Indian man here, from Kolkata. The place from where actually British India began😊... Love your videos. So much history with Britain we have yet it's unknown to many here in India. Keep doing the good work Sir!!
Hi mate - yep, very terrifying...I wander if there is a moment of calm clarity where you realise its over and resolve to simply have a "good death"? I hope I never have to find out...
Thanks for sharing your knowledge in this extremely user-friendly way. I think you're right and we do grasp the situation, with our consciousness detached momentarily from the fog of war and personal hand to hand combat. As hard and unconditional as that may be, I think we face it nevertheless, whether we die in bed or on the battlefield.
Thanks for putting this together mate. The lads who died in these places deserve the recognition, and ought to be remembered by a grateful nation even now.
The "lads" were driven, not led, by incompetent upper class Officers. If Chelmsford had not been one of Victoria's favourites, he may well have got a dishonourable discharge. To expand an empire by rape, plunder and pillage, brought no benefit to the ordinary soldier. The Crown, Nobiity and Aristocracy were the only winners. Look at the state of Britain at the moment. The Kingdom has very little to be grateful for.
Apparently I don't laugh enough but your "I've been shot at there myself" line really tickled me. I'm glad they missed as we wouldn't have this channel. I really appreciate your more thoughtful, incisive, comprehensive view of near mythical historic events. Thanks for your work 👏
Thanks RIchard. Im glad I made you chuckle and I really appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching and commenting. Are there other campaigns you would be keen to see me cover in future videos?
The history of the Redcoats covers such a large time span and geographical area I find difficulty in picking one particular episode. Being from East Lancashire there are many reminders of campaigns in Crimea and South Africa in pub and street names and it is fantastic to now be hearing the history behind those names. Being born in the sixties I think I got the tail end of history as written by the victors. Everything went swimmingly, "the officers were upstanding and played the game. The men were plucky and steadfast". Hearing how things didn't always go to plan, the officers weren't infallible, and the men, as individuals or a unit, often overcame near total disaster is eye opening. It is especially refreshing to have this backed up with excellent, often first hand, accounts that whilst not being hidden have at the very least been buried by the popular narrative. The efforts put in by yourself and your contributors are amazing. I'm more than happy to sit back and wait for the next surprise installment of "how did that happen and why?" It's not just the quality of information that's passed on but also the captivating way it's done.
Hey Chris what if you could have got around the old Maiwand battlefield with a metal detector while you were there. I'm sure you had plenty of downtime LoL
Oh yes, this one came to my mind too. William Macnaghten tried his best to manipulate and bribe afghan leaders against each other, managing only to turn every afghan against the British, and ended up shot by a revolver he had used as a bribe a few days earlier.
The Afghans spared the one survivor, who was an army surgeon. They allowed him to live in order to convey the news of the catastrophe back to the British in India. The Kabul Retreat disaster was a British replay of the massacre of the 3 Roman legions under Quinctilius Varus, in the Teutoberg Forest in Germany in 9 AD.
Me too And I have climbed Majuba. I could not relate what I saw around me very well to what I had read about the battle. I think that the vegetation and the landscape must have changed a bit over the last century. Also unlike with the battle fields of Zululand I went up there without a guide. It is really important to have a guide who can make sense of what one sees in front of one.
Thank you for mentioning that the 1st Grenadiers of the Bombay Army were the first grenadier regiment from anywhere in the Commonwealth. That was 36 years before 1815, when a British regiment were designated Grenadiers, under the mistaken impression of their opponents at the battle of Waterloo. The regiment has three PVCs, the highest decoration for gallantry that the Indian Army gives, in three different battalions of its current twelve. The detachment at Maiwand died to a man. They aren't remembered by the British, unlike the Eleven.
One could argue that this action should not be included here at all. The troops were retreating from their positions and were not spoiling for a fight. Majuba Hill is the correct choice. They wanted this battle and came off second best..
I grew up treading "ripping yarns" and histories of British Empire and sundry acts of "derring-do" published in the Victorian or Edwardian eras so enjoy these mini-documentaries a great deal. Thank you very much.
@@redcoathistoryI think you might have considered one of the defeats in battle to the Maori on this list. While casualties weren't high, the fact that the British felt the need to have a 5 to 1 man advantage says a lot and is vastly different to any of their other wars against native people, where they were usually outnumbered.
We would not have this channel if they hadn't missed. Regarding historical events that are almost mythical, I truly like your more analytical, perceptive, and all-encompassing perspective. Many thanks for all your hard work.
@@StuartAnderson-xl4boAgainst the Maori the British outnumbered them 5 to 1 in most battles and still struggled during this 30 year war against a population of no more than 200 000, likely far less due to war and introduced european diseases.
I think it's because they underestimated the Zulu army. The Zulus were the most feared tribe in almost half of Africa. But the Boers were, as you heard, just very good marksmen. There are interviews done by English men on their battles against the Boers. Winston Churchill was in one of the battles and was captured there as well. He got released later.
@@Ulrich1144 Judging by the huge white dudes in the Springboks the Boers were also big cnts. Near the biggest men in the world. Lots of meat in Africa. It really helps the intimidation factor when you're big cnts. The enemy is shit scared of running out of ammo.
As a South African the biggest problem for the boers where the victory in the first boer war and after there stunning success in the beginning of the second boer war they couldn't follow up they probably thought the British would give up like they did in the first. Sad war what a waste of life😢
The 1st Boer War was no indication of what the British were capable of. By the first year of the second Boer War both Boer capitals were occupied and the Boer field armies were defeated and dispersed. The Boers actually had a numerical advantage to begin with but made some key strategic mistakes (i,e, not going for the coast). Indeed, the subsequent Boer Guerrilla campaign was the shortest in history and was snuffed out and defeated in only a year. The biggest killer was disease.
Sad that the british put our mothers and children in camps, burn my forfathers farms like savages...They got f@cked up by our Boers, and then decide to resort to barbarism.
as a south african, your insight is exactly the same as anyone else, the events happened well over 100 years ago. Being born closer to the events doesnt mean anything, you would have learnt about them the same as anyone else
Glad I discovered your channel. I've been a fan of Mark Felton, and also "The History Chap" for some time now. Your form of presentation makes for easy/enjoyable viewing. Similar to Chris Cappy on Task and Purpose (The average infantary man)! Keep it up!
Informative video. One of the least known battles where British army was defeated was "First Anglo-Maratha war".It was a war more than a year fought in the variety of terrain.
19:55 also was the first time since the American revolution where the British was forced to the negotiation table to sign a peace deal that was not in their favour.
WRONG IN 1806 AND 1807 TWO ATTEMPTED INVASION AGAINT THE VICEROYALT OF RIO DE LA PLATA FAILED IN MISERABLE DEFEAT AT BUENOS AIRES AND THE BRITS RECOGNIZED IN A TREATY PEACE WITH SPAIN . ALSO AN ANGLO FRENCH BLOCKADE OF BUENOS AIRES END IN A FIASCO AND A TREATY WITH ARGENTINA RECOGNIZING THE EXCLUSIVE SOVERAINITY IN THE PARANA AND URUGUAY RIVER(THE LAST RIVER SHARED WITH URUGUAY REPUBIC)
Thanks Sir though I was in Iraq and Afghanistan as an observer rather than a combatant so you will have had a much harder time than me. Thanks for your service.
You didn't 'serve' anyone, apart from a few people in the military industrial complex. Do you honestly think you were somehow protecting your 'freedom'? Actually, you played a small part in destabilising the region, terrorising the Iraqi population, and funnelling tax money into private wealthy pockets. Stop thanking people for their service, and start applying some critical thinking
I was surprised to discover I was already familiar with three of these battles. There is an excellent account of the entire Kabul incident that makes up a large part of the novel, Far Pavilions by MM Kaye. She was born in British India in 1901 and all her male ancestors and her husband were officers in the British army in India. She also wrote a novel that covers the Sepoy Mutiny, Shadow of the Moon. Highly recommended.
Thank you for a well described whip around through these battles. To my mind the common cause for the defeats was the ineptitude of their generalship. Toffs who bought their rank. Despite training at Sandhurst etc one could not train the supercilious pig headed attitude out of them. Major General Sir Pomeroy-Colley was a prime example.
