That would be a reasonable comment regarding the poor in any society and era. Nothing spectacularly worse about Victorian poverty….. it just had some talented writers and politicians talking about it, sometimes for their own ends.
It’s hard to not see it as a step up compared to someone who grew up impoverished. Better chances of finding food, clothes that (typically) aren’t just tattered rags, the chance at seeing the world, and something that we all secretly strive for. A sense of pride.
I know one cavalry officer that didnt purchase himself all the way up. That was William Morris, who rode with the light brigade at Balaclava. Unfortunately, he died young in India. Was promoted to Liutenant-Colonel for his bravery. A brilliant career that ended too soon.
I remember the rose garden when i was in belize very rarely if i managed to get a trip back to airport camp,from my normal company camp,straight down rose garden loads of drink,and some dusky beauty ,great times,this in.eighties,
Yes. The Rose Garden. Many a drunken night in there & spending the remaining few hours left with my favourite Guatemalan beauty. 51 Dollar’s for an all nighter if I remember correctly & 20 for half n hour. 🇬🇧🏴💪😎🔥
Army living conditions - at least in barracks - were better than the urban slums or the poorest rural villages. If they hadn't been, the army would never have worked as an organisation. This was the case for many recruits up to the 1970s when a warm barracks with hot showers on demand, three big meals a day, and money in your pocket was a big step up from the conditions they'd experienced as children. Part of the modern army's retention problem is that it can no longer compete with civilian living conditions.
But today, a single human can control a whole army of drones and launch missiles thousands of miles. So just as machine guns reduced the need for large numbers of human soldiers, technology keeps reducing the need for manpower.
@@flashgordon6670 That's not the case in the Ukraine War. Both sides are desperate for new manpower. We might see a million Russian casualties before this is over.
My neighbourhood in Nova Scotia, Canada started as land grants for veterans of the Napoleonic Wars. At one time there was a nearby village named Wellington, after the general.
Hey there just to let you know I am a recent subscriber due to my interest in history. I had a chat recently with my mum and turns out my great grandad served in the second Boer war (and WWI). Unfortunately he apparently took his wartime experiences to the grave, but watching your videos has made understand what it would have been like for him. OK watching the vid now!
@@pincermovement72 That's awesome. His papers and medals were possessed by my uncle who has unfortunately passed away. Now I know great grandad served, I'd love to get my hands on them. It's all probably in storage with the rest of my uncle's stuff, but I think it would be nice to have them just to show my young nephews.
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away"; But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play, The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play, O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play. ~Rudyard Kipling, "Tommy"
I enjoy Kipling and “if “ is as important a poem as ever been written. However to go back in time to the American War Of Independence can you imagine if the Dutch & French weren’t all over the 🇬🇧lads back then what that war would have been imo a mere uprising.🇬🇧
@@About1on1 Fun fact about me I’m from the US, home state of Virginia actually (and very proud of that), but that all being said I entirely agree with you. However, Britain had kinda made the American colonies into a powder keg. From the time when New Amsterdam was renamed to New England by force of arms to the time when Boston Harbor was used to set the world record for the largest batch of Earl Grey ever made, Britain had been deporting (transportation was the original term) their neredowells and troublemakers at home to mingle with disgruntled Dutch New Englanders on the continent on a regular basis. I mean one would think that, what with occurrences like the English Civil War and all those Cromwell supporters arriving from and then fleeing back to America, that maybe this policy of continually putting everyone who might have a reason to hold a grudge against them into one geographical location wasn’t the best idea, but hey that’s Parliament for ya am I right? Additional fun facts about my home state; Virginia also goes by the moniker of The Old Dominion (James is frequently used in the naming of things and places). Also the original layout of the capital city of Virginia, Richmond, was modeled after the city of London - a river runs through both.
@@schaddenkorp6977 The main point that makes any REASONABLE Britain or Commonwealth man shrug and "allow" the American Rebellion wasn't entirely a sin, is the fact that ANY British town, city, county or country would have done the same, with the same provocation. AND did, at times. Unfortunately for that argument, the same reason makes us purse our lips when men like Patrick Henry ( 416 slaves) and T. A. Jefferson ( 3200 slaves) deign to lecture us about "innate rights of freedom" as they steal a vast amount of our collective property from The Empire. We are British, son, we KNOW when someone is taking the piss.
The daily life of a soldier on campaign has always been fascinating to me--what he ate, where he slept, what he did to pass the time Great video, cheers
The battle of Agincourt victory 1415 Henry V attributed his win to the , burly drunken British Longbowman street fighters , who after pulling 150lb bow string hundreds of times within a few hours could knock a man out with 1 simple punch.
I’m an ex Gordon Highlander and I’ve seen my regiment get finished in £ savings. I believe that the local regiment’s in existence kept the numbers up. I’ve just subscribed and looking forward to watching your videos.🏴
Another cracking video, Chris! Life may have seemed brutally harsh, and it was. But as you pointed out, for many of the working poor, it was actually a step up. At least you had a roof over your head, knew when your next meal was, even if the fare was lacklustre at best, and when you were getting paid. And hey, they gave you nice red uniforms (which somehow made me think of Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition sketch). 😁
Marshal de Saxe, the victorious French general at the battle of Fontenoy once said: "Of all my troops, it's the Irish that cause me the most bother". His reply: That's what your enemies say too".
