The History Chap Podcast

Send me a message A colonial confrontation in Africa that nearly led to an all-out war between Britain & France. Get in touch at my website: thehistorychap.com Support the Show.

Send me a message Richard Todd - who played Major John Howard in the epic film about D-Day 1944 ("The Longest Day") was actually a D-Day veteran. Indeed, he was part of the airborne landings that had captured Pegasus Bridge, alongside Major Howard himself. This is the story of his D-Day experiences. Now listen to the full account of Major Howard and the battle of Pegasus Bridge Get my free weekly newsletter Support the Show.

Send me a message The Battle of Pegasus Bridge was fought just after midnight on the 6th June 1944, when 180 British airborne troops, led by Major John Howard successfully captured 2 bridges in Normandy. This action, helped secure the eastern flank of the seaborne landings 6 hours later. The capture and then holding of those two bridges by the numerically outnumbered British airborne troops is a stirring story in itself. But what makes it even more incredible is the skill of the young pilots who landed their gliders, some just 50 meters from the bridges, in the dark night, thus catching the defenders by complete surprise. This is the story of those glider pilots, the men under Major Howard and the battle of Pegasus Bridge on the 6th June 1944. Get my free weekly history newsletter Check out episode 113 about the D-Day weathermen. Support the Show.

Send me a message This is the little-told story about the weather forecasters who prevented a disaster on D Day 1944. Get my free weekly history newsletter Support the Show.

Send me a message Exercise Tiger was a large-scale dress rehearsal for the D-Day landings in 1944 that went horribly wrong. A friendly fire incident was compounded when high-speed German torpedo boats intercepted an American convoy off the coast of Southern England. Over 700 men were killed, more than were killed on Utah beach on D-Day itself! Support my work by becoming a patron or simply get my free weekly newsletter. Click here Support the Show.

Send me a message General Sir William Butler, was an enigmatic member of Sir Garnet Wolseley’s Ashanti Ring of officers in the British Army during the late 19th century. And yet, despite being part of Queen Victoria’s army as it painted large parts of the globe British red, he was also a passionate supporter of Irish Home Rule and of Boer Independence in South Africa. Indeed, there was a brief moment when he came tantalisingly close to preventing the 2nd Boer War. And how history might have been different if he had done so. Become a Patron or get my free weekly newsletter Other episodes that link to this talk: 56 The Ashanti Ring 66 The Nile Expedition to Rescue General Gordon Support the Show.

Send me a message Donald Pleasence, who starred in "The Great Escape" was actually a WW2 Prisoner of War (POW). He later found fame as Bond villain, Ernst Stavro Blofeld, and as Dr. Loomis in the cult horror film "Halloween". Support My Channel as a Patron: Donald Pleasence served in the RAF from 1940, particpating in 60 bombing missions. Eventually his Lancaster bomber was shot down whilst on a raid to bomb a V1 rocket site in northern France. Captured, Donald Pleasence was to spend the rest of the war as a German Prisoner in a POW camp, Stalag Luft I / Stalag Luft 1. Situated on the Baltic coast of Germany, Stalag Luft I housed over 9,000 prisoners of war (POW). Whilst Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force men made up about 20% of the camp population, over 7500 men were US airmen. Included in their number were John C. Morgan (the only US airman to receive the Medal of Honor and also be a POW), flying ace Vermont Garrison, and Colonel Hubert Zemke. After the war, Donald Pleasence resumed his acting career and was to appear in 140 films over the next 50 years. Arguably, one of the greatest villains that James Bond (007) was to go up against, Pleasence played Ernst Stavro Blofeld in "You Only Live Twice". Later on he also appeared as Dr. Samuel Loomis in the cult "Halloween" film franchise. In 1963, he reprised his experience as a wartime POW when he starred in "The Great Escape". Speaking of wartime movies, he also appeared in "The Eagle Has Landed". Donald Pleasence died in France in 1995. Support the Show.

Send me a message Boudica, the legendary British queen of the Iceni who led a revolt against the Romans in Ad 60/61, destroying 3 Roman towns (including London) and massacred all the inhabitants inside. Responsible for thousands of deaths was she a freedom fighter or a psychopath? Join my free weekly history newsletter Support the Show.

Send me a message Dick Turpin is without a doubt, Britain's most famous highwayman. But, exactly who was Dick Turpin, and why is he so famous? Join my Supporter's Club Support the Show.

Send me a message During the annihilation of the British Army by the Zulus at the Battle of Isandlwana in 1879 two British officers. Lt’s Melvill and Coghill made a desperate escape, trying to carry the Queen’s Colour to safety. But were they really heroes trying to save the colour, or were they merely trying to save their skins? Get my newsletter Support the Show.

Send me a message "Carry On" star, Peter Butterworth, had a wartime secret that only came out long after his death. Contact me Support the Show.

