The History Chap Podcast

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Flogging was the principle punishment in the British Army for nearly 200 years.Even the Duke of Wellington was a supporter.So how harsh was it? And, why (and when) did it end?Listen to my episode about the Officer Purchase System.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationFor nearly 200 years, flogging was the disciplinary backbone of the British Army. From the passage of the Mutiny Act in 1689 to its abolition in 1881, corporal punishment shaped the experience of every soldier who wore the redcoat. The men who fought at Blenheim under Marlborough, who held the line at Waterloo under the Duke of Wellington, who endured the Peninsular and Crimean Wars, who fought in the American Revolutionary War — all were products of a system in which the lash was the primary instrument of military discipline.Fans of Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe's Rifles will know this world. Richard Sharpe was sentenced to 2,000 lashes; Sergeant Harper bore the scars of sixty he didn't deserve. Cornwell wasn't exaggerating. During the Napoleonic Wars, British Army courts martial routinely handed down sentences of 500 lashes — and a thousand was not unheard of. Offences ranged from desertion and mutiny to the breathtakingly trivial: being deficient of a razor earned 200 lashes; improper use of barrack bedding, 400.In this video, I trace the full story of flogging in the British Army. It begins with a legal rabbit hole — the Mutiny Act of 1689, passed after the Royal Scots mutinied at Ipswich and the government discovered it had no legal power to punish them. From there, I explore the brutal mechanics of the punishment itself: the cat o' nine tails, the regimental ceremony, the drummers and farriers who delivered the lashes, and the men who endured them.I cover the key turning points — the scandal of Private Frederick White's death at Hounslow in 1846, the Duke of Wellington's response as Commander-in-Chief, and the long parliamentary campaign that finally ended with abolition under the Childers Reforms of 1881. Despite Private Hook being warned in the film "Zulu" that stealing Dr Witt's brandy was a flogging offence, by the time of Rorke's Drift the practice was already dying. But the story doesn't end in 1881. Corporal punishment continued in military prisons until 1907, and the replacement — Field Punishment Number One, which soldiers called "crucifixion" — wasn't abolished until 1923.Support the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Did you know that the actor behind the much loved comedy character, Uncle Albert ("Only Fools and Horses") actually did serve in World War 2?This is his real story.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.What was the inspiration behind the Royal Navy's legendary field gun competition?Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationMany of you may recall the Royal Tournament at Earl's Court in London. The world's premier military tattoo and pageant that was held for over 100 years until 1999. You may also recall the highlight of the event,  Royal Navy's Command Field Gun Competition.Two teams of 18 men hauling a 12 pound gun and limber (weighing something like 1200 pounds) along a 225 yard course that included obstacles such as a 5 foot high wall and a 28 foot chasm, all  in under 3 minutes. It was not for the feint hearted - not only was it gruelling race but men were seriously injured too.But, where did the idea of this incredible feat of strength, stamina and teamwork come from?This is the story of the Naval Brigade during the second Anglo-Boer war in South Africa 1899-1902.Support the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.The Bloodies European Battle in the 18th Century - Malplaquet 1709.The Duke of Marlborough's fourth victory over the French and the one that led to his downfall.