British Officers Don't Duck!

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Is it true that British officers strode around the battlefield under heavy fire as if out for a stroll? Whom should we believe?
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I didn't know whether to believe the tales I heard of officers behaving as though they hadn't noticed that they were under fire, but the evidence mounted up. It may have some practical application too, and might not just be a symptom of pointless bravado.
I'm not claiming that this bizarre behaviour is completely unique to British officers, but they do seem to surprise people with it more than most. I know some people will assume that I am saying "all foreign officers ducked" because that's KZbin, but I am not.
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[@David_Axelord]

It's a historical fact that many snipers learned to read lips so they could make their shots with optimal comedic timing.

[@finleyxavier7273]

Your fucking with me right ?

[@juliethurgood3667]

Lol

[@johanmikkael6903]

I mean if youre talking to a guy that says "Trust me to save your ass in battle" Then after that he got shot, you would be scared like shit and have PTSD for the rest of your days.

[@Big_Steve11]

"I need that like I need a hole in the head *BAM* "

[@darryl635]

"Phil, wear the fucking helmet you're gonna die" "Nah a don't need it" *BAM* aaand Phil's dead

[@user-tz5uq2bt1s]

I never served with any officer who didn't duck rather frequently. I was, however, on a submarine. So there's that.

[@buzzdroid8325]

Lol

[@lewisdean22]

He didn't 🦆 but I bet he dived.

[@asparadog]

You are a very humourous person.

[@DestinyChildTranslations]

High ratio of officer deaths is NOT something to be proud of. It's downright dumb. The Japanese in the Pacific kept putting their sergeants in danger (not to mention put them in stupid banzai charges... which was idiotic... much less without any artillery or smoke to cover them!) and coupled with a very rigid command doctrine meant often times units would be led astray without a surviving officer to command them. They did this because they genuinely still believed the Frenchmen's WW1 idea of "elan vital," which was yet another misuse of a theoretical biological concept that "the will to live evolves creatures (which was a dumb idea to begin with)" which meant if you believed yourself bulletproof you can weather through machinegun fire. Men dying in droves in Verdun just meant that they didn't believe hard enough. It didn't work for the French, and it didn't work for the Japanese. No reason it should work for the British or any body of humans.

[@DestinyChildTranslations]

The examples Lindy gives are ridiculous. Not to mention he did start off saying lots of officers died, which can't be good. First of all, the near miss case, the officer wouldn't have even been shot at in the first place if he wasn't so careless. Second, for every man "emboldened" by a fearless act of an officer, we don't see the opposite case: the case where a foolishly bold officer inconveniences everyone around him by getting himself recklessly killed.

[@SmartK8]

*British officer gets hit* "I'm dead, I reckon. You have to pardon me, but it seems I won't be attending the afternoon tea today." *dies*

[@TheDairyFairy01]

HAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA BRITS DRINK TEA, STEREOTYPES LÒÖÓØÔŐÔOL

[@kylec8015]

@@TheDairyFairy01 Oh, I get it! It's funny because you sarcastically overreacted! Haha... Ha...

[@Dorf274]

A true brit would complain about the weather in their last moments

[@DaVeganZombie]

Brandon Chilton a truer Brit would be too stubborn to die on a day that was inconvenient for them.

[@gosegose5183]

As a brit I can confirm this is accurate but to make it even more so I think it would be more like this British General: "Alright lads if we don't hurry the fuck up, me arse is gonna bloody freeze in this shite weather, raining and ra- *Gets Shot* - Oh for fuck's sake what rotten luck, oi bastard, yeah you with the rifle, what the fuck d'ya think ya doing, haven't even had me morning tea yet and I've already got a 50cal in me leg, not to mention the rain for four fucking days straight, blimey... I knew life was shit, but this.." *Dies*

[@ryanmedina5090]

"They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance." - US Union Army General John Sedgwick moments before being shot dead by a Confederate army sharpshooter.

[@arthas640]

Personally I'd be super paranoid about Confederate snipers, alot of them were country boys and country boys know how to hunt. its the city boys that have never had to shoot anything that's farther away then across the street from them.

[@davewilson4058]

He actually said, "YOU COULDN'T HIT AN ELEPHANT AT THIS DIST----," A small difference, but makes it more meaningful.

[@thundercat2320]

Arthas Menethil plenty of “country boys” from the north. They knew how to hunt too.

[@naughtybear2187]

@@thundercat2320 it is widely known that Confederate soldiers were better trained than northern ones, this was of course because many of the military schools were in the south. Also thier might have been some northern men who had to hunt, but c'mon we are talking about the south here, all they did was hunt.

[@thundercat2320]

Naughty Bear I’d be curious to read where that info came from considering the Civil War was fought Napoleonic style, and the emphasis on combat was troop mass and movement. Smooth bore muskets were of primary use, and the south being “better marksmen” seems to be anecdotal more than fact. The north may have had larger groups of metropolitan soldiers, but the rural northerners were just as adept at hunting and shooting. Plus, hunting isn’t a measure of soldiery anyway.

[@Hypatia4242]

"Seeing your officer shot can embolden the men." Hmm, perhaps I can recommend this to my boss as a way of improving office morale.

[@andytaylor1588]

Perfect comment!

[@idk-zy9ig]

Genuis

[@Blowfeld20k]

This needs to be turned into a international movement :P

[@barryallenporter8127]

Think they called that Communism

[@Burneri]

but it only works if the men like the officer...

[@MrClickity]

My favorite British officer moment comes from the Battle of Waterloo. An officer had his leg shot off by a cannon and said to another officer: "By God, Sir, I’ve lost my leg.” To which the other officer replied: “By God, Sir, so you have.”

[@mylife8584]

"Tis but a flesh wound" "I suppose so......"

[@charleshowie2074]

I think that's a myth.

[@fod1855]

@@charleshowie2074 it’s true, Lord Uxbridge lost his leg next to the Duke of Wellington and they had an exchange along these lines

[@charleshowie2074]

@@fod1855 Not according to Horace Seymour, who was there at the time.

[@johnhorse5551]

Correction it was an attraction in a village for a while but was interned and buried

[@MTGPringles]

Game Tutorial: Press B To Crouch British Officer: No, I don't think I will.

[@lucanpurvis1522]

They just turn on no clip

[@scott1660]

Now I’m gonna have to play a stealth game without crouching.

[@sonofa_blank_7115]

You mean shift or c?

[@Mad-rg9sz]

@@sonofa_blank_7115 shift? For fucking crouch?

[@vilebeggar622]

the fuck is B to crouch and shift

[@tehs3raph1m]

"Don't bother ducking, it doesn't do any good" anyway his body was never found

[@G.R.Buchheister]

I mean, if his body was never found, maybe ducking would've done no good either ways

[@SnowMexicann]

@@G.R.Buchheister Yeah, if you cant find a body after him just being shot chances are the bullet was the least of the guys problems.

[@medwaystudios]

Wasn't lost, just not recovered.

[@gallendugall8913]

I thought with Knights the heraldry was meant to scream, "DON'T KILL ME I CAN BE RANSOMED!"

[@MrJohnycomelately21]

My favourite tale of that, was a French knight who had, please don't kill me I'm very rich inscribed on his helmet (in French) unfortunately for him he was captured by a common soldier who didn't speak French.... it didn't end well for the the knight :)

[@MrJohnycomelately21]

My favourite tale of that, was a French knight who had, please don't kill me I'm very rich inscribed on his helmet (in French) unfortunately for him he was captured by a common soldier who didn't speak French.... it didn't end well for the the knight :)

[@kokofan50]

It was both "Look how awesome I am" and "I'm worth a lot of money; don't kill me".