Marvellous stuff, Chris. I’m very fond of Pākhtuns. They are very good hosts. Utterly loyal friends, too. It’s best not to wind-em up though. They have very long memories. Pip pip!
I'm a British expat living in Chilliwack British Columbia Canada. In the south of our city there exists a road called Majuba Hill Road. This Road does in fact rise up from the flat valley that is formed by the Fraser River. The land surrounding was owned and originally farmed by a Dutch family named Vedder that arrived in western Canada via the USA though the farm is long gone now. At the time of the Dutch family's arrival in Canada the whole of British north America was just that - British. It is odd that the authorities then would allow the name Majuba to be used in this way. Then again maybe it was some sort of administrative oversite, perhaps even guilt.
If you peek out the window from the train through Reading you will see the Maiwand Lion snarling at you. A giant metal lion commemorating this great defeat. The sculptor sadly commited suicide because he got the stance of the lion wrong. Its also the wrong size.
George Blackall Simonds (the sculpter) had studied lions at London Zoo and the gait is correct. He also lived for another 40+ years after the unveiling of the lion and enjoyed considerable success. In 1922 he temporarily came out of retirement to build the Bradfield war memorial, commemorating the deaths in the First World War of those in the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which included his son. He died in 1929.
If you read the John Wilcox books from the Simon Fonthill series, it details most of the major defeats. The series is about a young officer from the Zulu war to after the Boar War. They are interesting.
0:00: 💔 Military defeats in the Victorian era reveal British inadequacies despite overall success. 3:21: ⚔️ British forces faced overwhelming Afghan numbers but held technological and firepower advantage. 6:20: ⚔️ British forces suffered a devastating defeat against a much larger enemy in the Victorian era. 9:08: 💥 Tragic consequences of a misguided cavalry charge in the Crimean War. 12:29: 💥 Decisive defeat of British forces against a native army, impacting British prestige and regional perceptions. 15:08: ⚔️ Devastating defeat at Gandamak during the Victorian era impacts British prestige and Indian perception. 18:20: 💔 High casualties among British officers in a historical battle, highlighting their bravery and the skill of enemy marksmen. Timestamps by Tammy AI
Underestimate the Zulus at your own peril, even today "These boys are the tough ones and don't mind a scrap" Even worse are the Boers, those boys don't mind a scrap at all.
Speaking as an Irishman, the whole presence of Britain in Ireland was appalling. Even when you left you could not do it properly, the situation in NI is still with us today. It took Irish governments over 60 years to repair the damage and only in the last 20 years has the country began to flourish. Thank goodness for Brexit, it puts you further out of harms way.
The defeats against the Maori should have been considered as they usually outnumbered the Maori 5 to 1 yet still struggled during this 30 year war against a population of no more than 200 000, likely far less due to war and introduced european diseases.
It wasn't really a British defeat as it was Egyptian and Sudanese troops. Gordon also disobeyed orders by refusing to evacuate from Khartoum despite the hopeless situation. Another thing of note is that the Mahdists suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Abu Klea by Wolseley's relief column of regular British troops despite having overwhelming numerical superiority. It's likely that if the column had reached Khartoum in time, Gordon and Wolseley would have destroyed the Mahdi's forces. Instead, Kitchener got to do the honours at Omdurman 13 years later. Now that was what you call a crushing defeat!
With my limited experience working with the British Army while I was in , it always seemed, that British officers always had to do more with less . But British officers have always been exceptionally trained.
The last 11 of the 66th Berkshires at Maiwand had a little dog, Bobby, with them, who features in some of the artistic depictions of the event. He survived and was taken home to England, was awarded the Afghan 1878-80 campaign medal, which he wore on the ribbon around his neck! He was struck by a London cab and killed. Some will remember that Sherlock Holmes' 2nd banana Doctor Watson claimed to have been wounded whilst attached to the 66th at Maiwand and survived. Great content, thanks very much!
@@redcoathistory I think he belonged to one of the Sergeants. I think there was one Lieutenant and an NCO and 9 rankers with "the last eleven" but I may have that wrong. I always thought that icy hilltop at Gandamak must have been an awful last moment for those who were there. The 66th Berks got amalgamated with the 49th (Cardwell reforms) 1880-ish to become the Berkshire Regt. They were made Royal Berks shortly after, I think because of their performance at Tofrek ("MacNeil's Zariba") about 1884 after General Gordon met his end at Khartoum in the Sudan. There's a movie (pretty good one I'd say) about that bit as well...
no disrespect to the Light Brigade, but I'm shocked that it was only 50% casualty rate for the men. Infantry in the American CW where lines didn't even meet at bayonet range in some cases were 80-85% in one or two charges. I guess the horses took alot of the grape shot and muskets? One Texan regiment in Hood's brigade charging across the wheatfield at Antietam, took 82% casualties. The 2nd and 6th MS at Shiloh took over 75% casualties, in both those cases in less than 20 min of fighting before being wrecked. The numbers at Fredericksburg (the most lopsided "battle" of the ACW was brutal with many entire brigades taking 80+% casualties).
The charge of the light brigade was not as bad as is generally believed. If they had something to spike the guns with it might've been merely ill advised instead of monumentally stupid.
@@bevinboulder5039 one goes with the other of course, but the rifled barrel was already around with such guns as the baker rifle. It wasn't feasible for widespread adoption before the Minie ball though, all that wrapping the ball etc would have complicated the loading drill and lowered the fire rate too much.
When I was a boy, there was a man in my hometown who had been in the German Freikorps during the 2nd Boer War. Mr. Aschenbach had also been in the German Army in WW1. He was a POW who had been sent to the US. He was hired out to a farmer, who took a liking to him. After the war, Mr. Ashley sponsored Mr. Aschenbach for Citizenship. Mr. Aschenbach was a little over 100 when he passed away in the late 60's.
Outstanding video! I just discovered this channel while researching historical conflicts for table top war gaming and miniatures painting. I’ll be checking out all your videos thank you very much.
I'm wondering if in my life time we'll see if the modern Boers were able to acquire their ancestors marksmanship through genetics. Just like always Boer survival will be in the hands of the Boers and no one else.
That and the thousands of firearms that modern Boers still have. No need for genetics - they can practice. I shoot in South Africa and most of the guys I train with are Afrikaans speakers.
The Boers were trained to shoot from an early age. They would have all shot game and practise makes perfect. They would also have been better at making best use of the terrain to seek out the best firing and fighting positions. They were also fighting on home land and on their terms. We were fighting experts and it is no wonder they outfought us on many occasions.
@@dacorum8053also the Boers were considered to be early adaptors of modern tactics as we know them for the first half of the twentieth century. Fire and movement, marksmanship skill, etc. Weirdly it was probably fighting them that put the British army in good shape for WW1 and WW2 in terms of the professionalism and marksmanship of the individual soldier. Kipling even wrote a poem about how as bad as the Boer wars were, even the one we won, it was a lesson that needed to be learnt.
No not genetics. When I did my national service as an infantryman in the SADF in the early 1970's I was shocked to find Afrikaans speakers who were worse shots than me. And , in the beginning at least , I was a pretty shabby shot myself. And then it dawned on me after a while that all of these bad shots were all "stadsjapies" - city boys like me. The farmers sons were all outstanding shots because they had the best teachers in the world --- their fathers. And their fathers in turn had the best teachers in the world -- their fathers. In the days of the Boer War ammo was expensive so they were taught to make each shot count -- whether the target was an Nyala or an enemy.
Should have said it before...Salute you for your service... always thought the retreat from Kabul was the worst...both Majuna and Kabul indured there eould be at least a second go ... good episode Thanks
Many thanks for you comment sir. But no need to salute me, I have spent a lot of time in the world's frontlines but I am an observer rather than a participant.
It was a very impressive victory. But to say they didn't have firearms is a bit of a myth...they had thousands of them though they weren't experts with them and their tactical doctrine seemed unsure on the best way to incorporate them.
I liked your video a lot. You covered a lot very efficiently, My one real quibble was Charge of the Light Brigade. It was just a part of a larger battle that included the mostly forgotten Charge of the Heavy Brigade which was as successful as the Light Brigade’s was disastrous. The top 5 I think should be 5. Maiwand 4. Khartoum 3. Isandlwana 2. Majuba Hill 1. Afghanistan 1842. I flip your top two because I think the effect of that debacle was more profound than the loss at Majuba. I put in Khartoum, even though it was mostly British officered Egyptian troops, and not British and Indian regulars, because the failure of the relief force (British regulars and British-command Egyptian units) and the fall of the city had significant impact both in the region and in the thinking of European Powers.
