| Most important battle in British history ? 09:05 - May 26 with 13089 views | Keno |
I thought I try and raise the intellectual standard today with a little rhetorical question. I was watching an old series War & Remembrance in which comment is passed that El Alamein will be the last battle fought by 'the British' (a term used loosely as there was acknowledgement paid to the part paid by 'Empire')
I immediately thought well actually I guess the Falklands probably was 'our last war', although that could be argued as we got a lot of help from the Yanks
Anyway got me thinking which historically could be argued to be the most important/siginificant battle?
Ashdown
Hastings
Agincourt
Naseby
Culloden
Waterloo
Amiens
Cable Street
El Alamein
Feel free to add other!!
I doubt there is a right or wrong answer but there are several historians on here and I thought it might make for an interesting thread
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 12:19 - May 26 with 2164 views | Plums |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 09:35 - May 26 by MedwayTractor |
Battle of Britain, if we lost, most of the world would be speaking German now.
Battle of Imphal, the high water mark of the Japanese forces and our victory prevented them from invading the sub-continent.
Battle of Normandy, which meant the eventual demise of the Thousand Year Reich, although, as we know, the only participants who mattered (to Hollywood, anyway) were the Yanks. The Canadians never get any credit, bearing in mind that they were allocated one of the five beaches on their own (plus some British support units, such as Royal Engineers). Also, the Canuks got furthest inland on D Day.
I take issue with you about the Yanks and the Falklands. I seem to remember that they were actively supporting the New World against the Old and doing their best to discourage us from doing anything but negotiating, which would most probably have result in grovelling capitulation. |
Battle of the Atlantic. If we’d lost that, the Second World War was over regardless of what happened elsewhere. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 12:23 - May 26 with 2150 views | fergalsharkey |
naseby. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 12:37 - May 26 with 2128 views | HARRY10 |
"Battle of Britain, if we lost, most of the world would be speaking German now. "
Tired old myth.
The Germans had not the means, nor the intent to invade GB. A cursory look at the subject will tell you that.
Most battles were merely the final one, that reflected the way events were going NOT some about turn in events. |  | | |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 12:54 - May 26 with 2104 views | leitrimblue |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 11:59 - May 26 by wubilyu |
Battle of the Beanfields, 1985.
Trafalgar certainly has to go in there. Copenhagen, 1807. Maybe not the most famous but important to stop Napoleon from using the fleet of Denmark to invade the British Isles. Brutal at the time, like any war of course, the British bombarded the city with mortars.
The battle of Stilton Hill, 2021. Oh no, my mistake, I made that one up. |
I have a couple of hippy friends who are haggled veterans of the battle of the Beanfields. I think like a lot of experienced veterans they still struggle with the traumas of battle. I know one suffers terrible nightmares we're he relives the afternoon, he can smell the patchouli
oil an spilled cider. Never forget the vets! |  | | |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:06 - May 26 with 2092 views | StochesStotasBlewe |
Monte Cassino.
Although a joint allied battle, was brutal resulting in huge losses for the allies and axis forces. Some decent books on the allied invasion of Italy and the following battles that took place.
Also, some good reads on the Korean War involving British forces. Another conflict that perhaps doesn’t get much attention but has had huge consequences for the region ever since.
There are some fascinating stories of small scale engagements involving SAS and other special forces and will have a look when I’m not at work later and get some more information up on here, but they often had huge a big impact on the outcome of much larger battles taking place. [Post edited 26 May 2021 13:11]
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| We have no village green, or a shop.
It's very, very quiet.
I can walk to the pub. |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:07 - May 26 with 2093 views | factual_blue |
It depends what you mean by 'important', as any professional historian will tell you. If you mean broader historical significance, then probably Bosworth. It's probably too early to say about any more recent ones.
The Battles of the Atlantic in both World Wars were very important ones not to lose.
Historically most of our 'battles' are defeats, rearguard actions or not really fought by us at all. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:08 - May 26 with 2091 views | FreoTown |
Not directly related to the OP but has anyone given the HistoryHit streaming service a go? Is it worth it?
