Charles Ralph Boxer

He lived for almost the entire twentieth century and died not too many miles from his birthplace in the south of England. But in between, he saw the world from a perspective shared by few. From his assignment in a Japanese Army regiment as a young British Army officer, to the life of author and professor, Charles Boxer was anything but ordinary.

Readers of this magazine probably know him best for his articles and books revealing the intricacies of the era of Portuguese and Dutch exploration and colonisation of Asia, Africa and South America. In this arena he stands a full head above any other scholar, and students of this field have appreciated his work for the past four decades and will undoubtedly will continue to do so for decades to come.