Last updated: 21 April 2011
For eight weeks some of the greatest warriors in history have been battling it out on the Museum’s website to discover who holds the title of Britain’s Greatest General. The public have now selected the five who go forward to the final battle.
On 9 April, in a day of celebrity speakers, these five will be championed by historians, authors and journalists, each with 40 minutes to explain why their hero should receive the accolade. The public will be allowed to question each advocate, then they will vote to determine who is Britain’s Greatest General.
A concessionary rate is available to SOFNAM members, students, seniors and service personnel.
25 January 2011, 12.28pm
Bit disappointing that
Bit disappointing that apparently great generals only come from the 17th century onwards? What about some of our Medieval commanders such as Henry V or Edward IV (who never lost a battle unlike some of those featured here!)
25 January 2011, 4.48pm
In replay to the above
In replay to the above comment I can only say that a monarch is not a general, even when in command of an army. He fights in his own cause, not that of his country. Indeed, their very 'nationality' is in dispute. (Are they really British, or even English?) And, while confronted with a very different set of problems, as well as those any commander would face, dealing with his own sovereign, political masters, or military superiors is not among of them. This skill is as major a test of generalship as any.
25 January 2011, 4.49pm
I too think it a pity that
I too think it a pity that Edward IV isn't there. As Napoleon used to ask about proposed appointments, "est-il heureux?". Edward had that inestimable quality as well as his undoubted talent.
29 January 2011, 1.58pm
What about Frederick, Duke of
What about Frederick, Duke of York? Not a very successful battlefield commander but an energetic and far-sighted reformer of the Br Army as C-in-C, making possible Wellington's victories.
2 February 2011, 4.29pm
what about Generals who were
what about Generals who were born Scottish ? such as Major General Sir Hector Archibald MacDonald .. "fighting Mac" who was a crofters son and spoke the Gaelic and rose from a Private in the Gordon Highlanders to the high ranks of Major General in the British army.
18 February 2011, 1.58pm
What about General Sir John
What about General Sir John Monash? If the biography by Roland Perry, "The Outsider Who Won A War", is correct, he won the First World War for Britain. He rose to be the first Australian Commander in Chief of the Australian Army despite the disadvantages of being Australian, a Militia officer, Jewish and German..
17 March 2011, 6.07pm
With it seemingly open season
With it seemingly open season on 'what about', what about 1st Viscount Wolseley, 'the very model of a modern major general' and the very finest of Queen Victoria's finest. No, I have not forgotten Gordon it was his own arrogance that was his downfall.
21 March 2011, 8.34am
Just as there are statues and
Just as there are statues and streets and squares named after Wellington and Nelson (and their victories) the name Montgomery should be celebrated across the UK. But for him the British Army would never have won a battle against the Germans. We would still have been on the winning side in WW2 but all the credit would have gone to the Americans. No other British General could prepare like Montgomery and no other General would have resisted Churchill's interference at crucial times. We owe him everything.
22 March 2011, 2.32pm
I did not know your lectures
I did not know your lectures existed until yesterday when my cousin, Haig's grand daughter sent it to me, I am about to book a number of events! My great great great great great Grandfather was Hussey Vivian and my great Uncle was Haig!
8 April 2011, 8.19am
Haig like Napoleon couldn't
Haig like Napoleon couldn't care a damn about the numbers of his men killed in the furtherance of his ambitions. Wellington cared greatly, saying in effect that he would be brought on his knees to the House of Commons if he unnecessarily lost 500 men.
8 April 2011, 8.47am
Besides Cromwell's immense
Besides Cromwell's immense achievements as a General, he was extremely compassionate as a man and allowed Jewish people to return to living in England after they were exiled for over 400 years. It is because of him that my family are able to live here freely!
8 April 2011, 11.00am
Why are events like this by
Why are events like this by the museum, not more widely publicised? I found out by accident on the BBC site, came here & found that there was a great day of lectures to be seen.
Perhaps a wider publicity push next time?
8 April 2011, 1.49pm
@ Roy McCallum Roy i you'll
@ Roy McCallum
Roy i you'll find that Gen Auchinleck had inflicted a defeat on the Germans and Gen Rommel long before Monty had stabbed him in the back and took command.
Monty is often overrated and overly cautious, a fact which cost a lot of men their lives at Caen and beyond.
Of the choices available then my vote goes to Marlborough, although i find it surprising that Gen Wolfe never made the list,
Regards
Alan
9 April 2011, 8.56am
You know why it is only
You know why it is only generals from the 17th century onwards. Because it is Britain's greatest general, not england's greatest general. Britain was only a country from the 17th centry onwards. Some people are so ignorant.
9 April 2011, 12.31pm
I think that Edward III
I think that Edward III deserves consideration on this list. Under his leadership England brought mighty France to its knees. He was a master of combined arms and a proponent of ranged combat ahead of his time. He developed the massed longbows, screened by infantry, that was so effective against the French knights at Crecy, Poitiers and many other smaller engagements, and at Agincourt where Henry V simply copied his ancestor. Further, he was a pioneer of the use of gunpowder weapons on the battlefield. An interesting fact is that the level of firepower he brought to the field at Crecy in 1345, before muskets and effective handheld gunpowder weapons, was not overtaken for over 300 years. Hats off to the man.
9 April 2011, 3.54pm
Robert Clive had many
Robert Clive had many victories against overwhelming odds, the greatest of which was the battle of Plassey.
9 April 2011, 10.55pm
Douglas Haig? What's Dr
Douglas Haig? What's Dr William Philpott been smoking? The casualties speak for themselves, Haig was an utterly talentless fool, out of his depth in every respect, his incompetence and concern for his own reputation and that of his class contributed to the needless deaths of millions.
12 April 2011, 6.52pm
Brooke. The master of
Brooke. The master of strategy as it says on his statue outside the MOD in London. He is by far the most important Gen of WW2 and because of the size, complexity and scale of that conflict ranks as the greatest.
28 April 2011, 4.39pm
Marlborough is the only
Marlborough is the only worthy candidate. His campaigns should be up there with the likes of Alexander, Napoleon, and Frederick the Great, but unfortunately he is largely forgotten in Britain. Many jealous people have destroyed his amazing record.
4 October 2011, 7.19pm
I nominate Major General Sir
I nominate Major General Sir Hector Macdonald (Fighting Mac) as the best General the British Army ever had, he saved Kitchener at Omdurman!!! and he saved countless lives under his command during the Boer War
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