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien GCB, GCMG, DSO, ADC was a British soldier and commander of the British II Corps and Second Army of the BEF during World War I.-Early life and career:...
's costly defensive action.
Horne fought with distinction in the British Expeditionary Force's actions throughout 1914; in October of that year, he was promoted to major general
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
and created a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. A few months later, he was given command of the 2nd Division. In May 1915, Horne's division participated in the first British night attack of the war, distinguishing itself at the Battle of Festubert
Battle of Festubert
The Battle of Festubert was an attack by the British army in the Artois region of France on the western front during World War I. It began on May 15, 1915 and continued until May 25.-Context:...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
; the attack faltered, partly because the artillery ran out of ammunition. The media launched vicious attacks on the Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
, Lord Kitchener; the blame was eventually laid on General French who was sacked at the year's end. Significantly, the artillery were reorganised after this fiasco at General Horne's suggestion.
Middle East
In November 1915, Horne accompanied Lord Kitchener to the DardanellesDardanelles
The Dardanelles , formerly known as the Hellespont, is a narrow strait in northwestern Turkey connecting the Aegean Sea to the Sea of Marmara. It is one of the Turkish Straits, along with its counterpart the Bosphorus. It is located at approximately...
, where they organised and executed the evacuation of Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
. For several months, Horne was placed in charge of the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
defences (and given command of the XV Corps
XV Corps (United Kingdom)
XV Corps was a British infantry corps during World War I.-World War I:XV Corps was formed in Egypt on 9 December 1915 and then reformed in France on 22 April 1916 under Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Horne...
).
Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. He joined the Fourth Army
British Fourth Army
The Fourth Army was a field army that formed part of the British Expeditionary Force during the First World War. The Fourth Army was formed on 5 February 1916 under the command of General Sir Henry Rawlinson to carry out the main British contribution to the Battle of the Somme.-History:The Fourth...
which was preparing for an attack on the Somme
Somme River
The Somme is a river in Picardy, northern France. The name Somme comes from a Celtic word meaning tranquility. The department Somme was named after this river....
. On 1 July 1916, General Horne's XV Corps participated in the costliest battle of the First World War. In the pre-battle plans, Horne advocated and became an architect of the "creeping barrage
Barrage (artillery)
A barrage is a line or barrier of exploding artillery shells, created by the co-ordinated aiming of a large number of guns firing continuously. Its purpose is to deny or hamper enemy passage through the line of the barrage, to attack a linear position such as a line of trenches or to neutralize...
" which was used for the rest of the war. The Battle of the Somme
Battle of the Somme (1916)
The Battle of the Somme , also known as the Somme Offensive, took place during the First World War between 1 July and 14 November 1916 in the Somme department of France, on both banks of the river of the same name...
, which raged on for four months, ended with over a million casualties on both sides—more than 57,000 casualties occurred on the first day. 13 British divisions participated in the attack; General Horne's XV Corps consisted of the 21st
British 21st Division
The British 21st Division was a New Army division raised in September 1914. The division moved to France in September 1915 and served on the Western Front for the duration of the First World War.The division's insignia was the "triple-seven".- Formation :...
and 7th Divisions. His divisions focused their attack on two villages, Fricourt
Fricourt
Fricourt is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Fricourt is situated on the D147 and D64 junction, some northeast of Amiens.-History:...
and Mametz
Mametz
Mametz is the name of two communes in France:* Mametz, Pas-de-Calais* Mametz, Somme...
; they captured both on the first day for about 8,000 casualties.
In September, Horne was created a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
and, after the successful capture of Flers
Flers, Somme
Flers is a commune near the northern edge of the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It lies to the south of the D929 road, between Albert and Bapaume.-History:...
, he was promoted to general
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
and succeeded Sir Charles Monro
Charles Carmichael Monro
General Sir Charles Carmichael Monro, 1st Baronet of Bearcrofts, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, was a British Army General during World War I and Governor of Gibraltar from 1923 to 1929.-Military career:...
as commander of the First Army
British First Army
The First Army was a field army of the British Army that existed during the First and Second World Wars. Despite being a British command, the First Army also included Indian and Portuguese forces during the First World War and American and French during the Second World War.-First World War:The...
. His first trial occurred in April 1917, when his troops were sent on a diversionary attack on the fearsome Vimy Ridge, which rose hundreds of feet over the surrounding landscape. French Army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
commander Robert Nivelle
Robert Nivelle
Robert Georges Nivelle was a French artillery officer who served in the Boxer Rebellion, and the First World War. In May 1916, he was given command of the French Third Army in the Battle of Verdun, leading counter-offensives that rolled back the German forces in late 1916...
was critical of Horne's plan; Nivelle was the one found incompetent and, after one month of relative failure (and a mutiny), Nivelle was sacked and replaced with Philippe Pétain
Philippe Pétain
Henri Philippe Benoni Omer Joseph Pétain , generally known as Philippe Pétain or Marshal Pétain , was a French general who reached the distinction of Marshal of France, and was later Chief of State of Vichy France , from 1940 to 1944...
