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The Trent Affair, in 1861 during the American Civil war, when a Union warship boarded a British mail ship and seized Confederate envoys, brought Britain and the USA to the very brink of war.

It was only the intervention by Queen Victoria’s husband, Prince Albert, that helped pull the two nations back from the abyss.

So, What actually happened in the Trent Affair in 1861? How close did the USA and Great Britain really come to fighting each other? And, exactly how did Prince Albert help avert that war?

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In Westminster Abbey, London, lies the tomb of Britain’s Unknown Warrior.

But how was he chosen from all the thousands who died? Why did he end up in this ancient place or worship, and why, is it called the tomb of the Unknown Warrior and not the Unknown Soldier?

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With his magic tricks that went wrong, his catch phrase “Just like that” and his ironing fez, Tommy Cooper was an icon of Post War British comedy.

But why did he start wearing that fez?

Well, it all has to do with his little-known time serving in Monty’s “Desert Rats” in Egypt during the Second World War.

Intrigued? Then sit back as we explore the story of Tommy Cooper, his World War 2 service & his fez.

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The epic charge of the Australian Light Horse - Battle of Beersheba 1917.

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On the 31st October 1917, during the First World War, 800 Australian horsemen charged against Turkish machine guns.
Using their bayonets as swords, it was the culminating action in the allied victory at the Battle of Beersheba, and was depicted in the film;”The Lighthorsemen”.

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The Battle of Sobraon fought on the 10th February 1846, was the fourth, last and decisive battle of the First Anglo-Sikh War.

At the end of that bloody morning, over 12,000 men had been killed or wounded and the last formidable army opposing British rule in India had been defeated.

This is part 4 in my series on the First Anglo Sikh War.
P1 - Episode 133: Sikh Swords v British Bayonets (The Battle of Mudki)
P2 - Episode 137: Egos, Madness & Traitors (Battle of Ferozeshah)
P3 - Episode 141: The Charge of the 16th Lancers (Battle of Aliwal)

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The Battle of Coronel fought on the 1st November 1914, was the first defeat for the Royal Navy in over 100 years.


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Books About Battle of Coronel:

"The Grand Fleet 1914-19" - Daniel Ridley-Kitts


"Naval Warfare 1914-1918" - Tim Benbow


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https://www.thehistorychap.com

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Tommy Macpherson, the "Kilted Killer", was a British World War 2 commando.

Parachuted into France, he worked with the resistance blowing up bridges, taking on an elite panzer regiment and convincing an German army of 23,000 to surrender.

Once, having sabotaged a German fuel dump he cooly sat at a nearby cafe in full Highland uniform including kilt, drinking a glass of wine.

He caused so much havoc that the Germans placed a 300,000 Franc bounty on his head. But, even that couldn’t stop the man they called the “kilted killer.”

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Tommy's autobiography - "Behind Enemy Lines'

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Since it’s inception in 1856, there have been 1358 Victoria Crosses awarded.
But 8 of these heroes were forced to forfeit their medals.
This is their story.

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