Ian F. Beckett – författare

The Territorial Army, which celebrates its centenary in 2008 follows in a rich and proud military tradition of citizen service in defence of Britain. Originally intended primarily for home defence, the Territorials were soon called upon to serve overseas in the First World War. They did so again in the Second World War and, since the 1990s, the British army has depended upon its Territorial volunteers to help sustain commitments in the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.Often the butt of popular ridicule in the past, sometimes viewed with distrust and suspicion by regular soldiers, and frequently suffering from shortages of resources, Territorials have performed with gallantry and selflessness in the face of adversity and almost constant change.This richly illustrated history of the Territorials is not just a story of military campaigns or organisational development but also captures the continuity of the Territorials' many roles within the nation and within local communities. It is as much a social and cultural history as a military and political history.It will be essential reading not only for all past and present Territorials but also for all those interested in military history and in the history of Britain in the last hundred years.