The officers were tripe, hopeless. Absolutely hopeless.

I had no faith in them whatsoever. Absolutely hopeless. I’ve learnt about Haig, that he got himself into Oxford University by the back door, went to Brasenose College where no entrance exam was required. And then, he was excused the entrance exam into Sandhurst because he went to Oxford!

I could have done that!

He then managed to dodge again to join the Hussars on his ability as a Polo player. No wonder he wanted the war to be won by the cavalry. His only skill was personal advancement.

His proximity to the Royal family had a lot to do with where he got.

How we won that war I don’t know.

I can tell you now, look you, the times that I’ve gone into that line with a gun and never got an instruction. You’d have thought you’d have been bunged in there and told what to do and what to watch …. no.

It was up to yourself, either point blank or you’ve had it.

It’s up to yourself, other than a set point with a gun where it’s static and the gun was just set on a line.

Haig has blood on his hands.

Anybody could see that a breakthrough wasn’t going to happen. It was a war of attrition, a modern war where the cavalry no longer played a part. You try telling that to Haig though.

We didn’t win the war, the Germans lost it.

And what did he get for his pains?

Millions in today’s terms.

And the lads?

Not a jot.

They didn’t even have jobs to go back to.