[@MrJohnycomelately21]

I love it when a complete boof head gets their comeuppance!

[@616lordofdarkness]

real life plot armor

[@mikewazowski471]

"Funny thing snipers, they've got all of me to aim at, but still took a pop at your head." That line is absolute comedic genius

[@chronovac]

I'm sure the Germans were very happy about that "Hans, why isn't he taking cover?" "He's British" "He's also stupid apparently"

[@mandowarrior123]

Jokes on them, better promotion prospects in the british army

[@casual_boredom7195]

Apparently they are also stupid enough to not shoot him

[@MegaBYSON]

oh look a nazi

[@dogman9291]

@@mandowarrior123 Well, great risk must come with great reward.

[@tigerpresentationsproducts425]

[sniper shot]

[@scottishbananaclan]

"We scots don't retreat!" *entire bagpipe Corp gets gunned down by a single German machine gunner*

[@mohammadwaled409]

@Konrad Alexander Prinz von Hessen yeah that makes sense

[@hngh6404]

“For our bonnie ScotlaAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!” - Unknown Scottish soldier, 1918

[@rabbitwithm2495]

I don't know why anytime I here bag pipes any where I start laughing wasn't so funny when I had to hold that back when my great uncle died he had a military funerals yeah I had to muster up a lot of resistance to not laugh

[@youraveragescotsman7119]

Or you could end up like the BlackWatch. Stuck miles behind enemy lines, low on ammo, only got two Lewis Guns and surrounded on all sides. Logical course of action? Kill e v e r y t h i n g. Until you run out of ammo and have to, reluctantly, give up.

[@rossmitchell4352]

@Konrad Alexander Prinz von Hessen 'Just don't mention the war' Fawlty Towers.

[@commentingpausedtoprotectus]

Captain Blackadder: Don't forget your stick Lieutenant Lieutenant George: Rather, sir. Wouldn't want to face a machine gun without this.

[@KoeSeer]

Oi that's a nasty splinter on that ladder, sir. Bloke's gonna hurt himself on that!

[@adambakas13]

HA! Nice.

[@swirvinbirds1971]

Stick needed for balancing the massive balls.

[@gkelly941]

In point of fact, an officer was expected to always carry "something," either a sword, a swagger stick or a cane, as a part of his "uniform, " whether in uniform or in civilian clothing. Also a hat, usually a bowler when in civilian kit.

[@azdobrosavljevic4024]

I remember thattt😂😂

[@sneakysnakeproductions8800]

"Any officer who goes into action without his sword is improperly dressed." -"Mad" "Fighting" Jack Churchill

[@rizahanifardhi7112]

tennõheika banzai!

[@connorkilpatrick6283]

Was hoping he would get mentioned the crazy nutter.

[@Lord.Kiltridge]

@Ryan Kruse Well, the very best history has recorded. I'll grant you that. Mad Jack also has the record of the last recorded bow and arrow kill in war. 1940 at Dunkirk.

[@angloempire6935]

@Ryan Kruse Fuck off

[@Tentin.Quarantino]

Ryan Kruse Churchill saved me money on my car insurance. He’s pretty good he’s not strictly human though.

[@melliteshastur4417]

"Seing your officer being shot may improve morale." Sounds like an Imperial guard tactic

[@mandowarrior123]

Not much in their doctrine that isn't british.

[@steveisthecommissar4013]

Ah yes it make you feel so alive Standing also gives a better view of the men to check to see if I need to shoot one

[@ianhogben3472]

was that a 40k refrence

[@finalfantasylegend93]

Yes I believe so

[@Brusselpicker]

My Grandfather was a Junior Officer in WW1. He was shot, but lived and returned to his regiment to be gassed. He lived yet again. I only met one of the men he lead, my Grandad was in his seventies at the time, he was half blind and had a stroke a view years before. I fully remember this old man seeing my Grandad from over a hospital waiting room, walk over, stand in front of him and salute, "remember me Captain K" My Grandfather salutes back and says "Sergeant S, it's been 50 years." Then discussed after the war and never mentioned a thing about their time in the military.

[@West_Coast_Gang]

I hope your grandfather and the Sergeant rest in peace, brave men

[@JigerotatheWicked]

Many years ago I was stationed at Fort Sam Houston, in San Antonio, Texas. One night at the officers' club, the post commanded chided a British liaison officer. The Brit along with other liaison personnel was supposed to show up for morning PT with the post headquarters company, but he never did, and the CO was somewhat affronted, both because he was a big fitness nut and because he took the absence as a kind of insubordination. When he got done the Brit, who went through the entire thing with a face as deadpan as an empty skillet, took a sip of his tequila (which he had taken quite a liking to) and in the most sterotypical round, plummy tones he could manage he said "Sir, a British officer never runs. It might panic the troops."

[@markone6861]

That is funny

[@SNP-1999]

A gentleman walks, but never runs. (I can't run anymore anyway, I would trip over my walking stick)

[@Fidgottio]

Yet one has to run 2.4km and complete the beep test to a minimum of 10.2 to pass officer selection

[@nigeh5326]

Fidgottio officers don't call it running they call it strolling briskly 😀

[@mrmaje1]

@janis vogel do you not have a sense of humour then?

[@nosferatu5]

So Monty Python sketches on british military were on point?

[@paulmag91]

O.o

[@RAkers-tu1ey]

Isn't MP always on point?

[@LionofCaliban]

Apparently the Black Adder series in WW1, was more than a little accurate when it came to the Royal Australian Army.

[@hartleymartin]

There was no such thing as the "Royal Australian Army" There were units such as the Royal Australian Artillery, Royal Australian Regiment, Australian Imperial Forces.

[@LionofCaliban]

Martin Hartley I might have to disagree, though it seems the Royal part is not needed. Either way, there is most definitely, an army, made of a number of units including a number of regiments, infantry, artillery and armour. As well as that we have units such as the SASR, built on the model as used by the 22nd SAS out of Hereford. Two Commando units as well. It works with the RAAF (Royal Australian Air Force) and RAN (Royal Australian Navy), as part of the Australian Defence Force and as of a previous change of government, all serving members in the ADF are required to swear allegiance to the Queen of Australia, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second. At least, as I understand it. Yeah, that's also her title, as well as the many other states and entities still part of the Commonwealth where it's written into their respective Constitutions that the reigning monarch in England is their effective head of state. So if you can accept there are battalions, regiments and the like, there most certainly is an Australian Army. While it seems to lack the Royal moniker, it is none the less, a recognised service and has its own units, personnel and formations.

[@wookie-zh7go]

My mates dad was in a fox hole in the gulf, when a moustache sporting officer jumped in "alright chaps? food hot? beds dry? alright cheerio". I would have been laughing till the next day.

[@matthewflinders1978]

Saw an interview with a British soldier who’s unit was trapped, under constant fire and cut off on the Malay peninsula by advancing Japanese troops. When the situation became hopeless and desperate he heard his COs voice behind and above where he and his fellow soldiers were crouching low on the ground. The officer gave the order “Every man for himself!” Calmly, whilst standing in full view of the enemy. “What do you mean sir?” a soldier asked , “You can swim to India if you like, you are free to leave” Replied the officer, before walking, in the open, to the next position. Priceless.

