An Army officer must lead men into frightening and dangerous situations and sometimes make them do things that they never thought they could do. This book recounts how British officers have led their men, and commanded their respect, from the days of Marlborough to the Second Iraq war of 2003. Anthony Clayton explores who the officers, men and now women, have been and are, where they came from, what ideals or traditions have motivated them, and their own perceptions of themselves. His account tells the fascinating story of how the role of the military officer evolved, illustrated by a selection of captivating images, and the personal memoirs, biographies and autobiographies of officers.
1.Introduction - The History of a Profession
2. The Officer in the Restoration Army
3. The Officer in the Armies of the Later Stuarts
4. The Officers of the Georgian Army to 1793
5. The Officer in the Era of Wellington
6. The Officer from Waterloo to the Crimea
7. Crimea and the Indian Mutiny
8. The Victorian Army Officer
9. The Edwardian Army Officer
10. The Regular Officer 1914-1918
11. The Regular Officer Between The Two World Wars
12. The Officer 1940-45
13. The Officer in the First Post-War Years
14. From Aden to Belfast and Basra
15. British Officers of Imperial Regiments.
16. The Officers of the Support Services
Conclusion
Apendices
Conclusion
From the Civil Wars to the Second World War, the British army proved to be the most successful and effective throughout the world. This is an original and chronological insight into the full history and role of the regimental British officer.
Clayton describes how evolving national history, developments in battlefield technology, and changing concepts in leadership theory and practice all contributed to the changing attitudes and triangular relationship of the officer, soldier and the nation which pays. The British Officer further explores the world of the `professional´ officers engineers, intelligence, doctors, veterinary surgeons, chaplains, transport and logistics, and looks at how these were all critical support to the battle.
"Clayton's book is a useful starting point for any student of the British army and its leaders."
– Keith Surridge, Independent Scholar
