The new CIGS, Henry Wilson, was fifty-four years old and one of the most controversial officers of his era. Articulate, quick-witted, intellectually sharp and prone to expressing strong opinions on issues and individuals, he is remembered as much for his love of intrigue as for his accomplishments. He was tall, bald and thin as a reed, with a prominent nose and gothic features, and, by his own admission, was the “ugliest man in the British army.” His strength was as an administrator, not as a field general.

As head of the Imperial General Staff, Wilson had little in common with his predecessor. He was more popular with politicians that with his brother officers. He spoke French fluently, which was certainly a valuable asset in dealing with the nation's difficult ally. His expositions were lucidly expressed and he offered equally clear reasons as to why a course of action should be adopted or rejected. “It was a delight to hear him unravel and expound a military problem,” Lloyd George has written. “For that reason he was specially helpful in a council of civilians.” Yet, also in contrast to Robertson, when faced with the need to make a firm decision, one in which he would be held responsible, his nerves failed him. As Lloyd George put it, he “shrank from the responsibility of the final word, even in advice.”