Ian Beckett is Professor of History at University College Northampton. Former positions include Senior Lecturer at Sandhurst, Professor of Modern History at the University of Luton, and Major-General Matthew C. Horner Distinguished Professor of Military Theory at the US Marine Corps University in Virginia. He is also Chairman of the Army Records Society. Other publications include 'The Oxford History of the British Army' and 'The Great War 1914-1918'. For the National Archives, he wrote the highly-regarded 'The First World War: The Essential Guide to Sources in the UK National Archives'.Ian F. W. Beckett is head of the Department of History at the University of Luton, Bedfordshire, England.

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• The Regular Army; The Auxiliary Forces; Household Cavalry and Foot Guards; Cavalry and Armour; Guns and Gunners; Infantry of the Line; Light Infantry and Rifles; Highland and Lowland; Welsh and Irish; Special Forces; Corps and supporting services; Establishments' Veterans; Women in uniform; Ranks and appointments; colours; Badges; Customs; Mascots; Nicknames; Bands and marches; Ceremonies; Uniform and equipment; Battle and campaigns; Medals; Monuments, memorials and military sites; Family traditions; useful addresses.