"Mead stated frequently that Haig lacked intelligence, he stated frequently that he had to have extra tuition to get through school and university. He stated frequently that he "grassed up" his superior officers. He stated frequently that Haig pulled strings, or had strings pulled for him, to achieve higher ranks. He states frequently that Haig used his connections with royalty to get his own way. He states frequently that Haig made woeful decisions regarding battle plans." - Raggytash

Now I am sure that Mead goes on to mention Haig's accomplishments

1914 - Helped in delaying the German advance and keeping the BEF intact as a fighting force even although outnumbered by the enemy by 3:1 at times most commonly never less than by 2:1 in terms of men and artillery. Helped in tempting the Germans into over-extending their lines which allowed them to be attacked by the combined armies of the British and the French on the Marne in 1914. The subsequent German defeat ended their dreams of a quick victory on the Western Front.

1915 - First a Neuve-Chapelle and again at Loos Haig's Division came within a whisker of actually achieving the desired break-through, the only thing that prevented that break-through happening was the poor and over-cautious handling of the reserves required to effect the break-through by the General Commanding the BEF at the time Sir John French. In both those battles Haig's planning and preparation were damn near immaculate, even the Germans admitted that - but your Revisionist Historians would never know anything about that - as that information only came to light after 1972. At the end of 1915 Haig was made Commander of British, Commonwealth and Empire troops fighting in France an appointment he continued to hold until the end of the war.

Between 1916 and the end of the war the British Army under Haig went from strength to strength - to such an extent that by August 1918 that contemptible little army took on and defeated the most professional and highly trained military force in Europe.

So Raggy it looks like all lack of intelligence coupled with all that extra tuition, along with all that other stuff which got him command in France paid off.