Richard Cannon

author

Richard Cannon

1779–1865

Known for preserving the histories of British Army regiments, this nineteenth-century compiler turned decades of War Office experience into books that are still used by military historians and genealogists.

46 Audiobooks

About the author

Born in 1779, Richard Cannon spent most of his working life connected with the British Army's administrative world. He was appointed to a clerkship at the Horse Guards on January 1, 1802, rose to first clerk in 1803, and later became best known for organizing and compiling official regimental histories.

In the 1830s, he was tasked with preparing historical accounts of every regiment in the British Army. The result was a long series of Historical Record volumes that traced each regiment's formation, campaigns, honors, and changes over time. Those books helped preserve military records in a readable form and gave later researchers a valuable starting point for studying Britain's armed forces.

Cannon retired in January 1854 after more than fifty years of service and died in 1865. Although he is not widely remembered outside specialist circles, his careful compilations left a lasting mark on British military history.