In 1915, a British battalion stormed the beaches of Gallipoli in one of the most daring — and disastrous — amphibious operations in modern military history. By the end of the day, just a few hundred men from the 1st Battalion Lancashire Fusiliers were still standing. And yet, from the chaos and bloodshed, six soldiers … Continue reading “Six VCs Before Breakfast” – The Gallipoli Landing of the Lancashire Fusiliers
Myth vs. Reality: The British Army’s Innovative WW1 Tactics
Forget everything you think you know about WW1 British tactics. The common image: waves of young soldiers marching into machine gun fire, led by blundering generals who refused to adapt. But what if I told you this isn’t the full story?
Military History meets Heavy Metal: An interview with Forlorn Hope Band
In this bonus Redcoat History Podcast episode, I meet Chris Simpson from the awesome heavy metal band Forlorn Hope. They have an entire album all about the Peninsular War, and in February 2021 their new single drops - To the Bitter End - a thrilling retelling of the story of the 1916 defence of Frankfurt … Continue reading Military History meets Heavy Metal: An interview with Forlorn Hope Band
A Lion in the Trenches. The Life of Captain Pollard VC, MC (and Bar) and DCM – video.
If you follow my blog you may have read an article about Captain A. O. Pollard of the Honourable Artillery Company. I am slightly obsessed by his excellent autobiography "Fire-eater". It is the antithesis of most books about the Great War. In it he focuses on the glory, the fun and the camaraderie of life … Continue reading A Lion in the Trenches. The Life of Captain Pollard VC, MC (and Bar) and DCM – video.
Five minute history: the battle of Passchendaele
The third battle of Ypres or the battle of Passchendaele as it is commonly known has become a defining moment of the first world war – it is remembered for its horror, the mud and the senseless slaughter of men. But What happened and was it actually a terrible failure? Third Ypres was fought in … Continue reading Five minute history: the battle of Passchendaele
Video: A walk on W Beach, Gallipoli
In April 2015 I was lucky enough to attend the centenary commemorations of the Allied landings at Gallipoli. One of the sites well worth a visit is "W Beach" and the nearby Lancashire Landing cemetery. While there I made the short film below: W beach was known to the Turks as Tekke Bay. It was … Continue reading Video: A walk on W Beach, Gallipoli
Video: A 5 minute history of the battle of the Somme
In this video I give an overview of the battle of the Somme - Britain's deadliest battle. The battle raged from July to November 1916. I'm not a Somme expert but I hope this will give you a basic understanding of why and how the battle was fought.
“I have killed another Hun, Hurrah!”
A review of Captain A O Pollard VC's amazing auto-biography "Fire-Eater".
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