Soldiers : army lives and loyalties from redcoats to dusty warrriors

A magisterial new history of the British soldier - a man famously described by the Duke of Wellington as ?the scum of the earth?. From battlefield to barrack-room, this book is stuffed to the brim with anecdotes and stories of soldiers from the army of Charles II, through Empire and two World Wars to modern times. The British soldier forms a core component of British history. In this scholarly but gossipy book, Richard Holmes presents a rich social history of the man (and now more frequently woman) who have been at the heart of his writing for decades. Technological, political and social changes have all made their mark on the development of warfare, but have the attitudes of the soldier shifted as much we might think? For Holmes, the soldier is part of a unique tribe ? and the qualities of loyalty and heroism have continued to grow amongst these men. And while today the army constitutes the smallest proportion of the population since the first decade of its existence (regular... The British Soldier Forms A Core Component Of British History. In This Riveting And Important Book, Richard Holmes Addresses The Elements Of Change And Continuity That Lie At The Heart Of The Soldier. Technological, Political And Social Changes Have All Made Their Mark On The Development Of Warfare, But Have The Attitudes Of The Soldier Shifted As Much We Might Think? For Holmes, The Soldier Is Part Of A Unique Tribe - And The Qualities Of Loyalty And Heroism Have Continued To Grow Amongst These Men. And While Today The Army Constitutes The Smallest Proportion Of The Population Since The First Decade Of Its Existence (regular Soldiers Make Up Just 0.087%), The Social Organisation Of The Men Has Hardly Changed; The Major Combat Arms, Infantry, Cavalry And Artillery, Have Retained Forms And Terminologies That Men Who Fought At Blenheimm, Waterloo And The Somme Would Readily Grasp. Regiments Remain An Enduring Feature Of The Army And Lieutenant Colonels Have Lost Nothing Of Their Importance In Military Hierarchy; The Death Of Lieutenant Colonel Rupert Thornloe In Afghanistan In 2009 Shows Just How High The Risks Are That These Men Continue To Face. Filled To The Brim With Stories From All Over The World And Spanning Across History, This Magisterial Book Conveys How Soldiers From As Far Back As The Seventeenth Century And Soldiers Today Are United By Their Common Experiences. This Is The Definitive History Of The British Soldier And A Book That Will No Doubt Be Considered So For Many Years To Come. Machine Generated Contents Note: I.politics And Position -- 1.chuck Him Out, The Brute -- 2.king's Army -- 3.parliament's Army -- 4.brass And Tapes -- 5.to Observe And Obey -- 6.weekend Warriors -- Ii.gallant Gentlemen And Officers -- 7.a National Army: 1660-1914 -- 8.temporary Gentlemen: 1914-45 -- 9.sandhurst: Serve To Lead -- 10.church Militant -- Iii.recruiting A National Army -- 11.soldier Boys -- 12.the King's Shilling -- 13.pressed Into Service -- 14.all Pals Together -- 15.foreign Friends -- 16.women Soldiers -- Iv.tribes And Totems -- 17.the Regimental Line -- 18.imponderable Entities -- 19.the Regiments Depart -- 20.tribal Markings -- 21.full Of Strange Oaths, And Bearded Like The Pard -- 22.tunes Of Glory -- V.habits And Habitat -- 23.the Rambling Soldier -- 24.barrack-room Blues -- 25.bullies And Beast-masters -- 26.oh! What A Time Those Officers Have -- 27.the Sergeants' Mess Dinner Is Worth Putting Down -- 28.campaigners Straight And Gay Richard Holmes. From the redcoat who served Charles II to the modern, camouflage-clad guard at Camp Bastion, from battlefield to barrack-room, this is a magisterial social history of the British soldier. Since 1660 the army has evolved and adapted, but the social organisation of the men has changed less, with the major combat arms retaining many of the characteristics familiar to those who fought at Blenheim, Waterloo and the Somme. The Duke of Marlborough, who built up the British army to become a world-class fighting force in the 1660s, would recognise in the tired heroes of Helmand the descendants of the men he led to victory at Blenheim over three hundred years ago. 'Soldiers' is exhaustively researched, and Holmes's affection for the soldier shines through on every page. Above all, this book is brimming with great stories, from the chaos of the battlefield to the fug of the barrack-room, from Ulster to Bengal, from Flanders' fields to the Afghan hills. This is a magisterial social history of the British soldier – and Richard Holmes's fitting last tribute to the British soldier to whom he was so devoted. The late Richard Holmes explores the British soldier in all guises, from the organization of the first regiments that would become the British Army in the 1660s to the forces in Afghanistan today.