The Redcoat History Podcast

This episode is part of my new Osprey-sponsored Redcoat Vs... series - here is a link to their books - http://ospreypublishing.com/ In 1845, British redcoats arrived in northern New Zealand expecting a simple colonial campaign. What they found instead was a brutal lesson in Māori warfare. Behind walls of sharpened timber, hidden trenches, loopholes, underground shelters and cleverly designed pā fo...

The British army’s regimental system is uniquely confusing. It’s been the backbone of the British army for centuries. Some would argue it’s the secret to our success. . . But what exactly is it? How did it begin? How has it changed over the centuries and is it still relevant and important for a 21st century military force? Stay tuned to the end to find out my thoughts on that. Join my YouTube chan...

Three more forgotten campaigns… The strange, sprawling, global war fought by British soldiers, sailors, marines and East India Company troops in places most people never associate with the redcoat at all. Today we are heading first to the River Plate, where Britain tries to break into Spanish South America through Montevideo and Buenos Aires with some courage, some skill, and quite a lot of  mispl...

Today we’re looking at the British Army as it exists now… how it’s organised, why the regimental system looks so baffling to outsiders, and who these regiments and corps actually are. If you’ve ever looked at a list of British army regiments and been totally confused as to what each one does then this is the episode for you. Sign up for my newsletter and get a free eBook: https://redcoathistory.co...

For more books on this era visit the GOAT of military history books Osprey Publishing - https://ospreypublishing.com Napoleon’s cavalry should have crushed the British - but in Spain during the Peninsular war, a smaller British force kept humiliating them. Why? That’s what we are exploring today. Sign up for my newsletter and get a free eBook: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/ Join my Patreon...

Today we’re diving into the life of one of the most famous, and in many ways, most controversial, soldiers of the Victorian British Army: Field Marshal Lord Roberts. A man adored by his troops, feared by his enemies… and not without his critics. This isn’t just the story of “Bobs” the hero. It’s the full picture. The victories. The ambition. The rivalries. And the uncomfortable questions that stil...

Thanks to Osprey Publishing for sponsoring this series 'The British army Vs...'  You can check out all the books mentioned via this link - ospreypublishing.com  In today's episode, we explore how the British Army learned to fight in North America during the French and Indian War, facing a completely different kind of warfare against Native American warriors in the American wilderness. From the sho...

The Peninsular War saw Britain, Portugal and Spain team up in an unlikely alliance against the might of Napoleon's France. These days the Spanish and the British both think they won the war single-handed...But what is the truth? Was Spain a useless ally or were they actually surprisingly helpful? Let's find out. Join my Patreon here - patreon.com/redcoathistory 

Now, When people think of the British Army in the age of Napoleon, they usually picture the big stuff - Waterloo. Salamanca. Lines of redcoats smashing French columns.  But that was only part of the story. Because the British Army of this era was not just fighting set-piece battles in Spain and Belgium. It was everywhere. Corsica. Egypt. The Low Countries. Strange little expeditions, half-forgotte...

In this episode, we speak with historian Jack Bowsher about his remarkable new book Thunder Run: Meiktila 1945, which tells the extraordinary story of the final battles of the Burma Campaign in the Second World War. While most histories end with the famous victories at Imphal and Kohima, the dramatic reconquest of Burma in 1945 is often dismissed as little more than “mopping up.” In reality, it wa...

Today we are talking about Spaniards - Spanish Republicans - the defeated side of the Civil War… men who get driven into exile and scattered across Europe. Some end up in British uniform before the fall of France. Some join the Pioneer Corps and then quietly drift into far sharper corners of the war: commandos, SOE networks, North Africa, Italy, Normandy… even the long road to Berlin. Yet again an...

The Territorials in WW1 were an important part of the British army, yet they are often forgotten - overshadowed by the Pals battalions of the new army. Well, there is a now new book that examines the vital yet often overlooked contributions of London’s Territorial Force - exploring its unique structure, socioeconomic composition and military operations. In today’s live stream, I talk to two of the...

Visit Osprey publishing to see their incredible catalogue of military history books - https://www.ospreypublishing.com Britain has a Royal Navy. A Royal Air Force. And yet… a British Army. Not a Royal Army. Why? If you’ve ever tried to find a clear answer, you’ll know how unsatisfying the usual explanations are. Tradition. Regiments. Legal technicalities. All true - and all incomplete. The full re...

