Page 164 - Chronicle Vol 17

healthy and mentally cared for too, he insisted on the comfort and welfare of his men and their wives and children. He was known for his hard work, which encouraged his officers to work for him and set a high example of leadership. The historian Sir Arthur Bryant stated that “Moore’s contribution to the British Army was not only that matchless light infantry who have ever since enshrined his training, but also the belief that the perfect soldier can only be made by evok- ing all that is finest in man – physical, mental and spiritual”. It is clear that Moore is perceived as an innovative and well-respected leader who was considered “a leading evangelist of light tactics”. A radical for his time, Moore saw past the archaic social structures of the British Army and was believed that soldiers could become more proficient if properly trained and cared for. His style and influence are threads that The Rifles has pulled through to the modern day with our own relaxed professionalism. Sir John Moore is “often portrayed as the ‘father of the modern British infantry’” and his training and leadership are rightly praised. The later successes of the Peninsular army owed a great deal to Moore’s leadership and methods.
Sir John Moore’s influence on the light infantry of the British Army cannot be understated. The campaigns fought across North America in the eighteenth century gave birth to the British light infantry, which existed and developed in numerous forms before Moore formalised these forces into regiments of the line. His most important contribution however was a style of leadership unique at the time which gave the light infantry its own distinct identity. Those regiments form the basis of The Rifles’ identity today, and whilst our history is of course not exclusive to these regiments, it is from here that we draw much of our traditions and unique style that sets The Rifles apart.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. David G. Chandler and Ian Backett, The Oxford History of the British Army, (Oxford University Press 1994)
2. Hew Strachan, European Armies and the Conduct of War, (Routledge, 1983)
3. John F. C. Fuller, Sir John Moore’s System of Training, (Hutchinson & Co, London, 1925)
4. John. F. C. Fuller, The Training of the New Army, 1803-1805, (Journal of the Royal United Service Institution, 1916)
5. RHQ The Rifles, Leadership: The Rifles Way, (British Army, 2014)
6. Robin Neillands, Wellington & Napoleon: Clash of Arms, (Pen and Sword, 2003) 7. Royal Green Jackets Assocation, The Green Machine, (RGJ Association, 2002), Vol.2, Issue.9
8. Steven T. Ross, From Flintlock to Rifle: Infantry Tactics 1740-1866, (Psychology Press, 1996)
9. T. Egerton, Standing Orders and Regulations for the 85th Light Infantry, (British Army, 1813)
10. Tim Saunders, The Talavera Campaign 1809, (Pen and Sword Military, 2023)
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