for his debunking of historical myths, Terraine was one of the outstanding military historians of the 20th century. Terraine was for many years a member of the Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies. He was awarded the Institute's Chesney Gold Medal in 1982. He was elected a fellow of the Royal Historical Society in 1987. Views According to his obituary in The Independent: John Terraine was one of the outstanding military historians of the 20th century. His intellect, scholarship and breadth and sharpness of vision marked him out amongst his peers as one to be listened to with great care and attention, and challenged with circumspection, although challenged he was.The fundamental reason for the controversy he aroused, and the challenges his challenges met, was that his study of generalship in the First World War led him to criticise, indeed demolish, the argument that British generals in the period 1914–18 were all "donkeys", that their actions simply led to slaughter and disaster. What he could not abide was the Oh! What a Lovely War syndrome espoused by the historical, political and pacifist left and also to some extent by B.H. Liddell Hart. In his work he made a very strong case for the view that British generals were actually pretty good and, in the end, unlike their enemies, won the war with a great victory. Personal life and death In 1945 Terraine married Joyce Waite; they had one daughter. Terraine died in London, aged 82. Works Mons: The Retreat to Victory (New York: Macmillan, 1960) read online The Battle of Guise, August 1914 (History Today, 1960) read online The Army in Modern France (History Today, 1961) read online Douglas Haig: The Educated Soldier (1963) read online Ordeal of Victory (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1963) read online General Jack's Diary 1914–1918: The Trench Diary of Brigadier-General J.L. Jack, D.S.O. (London: Eyre and Spottiswoode, 1964) read online The Great War: A Pictorial History (New York: Macmillan, 1965) Monash: Australian Commander (History Today, 1966) read online The Life and Times of Lord Mountbatten (London: Hutchinson, 1968; new ed. 2013) read online Impacts of War, 1914 & 1918 (1971) read online Democracy at War, Part I (History Today, 1971) read online Democracy at War, Part II (History Today, 1971) read online The Mighty Continent: A View of Europe in the Twentieth Century (1975) read online Trafalgar (New York: Mason, Charter: 1976) read online The Road