Table Of Content

W E N BBRR II TTBooAAk of II NN’’SS GG RR EE AATT EE SSTT VV II CC TT OO RR II EESS DDIISSCCOOVVEERR TTHHEE MMAAKKIINNGGSS OOFF AA NNAATTIIOONN ln a o t i it g i d i D E N FIFTH EDITIO LLEEGGEENNDDAARRYY LLEEAADDEERRSS •• HHIISSTTOORRIICC BBAATTTTLLEESS •• IICCOONNIICC MMOOMMEENNTTSS BRITBoAok of IN’S GREATEST VICTORIES War has often been the chosen course for seeking resolution throughout history, as nations have fought to defend their identity. As such, much of Britain’s history is determined by defeating other nations in battle. The History of War Book of Britain’s Greatest Victories explores 20 of Britain’s most iconic triumphs. Through in-depth articles, detailed battle maps, illustrations and photographs, we examine the strategies and tactics behind some of the biggest conflicts, analysing important decisions made by key players and discovering just how Britain came out on top. From epic European battles, such as Trafalgar and Waterloo, to global conflicts like Aliwal and Rorke’s Drift; and from the gruesome battles of World War I and World War II to more recent conflicts in the Falklands and Afghanistan, we take a look at the British victories that have gone down in military history and helped shape a nation. BRITAIN’S GREATEST VICTORIES Future PLC Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA Editorial Editor Sarah Bankes Compiled by Sarah Bankes & Andy Downes Senior Art Editor Andy Downes Head of Art & Design Greg Whitaker Editorial Director Jon White Cover images Alamy, Joe Cummings, Thinkstock Photography All copyrights and trademarks are recognised and respected Advertising Media packs are available on request Commercial Director Clare Dove International Head of Print Licensing Rachel Shaw [email protected] www.futurecontenthub.com Circulation Head of Newstrade Tim Mathers Production Head of Production Mark Constance Production Project Manager Matthew Eglinton Advertising Production Manager Joanne Crosby Digital Editions Controller Jason Hudson Production Managers Keely Miller, Nola Cokely, Vivienne Calvert, Fran Twentyman Printed in the UK Distributed by Marketforce, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London, E14 5HU www.marketforce.co.uk Tel: 0203 787 9001 History of War Book of Britain’s Greatest Victories Fifth Edition (HWB4487) © 2022 Future Publishing Limited We are committed to only using magazine paper which is derived from responsibly managed, certified forestry and chlorine-free manufacture. The paper in this bookazine was sourced and produced from sustainable managed forests, conforming to strict environmental and socioeconomic standards. The paper holds full FSC or PEFC certification and accreditation. All contents © 2022 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. 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Future plc is a public Chief executive Zillah Byng-Thorne company quoted on the Non-executive chairman Richard Huntingford London Stock Exchange Chief financial officer Penny Ladkin-Brand (symbol: FUTR) www.futureplc.com Tel +44 (0)1225 442 244 Part of the bookazine series Contents 8 20 iconic British victories A timeline of 20 of the most iconic victories in British military history 1700-1800s 1900-2000s 18 Battle of 82 Battle of Blenheim the Somme Discover this major battle of the The World War I battle that’s one War of the Spanish Succession of the bloodiest in human history 26 Battle of 94 Battle of Culloden Cambrai When Jacobite forces were A significant event in World War I in defeated by loyalist troops which tanks were used en masse 30 Battle of 102 B attle of Plassey Amiens The British East India Company Explore the opening phase of the versus the Nawab of Bengal Hundred Days Offensive 34 Battle of Quebec 106 Battle of Megiddo The hour-long yet pivotal battle in the Seven Years’ War The climactic battle of the British 38 invasion of Palestine of 1917-1918 38 Battle of Trafalgar 110 B attle of Britain Follow the footsteps of those One of Britain’s most important involved in this epic battle victories of World War II 70 44 Battle of 116 Second Battle Salamanca of El Alamein Discover how the Anglo-Portuguese The World War II battle that took army defeated French forces place near an Egyptian railway halt 48 Battle of 126 Battle of Imphal Waterloo How Japanese armies were driven The showdown between two of back into Burma with heavy losses history’s military giants 130 Normandy 58 Battle of Aliwal Landings Explore the turning point in the Understand D-Day and the start First Anglo-Sikh War of Operation Overlord 62 Battle of 142 Battle of Inkerman Goose Green Discover the third major Uncover the first major land engagement of the Crimean War conflict of the Falklands War 70 B attle of 154 Battle of Rorke’s Drift Musa Qala The defence of Rorke’s Drift, which The British-led military action in took place during the Zulu War southern Afghanistan 6 8 116 48 30 130 44 126 7 ICONIC BRITISH VICTORIES EAST INDIA COMPANY JACOBITE RISING OF 1715 BONNIE PRINCE CHARLIE ARRIVES IN SCOTLAND LIFESPAN 1600-1874 INDIA 1715 Britain 23 July 1745 Eriskay Island 1600 1704 1715 1745 1.BATTLE OF BLENHEIM 13 AUGUST 1704 BLENHEIM, SOUTHERN GERMANY T he War of the Spanish Succession began in 1702 after to stand and fight. The battle began at 2am with a British advance. the death of Charles II of Spain took Europe to war. The Unprepared for an assault in the early hours, the French centre was French Army was the premier fighting force of the era, and weakened. Keeping French cavalry attacks at bay, Marlborough at Blenheim 60,000 of its men, including Bavarian allies, faced off launched wave after wave of attack that proved too much for the against 56,000 from the Grand Alliance, a combination of forces shocked French troops. French commander Marshall Tallard was from Britain, the Netherlands and the Holy Roman Empire. The captured and his armies cornered in the village of Blenheim with French were convinced that the short-supplied Grand Alliance would no other option but to surrender. 