My first posting was to York, the modernised barrack rooms were the old cavalry stables from Victorian times, and sometimes the smell was horrendous lol
Thanks Chris for another fantastic episode. 💪🏻💪🏻 “Independent, Fire at Will!” “That’s very nice of him.” - Not for the Zulus and not for Will. Question 1: Was independent firing more efficient/ effective than volley firing? Surely with volley firing, multiple bullets hit the same targets, so bullets are wasted. With independent firing, targets are felled by one shooter, so other shooters aim for un-felled targets. Thus de-conflicting, too many bullets from hitting the same targets and maximising hitting more targets, with the same amount of ammunition. Question 2: When and where was the last Military operation that British soldiers wore red coats?
I think the morale impact of a volley on the enemy was worse, imagine if one or two or your guys are slowly picked off vs suddenly dozens of them being hit, also it didnt matter as much if some missed. I think there were riflemen and they probably aimed and fired individually. Plus muskets took a little while to load so maximizing the effect of your shot by all firing at once helped that too
Thanks. Also officers didn't like the men picking their own targets and firing at will as it wasted ammo. Also remember that generally there would be a gap between each rifleman so it was unlikely multiple bullets would strike the same target.
My great great great grandfather Andrew Mulvaney served with the 40th foot throughout the Peninsular war and survived. A muster roll described him while in hospital as "very severely ill". After he left the 40th just before Waterloo he joined the 48th foot and was sent to Australia on garrison duty at Cox's river. All his sons joined the 48th foot and were at the siege of Sevastopol.
@@RoyT64 Hi Roy, I've tried twice to send you that information but my reply still isn't showing. Essentially I went to the National archives in London after some on line research. The muster lists are there. Heaps of info but hard to negotiate.
Very well performed young man, the most the things about the daily life of the red coats or in this case the green coats one can read by Sharpe is true, you backed this today. Thank you for this wonderful lesson, kind of. From Northern Germany Ludwig.
We still pay homage to those that came before us in the US Navy, as the saying goes, "US Navy : Drinkers With a Sailing Problem." Another great episode!
I’m sure if your thousands of miles from home , surrounded by people trying to kill you then the bond you make and have with your Red coated comrades is incredibly strong…the walls of Delhi Red fort springs to mind as a example…
1780s 75% of children in London died before their 5th birthday! Of course no humanitarian aid from Africa or Asia etc was received to assist with this humanitarian disaster!
Being violent and racist, in a violent racist world is understandable,, there's a argument to be had that without the British empire and the value's it gave the world ,, humanity would still be violent and racist
Thank you Chris for this video, incredibly interesting as always. Would enlisting in EIC army (until its disbandement) a more valid and not less gruesome alternative for the young Victorian dreaming of exotic lands and glory? In terms of wage, career progression and training, how many differences were there with the British army?
Hi. That would be a good future video - thanks for the idea. For an officer who lacked funds to purchase a commsion EIC was defintely a good alternative - the problem was promotion was slow. For OR's Im not sure about service in regiments like the Bengal Europeans - Id have to do a bit more research. . .
I served TA 1977-86, I was REME(LAD)Attached 5 Royal Anglian, A Reserve Battalion for the BOAR, in other words 24hr notice for Active Duty in Europe, I remember staging through Colchester Barracks, and I think the Army actually kept the old barrack buildings to stage TA troops through, I was born to a Soldier(RE) at Chatham barracks, so I knew them of old, for a kid off the streets, or the workhouse, of the 1850's cushy digs
My grandfather x4 was in the infantry for 21 years, 9 of those spent in India and would have been there during the mutiny (he enlisted in 1849/50). His son (Grandfather X3)also became a career soldier and even served in WW1 on the Somme, when he was in his 50’s after managing to re-enlist …………Crazy
A letter written by an ancestor of mine in a hussar regiment in the Sikh Wars was all about the various Indian animals he hunted. He was in the charge at the battle of chillenwalla .
Very interesting video althoug it was too short. With sufficient funds these videos could improve a lot more. Great narrator. I have read Napoleon's writings on war and he had very high regards for the British army. It seems as it was degraded significantly after the Napoleonic wars.
Very true - extra funds would be welcome. If you wish to support you can sign up for my Patreon or make a donation via ko-fi (links in description). Thanks.
I'm Australian but a great grandfather on my mother's side was from Bermondsey in South London. We have a photo from when he first joined the Royal Navy and it very much looked like a child dressed up in a costume. My understanding was that as an urban poor, this was a chance to escape poverty and travel. Oh how this differs to the life my children live. He was in the Royal Navy in WW1, migrated after WW1, and was in the Royal Australian Navy during WW2. Who in their right mind would bother with that these days?
