author
Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
1859–1933
Best known for his sweeping history of the British Army, this scholar brought military history to life with a storyteller’s eye and a deep feel for the people behind the campaigns. He also served for many years as Royal Librarian and Archivist at Windsor Castle.
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 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 17th Lancers (Duke of Cambridge's Own)
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
Military History: Lectures Delivered at Trinity College, Cambridge
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
The Drummer's Coat
by Sir J. W. (John William) Fortescue
About the author
Born on December 28, 1859, Sir John William Fortescue became one of Britain’s most respected military historians. He is especially remembered for A History of the British Army, a major multi-volume work that helped shape how generations of readers understood Britain’s military past.
Fortescue combined careful research with a clear, readable style, which made his work valuable not only to specialists but also to general readers. Alongside his historical writing, he served as Royal Librarian and Archivist at Windsor Castle from 1905 to 1926, a role that reflected the trust placed in his scholarship.
He died on October 22, 1933. Today he is still associated with serious yet accessible military history, especially for readers interested in the development of the British Army and the wider story of Britain’s wars.