Follow up question: Where did this caricature of British generals (or officers) being stupid and incompetent come from?
Hi, not discouraging other responses, but there have been a few threads on this, so you can get started by digging in here
How were or weren't British generals in ww1 stupid, I know it's still an ongoing debate but I just want to know both sides of the story featuring /u/duxbelisarius , who provides links to several in-depth threads
How correct is the statement "lions led by donkeys" ? features more links -- including one to an AskHistorians Podcast that addresses this issue -- and a mention of the origins of the phrase
Sources that suggest the incompetency of British Generals on the Western Front /u/jonewer comments further on the origins