This isn't a novel with a plot in the traditional sense. Instead, it's the meticulously assembled official history of a British Army regiment with a lineage stretching back to 1572. The book, compiled by R.S.H. Moody, a former officer of The Buffs, acts as a massive archive. It traces the regiment's journey through its very paperwork: lists of officers, descriptions of campaigns, and accounts of battles from the Napoleonic Wars to the brutal fields of the First World War.

Why You Should Read It

What makes this special is the sheer weight of real history. You're not reading a historian's interpretation; you're looking at the raw material they use. You see names, dates, and places that trace a direct line through history. It gives you a profound sense of continuity. The boy who enlisted in 1700 and the man who fought at Ypres in 1915 were part of the same story. It highlights the regiment's identity and the grim reality of military service across generations.

Final Verdict

This is a specialist's book, but a fascinating one. It's perfect for military history enthusiasts, genealogists tracing ancestors in the British Army, or anyone with a deep interest in the social history of the military. It's not a light read—it's a reference work to explore. Think of it as a time capsule. You don't read it cover-to-cover like a story; you dip into the eras that interest you and discover the human details within the formal lists. A truly unique window into the past.