Today in British History

[AlienFTM]

The Battle Honour “Tangier 1662-1680”, the oldest in the Army, and shared with only one other Regiment, now The Royal House Guards Regiment the Blues and Royals, was not awarded until 1909.

Also backdated for the Tangier Regiment.

The first battle honour to be awarded was Emsdorff (16 July 1760, later Emsdorf) to 15th Light Dragoons.

The Battle of Emsdorf was also the first ever Battle Honour awarded. Earlier battles were then given the status of a Battle Honour.

 

[Queensman]

Leaving Tangiers must have pissed them off a bit as the year after they went postal on some uppity farmers.

Aye, indeed. Although I can’t imagine anyone would have been that miffed at having to leave Tangier. The strange antics of the Bastard Duke saved our bacon - had he not gone rogue, we’d have been for the chop!

 

[Queensman]

TRAFALGAR! (1805)

 

[Grownup_Rafbrat]

TRAFALGAR! (1805)View attachment 513771

Worth reminding the EU at all?

 

[Gluteus Maximus]

Yes, then give them four days to get over it and mention Agincourt......

 

[bob_the_bomb]

TRAFALGAR! (1805)View attachment 513771

I remember hearing that that’s an anachronism. The actual message being written in an older form that doesn’t scan right today. Something like: “England* admires that...”?

* Not to mention that the Second Act of Union was already 5 years old at that point. Not very diverse...

 

[lokiuk]

TRAFALGAR! (1805)View attachment 513771

I wonder if the BLM fanbois get all excited at the mention of Nelson thinking at last a black British hero

 

[Cutaway]

I remember hearing that that’s an anachronism. The actual message being written in an older form that doesn’t scan right today. Something like: “England* admires that...”?

* Not to mention that the Second Act of Union was already 5 years old at that point. Not very diverse...

Confides.

 

[Yokel]

I wonder if the BLM fanbois get all excited at the mention of Nelson thinking at last a black British hero

Some historians believe up to a fifth of the men in Nelson's fleet may have been non white.

I remember hearing that that’s an anachronism. The actual message being written in an older form that doesn’t scan right today. Something like: “England* admires that...”?

* Not to mention that the Second Act of Union was already 5 years old at that point. Not very diverse...

The Act of Union was in 1707. However was 'Britain' a word that was represented by a single flag, or would it have meant a flag to spell it out? 'Expects' replaced 'confides' for the same reason. Lt Pascoe pointed out that it would be quicker.

I think you are right that the flags were not simply read fore to aft.

 

[bob_the_bomb]

Some historians believe up to a fifth of the men in Nelson's fleet may have been non white.



The Act of Union was in 1707. However was 'Britain' a word that was represented by a single flag, or would it have meant a flag to spell it out? 'Expects' replaced 'confides' for the same reason. Lt Pascoe pointed out that it would be quicker.

I think you are right that the flags were not simply read fore to aft.

1707 was union with Scotland.

1800 was union with Ireland.

 

[CutLunchCommando]

Some historians believe up to a fifth of the men in Nelson's fleet may have been non white.

How many of those were Blue?

 

[lastwalt]

How many of those were Blue?

Nearly a third.

Almost 30-per cent of the 18,000-strong crew were from Scottish towns and fishing villages, and Nelson's own doctor, and the woman who embalmed his body when he died, were Scots.

 

[bob_the_bomb]

Nearly a third.

Almost 30-per cent of the 18,000-strong crew were from Scottish towns and fishing villages, and Nelson's own doctor, and the woman who embalmed his body when he died, were Scots.

I don’t believe that.

There’s no way a jock would have wasted that much rum

“Och hen, dinna ye ken tha pickle herrings in brine...”

 

[lastwalt]

I don’t believe that.

There’s no way a jock would have wasted that much rum

“Och hen, dinna ye ken tha pickle herrings in brine...”

I've no idea if it's true or not either, I was trying for humour based on the "how many were blue" comment.
The quote came from a Herald Scotland article, and I've no particular reason to either believe or disbelieve it.

 

[Yokel]

Nearly a third.

Almost 30-per cent of the 18,000-strong crew were from Scottish towns and fishing villages, and Nelson's own doctor, and the woman who embalmed his body when he died, were Scots.

That is interesting and worthy of note. I presume they served in ships based in Scottish ports? This is part of our shared history and something certain Edinburgh politicians would like everyone to forget.

At the historic dock yard in Portsmouth there is a sample of sail from HMS Victory. There is a display that talks about how sails were produced and it mentions the Baxters of Dundee.

