"Good coverage on the british in the Seven years War" Topic

Such as: His Britannic Majesty's Army in Germany during the Seven Years War by Sir Reginald Savory

Anyone ever read this? is it a bore? Is it a chore? I want a good read vs technical.

For instance, George Nafziger's Napoleonic books are thorough but they're a bore.

I want easy reading like John Keegan or Christopher Duffy.

I would say Savory is between Nafziger and Duffy as far as "ease" of reading. If you are interested in the 7YW on the "west" front though it's about the only game in town.

Certainly not a chore or boring. I would say closer to Duffy than Nafziger (who I find pretty much unreadable). Other books do have some coverage of the western theatre, but none in the detail of Savory. Essential reading if you are interested in that theatre.

The Coward of Minden by Piers Mackesy is a good read and has some interesting conclusions.

Redcoat by Richard Holmes, although not specifically about the Seven Years War has some good information about the era.

The British Army of the Eighteenth Century by Colonel H.C.B. Rogers, again not specifically 7YW, has a good deal of pertinent information.

Try the Kronoscaf website; it has a pretty thorough bibliography.

Kronoskaf

Kronoskaf = link

I've had Savory's book for many a year and find it an indispensable reference for the SYW in western Germany. The only complaint that I have is that while he, a British officer, fully identifies the British units in the text only refers to "three Hanoverian battalions" or "two Hessian cavalry squadrons." But that is minor compared to the trove of information and the maps.

Jim

Thanks Col. As long as it's readable. I buy these books sometimes and I feel like Im developing narcolepsy.

It is readable, but have a good map of Germany at your side when you read the book. Savory tends to do a lot of travel log writing: "the Erbprinz marched across the Diemel River and camped in Sandershausen, and then he advanced to Tutoburg. The he decided to march west towards Dinklestadt, passing through Gotenburg on the way."

It can get hard to follow. Savory doesn't really tell stories that give insights in the way that Christopher Duffy does.

Agree with Col Campbell and DAF entirely. It is a very scholarly and accurate work- pretty essential for reference. But it doesn't have the magic combination of research, insight and page turning style that the best of Duffy's work has. Real shame Duffy never turned his attention to the SYW Western theatre.
Agree also with Big Red about 'The coward of Minden' by Piers Mackesy. Still the best description of that battle I've read.