The Biggest Lie in London? The Guards Crimean War Memorial Pt. 1 

I'm ex Guards. I like going to look at the monument. Very proud of the Guards and thier history.

One point to keep in mind is the troops who fell to the disease in a combat arena also deserve to honoured for their service and being at the front ready to do combat. The fact they died because of the mismanagement by their seniors does not, in any manner, detract from them being there ready to serve their country and dying in that service.

The British have a remarkable history of fighting against their past allies on the side of their future enemies.

Have you noticed how the apex of the "granite pile" on which Honour stands is an empty tomb and strongly resembles the Cenotaph? Lutyens was a member of the Atheneum and would have seen this regularly. I think the most extraordinary mounument is Charles Sargeant Jagger's Artillery Memorial at Horseguards. It is quite devastating in its power and evocation of the technological versus the human face of WW1. A fine and well made Essay on one of my favourite works of public art, thank you and her ladyship.

My gf grandfather fought at the Crimea died in 1907 given full military honours people lined the streets and the union jack was over his coffin and the last post played

I miss the old prose so exuberant in the exposition of the English language. Thank you. A very informative video.

My great grandfather, ny great great grandfather and four of his brothers fought in Crimea. My grandmother told me of the horrors of that place. I went there to see the ground they had fought over and was amazed to find how it was nothing like I had been led to expect. I enjoyed my time there so much I have been back many times.

It is worth remembering this is was still a time when you 'bought ' your commission in the army and when who you knew was far more important that any ability you had. While during the winter the leaders simply 'went home' leaving the troops .

Excellent. I will make an effort to visit it next time I am in London. Whenever that may be. My favourite monument is The Bomber Command Memorial.

This is an excellent video. You might be surprised to know that in Canada many streets in small towns are named Inkeman, Alma, Balaclava. In fact in my province of Ontario there is a village of Alma and a hamlet of Balaklava. Few probably know what the meanings of these names are. The famous Bruce caves were part of the land owned by a Crimean veteran who was a recluse. There is a very strong pre confederation Canadian connection to this war that is not taught in Canada, or sadly, Britain.

The Crimea was a harsh campaign, which probably could have been avoided. But as usual the British soldier conducted himself with courage and distinction. 👍🏻

I’ve been interested in military history for about 50 years. One of the most memorable actions was the British Guards fight at the Sandbag Battery, Inkerman. I think the statue does it’s job well. Thankyou for a superb video.

22:05 wow that is amazingly good writing. I wish that modern papers had writers who spoke with such eloquence.

The older I get, the more I realise that Wars were the result of Political motivation, Power and financial motivation and rarely about defending your Country.

Outstanding video, Sir! As a military historian and retired military instructor, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Well presented with exceptional narration.

Excellent video. I am American, from a long line of military men, American, of course, but Welsh and German before that. War memorials invariably make me tear up. I know well the story of the Crimea, and I find the monument breathtaking; the sculptor, I rather think, constructed the monument in such a way that the viewer had to come close, and gaze upward, as to be looking heavenward. One must first regard the effigy fallen soldiers, (three-perhaps representing the three battalions engaged?) and then the angelic figure above, bestowing laurels upon them, for their sacrifice. Stunning. Great work to you as well, I love your channel. Cheers.

There is a Russian Crimean War memorial in Lewes, East Sussex. It commemorates the 28 Russian PoWs who died while held in captivity in Lewes. Most of them were from what is now Finland.

Great video. Our children should be educated to be proud of our history and not ashamed of it. It's important to see the sacrifices our ancestors made and the changes and advances in technology they brought about to give us the relatively easy life we have today. Sadly, the education system today preaches hate and shame. Ridiculous.

very enjoyable. keep the voice over it added so much to the overall effect. thank you

The British soldiers in the Crimea fought with their usual bravery but the actual working efficiency of the army was shambolic as was its leadership, this didn't go unnoticed by the French who believed they could easily defeat the British if it came to war, (which it nearly did a few years later). This incompetence must I feel be blamed in part to Wellington who after the Napoleonic war instead of modernising the army allowed the archaic system of purchasing commissions to continue a practice that had blighted the Army for years. This was in no short part to his belief that only gentleman can be officers but ironically his most successful campaign was in the Peninsula where because of outside factors his hand was forced and officers who would normally never rise to prominence in the army due to lack of funds were able to do so on ability alone, subsequently it was one of the finest armies Britain ever put in the field. I often wonder what would have happened had Sir John Moore not been killed at Corunna, if he had survived the war he could well have gone onto lead the British army into the 20's & 30's and I'm sure the modernising techniques he implemented at Shornecliffe would have been used to mould a British army far better than that of the Crimea.

