Paul Chappell – illustratör

To most contemporary politicians the 18th century British Army was no more than an unwelcome necessity in wartime and an unjustifiable extravagance in peacetime.Nevertheless, the overall impression which is to be gained from a close study of the Army's own records, and from the surviving letters, diaries and memoirs, is that the British Army of the 18th century was very little different in character or in spirit from today's British Army. It was, above all, a force which was led, not driven, into battle.This book looks at the uniforms and organisation of the infantry of King George's Army.

The 18th century was marked by a steady growth in central control of the British Army and a corresponding decrease in the influence enjoyed by individual commanding officers.The most obvious sign of this process was the increasing uniformity of the clothing issued each year to the soldiers. Nevertheless, as far as those who devised the Clothing Regulations were concerned, it was a constant, and invariably quite uphill struggle to enforce compliance.This companion volume to Men-at-Arms 285 takes a further look at the infantry uniforms of the mid-18th century British Army, also covering the various auxiliary infantry formations, such as the Militia, Volunteers, Marines and the troops of the East India Company.

The 18th century was marked by a steady growth in central control of the British Army and a corresponding decrease in the influence enjoyed by individual commanding officers.The most obvious sign of this process was the increasing uniformity of the clothing issued each year to the soldiers. Nevertheless, as far as those who devised the Clothing Regulations were concerned, it was a constant, and invariably quite uphill struggle to enforce compliance.This companion volume to Men-at-Arms 285 and Men-at-Arms 289 examines the organization and uniforms of King George's cavalry and artillery together with those of the Board of Ordnance.