Great video. Always thought personally that Bernard Cornwell missed a trick by putting Sharpe into the 95th, instead of the 5/60th. Mainly as the 5/60th were attached to various Brigades, so Sharpe could easily be placed at different engagements, where as the 95th at 1809 only served with the light brigade throughout the rest of the Peninsular war. Also a redcoat promoted through the ranks being sent to a 'foreign' unit was more likely than being commissioned into an elite corps like the 95th.
Yeah, he got around this by having Sharpe and his platoon getting detached from the 95th when the 95th was evacuated - he eventually ended up in command of the Light Company of a Line battalion. I don't think Sharpe ever served in the Light Brigade.
Fascinating stories!! It must be remembered that the Hanoverian Kings of England retained their German fiefs up until the beginning of the First World War, and so it was only natural for men from Hanover and Germany at large to serve in the British Army, notably in the King's German Legion. Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German head of state at the beginning of the Great War, was actually the honorary colonel in two British regiments (though he never showed up for parade).
Superb pod - my Great Grandfather was a Rifleman - 3rd Batt - KRRC - served 2nd Anglo Boer War, 1899 - 1914 and 2 years stationed in Bermuda, which funnily enough ties in with the 60th Caribbean postings discussed here. I've been a collector of Napoleonic era British Swords and ephemera for some years and an instructor of Regency period Broadsword, Sabre and Spadroon - you could say my personal interest in the 60th is closer to home than mere passing interest. Loved this chat! ( Also have a replica Baker ... & sword )
I'm really glad you liked it. Rob is an amazing guy. I'm quite envious of your family history and weapon collection. I'll be interviewing Rob from British muzzle loaders soon all about the Baker Rifle.
@@redcoathistory Lovely! Must have Baker material going forward and I'll be having a copy of your guests book also - I have collected a great deal of source material over the years in a tangential area to Riflemen but have as yet not set to putting it together in book form. Like your guest, my interests Historically run toward the obscure and fringe. Liked ( loved ) and subscribed!
Making a video about the 60th Rifles in the Peninsular War? Now that’s soldiering… What makes a good soldier? The ability to fire three rounds a minute in any weather.
The only rifles which caused alarm to the French were the windbuchsen used by the Austrian jagers. These troops fought in open order with the front rank armed with carbines (carabinerjager) and the second rank armed with rifles (stutzenjager). Behind them were a small number of men (usually senior NCOs or officers) who carried the air rifle what had a copper reservoir of compressed air and a breech-loading magazine of ten rounds. These men were protected by the first two ranks. There were neither smoke nor explosion and the rifle was generally accurate and with an effective range of up to 300yds, although range and accuracy would decline after about 20 rounds, unless the reservoir was changed. Reservoirs were re-charged in the field The Austrian jagers wore grey uniforms and, many of them being huntsmen, were adept at sniping from woodland and other cover. Napoleon apparently ordered that, upon capture with an air rifle, a prisoner could either be hanged or have his right arm cut off, at the discretion of the local commander.
I live in Pensacola, FLORIDA, U.S.A., prior and during the war of Independence we were happily defended by the Royal Americans and some of the Kings German Troops. The University of West FLORIDA has recovered artifacts relating to the Royal Americans through their Archaeology department. In Florida they often donned buckskins and worked with the Creek Indians to keep an eye on the French in Mobile, Alabama and the Spanish in South Florida. Great troops that when Britain tried to pull them out set off a writing campaign that got the redeployment canceled.
As a former infantryman veteran of 18 years in the former 1st battalion of Royal regiment of Fusiliers. I hope you will do a full video of the fusiliers some time.
My dad and at least one of his brothers were in the London Fusiliers in the late 1930’s until about late 1945, I can’t find anything about that battalion in order to match it with what he told me or my brothers.
@@petersone6172 I could be wrong but I think if you go through the comments here someone has a channel covering the Fusiliers. I'm afraid I can't remember the name off my head.
TY. These are important to Ol Blighty" and I love the resolve, and history, of my founding mother nation. Very glad to be a Canuck, and not living in a nation where the past, looks so much better than the future.