A great great grandfather on my mother s side is supposed to have déserter from the navy as a ship boy by swimming across the Tagus then sailing to Australia on a merchantman. Each génération seems to have started life in the Greenwich orphanage. Not an easy life
On the route into town from barracks (basic training) I still remember some graffiti sprayed on a wall saying ' F-off squaddie b-stards' 😂 still makes me laugh nearly 40 years after
It’s possible to set up accounts/channels on other platforms that just have information and links to your YT channel. May help to grow your channel a bit? Regards.
Just curious Red: so the Royal Army was all volunteers, but weren't the Royal Navy ranks at least partially involuntary (via impressment)? And what of the various "mercenaries" from the Empire in either branch of service? Thank you.
The Irish emigrants enlisted in the American Armies instead of the British Army. Among them my G G Grandfather who came over in the 1840s and ultimately enlisted in the 84th PA Infantry Regiment in 1861 as a 41 year old. He became their Color Sergeant before he was wounded out.
@@redcoathistory Maybe but not twice in 1775 and in 1812🤣🤣 Please keep doing the County unit histories like The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) (abbreviated as WFR)
0:22 does anyone know the name of this film?? I watched it with my granda when I was very young and I'm absolutely dying to see it again, but I have no idea what it's called!
Hey mate can we have an update to this to explain WHY IT WAS SOMETIMES THRILLING TO BE A REDCOAT. If it was not the case no one would have stayed. No one ever covers this, I mean no one. Not ever. So it would be terrific if you did.
IIRC artillery and engineer commissions were never for sale. That's a HUGE difference from infantry and cavalry officers. But the purchase system wasn't all bad... think of it as a bond for good behavior and it all makes more sense.
Good video, You didn't mention barrack room damages which were another reasons for pay deductions (and made a profit for quatermasters). On the other hand Kipling's poem 'The 'Eathen' tells a slightly different story - well worth a read and it's online. Frank Richards writing of WW1 made it clear that officers won respect by personal courage, probably still true. When talking about sex you failed to mention that it was possible to 'have it off' through the standard railings round the barracks - must have been uncomfortable for both parties but desparate situations require desparate measures.
"all you can drink" Ah, I see no matter what era, or nations, military recruiters have never changed. "and still training like the were in Waterloo." And for some nations, all the way up to world war one and that....it....it, uh, it....didn't end well for those nations soldiers. Asking a commanding officer to marry someone, it might've gone something like this; "Sir, permission to marry this woman." "What? I can't allow that, she already has a miserable life as it is, why make it more?"" Anyways, no, I couldn't survive the British army during this time, or any time, but would like a part two to go into more of their lives.
Very nice. And not one of these men or women ever realised that their lives they were living would one day be the subject of cinema films, TV shows or Internet things. They might have imagined occasional stories about army life being told, maybe once or twice a theatre play might have a soldier in a small role. That's it. A bit like "Cowboys and Injuns": from the late nineteenth century humanity has created rather staggering quantities of clean and purposeful myths based on half-truths about people in their dotage or more often dead. Most of whom would probably have laughed their socks off at something like the film Zulu.
Ah, yes, the brutal reality of being the ones who gave up the red for the khaki. Truly, no greater dishonour. The late lot were also the first ones into WW1, so, that's quite the brutal reality there!
If you really want to get into it, it was the men and women living in the countries of the empire around the world who built the empire during the Victorian era.
The Royal Army Was On The Lower End Of The Budget Compared To The Royal Navy. And, Elaborate On The Differences Between An Officers Regimental Rank And His Army Staff Rank. (Or Have I Got That Wrong).
At 4.25 minutes in Your description of ordinary day for ordinary soldier is absolutely horrifying for a modern mind set , so you wonder how hard life outside the Army must have been . At 1.35 minutes your reference to Army strength 88,000 in 1837 would be approx 0.35% of U.K. population of approx 25 million , todays 77,000 strength is approx 0.11% of 2020 population of approx 67 million so question is how long would todays Army last with modern casualties rates such as Ukraine Russia conflict ?
Ok just a question...why for over 200 years do the British soldiers refer to themselves as Tommy or Tommy Rogers ? Not being offensive just wanted to know.. thanks
It's from the enlistment forms,, they gave ,,Tommy Atkins,, as a example,, though there is some evidence that ,,Tommy,, was used among English soldiers before this, as jock, taff, and paddie, was used among the other home nationalitys
We were 3 kids. I was the middle child. Admittedly, I can display some the so-called middle-child behaviors. I was quieter than my other siblings (or least, that's my perception.) I think we (the ones in the middle) are the observers. We watch. We learn. We anticipate. As adults, as I've observed, we study; we plan; we compensate for ourselves and others; we achieve mostly without fanfare. Those are the positives. And that's where I stop.