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationOther episodes in this series:The Battle of Blenheim 1704The Battle of Ramillies 1706The Battle of Oudenarde 1708You might also be interested in this book, that I used extensively during my research for this series."Marlborough: Britain's Greatest General" by Richard Holmes(This is my Amazon affiliate link)The Battle of Malplaquet, fought on the 11th September 1709 was the Duke of Marlborough's fourth victory over the French. It was also the bloodiest European battle of the whole 18th century.Between 30,000 - 40,000 men were killed or wounded in just one day.Despite, been forced from the field by the comined allied army consisting of Dutch, German, Austrian, Danish and British soldiers, , the French were able to keep their army intact, ready to fight another day - their (sort of) Dunkirk moment.That French escape, along with his heavy losses, was the beginning of the end for John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough. Within two years, arguably the greatest military commander in British history, was sacked. Despite it being a tactical victory, malplaquet was a pyrrhic victory for Marlborough and his allied army.The Allies  lost nearly 21,000 men killed or wounded (almost a quarter of their army).The Dutch alone had lost over 8,000 men, whilst the British had lost nearly 1,800.The French army, on the other hand had suffered somewhere between 11,000 - 14,000 casualties.Support the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.The Battle of Oudenarde 1708, Marlborough's Forgotten Battle.The book I mentioned, and used as part of my research:"Marlborough: Britain's Greatest General" by Richard Holmes(This is my Amazon affiliate link)Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A Donation"The Devil Must Have Brought Them" - The Battle of Oudenarde, 1708When French general Vendôme learned that Marlborough's army had appeared on the banks of the River Scheldt, he was incredulous: "The Devil must have brought them!" The Duke had marched 60 miles in just 72 hours to catch the French completely off guard.The Battle of Oudenarde, fought on 11 July 1708 during the War of the Spanish Succession, was the Duke of Marlborough's third great victory over the French - yet it remains probably his most forgotten. This video explores how Marlborough's lightning advance wrong-footed two quarrelling French commanders, how a future King of Great Britain had his horse shot from under him in the opening clash, and how French Huguenot officers tricked enemy stragglers into captivity by shouting regimental rallying cries in the gathering darkness.It is also a battle gifted by French dysfunction. Marshal Vendôme fought so furiously in the front line that he lost all command of his army, whilst his co-commander the Duke of Burgundy sat motionless with 60 battalions, refusing to attack. Watching from Burgundy's staff was the 20-year-old Old Pretender, James Stuart - serving incognito as the "Chevalier de St George" against the countrymen he claimed as subjects.Among the British regiments were veterans of Blenheim and Ramillies including the Royal Welch Fusiliers, the Grenadier Guards and the Cameronians - battle-hardened redcoats who helped Marlborough encircle 50,000 Frenchmen in what one survivor called a "vast horseshoe of flame."Support the show

