The Coldstream Guards 1815 bayonet charge the crowd at Kedleston hall 2010 Facebook Page - coldstream.reenactment?fref=ts Website - www.coldstreamguards1815.org.uk/
0:45 when the announcers says '' and then they are going to come and stick their bayonets in you'' a little girl yells ''mommy!!!'' and she responds ''they are not going to do anything!'' hahaha
I even felt the terror on my ipad when they start the death march and charge, i always wonder how could someone hold position before machine gun when he saw a line infantry charging against him
One problem with the description here--they would already have bayonets fixed the entire time. They would have been loading and shooting with them attached from the moment they hit the field. While it looks dramatic to fix bayonets for a demonstration for tourists, that's not how it worked in practice.
I'd say the British probably had some of the highest quality troops, alongside the Prussians. Since early on, the British didn't have to commit to fighting Napoleon as much as the other nations in Europe, they had the time and funds to field a well-trained, well equipped (albeit rather small) army. So, their infantry soldiers were pretty close to the best, individually speaking. Cavalry, maybe not so much...
I've been reading all these comments below and I have a few things to say. Firstly at the start of the battle the French outnumbered the British by 20,000 troops who were mainly previously part of Napoleon Grande Armée and were highly experienced and trained. On the other hand the British had several regiments that were just as experienced as the French, however the British also had inexperienced regiments, some untested in battle, making parts of the British expeditionary force not as reliable in holding ground. Moreover to agree with the below comments the British did have some other coalition troops lead by Wellington, however many of these troops broke (Nassaus and Brunswickers) as a result of musketry as well as the well- known french cavalry attack that almost destroyed British regiments as French artillery pounded the square formations between each cavalry attack. Therefore some did not contribute to major stages of the battle (Hougoumont and defeating the Old guard). However the Germans at La Haye Saint definitely contributed to the French defeat and many historians believe that if they didn't hold until late hours Wellington may have lost the battle. Now even though weather and illness prevented maximum results for the French, something that has to be admired about the British is that they held under extreme pressure by more French troops and with good discipline and tactics in defence and actually offense (many French accounts say that the British excelled in defence), the British routed French troops (even the Old Guard) and held even with minimal men e.g. Hougoumont and La Haye Saint. Another thing to remember is that Napoleon kept to himself that the Prussians had arrived and French troops routed from the British without knowing fully that the Prussians had arrived.
Mostly true. Presumably you are talking about Waterloo. Actually, the Prussians, while certainly late to the party, arrived on the battlefield earlier than most people admit, and drew away most of Napoleon's final reserves, leaving literally nothing but his Old Guard yet unengaged. The French Army routed because they had been fighting all day, the Old Guard had been routed, and the Prussians were, by that time, unchecked in the French rear. And don't forget that about half of the "British" army at Waterloo came from various allied nations (i.e. the low countries).
Richard Johns No they didn't, because those 20,000 Troops were fighting the Prussians and were beaten by Von Blucher so Wellington and Napoleon were evenly matched. The British in the Battle were experienced while the majority of the French Troops were inexperienced fighting their first Campaign yet the French were beating Wellington until the Arrival of the Prussians which broke the French Morale. Had the Prussians not shown up then Wellington would've been defeated.
Highly trained my ass, those highly trained and experienced soldiers died in the invasion of Russia and then finished off in the German Campaign of 1813 by then he only had inexperienced conscripts and maybe a regiment or two of some veterans.
Lmao that narrator definitely made a core memory for that poor little girl 😂 😂 😂 😂 “they’re coming with pointy stabby thing and they’re coming for you” looooooool that girl said NOPE
oh yeah? how come the coldstream guards held fort hugomont at waterloo fighting off wave after wave of french infantry and wellington sending minimal reinforcemants?
I just love French excuses Salamanca was such 'bad luck' for them.. Or perhaps blaming us for their defeat in 1940 when British troops made up less than 1/10th out of the allied force. Ouch!