Great vid. Remember reading about Lockstadt and that he was one very few men known to have fought at both Fuentes D'Onoro & Albuera; battles fought 11 days and 300km apart!
WRT equipping troops with Baker rifles v muskets, there's also a supply / ammunition problem. You don't want to run out of ammunition because the QM only has musket rounds left and you have Baker rifles.
They don't require manufactured "rounds." Molding lead projectiles at home is easy. Military armorers could do so as well. The flint and powder are interchangeable. Low tech had its advantages.
@@stevek8829 Moulding in the peace and quiet of your own home may be easy, but less so in the field as you assume the equipment to do so is available and also the raw material, /and/ the time to do it. Most things are easier when you're not being shot at.
@@stevek8829 BTW the word 'rounds' doesn't need quotes as that's what they are called. The ball aka bullet, plus powder, encased in the paper packet is a single cartridge, aka a round.
@@julianmhall they do it in camp. There are specialists in the military, called armorers. The troops would also be adapt at this simple task, as were most shooters in the muzzle loading days. I explained before, it's low tech. They don't need to manufacture paper cartridges in an English factory. They don't need to wait till battle day either. Yea, I assume the equipment is there. US Mountain Men would had molds as they travel. A large army does as well, it's what they do for a living. Of course rifle and musket powder are interchangeable. We're not talking pistol vs. artillery powder. Basically everything you said is wrong, twice. You're welcome. Thanks for telling me you could call musket balls "rounds." You guys who know jack love to share. Do you actually think a paper cartridge is essential, like a modern case? They're only a convenience.
@@stevek8829 Typical know-all Yank. Conflating MODERN practices with what the army would have done over a century ago. Bored now with your arrogant belief you know everything. Oh and YOU are the one who put rounds in quotes not me, so get your facts right.
Yes, I don't know anything about them but they sound fascinating. I know many of the German troops settled in SA after the war and some fought in the Zulu war.
Love this stuff, and for me its the same, it all started with the Sharpe tv show from the 90s, it was so good, very well put together and written, Sean Been was a great choice, and then there was hornblower, another great tv show, that was 2 amazing British tv serie. proper period tv, not the crap they do now adays. the only worthwhile show I would look at now is sumthing like outlander which reminds me a kinda of the old stuff they used to make, but sadly I think I'm nearly sure outlander is an American show.
Correct, before the rifle regiments each British battalion had a light company made up of the fittest and fastest men, and a grenadier company made up of the biggest and strongest men. It really grips my tits that in almost all wargames dealing with the era, light infantry are hopeless if they get into melee, whereas in fact the reverse was true!
I purchased a baker rifle kit about 10 years ago after going on a Bernard Cornwell binge. I love the sharp series for what it is, pulp novels set in the Napoleonic Wars. I found the baker rifle to be a handy little unit, I remember as a child thinking that the drawings of wood cuts of rifleman were inaccurate because the rifles were so short. Basically almost a proto bullpup, because the rifle barrel increases accuracy well not suffering as much from a shorter barrel length. I think the rifle units could have benefited from issue of one or even two pistols, for close range work. I know the sword band that was supposed to fill that role and I do have a reproduction for my Baker rifle, but that is one unwieldy blade. It looks badass however!
It is only the last century where army, and Britons in service to it, are more common in family history. From the new model army to WW1 conscription our countries untied have always bulked out with other nationals . Germanic states providing much of the manpower.
Britain raised 14,000 foreign mercenaries during the Crimean war. They were refered to by their nation of origin. The British German Legion was given the option of settling in South Africa under their commanding officer Baron von Stutterheim as 'military settlers'. 2000 moved there. After the Indian mutiny broke out, a 1000 of them went to India.
@@redcoathistory Ahhh fair enough.. that bastion of knowledge (yeah not so much) says it was a British army unit of ex-pats- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_German_Legion
When you include the KGL Light Infantry, the Brunswick Jaegers and the Atirador Companies of the Cacadores, it looks like only about one in three of riflemen in the British Army in the Peninsula was British.
My favorite what if has been; Washington after his service during the French and Indian War sought a commission in the Regular Army. What if Horse Guards had allowed him to purchase a captaincy in the 60th.