I think I've exhausted the majority of history docs on Netflix. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:22 - May 26 with 2066 views | Mookamoo |
Stamford Bridge
Defeated the Vikings, but knackered Harold's army leading to defeat at Hastings. Decimated the Vikings so much they were no longer in a position to attempt any further invasions, leaving William to do what he wanted. Most of the upper class that rule us today can trace their fortunes back to that period of history. |  | | |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:26 - May 26 with 2058 views | nodge_blue |
Trafalgar possibly? Napoleon had serious plans to invade Britain and a strong British navy still proved an obstacle to that.
And the battle of Britain in the air which again stopped an invasion by Germany. The navy wasn't so key now to the invasion but air control was.
Same thing separated by 100 odd years. Without them Britain would have faced an invasion threat and then who knows where we'd be. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:26 - May 26 with 2057 views | SuperKieranMcKenna |
Battle of Norwood In V Norwood Out (2021) | | | |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:48 - May 26 with 2041 views | Kropotkin123 |
1066 Battle of Hastings has to be number one for me. Last battle we lost on home soil. Changed the course of language and history. Gave us claims later down the line on continental Europe which led wars with European countries.
By the same stroke of the brush, beating the Vikings in the battle Stamford Bridge was important, as it meant that it was us verses the Norman conquest. A Viking win could have likely seen Great Britain split into multiple vassals.
Despite the accusation that winning the battle of Britain wasn't that important. It really was. Losing control of the air space would have cut of supplies from America and we wouldn't have had a strong base to launch our own attacks. Europe might have ended up being steamrolled by Russia, with a dramatically different European landscape.
Just my opinion of course. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:50 - May 26 with 2040 views | floridablue |
What about a mention for the one ..1776 (or two.. 1812) when the British were defeated, this side of the 'pond'. Imagine if America was still under British rule. Very important in my opinion! [Post edited 26 May 2021 13:56]
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 14:01 - May 26 with 2013 views | Pinewoodblue |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:50 - May 26 by floridablue |
What about a mention for the one ..1776 (or two.. 1812) when the British were defeated, this side of the 'pond'. Imagine if America was still under British rule. Very important in my opinion! [Post edited 26 May 2021 13:56]
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Why rewrite history. Won one lost one would be more accurate. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 14:05 - May 26 with 2007 views | BLUEBEAT |
For changing the course of British history?
Hastings
Boyne
Bosworth
Bosworth often forgotten but it’s pivotal |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 16:17 - May 26 with 1949 views | Leaky |
Battle of Britain. If we had lost the battle for air suppremacy we may well have been invaded. D day would never have happened the world would be possibley in a different place. |  | | |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 16:30 - May 26 with 1939 views | Keno |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:22 - May 26 by Mookamoo |
Stamford Bridge
Defeated the Vikings, but knackered Harold's army leading to defeat at Hastings. Decimated the Vikings so much they were no longer in a position to attempt any further invasions, leaving William to do what he wanted. Most of the upper class that rule us today can trace their fortunes back to that period of history. |
Bl**dy Clive Thomas again!!
Shocking performance by him | |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 16:31 - May 26 with 1935 views | Swansea_Blue |
Battle of the Bulge. I can never find a cricket box that fits. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 16:35 - May 26 with 1932 views | ronnyd |
Epping Forest. (Genesis fans only). | | | |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 17:19 - May 26 with 1903 views | Strimmer |
Waterloo for me. Ended Napolean's designs on a french european empire, which in turn allowed the formation of modern europe, which led to the World Wars, European Union etc (the turning point in modern European history in effect). | |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 17:31 - May 26 with 1882 views | jeera |
Malta. |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 18:19 - May 26 with 1863 views | happybeingblue |
what about when cromwell invaded Ireland in 1649 or before him henry the vIII and they still havent been handed their country back fully.never told much about this in our school days, i wonder why. Good old colonialism makes you proud to be British Hey. |  | | |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 19:40 - May 26 with 1820 views | Ewan_Oozami |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 16:35 - May 26 by ronnyd |
Epping Forest. (Genesis fans only). |
Thank you Reverend.... |  |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 20:52 - May 26 with 1789 views | HARRY10 |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 13:26 - May 26 by nodge_blue |
Trafalgar possibly? Napoleon had serious plans to invade Britain and a strong British navy still proved an obstacle to that.
And the battle of Britain in the air which again stopped an invasion by Germany. The navy wasn't so key now to the invasion but air control was.