Send me a messageHMS Peterel: The Royal Navy's Defiant Last Stand at Shanghai, 1941Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationHours after the attack on Pearl Harbor, a small Royal Navy gunboat faced impossible odds in Shanghai. When Japanese officers boarded HMS Peterel demanding surrender, her captain - 62-year-old Lieutenant Stephen Polkinghorn - gave them a defiant reply: "Get off my bloody ship!"What followed was a one-sided battle against the armoured cruiser Izumo and shore batteries. With her main guns deliberately disabled, Peterel's crew fought back with Lewis guns and small arms. She became the first British warship sunk by the Japanese in the Second World War - but she went down fighting, White Ensign still flying.This video explores why British and American gunboats were in Shanghai, the strange "Solitary Island" existence of the International Settlement surrounded by Japanese forces since 1937, and the dramatic events of 8 December 1941. It also reveals the remarkable story of CPO James Cuming, who evaded capture and spent the entire war as a spy in occupied Shanghai.Support the show

Send me a messageThe real Blackadder who fought at the Battle of Blenheim, 1704.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSign up to my NewsletterLong before Rowan Atkinson's comic creation, a real Blackadder was fighting in some of the bloodiest battles in British military history. Lieutenant-Colonel John Blackadder was a Scottish soldier who served under the Duke of Marlborough and fought at the Battle of Blenheim—where he nearly died from a musket ball to the throat.Born in 1664 to a firebrand Covenanter preacher who died imprisoned on the Bass Rock, John Blackadder joined the newly-raised Cameronians in 1689. This distinctively religious Scottish regiment—nicknamed the "Psalm-singing Regiment"—would become his military home for over two decades. His first taste of battle came at Dunkeld, where 800 Cameronians held off more than 3,000 Jacobite Highlanders.During the Nine Years War, Blackadder fought at Steenkirk, Landen and the Siege of Namur. But his career was nearly derailed when he killed a fellow officer in a duel at Maastricht—an act that haunted this devout Presbyterian for the rest of his life.The War of the Spanish Succession brought Blackadder to Marlborough's greatest victories. He survived Schellenberg, was wounded at Blenheim, served at Ramillies, and was hit twice more at the Siege of Lille. At the catastrophic Battle of Malplaquet in 1709, Marlborough personally promoted him to Lieutenant-Colonel on the battlefield when his commanding officer fell wounded.After retiring in 1711, Blackadder returned to service during the 1715 Jacobite rebellion, commanding the Glasgow Volunteer Regiment. He ended his days as Deputy-Governor of Stirling Castle, and his diaries—published in 1824—remain an invaluable account of early 18th-century military life.Timeline of John Blackadder's Life:1664: Born in Dumfriesshire, Scotland1689: Joins the Cameronians; fights at Battle of Dunkeld1691: Kills Lieutenant Robert Murray in a duel at Maastricht1693: Promoted to Captain1704: Fights at Schellenberg and Blenheim (wounded)1705: Promoted to Major1706: Present at Battle of Ramillies1708: Wounded twice at Siege of Lille1709: Battlefield promotion to Lieutenant-Colonel at Malplaquet1711: Sells commission and retires1715: Commands Glasgow Volunteer Regiment during Jacobite rebellion1729: Dies aged 64; buried in StirlingSupport the show

Send me a messageFought in 1706, the Battle of Ramillies is arguably the Duke of Marlborough's greatest victory.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSign Up To My NewsletterSupport the show

Send me a messageThe Battle of Blenheim 1704: Marlborough's first of four great victories over the French.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationIn 1704, the Duke of Marlborough embarked on one of the most audacious military campaigns in British history. With Vienna under threat from a combined French and Bavarian army, Marlborough deceived both his Dutch allies and his French enemies, marching 21,000 men 250 miles across Europe in just five weeks.This video tells the story of how Marlborough outmanoeuvred the rigid French command structure, linked up with Prince Eugene of Savoy, and brought the French to battle at a small village on the Danube that would give its name to one of England's most famous victories.The Battle of Blenheim saw Marlborough commanding a true coalition force — British, Dutch, Austrian, German and Danish troops fighting together against Marshal Tallard's veteran French army and their Bavarian allies. The battle itself was a masterclass in combined arms warfare: infantry assaults on fortified villages, cavalry charges across boggy ground, and artillery moved forward at critical moments under Colonel Holcroft Blood.A single French error — packing 12,000 men into Blenheim village — handed Marlborough the advantage he needed. By nightfall, Tallard was a prisoner, thousands of French cavalry had drowned in the Danube, and Louis XIV had suffered his first major defeat in forty years.The victory saved the Habsburg Empire, knocked Bavaria out of the war, and earned Marlborough a palace that still bears the battle's name. It was England's greatest continental victory since Agincourt.KEY DATES:19 May 1704 – Marlborough begins his march from Bedburg10 June 1704 – Marlborough meets Prince Eugene at Mundelsheim2 July 1704 – Storming of the Schellenberg13 August 1704 – Battle of Blenheim21 August 1704 – News reaches Queen Anne at WindsorSupport the show