Every skirmish or battle in the First Anglo-Boer War, from Bronkhorstspruit to Majuba, was a defeat for the British, which culminating in the Boers winning that war.
@@simonh6371you’re not wrong at all but Spion Kop and Colenso were both in the second boer war. That really makes them worse than any defeat in the first war as we started the second boer war and should know the area scene as we’ve just fought a war there. The first boer war really make Spion Kop and Colenso worse defeats than any in the first Boer war
What regiment did you serve in? I didn't know you were a British Army veteran yourself but the way you slipped it into the video with that combat footage was excellent production quality.
I would say chillianwala and ferozeshah of the first and second Anglo sikh wars respectively should also be on this list. British contemporary to both battles described the battles as devastating to British prestige within India and globally. Please do reconsider your list and I have books to back up this claims as well
I didn’t realize you were in Afghanistan. My brother was there for a year( Army National Guard; North Carolina) He was fortunate enough to spend a little time with British Army “blokes” 😂 He had nothing but the highest praise for you as people, and as fine soldiers. LOVE the channel! I find British military history fascinating. I’m currently reading a book about the Zulu war. Love and respect from America, keep up the great work, mate!!
@@redcoathistory Thank you so much. And thank you for your service. What part of England are you from? I’ve never been, but I’ve wanted to go so badly for a long time. Not just out of reverence for our British brothers, but I’m predominantly of English ancestry. The Richardson family began in England in the 14th century I believe, and first immigrated to this country in the 16th century.
I liked this channel before I knew it was run by a Veteran. Excellent work on a subject I have always been interested in. Now I know about your service in the area that these defeats took place, Would you say that the British Army took any lessons learnt with them in their recent deployment or were they by and large lost to history ?
Hi there. Many thanks for your message. Just to clarify though, I am not a military veteran - I have worked alngside the military extensively as a cameraman documenting Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere but as a civilian. In answer to your question though my feeling is that a lot of knowledge from previous conflicts was forgotten and they were forced to try and reinvent the wheel.
I like the new style video :) In the Sherlock Holmes books, Maiwand was where Dr Watson was nearly killed before returning to the UK. At least that’s what he says in “A study in Scarlet”
British cavalry have a lot in common with French cavalry making stupid frontal assault against huge defensive position without support ! great video . cheers from France
@Valnox92 Von Bredow's charge was a very different situation. It was a deliberate sacrifice carried out at a desperate point in the battle and Von Bredow executed it with great tactical skill that made maximum use of the terrain to shield his troopers from enemy fire. The charge scattered 10 of the 12 deployed French artillery batteries as well as 4 battalions of infantry which immediately reduced the pressure on the worn out Prussian infantry. The charge also unnerved the French commander in chief (Bazaine) so much that he halted further attacks by the French 6th Corps which gave the Prussians time to bring their X Korps to the battlefield and those reinforcements effectively saved the Prussians from destruction and defeat. While the infamous 'Death Ride' was very costly it more than achieved its objectives and compare to losing the battle the casualties suffered by the two regiments were acceptable.
@redcoathistory I say governor! LOL. I spent 2 years in England at RAF Lakenhealrh from 1980-1982. I had a ball there. Went with a British tour group to Greece. I learned a lot from you guys. I think here in America, England's biggest defeat was at New Orleans. But I would say you have to admire the English resilience in warfare.
When I read the account of the Retreat from Kabul I followed their route on Google maps' 3d view. It's difficult to imagine what a desperate and horrifying end befell those soldiers and their families as they struggled through the freezing snow of the Kyber Pass, being picked off by tribesmen from the heights on either side. It was an utter and complete anhilation of an army that I'd have placed as the number 1 defeat myself. Afghanistan's reputation as The Graveyard of Empires is well earned!
Interesting program. I appreciate your views and not being afraid to point out your country's faults in warfare. There are many a country out there, mine included that have went through the same defeats in battle. We all can point out to one country or another that has went through the same situations and bad tactical moves that cost a victory and turned it into defeat. Keep up the good work! 👍🇺🇲
"The Berkshire Regiement?" I had a very undistinguished and short career as a subaltern in the TA Battalion but even I know we were the The ROYAL Berkshire Regiment or to be more formally Princess Charlotte of Wales's Royal Berkshire Regiment! Great video but I had a duty to point this out.
I discovered your channel this morning and subscribed after watching this. I spent a day at Spioenkop a month ago and am planning a trip to Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana soon. I look forward to watching your videos on those battles in advance.
The Battle of Chillianwala, 13 January 1849, in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, deserves at least an honorable mention. Great video. Loved the footage of you in the 'Stan.
@redcoathistory sir I mentioned the several disasters in British military history in a post to you a short time ago. I said loins lead by donkeys was more than in ww1. Now you make this video. Thatnk you.
Among my happiest memories are my solo explorations of Manuka & the other 1st Boer War battlefield. The magnificence of the settings, 7500 ft above see level, plus with the "home side" (the Boers - the Afrikaners are I believe the only ones who managed to consistently get the better if the British Tommy on the battlefield in over 400 years. That was fighting in their own conditions, that enabled their own unique tactics. Had they gone toe to toe in Flanders, I suspect it would have been a draw. The Afrikaners being largely of Dutch descent, it's also noteworthy that at their height in the mid to late 1600s, the Dutch navy at least held their own against the English. Don't think anyone else can claim that. Excellent video, thanks! Agree with your choices, with perhaps a caveat on C of the LB
You should make a video about the battle of Mosselbaai, where thousands of woman and children where killed by starvation, and illness, I think 27 000 in total. And the design of the new concept called "Concentration camps". The people that designed this new concept denounced is 38 yrs later when the Germans perfected it.
Tell me about it. (South African here). I know a lot about the concentration camps thanks to my grandfather, but I didn’t know there was one in Mossel Bay. I also googled to find a battle fought there. Couldn’t find anything.
Germans perfected it by keeping them well fed and safe until the allies fixed that with their indiscriminate bombing campaigns specifically targeting civilians
The British Concentration camps were designed to concentrate the population to prevent aid being given to the Boers. Many died in these camps due to overcrowding, disease and mismanagement, they were not designed to torture or kill the inmates. The German concentration camps were designed to torture, starve and kill the population.
One thing I’ve noticed about all these British disasters is that the OFFICERS were largely entitled aristocratic lords who made terrible decisions with the lives of there men period
Appreciate British honesty. Unlike many countries who concoct glorious victories when a tragic slaughter actually occurred. Being honest and analytical the British fighting force can become more effective. It also shows that superior weapons technology can be an advantage, but underestimating an opponent can lead to disaster. There are so many different factors on the battlefield that determine victory it is always better to have extra reserve capacity. The fog of war is the uncertainty that affects outcomes.
It is not a single military defeat, or even a couple, that defines victory. Whatever the outcome of battles in Africa, India, the far east, It is the outcome of the Wars that matters. A defeat here, a setback there, are to be expected, but the sum of the campaign, and the defeat of the enemy are the reality.
Really? Seems to me the Brits aren't present in the places where they were killed in massive numbers. Funny that, innit? So much for outcome being divorced from losses 😂
American airborne here the true red white and blue baby. I was in Hellmond providence and Arghandab River Valley about 30 miles away outside Kandahar. I can't believe that took place there!!!!!
Love British history. My family came from wales in the 1670’s to America and fought on both sides of the American revolution in N.Carolina And S.Carolina
Col. Harry Flashman seems to have bene at most of these defeats: The Kabul Retreat, the Light Brigade Church, and Isandlwhana, He also was a Gettysburg, the Little Big Horn and Peking
Conan Doyle's "Dr Watson" was wounded at Maiwand. The Light Brigade was not a defeat. They did what they set out to do. They over ran the Russian guns, and they pinned the entire Russian Cossack corps against the Chenaya river with only one bridge. If the Heavy Brigade had supported them instead of watching , the war would have been won there.