[@yetanother9127]

American officers have made a habit of ducking ever since a particularly famous engagement during the American Civil War. General John Sedgwick was participating in the Battle of Spotsylvania Courthouse when he and his unit came under fire from Confederate sharpshooters. As his men dove for cover, Gen. Sedgwick confidently strode around in the open, urging his men to show more backbone with the words "What? Men dodging this way for single bullets? What will you do when they open fire along the whole line? I am ashamed of you! Why are you dodging like this? They couldn't hit an elephant at this distance!" Shortly after saying this, he took a bullet below his left eye and died instantly.

[@ala5530]

Not quite true- he was shot after saying that line, yes, but he'd had time to make his way over to the next group of his men to urge them to stand up, borrowing the rifle-musket from one of them when he was killed. Granted, many accounts have him shot sooner (often going so far as to have him killed mid-sentence), but I suspect that, as in this video, they were going for irony rather than total accuracy.

[@kirotheavenger60]

that was terrible luck, snipers weren't a thing back then due to the accuracy of the guns.

[@Alf763]

ah you see, he wasn't british and that's the key

[@yetanother9127]

Kirothe Avenger Actually, there are records of Confederate sharpshooters (using the Sharps rifle, from which the word "sharpshooter" is derived) making shots at almost a kilometer. Not bad for the tail end of the musket era.

[@kokofan50]

What are you talking about? American career officers are just as crazy.

[@TheMilitantHorse]

*Quotes Heroic British General* "Admittedly, his body was never found..." Christ, that's blunt...

[@GoranXII]

And therefore ducking wouldn't have helped.

[@theortheo2401]

duck in a hole, you survive, stand in a hole you die, ducking always increase your survivability

[@panstan8499]

*takes hit*

[@notsogreatsword1607]

Theortheo who said ducking in a hole wouldn't make a difference? No one said anything of the sort. If you're out in the open ducking doesn't make much of a difference. That's what was said.

[@theortheo2401]

@@notsogreatsword1607 ducking in the open and you're a smaller target, therefore, harder to hit...

[@marshallallensmith]

"Do not salute me. There are goddamned snipers all around this area who would love to grease an officer. I'm Lieutenant Dan Taylor. Welcome to Fourth Platoon"

[@rentalsnake6542]

"What's wrong with your lip?" "I was born with big gums sir" "Better tuck that in, you'll get that caught on a trip-wire"

[@lucagiordano8778]

@Cardboard Crusader what movie is this refering to?

[@MrGonk]

@@lucagiordano8778 Forrest Gump i believe

[@biggussdickuss5184]

Sergeant Gonk Saving Private Ryan?

[@ryanthan3595]

@@biggussdickuss5184 Forrest gump, it's right there above your comment ya twat

[@chriscox3046]

I was an British Army Officer and can say that we were constantly reminded at Sandhurst of the heroism of previous officers, and our duty to maintain that tradition. However things have changed (for the better) in that it is now harder to tell an officer in the field as they look, and are usually carrying the same weapons etc as the other ranks. However there is still a very strong motivation to be seen to be calm under fire, and to use your head to work out the best course of action. At the end of the day the lucky survive, and soldiers always like a lucky officer!

[@carrott36]

I’m told that German snipers in WW1 could pick out officers because of their thinner legs from wearing their riding breeches.

[@chriscox3046]

@@carrott36 In WW1 Officers had to attack machine guns with webley pistol, absolute insanity

[@wardenstone6021]

@@chriscox3046in ww1 there was no killing of a machine gun crew until you were inside a trench. Thats why it didnt really matter what you gave an officer.

[@brianartillery]

My favourite nonchalant army officer of WW2 has to be Major Digby Tatham-Warter, who carried an umbrella everywhere with him. He inspired a character in the movie 'A Bridge Too Far'. Tatham-Warter also led a bayonet charge whilst wearing a bowler hat, and incapacitated a German armoured car by inserting his brolly into the driver's eye through the driver's vision slit. He famously rescued a Padre who was under fire, telling the man: ''Don't worry about the bullets - I've got an umbrella''. This was a man who definitely did not duck. Ever. And he had a good innings after the war, dying sometime in the 1990's.

[@charlesdewitt8087]

Brolly?

[@ryanprice9482]

English for umbrella

[@termitreter6545]

If he survived, then he probably knew where to stand with that Umbrella, and where not to.

[@bjowitt]

I thought that was Shan Hackett - I remember him telling that anecdote. The reason he gave was that he could never remember passwords and reasoned that a British sentry would be more likely to believe him if he waved an umbrella around.

[@carpetsomething]

Was that the same guy who took out a field gun by walking calmly over and lobbing a brolley down the barrel

[@widowpeak6142]

Basically: The british officers had run out of fucks to give back at the middle ages. :D

[@TheBaconWizard]

That's right, the fuck-making industry collapsed in the Renaissance ever since which any fucks have to be imported.

[@Wavemaninawe]

+theBaconWizard Thats a lie. The British never had a fuck-making industry to begin with. They have imported their custom made fucks since day one and cynically kept them under close watch, with no prospects of fuck charity.

[@apropercuppa8612]

Catasstrophy, European powers fighting constantly kept Europe strong. We developed much faster than every other continent. We were so busy trying to outdo each other, that when someone got ahead, everyone quickly raced to match - then beat them. A good reference would be, Paul Kennedy's : The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers, to put it into persepective. Look at it now..

[@MrChickennugget360]

China did not "remain behind" Europe, they were ahead of Europe for most of their histroy but Europe surpassed them in the 1700's

[@MrChickennugget360]

you don't know what your talking about.

[@gkelly941]

Fans of the Napoleanic Wars will remember that Wellington liked to position his reserves on counterslopes so that they were not exposed to enemy fire while waiting to be deployed into the line of battle. And wasn't it Gen. Patton who is represented as having said, "No man ever won a war by dying for his country. He won by making the other poor bastard die for HIS country." Needlessly exposing oneself to enemy fire is not the job of an officer, but facing danger bravely most definately is.

[@jamielonsdale3018]

Nearly right. "No bastard ever won a war by dying for his country. He won it by making the other poor dumb bastard die for HIS country."

[@frerderickbays2762]

@@jamielonsdale3018 Ya cant forget the other bastard is a bumb one

[@RabbiHerschel]

Well, since we're talking Patton quotes, here's a good one, summing up his opinion on the result of WW2: "We defeated the wrong enemy."

[@wulfengel]

If an officer ducks it shows to the men that the one man who was chosen above all else to lead a section of men cannot even control himself let alone his unit. The officer is the modern standard bearer, for the standard to fall, the unit falls, for the man who leads to show cowardice and hide is to tell his men that the best man in that unit is a coward. Officers don't duck.

[@helv2000]

@@wulfengel i think if he is dead, he also cant lead very effective

[@HarryPalmerOrchestra]

Lord Paget, By God, sir, I’ve lost my leg!” Prompting Wellington to respond: “By God, sir, so you have!” ... during amputation (without anaesthesia) the only sound he made was to comment on the dullness of the knife

[@lifeisa.smalllesson4607]

Dull knives hurt terribly so and leave nasty wounds. while a sharp knife just burns a lil and leaves a smaller cleaner wound.

[@schwarzerritter5724]

Generals fighting on the front is noble and all, but doesn't the army kind of need them? When they die, their decades of experience die with them.

[@LordSplendid]

There is only one logical conclusion: British officers were not very good and easily replaced, so it was not important to protect them.

[@Klavikule]

+Schwarzer Ritter that's why they were ordered away from the frontline by GHQ. The majority of General casualties in WW1 happened in the first two months of the war, before they issued that order. Also note that most of those Generals were brigade commanders who had to remain close to the frontline to command effectively. Same deal with French generals of WW1; out of 42 who died of combat-related causes, 20 did so just in 1914 (French brigades were usually commanded by Colonels, hence the lower General casualty count).