I'm ex Yorkshire regiment and I have also been to a lost and pointless war that been Afghanistan. It was pointless because the aim was not to win it was to make the military industrial complex rich.

" buying into positions of power " Seems that's made a significant comeback ! Good video though ..very informative 👍🏻

Many thanks for a wonderful production, most interesting and i learnt so much. My day is not wasted ;-)

As an ex Grenadier, thank you for this enlightening account found it Very informative and most interesting.

Really enjoyed this. Thank you for your time sir.

My office is in Waterloo Place, I go there and I love this memorial. It’s memory to those who serve and to Istanbul which I know very well.

Greetings from Dublin . I just discovered your channel. And I am delighted with myself. Great content and excellently delivered. I wish you the best and Thank you.

Mendelssohn's Scottish Symphony was a good choice for the music.

I've regrettably arrived at this conflict late but am transfixed by it - I would like to offer my thanks not only for your efforts putting this together, but also for being a great resource for an enthusiastic amateur such as myself. Many thanks for all of this.

A very balanced and informative treatment. Many thanks for your efforts. Very professionally produced. Dan Snows History Hit should be talking to you.

Sir Keith Park deserved his memorial , his B of B tactics saved the UK . Fortunately that arch backstabber Leigh Mallory are now forgotten and consigned to history .

Excellent done show. I have a personal connection to that statue as my great grandfather on my mother’s side was a guardsman in the Crimean war and was one of the models on this memorial. Some how he had some connection with sculpture John Bell.

Superb video, I'm particularly impressed with your integration of primary historical resources.

Very informative. Have passed it many times, will have a closer look now.

Well done, my friend!

And, of course, a female "nurse" profited enormously by charging injured officers for treatment. Strange that a statue has been erected to her memory. I wonder why? I am not talking about Florence Nightingale.

As a former Coldstreamer the memorial is of particular importance, as it is indeed to all Guardsman, former and current. Personally, I prefer its grim quality, it embodies the imparted sense of identity that I had been taught to aspire to as an 18 year old crow. It's almost laconic in its perspective. I've always been suspicious of those who make too much of regimental pride, but when I sed those three grim-faced old sweats up there, godlike in their greatcoats, I admit I do feel a tingle of pride to share some small pittance of that heritage.

Thanks for this educational and informative presentation. I walked past the monument the other day, and read the inscriptions.

Fascinating video about the monumental remembrance of an often overlooked conflict. What is really interesting is that it is the first war which featured communal commemoration, such as the Guards, rather than commemoration of heroes or individuals. It sits right in between the Napoleonic Wars and WW1 and really shows the development of public perception of war in Britain. Glad that you also mentioned Crimean War memorials in Ireland. There are plenty around, such a cannons and memorials to individuals or regiments all over the county. An often forgotten element of the Irish public sphere that I realised recently.

And not much too the troops. I am a 36 year veteran of the Canadian Army. I understand paying respects to the great names of battle however, many of the unknown soldiers are lost to posterity. I see it in the Regimental associations I am part of today. A former soldier from the ranks passes and it is mentioned properly whilst a Senior Officer who passes gets much more attention. The dead are the dead but we still do place much more emphasis on those seen to be as superior. Respectfully, all of our honoured dead should be paid our respects regardless of their presumed class. All that said, thank you for a very well presented video

2nd Battalion Scots Guards 1974-1977 never got taught about this memorial during regimental history.

Fascinating and informative, what rubbish and lies we were taught in English state school in the 1960s

Fascinating presentation on one of my favourite memorials; very well done Sir! To me it could be argued that this memorial was the forerunner of, and the inspiration for, many similar Great War memorials that followed. In London alone there are recurring themes in the Guards memorial on Horseguards, the LNWR memorial at Euston, the London Regiments memorial at Bank junction and the Royal Artillery memorial at Hyde Park Corner. All of them are attempts to reconcile and juxtapose lifelike bronze figures with the supporting stone structure..... The Canadian memorial at Langemark near Ypres takes this a step further by actually morphing the 'brooding soldier' into the stone monolith itself. Great stuff....please can we have more.