Not fixing bayonets is common in re-enactment; bayonets are greatly feared for their potential for accidents. Therefore, it's often possible to watch battles where bayonets are never fixed, or displays where they are only used for particular portions of the display. On the continent there's also considerable dislike of using ramrods, safety being the excuse again.
they said that "it takes three years to build a ship but 300 years to build a tradition", well you don't rebuild an impeccable fighting machine like La Grande Armee in 3 years, specially taking into account that they were 3 years of constant war!!
You guys looks very authentic. I am an American, but I am going to try and put together a kit for Waterloo 2015! Any interest in a couple yank Coldstreamers coming over?
There is an ethnic division, it's not an assumption it's fact. The Scottish and British have a recognized difference and the fact that a large amount of them want to secede only furthers the point that there is a difference and it is growing.
@CapitaineGuynemer Each to your own beliefs my friend.... Remeber that the British were outnumbered at the start of Waterloo. The French made many fatal mistakes causing huge losses. Plus, it was more that the British stuck it out, rather than the French, they were the ones advancing onto our lines. We just held our positions until Blucher turned up. The Commentator does know his stuff, he is a good friend of mine and has spent many, many years reenacting and studying the period.
@CapitaineGuynemer I'm sure they didn't just run...but how can you compare a continental army with a much smaller collonial army? The french lost in the end not only at Waterloo but in general with Napoleon's overconfidence. The man who lead them to so many victories was the one had was there demise. The British couldn't have won alone. We all know how French had even beaten there enemies when they were half in number. But did the French face the biggest cavalry charge in history?
@ColdstreamGuards1815 The Prussian soldiers were probably the best, aswell as the most modest in Europe. They were far more disciplined and proffesional than the British soldiers. I would say the French were probably the second best, and damn near to equals with the Prussians. The British benefitted from good leadership at the right time, aswell as use of better tactics than the French at times. The French liked to march into battle in deep columns which really wasn't a good idea.
Oh, and the Brits were not outnumbered at the start of Waterloo in terms of troops opposing each other on the field. In actuality the French were always outnumbered. At Waterloo Napoleon was only able to put about 2/3rds of his force against Wellington, the other 1/3rd were kept in reserve on the right to fight the Prussians both he and Wellington knew were coming--and who did show up mid to late afternoon to turn the tide.
Here's the thing people, the British troops were well trained, this is true, but they weren't the best by any means. At Waterloo it was the combined efforts of Dutch/Belgians, British, Scottish and Germans (Prussian and Brunswickers) that beat Napoleon, not just the British.
@CapitaineGuynemer Hang on, so you are saying that highly trained, professional soldiers, were worse than conscripts?! The French feared the British, read the accounts and you will see. The fact that the British were the only ones to repeatedly defeat French columns, does tend to suggest that they were good at what they did!
Oh the arrogance. Highly trained professionals and reluctant conscripts. You can also view it from opposite point of view and say British army was full of the worst scum of the British society (and indeed British officers often pointed this out) wheareas the French were all patrotic men who fought in defense of revolution. The truth is somewhere in between.
Not at all, they may be part of the United Kingdom (for now) but the British and Scottish have a clear ethnic division. Scottish people actually want to secede from the UK actually.
@ColdstreamGuards1815 What the fuck??? Wellington lost several battles in Spain against Masséna, and the Brits were about to break at Waterloo, Blucher and the Prussians saved them.
0:45 when the announcers says '' and then they are going to come and stick their bayonets in you'' a little girl yells ''mommy!!!'' and she responds ''they are not going to do anything!'' hahaha
Brilliant haha
Loved the narrator... xD
"Psychotic redcoats" ... Lol
I even felt the terror on my ipad when they start the death march and charge, i always wonder how could someone hold position before machine gun when he saw a line infantry charging against him
Id piss in my pants and run LMAO
Grapeshot, might just slow them down. I'm not saying it will stop them. Thinking about it, that just might make them angrier.
That’s why infantry were also trained to stand disciplined
One problem with the description here--they would already have bayonets fixed the entire time. They would have been loading and shooting with them attached from the moment they hit the field. While it looks dramatic to fix bayonets for a demonstration for tourists, that's not how it worked in practice.