Send me a messageFlorence Nightingale, the "Lady with the lamp" is one of the most famous British women in history. But, what did she really achieve?Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationBuy a copy of Mary Seacole's autobiography https://amzn.to/4qfNoox (this is my Amazon affiliate link)Find out more about the Florence Nightingale Museum in Londonhttps://www.florence-nightingale.co.ukShe's one of the most famous women in British history. Florence Nightingale, The Lady with the Lamp. The founder of modern nursing. The saintly figure who saved countless soldiers in the Crimean War.But how much of that story is actually true?In this documentary, we examine the real Florence Nightingale – a woman far more complex, more flawed, and ultimately more impressive than the sanitised legend suggests. We discover that during the very winter the myth was being created, the Barrack Hospital at Scutari had a death rate of 42 percent – and Nightingale didn't understand why. We meet the engineers whose sanitary reforms actually turned the tide. We encounter the other Crimean War nurses whose contributions have been overshadowed: Mary Seacole, Betsi Cadwaladr, the formidable Mother Bridgeman, and the tragic Martha Clough.But we also explore what Nightingale achieved after the war – the statistical analysis, the political campaigning, the 853-page reports written from her sickbed that transformed military medicine and public health across the British Empire. The revolutionary coxcomb diagram. The nursing school that professionalised healthcare. The workhouse reforms that laid foundations for modern welfare.This is a story about Victorian myth-making and what happens when the reality is finally allowed to emerge.Florence Nightingale Timeline1820 – Born 12 May, Florence, Italy1837 – Receives religious "calling" aged 161850 – Rescues Athena the owl; trains at Kaiserswerth, Germany1853 – Superintendent, Hospital for Invalid Gentlewomen, Harley Street1854 – Departs for Crimea (21 October); arrives Scutari (4 November)1855 – Death rates peak 42% (February); Sanitary Commission arrives (March); rates fall to 2% (June)1856 – Returns to England; meets Queen Victoria at Balmoral1857 – Royal Commission on Health of the Army established1858 – Publishes 853-page report; first female Fellow, Royal Statistical Society1859 – Publishes Notes on Nursing1860 – Nightingale Training School opens, St Thomas' Hospital1861 – Sidney Herbert dies; Nightingale becomes bedridden1865 – Professional nursing introduced to Liverpool Workhouse1907 – Awarded Order of Merit (first woman)1910 – Dies 13 August, aged 90Support the show

Send me a messageThis is Part 2 of my story about the battle (and fall) of Hong Kong in December 1941.Listen to Part 1Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationJust hours after the attack on Pearl Harbour, the Japanese invaded the British colony of Hong Kong on the 8th December 1941.Smashing through the wonderfully named Gin Drinkers Line (which British military planners had optimistically called the “Oriental Maginot Line”), the British commander, General Christopher Maltby was forced to evacuate his entire force to Hong Kong Island after just five days.  Now, his 14,000 British, Canadian, Indian and local troops waited the final assault. They knew that there was no help coming - they knew that before the invasion even started - with no air and almost no naval support - they awaited the inevitable.This is part 2 of my story about the battle of Hong Kong in 1941.Support the show

Send me a messageThe battle for Hong Kong fought between the 8th and 25th December 1941, is overshadowed by the British defeat at Singapore and thus is  often a forgotten chapter in World War 2.  And yet, the British, Indian, and Canadian troops plus local volunteers who fought a grim and bitter battle against a Japanese enemy that outnumbered them is one that should be told and remembered.  It is the story of the Gin Drinkers defensive line, a Dunkirk-style evacuation, a massacre at a field hospital on Christmas Day, a desperate escape to freedom led by a one legged Chinese admiral, the first Canadian Victoria Cross of the war, and a loyal dog who would receive the animal version of the Victoria Cross.In fact it is such a fascinating story that I have broken it into two episodes.This is episode one. I hope that you enjoy it.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageJohn Churchill, first Duke of Marlborough: The General Who Never Lost A Battle.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationJohn Churchill, the Duke of Marlborough, is widely regarded as Britain's greatest general — yet his remarkable story remains surprisingly unfamiliar to many.The Duke of Marlborough won five major pitched battles against Louis XIV's armies, including the famous Battle of Blenheim in 1704, which saved the Grand Alliance from collapse and broke the myth of French invincibility. He successfully besieged nearly 30 fortresses, commanded multinational armies of up to 100,000 men, and was never defeated in battle.But military genius alone did not secure his position. His wife, Sarah Churchill, maintained a close friendship with Princess Anne that proved crucial to his career. When Anne became queen, Sarah Churchill's influence helped elevate Marlborough to unprecedented heights — a dukedom, command of all English forces, and the manor of Woodstock where he would build Blenheim Palace.Yet when that friendship soured, Marlborough lost everything. Despite his victories, including the Battle of Blenheim, he was dismissed in disgrace, accused of corruption, and forced into exile.We also trace the connection to his descendent, Winston Churchill, who wrote a four-volume biography defending his ancestor and is buried just outside Blenheim Palace.The War of the Spanish Succession reshaped Europe, and Marlborough was central to that transformation.Support the show

