The Redcoat History Podcast

Huge Zulu War Exhibition! Clash of Empires

In July 2023, the Royal Philatelic Society London will host a public exhibition displaying more than 500 postal, historical, and cultural objects exploring the context, history, and ongoing legacy of the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. 

I will be there interviewing the speakers, as will today's guest - Alex Haimann - co-curator of the exhibition. 

It promises to be a fascinating event and a great chance to meet the pre-eminent historians of the Anglo-Zulu War. 

To find out more and book your tickets please visit www.clashofempires.org 

 

The Sepoy Mutiny, part 2: Delhi Explodes and the oldest ever Victoria Cross recipient earns his award!

Part Two of my series on the Indian Mutiny of 1857.

In today's episode, the mutiny moves to Delhi and the regiments of the Bengal army turn on their European officers. In a bloody fight at the Magazine, the oldest ever recipient of the Victoria Cross wins his award.

It is an amazing story.

My sources for this video include: The Indian Mutiny by Saul David - https://amzn.to/3U68FBy

The Indian Mutiny 1857-58 (Osprey) by Gregory Freemont Barnes - https://amzn.to/3Kx0RWz

The Sepoy Mutiny as seen by a Subaltern from Delhi to Lucknow by Edward Vibart - https://archive.org/details/dli.granth.116947/page/19/mode/2up

If you are also interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: www.redcoathistory.com

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory

 

Op Banner: The British army’s longest deployment (w/Jonathan Trigg)

Operation Banner was the British army's longest ever deployment. It ran from 1969 to 2007. But now the army's service in Northern Ireland has been forgotten by many. 

Author Jonathan Trigg served as an infantry officer during "the troubles" and joins me on the show today to explain more about the conflict, how the army performed, how the IRA was organised and how the Special Forces were utilised. It's fascinating stuff. 

His latest book is called Death in the Fields and can be purchased via this link on Amazon - https://amzn.to/3BCG0fi 

Jonathan also has hiw own website here - https://jonathantrigg.co.uk/ 

As for me, please subscribe to my mailing list here -bit.ly/redcoathistory  When you do so you will receive a free copy of my book about the Anglo-Zulu War. 

 

The Most Important Victorian General You May Not Know: Henry Brackenbury

He was called the cleverest man in the British army and was hailed as the man who "pulled the army out of a hole in South African". He won both the Iron Cross and the Legion of Honour and served in various capacities across the globe. 

But General Sir Henry Brackenbury is now largely forgotten.

Author Chris Brice joins me today to a shine a light on this fascinating man and his excellent career in the British army. 

Chris has also written a book on Brackenbury that can be purchased here. 

Talking of books, you can also get a free copy of mine about the Anglo-Zulu War when you sign up for my mailing list at this link. 

 

The Sepoy Mutiny, part 1: Why did it happen?

Today’s episode is a brief introduction to why the Indian Mutiny (aka 1st War of independence) of 1857 happened. Why did thousands of previously loyal Indian Sepoys turn against their officers?

Here are my key sources for this video: If you purchase via the amazon links I receive a small percentage of the cost.

From Sepoy to Subedhar - Sita Ram - free on this link - https://archive.org/details/dli.pahar.0743

Mutiny - Saul David - purchase via this link - https://amzn.to/40XjF6O

True to their Salt - Ravindra Rathee - amazon link - https://amzn.to/42SAtgO

Our bones are scattered - Andrew Ward - Amazon link - https://amzn.to/3zuUYCV

If you are also interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: www.redcoathistory.com

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via

https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory

 

Wellington: Crime and Punishment in the Peninsular War (with Zack White)

The British army of the Napoleonic era was arguably the most effective to ever take the field…but it had its dark side… ill-discipline. 

We’ve all heard the famous “scum of the earth” quotes from Wellington and we know that the redcoats and riflemen were fond of a drink, but do the statistics show them to be an unruly mob of troublemakers? 

In the Sharpe TV series and books we see that morally corrupt, brutalised officers could dish out a flogging whenever they felt like it - that the men lived in fear of corporal punishment…But is that also true? 

It’s so difficult to sort fact from fiction when it comes to crime and punishment in Wellington’s army and so to help me to do so I am joined today by THE Expert on the subject…Zack White of the Napoleonic Wars podcast. 

https://www.thenapoleonicwars.net/ 

The James Bond of the Great Game: Alexander Burnes (Ep. 69)

Alexander Burnes - soldier, explorer, shagger - One of the most interesting men in British colonial history. In today's episode, learn the story of this complex man who is a character in the computer game Assassin's creed and is also in the novel Flashman. 

Below are the links to the books I used for my research. Some are Amazon links, if you purchase via these then Amazon throw me a few cents in change.

Peter Hopkirk, The Great Game - https://amzn.to/3jHWIE3

John Kaye, Lives of Indian officers - free download - https://archive.org/details/livesindianoffi01kayegoog

Karl Meyer, Tournament of Shadows - https://amzn.to/3X58neA

Patrick McCrory, Signal Catastrophe - https://amzn.to/3ZbHabX

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: www.redcoathistory.com

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory

 

Moorosi’s Rebellion: The Victoria Cross winners

This is the second installment of a short series about Moorosi's rebellion of 1879.

In today's episode, I am joined once more by Cam Simpson to hear all about the three men who won Victoria Crosses while fighting against Chief Moorosi's BaPhuti clan in modern day Lesotho. It was a complicated, drawn out conflict being fought at the same time as the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. 

To find out more about Cam and his books, you can visit his Amazon author page here. 

For a free copy of my book on the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879 you can also sign up for my mailing list via this link. 

The Siege of Moorosi’s Mountain: Southern Africa’s other war of 1879

Did you know that while the British army was battling the Zulus, another force of Cape soldiers was fighting in a nearby region against the BaPhuti people of southern Lesotho? It was a complicated, drawn out conflict against a skilled and dedicated opponent. 

In today's episode, I am joined once more by Cam Simpson to learn all about this little-known war in a remote part of southern Africa. 

To find out more about Cam and his books, you can visit his Amazon author page here. 

For a free copy of my book on the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879 you can also sign up for my mailing list via this link. 

Eyre Coote: From Court Martial to Commander-in-Chief (The Battles of Plassey, Wandiwash and Porto Novo)

Court Martialled after his first battle, Eyre Coote went on to be Commander-in-Chief of all British and EIC forces in India. In this role, he defeated the French threat, opening up the way for British dominance on the sub-continent.

His amazing career included the battles of Plassey, Wandiwash and Porto Novo.

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: www.redcoathistory.com

If you are very generous, you can also buy me a coffee and help support the channel via https://ko-fi.com/redcoathistory