'The Bravest Man in England' - The Extraordinary Life of Colonel Fred Burnaby

They called him the Bravest man in England. His life was straight from the pages of a swashbuckling novel…Some even say he was the inspiration for Harry Flashman.
Do you know who it is?
Well, it's Colonel Frederick Gustavus Burnaby of the Royal Horse Guards.
His life was an amazing story and he was tragically killed at the Battle of Abu Klea in Sudan in 1885.
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[@aarona7041]

Texan here. I love British military history. Been to England a couple of times and absolutely loved it. Y'all are awesome 👍🏽. So glad I found your channel. Keep up the good work.

[@redcoathistory]

Many thanks Sir. You are very welcome here.

[@ollielanders4587]

My Texan friend don't be fooled by the movies two thirds of the World can attest to the fact that the British Empire was the most Evil terrorist organisation the World has ever known. 🤬🤬🤬

[@johnosborne1873]

English history is OTHER-WORLDLY cool. Those men were something else!

[@daviddoyle5291]

A bit of information, there is a housing estate in the town of Greystones in Co, Wicklow Ireland called the Burnaby it was built by his wife and named after him it was one of the first housing estates built in Ireland think it was built around 1900.

[@Paulftate]

That would put the pump in the house😂

[@inregionecaecorum]

I am a Midlander and from time to time I have visited Brum. Outside the cathedral of St Phillips there is an obelisk which says boldly "Burnaby" and elsewhere "Abu Klea" I did wonder what this was all about and subsequently read the biography of this remarkable chap. The poem of course was a standard at school when I was growing up. Burnaby had a larger than life existence which was truly a ripping yarn and a half!

[@burroc5536]

One of my favorite things is an autograph of his I own from when he was a captain. It was from a note he sent a friend and signed Captain Burnaby.

[@redcoathistory]

Wow what a wonderful item to have. Very jealous.

[@mrtoad7531]

Love the video! Only one issue your expert said the cavalry in the crimea did poorly? The heavy brigade performed amazingly well especially just befor the light brigade's ill feted charge

[@ducthman4737]

If he really was an honest and incorruptible man than today it would be impossible for him to be in politics.

[@williamthompson2941]

A CRACKING YARN IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE - many thanks for covering this

[@tezashcroft1029]

Coalville Gal here , Love your Videos

[@redcoathistory]

Cheers for that - any other characters from British military history you’d like me to make a video about

[@paulharris4524]

Another great video, thank you.

[@lucifer1661]

Fascinating stuff. I’m a direct descendent of ‘uncle Fred’ the portrait in national portrait gallery shows the current family resemblance. Good genetics 😂

[@user-oo8yb4jo5n]

The interesting bit of poetic licence is that the gun that jammed wasn't a Gatling. It was a Gardner under the command of Captain Lord Charles Beresford who ordered the gun out of the square. It was a reliable enough weapon under home service conditions, but in the dust of the Sudan, it jammed after firing about 70 rounds. Beresford survived with what he called a scratch on his hand, but a number of the Naval Brigade were killed. Beresford went on to become the nemesis of Admiral Jackie Fisher during Fisher's whole changes in the Royal Navy at the turn of the century. I would be interested to know what Dr Richard Gatling thought of this misrepresentation. A cracking video, very many thanks.

[@DaveMorgansghost]

Im a water worker and had to attend a show by a firehydrant manufacturer demonstrating a new type of pipe clamp system designed to make installation easier as it bit into the pipe using rotation to lock on several teeth...i commented ," hey, thats not new, thats exactly how a Gatling gun works!" Everyone laughed....at me...i realized i was the only one in the room who understood just how a gatling gun worked....they thought i was stupid in ny comment, but, in reality, i was the smartest one in the room that day in not being duped by a sales pitch at a presentation!!!

[@eddierudolph8702]

Thank you for the information on the heavy cavalry regiments.

[@thatcouncilestatekid1832]

Great episode informing as always 👍🏻

[@redcoathistory]

Much appreciated.

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

"Play up, play up and play the game" Sorry to be so cynical, but that there attitude explains most of Britain's military disasters. To mis-quote Patton; the whole point of war isn't to take one for the team, but to make the other poor bugger do so. Mind you, Victorian England certainly did produce some crazily brave guys. (I'm of the Harry Flashman school myself). Another great video!

[@Paulftate]

its good for business

[@piney4562]

I think you might be slightly misunderstanding the idea. It's not about "taking one for the team", it's about doing ones duty. It's harkening back to childhood games such as football and its varients, in an effort to instill a sense of unity, teamwork, and common purpose. Which in the context of linear warfare, and especially holding an infantry square, is a vital ingredient in success.

[@FelixstoweFoamForge]

@@piney4562 Im afraid I think that whole concept is bollox

[@piney4562]

@@FelixstoweFoamForge in the context of linear warfare, I find your perspective perplexing.

[@Jubilo1]

Superb video !

[@windalfalatar333]

What a magnificent video - and what a magnificent man!!

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks a lot. Any other characters you’d like me to look into?

[@windalfalatar333]

@@redcoathistory Yes: Chinese Gordon.

[@dhchilton5148]

I went to the same school as Burnaby - was in 'Burnaby House'. The story there was that he could carry two ponies at a time, one under each arm. I was also witness to a contemprary drawing showing such.

[@keithagn]

Super interesting story! What a brave man too. As a side note, I was raised in Burnaby, British Columbia Canada 🇨🇦

[@redcoathistory]

Fantastic. Is it names after him?