Send me a messageLawrence of Arabia: The Truth Behind The LegendChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationWho was Lawrence of Arabia? The 1962 David Lean film, starring Peter O'Toole and Omar Sharif, introduced millions to the legend of T.E. Lawrence - the British officer who led the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire in World War One. But how much of that legend is true?This episode tells the real story of Thomas Edward Lawrence (T.E. Lawrence)1888: Born in Wales, the illegitimate son of an Irish nobleman and his governess.1907-1910: Studied History at Oxford, graduating with a first-class honours degree. His thesis on Crusader castles took him on a 1,000-mile walking tour of Syria.1911-1914: Worked as an archaeologist in Syria, becoming fluent in Arabic. Conducted secret military surveys of the Sinai Peninsula.1914-1916: Joined British Military Intelligence in Cairo, producing maps and reports on Ottoman forces.1916-1918: Liaison officer with Prince Faisal's Arab Northern Army during the Arab Revolt. Participated in guerrilla raids on the Hejaz Railway and the capture of Aqaba.1918: Entered Damascus with Faisal's army as the Ottoman Empire collapsed.1919: Accompanied Faisal to the Paris Peace Conference, where the Sykes-Picot Agreement shattered Arab dreams of independence.1921:Served as special advisor to Winston Churchill at the Cairo Conference, helping install Faisal as King of Iraq.1922-1935: Disillusioned, Lawrence enlisted in the RAF and Royal Tank Corps under aliases (John Ross, T.E. Shaw), seeking anonymity.1935: Died aged 46 in a motorcycle accident near his cottage in Dorset.The truth behind Lawrence of Arabia is more complex - and more fascinating - than the Hollywood legend. He was one of many British officers supporting the revolt, part of a much bigger story about WW1 in the Middle East, broken promises, and decisions that shaped the region for the next century.Support the show

Send me a messageThe British Army's Officer Purchase System 1664-1871Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationFor over two centuries, from 1660 to 1871, the British Army allowed officers to buy their commissions and promotions. Wealthy aristocrats like Lord Cardigan could purchase their way to command without ever seeing battle, leading to disasters like the Charge of the Light Brigade. It's easy to dismiss the purchase system as simply elitist and corrupt—a recipe for incompetence that blocked talent and rewarded privilege.But the real story is far more nuanced.Episodes related to this story:The Battle of Assaye 1803Support the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.The British victory over Tipu Sultan, the "Tiger of Mysore", during the 4th Anglo-Mysore War, at the battle of Seringapatam 1799.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.On 26 January 1808, four hundred soldiers of the New South Wales Corps marched on Government House in Sydney and arrested Governor William Bligh. This was the Rum Rebellion - the only successful military coup in Australian history.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.The Mutiny on the Bounty is one of history's most famous naval rebellions, but what most people know comes from Hollywood, not history. The films of 1935, 1962, and 1984 portrayed William Bligh as a tyrannical monster and Fletcher Christian as a heroic champion of the oppressed. But the real story is far more nuanced—and far more interesting.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.EDGEHILL: THE MOST HAUNTED BATTLEFIELD IN BRITAIN?In December 1642, just weeks after the Battle of Edgehill, terrified villagers in Warwickshire reported seeing an entire battle being fought in the sky above their heads. Night after night, phantom armies clashed in the darkness—ghostly cavalry charges, spectral infantry formations, and the terrible sounds of dying men echoing across the frozen fields.This is the only battlefield haunting in British history that was investigated by a Royal Commission sent by King Charles I himself. The investigation was documented in a contemporary pamphlet that survives to this day in the British Library.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.What happened to the survivors of the Charge of the Light Brigade in 1854, during the Crimean War?The answer is a tale of two fates. While some survivors found success and prosperity, others ended their days in workhouses and paupers' graves—a shocking reality that would eventually spark national outrage.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.This is the story of the audacious theft of England's Crown Jewels from the Tower of London, by Thomas Blood, in 1671.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Did you know that one in eight of the defenders at the battle of the Alamo (Texas 1836) were actually born in the British Isles?This is their incredible and little-known story...Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.The Battle of Bossenden Wood, Kent 1838, when British redcoats took on farm workers led by a self-proclaimed Messiah.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationOn the 3rd August 1889, British general, Francis Grenfell, defeated a Mahdist invasion of Egypt at the battle of Toski.This is the story of that battle and of the general after whom Grenfell Tower in London was named.Support the show

