Sharpe attempts to find out where the Second Battalion is, only leaving him with more questions. __ In the Peninsular War, a British sergeant is field promoted to a lieutenant in charge of a disrespectful rifle company.
It comes with the new understanding, that not only are you inappropriately addressing a superior officer, you were likely inappropriately addressing YOUR superior officer.
Ted Carew: "Mr. Carline said I was drunk... which I was, sir..." Possibly the best line of the whole show. Sgt. Carew recognising his limitations, but still pretty sure he's got it right. I've been there, too, Ted. I've been there, too.
Shame he lost his leg. Put him with the Chosen men. Teamed up with Patrick and Richard or with the 63rd and William they'd be an unstoppable force...more so than usual
Never, ever run from a senior NCO. It only makes them angrier and I guarantee that whatever tricks you think you know, or places to hide, they know them ALL. NCOs aren't even fully human anymore - the moment they get those stripes they become a god-damn spirit that feeds off the terror and suffering of privates that think they're clever.
@Robert Kaevur He isnt joking. Sharpe and his five rifles were able to capture and then quickly destroy an entire French fort during the battle of Vittoria
Though he's clearly not wearing insignia of rank, he is manifestly an officer, and quite a bit older than the kid Captain, so it should not take too much imagination for him to come up with the idea that the man is at least equal to him, and likely his superior. Now if the kid was a lieutenant colonel, that might be something different; but, the captain doesn't outrank very many officers.
Though the captain does somewhat redeem himself as in the book of Sharpe’s Waterloo captain Carline is mentioned as one of the mounted officers who die covering the battalion’s retreat to the woods after the battalion is caught in line by cavalry due to the prince of orange’s screw up
@@paulpeterson4216 My impression is they recognize Sharp as an officer who came up through the ranks. They presented as officers who came from family, influence and money. They may acknowledge the rank of fellow officer, they never forget the social standing. But Sharp has reputation.
The British Army at that time was structured around primogeniture. Eldest son got everything. Second son could choose the army or be a minister. Dad would buy him an officer’s commission in a regiment. If he made it to colonel he ran the regiment and the government gave him a fixed annual sum of money to run it. Any corners he could cut went in his pocket. Usually it was bad food and shoddy equipment. In this case he cut the entire regiment. Corruption was built in so second sons could retire in comfort.
There were also opportunities to make extra money, especially in the Navy. Taking enemy ships intact allowed the Captain to claim those ships and their contents as lawful prizes, to be sold off and the money distributed among the officers and crew. A successful Captain could become very wealthy, and if they weren't content to use the meager allowances provided by the Naval Board then they could use their profits to outfit their ships themselves. Not sure if the Army had any similar opportunities of enrichment but wealthy Commanders were still able to outfit their own men with superior equipment if they could afford it
@@FerretJohn I believe in the Army horses could be taken as prizes, I'm guessing cannons might've been taken aswell (though that is just a guess, but it makes sense for it to be true)
@@konstantinosnikolakakis8125 Ordnance was a completely separate thing to the army in those times. So I'd say ordnance would of kept anything to do with artillery.
Officer realises sharp out ranks them: "oh, I'm sorry sir... grovel grovel" Sharpe realises officer out ranks him: "right you, this is how this is going to play out..."
@@00_rei90 thats interesting didnt know that. they have similar to that in some guards regiments today then. "Sergeants" are really corporals or something. They are called sergeants, wear three stripes but only lead a section and have "corporal" on their pay statement....
@@fishyc150 In the Guards, Corporals are called Lance Sergeants. Full Sargeants are still a separate rank and outrank Lance Sergeant. Brevet officer ranks are a bit different and tend to only be found in war time. Basically when the Army massively expands for war, they promote experienced officers to higher ranks. Once the war is over, the brevet rank is removed to avoid the situation where 75% of your peace time officers are Majors or above. To avoid bloat at the upper levels once the people that only joined for war have left
It's a lulling quiet. Let's idiots bury themselves deeper in the shit. Smarter people realise, this and stop whatever rubbish they are going. Velvet glove (soft calm approach) followed by iron fist to knuckle the offender they won't smarten up. Use it myself. Only people who know Sharpe realise this. If some fool pushes back on him, then be as hard as required!!