This video is very riveting. I visited the memorial briefly back in 2013 with practically no background information about it. Your video was an eye opener to what criticisms were said of it around the time, especially from Punch. So, what do I think of the memorial? It makes me think: it lies to people in its inscription and glosses over the fact that a majority of the loss was from devastating illnesses and health hazards. I think it purposefully depicts those fallen from illness were really those who fell in the 3 battles out of embarrassment and humiliation. I believe that to add what they really died of would have been frightening and demoralizing to both the public and the army. If an average person with little to no knowledge about the Crimean War saw the memorial and thought a bit about, I'm pretty sure they would have been like me and not know the truth until someone tells them what really happened.

Very interesting , thanks for posting.

Quite an impressive monument. I hope it isn’t defaced by all those anarchists currently roaming about the country! If you’re interested please join the Save Our Statues movement. 👍🏻

Ah. Soldiers. The cannon fodder of history. Led to the slaughter again and again; and will be again.

Thank you for great piece

Florence Nightingale is considered the founder of the modern nursing profession and fully deserves the monuments raised in her memory. However, the life-size statue of her (in a composite material, replacing the original bronze that had been stolen) outside St. Thomas’ Hospital (on the South Bank opposite Parliament) was moved inside in 2000. In 2016 a far more grandiose bronze statue to the formerly obscure Mary Seacole was erected outside, directly facing Parliament. Seacole, a wealthy mixed-race woman whose background was in running hotels/restaurants had come to London to get a mining venture listed on the Stock Exchange. Being unsuccessful and running out of money she apparently applied to the Army to work in some role in the Crimea (NOT as a nurse) but was unsuccessful in this too. Being old (50) she was far above the age of those already working in the field and, of course, had no relevant qualifications or experience. Eventually, with financial backing from elsewhere she opened an exclusive restaurant for British officers away from the front line in the Crimea, but had NO involvement with the military hospitals etc there. Her function was to provide the wants of British officers. With such peripheral involvement and/or negligible effect compared to the very real achievements of Florence Nightingale, it seems strange she should be commemorated - and now have even wholly supplanted her as above - the main qualification and reason for being memorialised, of course, being only her racial background. But when you’re engaged in re-writing history - especially in full-blown Woke mode - facts and reality have no place in the picture…

Your Appearance reminds me of James Robertson Justice, sir. Thank you for this well made and presented Video. I enjoyed it.

Interesting that the Victorians were less jingoistic exceptionalists about themselves than so many are about them today.

Knew Crimea was a disaster which changed things for the better in the end but did not realise the emotions the memorial aroused

Everyone read "The great Crimean War" by Trevor Royale.A fantastic book.

My Grandfather served in the 3rd battalion of the Grenadiers, he served from 1915 till 1918 in the trenches, when I read the war diaries it sent chills down my spine. I cant imagine the horrors that he saw.

This is again, very good. Thank you and thank you for visiting our sunny climes, I hope you were well treated and experienced our legendary good service in London (sic). My personal favourite monument is the one at Euston, but I grew up around that one and often saw it close up from the top deck of an omnibus. It's good that you also avoided the ones on Hyde Park corner and picked the ones past Admiralty Arch and along the Mall.

Well done and interesting. Thank you.

Probably one of the best pieces on RU-vid.

May I suggest that you should look at the other party’s interpretation of this imperial anti-Christian war? Thank you though for to mentioning Abkhazians, Georgians, Armenians, as well as Bulgarians and other Balkan nations suffering from Turks and who Russia felt obliged to protect. Many still struggle to understand what Britain was doing there apart from trying to protect its trade interests. I am sorry for British soldiers who were used and gave their lives for an unfair course.

