The Redcoat History Podcast

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.

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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  misplaced optimism

Then we go to Mauritius, or Isle de France, a French base in the Indian Ocean where Napoleon’s ships were making life deeply unpleasant for British trade.

And finally, we end up in Java, where a British expeditionary force lands in the East Indies to take on a Dutch colony that had effectively become part of Napoleon’s empire.

Three campaigns. Three continents. Three very different stories.

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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.

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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.

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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 still hang over his reputation.

Now, I didn’t actually conduct this interview myself - credit where it’s due. This one was brilliantly handled by my mate Chris Brice, who sits down with historian Rodney Atwood to really get into the weeds on Roberts’ life and career.

Rodney’s book The Life of Field Marshal Lord Roberts is available https://amzn.to/4eyglsG 

 

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