In this in-depth episode, historian and author Andy Wheale guides us through the remarkable story of Britain’s 6th Airborne Division in WW2.

Discover how Major-General Richard Gale built and led this elite force—overcoming logistical hurdles with the RAF, hand-picking the men behind the iconic red beret, and forging a division that nearly got “re-rolled” before it even saw action.

We then spotlight the 6th Airborne’s crucial role on D-Day, where they confronted fierce resistance far beyond the initial landings. Along the way, Andy breaks down the core factors behind their success, from Gale’s innovative leadership and uncompromising training regimen to the fighting spirit that carried them through one of history’s most pivotal moments. Join us to see how these airborne troops rose to become a true high-value fighting force in WWII.

Andy's book can be purchased via this link - https://amzn.to/40lqpg7

The British army of the Napoleonic wars - probably the most effective force we’ve ever deployed. Time and time again our small expeditionary army took on and beat the mighty French.

But what was our secret? Well today, we are looking at one important aspect - the British regiment. . . how were our infantry and cavalry units organised? What is a troop? A squadron? A company and a platoon? What was different about the elite flank companies? In this episode I am joined by the incredible historian Steve Brown.

His latest book can be pre-ordered here - https://amzn.to/4imBup6

If you are interested in the Zulu War, then please sign up for my mailing list to receive my free book on the subject: https://redcoathistory.com/newsletter/

You can also get early, ad-free access to my videos and podcasts by joining my patreon page - https://www.patreon.com/RedcoatHistory

WW2 - The war in Burma. The forgotten 14th Army struggling against Japanese "super soldiers" deep in the jungle.

But did you know there was another, completely overlooked aspect to the campaign -Tanks.

Yep, the British and allied troops did deploy them and they proved to be incredibly effective.

Today we are exploring the forgotten role that tanks played in the jungle and on the Indian and Burmese plains.

These are stories that will shock you - a sword fight inside a British tank, the logistics of deploying armour in the mountains above the clouds, and the incredible tale of the 'Thunder Run to Meiktila,' - a battle that set the tone for the use of armour and all-arms tactics through to the present day.

By the way here is the link to Jack's book - https://www.chiselbury.co.uk/bookstore/p/forgotten-armour-tank-warfare-in-burma-by-jack-bowsher and the discount code at checkout is REDCOAT20.

My patreon page is here - https://www.patreon.com/RedcoatHistory