This is a fantastic piece of Historical research thenk you. My Great Grandfather Corporal Thomas Burrow fought with the 3rd Battalion of the Guards Brigade at the Battle of Alma.. Thomas had his skull fractured by a Russian musket ball. A Guards officer walking over the Alma Battlefield commented on the high number of the Guardsmen who were struck by Russian musket balls on the top of their heads, obviously due to the recoil of the Russian muskets causing them to fire too high. Somehow Thomas was taken down the ships, I can only think it was an act of mate-ship as he would probably be unconscious? It took 4 days to sail to the Scutari Hospital and as proof of Thomas being there I found a blue coloured Scutari record book at the Kew records office which states that Thomas Burrow was discharged in February 1855. As Florence nightingale and her nurses arrived in November 1854 Thomas must have observed their work. Again I can only put down his survival down to him probably joining the walking wounded and living in a tent, another building, or another hospital other then the notoriously crowded and filthy and disease ridden Barracks Hospital from which each morning a hundred dead were carried to the nearby cemetery which I have visited. There are some graves there for a Matron and Doctor who probably died form Cholera or Typhoid. Two of Thomas's Sons, Alma and Cornelius joined the Guards as young boys i suspect beacus their Mother was supporting 5 young children a Washer Woman after Thomas died, he had been surffering from attacks. of Ilepsy. My Grandfather Cornelius (Con) joined at 11 years of age as a Drummer Boy in the Guards. Their Mother was granted a small pension after Thomas died. I have the parchment pension document which was issued from Queen Victoria's fund for the Veterans of the Crimean War. Con fought at the 'Battle of Tel El Kibir' during the Egyptian war of 1882. In 1895 Con a Sergeant Major by then volunteered to train troops for 5 years in the State of Victoria Australia during one of the so called Russian War scares. The British controlled Australian government was worried that the Russians might try to attack Australia because of the fabulously rich goldfields there. Con went back to Britain and served out his Army career at the Tower of London. On discharge Con and his Wife Lucy immigrated to Australia and settled in Ballarat, from where during WW1 his four Sons all volunteered to fight. Con assisted in a drive to enlist men in the Army. Two of Con's Daughters married soldiers one was badly wounded in France and the other Major Richard Wells the Co of C Company 6th Battalion AIF was mortally wounded in the 2nd Battle of Krithia when the Australian 2nd Division went to assist the British and the French at Cape Helles. I am a 74 year old Veteran of the War in Vietnam and have written two history books on my unit 106 Field Battery 4th Field Regiment Royal Australian Artillery in South Vietnam during 1967/68. The books titles are 'GUUNERS VIETNAM 67/68' and 'FIRE MISSION 106 BATTERY, Young Australian Gunners in the Vietnam War.' I visited the site of the Battle of Gettysburg with US Artillery Veterans and was amazed by the Crimean War era weapons that are on display there. On my Mothers side of my Family my Great Uncle Emil Schultze a 7 foot Australian Artillery gunner joined the Guards and after serving for 3 years, 300 days of which were served on Gibraltar was called back form the Reserve and was mortally while fighting at the Battle of Belmont in the Boer War in South Africa. Emil Schultze is buried at what was called 'Frazersburg' and his grave is a now a tourist site. The locals call you to vist the grave of the 7 foot tall Grenadier Guard. Emil's name is scribed on the front wall of the Guards Chapel in Birdcage Walk London. Emil's Brother my maternal Grandfather William Schultze fought with Australian forces in the Boer war and was on his way to fight at Gallipoli in the 1st AIF when his troopship the 'Southland' was struck by a German torpedo. The crew of British hospital ship the 'Neuralia' rescued survivors of the Southland from the sea and Willaim was wounded in the neck from a Turkish bomb 3 days later ending his soldering. Not to be outdone William a Carpenter by trade volunteered for War work in Britain, William was not well and should never have been accepted to go to Britain amot the 3,000 Australians who volunteered mostly to work in munition facoties. In the British cold weather William's health broke down and he was to be sent home. Whilst waiting for a berth in a ship William contracted to the Spanish Flu and was nursed back to health by his Sister who had married a Brit before the War. Bruce Benjamin (Ben) Burrow: creswickben20@gamail.com

Thank you! Great work!

No mention of the Graspan Memorial? Great video though, well researched and produced. Thanks very much.

The eternal lie of "dulce et decorum est pro patria mori"

Excellent video, thanks.

