Clarke, Michael Great British Commanders. Leadership, Strategy and Luck

Military commanders are important. They win or lose battles, determine the outcome of wars and often shape the history of nations. But they are also human beings. This study of thirty-four British commanders, from Boudica to 'Bomber Harris', reflects on their personal stories as individuals and warriors, as husbands and wives, rakes and lovers, strategists and shapers of British history over nearly two thousand years. Short biographical essays by military expert Michael Clarke cover much of British history, from the epic story of Queen Boudica in Roman Britain to the generals, admirals and air marshals of the First and Second World Wars. Their leadership styles, their strategies - or lack thereof in some cases - are examined as they plunge into disaster. And the gods of war decide who is lucky and who is not. Some of the commanders described here have made a significant mark on British history, such as King Alfred, William the Conqueror, Henry V, Cromwell, Marlborough, Wellington and Montgomery. Others were unlucky and seemed to be haunted by failure, such as Walter Raleigh, Sir John Moore or General John Gort. Others are less well known as important commanders, such as Lady Aethelflaid of Mercien, the Empress Matilda, the "greatest knight", Sir William Marshal, or Cuthbert Collingwood, who served with Nelson at Trafalgar. They all have fascinating stories to tell. Their experiences are compared in two concluding chapters based on unique interviews with a number of living British commanders who reflect on the "eternal truths" of command, but also on the new conditions of warfare in the 21st century.