I'd say the British probably had some of the highest quality troops, alongside the Prussians. Since early on, the British didn't have to commit to fighting Napoleon as much as the other nations in Europe, they had the time and funds to field a well-trained, well equipped (albeit rather small) army. So, their infantry soldiers were pretty close to the best, individually speaking. Cavalry, maybe not so much...
Until they got beat by a bunch of farmers
@FIB dude the napoleonic wars were well after the revolutionary War, plus without French aid in the war we surely would have lost.
I've been reading all these comments below and I have a few things to say. Firstly at the start of the battle the French outnumbered the British by 20,000 troops who were mainly previously part of Napoleon Grande Armée and were highly experienced and trained. On the other hand the British had several regiments that were just as experienced as the French, however the British also had inexperienced regiments, some untested in battle, making parts of the British expeditionary force not as reliable in holding ground. Moreover to agree with the below comments the British did have some other coalition troops lead by Wellington, however many of these troops broke (Nassaus and Brunswickers) as a result of musketry as well as the well- known french cavalry attack that almost destroyed British regiments as French artillery pounded the square formations between each cavalry attack. Therefore some did not contribute to major stages of the battle (Hougoumont and defeating the Old guard). However the Germans at La Haye Saint definitely contributed to the French defeat and many historians believe that if they didn't hold until late hours Wellington may have lost the battle. Now even though weather and illness prevented maximum results for the French, something that has to be admired about the British is that they held under extreme pressure by more French troops and with good discipline and tactics in defence and actually offense (many French accounts say that the British excelled in defence), the British routed French troops (even the Old Guard) and held even with minimal men e.g. Hougoumont and La Haye Saint. Another thing to remember is that Napoleon kept to himself that the Prussians had arrived and French troops routed from the British without knowing fully that the Prussians had arrived.
Shut up, Meg.
Mostly true. Presumably you are talking about Waterloo. Actually, the Prussians, while certainly late to the party, arrived on the battlefield earlier than most people admit, and drew away most of Napoleon's final reserves, leaving literally nothing but his Old Guard yet unengaged. The French Army routed because they had been fighting all day, the Old Guard had been routed, and the Prussians were, by that time, unchecked in the French rear. And don't forget that about half of the "British" army at Waterloo came from various allied nations (i.e. the low countries).
StonewallSharpeson I will not forget lol
Richard Johns No they didn't, because those 20,000 Troops were fighting the Prussians and were beaten by Von Blucher so Wellington and Napoleon were evenly matched. The British in the Battle were experienced while the majority of the French Troops were inexperienced fighting their first Campaign yet the French were beating Wellington until the Arrival of the Prussians which broke the French Morale. Had the Prussians not shown up then Wellington would've been defeated.
Highly trained my ass, those highly trained and experienced soldiers died in the invasion of Russia and then finished off in the German Campaign of 1813 by then he only had inexperienced conscripts and maybe a regiment or two of some veterans.
Cameraman as always invincible lol
Lmao that narrator definitely made a core memory for that poor little girl 😂 😂 😂 😂 “they’re coming with pointy stabby thing and they’re coming for you” looooooool that girl said NOPE
oh yeah? how come the coldstream guards held fort hugomont at waterloo fighting off wave after wave of french infantry and wellington sending minimal reinforcemants?
no worries, hopefully going to be getting some more videos up, rather than the picture ones
Great Video!!! Really nice to see a group of well trained soldiers...keep it up!
The blase, sarcastic narration made this way better than if it was a silent demonstration.
I just love French excuses Salamanca was such 'bad luck' for them.. Or perhaps blaming us for their defeat in 1940 when British troops made up less than 1/10th out of the allied force.
Ouch!
Every country has its embarrassing defeats, some more than others.
Well, at leqst the French offered some resistance, Brits just legged it for Dunkirk straight away.
When Britain couldn't even hold onto a Colony less than a few hours sail across the Irish sea in 1916.....
The old French: "heheeehhehhehehhehehe"
@@TheCheesybeef Like Germany? they lost two great Wars.
You guys do look sharp though, even with the dramatic and ahistorical fixing of bayonets at the last moment. ;-) Well done!
Not fixing bayonets is common in re-enactment; bayonets are greatly feared for their potential for accidents. Therefore, it's often possible to watch battles where bayonets are never fixed, or displays where they are only used for particular portions of the display.