[@keithagn]

@@redcoathistory no doubt in my mind; many of the streets, areas, locations, etc in Vancouver, and Burnaby are named after 18th, 19th century, WW1, WW2, etc British and Canadian battles and heroes. That's all changed now, of course because we are "de-colonising" everything, and pulling down statues because these guys were all "racists" or homophobic. They don't call British Columbia, Canada the "Left Coast of Canada" for nothing. Sorry for the rant, Chris! Regards!

[@jancoil4886]

Larger than life but little combat experience, and the wrong man to have as a second in command. The square at Abu Klea was broken in part due FB's poor judgement and having too many cavalryman fighting as infantry--one of many planning errors committed by Wolseley. See Colonel Mike Snook's superb book Beyond the Reach of Empire.

[@rohans1174]

Hey man! Just discovered your channel. Great work you're doing.❤ Can you do a detailed video on RIN Mutiny of 1946? Resources available are close to none on the internet, you've to refer some books

[@redcoathistory]

It’s a little outside my area of knowledge…I’ll look into it for the future

[@rohans1174]

Royal Indian Navy Mutiny you can say is the official culmination of military establishment of British in India. It was just in path to become another 1857. Timely political intervention averted the crisis. Most of the original resources to refer are Commission of Enquiry reports, minutes of House of Commons & newspaper clippings. Here in India we don't have access to these info for political reasons. Hope if you can carve out some 🙌🏼

[@ethanlewis1459]

Are you gonna do Videos on The Crimean War or The Australian Frontier Wars because they need to be talked about more

[@redcoathistory]

Keen to at some point. Any sources you recommend?

[@ethanlewis1459]

@@redcoathistory The Charge Of The Light Brigade

[@lynndonharnell422]

What frontier wars?

[@ethanlewis1459]

The Australian Frontier Wars which was a series of conflicts between Colonial Settlers and Aborigines

[@mrtoad7531]

@ethanlewis If you think they were "wars" you are crazy. Also it would have to be the most shit boring subject ever. Indians and moari wars would be interesting though

[@stephenmcdonald7908]

There's a memorial obelisk to him in Birmingham Cathedral churchyard .

[@emanuelgalea2373]

Actually the heavy brigade did very well at Balaclava.

[@3vimages471]

Why the ffff did he try so hard to get to Khiva and what is there?

[@V.B.Squire]

What was that poem called

[@redcoathistory]

Vitai Lampada

[@patrickporter1864]

It is from the school and view that the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton rather than 3 years studying in a military academy in france.

[@V.B.Squire]

@@patrickporter1864 I have a rv with death is a good one too

[@windalfalatar333]

c. 11:10: Victorian #metoo Movement throws a spoke in the wheel for Fred's best military friend, Col. Baker's, career (between Surbiton and Woking). 'Where did the accused touch you, my dear?' 'Between Surbiton and Woking, m'laird.' 'Is that what you young people call it these days?'

[@windalfalatar333]

* a spanner in the works is what I meant to say. Also, why did he rush straight for the mainline between Surbiton and Woking like a raging Incontinental? Call me a buff old traditionalist, but I normally direct my attentions to the Peaks District first, or Portsmouth (which is not to say that I would sail the Indifatigable into a drydock without forewarning).

[@5831a]

I wonder if he was related to this fellow: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Burnaby

[@redcoathistory]

It's possible.

[@5831a]

@@redcoathistory Had a city in BC, Canada of 200,000 named after him.

[@welshwarrior5263]

Great stuff again. Thanks mate.

[@redcoathistory]

Thanks mate/ Burnaby really is a wonderful character.

[@Paulftate]

you want to Iive forever ..... fix bayonets

[@airplayrule]

So u can say "Wrong vid" or "i got the vid" but u cant say the TITLE of your more detailed vid on how Clive takes the 2 Indian forts huh

[@redcoathistory]

Sorry mate - I don't understand you.

[@airplayrule]

@@redcoathistory can u say the TITLE of your most detailed vid, that explains how Clive seized 2 Indian forts

[@colinpiper4386]

Beckham… really 😂

[@Strength-in-Union]

Patriotic and stirring stuff... For England and the English. Why, when the rest of us are proud to be British, and to serve our country, do the English only see the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland as England? It is English ignorance and arrogance that drives nationalism in the non-English parts of our wonderful Union. 🇬🇧

[@redcoathistory]

Bizarre comment mate. Why are you feeling victimised because of Burnaby? There is no inherent attack on anyone in his story.

[@Strength-in-Union]

@redcoathistory Hey! Thanks for the reply. 😄 Really enjoy your stuff. Just something that grinds my gears - when folk talk about England - when this is more than one part. In the same way, I get angry when certain groups talk about Scotland and cause people to think they speak for us all. Please keep up the great work (and thank you for allowing me to get that off my chest) 👍🏻

[@redcoathistory]

@@Strength-in-Union no worries mate. I understand. But in those days people often used ‘England’ as short hand for Britain. I don’t think it was the same as today in that sense

[@DaveSCameron]

Brilliant channel for the chosen topic, many thanks Sir. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿📚🎚️👏 P.S. I’d put money on his being of Scouse stock… 😉⚽️

[@redcoathistory]

Cheers mate - any other characters from British military history you’d like me to make a video about

[@DaveSCameron]

@@redcoathistory I’ll have a good think and get back to you, much appreciated.📚☘️🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