The history of the soldier's load

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

Abstract

From the loads carried by the armies of antiquity to today’s modern forces, this article explores and critically analyses soldier load carriage over two millennia. Historical misconceptions appearing in some military documents and literature regarding the context and weight of the soldier’s load are also discussed. The author looks at how, even with changes in logistic practices, technology and the very nature of warfare, the soldier is still a beast of burden and suggests that relying on improved load carriage logistical aides and changes to equipment may not be the answer to this age-old problem.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)67-88
Number of pages22
JournalAustralian Army Journal
Volume7
Issue number2
Publication statusPublished - 2010
Externally publishedYes

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