On Saturday 9 April five historians battled it out at the National Army Museum in London to argue that their hero had the military ‘X Factor’, the audience of military enthusiasts got to vote and decide the winner.
The five contenders came from across the centuries, Oliver Cromwell, The Duke of Wellington, The Duke of Marlborough, Douglas Haig and Bill Slim.
The TV presenter Peter Snow was one of those who took to the podium and he stressed how important it was to remember the great generals of our past. He said: “We owe our existence to our people, all these generals put the country together, we might be talking French if it hadn’t been for Wellington….”
After a heated afternoon of discussion and debate at the National Army Museum it was time to vote for a winner. But the crowd couldn’t decide on just one winner so in joint first place Bill Slim and The Duke of Wellington were both crowned Britain’s Greatest Generals.
Both historians representing them, Robert Lyman and Peter Snow were delighted. Robert Lyman expressed that he was: ”hugely excited, Slim has been the forgotten general, this vote places him on his rightful pedestal.”
The two winners were more than a century apart, but they are clearly both recognised for the way they changed British military techniques and helped form the British Army we have today.
Source: Ali Gibson, British Forces News
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