Charles W. H. Douglas
Sir Charles Douglas | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | UK Army |
| Rank | Major-General (19XX), Lieutenant-General (19XX), General (19XX) |
| Awards | GCB (19XX), ADC |
General Sir Charles (Whittingham Horsley) Douglas, GCB ADC1850 – 25 October 1914), was a British officer serving as Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the first months of World War I.
Douglas served in Afghanistan (1879-1880), in Sudan (1884) and in South Africa (1899-1901). He was ADC 1904-1909 and then Inspector-General of Home Forces 1912-April 1914.
On 6 April 1914, Douglas replaced General French as Chief of the Imperial General Staff and was thus in service at the outbreak of World War I. He did not have any major impact on the conduct of war during the first two and a half months, leaving strategic control to Field-Marshal Kitchener as War Minister.
A few days after Antwerp had fallen, Douglas, who had not been in the best of health, died on 25 October 1914 due to strain and overwork. His place was taken by General Sir James Murray on 30 October, who never managed to exercise much control over the War Office and Kitchener either.