[@mr.orangeaide5260]

fuck em

[@cameronmcallister7606]

Actually, during world war one and two, most commanders were nobles, and as such, inbred to the point of death in a few years anyway.

[@heartoffire8481]

@cameron mcallister -you need to read some history and genetics books.

[@funstuff2006]

"As I was saying, our Colonel leaped up like a youngster of ten: 'Come on lads!' he shouts, 'and we'll show 'em.' And he sprang to the head of the men. Then some bally thing seemed to trip him, and he fell on his face with a slam . . . Oh, he died like a true British soldier, and the last word he ut- tered was 'Damn!' And hang it! I loved the old fellow, and something just burst in my brain, And I cared no more for the bullets than I would for a shower of rain." From "Afternoon Tea," by Robert Service.

[@jameswalker199]

I find it somehow funny that I've all of a sudden discovered a couple of Service's poems from seemingly disconnected sources. The other was a piece of electronic music that included an except of "Laughter". It's kind of like the old saying about waiting for a bus.

[@shikiaura]

"How dare you say that we can't hold meetings in the battlefield? We're British! The bullets wouldn't dare-" -The unfinished battle cry of the British general.

[@Hank..]

"Arent you being shot at?" "Oh nevermind that"

[@NonApplicable1983]

Do British officers goose?

[@trucid2]

The French officers chicken.

[@thomaster8870]

No, the French fry. hahahahHAhahAHAAHaHaAhAHaAAa!!!!

[@Slarti]

I think it was standard operating procedure of WWI generals to goose their troops.

[@titanuranus3095]

They don't, neither do they grouse but they may crane and swanning might be tolerated.

[@Sypanite]

Tyger, tyger

[@thomasbarnett2425]

"all of me to aim at, and still went for your head." i died

[@jeremyharris4021]

The officer standing on the ground probably wasn't visible to the sniper by the sounds

[@nathansmith3608]

_War Psychology: What Soldiers Are Thinking and How to Make Them Stop_ by Officers' School of Etiquette Press

[@mk8530]

Rhymes with Truck.

[@beardlessodin945]

You shouldn't be merely _sponsored_ by *Audible,* rather, you should indeed be _employed_ by them. You're one of my favourite storytellers of all time. You'd be perfect for narration.

[@PhilipKDuck-je7cx]

Waterloo: "Sir Napoleon is in range, shall we fire?" Arthur Wellesley "No, it is not the business of generals to shoot at one another!"

[@jacobbarham9360]

Very recently I was speaking to a soldier in the British army who served in the infantry who told me a story about how over the radio they were informed that this officer had been shot in the throat so they all went rushing over to help him with all of the medics and equipment and when they arrived expecting to find the man half dead they were greeted by him leaning against a tree smoking a cigarette apparently he gave them a nod before explaining that he had in fact been shot in the foot and so they had miss herd over the radio XD

[@mandowarrior123]

@Ahmad Hermanadi throat and foot sound similar on a radio? Who knew? A whole yanny/laurel thing.

[@garyK.45ACP]

The British accent threw them off.

[@argh2945]

@@garyK.45ACP No such thing as a 'British accent'. Try telling a Scot he sounds like an Englishman; you're in for a good hiding. In fact, listen to a Scouse and a Estuary English accent to see how varied this so called 'British accent' is. There's more variation in dialects and vernacular within the British Isles than anywhere else in the English speaking world.

[@garyK.45ACP]

@@argh2945 They are all British. ALL. British. Read carefully, interpret literally. And then...go to the bottom of your screen and move your sarcasm detector 3 clicks to the left, then smile. Try it. You'll be a happier person

[@julianblake8385]

@@argh2945 So, the British used to keep it together under heavy fire during wars, and nowadays they totally lose it and get triggered over an accent comment on youtube. I sense a bit of quality loss in their citizens.

[@Lukania]

"Don't bother ducking, the men don't like it, and it doesn't do any good". "[...] his body was never found".

[@benvoronov2306]

When I was an infantry lieutenant in the U.S. Army, our battalion operations officer, a veteran of combat in Vietnam with the First Cavalry division, had at one time been attached, as a captain, to a British Army regiment. He had very little to do and after a few weeks of idleness, he went to the regimental sergeant major, said that he seemed to have no duties and asked him what his responsibilities were. The sergeant major calmly said, "Sir, when the time comes to die, you'll show us how to do it." Apparently, British officers were expected to lead by example, in combat. That was their main responsibility and the British sergeant major was telling the American officer that he was expected to do the same.

[@centurion2275]

I would love to know the regiment he served with

[@jamesdear3496]

"I am one with the force, and the force is with me"

[@shorelockhomes943]

L.O.L. Good one. Good song too.

[@germanyandfcbayern5791]

الله قوات سمير وبس

[@sarge-cp8yq]

If this teaches us one thing, it's that British officers like taking walks during a battle

[@jamielonsdale3018]

How else to exercise the legs which carry our extremely heavy balls?

[@capcompass9298]

Richard Meinhertzhagen (good British name, and I believe his decendents work in The City) strode up to the forces of the Mad Madhi who were waiting for the order to charge, waved his swagger stick at them, admonished them for fighting on a Sunday (Holy Day) "We didn't attack you on Friday; have the decency to postpone your attack until tomorrow", then strode back to the British lines and the Madhi's stunned men duly took the rest of the day off before massing for "business as usual" on the Monday morn.

[@konstantinosnikolakakis8125]

I don’t believe Meinherzhagen fought the Mahdists, considering that he wasn’t even in the Army by the time that war wrapped up.

[@morpheusbutasasquirtle4431]

I can imagine it must be pretty calming to see your commander just acting nonchalant amongst destruction. Or probably just confusing.

[@Fiddling_while_Rome_burns]

A friend of mine in the current British army assures me British officers don't do this any more, staying well out of enemy fire and ordering the men into danger is the norm for them these days.

[@JudgeEomer]

The army has Health and Safety regulations these days.

[@Geothesponge111]

Ahhh yes, telling your troops to avoid getting shot at when faced with weaponry that's far more deadly than what they had in World War 1... It's Health and Safety gone mad!

[@cyclone8974]

seems like he said the opposite though

[@ignotumperignotius630]

the British army aside from the world wars, has usually been small and professional

[@devoyinator]

Well a friend of yours is wrong. Have you seen the amount of officers who died during the Gulf Wars and Afghanistan? And unless you're an army legal officer in the Adjutant General's Corps, 2nd Lieutenants, Lieutenants, and Captains are not able to sit in a base and order men into danger. They are leaders of their units, especially infantry officers. They would be discharged if they ordered their soldiers to patrol without them. It just doesn't happen.

[@Dave-si2im]

I served in the British army and would say this is fairly common amongst officers and NCO's. Watch the film Zulu and in it there's a bloke with a moustache, playing the part of a sergeant I believe. They seem to be facing certain death and he's more concerned about a private having his top button undone ergo dressed inappropriately. That actor played an amazing part and typified what I'd say was normal behaviour of sergeants but more likely WO1s and WO2's. Also the British sense of humour and stiff upper lip lends it's self nicely to such things/situations.

[@ZGryphon]

Ah, Colour Sergeant Bourne. No matter what's going on: "All right, men, no one told you to stop working."

[@tomallen6117]

That's easy to do in a movie .

[@rambler241]

Colour Sergeant Bourne was the youngest in that rank in the British army, and just 25 yo at Rorkes Drift. Not only that, he was a mere 5' 6" tall. Rorkes Drift was very likely his first taste of "action". At the end of the 1914-18 war, for which he had rejoined the army, he was given the honorary rank of Lieutenant Colonel and appointed OBE.