Informative and entertaining video. Thanks. Squaddie 78-85. When I left, not much had changed from what you've described. Had to get permission to marry, had to get permission to live in civvy accomodation if you had a girl, had to get permission to buy a car on HP FFS, cash grab on the pittance they paid to pay for your food and accomodation, Ruperts you wouldn't leave in charge of a kindergarten, lots of pointless and mind-numbing activities til 16:00ish, then off on the piss. Most of us were in because it was a better option than what we'd have found workwise in civvy street. Really miss it now. Nevertheless I hope the British Army's finally moved on.
Actually it carried on.into.the 20th century a source revealed That there was a brothel in Singapore and the soldiers Blew it up just before leaving The area!
"Single men in barracks do not become plaster saints" is what I thought when I started to watch this. Kipling described military life rather well there. Many thanks for this video from my side of "The Pond"....
![[#2024MAMA] ROSÉ (로제), Bruno Mars - APT. | Mnet 241122 방송](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/dgGqD28J6aQ/mqdefault.jpg)
A bit sobering to realize that, as bad as it was, for many Victorian urban poor enlisting in the Army was a step up in the world.
That would be a reasonable comment regarding the poor in any society and era. Nothing spectacularly worse about Victorian poverty….. it just had some talented writers and politicians talking about it, sometimes for their own ends.
Why sobering? I don’t understand the comment?
@@RoyT64 I think he’s attempting to comment on the plight of the poor.
It’s still a motivating factor today.
It’s hard to not see it as a step up compared to someone who grew up impoverished. Better chances of finding food, clothes that (typically) aren’t just tattered rags, the chance at seeing the world, and something that we all secretly strive for. A sense of pride.
“What’s it matter if they’re pissed or poxed as long as they can fight” - Sharpe.
Fantastic series of books
@ the audiobooks aren’t bad either. Good narrator.
umm . .. a deal of difference
even the worst drunks can sober up
a man who is 'poxed" infected with syphlis ("the pox") is a very different prospect
Promotions, the reason for the navy's Thursday toast "A bloody war or a sickly season!"
Not only the R Navy, but same toast in the Army as well.
I know one cavalry officer that didnt purchase himself all the way up. That was William Morris, who rode with the light brigade at Balaclava. Unfortunately, he died young in India. Was promoted to Liutenant-Colonel for his bravery. A brilliant career that ended too soon.
I remember the rose garden when i was in belize very rarely if i managed to get a trip back to airport camp,from my normal company camp,straight down rose garden loads of drink,and some dusky beauty ,great times,this in.eighties,
Been there Simon. New year 76/77.
Yes. The Rose Garden. Many a drunken night in there & spending the remaining few hours left with my favourite Guatemalan beauty. 51 Dollar’s for an all nighter if I remember correctly & 20 for half n hour. 🇬🇧🏴💪😎🔥
Never imagine I'd hear someone talk about the rose garden. It was the punchline for crude jokes when I was growing up in Belize 😅
Very well done Chris! You've a keen eye for the realities that those men and women went through.
Good lord, being a soldier on those days was indeed a bloody torment. Great video again mate, thanks for sharing.
Thanks mate
Army living conditions - at least in barracks - were better than the urban slums or the poorest rural villages. If they hadn't been, the army would never have worked as an organisation. This was the case for many recruits up to the 1970s when a warm barracks with hot showers on demand, three big meals a day, and money in your pocket was a big step up from the conditions they'd experienced as children. Part of the modern army's retention problem is that it can no longer compete with civilian living conditions.
I'd suggest on top of that social mobility has improved. Those poor Victorian lads could vastly improve their respectability by making NCO.
@@tamlandipper29 Forlorn hopes seldom lacked volunteers either. People took whatever opportunities they could find in those days.
The British government is working very hard to change that.
But today, a single human can control a whole army of drones and launch missiles thousands of miles. So just as machine guns reduced the need for large numbers of human soldiers, technology keeps reducing the need for manpower.
@@flashgordon6670 That's not the case in the Ukraine War. Both sides are desperate for new manpower. We might see a million Russian casualties before this is over.
My neighbourhood in Nova Scotia, Canada started as land grants for veterans of the Napoleonic Wars. At one time there was a nearby village named Wellington, after the general.
Funny to say but delightful--and highly informative.
Hey there just to let you know I am a recent subscriber due to my interest in history. I had a chat recently with my mum and turns out my great grandad served in the second Boer war (and WWI). Unfortunately he apparently took his wartime experiences to the grave, but watching your videos has made understand what it would have been like for him. OK watching the vid now!
That's great to hear - thanks a lot and welcome to the channel
My great grandfather also served in the boer war and the hearth rug in his cottage was made out of his dress coat.
@@pincermovement72 That's awesome. His papers and medals were possessed by my uncle who has unfortunately passed away. Now I know great grandad served, I'd love to get my hands on them. It's all probably in storage with the rest of my uncle's stuff, but I think it would be nice to have them just to show my young nephews.
@@redcoathistory Thanks! And I enjoyed this video a lot. Wondering how great grandad met great grandma now...
@@varalys 🤣
O it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that, an' "Tommy, go away";
But it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play,
The band begins to play, my boys, the band begins to play,
O it's "Thank you, Mister Atkins", when the band begins to play.