@@redcoathistory Hi and thanks for the opportunity to offer up some ideas. Would be fascinated on your thoughts on how the passage of pre-battle, battle and post battle might be for the typical redcoat? A few questions come to mind: Would soldiers be informed of the developing tactical situation and be told why they are performing various actions, or be given simple commands without context? As combat becomes a possibility, what actions would be performed to prepare the troops for battle? Would they have been encouraged individually or as a group and by whom? Would there have been any alcohol, singing or other forms of morale boosting practices? When battle is joined, would they be encouraged or threatened and by whom? What would be the rhythm of battle for the solider in line? ie how was water, ammo, food, organised over the duration of a longer fight? If the line appears shaky or some soldiers run in fear, what action would have been taken to steady the line? Once the battle is over, how might the typical soldier spend the rest of the evening, and if there is no more fighting, what might happen the next day? Sorry if you have covered some or all these in previous videos, I have not yet watched your entire catalogue! These are just a few questions of the top of my head, but I'm interested in your thoughts on really anything along these lines as to how combat might have typically felt for the soldier on the ground, perhaps even drawing comparisons with your own experiences in battle, under fire? Many thanks
It was the Americans in the WW2 who took everything from us in the name of freedom. Hitler gave them the excuse to take all our trading routes from us to secure their participation. It's the unspoken and untought history. The Americans were jealous of us Brits for a long time as we were better than them. Five great losses, but the 6th loss, which I've mentioned, is the greatest! 🏴 🇬🇧
Romel said the British army has the best doctrine..... However, the officers don't read it.... We too often fail to learn from our mistakes. Sadly personnel then die.... Excellent video as always.
You left out the Dutch raid in the Medway in 1667. Led by legendary Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, the Dutch attacked British forts along the river and destroyed a goodly part of the Royal Navy. It was the very last time that a foreign military force set foot on British soil.
The British never learned from Majugba, a local force fighting for their land against the British are almost impossible to defeat. For the second Boer War the British needed half a million men from all over the Empire.
I had my secondary school in a Christian Academy (Nike Union Academy, Egypt), and we were taught “The Modern World History”, however, nothing is being mentioned in the textbook when the British government had lost many wars such as the Mahdi Revolution in Sudan to mention the few amongst the rest!
All Englishmen are aware that win or lose we will always be superior because we are English and everyone else is not . Therefore winning or lossing is irrelevant. ...... Something the rest of the world will never understand . God save the king .
Well said! But as a loyal Welshman whose grandad was in the South Wales Borderers, I’d prefer to say “British”. Let’s leave it to the yanks to confuse Britain with England. Duw achub y Brenin = God save the King
@@paulus4222 well said sir , god bless the Welsh, my great relation was in the queen's dragon guards at Waterloo , he was well famous and the officers toast him and his survivors each year in the officers mess . He has a goblet given by his comrades on his retirement which is in the guards museum Cardiff castle .
Indian man here, from Kolkata. The place from where actually British India began😊... Love your videos. So much history with Britain we have yet it's unknown to many here in India. Keep doing the good work Sir!!
Hello, Sir. I have been to Kolkata and stayed at the Tollygunge - very nice. Is it still open?
@@redcoathistory I live near Tollygunge. Where were you staying at Tollygunge?
@@anirbanbhattacharya2146 At the club, but it was so long ago I can't recall exactly which room though. I really liked Kolkatta.
2 films, one with Errol Flynn
@@redcoathistory It is.
I have been in some sticky situations in combat, but knowing you are about to be overwhelmed by the enemy must be terrifying.
Hi mate - yep, very terrifying...I wander if there is a moment of calm clarity where you realise its over and resolve to simply have a "good death"? I hope I never have to find out...
Thanks for sharing your knowledge in this extremely user-friendly way.
I think you're right and we do grasp the situation, with our consciousness detached momentarily from the fog of war and personal hand to hand combat. As hard and unconditional as that may be, I think we face it nevertheless, whether we die in bed or on the battlefield.
Kipling wrote a stanza about it.
There’s a book title (concerning Isandlwana) that says it all about the mindset of the era: “How Can Man Die Better?”
The stickiest situation since Sticky the stick insect got stuck on a sticky bun.
Black Week, 2nd Anglo Boer War, Colenso, Spionkop and Modderfontein. Worst week in British military history before the 20th century
The dutcch Netherlands kicken brits again
Absolutely tiny battles
Thanks for putting this together mate.
The lads who died in these places deserve the recognition, and ought to be remembered by a grateful nation even now.
Thanks a lot mate. I agree. That's a big part of why this channel exists. Any other battles you'd like me to look at in the future?
@@redcoathistory What about The Battle of the Bogside?
The "lads" were driven, not led, by incompetent upper class Officers. If Chelmsford had not been one of Victoria's favourites, he may well have got a dishonourable discharge. To expand an empire by rape, plunder and pillage, brought no benefit to the ordinary soldier. The Crown, Nobiity and Aristocracy were the only winners. Look at the state of Britain at the moment. The Kingdom has very little to be grateful for.
If you haven't covered Napier and the expedition to Abyssinia, then there's your answer. Keep it up though mate, love the conent.@@redcoathistory
@redcoathistory Francis Younghusband and the invasion of Tibet is a good story too.
Apparently I don't laugh enough but your "I've been shot at there myself" line really tickled me. I'm glad they missed as we wouldn't have this channel. I really appreciate your more thoughtful, incisive, comprehensive view of near mythical historic events. Thanks for your work 👏
Thanks RIchard. Im glad I made you chuckle and I really appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching and commenting. Are there other campaigns you would be keen to see me cover in future videos?
The history of the Redcoats covers such a large time span and geographical area I find difficulty in picking one particular episode. Being from East Lancashire there are many reminders of campaigns in Crimea and South Africa in pub and street names and it is fantastic to now be hearing the history behind those names. Being born in the sixties I think I got the tail end of history as written by the victors. Everything went swimmingly, "the officers were upstanding and played the game. The men were plucky and steadfast". Hearing how things didn't always go to plan, the officers weren't infallible, and the men, as individuals or a unit, often overcame near total disaster is eye opening. It is especially refreshing to have this backed up with excellent, often first hand, accounts that whilst not being hidden have at the very least been buried by the popular narrative. The efforts put in by yourself and your contributors are amazing. I'm more than happy to sit back and wait for the next surprise installment of "how did that happen and why?"
It's not just the quality of information that's passed on but also the captivating way it's done.
Hey Chris what if you could have got around the old Maiwand battlefield with a metal detector while you were there. I'm sure you had plenty of downtime LoL
That dark British humor lol
I too had a chuckle. Very British.
Retreat from Kabul~approximately 16,500 soldiers and civilians killed, missing, or captured,
Oh yes, this one came to my mind too. William Macnaghten tried his best to manipulate and bribe afghan leaders against each other, managing only to turn every afghan against the British, and ended up shot by a revolver he had used as a bribe a few days earlier.
The Afghans spared the one survivor, who was an army surgeon. They allowed him to live in order to convey the news of the catastrophe back to the British in India. The Kabul Retreat disaster was a British replay of the massacre of the 3 Roman legions under Quinctilius Varus, in the Teutoberg Forest in Germany in 9 AD.
British force was 40,000+ lead by the veterans of the battle of waterloo
The vast majority of the casualties were Indian soldiers and their families.
@@Hun_ghuriomg, that Napoleon fella must have been rubbish
I've walked over the battlefields of Rorke's Drift and Isandalwana...sobering, to say the least...
Me too And I have climbed Majuba. I could not relate what I saw around me very well to what I had read about the battle. I think that the vegetation and the landscape must have changed a bit over the last century. Also unlike with the battle fields of Zululand I went up there without a guide. It is really important to have a guide who can make sense of what one sees in front of one.
At least the British took revenge against the Zulus, and eventually the Boers.
@@Outlier999 Revenge for exactly what ? Revenge for the Zulus and the Boers defending their countries ?
@@Outlier999 Revenge for exactly WHAT ?. For the Boers and the Zulus defending their countries ?.
@@JohnJones-ct9pr BINGO!
Thank you for mentioning that the 1st Grenadiers of the Bombay Army were the first grenadier regiment from anywhere in the Commonwealth. That was 36 years before 1815, when a British regiment were designated Grenadiers, under the mistaken impression of their opponents at the battle of Waterloo. The regiment has three PVCs, the highest decoration for gallantry that the Indian Army gives, in three different battalions of its current twelve.