[@mikekemp9877]

in truth though it would have ruined the movie [no lines of white helmets and spotless red coats] the troops . at roarkes drift were practically naked by the end of the battle due to their rifles overheating and ripping up their uniforms to hold them.so bad was it that punch hearing that two weeks after the battle the survivors were forced to wear mealie bag kilts as they had no trousers wrote a satirical poem called bags.oxford students then popularised bags as slang for trousers.

[@fredb2858]

@@tomallen6117 Plenty of stories like that in real life

[@whynotanyting]

Mentioned Media: 6:14 - Mailed Fist by John Foley 9:39 - Tank! by Ken Tout 12:22 - A Bridge Too Far (1977) by Dickie Attenborough 15:01 - The River War by Winston Churchill 16:14 - The Junior Officers' Reading Club by Patrick Hennessey

[@captainroger]

Nice one

[@billashby7858]

My father, who had been on 13 invasions during WWII, use to tell me that during an invasion if it was tea time the British would stop whatever they were doing and have tea!

[@greva2904]

In one of Spike Milligan’s war memoirs (I forget which one) his CO Major Chatterjack is giving a talk to his heavy artillery unit, in Africa if I remember (may have been Italy). A German shell screams through the air and explodes nearby. The entire unit EXCEPT for Chatterjack throw themselves to the floor. The major remains standing throughout. The men sheepishly climb to their feet, embarrassed that their unshakable CO clearly had more nerve than them. Chatterjack then declares: ‘Of course, you realise that you men did the right, and I the wrong’ and then continues his talk as if nothing had happened. As Milligan comments, ‘What can you say to a man like that?’

[@nicktrains2234]

I remember those books fondly. Shame the war drove him insane

[@jonjones1553]

Grev thankyou. Spike's books back up this video. I'm going to read them again. My Mum told me that she was in the front row of a concert in Shrewsbury donkeys years ago and Spike knicked one of her shoes. She never got it back. We used to watch Q45678 etc, and we would totally crack up. Dad used to just glare at us.

[@NobleNemesis]

Right! Its not that the Officers wished to die or thought that they wouldn't.., only that they believe it will simply happen regardless, should it be their fate. This boosts morale. I think it's clever psychology.

[@Briselance]

"The men sheepishly climb to their feet, embarrassed that their unshakable CO clearly had more nerve than them." The officer didn't have more nerve. He was just uselessly reckless. For an officer, ricking your own life like this is flamboyant, but stupid and useless. And thus, should be avoided.

[@MrMenefrego1]

"You're an idiot", would be a proper response.

[@JokerReaper]

this reminded me of an episode of the tv show mash, there was a british regiment where some of the men were hurt & went under the knife, & while they were recovering, the officer showed up to check on them, he was telling them when they got better to be ready to go back into battle, & the doctors didnt understand how he could be so callous, & the officer explained that if his men heard him being concerned for their well being so to speak, that they would believe something was wrong, their health & recovery might come into question, his men looked to him to confirm that everything would be ok, anyways the episode was called tea & empathy lol

[@lomax343]

@ Joker Nope -- That episode may have drawn inspiration from Colonel Alfred Wintle (another from Britain's inexhaustible supply of eccentrics). He visited a hospital in which was one of his men, named Mays. One of the nurses took him aside and told him that Mays was dying. Wintle's reaction was to walk up to the bed and say, "Mays, stop dying at once, that's an order. And get your hair cut." According to Mays (who, many years later, conducted Wintle's funeral service), "I was too scared to disobey, so I recovered."

[@jamesdone8244]

@@lomax343 thank you

[@alexandercrichton1779]

Played by Bernard Fox. Dr Bombay on Bewitched, Col. Crittenden on Hogan's Heros, and Capt. Winston Havelock in "The Mummy." He did English officers very well.

[@argh2945]

@@lomax343 That's a brilliant anecdote! Thank you very much for posting it.

[@jameslangham9854]

@@lomax343 en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Wintle

[@taylormoore5098]

"Stand tall on the quarterdeck, son. Always." - Capt. Jack Aubrey, HMS Surprise

[@captainroger]

Lesser of two weavels

[@flintsky7706]

“To wives and sweethearts..may they never meet”

[@theperpetual8348]

I read "British officers don't suck"

[@josefsteinlechner9074]

Also true

[@stepheningermany]

They leave that to the sailors... "your turn in the barrel, Uncle Albert"

[@uristthedwarf7833]

Both I reckon.

[@BUSHCRAPPING]

thomas, you plonker

[@Teutius]

The eternal Anglo

[@daca8395]

Serbian officers befor charge issued order "follow me" instead of "forward". Every military tradition has its way of rising moral.

[@Br1cht]

Was that what your Turkish overlord thought;)

[@harryzgeezah7162]

Danilo Popović Serbian officers are cowards who are only good at fighting unarmed civilians.

[@PaunCovek]

Harry you shouldn't read biased untruthful history books. If any unarmed civilians were killed on the Balkans chances are they were Serbs. Not playing the victim card, sure not all out officers were angels, but Croatians celebrating operation 'Oluja (Storm)', the operation in which they killed 1500 unarmed Serbs and NATO 'accidentally' bombing us (Belgrade specifically) in WW2 is just a hint at the truth. Edit: If you even care to read this I would also like to add that Serbia stood against the Nazis unlike some of our neighbors who threw flowers in front of their tanks and happily obliged to take civilians to death camps.

[@MrKilllol]

Don't read biased untruthful history books, read untruthful history books which comply to my bias! yuck

[@PaunCovek]

What exactly is biased in my comment? You can check everything I said, maybe try wikipedia, should be no bias there, right?

[@Timnifico]

This actually reminds me of my late Grandfather, an officer in the Sappers. He served during several of the conflicts of his era, including the Suez Crisis of 1956 and probably one of his most notable tours. Of course his unit had been building entrenchments and defences when they came under fire... well as a British officer he didn't duck but instead continued down the line inspecting his men's work when he was struck to the ground by a bullet to the head, thankfully he was saved by his helmet but he was so enraged by the audacity that he attempted to charge at the bugger who shot him forcing his 2nd IC to forcefully hold him down untill he could be checked over by the medic.

[@apollyonkatastrefia1586]

Lord Nelson comes to mind. " My love of King & country keeps me warm, Aubrey pass the salt."

[@dietrichvonaken1222]

My mother always ensured me, that British men have great humor. After hearing about these officers i believe every single word.

[@GhostofNr9]

The kind of thinking, that seems to be present throughout all of those anecdotes is a combination of those points: - If I don’t seem to be harmful or if I seem to be displaced enterely, the enemy might not take the effort to shoot me. - If I present myself as such an obvious target, every enemy soldier will assume someone else in their ranks will take care of me anyway - they will find it more pragmatic to shoot at someone else… - When I’m upright, I have a better view on everything happening around me. When I’m not concerned about all the mayham around me and fear stressfully for my life as a consequence, I may be able to make better conclusions and give better orders. - Probably I will die anyway. Why not enjoy some tabacco or alcohol when doing so? - Might as well have one person on the battlefield, who can talk calmly with my men. At least some measure of steadyness in all this chaos.

[@gabenght9316]

Bravery of those man is something almost unthinkable for me.

[@threethrushes]

Good analysis.

[@argh2945]

I think points four and five are bang on the money.

