'Fairly out-Generalled and disgracefully beaten' : the British Army in the Low Countries, 1793-1814
The history of the British Army in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars is generally associated with stories of British military victory and the campaigns of the Duke of Wellington. An intrinsic aspect of the historiography is the argument that, following British defeat in the Low Countries in 1795, the Army was transformed by the military reforms of His Royal Highness, Frederick Duke of York. This thesis provides a critical appraisal of the reform process with reference to the organisation, structure, ethos and learning capabilities of the British Army and evaluates the impact of the reforms upon British military performance in the Low Countries, in the period 1793 to 1814, via a series of narrative reconstructions. This thesis directly challenges the transformation argument and provides a re-evaluation of British military competency in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
Limm, Andrew Robert
D204 Modern History ; DA Great Britain ; DH Netherlands (The Low Countries) ; U Military Science (General)
'Fairly out-Generalled and disgracefully beaten' : the British Army in the Low Countries, 1793-1814. The history of the British Army in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars is generally associated with stories of British military victory and the campaigns of the Duke of Wellington. An intrinsic aspect of the historiography is the argument that, following British defeat in the Low Countries in 1795, the Army was transformed by the military reforms of His Royal Highness, Frederick Duke of York. This thesis provides a critical appraisal of the reform process with reference to the organisation, structure, ethos and learning capabilities of the British Army and evaluates the impact of the reforms upon British military performance in the Low Countries, in the period 1793 to 1814, via a series of narrative reconstructions. This thesis directly challenges the transformation argument and provides a re-evaluation of British military competency in the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
fairly out beat british army low_countries history british army french revolutionary napoleonic wars generally associate story british_military victory campaign duke intrinsic aspect_historiography argument follow british defeat low_countries army transform military reform royal duke york provide_critical appraisal reform process reference organisation structure ethos learn capability british_army evaluate impact reform upon british_military performance low_countries period via series narrative reconstruction directly challenge transformation argument provide re_evaluation british_military competency french revolutionary napoleonic wars