This and the millowners episode in Yorkshire are excellent. They both show how rotten life could be for a soldier back home in those days and why so many joined to get away
To be fair, the series also shows how terrible military life was for enlisted men. There's a reason why Wellington describes his soldiers as scum of the earth and the series continuously has soldiers deserting, looting, raping, being flogged, dying of disease, etc.
@@marktaylor6491 Agreed. I think some of the most powerful lines in the series are spoken by Matthew Truman in the Yorkshire episode, where he asks the people what Napoleon ever did to them that the British government made them fight and die to bring him down
@@royalhero4608 I'll leave this answer to those more knowledgeable of Napoleon, but I'd wager one of the things the British held against him was the mortal sin of being French. :P
This series had flaws, not least the low budget, but Sean Bean was perfect in the role. One thing about this particular story arc, I get a weird archaic-modern vibe off the Rifleman green formal uniform, as if this is some alternate reality where Sharp had to take the eagle at Talavera in the face of French machine-gun fire. I love it.
What I found regrettable was the exclusion of Lossow and the "King's German Legion"! It seems it's still a problem for the Brits to see their boys fighting alongside Germans, even if it's part of the history!
sean was so perfect for the role the author of the books rewrote the charater in the later books to resemble Sean more. As in the early books he is described as having black hair for example.
@@Exodianecross1978 The problem was that the scenes with cavalry were expensive enough without adding more. You'll notice that there's rarely more than ten horsemen on screen at once and often enough anyone on horseback is just standing still due to the lack of trained horses. It had nothing to do with British nationalism and everything to do with the shoestring budget.
@@Exodianecross1978 Actually we have no issue with having German allies shown. Indeed: you won't find a single written nor televised work on the battle of Waterloo, that doesn't give generous credit to the Prussian forces. Indeed: ex-Army major Gordon Corrigan one said "Would Wellington have won the battle without the Prussians?. Wrong Question: He wouldn't have fought the battle, if he hadn't known the Prussians were on their way."
@@robertnett9793 British soldiers were paid a shilling a day during the Napoleonic Wars. During the First World War, they got paid 3 Shillings and 6 pence... A week. Britain's always treated its army like shite.
I always find it funny when the snobby rich officers talk down to Sharpe and then shit themselves when they realise he's a famous war hero who outranks them
Arrr,, Gibbs and Sharpe. Hardarses to the end. Both had their rules and eyes/ears everywhere. Don't attempt to play either as fools. Not worth the pain.
As I was a-walking down Radcliffe highway A recruiting party came a-beating my way They enlisted me and treated me till I did not know And to the Queen's barracks they forced me to go When first I deserted, I thought myself free Until my cruel comrade informed against me I was quickly followed after and brought back with speed I was handcuffed and guarded, heavy irons put on me Court martial, court martial, they held upon me And the sentence passed upon me, three hundred and three May the Lord have mercy on them for their sad cruelty For now the Queen's duty lies heavy on me When next I deserted, I thought myself free Until my cruel sweetheart informed against me I was quickly followed after and brought back with speed I was handcuffed and guarded, heavy irons put on me Court martial, court martial, then quickly was got And the sentence passed upon me, that I was to be shot May the Lord have mercy on them for their sad cruelty For now the Queen's duty lies heavy on me Then up rode Prince Albert in his carriage and six Saying "Where is that young man whose coffin is fixed? Set him free from his irons and let him go free For he'll make a good soldier for his Queen and country
Many years ago, as a very young, idiotic airman on night flying, I said to a nearly deaf Flight Sergeant pilot, 'What are your gold wings for?' He was very apologetic when he explained that he used to be on pathfinders, flying the Mosquito. My respect climbed vertically for him at that moment. It also taught me that the old farts that you see before you, weren't always old farts.
I love how the captain got shot down. :D He was so smug when he spoke to Sharpe not having enough smarts to show as much repentance as possible so his punishment isnt so harsh. Well I guess he didnt know that the man talking to him outranked him but still at least from the tone Sharpe spoke in that captain could have guessed whats coming.
lol I love the captain realization that he has been talking to a major, and a scary one at that. that was a oh shit look, and wishing he could sink through the ground when he shut his eyes
The beginning of this episode is filmed at Tilbury fort, A prime example of a multiple cross fire design that stands next to the River Thames in Essex...