.
The attack on Vimy Ridge was spearheaded by the First Army's "shock troops" (the Canadian Corps
Canadian Corps
The Canadian Corps was a World War I corps formed from the Canadian Expeditionary Force in September 1915 after the arrival of the 2nd Canadian Division in France. The corps was expanded by the addition of the 3rd Canadian Division in December 1915 and the 4th Canadian Division in August 1916...
). The ensuing Battle of Vimy Ridge
Battle of Vimy Ridge
The Battle of Vimy Ridge was a military engagement fought primarily as part of the Battle of Arras, in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France, during the First World War. The main combatants were the Canadian Corps, of four divisions, against three divisions of the German Sixth Army...
, the first of a series of actions known as the Battle of Arras
Battle of Arras (1917)
The Battle of Arras was a British offensive during the First World War. From 9 April to 16 May 1917, British, Canadian, New Zealand, Newfoundland, and Australian troops attacked German trenches near the French city of Arras on the Western Front....
was successful: supported by Horne's 1,000-odd artillery pieces, the Canadian forces took the ridge in four days, with approximately 10,000 casualties (against 20,000 German casualties). The capture of Vimy Ridge would prove essential to the British Army: it served as the backbone of the British defence from March 1918 onward.
Nivelle's failure and sacking lengthened the actions around Arras. With success imminent, General Haig began siphoning troops northward, where many would participate in the Battles of Messines
Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
and Passchendaele. The First Army served mainly as a diversion and a placeholder until April 1918.
In April, the Germans embarked on the Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
which was similar to the Allied Somme Offensive two years previous. At first, the attack was successful. On Horne's front, nine German divisions attacked his weak left flank which was manned by two exhausted Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
divisions. The Germans advanced six miles to the banks of the River Lawe, where they were repulsed by the 55th
British 55th (West Lancashire) Division
The 55th Infantry Division was a British Territorial Force division which served on the Western Front during the First World War.- First World War:...
and 51st
British 51st (Highland) Division (World War I)
The 51st Division was a British Territorial Force division that fought on the Western Front in France during the First World War. The division's insignia was a stylised 'HD' inside a red circle. Early doubts about the division's performance earned it the nickname of "Harper's Duds" after the...
Divisions.
After this final German offensive, the British took the initiative permanently. General Haig's forces embarked on the Hundred Days Offensive
Hundred Days Offensive
The Hundred Days Offensive was the final period of the First World War, during which the Allies launched a series of offensives against the Central Powers on the Western Front from 8 August to 11 November 1918, beginning with the Battle of Amiens. The offensive forced the German armies to retreat...
, which ended the war; General Horne's troops distinguished themselves in the lengthy offensive.
Post-war
At the end of the war, Horne was created a Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St GeorgeOrder of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. For his wartime services he received the thanks of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom, British Crown dependencies and British overseas territories, located in London...
and was raised to the peerage
Peerage
The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...
as Baron Horne, of Stirkoke in the County of Caithness. He was promoted to head of the Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
in 1919 and retired from the army in 1923. He was appointed Master Gunner of St. James's Park, an honorary position he would hold until his death; he was also appointed Colonel of the Highland Light Infantry
Highland Light Infantry
The Highland Light Infantry was a regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1959. In 1923 the regimental title was expanded to the Highland Light Infantry ...
.
Personal life
Lord Horne married Kate, daughter of George McCorquodale, in 1897. While shooting in his Stirkoke estate in August 1929, he suddenly died of unknown causes, aged 68. He was buried on his family plot. Upon his death, his title became extinct as he had no sons.Further reading
- Beckett, Dr Ian F, Corvi, Steven J (editors), Haig's Generals (Pen & Sword, 2006, ISBN 1-84415-169-7) — includes a 24-page chapter on Horne by Dr Simon Robbins (Department of Documents, Imperial War Museum)
- Farr, Don, The Silent General: Horne of the First Army, A Biography of Haig’s Trusted Great War Comrade-in-Arms (Helion, Solihull, 2007)
- Robbins, Dr Simon, The First World War Letters of General Lord Horne (The History Press Ltd for the Army Records Society, 28 September 2009, ISBN 0752454633, ISBN 978-0752454634)
- Robbins, Dr Simon, British Generalship during the Great War: The Military Career of Sir Henry Horne (1861-1929) (Ashgate, 1 September 2010, ISBN 075466127X, ISBN 978-0754661276)
External links
- Caithness's Greatest General (caithness.org)
- Who's Who - Sir Henry Horne (firstworldwar.com)
- The Highland Light Infantry (regiments.org)
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