Introduction

The term ‘regiment’ was first used in the British army as late as the seventeenth century when small companies were grouped together to form more convenient battle units. Since then while our army as a whole has continued to maintain an unsurpassed record, single regiments have frequently gained fame for their individual achievements in the field of battle.

Content and Focus

Phillip Warner, drawing upon contemporary diaries and reports of campaigns ranging from the Napoleonic Wars, the Crimea, South Africa and India to the First and Second World Wars, has recreated some of the many acts of heroism performed by the British soldier. Futile though some of them may have eventually proved, such as the infamous Charge of the Light Brigade and the tragic stand at Maiwand, there is no doubting the outstanding courage of their perpetrators. The words of men who were present at the scenes of conflict described here, successful or otherwise, speak more clearly and movingly than any second hand account.

Author and Additional Content

Philip Warner was a former senior lecturer at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and the author of forty books in the field of military history and biography. He joined the army after graduating from Cambridge in 1939 and served in the Far East throughout World War II. The book includes an extensive picture gallery, author biography and bibliography.