Organised during pre-war planning, this was the HQ of the British armies in France and Flanders on the Western Front. Proceeded to France August 1914, under the command of Sir John French, succeeded in December 1915 by Sir Douglas Haig. Up to December 1914, GHQ also acted as Army HQ; from there on, the army grew and proliferated several Armies and GHQ commanded vast numbers of troops. It was possibly the single most powerful 'management' Britain has ever formed. Located at St Omer once the fighting had stabilised, Haig relocated it to Montreuil-sur-Mer.