The detachment at Maiwand died to a man. They aren't remembered by the British, unlike the Eleven.
Hello there! Excuse my ignorance but, what does it mean PVC? I suppose that the last two letters stand for "Victoria Cross". Regards from Argentina.
@@arslongavitabrevis5136 Param Vir Chakra - supreme wheel of bravery.
I would have the retreat from Kabul first (99.99%) casualties. Apart from Maiwand I was aware of the others. An excellent presentation.
Retreat from Kabul~approximately 16,500 soldiers and civilians killed, missing, or captured
One could argue that this action should not be included here at all. The troops were retreating from their positions and were not spoiling for a fight. Majuba Hill is the correct choice. They wanted this battle and came off second best..
I grew up treading "ripping yarns" and histories of British Empire and sundry acts of "derring-do" published in the Victorian or Edwardian eras so enjoy these mini-documentaries a great deal. Thank you very much.
Great - I do hope in a small way, I am helping to fill the void for a new generation who have never been exposed to these stories.
How about a delve into " King" James Brooke and the Raj of Sarawak ? Head Hunters and Blue Jackets running riot .
@@redcoathistoryI think you might have considered one of the defeats in battle to the Maori on this list. While casualties weren't high, the fact that the British felt the need to have a 5 to 1 man advantage says a lot and is vastly different to any of their other wars against native people, where they were usually outnumbered.
We would not have this channel if they hadn't missed. Regarding historical events that are almost mythical, I truly like your more analytical, perceptive, and all-encompassing perspective. Many thanks for all your hard work.
Two of the 5 defeats are in South Africa only a couple of years apart.
Yep, it was a terrible time for the army to be fair.
They were always outnumbered yet few mention this Best soldiers for 3000 years recorded ask the Romans
@@StuartAnderson-xl4boAgainst the Maori the British outnumbered them 5 to 1 in most battles and still struggled during this 30 year war against a population of no more than 200 000, likely far less due to war and introduced european diseases.
I think it's because they underestimated the Zulu army. The Zulus were the most feared tribe in almost half of Africa.
But the Boers were, as you heard, just very good marksmen. There are interviews done by English men on their battles against the Boers.
Winston Churchill was in one of the battles and was captured there as well. He got released later.
@@Ulrich1144 Judging by the huge white dudes in the Springboks the Boers were also big cnts. Near the biggest men in the world. Lots of meat in Africa. It really helps the intimidation factor when you're big cnts. The enemy is shit scared of running out of ammo.
I fully agree with your assessment 😎😎👍👍 Charge of the Light Brigade: "Lions led by Asses!"
As a South African the biggest problem for the boers where the victory in the first boer war and after there stunning success in the beginning of the second boer war they couldn't follow up they probably thought the British would give up like they did in the first. Sad war what a waste of life😢
The 1st Boer War was no indication of what the British were capable of. By the first year of the second Boer War both Boer capitals were occupied and the Boer field armies were defeated and dispersed. The Boers actually had a numerical advantage to begin with but made some key strategic mistakes (i,e, not going for the coast). Indeed, the subsequent Boer Guerrilla campaign was the shortest in history and was snuffed out and defeated in only a year. The biggest killer was disease.
Good luck, I hope the Afrikaans separatists succeed or act as a moderating force to stop increasing aggression from the Bantus
Sad that the british put our mothers and children in camps, burn my forfathers farms like savages...They got f@cked up by our Boers, and then decide to resort to barbarism.
"Boer patriot freedom warriors" would be the more correct name, political incorrect but who cares. We always were and always will be.
as a south african, your insight is exactly the same as anyone else, the events happened well over 100 years ago. Being born closer to the events doesnt mean anything, you would have learnt about them the same as anyone else
Glad I discovered your channel. I've been a fan of Mark Felton, and also "The History Chap" for some time now. Your form of presentation makes for easy/enjoyable viewing. Similar to Chris Cappy on Task and Purpose (The average infantary man)!
Keep it up!
Thanks for your kind words. I am a fan of all of those channels and it is an honour to be compared to Chris Cappy on Task and Purpose.
Informative video.
One of the least known battles where British army was defeated was "First Anglo-Maratha war".It was a war more than a year fought in the variety of terrain.
19:55 also was the first time since the American revolution where the British was forced to the negotiation table to sign a peace deal that was not in their favour.
Please Google "The treaty of Waitangi 6th feb 1840."
WRONG IN 1806 AND 1807 TWO ATTEMPTED INVASION AGAINT THE VICEROYALT OF RIO DE LA PLATA FAILED IN MISERABLE DEFEAT AT BUENOS AIRES AND THE BRITS RECOGNIZED IN A TREATY PEACE WITH SPAIN . ALSO AN ANGLO FRENCH BLOCKADE OF BUENOS AIRES END IN A FIASCO AND A TREATY WITH ARGENTINA RECOGNIZING THE EXCLUSIVE SOVERAINITY IN THE PARANA AND URUGUAY RIVER(THE LAST RIVER SHARED WITH URUGUAY REPUBIC)
America agreed to uphold the British treaties it had made with the native Americans.
Yes, but the American war although important was a side show to the war with France
Thanks for your service. I spent my time in and around Baghdad.
Thanks Sir though I was in Iraq and Afghanistan as an observer rather than a combatant so you will have had a much harder time than me. Thanks for your service.
You didn't 'serve' anyone, apart from a few people in the military industrial complex. Do you honestly think you were somehow protecting your 'freedom'? Actually, you played a small part in destabilising the region, terrorising the Iraqi population, and funnelling tax money into private wealthy pockets. Stop thanking people for their service, and start applying some critical thinking
I was surprised to discover I was already familiar with three of these battles. There is an excellent account of the entire Kabul incident that makes up a large part of the novel, Far Pavilions by MM Kaye. She was born in British India in 1901 and all her male ancestors and her husband were officers in the British army in India. She also wrote a novel that covers the Sepoy Mutiny, Shadow of the Moon. Highly recommended.
Thank you for a well described whip around through these battles. To my mind the common cause for the defeats was the ineptitude of their generalship. Toffs who bought their rank. Despite training at Sandhurst etc one could not train the supercilious pig headed attitude out of them. Major General Sir Pomeroy-Colley was a prime example.
Marvellous stuff, Chris. I’m very fond of Pākhtuns. They are very good hosts. Utterly loyal friends, too. It’s best not to wind-em up though. They have very long memories.
Pip pip!
Very true, Sir.
I'm a British expat living in Chilliwack British Columbia Canada. In the south of our city there exists a road called Majuba Hill Road. This Road does in fact rise up from the flat valley that is formed by the Fraser River. The land surrounding was owned and originally farmed by a Dutch family named Vedder that arrived in western Canada via the USA though the farm is long gone now. At the time of the Dutch family's arrival in Canada the whole of British north America was just that - British. It is odd that the authorities then would allow the name Majuba to be used in this way. Then again maybe it was some sort of administrative oversite, perhaps even guilt.
Canada is a wonderful country , a bit like England on steroids.
U mean, they took unceeded land
If you peek out the window from the train through Reading you will see the Maiwand Lion snarling at you. A giant metal lion commemorating this great defeat. The sculptor sadly commited suicide because he got the stance of the lion wrong. Its also the wrong size.
George Blackall Simonds (the sculpter) had studied lions at London Zoo and the gait is correct. He also lived for another 40+ years after the unveiling of the lion and enjoyed considerable success. In 1922 he temporarily came out of retirement to build the Bradfield war memorial, commemorating the deaths in the First World War of those in the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which included his son. He died in 1929.
@@Levermonkey Actually he was notorious for getting things the wrong size, he threw himself off a chair.
Next thing you will be saying Readings Mayor has been arrested twice in Reading Stations toilets.
If you read the John Wilcox books from the Simon Fonthill series, it details most of the major defeats. The series is about a young officer from the Zulu war to after the Boar War. They are interesting.
0:00: 💔 Military defeats in the Victorian era reveal British inadequacies despite overall success.
3:21: ⚔️ British forces faced overwhelming Afghan numbers but held technological and firepower advantage.
6:20: ⚔️ British forces suffered a devastating defeat against a much larger enemy in the Victorian era.
9:08: 💥 Tragic consequences of a misguided cavalry charge in the Crimean War.
