The British officer : leading the army from 1660 to the present /

The officer corps of the British Army has an institutional continuity that is remarkable. Born in the 1660s, it has maintained itself through centuries of social change, not to mention the rise and fall of empire. Its longevity alone would make it worth studying, and not just by military historians. Clayton has set himself to provide an introduction to such a study, focusing on the regimental officers (lieutenant to lieutenant colonel) who, together with the noncoms, are the key to any military institution's effectiveness. The author examines social backgrounds, military education, compensation, promotion, and (briefly) combat effectiveness era by era, from the often untrained and corrupt officers of Charles II to the highly professional and socially much more diverse officers of Elizabeth II. Clayton focuses on leadership and not merely technical skill as the defining characteristic of British officers' institutional culture over time, a case he makes persuasively. The book's one significant shortcoming is the scant attention given to British officers of the Indian Army, for 200 years essential to British power--an inattention, however, that quite faithfully mirrors British regular army attitudes. ^BSumming Up: Recommended. All academic levels/libraries. R. A. Callahan emeritus, University of Delaware