Same thing separated by 100 odd years. Without them Britain would have faced an invasion threat and then who knows where we'd be. |
"And the battle of Britain in the air which again stopped an invasion by Germany. The navy wasn't so key now to the invasion but air control was. "
talk about getting things arz about face
have read of what the German generals were saying at the time and after - General Halder rejected this: "From the army's point of view I regard it as complete suicide, I might just as well put the troops that have landed straight through the sausage machine" as the German navy would not have been able to hold off the Royal Navy
there were no specialised landing/troop carrying craft, only inland barges that would have to be towed at around 4mph and would be swamped by the sea swell in the channel, nothing that could reliably transport vehicles, never mind tanks
any wonder the head of the Luftwaffe (Goring). the Kreigsmarine (Raeder) and the army high command all opposed the idea - in fact
"in Churchill's view, "the great invasion scare" was "serving a most useful purpose" by "keeping every man and woman tuned to a high pitch of readiness". He did not think the threat credible. On 10 July, he advised the War Cabinet that the possibility of invasion could be ignored, as it "would be a most hazardous and suicidal operation"; and on 13 August that "now that we were so much stronger", he thought "we could spare an armoured brigade from this country".
Over-riding General Dill, Churchill initiated Operation Apology by which a series of troop convoys, including three tank regiments and eventually the entire 2nd Armoured Division, were sent around the Cape of Good Hope to reinforce General Wavell in the Middle East in support of operations against Italian colonial forces "
Further reading will show how German troops were actually 'stood down'that summer, and almost no credible training for an invasion ever took place | | | |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 21:11 - May 26 with 1772 views | Kropotkin123 |
| Most important battle in British history ? on 20:52 - May 26 by HARRY10 |
"And the battle of Britain in the air which again stopped an invasion by Germany. The navy wasn't so key now to the invasion but air control was. "
talk about getting things arz about face
have read of what the German generals were saying at the time and after - General Halder rejected this: "From the army's point of view I regard it as complete suicide, I might just as well put the troops that have landed straight through the sausage machine" as the German navy would not have been able to hold off the Royal Navy
there were no specialised landing/troop carrying craft, only inland barges that would have to be towed at around 4mph and would be swamped by the sea swell in the channel, nothing that could reliably transport vehicles, never mind tanks
any wonder the head of the Luftwaffe (Goring). the Kreigsmarine (Raeder) and the army high command all opposed the idea - in fact
"in Churchill's view, "the great invasion scare" was "serving a most useful purpose" by "keeping every man and woman tuned to a high pitch of readiness". He did not think the threat credible. On 10 July, he advised the War Cabinet that the possibility of invasion could be ignored, as it "would be a most hazardous and suicidal operation"; and on 13 August that "now that we were so much stronger", he thought "we could spare an armoured brigade from this country".
Over-riding General Dill, Churchill initiated Operation Apology by which a series of troop convoys, including three tank regiments and eventually the entire 2nd Armoured Division, were sent around the Cape of Good Hope to reinforce General Wavell in the Middle East in support of operations against Italian colonial forces "
Further reading will show how German troops were actually 'stood down'that summer, and almost no credible training for an invasion ever took place |
They didn't have to invade to secure the European continent. If they had won the battle of Britain they would have had supremacy over the air and supremacy of the sea. That means no supplies from the US, no dropping troops in the UK from USA, Canada, etc. It means D-Day becomes so much harder. it means a severe lack of support for the failed attempts on "the soft under belly". It means that if Germany can mobilise all its troops properly it can eliminate Russia and then do its own D-day style landing after years of prep when it chooses, when we have lived without years of imports. And if it fails against Russia, it means that Russia can just steamroll Europe and we can't get to Berlin in time to secure the independence of western Europe. That's Europe under the control of Hitler or Stalin.
It is a hugely significant battle. The battle of Stalingrad is the other major one for me in WW2. | |
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| Most important battle in British history ? on 21:12 - May 26 with 1771 views | WeWereZombies |
Bannockburn - how come we are not all speaking Gaelic now?
The Battle of Towton settled the Wars of the Roses and is said to be the biggest and bloodiest fought on British soil but in terms of influencing World history it's effects were negligible. |  |
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