Redcoats to Tommies

Discover what military life was like for Britain’s soldiers from the 18th to the 20th century in this special symposium.

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What is everyday life like for a soldier serving in Britain’s Army? To what extent has this experience changed over time and how has it been affected by cultural, military and social transformations?

In this special event, join a selection of contributors whose work features in the brand-new edited collection, ‘Redcoats to Tommies: The Experience of the British Soldier from the Eighteenth Century’. 

The event will begin with presentations from four researchers, each exploring a different aspect of military life:

• Dr Jacqueline Reiter - Citizen Soldiers: ‘Military Spirit’ and Recruitment in Britain during the Wars against France, 1793-1815
• Dr Adam Prime - 'Fond of Shooting?': The Social Bonds of the Indian Army Officer Corps, 1858-1901
• Dr Edward Gosling - ‘A Soldier’s Life is a Merry One’, or, ‘A Certain Cure for Gout and Rheumatism’: The Shift in Popular Perceptions of the Common Soldier in late-Victorian Britain, 1870-c1910
• Dr Eleanor O'Keeffe - The Social Reality of the British Army in Interwar Britain       

Collection editor Professor Kevin Linch will then chair a discussion with the contributors, assessing the way that Britain’s soldiers have evolved over time. The panel will examine the extent to which the fundamentals, principles and priorities of army life have endured.