author
Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
1859–1933
Best known for his sweeping history of Britain’s army, he brought military events to life with the eye of both a scholar and a storyteller. His work helped shape how generations of readers understood British campaigns, commanders, and institutions.
7 Audiobooks
The Story of a Red Deer
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
British Campaigns in Flanders 1690-1794 Being Extracts from "A History of the British Army"
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
A History of the 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
A History of the British Army, Vol. 1 First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
A History of the British Army, Vol. 2 First Part—to the Close of the Seven Years' War
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
Military History: Lectures Delivered at Trinity College, Cambridge
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
The Drummer's Coat
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
About the author
Born in 1859, Sir John William Fortescue was a British military historian who became one of the most respected writers on the history of the British Army. He is especially remembered for A History of the British Army, a major multi-volume work that established his reputation for careful research and clear, forceful narrative.
Fortescue also served as Royal Librarian and Archivist at Windsor Castle from 1905 to 1926, a role that reflects the trust placed in him as both a scholar and a custodian of historical records. Alongside his archival work, he published widely on military and political history and became an important public interpreter of Britain’s past.
He died in 1933, but his books have remained useful to readers interested in war, empire, and the development of the British state. Even when later historians have revised parts of the story, his writing still stands out for its ambition, range, and readability.