~Rudyard Kipling, "Tommy"
@@jovanweismiller7114 Another Kipling quoter I see ^^
I enjoy Kipling and “if “ is as important a poem as ever been written.
However to go back in time to the American War Of Independence can you imagine if the Dutch & French weren’t all over the 🇬🇧lads back then what that war would have been imo a mere uprising.🇬🇧
@@About1on1 Fun fact about me I’m from the US, home state of Virginia actually (and very proud of that), but that all being said I entirely agree with you. However, Britain had kinda made the American colonies into a powder keg. From the time when New Amsterdam was renamed to New England by force of arms to the time when Boston Harbor was used to set the world record for the largest batch of Earl Grey ever made, Britain had been deporting (transportation was the original term) their neredowells and troublemakers at home to mingle with disgruntled Dutch New Englanders on the continent on a regular basis. I mean one would think that, what with occurrences like the English Civil War and all those Cromwell supporters arriving from and then fleeing back to America, that maybe this policy of continually putting everyone who might have a reason to hold a grudge against them into one geographical location wasn’t the best idea, but hey that’s Parliament for ya am I right?
Additional fun facts about my home state; Virginia also goes by the moniker of The Old Dominion (James is frequently used in the naming of things and places). Also the original layout of the capital city of Virginia, Richmond, was modeled after the city of London - a river runs through both.
Alright Stewart Griffin
@@schaddenkorp6977 The main point that makes any REASONABLE Britain or Commonwealth man shrug and "allow" the American Rebellion wasn't entirely a sin, is the fact that ANY British town, city, county or country would have done the same, with the same provocation. AND did, at times.
Unfortunately for that argument, the same reason makes us purse our lips when men like Patrick Henry ( 416 slaves) and T. A. Jefferson ( 3200 slaves)
deign to lecture us about "innate rights of freedom" as they steal a vast amount of our collective property from The Empire.
We are British, son, we KNOW when someone is taking the piss.
The daily life of a soldier on campaign has always been fascinating to me--what he ate, where he slept, what he did to pass the time
Great video, cheers
You mean WHO he'd did don't you? Lol
The battle of Agincourt victory 1415 Henry V attributed his win to the , burly drunken British Longbowman street fighters , who after pulling 150lb bow string hundreds of times within a few hours could knock a man out with 1 simple punch.
They were English not British.
@@lloydnaylor6113some of them even Welsh!
@@MrZauberelefant sorry , true.
They were British Welsh English against a European king
@@benchilton1391 Wales is part of Britain , it makes them British. We fight as a team not individuals.
I’m an ex Gordon Highlander and I’ve seen my regiment get finished in £ savings.
I believe that the local regiment’s in existence kept the numbers up.
I’ve just subscribed and looking forward to watching your videos.🏴
No pressure then 😅
@@robertbruce7686 Limpopo River, S.A. 1892-1893. Unknown.event.
I think Wellington said the thing that scared him the most was his own men
Recruiters haven't changed much lol
They always like to leave out the fine print!
We didn't hunt or fish in our past time, but we drank plenty of beer and chased many women. Great stuff again. Thanks Chris.
Ha ha - beer and women - a constant througout history!
We also destroyed our enemies and enjoyed the lamination of their women. For 1000’s of years this was being a man until woke made us all women.
@@redcoathistoryI would enlist in the army back then the life don’t sound to bad in my opinion
Sounds like you'd have fit right in with us in the USN lol
@@stevewixom9311 USN ?
Another cracking video, Chris! Life may have seemed brutally harsh, and it was. But as you pointed out, for many of the working poor, it was actually a step up. At least you had a roof over your head, knew when your next meal was, even if the fare was lacklustre at best, and when you were getting paid. And hey, they gave you nice red uniforms (which somehow made me think of Monty Python's Spanish Inquisition sketch). 😁
Great video. The content was always great but your production quality has really improved and belongs on TV. Very enjoyable to watch.
Marshal de Saxe, the victorious French general at the battle of Fontenoy once said: "Of all my troops, it's the Irish that cause me the most bother".
His reply: That's what your enemies say too".
Brilliant video and information as always 👏🏻
Hard as nails they were!
Drunk as beasts and cried like babes
As always another great episode.
My first posting was to York, the modernised barrack rooms were the old cavalry stables from Victorian times, and sometimes the smell was horrendous lol
Excellent and informative presentation!
Thanks Chris for another fantastic episode. 💪🏻💪🏻
“Independent, Fire at Will!”
“That’s very nice of him.”
- Not for the Zulus and not for Will.
Question 1: Was independent firing more efficient/ effective than volley firing? Surely with volley firing, multiple bullets hit the same targets, so bullets are wasted. With independent firing, targets are felled by one shooter, so other shooters aim for un-felled targets. Thus de-conflicting, too many bullets from hitting the same targets and maximising hitting more targets, with the same amount of ammunition.
Question 2: When and where was the last Military operation that British soldiers wore red coats?