12:29: 💥 Decisive defeat of British forces against a native army, impacting British prestige and regional perceptions.
15:08: ⚔️ Devastating defeat at Gandamak during the Victorian era impacts British prestige and Indian perception.
18:20: 💔 High casualties among British officers in a historical battle, highlighting their bravery and the skill of enemy marksmen.
Timestamps by Tammy AI
Nice work!
Underestimate the Zulus at your own peril, even today "These boys are the tough ones and don't mind a scrap" Even worse are the Boers, those boys don't mind a scrap at all.
And the Sesotho, the BaPedi and everyone else. Basically don't pick a scrap in SA.
While we shouldn't dwell on our mistakes, failures must be recognized and not swept under the rug. How else can we learn from our mistakes?
Especially when those in control today aren't even British.
Speaking as an Irishman, the whole presence of Britain in Ireland was appalling. Even when you left you could not do it properly, the situation in NI is still with us today. It took Irish governments over 60 years to repair the damage and only in the last 20 years has the country began to flourish. Thank goodness for Brexit, it puts you further out of harms way.
You swallowed a Fenian text book Raymond.
Enjoy your victimhood
"Great" list, however I would have thought that Black Week of the 2nd Anglo-Boer War would have made the list.
Yep, 2nd Boer War certainly had a few bad days for sure. Any others you would have put on the list?
I knew a few of these defeats but not all of them. Thank you for sharing
The defeats against the Maori should have been considered as they usually outnumbered the Maori 5 to 1 yet still struggled during this 30 year war against a population of no more than 200 000, likely far less due to war and introduced european diseases.
Excellent, interesting and informative. I seem to remember another crushing defeat in the Sudan.
Corporal Jones hadn't got there yet, it was different when he arrived....
It wasn't really a British defeat as it was Egyptian and Sudanese troops. Gordon also disobeyed orders by refusing to evacuate from Khartoum despite the hopeless situation.
Another thing of note is that the Mahdists suffered a major defeat at the Battle of Abu Klea by Wolseley's relief column of regular British troops despite having overwhelming numerical superiority. It's likely that if the column had reached Khartoum in time, Gordon and Wolseley would have destroyed the Mahdi's forces. Instead, Kitchener got to do the honours at Omdurman 13 years later. Now that was what you call a crushing defeat!
With my limited experience working with the British Army while I was in , it always seemed, that British officers always had to do more with less . But British officers have always been exceptionally trained.
Enjoyed this one Chris 👌 cheers. Good and bad days have to be remembered, in my Regiment we had to know its history, character building.
Excellent video. Surprised Spion Kop and Shaykan/El Obeid didn’t make the cut, but there was stiff competition.
Wasn't Spion Kop after Victoria's death?
Spion Kop was 23-24 January 1900 and,Queen Victoria dies on 22 January 1901.
1879, 1880, 1881
Bad 3 years to be a Redcoat
Yep
Really?
The last 11 of the 66th Berkshires at Maiwand had a little dog, Bobby, with them, who features in some of the artistic depictions of the event. He survived and was taken home to England, was awarded the Afghan 1878-80 campaign medal, which he wore on the ribbon around his neck! He was struck by a London cab and killed. Some will remember that Sherlock Holmes' 2nd banana Doctor Watson claimed to have been wounded whilst attached to the 66th at Maiwand and survived. Great content, thanks very much!
Thanks a lot - I didn't know about Booby. Will look him up.
@@redcoathistory I think he belonged to one of the Sergeants. I think there was one Lieutenant and an NCO and 9 rankers with "the last eleven" but I may have that wrong.
I always thought that icy hilltop at Gandamak must have been an awful last moment for those who were there.
The 66th Berks got amalgamated with the 49th (Cardwell reforms) 1880-ish to become the Berkshire Regt. They were made Royal Berks shortly after, I think because of their performance at Tofrek ("MacNeil's Zariba") about 1884 after General Gordon met his end at Khartoum in the Sudan. There's a movie (pretty good one I'd say) about that bit as well...
no disrespect to the Light Brigade, but I'm shocked that it was only 50% casualty rate for the men. Infantry in the American CW where lines didn't even meet at bayonet range in some cases were 80-85% in one or two charges. I guess the horses took alot of the grape shot and muskets? One Texan regiment in Hood's brigade charging across the wheatfield at Antietam, took 82% casualties. The 2nd and 6th MS at Shiloh took over 75% casualties, in both those cases in less than 20 min of fighting before being wrecked.
The numbers at Fredericksburg (the most lopsided "battle" of the ACW was brutal with many entire brigades taking 80+% casualties).
The Minie ball was a real game changer.
I'm not positive, but weren't the Russians armed with smoothbore muskets? That would account for the (relatively) low rate of injury/death.
The charge of the light brigade was not as bad as is generally believed. If they had something to spike the guns with it might've been merely ill advised instead of monumentally stupid.
@@amh9494 And the rifled barrel
@@bevinboulder5039 one goes with the other of course, but the rifled barrel was already around with such guns as the baker rifle. It wasn't feasible for widespread adoption before the Minie ball though, all that wrapping the ball etc would have complicated the loading drill and lowered the fire rate too much.
When I was a boy, there was a man in my hometown who had been in the German Freikorps during the 2nd Boer War.
Mr. Aschenbach had also been in the German Army in WW1. He was a POW who had been sent to the US.
He was hired out to a farmer, who took a liking to him. After the war, Mr. Ashley sponsored Mr. Aschenbach for Citizenship.
Mr. Aschenbach was a little over 100 when he passed away in the late 60's.
Amazing life story!
What a great story thanks .
@@mickharrison9004 Mr. Aschenbach take a pheasant on the wing, while he war driving a farm tractor.
Outstanding video! I just discovered this channel while researching historical conflicts for table top war gaming and miniatures painting. I’ll be checking out all your videos thank you very much.
I'm wondering if in my life time we'll see if the modern Boers were able to acquire their ancestors marksmanship through genetics. Just like always Boer survival will be in the hands of the Boers and no one else.
Nah. Marksmanship thru genetics? Racist bullshit never wins war. Lol.
That and the thousands of firearms that modern Boers still have. No need for genetics - they can practice. I shoot in South Africa and most of the guys I train with are Afrikaans speakers.
The Boers were trained to shoot from an early age. They would have all shot game and practise makes perfect. They would also have been better at making best use of the terrain to seek out the best firing and fighting positions. They were also fighting on home land and on their terms. We were fighting experts and it is no wonder they outfought us on many occasions.
@@dacorum8053also the Boers were considered to be early adaptors of modern tactics as we know them for the first half of the twentieth century. Fire and movement, marksmanship skill, etc.
Weirdly it was probably fighting them that put the British army in good shape for WW1 and WW2 in terms of the professionalism and marksmanship of the individual soldier.
Kipling even wrote a poem about how as bad as the Boer wars were, even the one we won, it was a lesson that needed to be learnt.
No not genetics. When I did my national service as an infantryman in the SADF in the early 1970's I was shocked to find Afrikaans speakers who were worse shots than me. And , in the beginning at least , I was a pretty shabby shot myself. And then it dawned on me after a while that all of these bad shots were all "stadsjapies" - city boys like me. The farmers sons were all outstanding shots because they had the best teachers in the world --- their fathers. And their fathers in turn had the best teachers in the world -- their fathers. In the days of the Boer War ammo was expensive so they were taught to make each shot count -- whether the target was an Nyala or an enemy.
Should have said it before...Salute you for your service...
always thought the retreat from Kabul was the worst...both Majuna and Kabul indured there eould be at least a second go ... good episode
Thanks
Many thanks for you comment sir. But no need to salute me, I have spent a lot of time in the world's frontlines but I am an observer rather than a participant.
The Zulu Victory was so impressive! The Zulus didnt had Fireweapons but the British had... And they Lost! 😳
It was a very impressive victory. But to say they didn't have firearms is a bit of a myth...they had thousands of them though they weren't experts with them and their tactical doctrine seemed unsure on the best way to incorporate them.
Quantity has a quality of its own
The britts where simply out numbered.
Single shot rifles and their ammunition supply system was awful.
it was 100 to 1 lol. Not impressive.
Excellent And Educational Presentation. I Heard About Maiwind, But Not The Whole Story. Thank You.
