John Gaspard Le Marchant

British General
1766-1812

Apart from being an extremely brave cavalry leader, John Le Marchant was also a reformer and it was his design that led to the introduction of the 1796 light-cavalry sabre (see below).

He wrote an instruction manual for the cavalry and pushed for better training for Britain's officers. He established officer academies and is largely responsible for the creation of the military school at Sandhurst.

Promoted to major-general and sent to the Peninsula, Le Marchant showed extreme promise but his career ended too early when - like so many cavalrymen of his time - he proved too reckless at Salamanca and was killed while hunting down fleeing French infantry. Reports said he had killed six with his own hand.