I think the morale impact of a volley on the enemy was worse, imagine if one or two or your guys are slowly picked off vs suddenly dozens of them being hit, also it didnt matter as much if some missed. I think there were riflemen and they probably aimed and fired individually. Plus muskets took a little while to load so maximizing the effect of your shot by all firing at once helped that too
Thanks. Also officers didn't like the men picking their own targets and firing at will as it wasted ammo. Also remember that generally there would be a gap between each rifleman so it was unlikely multiple bullets would strike the same target.
Great video! Where do I sign up?!?
Windows shut was still doctune in my time and then changed as i was leaving.
Fresh air is always a good way to stay healthy
Superb as usual Chris
Thanks mate!
My great great great grandfather Andrew Mulvaney served with the 40th foot throughout the Peninsular war and survived. A muster roll described him while in hospital as "very severely ill". After he left the 40th just before Waterloo he joined the 48th foot and was sent to Australia on garrison duty at Cox's river. All his sons joined the 48th foot and were at the siege of Sevastopol.
Wow absolutely amazing family history.👍🏻
Fascinating - thanks a lot for sharing.
If you don’t mind sharing how did you track all that because having got my DNA results I’d love to be able to do the same.
@@RoyT64 Hi Roy, I've tried twice to send you that information but my reply still isn't showing. Essentially I went to the National archives in London after some on line research. The muster lists are there. Heaps of info but hard to negotiate.
Impressive, especially when you consider that the campaign lasted longer than World War II.
Good content and entertaining.
Very well performed young man, the most the things about the daily life of the red coats or in this case the green coats one can read by Sharpe is true, you backed this today. Thank you for this wonderful lesson, kind of. From Northern Germany Ludwig.
Great as always, Chris.
We still pay homage to those that came before us in the US Navy, as the saying goes, "US Navy : Drinkers With a Sailing Problem." Another great episode!
There are alot of drunks in the military.
@@freefall9832shameful
Hi Chris, as always a great video. Take care..Chris
Thanks, Chris.
I’m sure if your thousands of miles from home , surrounded by people trying to kill you then the bond you make and have with your Red coated comrades is incredibly strong…the walls of Delhi Red fort springs to mind as a example…
"We have in the service the scum of the earth as common soldiers." - Duke of Wellington
But what fine fellows we have made of them,, full context
My Irish ancestor escaped the Famine and joined the army at 18 and ended up in the Crimean war
Thank you very interesting. Were the squares from one of bondarchuk's movies ?
Yes they are - Waterloo.
I have thought carefully about could I survive as a 18th or 19th century Redcoat. And no, no I could not...😮 Regards from Canada 🇨🇦
Me too! Im waaay too soft.
@redcoathistory my idea of "roughing it" is poor room service 😆
What about a video on some of these brave ladies who acompanied their husbands in the army to wars and other deployments?
Nice idea. Including the Spanish wives abandonned at the end of the Peninsular war
1780s 75% of children in London died before their 5th birthday!
Of course no humanitarian aid from Africa or Asia etc was received to assist with this humanitarian disaster!
It is why we shouldnt give anything to these ! I never gave,just crooks in fact
Cretinous. As if the rest of the world was better off
The wokists are gonna love this. All British people should be proud of the British Empire.
Ignorance of the violent and racist underpinnings of the empire may (perhaps) be excused. To be aware of them and see no problem is obscene.
Being violent and racist, in a violent racist world is understandable,, there's a argument to be had that without the British empire and the value's it gave the world ,, humanity would still be violent and racist
Thank you Chris for this video, incredibly interesting as always. Would enlisting in EIC army (until its disbandement) a more valid and not less gruesome alternative for the young Victorian dreaming of exotic lands and glory? In terms of wage, career progression and training, how many differences were there with the British army?
Hi. That would be a good future video - thanks for the idea. For an officer who lacked funds to purchase a commsion EIC was defintely a good alternative - the problem was promotion was slow. For OR's Im not sure about service in regiments like the Bengal Europeans - Id have to do a bit more research. . .
If I was a General or Field Marshall I expect I would have been happy to serve
Bob Roberts went from enlisted to field marshal.
I served TA 1977-86, I was REME(LAD)Attached 5 Royal Anglian, A Reserve Battalion for the BOAR, in other words 24hr notice for Active Duty in Europe, I remember staging through Colchester Barracks, and I think the Army actually kept the old barrack buildings to stage TA troops through, I was born to a Soldier(RE) at Chatham barracks, so I knew them of old, for a kid off the streets, or the workhouse, of the 1850's cushy digs
Hello mate, ex 5 Royal Anglian, 1989-1996, I remember Cavalry barracks very well.
The Officers only joined up to get away from the Family Nanny 😁
My grandfather x4 was in the infantry for 21 years, 9 of those spent in India and would have been there during the mutiny (he enlisted in 1849/50). His son (Grandfather X3)also became a career soldier and even served in WW1 on the Somme, when he was in his 50’s after managing to re-enlist …………Crazy
I recognized the scenes from Sharpe and Zulu. What was the other movie or series?