Send me a messageBesieged by the Zulus: Eshowe 1879Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationWhile the world knows about Rorke's Drift from the famous 1964 film "Zulu," another British garrison faced an even longer ordeal during the Anglo Zulu War of 1879. This is the story of the Siege of Eshowe - 71 days of isolation, disease, and determination deep in Zululand.Following the catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Isandlwana on 22nd January 1879, Colonel Pearson's Number 1 Column found itself cut off at Eshowe Mission Station. While Lord Chelmsford's centre column had been destroyed and the defenders of Rorke's Drift earned immortality in a single night's fighting, Pearson's 1,400 men faced over two months surrounded by Zulu warriors.Support the show

Send me a messageThe battle of Petropavlovsk 1854, during the Crimean War.A forgotten battle on Russia's remote Siberian Pacific coast.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationIn the summer of 1854, while the world's attention was focused on events in the Crimea, a combined British and French naval squadron was sailing towards the isolated Russian port of Petropavlovsk on the Kamchatka Peninsula. What should have been a straightforward victory for the overwhelmingly superior Allied fleet instead became a humiliating disaster that the Admiralty would later describe as "that melancholy failure at Petropavlovsk."Support the show

Send me a messageThe forgotten story of the White Indian Mutiny.Following the Indian Sepoy Revolt, which began in 1857, the British government took over ruling India from the East India Company.As part of that transfer, they proposed that the European regiments within the EIC army would become part of the regular British army.Believing that their pay and promotion opportunities would be adversely impacted and the traditions of their old regiments (some older than almost all British army regiments) wold be eradicated the men of the European Regiments mutinied.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageThe Battle of Firket (also called the battle of Ferkeh or Firka), 7th June 1896, Sudan.It was the opening battle in General Kitchener's invasion of the Mahdist, fundametal Muslim state, that would end with his victory at the battle of Omdurman two years later.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Ways You Can Support My Channel:Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageThe Epic SAS battle in Oman - the battle of Mirbat 1972Become A PatronMake A DonationIn July 1972, nine SAS soldiers faced impossible odds in a forgotten battle that helped shape the Cold War. The Battle of Mirbat stands as one of the most extraordinary feats in British Army history - a modern-day Rorke's Drift where elite Special Forces held the line against overwhelming communist forces.Deep in the mountains of Oman's Dhofar province, a Marxist insurgency backed by China and the Soviet Union threatened to topple the Sultan and seize control of the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The Dhofar Rebellion had raged for a decade, with communist guerrillas controlling vast swathes of territory and pushing toward the vital oil routes of the Persian Gulf.Standing in their way was a small SAS team stationed in the coastal town of Mirbat. On the morning of 19 July 1972, over 400 heavily-armed PFLOAG fighters descended from the hills in a coordinated assault designed to deliver a knockout blow to the Sultan's forces. Their target: nine British Army Special Forces soldiers and a handful of local allies defending an old fort.What followed was four hours of desperate fighting that would become legendary within the SAS Regiment. Sergeant Talaiasi Labalaba single-handedly operated a 25-pounder artillery gun - normally requiring six men - while under sustained enemy fire. Captain Mike Kealy coordinated the defense with extraordinary calm as bullets flew around him. When Labalaba was wounded, Trooper Tommy Tobin volunteered for a suicide mission to reach the isolated gun position.This is the incredible true story of courage under fire, of professional soldiers who refused to yield when everything seemed lost. The Battle of Mirbat was more than just a military engagement - it was a turning point in the Dhofar Rebellion that secured Oman's future and protected Western interests in the Gulf during the height of the Cold War.Support the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that bring British History to life.The Shangani Patrol: Major Wilson's Last Stand Against Impossible Odds (1893)Become A PatronMake A DonationOn December 4th, 1893, near the banks of the Shangani River in what is now Zimbabwe, fewer than 30 British soldiers under Major Allan Wilson made their final stand against over 3,000 Matabele warriors. Surrounded, outnumbered, and cut off from reinforcements by a raging river, these men fought until their ammunition ran out. Legend says that as the enemy made their final charge, the survivors stood and sang "God Save the Queen" before meeting their fate.This dramatic last stand became the stuff of British imperial legend, shaping white Rhodesian identity for eight decades. But what brought these men to this desperate moment in the African wilderness?The story begins with Cecil Rhodes and his British South Africa Company's expansion into Mashonaland in 1890. To the west lay the powerful Matabele kingdom under King Lobengula, who continued traditional raids against the Shona people - now living on white settler farms. When Dr. Leander Starr Jameson declared war in October 1893, two columns advanced into Matabele territory, devastating the kingdom's forces with modern rifles and Maxim guns.After capturing the burning capital of Bulawayo, Major Patrick Forbes led a flying column in pursuit of the fleeing king., Lobengula. The force included the ambitious Major Allan Wilson, experienced Boer frontiersman Piet Raaff, and American scout Frederick Burnham. Wilson's led a small patrol across the Shangani river  on December 3rd in pursuit of the king.. During the night, he found himself surrounded by thousands of warriors.The 29 men formed a defensive ring using their  horses as cover and fought for hours against overwhelming odds. Matabele accounts describe Wilson being shot six times but continuing to fight, and wounded men passing ammunition with their teeth.In the end, seven men remained standing. They removed their hats, shook hands, and sang a hymn, legend has it that it was "God Save The Queen"The legend of the Shangani Patrol became embedded in Rhodesian mythology until Zimbabwe's independence in 1980.Support the show