Absolutely riveting , love the presentation style ……
I liked your video a lot. You covered a lot very efficiently, My one real quibble was Charge of the Light Brigade. It was just a part of a larger battle that included the mostly forgotten Charge of the Heavy Brigade which was as successful as the Light Brigade’s was disastrous. The top 5 I think should be 5. Maiwand 4. Khartoum 3. Isandlwana 2. Majuba Hill 1. Afghanistan 1842. I flip your top two because I think the effect of that debacle was more profound than the loss at Majuba. I put in Khartoum, even though it was mostly British officered Egyptian troops, and not British and Indian regulars, because the failure of the relief force (British regulars and British-command Egyptian units) and the fall of the city had significant impact both in the region and in the thinking of European Powers.
I thought the guns they were trying to stop being removed was their own guns that were in redoubts on the surrounding hills.
Great stuff mate, really enjoy. Spion Kop? Colenso?
Every skirmish or battle in the First Anglo-Boer War, from Bronkhorstspruit to Majuba, was a defeat for the British, which culminating in the Boers winning that war.
@@simonh6371you’re not wrong at all but Spion Kop and Colenso were both in the second boer war. That really makes them worse than any defeat in the first war as we started the second boer war and should know the area scene as we’ve just fought a war there. The first boer war really make Spion Kop and Colenso worse defeats than any in the first Boer war
Enjoyed this video. Absolutely fantastic
What regiment did you serve in? I didn't know you were a British Army veteran yourself but the way you slipped it into the video with that combat footage was excellent production quality.
Cheers mate...I was a civvie cameraman working with the military in Iraq and Afghanistan.
I would say chillianwala and ferozeshah of the first and second Anglo sikh wars respectively should also be on this list. British contemporary to both battles described the battles as devastating to British prestige within India and globally. Please do reconsider your list and I have books to back up this claims as well
We still have a big festival at Majuba hill every year to celebrate the victory
I didn’t realize you were in Afghanistan. My brother was there for a year( Army National Guard; North Carolina) He was fortunate enough to spend a little time with British Army “blokes” 😂 He had nothing but the highest praise for you as people, and as fine soldiers. LOVE the channel! I find British military history fascinating. I’m currently reading a book about the Zulu war. Love and respect from America, keep up the great work, mate!!
Thaks a lot and full respect for your brother also. I also have nothing but love and resepct for our American brothers.
@@redcoathistory Thank you so much. And thank you for your service. What part of England are you from? I’ve never been, but I’ve wanted to go so badly for a long time. Not just out of reverence for our British brothers, but I’m predominantly of English ancestry. The Richardson family began in England in the 14th century I believe, and first immigrated to this country in the 16th century.
I liked this channel before I knew it was run by a Veteran. Excellent work on a subject I have always been interested in. Now I know about your service in the area that these defeats took place, Would you say that the British Army took any lessons learnt with them in their recent deployment or were they by and large lost to history ?
Hi there. Many thanks for your message. Just to clarify though, I am not a military veteran - I have worked alngside the military extensively as a cameraman documenting Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere but as a civilian. In answer to your question though my feeling is that a lot of knowledge from previous conflicts was forgotten and they were forced to try and reinvent the wheel.
I like the new style video :)
In the Sherlock Holmes books, Maiwand was where Dr Watson was nearly killed before returning to the UK. At least that’s what he says in “A study in Scarlet”
British cavalry have a lot in common with French cavalry making stupid frontal assault against huge defensive position without support ! great video . cheers from France
@Valnox92 Von Bredow's charge was a very different situation. It was a deliberate sacrifice carried out at a desperate point in the battle and Von Bredow executed it with great tactical skill that made maximum use of the terrain to shield his troopers from enemy fire. The charge scattered 10 of the 12 deployed French artillery batteries as well as 4 battalions of infantry which immediately reduced the pressure on the worn out Prussian infantry. The charge also unnerved the French commander in chief (Bazaine) so much that he halted further attacks by the French 6th Corps which gave the Prussians time to bring their X Korps to the battlefield and those reinforcements effectively saved the Prussians from destruction and defeat.
While the infamous 'Death Ride' was very costly it more than achieved its objectives and compare to losing the battle the casualties suffered by the two regiments were acceptable.
I think both Britain and France tend to have that romantic image in their heads of the dashing cavalry charge.
When it works out it's glorious! Haha
Tanks àre better than horses
As an American I feel left out. The Battle of New Orleans., Cow Pens, and the defeat of Burgoin.
Pay attention at the back of the class dear boy...None of those were during the Victorian era...
None of them would make the top 5 or even 20 defeats most likely, have to remember Britain (and England before it) was involved in a lot of wars.
@redcoathistory I say governor! LOL. I spent 2 years in England at RAF Lakenhealrh from 1980-1982. I had a ball there. Went with a British tour group to Greece. I learned a lot from you guys. I think here in America, England's biggest defeat was at New Orleans. But I would say you have to admire the English resilience in warfare.
@@coeurdelion1193, that was British defeat, not English.
Tomato, tomatoe...@@clf7729
When I read the account of the Retreat from Kabul I followed their route on Google maps' 3d view. It's difficult to imagine what a desperate and horrifying end befell those soldiers and their families as they struggled through the freezing snow of the Kyber Pass, being picked off by tribesmen from the heights on either side. It was an utter and complete anhilation of an army that I'd have placed as the number 1 defeat myself. Afghanistan's reputation as The Graveyard of Empires is well earned!
Interesting program. I appreciate your views and not being afraid to point out your country's faults in warfare. There are many a country out there, mine included that have went through the same defeats in battle. We all can point out to one country or another that has went through the same situations and bad tactical moves that cost a victory and turned it into defeat. Keep up the good work! 👍🇺🇲
"The Berkshire Regiement?" I had a very undistinguished and short career as a subaltern in the TA Battalion but even I know we were the The ROYAL Berkshire Regiment or to be more formally Princess Charlotte of Wales's Royal Berkshire Regiment! Great video but I had a duty to point this out.
Very good, Sir. I will strive to do better next time.
I discovered your channel this morning and subscribed after watching this. I spent a day at Spioenkop a month ago and am planning a trip to Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana soon. I look forward to watching your videos on those battles in advance.
The Battle of Chillianwala, 13 January 1849, in the Second Anglo-Sikh War, deserves at least an honorable mention. Great video. Loved the footage of you in the 'Stan.
Thanks mate. I was the one filming so sadly I am not in the footage but that was a fun day for sure.
@redcoathistory sir I mentioned the several disasters in British military history in a post to you a short time ago. I said loins lead by donkeys was more than in ww1. Now you make this video. Thatnk you.
07:23 #4
10:34 #3
13:00 #2
16:50 #5
Great video - many thanks for covering both the battle and the implications of the results
There is an excellent book, 'Return of a King ' by William Dalrymple which covers the retreat from Kabul, which is well worth reading.
That's a great read
Wonderful content Chris keep them coming please 👍🏻
Another great video on Brit military history, thanks for sharing mate, best regards.
Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed it. Hope all is good with you.
Battle of Fuengirola
Please read and analysis the Battle of Chaillanawali ( second Anglo- Sikh War).
Among my happiest memories are my solo explorations of Manuka & the other 1st Boer War battlefield. The magnificence of the settings, 7500 ft above see level, plus with the "home side" (the Boers - the Afrikaners are I believe the only ones who managed to consistently get the better if the British Tommy on the battlefield in over 400 years. That was fighting in their own conditions, that enabled their own unique tactics. Had they gone toe to toe in Flanders, I suspect it would have been a draw.
The Afrikaners being largely of Dutch descent, it's also noteworthy that at their height in the mid to late 1600s, the Dutch navy at least held their own against the English. Don't think anyone else can claim that.
Excellent video, thanks! Agree with your choices, with perhaps a caveat on C of the LB
Majuba, obviously. Got to watch that spell check!
In terms of military tactics the Boers were years ahead of their time
Totally enthralled from start to finsh, thankyou
You should make a video about the battle of Mosselbaai, where thousands of woman and children where killed by starvation, and illness, I think 27 000 in total. And the design of the new concept called "Concentration camps". The people that designed this new concept denounced is 38 yrs later when the Germans perfected it.
Tell me about it. (South African here). I know a lot about the concentration camps thanks to my grandfather, but I didn’t know there was one in Mossel Bay. I also googled to find a battle fought there. Couldn’t find anything.