Send me a message Admiral Thomas Cochrane, was the inspiration for C.S. Forester’s naval hero Horatio Hornblower or Patrick O’Brian’s, Jack Aubrey (played by Russell Crow in the film, “Master and Commander”). Largely forgotten to the general public, yet he was one of the Royal Navy’s most audacious and feared commanders during the Napoleonic Wars, known to his enemies as the wolf of the sea and El Diablo (the devil). In a rollercoaster career, he didn’t just fight in the Royal Navy but also in the navies of Chile, Brazil and Greece in their wars of independence too. An engineer, who worked with the father of Isambard Kingdom Brunel and whose inventions are still used today; he eloped with a woman 20 years his junior and was humiliatingly thrown out of parliament and stripped of his knighthood after being convicted of serious fraud. He ended his days, honour restored and is buried in Westminster Abbey. The life of Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane (Lord Cochrane / Earl Dundonald) is one heck of a story! Get my free weekly newsletter Support the Show.

Send me a message On the 22nd January 1879 in South Africa, the British suffered the greatest defeat ever inflicted upon them by a native African army - when a force of 1,500 was annihilated by the Zulus during the Anglo-Zulu war. Get in touch and get my weekly newsletter: Click here Chelmsford was quick to lay the blame for the defeat at Isandlwana on anyone but himself. Equally it could not be the fault of the redecorated infantry. So rather than Pullene being held to account for spreading his troops out too thinly 3 myths were planted as to who was to blame. NNC collapsed at crucial moment Durnford didn’t take command Commisariat delayed ammo supply but quibbling and screwdrivers. Not only do these myths obscure Chelmsford culpability in dividing his force and Pulleine’s decision to spread his line too thinly and not create any entrenched positions. It ignores something more important. That they British had been out manoeuvred and out fought by an enemy with spears and shields. The Zulus had successfully fooled Chelmsford into dividing their force. They had moved 25,000 undetected to the north. They then delivered a horns of the buffalo attack over a 4 mile front and despite one of the horns going behind the mountain they had timed the devastating attack perfectly. Finally, despite the withering fire laid down by the experienced British redcoats, the Zulu warriors had held their nerve and pressed home their attack, inspired by the Chief Biyela. Support the Show.

Send me a message Between 1814-1816, the British and the Gurkhas fought a vicious bloody war - the Anglo Nepalese War. It was the only time they ever fought each other. The bravery shown by both sides built a mutual respect and a 200 year tradition of Gurkhas serving in the British Army began. It continues to this day. Get My Newsletter Support the Show.

Send me a message The Empire Windrush brought 800 Caribbean immigrants to Britain in 1948. But have you heard the whole story about this ship? German Naval Vessel, British troopship and Holocaust vessel... Get My Newsletter Support the Show.

Send me a message The HMS Birkenhead disaster occurred off the coast of South Africa in 1852. Subscribe To My Newsletter A British troopship sank after hitting rocks and over 600 soldiers and sailors were cast into the shark infested waters on a dark February night. Scores were attacked and killed by Great White Sharks. Just 193 - a third - survived. Support the Show.

Send me a message The Battle of Khambula, fought on the 29th March 1879, was the turning point in the Anglo-Zulu War. After three defeats the British finally turned the tide against an enemy that they had severely underestimated to their cost. It marked the beginning of the end for Zulu independence. Get my free weekly newsletter Support the Show.

Send me a message The Bantam battalions of the British (& Canadian) army during the First World War were made up from men below the normal height requirement of 5’3. Get my Newsletter / Get in Touch Over 30,000 pint-sized warriors volunteered, including a corporal who was just 4’9 and I will share his story later in this episode. I will also tell you about a bantam war poet, and another bantam who would make a huge impact on Britain after the war. They made up in courage and aggression what they lacked in height. Each one, described in a poem as : “A pocket Hercules” Support the Show.

Send me a message The battle of Hlobane was the third (& final) defeat the British suffered during the Zulu War in 1879. Get in touch and also get my weekly newsletter Over 90 white and 100 African troops were killed in a defeat that could have ended in complete disaster. Once more the Zulus proved they were worthy adversaries. Having said that, the battle of Hlobane was a disaster of the British own making. Poor scouting by the commander, Sir Evelyn Wood, meant that Colonel Redvers Buller was effectively attacking the Zulus mountain stronghold blind. That poor scouting also failed to spot a Zulu army numbering over 20,000 approaching the British. In many respects, the defeat could have been a lot worse. 5 Victoria Crosses were awarded for acts of bravery during a terryfinig restreat off the mountain down a 150 foot steep rock face. The battle of hlobane was the third victory for the Zulus in this war. It was also to be their last. Support the Show.

Send me a message ”The Cockleshell Heroes” was released in 1955, , and tells the story of a daring raid by British commandos using kayaks to attack German ships. It starred Jose Ferrer, Trevor Howard, Christopher Lee, Anthony Newley, and David Lodge. It was actually based upon a real historic event during World War 2, Operation Frankton, when British commandos really did use kayaks to conduct a sabotage attack on German ships in the French port of Bordeaux in December 1942. Sign up for my weekly newsletter Support the Show.