THIS IS GREAT I CAN ONLY HOPE MORE CAN LEARN ABOUT THIS ERA OF GREAT HISTORY....WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM HISTORY....AMEN..WELL DONE Soon I will win 8 lawsuites n i will help around june ok thank you buddy..
Great Grandfather - 2KRRC. Grandfather - 1KRRC. Father 2GJ KRRC. Me - 2RGJ, of whom the KRRC was the antecedent regiment. I’m going to lay down a challenge that - although I haven’t written a book or a thesis, I know as much as anybody about the history of MY Régiment from its inception to its demise…..
I have read the sharpe series 9 1/2:times. On sharpes gold for 10th read. Just bot and watched 5x the films. And i beeded more so i wrote a sharpe inspired tale. Redcoat on front cover. Just finished book 4 in series. Cant get enough bernard and redcoat. Oh i have myself and talent dressed in redcosts. Deer skin coats and girls in expensive 1800s dresses going to bookstores promoting my books. Over 400 shows.
If you want to cover an ammazing subject about foreigners in the british army, there's the chasseurs Britanniques Regiment wich me and Ifriends are reenacting
The high cost to maintain because of Rifling. WTF, is he on about? To clean a barrel is the same on all firearms....Rag,Oil,and Ramrod/Pullcord. The cost was higher because of Precision Sights,hand made parts. What a plonker😂😂😂
Hi Ryan - we are real people doing this for love...sadly we aren't professionals with a budget and presenter training. Hopefully you will enjoy some of the other videos. All the best mate.
For God's sake get a guest that can formulate and expel a sentence without stuttering and going "uh uh, you know uh uh" all the time. Just because this bloke wrote a book doesn't make him a person to give an intelligent interview. This has been very painful to view.
And they went on to become a battalion of the Royal Green Jackets. Ah yes Fredrickson. "Soldiers are dirty. Rifles are clean - Sir."
Great video. Always thought personally that Bernard Cornwell missed a trick by putting Sharpe into the 95th, instead of the 5/60th.
Mainly as the 5/60th were attached to various Brigades, so Sharpe could easily be placed at different engagements, where as the 95th at 1809 only served with the light brigade throughout the rest of the Peninsular war. Also a redcoat promoted through the ranks being sent to a 'foreign' unit was more likely than being commissioned into an elite corps like the 95th.
Good point - the 5/60th would have been a better fit.
Yeah, he got around this by having Sharpe and his platoon getting detached from the 95th when the 95th was evacuated - he eventually ended up in command of the Light Company of a Line battalion. I don't think Sharpe ever served in the Light Brigade.
95th originally not seen as elite as in fashionable. They recruited from awkward and misfits more than others
Be great if you could do a piece on the New Zealand wars. I think at its peak 15000 red coats were posted to NZ
Thanks Bruce / I may do one day mate 👍🏼
Yes it would be great if you could and Bruce could help you out i think.
Including my great grandfather.
Fascinating stories!! It must be remembered that the Hanoverian Kings of England retained their German fiefs up until the beginning of the First World War, and so it was only natural for men from Hanover and Germany at large to serve in the British Army, notably in the King's German Legion. Kaiser Wilhelm II, the German head of state at the beginning of the Great War, was actually the honorary colonel in two British regiments (though he never showed up for parade).
The 60th shows up in the Sharpe's books in Sharpe's piratical colleague, the wonderfully villainous and secretly soft-hearted captain Sweet William.
Superb pod - my Great Grandfather was a Rifleman - 3rd Batt - KRRC - served 2nd Anglo Boer War, 1899 - 1914 and 2 years stationed in Bermuda, which funnily enough ties in with the 60th Caribbean postings discussed here. I've been a collector of Napoleonic era British Swords and ephemera for some years and an instructor of Regency period Broadsword, Sabre and Spadroon - you could say my personal interest in the 60th is closer to home than mere passing interest. Loved this chat! ( Also have a replica Baker ... & sword )
I'm really glad you liked it. Rob is an amazing guy. I'm quite envious of your family history and weapon collection. I'll be interviewing Rob from British muzzle loaders soon all about the Baker Rifle.
