The death has been announced of Dr Christopher Duffy, 86, a former chair of the 1745 Association, and a leading researcher into the Battle of Culloden.
Over the years, he worked tirelessly for the preservation of the Culloden battlefield near Inverness against encroaching developments.
Dr Duffy studied history at Balliol College in Oxford, graduating with first-class honours, and went on to complete his doctorate.
He taught military history at the Royal Military Academy at Sandhurst and at the college of the British General Staff.
Dr Duffy previously served as chair of the 1745 Association and continued to serve as an honorary vice chair.
Tribute
The association said: “It is with the greatest sadness that we learned of the passing of Dr Christopher Duffy, chair of the 1745 Association between 2014 and 2016, and, of course, author of Fight for a Throne, recently voted by members of the association as the best book written about the Rising of 1745.
“He was also author of many seminal papers and articles on Jacobite history, dispelling many of the myths spread by propaganda.
“He continued to work tirelessly for the preservation of the Culloden battlefield against developments and this will be just one of his lasting legacies.
“Our thoughts are with all who knew him as a friend and colleague.”
Breadth of military knowledge
P&J journalist Susy Macaulay has covered many Culloden stories and recalls long, fascinating phone calls with Dr Duffy.
She said: “I was always blown away by his breadth of military knowledge and deep research.
“He had a real passion for preserving the battlefield and everything that goes with it.
“He was passionately convinced that making the battlefield a UNESCO world heritage site would lend ‘great moral force’ when warding off pressure from developers, and did much to speak in favour of the idea.”
Published work
Dr Duffy, who died on Wednesday, was also famous for his writings about Frederick the Great and the Seven Years’ War.
He was fluent in six languages and published some 20 books about military history, several of which have been translated into German.
The British Commission for Military History said: “Christopher was the doyen of military history historians of the 18th Century.
“Latterly he wrote extensively on the Jacobite campaign of and was involved in the preservation of the Culloden battlefield.
“As founding secretary-general of the British Commission, Christopher always maintained that it should be a broad church, open to both professional and amateur historians. The commission has always sought to pursue this ethos.”
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