Douglas Haig (1861–1928), was the Western Front Commander-in-Chief from 1915 until the end of the war in 1918, directing military operations during the Battle of the Somme. Haig has been both praised and criticised for his strategy during the Battle of the Somme; some condemn him for pursuing wildly ambitious objectives at the cost of many lives, others have defended the difficult conditions in which he was expected to achieve decisive victory.

John St Loe Strachey (1860-1927) was the editor and proprietor of The Spectator. In their correspondence Strachey comments upon opinion on the growing casualty numbers on the Somme as people began to question the success of military efforts. In this letter written in the last few weeks of the battle, Haig remarks upon the impact adverse weather has on the front line and communication trenches, and the number of German divisions on the front.