[@alexeysaranchev6118]

Most people on wars are killed by random: bullets or shells or the sort, and not by an intended shot of a person who has time to reason "hmmm, I wonder what this person wants to say by standing upright, I'm amazed by his confidence, and he's probably bluffing, I bet he's not that big of a deal, I'd better spare his life". People in combat rarely think like that, it's not a movie. You see an enemy and you shoot, unless you're some tacticool super-special stealthy sniper who has a very special target and can't be detected before shooting this target.

[@GhostofNr9]

Alexey Saranchev Fair point.

[@Sk4Madhi_.RangeroftheNorth]

"War doesn't determine who's right, War just determines who's left!"

[@dgbnntt]

An example of the 'leadership reflex'. My grandfather was a 1st lieutenant with the Black Watch at Longueval. While leading an advance he was knocked over by shrapnel. He recounted that his immediate thoughts were, 'as long as I can sit up and blow my whistle, I'll be OK.' Unfortunately when he did sit up, he drew the attention of a sniper. Luckily he was found, barely alive, in no-mans-land four days later.

[@Beriorn]

My favorite British officers story is from a few years back, when a report came out that showed that a single rogue British officer could, with nothing more but a screwdriver, some minor knowhow and malcontent in his heart, activate and ready one or more of the nuclear warheads that the British have access to. There was a bit of fuss about this, with people citing security risks. The military was a bit indignant about this, claiming that it would go against an officer's honor and code of conduct to plunge the world into nuclear annihilation without express orders to do so from command. This pretty much closed the argument for the military, and not an awful lot of fuss came from this.

[@kokofan50]

Here in the US somebody figure out how to do that with a spoon and some string decades ago.

[@arthurdent6256]

Over in America they just leave theirs in parking lots.

[@batt3ryac1d]

not as bad as the Americans. They've literally accidentally dropped them on their own soil.

[@ElementalOctopus]

It was ONE TIME! And it fell into a swamp, doesn't really count as "soil"...

[@batt3ryac1d]

ElementalOctopus What about the time they lost one on a commercial runway for a month.

[@TommyLikeTom]

You make me proud to be British and I'm South African

[@lifeisa.smalllesson4607]

Same.... But I'm American

[@baobo67]

Right, I,m Australian. Nice people the Americans but Cricket and Rugby gives us that edge

[@seanevans1293]

Ye but not as good as us welsh we are rugby fanatics

[@baobo67]

@@seanevans1293 Agree Sean you are rugby fanatics. As good as you?, well we will see. We can both agree that a few good Rugby Games right now would boost morale enormously. Cheers from the Wide Brown Land.

[@sebastianstewart6894]

Not sure how to reply to this but didn't South Africa nearly bankrupt Britain during the two boer wars?

[@tommiatkins3443]

In my battery, we had a gunner who served in Telic. He talked of an Iraqi barrage hitting around their DROPS and the BSM walking through it and crouching down to peer at them under the vehicle. "You've sand in your Beret lad...."

[@MyKaddy420]

This made me remember an anecdote from the American Civil War. Apparently one Union Major General John Sedgwick was angry at his men ducking for cover due to Confederate sharpshooters shooting from a thousand yards away. He was quoted to have said „Why are you dodging like this? They couldn‘t hit an elephant at this dis-“.

[@siratthebox]

Holy shit Chruchil went over the top and survived multiple times at FORTY ONE.

[@ditzynightcore2926]

Tbh it was more of a roll of the dice wether you lived rather than a show of skill...

[@siratthebox]

Ditzy Nightcore Still.. rolling that dice...

[@pennyfarting]

That was Churchill's defining skill, really. He was a fantastic gambler.

[@halocemagnum8351]

Yeah after Gallipoli he was due for some serious good luck. And that carried him all the way through the rest of his military career.

[@ProjectRadianceRP]

+Henric von Winklebottom Apart from milling about naked with a cigar LOL

[@SimonsDiscoveries]

Ducking makes a huge difference. First of all you're a half size target. More difficult to hit a 3 than 6 foot tall object wouldn't you agree? Second, your'e a lot more likely to avoid being hit by shrapnels which tend to fly upward from where they originate.

[@kirotheavenger60]

the further you duck the less comfortable and the slower you move

[@warrik3958]

You're also slower, and moving you head towards the biggest target.... Your belly.

[@valleyshrew]

I agree, but you're forgetting that the smaller a target you make the more likely your comrades are to be hit, thus why they disliked it. They wanted everyone to act as equally sized human shields for each other.

[@thatchris1626]

if your ducking and you get hit, the bullet has more well.. of you to go through thus more lethal

[@Jakers457]

Ducking while your knee deep in blood and mud probably wouldn't help

[@micktrinus]

If you haven't seen it before, I would recommend watching Black Hawk Down and pay attention to how American Colonel McKnight behaves. He went out with the intention of behaving much like a British officer in the field, mainly to act as a morale boost for his men.

[@KrolKaz]

It keeps moral up for soldiers to see thier officers keep calm

[@TheOwenMajor]

Lindy, you really shouldn't trust these memoirs, any story retold becomes more fantastical when retold.

[@theorderoforange]

exactly that, anacdotal evidence of 'brave man' never works

[@TheCsel]

i think its more that for every legendary war hero there are dozens that tried the same thing and didn't survive.

[@TheOwenMajor]

It is like the fish I caught, It was in reality 30 inches, but I told everybody it was 40. One has to use unbiased sources.

[@andrewmartin3671]

He already said that the officers suffer higher casualty rates than the men, it's seems perfectly reasonable that these two stories of standing officers and injured officers are both true.

[@TheOwenMajor]

Andrew Martin Yes, it could be true, or it could be 100 different reasons. For example I have read that officers have taken off their identifying markings on their uniforms because enemy troops are more likely to focus on officers. You need unbiased sources to come to conclusions.

[@itstheeconomy2101]

How dare you putting french in small characters, they had 5000 more men and 12 more guns than the British.

[@404killer]

looooooool

[@georgebowyer5170]

Yeah but there french ....

[@studiotoggle]

Doesn't mean they actually did any fighting.

[@eerovuori4827]

French surplus rifle markets: Never fired, only dropped once.

[@giovanni-cx5fb]

It's a recurring thing in his channel to take the piss out of the french. I lost my shit when I saw that text.

[@silvesby]

I feel that you missed a phenomenal opportunity to talk about Major Digby Tatham-Warther. What an incredible fellow he was. He was the one who famously carried an umbrella with him in combat.

[@weatherman667]

There a few interesting things here from a military perspective. Officers aren't always the highest priority targets. Radiomen and gunners tend to be much more important targets for most soldiers. This is why officers don't carry their own radios. The second important thing is the difference from incoming enemy fire and effective enemy fire. Idiotic soldiers will often attack targets they couldn't possibly hit. If you take care from ineffective enemy fire, they've just suppressed you.

[@rileysanderson3824]

weatherman667 how would u know the difference between ineffective and effective enemy fire?

[@eriksmith6097]

@@rileysanderson3824 Are the people around you dying? No? Fire is ineffective.

[@rileysanderson3824]

@@eriksmith6097 hehe ya ig so

[@numnut1516]

Erik Smith need to make that a flow chart

[@lukedogwalker]

Officers don't carry their own radios... because operating the radio is a full time job and commanding a unit, maintaining situational awareness and a hundred other officer roles is also a full time job. The radioman is not there to take a bullet for his officer 😒

[@JedoDre]

Confusion between bravery and stupidity and the real effects of both are obscure, but a difference there is.

[@KaptenN]

Bravery isn't the absence of fear, it's being afraid AND stupid enough to carry on.

[@mindbreak666]

*afraid and stupid, smart or drunk enough to carry on.