@@redcoathistory Lovely! Must have Baker material going forward and I'll be having a copy of your guests book also - I have collected a great deal of source material over the years in a tangential area to Riflemen but have as yet not set to putting it together in book form. Like your guest, my interests Historically run toward the obscure and fringe. Liked ( loved ) and subscribed!
Making a video about the 60th Rifles in the Peninsular War?
Now that’s soldiering…
What makes a good soldier? The ability to fire three rounds a minute in any weather.
Do you know what’s make’s a good soldier Frederickson
Yes Sir, keeping your mouth shut when a superior officer ask a done for question Sir
@@thebullfrog9416 when a superior officer ask a damn' fool question Sir
The only rifles which caused alarm to the French were the windbuchsen used by the Austrian jagers. These troops fought in open order with the front rank armed with carbines (carabinerjager) and the second rank armed with rifles (stutzenjager). Behind them were a small number of men (usually senior NCOs or officers) who carried the air rifle what had a copper reservoir of compressed air and a breech-loading magazine of ten rounds. These men were protected by the first two ranks. There were neither smoke nor explosion and the rifle was generally accurate and with an effective range of up to 300yds, although range and accuracy would decline after about 20 rounds, unless the reservoir was changed. Reservoirs were re-charged in the field
The Austrian jagers wore grey uniforms and, many of them being huntsmen, were adept at sniping from woodland and other cover. Napoleon apparently ordered that, upon capture with an air rifle, a prisoner could either be hanged or have his right arm cut off, at the discretion of the local commander.
I live in Pensacola, FLORIDA, U.S.A., prior and during the war of Independence we were happily defended by the Royal Americans and some of the Kings German Troops. The University of West FLORIDA has recovered artifacts relating to the Royal Americans through their Archaeology department. In Florida they often donned buckskins and worked with the Creek Indians to keep an eye on the French in Mobile, Alabama and the Spanish in South Florida. Great troops that when Britain tried to pull them out set off a writing campaign that got the redeployment canceled.
Thanks, Dan - that is great info - thanks a lot!
As a former infantryman veteran of 18 years in the former 1st battalion of Royal regiment of Fusiliers. I hope you will do a full video of the fusiliers some time.
Would love to mate!
My dad and at least one of his brothers were in the London Fusiliers in the late 1930’s until about late 1945, I can’t find anything about that battalion in order to match it with what he told me or my brothers.
@@petersone6172 I could be wrong but I think if you go through the comments here someone has a channel covering the Fusiliers. I'm afraid I can't remember the name off my head.
@@redcoathistory thanks i will have a look.
TY. These are important to Ol Blighty" and I love the resolve, and history, of my founding mother nation. Very glad to be a Canuck, and not living in a nation where the past, looks so much better than the future.
Great vid. Remember reading about Lockstadt and that he was one very few men known to have fought at both Fuentes D'Onoro & Albuera; battles fought 11 days and 300km apart!
Legendary, these guys give Soult a headache in 1813 to 1814.
WRT equipping troops with Baker rifles v muskets, there's also a supply / ammunition problem. You don't want to run out of ammunition because the QM only has musket rounds left and you have Baker rifles.
They don't require manufactured "rounds." Molding lead projectiles at home is easy. Military armorers could do so as well. The flint and powder are interchangeable. Low tech had its advantages.
@@stevek8829 Moulding in the peace and quiet of your own home may be easy, but less so in the field as you assume the equipment to do so is available and also the raw material, /and/ the time to do it. Most things are easier when you're not being shot at.
@@stevek8829 BTW the word 'rounds' doesn't need quotes as that's what they are called. The ball aka bullet, plus powder, encased in the paper packet is a single cartridge, aka a round.
@@julianmhall they do it in camp. There are specialists in the military, called armorers. The troops would also be adapt at this simple task, as were most shooters in the muzzle loading days. I explained before, it's low tech. They don't need to manufacture paper cartridges in an English factory. They don't need to wait till battle day either.
Yea, I assume the equipment is there. US Mountain Men would had molds as they travel. A large army does as well, it's what they do for a living. Of course rifle and musket powder are interchangeable. We're not talking pistol vs. artillery powder. Basically everything you said is wrong, twice. You're welcome.
