Patrick Crowley’s talk on the Part-Time Soldier will explore the challenges of defending the country, using a balance of regular and part-time soldiers. Farnham has had Territorial Army, then Army Reserve soldiers, based in the town for many years – why not come and hear about their contribution to the nation’s defence?

Rose, Castle and Crown: Hampshire and The Isle of Wight’s Citizen Soldiers, this new book, written by Colonel (Retd) Patrick Crowley MBE DL, is a unique history of the part-time soldier of Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, from the time of the militia, yeomanry and volunteer, through to the Territorial Army and today’s Army Reserve. This is all placed in the wider context of the British Army’s history.

Rose, Castle and Crown underscores the challenge and sacrifice that all military volunteers, throughout history, have had to make balancing the needs of service with family demands and their main civilian employment. It also demonstrates that reservists continue to significantly contribute to the United Kingdom’s military capabilities.

Patrick Crowley, a deputy colonel of the Princess of Wales’s Royal Regiment, is currently the chief executive of the South East Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association, an arms-length body which supports the interest of reserves and cadets in the south east.  He has written seven previous books on military history including Kut 1916: The Forgotten British Disaster in Iraq, Loyal to Empire: The Life of General Sir Charles Monro 1860-1929 and Infantry Die Hards: The Anatomy of a Regiment. He lives in Hampshire.

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