The Redcoat History Podcast

Today I am joined by legendary author John Laband to find out all about Major General Sir George Pomeroy Colley - the British commander who lost the 1st Anglo-Boer War of 1880-81.  John has written a number of books on this fascinating conflict. The links are below inc a discount code from Helion books: The Battle of Majuba - https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/the-battle-of-majuba-hil...

A clash of culture and military doctrine - why did the Boers win the 1st Anglo-Boer War of 1880-81? John has written a number of books on this fascinating conflict. The links are below inc a discount code from Helion books:   The Battle of Majuba - https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-books/the-battle-of-majuba-hill-the-transvaal-campaign-1880-1881.php?sid=fa741aea78a7a5f46bb2482c1ebc41cc   T...

This is the first in a new short series examining the 1st Anglo-Boer War aka the Transvaal rebellion. In today's video we walk the Battlefield of Bronkhorstspruit and I am joined by historian John Laband. John has written a number of books on this fascinating conflict. The links are below inc a discount code from Helion books:   The Battle of Majuba - https://www.helion.co.uk/military-history-book...

Did you know that during the Anglo-Zulu War the British had a regiment whose tasks were very similar to those we would now class as Special Forces? In this episode I interview Cam Simpson all about the men of the Frontier Light Horse - a tough, mounted regiment recruited in South Africa. To order Cam's book on the unit visit https://www.selectbooks.co.za/ If you are interested in the Zulu War, the...

Rifleman Thomas Plunket (also sometimes Plunkett) is a legend of the Peninsular War. During the battle of Cacabelos he famously shot French General Colbert and his aide from a distance which is still debated. In this short episode, myself and Rob from Britishmuzzleloaders examine Plunket's amazing feat and try to find out once and for all what range these shots were taken and what happened to Plun...

In this video myself, Marcus Beresford and Nick Lipscombe discuss the British and Allied invasion of France in late 1813 and early 1814. The Battles covered are: 01:25 The Crossing of the Bidassoa 09:10 The Battle of Nivelle 12:20 The Treaty of Valencay 19:49 The Battle of the Nive 33:15 The Battle of Orthez 40:50 The Battle of Toulouse Nick's books can be purchased via the links below: The Penins...

Follow the Duke of Wellington's Redcoats as they besiege the coastal-city of San Sebastian in northeast Spain. It was the last major siege of the Peninsular War. In this, the penultimate episode of my Peninsular War series, I am joined by the excellent historians Marcus de la Poer Beresford and Nick Lipscombe. Nick's book on the war can be purchased here - https://amzn.to/3r9uAK7 And Marcus's book...

Today (12 March) is the anniversary of the Battle of Ntombe Drift fought during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879.  As part of my training to be a Tour Guide in South Africa I had to give a talk and this was the battle I decided to focus on.  Please sign up for monthly newsletter over at www.redcoathistory.com to receive your free eBook on the Anglo-Zulu War.  

In the late Summer of 1813 the French are fighting back in the Peninsular. Marshal Soult is back in command, and the soldiers' morale is high. Can Wellington's advance towards France be derailed? In today's episode we learn about the battles of Roncesvalles. Maya and Sorauren - collectively known as the Battle of the Pyrenees. Included today is the story of the 92nd Highlanders at Maya - a fight t...

In this short episode, I look at the death of Louis-Napoleon, the Prince Imperial, during the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879. Who was he? Why was he fighting with the British and who was to blame? 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 suppo...

Have you ever wondered who the man in the WW1 recruiting poster is and why he was so important? Today author Anne Samson joins me on the Redcoat History Show to explain his fascinating life that included command at the Battle of Omdurman and also during the 2nd Anglo-Boer War. Viewers of the show will also get a 20% discount on her book - Kitchener: The man not the myth - stay tuned to get your di...

Follow the British army and their local militia allies as they traverse over a thousand miles of Canadian wilderness. Today I am joined by author Paul McNicholls to talk all about the Red River Campaign of 1870 and the early career of Garnet Wolseley. Stay tuned till the end, as we also discuss whether James Langley Dalton VC (Rorke's Drift) was actually involved in the campaign or not - and we'll...