Charge of the Light Brigade and Carry on up the Khyber - classic film!
A letter written by an ancestor of mine in a hussar regiment in the Sikh Wars was all about the various Indian animals he hunted. He was in the charge at the battle of chillenwalla .
thank you 🙏🙏
Rather interesting
Very interesting video althoug it was too short. With sufficient funds these videos could improve a lot more. Great narrator. I have read Napoleon's writings on war and he had very high regards for the British army. It seems as it was degraded significantly after the Napoleonic wars.
Very true - extra funds would be welcome. If you wish to support you can sign up for my Patreon or make a donation via ko-fi (links in description). Thanks.
I'm Australian but a great grandfather on my mother's side was from Bermondsey in South London. We have a photo from when he first joined the Royal Navy and it very much looked like a child dressed up in a costume. My understanding was that as an urban poor, this was a chance to escape poverty and travel. Oh how this differs to the life my children live. He was in the Royal Navy in WW1, migrated after WW1, and was in the Royal Australian Navy during WW2. Who in their right mind would bother with that these days?
A great great grandfather on my mother s side is supposed to have déserter from the navy as a ship boy by swimming across the Tagus then sailing to Australia on a merchantman. Each génération seems to have started life in the Greenwich orphanage. Not an easy life
On the route into town from barracks (basic training) I still remember some graffiti sprayed on a wall saying ' F-off squaddie b-stards' 😂 still makes me laugh nearly 40 years after
Great video Christian.
A lot of posters have migrated from Twittter to blue sky are you on there ?
Thanks mate. No to bluesky - not for me. YT is the only social media I care about - not worth me investing time in a new platform.
It’s possible to set up accounts/channels on other platforms that just have information and links to your YT channel. May help to grow your channel a bit?
Regards.
Just curious Red: so the Royal Army was all volunteers, but weren't the Royal Navy ranks at least partially involuntary (via impressment)? And what of the various "mercenaries" from the Empire in either branch of service? Thank you.
The Irish emigrants enlisted in the American Armies instead of the British Army. Among them my G G Grandfather who came over in the 1840s and ultimately enlisted in the 84th PA Infantry Regiment in 1861 as a 41 year old. He became their Color Sergeant before he was wounded out.
❤ sehr interessant.
Now it is known as Spring Break😂
As a Yank, I really like your videos even if I was brought up reading bad things about Red Coats....😀😀
Ha ha don't worry. . .We were the good guys! ;-)
You'd be better off like the Canadians were until Trudeu 😅
@@redcoathistory Maybe but not twice in 1775 and in 1812🤣🤣 Please keep doing the County unit histories like The Worcestershire and Sherwood Foresters Regiment (29th/45th Foot) (abbreviated as WFR)
As a Canadian, I find it really funny all my American ancestors defected to Britain immediately after the Revolutionary War ended.
@@brannedI mean, you invaded us in 1812. That one was totally the Americans fault.
The 1960s movie Charge of the Light Brigade showed wives living in barracks 😂
Love that film
Yes, great movie.
0:22 does anyone know the name of this film??
I watched it with my granda when I was very young and I'm absolutely dying to see it again, but I have no idea what it's called!
th-cam.com/video/yCDJSVmxHkg/w-d-xo.html
Hey mate can we have an update to this to explain WHY IT WAS SOMETIMES THRILLING TO BE A REDCOAT. If it was not the case no one would have stayed. No one ever covers this, I mean no one. Not ever. So it would be terrific if you did.
The british shed their blood to end slavery worldwide, they deserve a lot of credit.
No I couldn’t have stuck it 10 minutes… very brave men.
IIRC artillery and engineer commissions were never for sale. That's a HUGE difference from infantry and cavalry officers. But the purchase system wasn't all bad... think of it as a bond for good behavior and it all makes more sense.
Good video, You didn't mention barrack room damages which were another reasons for pay deductions (and made a profit for quatermasters). On the other hand Kipling's poem 'The 'Eathen' tells a slightly different story - well worth a read and it's online. Frank Richards writing of WW1 made it clear that officers won respect by personal courage, probably still true. When talking about sex you failed to mention that it was possible to 'have it off' through the standard railings round the barracks - must have been uncomfortable for both parties but desparate situations require desparate measures.
Finding the brothel was always number one on the list when we moved barracks. Happy Days.
"all you can drink"
Ah, I see no matter what era, or nations, military recruiters have never changed.
"and still training like the were in Waterloo."
And for some nations, all the way up to world war one and that....it....it, uh, it....didn't end well for those nations soldiers.
Asking a commanding officer to marry someone, it might've gone something like this;
"Sir, permission to marry this woman."
"What? I can't allow that, she already has a miserable life as it is, why make it more?""
Anyways, no, I couldn't survive the British army during this time, or any time, but would like a part two to go into more of their lives.
As they say in the navy, "here's to war and a sickly season".
