History Briefs: Field Marshal Bill Slim

British Field Marshal Bill Slim was an outstanding General and, arguably, Britain’s finest army commander of the Second World War. Today he is often compared to the American General, George Patton.

He is best remembered as the commander of the British 14th Army, the so-called Forgotten Army. In similar manner Bill Slim was also a, somewhat, forgotten General during the Second World War and, as such, he never received the credit or notoriety that he deserved.

Commanding the British 14th Army, he defeated the Japanese at the Battle of Imphal and Kohima before leading that army in the re-conquest of Burma. The Battle of Imphal and Kohima is today considered by the National Army Museum in London as being Britain’s finest land victory in history.

Slim would end his military career as Head of the British army and so became and first and only Indian Army Officer to hold this prestigious post.
What makes Slim even more extraordinary is that he never came from the traditional officer class of the British army during the early 20th century.

Having been brought up in poverty in Birmingham, he joined the army at the outbreak of the First World War gaining a temporary commission.

In this story we tell, not just of his great battles but also of his rise to the top of the army. And of how other, less talented Generals who considered him to be “different”, attempted to side-line him often to their own detriment.

This video forms part of the History Briefs series from "Great Stories from the Past" which is designed to provide a quick yet reasonably detailed overview of famous and renowned people in history.

Keep up to date with the latest news and information from Great Stories from the Past by visiting us on twitter:
  / greatstoriesnow