Battle of battles: You name our finest hour - This Britain - UK - The Independent What happened to Crecy? Evesham? Lewes? But I'm biased.... Longshanks for king of kings...
Afraid I was totally predictable. as many more have been and will be...the winner looks to be already there to see...I went Waterloo out of the choices given...as a global event....Kohima pulled me in that list as did Goose Green...the Goose Green as a battle was if you look at it...from the fighting para on the ground going forward..a typical British fight and could have been transferred back to any action we fought in, but its ramifications were not global..Kohima one better but not decisively Global...As with R.Drift etc...I would have liked Crecy or Agingourt...but had to opt for Waterloo...It will win I suppose.
funny....they call Culloden "not easy" for the english. I beg to differ. The Highlanders were undiciplined, and attempted a "Highland Charge" without realizing this move had already had it's day in the sun and gone. Whole regiments on the english side did not fire a shot in anger. The Scots had lots of heart and a fearsome reputation, but not much else going in their favour. Without wishing to drag down an admirable and courageous effort from the Scots, you really cannot call the battle anything more than a near walkover, especially when a simple outflanking move by the Dragoons caused so much panic. Most Scots who lost their lives at Culloden were cut down in the pursuit. And what No Trafalgar? No Taranto? No Battle of Britain? None of the strictly British victories in France in 1918....no Broodsiende? No Sambre crossing? No Minden? No Siege of Ladysmith? What an inadequate list.....
Being the National Army site mate, I think they can leave off any Naval or Air battles....The army has not noticed the RAF as yet, and the navy are after all just a taxi service....
And is our attitude to the Somme and Douglas Haig finnally going to get a revamp? Haig was such a tool of his French superiors, you really cannot foist the blame for the startegic conduct of the war on him. And what about the smaller victories that meant much more, like the Bruneval Raid or O'Connor's Offensive? A what of the defeats that meant something more? Like the stand of Commonwealth soldiers in Greece in 1941 delaying Barbarossa? Or the contribution of the Royal Navy in blockading Germany during the 14-18 conflict? Or the great contribution to the defeat of Germany in 1945 represented by the exertions of Bomber command? Asking the public to pick this is a misnomer. They are not likely to grasp the significance of most battles/ca,paigns, and are far too likely to consider British efforts in the Great War as tragic happenstance rather than planned action getting concrete results.....so much military history, so little understanding from the ordinary civilian whose name these conflicts are fought in.
Ahhh...they are fought in the name of the ordinary civilian....I see now where you are making the mistake... Haig? Wouldn't be on my list to butter bread. In the same thread as O'connor...the mileage between each others hq's and the equivilant mileage to the nearest front line soldier speaks for itself in my view mate. As for battles I still think any of Edward 1 2 or 3 especially rate some mention...After all they did formulate the British nation of today.
Lets see, My List, 1. Yorktown 2. Cowpens 3. King's Mountain 4. New Orleans 5. Battle of Flamborough Head Like urqh, I might be a mite biased!
I can imagine the 'brown jobs' grinding their teeth - Britain's Finest Hour ? Forever associated with the Brylcreem Boys.....
Pull up a sandbag...Belasar....Biak...take the night off....Heres an Urqh story....When I joined up the RAF of course...I'd heard about Brylcream boys....I went straight to Naafi...thats px Belasar and Biak....And got some to rub on hair..so I'd be one of the boys....Which is why today I have a high forehead hairline...Imac...Imac...since when has Brylcream sounded like Imac...
Has everyone forgotten the Battle of Mboto Gorge? The army was merely a travel agency for men with unusually high sex drives until ten thousand Watutsi warriors armed to the teeth with kiwi fruit and dry guava halves hove into view...