Send me a messageThe Castle Hill Rebellion: When Irish Revolutionaries Fought British Redcoats in Australia (1804)Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Become A PatronMake A DonationOn the morning of March 5th, 1804, the sound of musket fire echoed across the hills northwest of Sydney, marking the largest convict uprising in Australian history. But these weren't ordinary criminals - they were seasoned Irish revolutionaries who had already battled British forces during the 1798 United Irishmen revolt, and now they were making one final desperate bid for freedom on the other side of the world.This is the extraordinary story of the Castle Hill Rebellion, also known as the Battle of Vinegar Hill, when 300 Irish political prisoners led by Philip Cunningham attempted to seize control of the New South Wales penal colony, capture ships, and sail home to rejoin what they believed was an ongoing revolution in Ireland.Support the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap, telling stories from British history.This is the moment in 1843 when for 5 months the British occupied Hawaii.Not part of some master plan, but because a Royal Navy officer went way beyond his orders!Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a message48,000 shells in 2 Hours: Why Was Acre Attacked in 1840?Become A PatronMake A DonationIn November 1840, a British naval squadron unleashed one of the most devastating bombardments in military history against the ancient fortress of Acre. In just over two hours, Admiral Sir Robert Stopford's fleet fired 48,000 shells, reducing walls that had withstood Napoleon himself to rubble and killing over 1,000 defenders in a single magazine explosion.But why were British warships attacking this Syrian coastal fortress? The answer lies in the Oriental Crisis of 1840 - a forgotten conflict that nearly dismembered the Ottoman Empire and reshaped the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean.Support the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.The movie "Zulu"'s Greatest Injustice: The True Story of Henry Hook VC.Become A PatronMake A DonationIf you've watched the classic 1964 film "Zulu," you'll remember Henry Hook as a drunken, cowardly malingerer who miraculously finds his courage during the Battle of Rorke's Drift. But what if I told you the real Henry Hook was the exact OPPOSITE of his film portrayal?In this episode, we uncover the shocking truth about Alfred Henry Hook VC - a teetotal, model soldier who served his country for over 40 years. Far from being the cockney anti-hero played by James Booth, Hook was a dedicated soldier from Gloucestershire, not a London thief. He was a member of the Good Templars temperance society who completely abstained from alcohol. When the Zulus attacked, he wasn't malingering in bed but working as the hospital cook, preparing tea for patients.The real Hook was a skilled marksman who single-handedly held off Zulu warriors for hours, defending the hospital room by room with incredible bravery. He saved patients by carrying them to safety on his back, including the injured Private Connolly whose leg he broke again while dragging him through a hole in the wall to escape the flames and assegais.Discover how Hook's incredible real story of genuine heroism was completely distorted by Hollywood. Explore his post-war life working at the British Museum as a book duster, his struggles with literacy despite