It had become clear that French was not the man to lead his men to victory on the Western Front, and it was necessary to replace him. The initial campaign at Mons had shocked him and made him doubt the prospects of success, compounded by the losses suffered by the Regular Army in the early months which he took badly. He had poor relationships with his Generals and by late 1915 was loth to cooperate with his French Allies. His behaviour at Loos, in particular his handling of the reserves and the errors he made about them in his official despatch alienated Haig, who opened a whispering campaign against French which found backing in London, and his fate was sealed.