Germans perfected it by keeping them well fed and safe until the allies fixed that with their indiscriminate bombing campaigns specifically targeting civilians
The British Concentration camps were designed to concentrate the population to prevent aid being given to the Boers. Many died in these camps due to overcrowding, disease and mismanagement, they were not designed to torture or kill the inmates. The German concentration camps were designed to torture, starve and kill the population.
Great Channel!
Thanks for the visit
One thing I’ve noticed about all these British disasters is that the OFFICERS were largely entitled aristocratic lords who made terrible decisions with the lives of there men period
I mean usually bad management is the one digging the company's grave.
But most of tge British senior officers were nobles or gentry, so they won all the battles that Britain won too!
Appreciate British honesty. Unlike many countries who concoct glorious victories when a tragic slaughter actually occurred. Being honest and analytical the British fighting force can become more effective. It also shows that superior weapons technology can be an advantage, but underestimating an opponent can lead to disaster. There are so many different factors on the battlefield that determine victory it is always better to have extra reserve capacity. The fog of war is the uncertainty that affects outcomes.
It is not a single military defeat, or even a couple, that defines victory.
Whatever the outcome of battles in Africa, India, the far east,
It is the outcome of the
Wars that matters.
A defeat here, a setback there, are to be expected, but the sum of the campaign, and the defeat of the enemy are the reality.
Really? Seems to me the Brits aren't present in the places where they were killed in massive numbers. Funny that, innit? So much for outcome being divorced from losses 😂
American airborne here the true red white and blue baby. I was in Hellmond providence and Arghandab River Valley about 30 miles away outside Kandahar. I can't believe that took place there!!!!!
Someone really needs to Nerf British extremely overpowered bravery buff
Also scinde horse and Jacob rifles are Baloch units of British indian army , it would be wise to regard them seperate like gurkhas.
It happens, but most are victories 💪, regards from Portugal Chris.
Love British history. My family came from wales in the 1670’s to America and fought on both sides of the American revolution in N.Carolina And S.Carolina
Love the insight into the other side but even a defeat is a victory if you learn from it.
Adding your personal footage makes this video stand above others. If I had been there I don't think I could have got Kiplings poem out of my head.
Missed one…29th August 1882…Australia beats England by 7 runs at the oval…the day English Cricket died.
Will have to bow to your superior knowledge of that, Sir. I am afraid the only sport I follow is the sweet science.
That one really did look bad in the newspapers and upset civilians at their breakfast.
Col. Harry Flashman seems to have bene at most of these defeats: The Kabul Retreat, the Light Brigade Church, and Isandlwhana, He also was a Gettysburg, the Little Big Horn and Peking
They aren’t defeats they are repositioning!
Loving this channel.
Conan Doyle's "Dr Watson" was wounded at Maiwand.
The Light Brigade was not a defeat.
They did what they set out to do.
They over ran the Russian guns, and they pinned the entire Russian Cossack corps against the Chenaya river with only one bridge.
If the Heavy Brigade had supported them instead of watching , the war would have been won there.
Fantastic video,informative interesting and entertaining as usual.
Cheers, Chris. Any other subjects you'd like me to tackle?
@@redcoathistory
Hi and thanks for the opportunity to offer up some ideas. Would be fascinated on your thoughts on how the passage of pre-battle, battle and post battle might be for the typical redcoat? A few questions come to mind:
Would soldiers be informed of the developing tactical situation and be told why they are performing various actions, or be given simple commands without context?
As combat becomes a possibility, what actions would be performed to prepare the troops for battle?
Would they have been encouraged individually or as a group and by whom?
Would there have been any alcohol, singing or other forms of morale boosting practices?
When battle is joined, would they be encouraged or threatened and by whom?
What would be the rhythm of battle for the solider in line? ie how was water, ammo, food, organised over the duration of a longer fight?
If the line appears shaky or some soldiers run in fear, what action would have been taken to steady the line?
Once the battle is over, how might the typical soldier spend the rest of the evening, and if there is no more fighting, what might happen the next day?
Sorry if you have covered some or all these in previous videos, I have not yet watched your entire catalogue!
These are just a few questions of the top of my head, but I'm interested in your thoughts on really anything along these lines as to how combat might have typically felt for the soldier on the ground, perhaps even drawing comparisons with your own experiences in battle, under fire?
Many thanks
@redcoathistory Hi Chris did you see my reply, you are usually quick to respond ;)
our loss of identity is the biggest insult to the memory of these men
Ironic because the British empire was globalist.
You mean people from the places Britain conquered have come to Britain to share in the resources taken from their country?
@@Etaoinshrdlu69 yes, we began as a united kingdom with an empire in place. we were never a nation before that kek
It was the Americans in the WW2 who took everything from us in the name of freedom. Hitler gave them the excuse to take all our trading routes from us to secure their participation. It's the unspoken and untought history. The Americans were jealous of us Brits for a long time as we were better than them. Five great losses, but the 6th loss, which I've mentioned, is the greatest! 🏴 🇬🇧
Loss of identity? Yiu must be pretty insecure m8 - I know perfectly well who I am ^^
Romel said the British army has the best doctrine..... However, the officers don't read it.... We too often fail to learn from our mistakes. Sadly personnel then die.... Excellent video as always.
It's ridiculous glorifying defeats, we Americans never do it. Remember the Alamo!😎
I remember Vietnam, and Afghanistan. You Americans are useless at war.
Oh yeah, when Mexico tried to win back unlawfully occupied Texas when American settlers refused to honour their agreement.
I was just thinking that it's actually quite rare to glorify defeats. Brits and Commonwealth do it, Americans do it. Not really sure who else.
With the exception of all those Nam movies. No you never do it. 😅
He’s not glorifying the defeats. Listen to the adjectives he uses while giving description. Maybe pay attention for once.
Re number 4 - William Dallyrymple wrote a very good book about this called Return of a King.
Underestimation of the enemy and overestimation of their own prowess seemed to be the theme of these defeats.
The problem usually seems to be mostly ones of preparation and scouting. Both tie into the larger overall problem, hubris.
Afrikaans grandma here. I always lenjoyed the history story of Majuba!
You left out the Dutch raid in the Medway in 1667. Led by legendary Admiral Michiel de Ruyter, the Dutch attacked British forts along the river and destroyed a goodly part of the Royal Navy. It was the very last time that a foreign military force set foot on British soil.
Must have been tea time.
The Spanish landed in Scotland in 1719.
The British never learned from Majugba, a local force fighting for their land against the British are almost impossible to defeat. For the second Boer War the British needed half a million men from all over the Empire.
Have you read the Flashman novels? Brilliantly researched and very entertaining books set in the British army of the Victorian era.
Yep, absolutely brilliant - grew up with them.
I read every one of them and thoroughly enjoyed them. Absolutely brilliant. I suppose the wokes will ban if they are still available.
Notice the British did not make a medal for the first boer war😂
Made one for the second and final one though eh Bogger?
@@fredbloggs5843commercial imperialism at it's finest.
So much to be proud of.
@@JD-tn5lz gotta love the tears
I had my secondary school in a Christian Academy (Nike Union Academy, Egypt), and we were taught “The Modern World History”, however, nothing is being mentioned in the textbook when the British government had lost many wars such as the Mahdi Revolution in Sudan to mention the few amongst the rest!
We didn't actually lose many wars, sir. But we certainly lost many battles. Thanks for your comment.
All Englishmen are aware that win or lose we will always be superior because we are English and everyone else is not . Therefore winning or lossing is irrelevant. ...... Something the rest of the world will never understand . God save the king .
Very well said mate with pride and passion 🇬🇧
This explains the “moral victory” in the ashes last year. Let’s call it a shared delusion?
Now sharia for England
Well said! But as a loyal Welshman whose grandad was in the South Wales Borderers, I’d prefer to say “British”. Let’s leave it to the yanks to confuse Britain with England.
Duw achub y Brenin = God save the King
@@paulus4222 well said sir , god bless the Welsh, my great relation was in the queen's dragon guards at Waterloo , he was well famous and the officers toast him and his survivors each year in the officers mess . He has a goblet given by his comrades on his retirement which is in the guards museum Cardiff castle .
Whats Arthur Daley doing in Zulu land? at 00:00