British Official

British Official: A familiar war-time phrase often used at the Front as implying untrustworthiness. In the early stages of the war "British Official" was considered as synonymous with reliability, in connection particularly with published army intelligence. Later, however, certain official reports, notably, after the Battle of Loos, were published in so misleading a form that among those at the Front who knew the facts the phrase became a by-word. Matters improved in this respect later, during 1918, and the term regained its original character.