Thanks for telling me you could call musket balls "rounds." You guys who know jack love to share. Do you actually think a paper cartridge is essential, like a modern case? They're only a convenience.
@@stevek8829 Typical know-all Yank. Conflating MODERN practices with what the army would have done over a century ago. Bored now with your arrogant belief you know everything. Oh and YOU are the one who put rounds in quotes not me, so get your facts right.
British Swiss Legion of Crimean war would be a cool subject.
Yes, I don't know anything about them but they sound fascinating. I know many of the German troops settled in SA after the war and some fought in the Zulu war.
Very interesting , educational and entertaining. Really enjoyed it.
Love this stuff, and for me its the same, it all started with the Sharpe tv show from the 90s, it was so good, very well put together and written, Sean Been was a great choice, and then there was hornblower, another great tv show, that was 2 amazing British tv serie. proper period tv, not the crap they do now adays.
the only worthwhile show I would look at now is sumthing like outlander which reminds me a kinda of the old stuff they used to make, but sadly I think I'm nearly sure outlander is an American show.
What a great podcast, thank you.
Thanks for listening
British infantry battalions had had Light Company since well before the American War of Independence. 1776-83.
Correct, before the rifle regiments each British battalion had a light company made up of the fittest and fastest men, and a grenadier company made up of the biggest and strongest men. It really grips my tits that in almost all wargames dealing with the era, light infantry are hopeless if they get into melee, whereas in fact the reverse was true!
I purchased a baker rifle kit about 10 years ago after going on a Bernard Cornwell binge. I love the sharp series for what it is, pulp novels set in the Napoleonic Wars. I found the baker rifle to be a handy little unit, I remember as a child thinking that the drawings of wood cuts of rifleman were inaccurate because the rifles were so short. Basically almost a proto bullpup, because the rifle barrel increases accuracy well not suffering as much from a shorter barrel length. I think the rifle units could have benefited from issue of one or even two pistols, for close range work. I know the sword band that was supposed to fill that role and I do have a reproduction for my Baker rifle, but that is one unwieldy blade. It looks badass however!
Good economy of force muxing with light companies.
Also addresses concerns about rate of fire.
Love it keep it coming
It is only the last century where army, and Britons in service to it, are more common in family history. From the new model army to WW1 conscription our countries untied have always bulked out with other nationals . Germanic states providing much of the manpower.
Great video!
Britain raised 14,000 foreign mercenaries during the Crimean war. They were refered to by their nation of origin. The British German Legion was given the option of settling in South Africa under their commanding officer Baron von Stutterheim as 'military settlers'. 2000 moved there. After the Indian mutiny broke out, a 1000 of them went to India.
Major weakness of Napoleon was that he didn't change his fighting resources.
Should have simple to create jaegar regimts from german allies
At close range riflemen fired a ball with out a patch which made it loading as fast as Brown Bess
Yes - great stuff - I’ll be covering that in February episode with Rob from British muzzle loaders so I think you’ll like it 👍🏼
Britain's Foreign Legion? What about the KGL? The King's German Legion were pretty foreign.
But my understanding was that the KGL were essentially the Hanoverian army serving with the British, not a British regiment…
@@redcoathistory Ahhh fair enough.. that bastion of knowledge (yeah not so much) says it was a British army unit of ex-pats- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/King%27s_German_Legion
@@redcoathistory the same article says they became part of the Hanoverian army /later/.. so may be the were before /and/ after?
When you include the KGL Light Infantry, the Brunswick Jaegers and the Atirador Companies of the Cacadores, it looks like only about one in three of riflemen in the British Army in the Peninsula was British.
I once lost the Kings colors… and Major Hogan paid for it with his life. Good thing I had friends at Horse Guards.
Don’t worry Sharpe will regain the honour of the south Essex
Lennox 🤦♂️
Given literacy levels at the time, memoirs of ORs are particularly valuable as they show a 'bottom up' view.
rifles cost about 3x a smoothbore, as well as reload speed issues
My favorite what if has been; Washington after his service during the French and Indian War sought a commission in the Regular Army. What if Horse Guards had allowed him to purchase a captaincy in the 60th.
