Amphibious Adventures: 400 Years of British Warfare

Inaugural Lecture: Professor Keith McLay, Provost (Learning and Teaching)

War has been central to the human condition throughout history. Across the centuries it has been routinely deployed by rulers, nations and states as a means to satisfy strategic ambition, resolve disputes, secure peace, oppress and suppress. As a result, the question is begged whether there are national historic practices of warfare. Addressing some 400 years of British history from the Revolution of 1688 and the Nine Years' War in the late 17th century through to the World Wars of the 20th century, the lecture essayed an answer for Britain.

It challenged conventional historical opinion framed by the First and Second World Wars that Britain's historic practice was continental land-based campaigning and suggested instead that agile combinations of the army and navy in amphibious adventures have represented the genuine British Way in Warfare.

Professor Keith McLay, Provost (Learning and Teaching)

Previously, Professor Keith McLay was the Pro Vice-Chancellor Dean of Arts, Humanities and Education, UoD; Dean of Arts and Humanities, Canterbury Christ Church University; and Head of History and Archaeology, University of Chester. He is an early modern military and naval historian who has published on war and warfare and who holds a MA and PhD from the University of Glasgow, a MSc from the LSE and an MBA from the University of Edinburgh.