On the continent there's also considerable dislike of using ramrods, safety being the excuse again.
1:07 when her parents aren't home
they said that "it takes three years to build a ship but 300 years to build a tradition", well you don't rebuild an impeccable fighting machine like La Grande Armee in 3 years, specially taking into account that they were 3 years of constant war!!
Those uniforms looking crisp.
@Iyetube Many thanks! :)
@CapitaineGuynemer The French were "tired from the retreat in Russia"? What? It took them nearly three years to recover? The poor little lambs.
@CapitaineGuynemer Trafalgar, my amphibian friend.
You guys looks very authentic. I am an American, but I am going to try and put together a kit for Waterloo 2015! Any interest in a couple yank Coldstreamers coming over?
There is an ethnic division, it's not an assumption it's fact. The Scottish and British have a recognized difference and the fact that a large amount of them want to secede only furthers the point that there is a difference and it is growing.
@MrStig691 You're wrong. Read Knees Schulten's book "Waterloo".
brawo Wellington's infantry
ug...grass stains! on white trousers! man thats a pain to wash
bye bye french at the end of the charge
@CapitaineGuynemer I'm sure that the French were brave as much as the Coldstream...but the level of discipline wasn't equal I'm afraid.
@CapitaineGuynemer Each to your own beliefs my friend.... Remeber that the British were outnumbered at the start of Waterloo. The French made many fatal mistakes causing huge losses. Plus, it was more that the British stuck it out, rather than the French, they were the ones advancing onto our lines. We just held our positions until Blucher turned up.
The Commentator does know his stuff, he is a good friend of mine and has spent many, many years reenacting and studying the period.
You attack khartoum solder
@CapitaineGuynemer I'm sure they didn't just run...but how can you compare a continental army with a much smaller collonial army?
The french lost in the end not only at Waterloo but in general with Napoleon's overconfidence. The man who lead them to so many victories was the one had was there demise.
The British couldn't have won alone. We all know how French had even beaten there enemies when they were half in number. But did the French face the biggest cavalry charge in history?
@ColdstreamGuards1815 The Prussian soldiers were probably the best, aswell as the most modest in Europe. They were far more disciplined and proffesional than the British soldiers. I would say the French were probably the second best, and damn near to equals with the Prussians. The British benefitted from good leadership at the right time, aswell as use of better tactics than the French at times. The French liked to march into battle in deep columns which really wasn't a good idea.
Oh, and the Brits were not outnumbered at the start of Waterloo in terms of troops opposing each other on the field. In actuality the French were always outnumbered. At Waterloo Napoleon was only able to put about 2/3rds of his force against Wellington, the other 1/3rd were kept in reserve on the right to fight the Prussians both he and Wellington knew were coming--and who did show up mid to late afternoon to turn the tide.
Here's the thing people, the British troops were well trained, this is true, but they weren't the best by any means. At Waterloo it was the combined efforts of Dutch/Belgians, British, Scottish and Germans (Prussian and Brunswickers) that beat Napoleon, not just the British.
@CapitaineGuynemer Hang on, so you are saying that highly trained, professional soldiers, were worse than conscripts?! The French feared the British, read the accounts and you will see. The fact that the British were the only ones to repeatedly defeat French columns, does tend to suggest that they were good at what they did!
Oh the arrogance. Highly trained professionals and reluctant conscripts. You can also view it from opposite point of view and say British army was full of the worst scum of the British society (and indeed British officers often pointed this out) wheareas the French were all patrotic men who fought in defense of revolution. The truth is somewhere in between.
lmao Capitaine Got - stuffed ! the french were as they still are not up to the job period.
im sorry but you are wrong
Not at all, they may be part of the United Kingdom (for now) but the British and Scottish have a clear ethnic division. Scottish people actually want to secede from the UK actually.
I disliked 18 century british military uniforms
Well that's handy because those are 19th century uniforms!
@ColdstreamGuards1815 What the fuck??? Wellington lost several battles in Spain against Masséna, and the Brits were about to break at Waterloo, Blucher and the Prussians saved them.
Nice