Originally Posted by
exscribbler
The Pals' battalions had their own officers from their own areas and it came as a bit of a shock to the top brass that men from the northern wastes made just as good officers as those from Public Schools who spoke nicely and knew which knife and fork to use.
I doubt it came as any surprise at all to the man who was CIGS for most of the war, seeing as how he came from Lincolnshire (which is certainly north of Watford) and enlisted as a private soldier!