Douglas Haig was born in Edenburgh in 1861. He's the son of Jon Haig. After Douglas got a degree at the Brasenose College, Oxford University, he went on to go to the Royal Military College in Sandhurst. When Haig was finished his training, he was comissioned into the 7th Hussars. After that Haig was sent to India to live with his regiment, this happened in 1886. While being in India, he worked his way through the ranks. Sir Douglas Haig had many life experiences, such as seeing active service in the Sudan in 1898, and the Boer War which happened 1899-1902. During this, Haig served under the Major-General Sir John French. Haig was then promoted to the rank of Colonel. He returned to India where he served many administrative posts under Lord Kitchener. When Haig became a Major-General, he was the youngest officer of that rank in the British Army.