[@LaurusHG]

JaydoDre Yoda over here.

[@3seven5seven1nine9]

Confusion between intelligent syntax and pretentiousness and the real effects of both are obscure, but a difference there is.

[@abyssaljam441]

It's good that you specified 'Moaning minnies' when you sayed minnies. As late fiftys cars are not very good ordnance.

[@kirotheavenger60]

im not so sure, I wouldn't want one landing on my head

[@Warclam]

The muzzle velocity isn't up where you'd like it to be, though.

[@willynthepoorboys2]

The Americans called them screaming miemies(Sounds like me me's,likely I butchered the spelling)

[@KinkyPinkFemboiAlex]

And also wernt invented!

[@txgunguy2766]

+willynthepoorboys2 It's screaming mimi which is also an extremely loud alarm clock OTR truckers use.

[@TonySpike]

Reminds me of my favourite quote (American Civil War I think) "They couldn't hit an elephant at this ra"

[@muhamadsayyidabidin3906]

Yeah, funny thing is, civil war sharpshooter never kill somebody without warning. Usually they'll shot at nearest object (usually metal) so it's created a loud 'DING' noise that basically says, " Take cover! Or I'll shot". And those particular tale said that a group of artillery crew just duck because of that 'DING' noice, and the general in charge said that particular sentences before getting shot in the head by the sharpshooter.

[@thearmouredpenguin7148]

It was Brigadier General Sedgwick at the battle of Spotsylvania in the American civil war.

[@michaelmckinnon1591]

General Sedgwick before being shot just above his right eye by Sargent Grace Confederate sniper.

[@NiSiochainGanSaoirse]

@@muhamadsayyidabidin3906 what on earth are you banging on about?? Bloody snipers that warn of their presence??? Jesus lad, read a book or something...

[@michaelm4939]

Found your channel last night, it’s really great!

[@davidmicheletti6292]

A wonderful presentation but you'll have to forgive me I'll duck.

[@arthurdent6256]

Ducking is for panseys who care about getting shot or not. ;)

[@crwydryny]

you wimp, stand tall man and look they couldn't even hit an elephant at this dis

[@gorisenke]

+crwydryny sir, you're bleeding all over the ground!

[@thedepartmentofvillainy]

But sir your missing a arm...

[@theirishrave6448]

NONSENSE SOLDIER! I've SEEN WORSE!

[@Alex-lf1cl]

Harambe didn't duck Look where he is now... He is a god now, so moral of the story is die a martyr

[@khanman196]

Of all the places to comment a harambe meme you choose this channel. For shame, for shame. What's say in your defense.

[@aetherblades2368]

Hope he doesn't duck, I heard it doesn't help.

[@lordbinkythebuffoon5465]

Don't let your memes be dreams

[@VictorKyalo]

amen #dicksout

[@amorembalming]

pre ducked is my favourite phrase.

[@jamesmasonaltair1062]

Monty Python's Meaning of Life illustrates this "don't duck" principle in a most dramatic and hilarious way. The comedy skit is reminiscent of the British officers in the serious movie, Zulu. This movie clearly showed this uniquely British pluck. Thousands of angry Zulus and the officers are cool as ice! Adrian Carton de Wiart exemplied the pluck of the British officer corp. He fought in three wars over 6 decades (the Boer War, WWI, and WWII). In WWI, having previously lost an eye and a hand in battle, Carton de Wiart, as commanding officer, was seen by his men pulling the pins of grenades out with his teeth and hurling them with his one good arm during the Battle of the Somme, winning the Victoria Cross. This is just one of a myriad examples of his IDGAF about incoming rounds attitude. This American loves his British cousins and America has no better friend than Britain. No better feeling in Afghanistan than to link up with Brits or Aussies. Rule Britannia and Pax Americana forever!

[@wilsonhuber]

I hope someone flattened the ends of those cotter pins on those grenades he pulled out with his teeth - otherwise he'd only be able to eat pablum in the morning!! (it's usually only Americans who do this & only in the movies. )

[@chrismc410]

They'll duck if their RSM tells them to. Officers of any military will listen their senior NCOs if they know what's good for them.

[@DrGonzo2781]

This reminds me of John Cleese shaving during the battle with the Zulus in The Meaning of Life

[@emilecormier5085]

Came here looking for this Monty Python reference, leaving satisfied. Eric Idle acting all nonchalant with his leg amputated was hilarious.

[@GoadFilms]

"I will mention a particular event when a pipe major of the royal scots calmly walked in front of his unit when they were told to advance. he was hit several times, but continued to play his pipes" Among the Ottomans, Ian Lyster, accounts of WW1 in the Mediterranean

[@simpleminded1uk]

Were they possibly aiming at the bag?

[@numnut1516]

simpleminded1uk now, why would anyone do that?

[@chuckhainsworth4801]

Sounds about right. Through the 1970s, my regiment still had the boy piper serving who had piped us ashore at Dieppe. It went well with the annual debate about who shot the Colonel at Dieppe, us or the Germans.

[@chickenmadness1732]

@@numnut1516 Musicians are prime targets because they're the ones signalling the orders to the rest of the army.

[@mauricioortiz6762]

Amazing video, I have gained a new quarantine book list.

[@craigme2583]

This guy cracks me up. So many subscribers, amazingly. Shows what passion and enthusiasm for you subject is worth. US Generals were the same... apparently.

[@tSp289]

"Major Chaterjack, M.C., D.S.O., came over to see that we were being 'looked after'; he really was a great soldier. I for one would have followed him anywhere, preferably away from the war. He was this kind of man. Autumn morning - the early sun had melted the night frost, leaving glistening damp trees. Battery parading - small wafts of steam are appearing from men's mouths and noses - the muster roll is called - B.S.M. is about to report to Major Chaterjack: 'Battery all correct and present sir!' The roar of a plane mixed with cannon shells all over the place - Me 109 roof top, red propellor boss - panic - Battery as one man into ditch - not Major Chaterjack, M.C., D.S.O. - stands alone in the road - unmoved - produces a silver case, lights up a cigarette. He is smoking luxuriously as we all sheepishly rise from what now feels like the gutter. He addresses us: 'Very good - you realise you did the right thing and I the wrong.' What can you say to a bloke like that?" --Spike Milligan, Adolf Hitler: My Part in His Downfall.

[@Marc83Aus]

Excellent Trilogy. All 7 parts of it.

[@Afarrell18]

English officers weren't the only officers to do that sort of thing, all nations have just as many examples of this kind of suicidal courage/bravado, also I don't see how the British elite would be more "inbred" than any other European elite at the time, given the motivations of relatives marrying and having children was to keep power in the family, all European (and all over the wold really) elite practiced it to some extent.

[@tSp289]

Uncle Timo How about you go fuck yourself. How's that for inbreeding?

[@ArchArturo]

Is there any account of the American GI's reaction to the British officer's behavior?.

[@95maths]

Sounds like a good way of getting your chain of command taken out in the midst of battle.

[@allanrobertson8909]

I think this is one of the best videos on youtube. Whenever someone asks me for some good educational youtube content I send them this video.

[@corvuslividus677]

Wow! So amazing content! Learning history and improving listening skills- all in one. Thank you, sir!

[@alex29443]

I've seen similar descriptions of British officers in 'Sniper One,' which was about the iraq war, so it sounds like british officers are still like this.

[@perperson199]

That was a splendid book

[@leechowning2712]

Yes, they do. Us Yanks still are confused.

