Huw J. Davies

Very sorry to hear this. One of the Titans of British Military History. A name that is synonymous with quality, innovation and originality. An indispensable source of guidance for those who studied and worked with him, and a source of inspiration for those who read his considerable body of work.

Statement from @smh-historians.bsky.social on the meaning of military history and its importance, including honest history at museums and in PME, was slow in coming for *reasons* but is also really important. 🗃️ www.smh-hq.org/docs/Stateme...

I used to work at Exeter Smiths 2002-4. I loved the book section & never failed to make a sale if I happened to be asked for a recommendation. Despite this, I was actually assigned the DVD section & had to understand & care about difference between Jason Bourne & Vin Diesel’s XXX. Which I did not.

Fellowships at Royal Museums Greenwich Apply for funding to support research at Royal Museums Greenwich through our Caird Research Fellowships

Just wanted to draw people's attention to the Fellowship programme at the Greenwich Maritime Museum - it looks like a lot of fun to me. www.rmg.co.uk/collections/...

This is stupid. The real list is

1. Being assigned to a boring committee

2. Grant proposal rejections

3. Papers not cited by colleagues

4. Teaching evaluations

5. Promotion to Head of Department

Hi everyone, the Society for Military History is pleased to be here and contribute to this space. Join us as we work to advance the study of military history! www.smh-hq.org

1/7 This is the key development in the culture war over the history of Empire that I’d anticipate in 2025:

A ginger terrier, resentfully wearing a Santa hat sits reluctantly in front of a beautifully decorated Christmas tree (even if I say so myself)!

Happy Christmas from The Terrier (who required quite a few Christmas dog treats for this single shot)!

Department of War Studies, KCL Join the conversation

Saturday morning foray: Matched KCL (@kingscollegelondon.bsky.social) Department of War Studies people with Bluesky accounts to compile an unofficial Starter Pack of lecturers, researchers, and other academics. Give them a follow.

go.bsky.app/QN1CVyc

I don't know the historiography well enough to speak to that last point, but the rest is spot on! Wandering Army is a great read for anyone interested in the 18th-19th century British Army
#wargaming

Generous review by Gavin Daly of Wandering Army in English Historical Review. “Engagingly written, well organised, rich in detail & source material, vast in geographical sweep, & long in its time frame, this book offers a major new interpretation of the development of British military leadership…”

The Wandering Army: The Campaigns that Transformed the British Way of War, by Huw J. Davies This important book explores the evolution of improvements in the British army’s command, operations and fighting methods from the War of the Austrian Succ

Gavin Daly reviews 'The Wandering Army: The Campaigns that Transformed the British Way of War', by Huw J. Davies @huwjdav.bsky.social
academic.oup.com/ehr/advance-... @yalebooks.bsky.social @yalepress.bsky.social

Dr Mike Finch, wearing a navy jacket and black jumper, stands behind a lectern as he delivers a presentation on his book, 'Making Makers: The Past, The Present and the Study of War', published by Oxford University Press. An image of the book is displayed on the screen behind him. Professor Adrian Gregory, also in a navy jacket, but shaking things up with a dark red jumper, sits at a table, and acts as chair and discussant for Mike's presentation.

Fascinating lecture last night at Pembroke College, Oxford, by @mpmfinch.bsky.social on his book 'Making Makers: The Past, The Present and the Study of War.' Mike explored the origins, development & impact of the first edition of 'The Makers of Modern Strategy', a seminal text in the history of war.

Not an exhaustive list, but we're all likely exhausted.

go.bsky.app/3dQn6DG

Thanks Rory. Depends on a number of factors, but most likely 2028. Maybe earlier if I can get some research time in the next couple of years.

2025 Conference - Liverpool John Moores University — Britain and the World

It’s time, friends! We welcome submissions for #batw2025 in Liverpool, UK. Join us at John Moores University 25-27 June 2025 for another great conference!

We can’t wait to see you there! Watch here for more info.

britainandtheworld.org/2025

Many thanks for this, Jono. I will look those up, & get to Liverpool to see that model. Your description of how you deduced the location of the grave is fascinating. We should take more pride in our successes. I thought it was a British thing to be shy about such things, but apparently not!

British soldiers' lost graves uncovered at Ruapekapeka Twelve British soldiers lay lost for more than 170 years after the Battle of Ruapekapeka. Yesterday, they were found.

I decided to transfer this thread from the Bad Place after @jonocarpenter.bsky.social got in touch yesterday. He worked on the restoration and memorialisation of the site, and found the communal grave of British soldiers killed at the Pā. Check out this article www.rnz.co.nz/news/te-manu... 15/15 🗃️

An image of Auckland War Memorial Museum. A large curved grey building with a grassy field in front of it with a path leading to the building.

During this trip I met up with Rowan Light, NZ War curator at the Auckland War Memorial & @aucklanduni.bsky.social We began discussing the material culture of the NZ Wars. We’re now working on developing a project looking at the collections associated with the wars held in British museums. 14/15 🗃️

Wynyard’s model fort on display in the Auckland War Memorial Museum.