I've no idea if it's true or not either, I was trying for humour based on the "how many were blue" comment.
The quote came from a Herald Scotland article, and I've no particular reason to either believe or disbelieve it.

I am willing to believe it as most recruitment would have been from ports and fishing villages.

 

[Mike Barton]

Nearly a third.

Almost 30-per cent of the 18,000-strong crew were from Scottish towns and fishing villages, and Nelson's own doctor, and the woman who embalmed his body when he died, were Scots.

Hat tip @FORMER_FYRDMAN in the Nelson thread, he gives this breakdown:

Could have been one of several. According to an article in the Independent, Victory's muster book on the morning of Trafalgar records the crew as:
441 English
64 Scots
63 Irish
18 Welsh
9 West Indians
3 Shetlanders
2 Channel Islanders
1 Manxman
21 Americans
7 Dutch
6 Swedes
4 Italians
4 Maltese
3 Norwegians
3 Germans
2 Swiss
2 Portuguese
2 Danes
2 Indians
1 Russian
1 Brazilian
1 African
3 French

 

[Yokel]

Hat tip @FORMER_FYRDMAN in the Nelson thread, he gives this breakdown:

Could have been one of several. According to an article in the Independent, Victory's muster book on the morning of Trafalgar records the crew as:
441 English
64 Scots
63 Irish
18 Welsh
9 West Indians
3 Shetlanders
2 Channel Islanders
1 Manxman
21 Americans
7 Dutch
6 Swedes
4 Italians
4 Maltese
3 Norwegians
3 Germans
2 Swiss
2 Portuguese
2 Danes
2 Indians
1 Russian
1 Brazilian
1 African
3 French

Yes but she was a Portsmouth based ship. I presume that there were ships based at other ports - including Scottish - and that ships crews were on the whole recruited locally. To my shame I do not know where the home ports of the British fleet were.

Someone must know. Perhaps @Dunservin does?

 

[ExREME.TECH]

Hat tip @FORMER_FYRDMAN in the Nelson thread, he gives this breakdown:

Could have been one of several. According to an article in the Independent, Victory's muster book on the morning of Trafalgar records the crew as:
441 English
64 Scots
63 Irish
18 Welsh
9 West Indians
3 Shetlanders
2 Channel Islanders
1 Manxman
21 Americans
7 Dutch
6 Swedes
4 Italians
4 Maltese
3 Norwegians
3 Germans
2 Swiss
2 Portuguese
2 Danes
2 Indians
1 Russian
1 Brazilian
1 African
3 French

Not one from Hong Kong, who did the laundry?

 

[Gluteus Maximus]

Yes but she was a Portsmouth based ship. I presume that there were ships based at other ports - including Scottish - and that ships crews were on the whole recruited locally. To my shame I do not know where the home ports of the British fleet were.

The main ones were Portsmouth, Plymouth and Chatham, with smaller ones at Sheerness and some of the other Thames and Medway ports (the reference is in the attic...). Ships newly commissioned would fit out at their home ports and volunteers would have travelled there to join. The shortfall would be supplied by the Impress Service which had bases in all major ports and most minor ones. The gang in a major port would be commanded by an officer and in smaller ones by a midshipman or even warrant officer. Two gangs were commanded by captains - London and (King's) Lynn. Pressed men were shipped to depots, usually decommissioned warships, at base ports and also the Downs which was handy for the London trade. A proportion of pressed men came via the Quota Acts as an alternative to the Militia.

 

[Berlin_104s]

In France on this day in 1918 the Battle of Epehy, fought by three corps of 4th Army to gain observation over the Hindenburg Line, subsequently attacked in that sector in the Battle of the St Quentin Canal.

In Macedonia the Battle of Doiran 1918, fought as a diversion to the main Franco-Serbian attack to tie down the Bulgarian 1st Army. Two brigades of the 22nd Division and three regiments of the Greek Seres Division attempted to scale the Grand Couronne and P Ridge to the west of lake Doiran. One of the battalions of 67 Brigade was my Grandfather's (7/South Wales Borderers) - about 450 all ranks started off, only 19 answered the first roll call, increased to about forty by the end of the day although most were mildly gassed. Luckily, he was discharged from the Army with malaria and the effects of gas poisoning on the same day, otherwise I might not be writing this.....

Nobody ever really remembers the Last Hundred Days, do they? Which is a massive fail on the part of the education system in that they'd much rather focus on 1Jul 16 and Third Ypres (whilst simultaneously skating over Messines Ridge as it doesn't fit that particular narrative).

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