Could you type a list of great British military movies to view which have that ‘British stiff upper lip’ and characteristics. Thanks
Very nice. And not one of these men or women ever realised that their lives they were living would one day be the subject of cinema films, TV shows or Internet things. They might have imagined occasional stories about army life being told, maybe once or twice a theatre play might have a soldier in a small role. That's it. A bit like "Cowboys and Injuns": from the late nineteenth century humanity has created rather staggering quantities of clean and purposeful myths based on half-truths about people in their dotage or more often dead. Most of whom would probably have laughed their socks off at something like the film Zulu.
Despised those women and yet were very happy to avail themselves of their services...
Ah, yes, the brutal reality of being the ones who gave up the red for the khaki. Truly, no greater dishonour. The late lot were also the first ones into WW1, so, that's quite the brutal reality there!
9:37 This is insane! Learning to do your job properly and better was looked down upon?!?!
Can you recommend a couple of good book titles that deal with the American Revolution from the UK’s perspective?
Anything by Robbie MacNiven is great. Also Fusiliers by Mark Urban.
@ thanks very much! You have an excellent channel.
If you really want to get into it, it was the men and women living in the countries of the empire around the world who built the empire during the Victorian era.
"glad to see yeu earning a couple of bob lad"
Denying modern men brothels will be looked back on as fanatically bizarre.
Some kind of puritan madness
While SA on military women continues to escalate.
Plenty of them disguised as flats and houses in the uk
The influence of the church and religion. Mess anything up with that combination
@@copferthat Just ignore all the viscious, anti-religious dictators. Hitler, three generations of the Kim dynasty, Stalin, Lenin, Pol Pot, Mao...
Living the dream 😊
My commanding officer says that women are only trouble.
Of course all men are used to that. 🤐
Army enlistment was probably better than being impressed into the Navy.
The Royal Army Was On The Lower End Of The Budget Compared To The Royal Navy.
And, Elaborate On The Differences Between An Officers Regimental Rank And His Army Staff Rank. (Or Have I Got That Wrong).
British army,, never called the royal army,, as it's roots are from the the new model army ,,the parliament force's,, during the civil war
Bloody miserable situation
I would like you to do a doco on the British re the occupation of Manila Philippines 1765.
When I got married in 1985, I had to ask permission of my District Inspector although I was a HM Inspector of Taxes, nothing really changes
At 4.25 minutes in Your description of ordinary day for ordinary soldier is absolutely horrifying for a modern mind set , so you wonder how hard life outside the Army must have been . At 1.35 minutes your reference to Army strength 88,000 in 1837 would be approx 0.35% of U.K. population of approx 25 million , todays 77,000 strength is approx 0.11% of 2020 population of approx 67 million so question is how long would todays Army last with modern casualties rates such as Ukraine Russia conflict ?
Ok just a question...why for over 200 years do the British soldiers refer to themselves as Tommy or Tommy Rogers ? Not being offensive just wanted to know.. thanks
It's from the enlistment forms,, they gave ,,Tommy Atkins,, as a example,, though there is some evidence that ,,Tommy,, was used among English soldiers before this, as jock, taff, and paddie, was used among the other home nationalitys
We were 3 kids. I was the middle child. Admittedly, I can display some the so-called middle-child behaviors. I was quieter than my other siblings (or least, that's my perception.) I think we (the ones in the middle) are the observers. We watch. We learn. We anticipate. As adults, as I've observed, we study; we plan; we compensate for ourselves and others; we achieve mostly without fanfare. Those are the positives. And that's where I stop.
Informative and entertaining video. Thanks. Squaddie 78-85. When I left, not much had changed from what you've described. Had to get permission to marry, had to get permission to live in civvy accomodation if you had a girl, had to get permission to buy a car on HP FFS, cash grab on the pittance they paid to pay for your food and accomodation, Ruperts you wouldn't leave in charge of a kindergarten, lots of pointless and mind-numbing activities til 16:00ish, then off on the piss. Most of us were in because it was a better option than what we'd have found workwise in civvy street. Really miss it now. Nevertheless I hope the British Army's finally moved on.
Actually it carried on.into.the 20th century a source revealed
That there was a brothel in
Singapore and the soldiers
Blew it up just before leaving
The area!
The worst lot is the enlisting Irishmen who suffered deplorable conditions.
Guniune qaustion! Why would a enlisting Irishman suffer any more or less than his English or Scots comrades?
Meeanee, Hyderabad, Scinde. Ever Glorious 22nd.
No change was still doing that shit when I served 😅😅
Didn't the Royal Navy use the same recruitment tactics?
Kipling said it best.
Kipling always said it best: "The Stranger"
@@JohnnyRep-u4e Thinking more of Tommy.
@@kleinjahr - Tommy Too
I mean, I like Mr Kipling lemon slices as much as the next guy, but, what does a pack of French Fancies got to do with this?
"Single men in barracks do not become plaster saints" is what I thought when I started to watch this. Kipling described military life rather well there.
Many thanks for this video from my side of "The Pond"....
Do you happen to know the average age of these soldiers? because i imagine it to be from like late teens to mid 20s.
makes sense