Manpower, Training, and the Battlefield Leadership of British Army Officers in the Era of the Two World Wars

This chapter explains the British army officer corps in the two world wars by locating it in the context of the hierarchical, class-based society in which it was rooted. It highlights the widespread belief until 1945, wherein skill in military leadership could be equated to an individual's position in society. It also discusses the class-based nature of the army that militated against obvious solutions: commission talented and experienced other ranks on a large scale and make it easier for poorer men to join the army as officers. The chapter cites the 1907 report that led to the formation of the Officers Training Corps, which is based at universities and elite schools. It mentions General Sir Ian Hamilton, who feared for the reliability of the supply of officers from the customary “limited class” and suggested that junior noncommissioned officers could be commissioned in wartime.