I like that the props department gave Harper's rank insignia a read border because it was taken from a red coat. They could have just given him a fourth chevron on his uniform and be done with it. Very nice attention to detail.
They move fast so if I reveal their location they will quickly move to another, meaning the second battalion might be airborne... I think I should pause there.
Can you upload the scene where Lt Gibbons wants to duel Sharpe and Hogan shuts him down immediately? That’s gotta be the funniest ‘Sharpe’s reputation at work’ moment, that or the Colonel that wants to fight him with Fredrickson encouraging it at dinner before mentioning who Sharpe is ‘that the same Sharpe who...’ lmao
Love both those scenes. Politely reminds these new to war officiers who bought their way in that they need to learn whats going quickly before someone kills them. Money doesn't make a good soldier. May buy position and means, but can't stop a bullet or sword. As Sharpe says "Dangerous out on streets at night, madam. Best take a man with you." And best of all, she knew it.. haha
I just discovered a filming glitch. When the quartermaster and sharp walk into Joansford Barracks Armoury, just before the quartermaster turns around to view the books, you catch a glimpse of his foot in a sock, the foot he lost at Talavera.
It does never get old. Reminds me of that bit in Boondock Saints when that Detective gets mouthy... and finds out he just mouthed off a FBI higher-up WAY above his paygrade.
Interesting, Captain Carline knows who commands the 2nd battalion,but not where it is. Rations and pay are drawn for 700 men, no guard mounted. It seems more like a men's club than an army base. Yet when Sharpe arrived to get replacements for his battalion, he only found 11 men unfit to fight.
3:45 You can see the red-coated actor's foot (tucked up and wearing a sock) as he turns around. His character is supposed to be missing a leg as discussed in the preceding scene a few seconds earlier.
I suspect the logic behind sending Sharpe to investigate is they knew something was going on, but needed particulars and proof of corruption since I suspect Girdwood had insulated himself with "friends". Whereas Sharpe was willing to step on any toes to get to the truth. I wouldn't take this as systemic of the entire system back then since if it was you'd have an entire phantom army with officers embezzling funds left and right and the enemy finding no guards at whatever outposts they came across like this one. This is just the upper brass trying to find out "what" Girdwood was playing at since they couldn't afford to have a somehow non-existent company.
So I’ve never seen this movie but I have heard of it, and when watching this I very quickly recognised the place where they shot these scenes - Tilbury Fort. I used to be an Army cadet there. Now that I think about it, I do believe our sergeant said there was a famous show taken here, not that I remember what it was called though XD guess I figured it out
@@jamaize1 I saw it in both of those (when she's fighting the Germans and when he is in the prison, I believe, though it's been a while since I've seen Batman) but it wasn't as clear in those I don't think and also I knew about that before watching those.
Sharpe re-incarnated as 007 "WHO the devil are YOU?!?!" "Sharpe......Major Sharpe. You've heard of me?" "You stopped a whole bunch of bad guys from doin' lots of very bad stuff, like nuking Miami with stolen nuclear weapons!!!"
He's done some amazing work. And I'm always finding more memoriablia for my collection. Four book shelves, plus four more shelves and assorted items. It's good seeing how his career has gone and continues. Led me to learning about the 95th, and making dioramas of Sharpes war. Anyone clearing out items and they are about Sean or Sharpe, I'll take a look.
You have to wonder why the sarge was actually given a wooden leg into which to prop his real one rather than just being told to limp. The sound of the leg being hit could have been added in post.
Adam James (Captain Carline) did a fantastic job as Don Pedro in the David Tennant/Catherine Tate Much Ado About Nothing as well as a fun minor role as the irritating idiotic DI in the Doctor Who standalone episode Planet of the Dead. I haven't seen him as Harold Godwinson in 1066 yet but I have heard good things about it. Sharpe's Regiment is his first credited role.
@@SantomPh Oh do fuck off. You cant tell me that youre so pompous you think that broad accents that throw off some Brits especially with the slang being thrown around, is universally understandable to every English speaker do you?
@ 3:47 you can see his foot, lol good god I love this show and its little hiccups like the dead guy who forgot to close his eyes, then closes them when its far too late.