letters of support from Lord Chelmsford and the Prince of Wales, and how he became a minor celebrity wearing his Victoria Cross while visitors heard his battle stories.Learn about his continued military service with volunteer battalions for 20 years, rising to Instruction Sergeant, his troubled first marriage and happier second marriage to Ada Taylor, and his tragic early death from tuberculosis at just 54. I also examine his family's genuine distress at the film's inaccurate portrayal and debunk the myth about them storming out of the premiere.Support the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling forgotten stories from British history.The Forgotten Victory: Battle of Bomarsund 1854 - The Baltic Campaign That Shaped the Crimean WarBecome A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageChris Green is The History Chap; telling forgotten stories from British history.This is the story of Britain's forgotten naval port in China - Weihaiwei (1898-1930)Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageThe 1966 film "Khartoum" tells the story of General Charles Gordon and his battle with the Mahdi in Sudan.But how close to historical reality was the film?Chris Green is The History Chap; telling forgotten stories from British history.Become A PatronMake A DonationFAMILY HISTORY DRAMA : Unbelievable True StoriesWhether it's great lives or great tragedies, or just showing up for the adventure,...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send me a messageWhy did Britain end up fighting Russia in the Crimean War, 1854-56?Chris Green, is the History Chap; telling forgotten stories from British history.Become A PatronMake A DonationFAMILY HISTORY DRAMA : Unbelievable True StoriesWhether it's great lives or great tragedies, or just showing up for the adventure,...Listen on: Apple Podcasts SpotifySupport the show

Send me a messageThe story of the Anglo-Persian War of 1856-57 which still shapes Iranian attitudes towards Britain and the West.History casts a long shadow.Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageIn this episode, I uncover the remarkable story of Tristan da Cunha — a volcanic speck in the South Atlantic Ocean that became a strategic outpost during the final chapter of the Napoleonic Wars.Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageMost people know the Duke of Wellington for defeating Napoleon at Waterloo. But when asked which battle truly tested him, Wellington didn't name Waterloo. He said Assaye.Fought in the blistering heat of central India in 1803, the Battle of Assaye was Arthur Wellesley's first major command—and one of the most audacious victories in British military history. Outnumbered seven to one, with just 6,500 men and minimal artillery, Wellesley led a daring assault against a Maratha army of over 40,000 troops supported by more than 100 cannon.Become A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageJohn Dartnell: Veteran of the Zulu War, Indian Mutiny, and Boer War – The Forgotten Soldier of EmpireChris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Please Support My ShowBecome A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show

Send me a messageThe story of Yorkshireman, Stanley Hollis, the only man to be awarded a Victoria Cross on D-Day 1944.Chris Green is The History Chap; telling stories that brings the past to life.Please Support My ShowBecome A PatronMake A DonationSupport the show