In today's episode of the Redcoat History Podcast, I explain who the redcoats were, how they were recruited, and how the British infantry regiments of the Napoleonic wars were organised.    My new book is out now: BUY HERE   You can also DONATE HERE

Can the British and allied forces bounce back from their debacle at the Siege of Burgos? In the latest episode, join me to learn all about Wellington's Peninsular campaign in the spring of 1813 and see how he swept the might of Napoleon's army from Spain. It is a gripping story packed with 1st hand accounts and tales of Derring-Do from the Battle of Vitoria fought on the 21st June 1813.  Buy me a...

Richard Sharpe famously captured an Eagle at the Battle of Talavera, but do you know which real-life warrior was the first British soldier to achieve that impressive feat during the Peninsular war? Well, if you want to learn more, and also find out about the Battle of Barrosa, fought in Spain in 1811, then this is the video for you. Buy me a coffee and help to support the show - https://ko-fi.com/...

The Duke of Wellington is probably Britain's greatest ever general. But what were the factors that made him so effective during the Peninsular War against the French? In this episode, my good friend Marcus Cribb ( @mcribbhistory on Twitter ) breaks down the Duke's success. If you are on Instagram and like looking at photos of the world's battlefields then check me out: https://www.instagram.com/re...

Today I am joined by John Ellis to talk about a subject I knew nothing about - Black soldiers serving in British regiments during the Napoleonic wars. It turns out that there were quite a lot...a number of whom built great careers. In this episode of the Redcoat History Podcast, John explains where these men came from, how they were treated and what happened to them.  John doesn't have much of a s...

Author Joshua Provan joins the show to talk about his new book - BULLOCKS GRAIN AND GOOD MADEIRA: The Maratha and Jat Campaigns 1803-1806 and the emergence of an Indian Army. It's a fascinating conflict that marked the coming of age of the East India Company's Indian regiments and saw the rise of Arthur Wellesley with his stunning victory at Assaye. Josh can be found on Twitter - https://twitter.c...

After the famous Victory at Salamanca in July 1812, Wellington occupied Madrid. At this point, he seemed to lose his magic touch. In this episode, I am joined by historians Charles Esdaile and Mark Thompson to learn the full story behind the campaign known as "Wellington's worst scrape".  Mark is on Twitter https://twitter.com/MarkSThompson2 And so is Charles Esdaile - https://twitter.com/CharlesE...

This week is the second installment of my chat with Sikh historian Amarpal Singh all about the First Anglo-Sikh War of 1845/46. In this episode we hear all about the brutal battles of Mudki, Ferozeshah and Sabraon...arguably the toughest fights that the British army ever faced in India. You can follow Amarpal on Twitter https://twitter.com/amarpalsidhu and you can sign up for my mailing list here...

A rare unscheduled and unplanned episode of the Redcoat History Podcast. In response to current events in Afghanistan, I thought it is the right time to talk about the 1st Anglo-Afghan war of 1839-1842 particularly the disastrous evacuation of Kabul. It is a horrific and disturbing story and one that seems to have some parallels with the current government in Kabul apparently on the verge of colla...

I am taking a short break from the Peninsular War this month to share with you an interview I did with Sikh historian Amarpal Singh - this is the first part of a two-part series. This week we are examining Ranjit Singh, the birth of the Sikh empire, and the road to war.     To find out more about Amapal you can visit his Twitter profile here https://twitter.com/amarpalsidhu     You can also downlo...

The Battle of Salamanca, fought in Spain on July 22nd, 1812, was one of the most important battles of the Napoleonic era. In this episode, I am joined by one of the best and most prolific writers on the British army in the Napoleonic Wars, Gareth Glover , as well as a long-time friend of the show, Marcus Cribb . This episode is packed with detail and debate - make sure to listen until the end to f...

The Third Siege of Badajoz during the Peninsular War was a brutal and bloody affair. It was a huge test for Wellington and his British and Portuguese troops. They had failed twice before, could they finally capture this immense fortress that protects the southern route between Portugal and Spain? Join Christian Parkinson aka @redcoathistory  as he continues his deep dive into the history of the Pe...

A bit of a change on the podcast today...bear with me as I will be back to the Peninsular War very soon... A recent petition was launched in the UK to attempt to upgrade the Military Medal of black South African soldier Job Maseko. Some people believe that Job should have won a Victoria Cross for blowing up a German ship while he was a prisoner of war in North Africa. But what is the full story? D...