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The podcast for military history geeks and people with a passion for good stories. We focus on British and Commonwealth military history from the birth of the redcoat era through to modern warfare.
Episodes
Thursday Apr 27, 2023
Thursday Apr 27, 2023
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
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
Thursday Apr 06, 2023
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.
Monday Mar 13, 2023
Monday Mar 13, 2023
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
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
Wednesday Mar 01, 2023
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.
Friday Feb 17, 2023
Friday Feb 17, 2023
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.
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
Thursday Feb 02, 2023
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
Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Sunday Jan 22, 2023
Today is the anniversary of the Battle of Rorke's Drift and it seemed like the perfect day to look at the life of one of the battle's most intriguing characters - Frank Bourne OBE, DCM.
During the battle, he was a Colour Sergeant but he was to have a stellar career and be one of the few defenders who achieved his full potential.
Listen to this episode to learn about his life and how realistic Nigel Green's portrayal was in the movie 'Zulu'. To find out more about the battle you can listen to my podcast here - https://youtu.be/ACLauwRYpIE And you can walk the battlefield with me here - https://youtu.be/SlFyzpLnLXM
Visit www.redcoathistory.com to sign up to my mailing list and receive your free eBook about the Anglo-Zulu War.
Monday Dec 19, 2022
Monday Dec 19, 2022
In the latest episode of this short series we examine the life of "Gonny" Bromhead VC. Michael Caine played the commander of B company 2/24th in the film Zulu. His is an interesting story.
If you are interested in the Anglo-Zulu War then please sign up for my mailing list at www.redcoathistory.com and receive your free eBook on the conflict.
Links:
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Thursday Dec 01, 2022
Who was the man who commanded the small British detachment at Rorke's Drift?
This episode is a brief introduction to the life of John Chard.
If you like these stories please sign up for my mailing list and receive your free eBook about the Anglo-Zulu war of 1879.
Friday Nov 04, 2022
Friday Nov 04, 2022
Today is the final instalment of my series examining the life of General Sir Hugh Gough. One of the pre-eminent Generals of Victorian military history.
Once again, Historian Chris Brice joins me on the show and explains Gough’s performance as Commander-in-Chief during the Anglo-Sikh wars of the late 1840s.
Chris's book on Gough can be purchased via helion.co.uk and you can save a whopping 20% by putting in the discount code LION2020 at checkout (limited time only).
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