Battle Honours of the British Army / From Tangier, 1662, to the Commencement of the Reign of King Edward VII

Metadata

Gutenberg ID

49654

Title

Battle Honours of the British Army / From Tangier, 1662, to the Commencement of the Reign of King Edward VII

Language

en

Book source

Project Gutenberg

Description max 80 words

A comprehensive historical record detailing the battle honours awarded to the British Army from 1662 to 1901. This volume chronicles military engagements across global theaters, including the Napoleonic Wars, Indian Mutiny, and colonial campaigns, offering a definitive reference for regimental history and military heritage.

Summary up to 500 words

Charles Boswell Norman's *Battle Honours of the British Army* serves as a definitive record of the British military's engagements from the Siege of Tangier in 1662 through the Second Boer War of 1902. The work meticulously catalogs battle honours awarded to regiments, organizing them both alphabetically and chronologically to trace the evolution of regimental identities. Norman addresses the administrative complexities and anomalies inherent in awarding these distinctions, explaining why certain skirmishes were immortalized while others were omitted, and detailing how units were renamed or renumbered while retaining their historical prestige. The text provides a sobering examination of the human cost of imperial expansion, featuring detailed casualty tables for major campaigns such as the Siege of Lucknow, the Indian Mutiny, and operations in Central India. These tables reveal the heavy losses suffered by specific corps, including the 9th Lancers and various infantry regiments, highlighting the bravery required to earn distinctions like 'Waterloo,' 'Delhi,' and 'South Africa.' Norman's narrative covers a vast geographical scope, from the Peninsular War in Europe to conflicts in India, China, and Africa. He documents the specific roles of individual corps in pivotal moments, such as the relief of the Residency at Lucknow under Sir Colin Campbell and the rapid operations of Sir Hugh Rose in Central India. The book also explores the administrative decisions behind awarding honours, noting instances where gallant fights were left unrecorded or where specific corps were singled out for recognition. Ultimately, the work stands as a vital resource for understanding the scope of British military operations, the administrative intricacies of recognizing service across a vast empire, and the enduring legacy of the regiments that defended the nation.

LLM editorial rating

4.2/5

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Categories

• History
• Military