It's a great book, I look forward to listening.
Thanks Nathan, not long to wait now
Great stuff, keep it coming.
Cheers, Martin!
Celer et Audax. Or alternatively, "BEER BEER BEER BEER BEER said the Riflemen, very merry men are we!"
I suspect thete were lots of retired soldiers who didn't cope in civilian lufe similar to today
I started reading a book.. twenty five years in the rifle Brigade... William Surtees...
THIS IS GREAT I CAN ONLY HOPE MORE CAN LEARN ABOUT THIS ERA OF GREAT HISTORY....WE CAN ALL LEARN FROM HISTORY....AMEN..WELL DONE Soon I will win 8 lawsuites n i will help around june ok thank you buddy..
CS Forester book Death to the French... Before Bernard C....
Read it50+ years ago.... Hornblower series I believe...
One of the reasons the 5/60 are not so we’ll know is they didn’t service as one unit , units were attached to others . Unlike the 95th
Correct Graham - a shame they dont get more recognition.
Great Grandfather - 2KRRC. Grandfather - 1KRRC. Father 2GJ KRRC. Me - 2RGJ, of whom the KRRC was the antecedent regiment. I’m going to lay down a challenge that - although I haven’t written a book or a thesis, I know as much as anybody about the history of MY Régiment from its inception to its demise…..
could u show us what the medal looked like with all the clasps
@0:47 It's Captain William Frederikson. 😅
I have read the sharpe series 9 1/2:times. On sharpes gold for 10th read. Just bot and watched 5x the films. And i beeded more so i wrote a sharpe inspired tale. Redcoat on front cover. Just finished book 4 in series. Cant get enough bernard and redcoat. Oh i have myself and talent dressed in redcosts. Deer skin coats and girls in expensive 1800s dresses going to bookstores promoting my books. Over 400 shows.
I had too, I HAD to just reach out and touch me Dyson Baker..!
Great... I didn't know GB had a forein legion
Subd and also signed up to newsletter
Brilliant - thanks and hope you like it
If you want to cover an ammazing subject about foreigners in the british army, there's the chasseurs Britanniques Regiment wich me and Ifriends are reenacting
Second ,that nz request.
Hunters bring other skills as well as shooting rifles.
Moving quietly and thinking independently
Early Special Forces?
Condemned to serve in Canada!? No yellow fever here 🍁. Local militia 🍁had green uniforms during the War of 1812
Correct, Sir.
Very interesting and informative video, only marred by the constant and extremely irritating 'y'know', sometimes three times in a sentence.
Sorry about that we will strive to do better, Sir.
Enydoy this podcast, but M8 please lose the "Um Ah"... ❤
Nobody wrote a mémoire because they were too busy fighting and not poncing about like the 95th……….. CetA
Have you shot any Frogs yet?
The high cost to maintain because of Rifling. WTF, is he on about? To clean a barrel is the same on all firearms....Rag,Oil,and Ramrod/Pullcord. The cost was higher because of Precision Sights,hand made parts.
What a plonker😂😂😂
I regret that I found the interviewee very boring by his repetative use of "Ya know" spoilt the flow of the story. -. I had to switch him off.
Fair play John. Personally I thought this interview was fascinating, but each to their own 👍🏻 - I hope you will watch and enjoy other videos.
Why are the guests unlistenable? Um Um UM um Um Um Um Um Um Um Um Um
This commentator is too hard to listen to.
swiss baitish regiment
You know, you know, you know every second sentence.
You lost me, I couldn't concentrate.
Try to fix that and you'll pull in a bigger audience 👍
Hi Ryan - we are real people doing this for love...sadly we aren't professionals with a budget and presenter training. Hopefully you will enjoy some of the other videos. All the best mate.
For God's sake get a guest that can formulate and expel a sentence without stuttering and going "uh uh, you know uh uh" all the time. Just because this bloke wrote a book doesn't make him a person to give an intelligent interview. This has been very painful to view.
Maybe you should come on the show. You are clearly perfect.
Britain's foreign legion now would have to be the Gurkas.
Got a video about the Gurkhas next week 👍🏼
@@redcoathistory oh Brill.. Can't wait 👍👍👍