Col. Wynyard built a model of Ruapekapeka Pā in an effort to understand how to counter Māori defensive works in preparation for any future conflict. British officers often engaged in informal professional learning and this forms part of the knowledge networks I’m investigating in my book. 13/15🗃️

A black granite memorial to fallen British soldiers at Ruapekapeka Pā. The memorial has white engravings and is surrounded by grey bollards. The site of the Pā is seen in the background.

Peace negotiations had already begun, and despite Ruapekapeka being painted a British victory, the Māori emerged with most of their war aims, whilst Heke and Kawiti were both granted full pardons. The site today is wonderfully preserved and memorialised. 12/15 🗃️

A drawing of the British encampment, with the Pā in the background. A column of redcoated British soldiers march past in the foreground, whilst smoke from artillery fire clouds the middle ground. Reference: Te Ruapekapeka, NZ, January 1846. John Williams. Hocken Library.

Despard this time eventually concentrated his firepower at one site and breached the palisade in the north east corner. He ordered an attack but Kawiti had already withdrawn. 11/15 🗃️

A panoramic photograph of the Pā taken in October 2023. Hand emojis point to the location bunkers and trenches in the foreground which the defenders used as protection from the British bombardment. The British position is highlighted in the background. There is a beautiful view of the New Zealand countryside from the hilltop Pā, made all the more splendid in the evening sunshine.

Anti-artillery bunkers protected the defenders and trenches allowed Māori marksmen to fire on the British from positions of safety. 10/15 🗃️

A contemporary plan of Ruapekapeka Pā. The perimeter is misshapen but generally rectangular with several redoubts and abutments. Emojis point on the locations from which I took other photographs attached to this post. The first emoji is in the top corner of the Pā and relates to the third photo, and the second emoji points to the bottom corner with a redoubt and relates to the fourth photo. Reference: Auckland War Memorial MS 420 Survey plan of Ruapekapeka Pā by Major L. E. Du MOULIN.

This photo is of a model of the Pā. I have placed emojis to point out the same locations. Reference: Model of Ruapekapeka Pā built by Colonel Wynyard after the War and exhibited in Auckland. Now on display at Auckland War Memorial Museum.

A photograph of a grassed over trench work which marks the outer perimeter of the Pā and illustrates the sophistication of the Māori design.

A photograph of another grassed over trench work, much deeper than the other. It is a redoubt in the palisade of the Pā and afforded the defenders greater line of sight over the attackers.

The Pā itself was well constructed. Double palisades afforded protection from artillery. A flax curtain prevented British seeing in to the Pā. Here’s a plan of the Pā, a model built after the war, & the trenches today. I’ve pointed out on the plan where the photos are taken. 9/15 🗃️

A photograph of a field, bright green in the sunshine. There is evidence of military activity, in the form of a large square and very shallow trench, which marks the perimeter of the British batteries.

Despard had to march 18 miles inland, establishing a road and move his supplies. He set up camp 750m from the Pā and then built batteries 300m from the palisades and commenced a bombardment. This is the site of the British batteries today. 8/15 🗃️

A photograph, taken in October 2023, of the view of the ruins of Ruapekapeka Pā, a Māori fortification from the Northern War fought in New Zealand in 1845, as seen from the British encampment. The fortification is in the distance at the top of a gently sloping hill. Emojis point out the location of the British encampment in the foreground, the forward British batteries in the middle ground, and the location of the Pā itself at the top of the hill in the background.

Having inflicted severe costs, the Māori withdrew. A series of similar contests led to similar results until the British launched an attack on Kawiti’s newly built, Te Ruapekapeka Pā. I visited there & it is one of the best preserved & signposted battlefields I’ve been too. 7/15 🗃️

A watercolour painting of the British attack on Ohaeawai Pā. Redcoated British soldiers and an allied Māori warrior can be seen in the foreground crouching behind an earthwork loading their weapons. The Pā itself is in the middle ground, and its principal feature is a large square pallisade. Reference: Alexander Turnbull Library, A-079-005, View of the left angle of Heke's pāh at Ohaeawai stormed on the 18th of July 1845, from a breastwork adjoining our right battery. Cyprian Bridge.

At Ohaeawai Pā 8 May, after engaging in an ineffectual bombardment, British commander Col Henry Despard launched an assault. A complete failure the assault resulted in 114 casualties. Māori casualties casualties were small, having been protected by palisades and trenches. 6/15 🗃️

Detail of the cross-section plan of Ohaeawai Pā illustrating the use of palisades, trenches and buildings to protect the defenders and atrite attackers. Reference: Auckland War Memorial MS 420 Survey plan of Ohaiawhai Pā by Major L. E. Du MOULIN.

Heke and Kawiti built a series of Pā - fortifications. Traditional Pā controlled important agricultural sites, but the new Pā were placed strategically to force the British to advance far from their supply lines. The Māori also incorporated trenches into the Pā design. 5/15 🗃️