The Great War’s Forgotten Rulebook: How the British Army Learned to Win

Nov 3, 2025
1h 15m

Episode Description

How did the British Army go from the muddle of the Boer War to the professionalism of 1918?

In this episode, historian David Keable-Elliot talks to the show about The Doctrine of the British Army — the forgotten Field Service Regulations that shaped everything from tactics to training.

It’s the story of how a rulebook turned chaos into coherence, and helped Britain win the First World War.

Thanks to Dr Chris Brice for organising and conducting this interview. 

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Buy David's book - https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/the-doctrine-of-the-british-army-the-conception-and-implementation-of-field-service-regulations-1900-1918.php 

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