British Officer: Leading the Army from 1660 to the Present, The - Hardcover

Anthony Clayton's book ... is fascinating and an informative history of the Regimental system and the British Officers who made it work. They did not always reflect the society they sprang from, but the British Army today enjoys the high reputation it does because of their contribution throughout the Army's history. Anybody who wants to understand why the British Army is what it is today should read this book.

General the Lord Guthrie of Craigiebank GCB LVO OBE

This is a very interesting book that tackles in an informed and cogent fashion one of the key elements in fighting quality, and throws much light on the organisational culture of the British army.

Professor Jeremy Black, University of Exeter

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 Marlboroughto 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.

Anthony Clayton was a senior lecturer at  R.M.A Sandhurst.  He has had a long standing interest in military history; he has been a Lieutenant Colonel in the territorial Army, he received  the Chevalier Dans l¿ordre des Palms Academiques (French Decoration). He has also published widely on many aspects of military history and his books include ¿The British Empire as a Superpower 1919-1939 (1986)Paths of Glory: The French Army, 1914-1918 (2005), The wave of French Decolonization, Warfare in Africa since 1950, France, Soldiers and Africa and Three Marshals of France.