MrP
Banned
Has anyone good ideas for an alternative commander of Reserve/Fifth Army. Let me get this out of the way first: this is not TL research for PlC. If you know all the background, you may as well skip the next bit.
Hubert Gough is widely regarded as a bit of a cock. He was an aggressive thrusting commander who made high demands on his men that circumstances made impossible. It was hoped that at the Somme Gough's Reserve Army could exploit the gap sure to appear in the German lines. Subsequently Reserve Army grew, took on a portion of the line and was renamed Fifth Army. Gough was eventually replaced when scapegoated by the British government for the German successes in early 1918.
Replacing him means looking into why he was chosen, what it was felt he brought to the role. That seems to divide into three parts. First, Gough had an emotional link to Haig, who had been very close to Gough's younger brother, Johnnie, who had been unexpectedly killed. Second, Gough was a "thruster" - a man who would push his men forward, which was an essential characteristic in the general appointed to perform the expected exploitation of the German lines. Third, Hubert Gough had the requisite position/status for such an increase in status. The commander of 7th Division, Thompson Capper, had been injured in 1915, and Gough took over his division for several months until his return.
A great deal of this is chance. If Johnnie had survived, he would have held Major-General rank from an earlier period, and been more trusted by Haig. If Capper hadn't been wounded at a behind the lines demonstration, Gough could not have taken his place as divisional commander, and so his rise would have been slower.
So I would like to solicit suggestions for an alternative commander of Reserve/Fifth Army. Thoughts, people?
Hubert Gough is widely regarded as a bit of a cock. He was an aggressive thrusting commander who made high demands on his men that circumstances made impossible. It was hoped that at the Somme Gough's Reserve Army could exploit the gap sure to appear in the German lines. Subsequently Reserve Army grew, took on a portion of the line and was renamed Fifth Army. Gough was eventually replaced when scapegoated by the British government for the German successes in early 1918.
Replacing him means looking into why he was chosen, what it was felt he brought to the role. That seems to divide into three parts. First, Gough had an emotional link to Haig, who had been very close to Gough's younger brother, Johnnie, who had been unexpectedly killed. Second, Gough was a "thruster" - a man who would push his men forward, which was an essential characteristic in the general appointed to perform the expected exploitation of the German lines. Third, Hubert Gough had the requisite position/status for such an increase in status. The commander of 7th Division, Thompson Capper, had been injured in 1915, and Gough took over his division for several months until his return.
A great deal of this is chance. If Johnnie had survived, he would have held Major-General rank from an earlier period, and been more trusted by Haig. If Capper hadn't been wounded at a behind the lines demonstration, Gough could not have taken his place as divisional commander, and so his rise would have been slower.
So I would like to solicit suggestions for an alternative commander of Reserve/Fifth Army. Thoughts, people?