January 27

Great War subalterns were mocked and satirised, then and now, as enthusiastic and patriotic but naïve and ignorant public-school boys. They led gallantly from the front, looking after their men, but with few tactical responsibilities and little autonomy. Later, the platoon became the key tactical attack unit, a flexible group of specialists with real discretion on the battlefield. So how did the Young Gentlemen of 1914/15 change into the pivotal battlefield managers of 1917/18?