Research peers into minds of soldiers who fought Napoleon

But one University of Leeds researcher is doing just that in a project to examine the everyday experiences of British soldiers during the Napoleonic wars.

Dr Kevin Linch, a teaching fellow in the university School of History, is leading an investigation into the beliefs and thoughts of soldiers in the period between 1750 and 1815.

He said: "It's estimated that one in six men were in the armed forces at some time during this period, so many, many people will have had contact with military personnel. If they weren't actually soldiers, the chances are that they will have known someone who was.

"During the Napoleonic wars as many as 680,000 men were involved in some sort of military service, yet the experiences of these men remains largely forgotten."

The project will examine the views of the three types of British soldier in the Georgian era.

Full-time servicemen were paid members of the army and were prepared to fight overseas, while the home defence force were chosen by ballot and stayed on British soil. There was also a volunteer force, members being able to choose when they fought.

The research will focus on archives in five counties, including East Yorkshire.