40,000 were killed, wounded or retreat, but the British commander the duke of Marlborough decided captured, with the French suffering a huge blow to their war effort. 8 20 ICONIC BRITISH VICTORIES The Jacobites fought to reinstate the House of Stuart onto the British throne 2.BATTLE OF CULLODEN 16 APRIL 1746 CULLODEN, SCOTLAND A bloodbath that ended the final Jacobite Rebellion, The British six-pounder guns thundered into the Jacobite core Culloden was the last ever pitched battle to be fought with the impact of its feared Highland charge minimised by in Britain. Led by the vengeful duke of Cumberland, the the boggy terrain of the battlefield. The fleeing Jacobites were British Army had tracked the retreating Jacobites back into hunted down and the Highland clan system was destroyed once Scotland after the march of the ’45 had previously made it as far and for all. Their leader, the Young Pretender ‘Bonnie Prince south as Derby. The exhausted 5,000 Jacobite troops were no Charlie’, escaped to a life of obscurity in France. The Jacobites match for the 9,000 strong royal army and its superior artillery. would never rise again. 1746 1754 1757 3.BATTLE SEVEN YEARS’ WAR 1754-1763 Worldwide OF PLASSEY 23 JUNE 1757 BENGAL, INDIA B ritish commander Colonel Robert Clive described it as the climax of his career, and it was indeed a vital victory that ushered in almost 200 years of British rule in India. Both the French and British East India Companies desired to conquer India, and in this battle the French gave assistance to the Nawab of Bengal Siraj-ud-Daulah in a bid to oust the British. Despite the French support, Nawab’s forces were crippled by turncoats that had restricted their numbers, but the British troops still lined up against far greater numbers. The turning point in the battle came when one third of all the Bengali troops, led by commander Mir Jafar, refused to come to the aid of their allies. The British guns fired into the cavalry, after the French and Bengali artillery was rendered useless Siraj-ud-Daulah was intent on removing by the rain that was lashing down. This sent the British from his territory but was Siraj-ud-Daulah’s troops into disarray. They betrayed by Mir Jafar never recovered and made a hasty retreat. 9 20 ICONIC BRITISH VICTORIES The battle gave Britain control over most of New France, which later became Canada 4.BATTLE OF QUEBEC 13 SEPTEMBER 1759 QUEBEC, CANADA P art of the North American theatre of the Seven Years’ War, attack and hurriedly took up arms, but on arrival were welcomed by the Battle of Quebec was of critical importance. A British and volleys of musket fire. The British attack faltered briefly after General American coalition faced a French and Canadian alliance that James Wolfe was struck down, but Brigadier-General George Townshend was protecting the city of Quebec. The British attacked under the cover stepped into the fray and managed to reorganise and rally the British to of darkness in the early hours, as infantry disembarked from their boats a vital victory. Quebec surrendered and by the end of the war, the French and scaled the cliffs. The French commanders got wind of the impending colonial stake in North America was almost non-existent. 1759 1803 1805 1807 1812 WAR OF THE THIRD PENINSULAR WAR The British were COALITION commanded by Wellington, 1807-1814 Iberian Peninsula who would also be in 1803-1806 Europe command at Waterloo The Royal Navy won, despite having fewer ships than the combined French and Spanish fleet 5.BATTLE OF 6.BATTLE OF TRAFALGAR SALAMANCA 21 OCTOBER 1805 CAPE TRAFALGAR 22 JULY 1812 SALAMANCA, SPAIN I T n 1805, the Napoleonic Wars were at their height. While the he Peninsular War was a major theatre of combat during the French Grande Armée dominated on land, Britain ruled the waves, Napoleonic Wars. By 1812, the French had begun to lose their and the Royal Navy had long protected the British Isles from a grip on the Iberian peninsula, and the Battle of Salamanca was French invasion. Battle began after the fleets met just off the coast of a pivotal victory for the British and Portuguese forces. Both sides were southern Spain. The French were backed by their Spanish allies, but around 50,000 strong and after being unwilling to engage each other the British were under the inspirational leadership of national hero for weeks, the French made the first move with an attempted flanking Admiral Horatio Nelson. Nelson, from the bridge of his flagship HMS manoeuvre. Wellington had pre-empted this tactic and rebuffed the Victory, galvanised his troops with his now famous ‘England expects’ attack, resulting in the French line becoming overextended. The French signal. The battle was fierce, and as 60 ships of the line duked it out, recovered from this early setback to hold their lines in both east and the Royal Navy emerged victorious thanks primarily to the superior west sides of the battlefield. The hard-fought battle ended with a leadership shown by Nelson who was critically injured during the desperate French last stand after being overwhelmed. The tide of the battle. Victory at Trafalgar gave Britain naval supremacy of the seas, Peninsular War turned as the British and Portuguese forces marched and the French opportunity for an invasion was lost forever. further inland towards Madrid and its pro-French government. 10