The BEF

What was the BEF?

The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the home-based British army that would be sent to France to support the French.

What was the British Expeditionary Force like?

The BEF consisted of Britain's best trained and equipped professional soldiers. The force sent to France in August 1914 was made up of six infantry divisions and one cavalry division which numbered 150,000 men. The BEF was the smallest army of any of the Great Powers.

Who was in command of the British Expeditionary Force?

Field Marshal Sir John French commanded until December 1915 when he was replaced by Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, who led the BEF to victory in 1918.

What role did the British Expeditionary Force play in the war?

The BEF would take on the responsibility for Britain's military efforts on the Western Front. It would be expanded to include five armies in which over 5 million men would serve by 1918.

In which battles did the British Expeditionary Force fight?

The BEF fought in some of the largest battles of the war; Ypres 1915, the Somme 1916, Arras 1917, Messines 1917, Passchendaele 1917, Cambrai 1917, the Hundred Days Offensive 1918 and the Hindenburg Line 1918.

What was the significance of the British Expeditionary Force?

The BEF would play a key role in defeating Germany in the final Hundred Days offensive of the war.