[@robertrobertson7129]

The Brits did not simply luck into the biggest empire in history

[@nicktrains2234]

@@a7HKdAbmET arguably Italy and Spain and Turkey had far greater geographical positions, it was their lack of flexibility and focus on only their local regions that made them never progress

[@AscentofTrollbane]

@@nicktrains2234 uh no. HUUUUUUUGGGEEEEEEE difference between mainland country and a giant fucking island.

[@GEOGUY-iv5qr]

Lol, "the British Empire." good one.

[@DutchGabbers]

​@@nicktrains2234 Portugal and Spain have a great geographical location made them 1 of the first European powers able to colonize successfully giving them immense riches from the Americans like Gold and many other resources.. But stratically their lands are very hard to defend And only reason Turkey used to have a strong position was because they had the best location for trade for many centuries same as Persia, Greeks and the Abbasids had.. All of the Silk Road trade into Europe pretty much went through the Ottoman Empire for centuries.. And that is again 1 of the main reasons the western powers started looking for ways around that.. Britain might actually be 1 of the best positions in the world to start a empire.. Where most "Mainland" nations need a standing army to defend their lands.. Great Brittain made a gigantic fleet which ensures enemies are unable to land their troops in the first place..

[@jidk6565]

@Frosty Ghost dude, did you just hate on A tiny old lady? How petty and weak are you

[@pantoastado1264]

This is the most British thing I have ever heard

[@blastforth]

In the US Civil War, Union Gen John Sedgwick spoke these immortal last words: "There's no point in hiding or ducking. They couldn't hit an elephant at this dist..."

[@EnergyKnife]

Last time I was this early... Wait, 1,200 views? In six minutes?! Well played.

[@zinqtable1092]

Rango you're funny. You have much to learn.

[@yaldabaoth2]

lindybeige could fill whole stadiums in minutes.

[@dzigerica666]

he deserve it

[@shadiversity]

I wonder if these account are more the exception than the norm, after all the people giving the accounts seem very surprised by these men not ducking, which seems to indicate their other leaders did duck but weren't mentioned because men ducking was normal. But men not ducking was so extraordinary it seems, that it got mentioned in their memoir. Having said that, Lloyd does share those account from officers saying that 'British officers don't duck' and they're more reliable than me, so I could be very wrong. On the note of ducking I can see a possible psychological affect. Soldiers are more likely to shoot at people they perceive as a threat. 'Look there's someone ducking and sneaking around, here's clearly up to no good, SHOOT!' But a man on a casual stroll? 'He's doing no harm and I would feel like such a jerk if I shot him.' Remember that most men in WW1 and WW2 didn't even shoot to kill, so if most soldiers were so reluctant to shoot at people who WERE shooting at them, I think there's some real possibility that they would be even more reluctant to shoot at a harmless looking chap having a nice walk.

[@mmaaccdzuu4636]

Nice said man :)

[@2adamast]

Somme officers come with brilliant initiatives, other shine by posture and behavior.

[@2adamast]

BornInPurple Luckily the troops were successful to not follow the example to the letter. They learned in Crimea the hard way.

[@2adamast]

BornInPurple My numbers are 12% for the men, 17% for the officers over the war. If the BEF suffered 70% losses in 1914 the rest of the war must have been mild.

[@Gilmaris]

I was thinking the same thing, Shad - the reason these anecdotes are told is precisely because they stand out - they are not the common fare. And like Lloyd himself suggests in the beginning of the video, you wouldn't issue a specific directive against something which was not done with some frequency - which is probably why Churchill et al. thought it prudent to point out that one should lay off this business of ducking.

[@fohat50]

my Dad took me to see 'a bridge too far' when i was a kid, great memories for me, great film, i watched it again last year.

[@AS-zg7fw]

I like how you give a bit of personality to the stories with accents and general enthusiasm. Puts a bit more life in them.

[@WestTNConfed]

I think it makes the men respect their officers more. Keeping calm and steadfast in the heat of battle shows the troops that you are ready to die for them, and that you are a force to be reckon with. I think it also creates inspiration on the field, since being an officer shows status, and makes a good representation of how brave a soldier should be.

[@chriscampbell4806]

I believe American officers were also aware of the affect it could have on the mens morale. I vaguely remember an anecdote from I what i believe was General Patton writing a letter to his wife after or sometime during his time in Africa in which he wrote something to the effect "I was able to distinguish myself today when our unit was strafed by enemy aircraft, while men were ducking all around I stayed standing on the beach". I believe that was the basic idea of what he wrote, paraphrased of course as it was some time ago that i read about it. This may have also been a sort of competition between officers to distinguish themselves from one another.

[@Blueshirt38]

It also shoves the level of importance afforded to officers in the face of the enlisted. Today, say a group of Marines were on patrol on a road between camps in Ramadi. While the enlisted men walked about in a military manner, keeping alert, if their Lt. cowered, and ducked while walking behind them, using them as a shield, that Lt. would probably be wounded by friendly fire before that of an enemy.

[@KellySteam]

If I saw my officer not even bothering to hurry to take cover or attempt to avoid being shot, I'd think "What a maniac, if he has this little care for himself why should I think he has any care at all for me or my fellow comrades?" and I'd be heavily discouraged from following him in battle.

[@Blueshirt38]

Jun It isn't that way in the theater of war. The man who walks into danger unafraid is respected. If your commander showed cowardice, you wouldn't respect him- or trust him, more importantly. Their decisions undoubtedly mean your life or death, so if they waiver, or are unsure of themselves, then your natural instinct is to say "This dude's gonna get me killed. Screw that."

[@AvoidTheCadaver]

It would not surprise me that the regular soldiers view their officers as surrogates for the company standard. Bearing in mind that the Europeans used to fight pitched battles all the way up to the Napoleonic era and companies/regiments fought as a single unit under an officer and that officer's position was denoted by the company/regimental standard. These days armies don't fight pitched battles in the same way and you don't go into battle waving flags and standards but companies still retain banners and standards as symbols of the unit and their unity. A respected officer is their standard and one who they will fight, bleed and die for and with. So by extension, the bravery of the officer reflects the bravery of the men and if the men respect even love their commander, that respect strengthens the commander and that is positively fed back to the men stiffening their resolve in battle.

[@lonefalmer3210]

Could you from this point onward wear a robe similar in design to this cardigan in all videos whilst holding a wine glass aloft?

[@Jalkoth]

Don't forget the arm chair and a roaring fireplace

[@DarkAvatar1313]

And a monocle and cigar...

[@rekabneb]

Wine!? That continental swill. How about a mug of beer, tea or a glass of rum or scotch?

[@hexmark4879]

Lindybeige " I got somewhat distracted there " Me " Nah mate you would never get....... "

[@pibloackbar5420]

Back when lindybeige was suprised by having a sponsorship

[@DerLoladin]

This has a lot more to do with psychology rather than british officer tradition. There are plenty of reports suggesting this phenomenon of people not quite realising their situation or "blending" out wherever they are. Also, for all these 3 examples of an officer taking a casual stroll and nothing happening to him, there were most likely dozens of examples where an Officer attempted to do exactly that and got shot, shredded, blown up or torn to bits.

[@gegdim9307]

Maybe some survivor bias?

[@neleabels]

Only survivors are there to tell their tale. :)

[@DrewLSsix]

Nele Abels. many of these tales were told by others.

[@monjier]

it's a leadership thing. when you are weak act strong and when you are strong act weak. by acting strong you inspire the team. if ya act like a little bitch then the platoon will route and then you'll lose.

[@amitabhakusari2304]

Aye, but as the guy says being overly cautious in those situations would have just about the same results. Maybe the officers felt a bit of sarcastic humour in case they died anyway would improve everyone's morale.