What if the British army wasn't actually that British? Alistair Nichols joins us to look at the Foreign troops who took the 'King's Shilling' and served under the British flag. We look at their motivations, their contributions and whether they have been saddled with an unjustified reputation for desertion.
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Keywords:
British Army, Napoleonic Wars, foreign soldiers, Swiss Regiment, German Legion, military recruitment, desertion, prisoners of war, foreign regiments, military history
Timestamps
00:00 Introduction to Foreign Troops in the British Army
02:49 Perceptions and Stigmas Surrounding Foreign Soldiers
05:59 Stereotypes and Positive Accounts of Foreign Soldiers
09:08 Diverse Sources of Foreign Soldiers
12:00 The Multinational Nature of the British Army
15:03 Reasons for Recruitment of Foreign Soldiers
17:47 The Longevity and Future of Foreign Regiments
29:10 The Evolution of Foreign Regiments in the British Army
31:24 The Risks of Joining the British Army
34:53 Desertion and Recruitment of Foreign Soldiers
40:35 French Emigres and Their Role in the British Army
43:34 The Stories of French Soldiers in British Service
54:35 Life After Service for Foreign Soldiers