Mountain guns sound obscure — until you realise they let the British Army haul artillery up goat tracks and into places the enemy thought were safe. In this episode, friend of the show Chris Brice, speaks to a career Royal Artillery officer whose research traces the story from early improvisation to the formal creation of ten Royal Artillery mountain batteries in 1889 — and why this “forgotten” we...

Britain’s empire was built on more than famous battles. In this live Redcoat History discussion, I’m joined by Cam Simpson and Jon Pick to explore Britain’s forgotten frontier wars — from the North-West Frontier of India to Moorosi’s Rebellion in southern Africa. We’ll tackle the myths, the real fighting, and what life was actually like on the edge of empire — then open it up to your questions. Ca...

Canada has a rich military history. Alongside the British they stood toe-to-toe with the Americans in the war of 1812, battled the Boers, shocked the German's on the Western Front in both world wars and proved themselves amongst the world's greatest warrior nations. But do they still have what it takes? In this podcast, I explore both the past and the present of the Canadian army. Are there other...

Today I am joined by Dr Chris Brice and the brilliant Daniel Harrington from the Clasps of Courage YouTube channel. Expect honest analysis, good humour, and a behind-the-scenes look at how we make military history content. Have a great Christmas and be sure to buy your gifts here - https://redcoathistory.com/  

When we think of 1940, we picture Dunkirk, the fall of France and the BEF racing for the Channel. But behind the headlines were real officers making real decisions — the brigadiers. Too senior to ignore, not quite famous enough to be remembered. In this episode, my friend and part-time co-host Chris Brice talks to military historian Dr Phil McCarty about his new book Point of Failure: British Brig...

The RAF Regiment - ask any squaddie and they’ll give you a sneer, a joke, or a tall tale about babysitting airfields. But the truth? The RAF Regiment has been fighting - and dying - in deadly and dangerous places since its formation. But what is the RAF Regiment, what’s the history and what is the unit’s role now? Let’s find out. Get your free eBook - https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/   Suppo...

Today we have something fascinating - After Dunkirk, job done… right? Not quite. While Britain cheers the “miracle,” more than a hundred thousand of our lads are still in France — fighting, improvising, and trying not to be rolled up by Rommel. The 51st Highland Division digs in at St Valery. Alanbrooke rows with Churchill down a crackly phone line, the RAF keeps flying and the Navy pulls off two...

Visit Osprey publishing to see their incredible catalogue of military history books - https://www.ospreypublishing.com/ Historians often refer to them as the Spartans of Africa. The Zulus famously destroyed a British force at the Battle of Isandlwana in 1879. But what do we really know about that victorious warrior army? In today’s video I’m going to walk you through their training, tactics, and o...

How did the British Army go from the muddle of the Boer War to the professionalism of 1918? In this episode, historian David Keable-Elliot talks to the show about The Doctrine of the British Army — the forgotten Field Service Regulations that shaped everything from tactics to training. It’s the story of how a rulebook turned chaos into coherence, and helped Britain win the First World War. Thanks...

Who and What exactly are the Royal Marines? And what is there history? They’re not the Army. They’re not sailors. And yet somehow they’ve ended up in every war, every landing, every corner of the planet — from storming French ports in the 1700s, to yomping across the Falklands with eighty-pound packs, to creeping up beaches today with drones, fast boats, and sniper teams.   Join my mailing list he...

Soldier, scholar, explorer, spy, shagger! A man who spoke twenty-nine languages—plus a dozen more dialects. A man who carried the scars of a spear wound through both cheeks and still managed to insult people afterwards. He was a man who was fascinated by the dark and mysterious corners of the world and of the human psyche. Today we are going to Learn about one of Britain’s greatest explorers, an e...

Today, we’re really diving into an obscure niche. . . Rome in the 1860s — a decade of revolution, nationalism, and, oddly enough, British and Irish Catholics signing up to fight for the Pope. Our guest is historian Nicholas Schofield, author of Victorian Crusaders: British and Irish Volunteers in the Papal Army, 1860–70. It’s a story of faith, politics, and some very unlikely Redcoats in baggy Zou...