Do more matey, great work, keep it up! Can't wait to see what you come up with.

An absolutely fantastic presentation!

Very interesting, as usual. Not really my period so I learned quite a bit about the side campaigns. I do think Mary Seacole deserved a mention along with Florence Nightingale, The soldier figures reminded me strongly of those on the Royal Artillery Memorial by Charles Sergeant Jagger and his memorial at Paddington Starion which should both be in any list of great memorials (after the Cenotaph, of course).

My old regiment charged at Balaclava. Something we are very proud of, despite the monumental cock up that led to it. The heavy cavalry also have their honours as do the infantry. I think it’s perfectly nice. As for poor leadership, that’s no reflection on the troops performance in a difficult campaign. Mente Et Manu!

Very interesting background and history. Just a thought. One memorial that is often overlooked in Waterloo Place is that of "Giro". It is only ten feet from the bottom of the Duke of York column and commemorates a dog ! A fascinating story all of its own and worth looking up.

Our local pub called the Alma. Didn't know when i was very young why it was called that.

"Men love in haste, but they detest at leisure" Lord Byron.

Very informative!

One of the most telling facts of the terrible supply situation, was that barrel of salt beef delivered to the Crimea, were found to have been laid down when Nelson was still alive.

The duke of Wellington statue that is in aldershot should be brought back to london where it originally was. Such a great statue would walk to see it when I was based there while in the army. So big it needs to be in the capital or England.

Favourite memorial.....I mean as a sailor, Trafalgar Square of course

Very informative.. thankyou

Excellent sir. Thank you.

Excellent doc - took me away from all the doomsayers on YT at prez !!!!

so informative and educational! a perfect balance on this and that and that 😁

I used to work opposite it when the building behind you was a bank, I did venture across to see what it was one lunchtime, never knew it was so controversial

Beautifully done video. I've always loved the monument, though it probably is in slightly the wrong place. I read on the national army museum website that although British logistics and healthcare improved in the latter part of the Crimean war and the following winter wasn't nearly as bad, the French logistics, which had been great at first, suffered a reversal and they had a bad second winter.

Thankyou for this . We are in danger of history and all its complexities being lost on a millennial generation who believe Batman and the Joker are actual things.

Very interesting thank you, subbed, liked. 👍🇬🇧

Very informative video.

There is a Boer war memorial to the Northumberland fusiliers in Newcastle, very nice to look at, one of my favourite monuments, definitly my favourite British war memorial. It has the names of the fallen soldiers enscribed on it, a lot of people forget the Boer war, so it's very nice to have it there.

Very informative - excellent voice too!

The americaization of emily, not shown enough on TV, " The rest of us who make heroes of our dead and shrines of our battlefields. We wear our widow's weeds like nuns, Mrs. Barham, and perpetuate war by exalting its sacrifices. " very true, very true indeed.

This video has an intelligently, heavy mood. Entirely captivated by it.

really interesting..thanks

Very interesting thanks

Liked the pocket watch rotation over the London Illustrated News - nice touch....

Excellent presentation

Thank you - what a refreshing intelligent video - a fuel injection of my proud heritage & national culture - so easy these days to feel one is living in a hostile-uneducated-anti-British country. Once again sincere thanks.

Excellent stuff BUT again all that anyone remembers of Balaclava is the Charge of the Light Brigade. A short while before the Heavy Cavalry Brigade under General Scarlett had charged and routed a Russian Cavalry force twice its size. It was called one of the finest cavalry actions of the 19th century. It all went to plan, Tennyson even wrote a poem about it, yet nobody remembers it. Throw 600 men away charging a gun battery head on and you're world famous. Odd.

Never been to London had no idea this monument existed. Fascinating

Excellent film. Now I understand why the former military hospital on Shooters Hill was known as the Herbert

Thank you. This one's an eye opener. And perfectly illustrates the struggle between realism and idealism in mid Victorian commemorative art. Always a quest for compromise. Showing real much-larger-than-life but still living British grenadiers in modern field dress (except maybe for the picturesque bearskins in favour of the probably more commonly worn field caps) and represented in full body posture, not in noble relief (the latter being much more desirable according to The Illustrated London News' conservative voice, and as classical decorum also would have had it). But then again all framed up within an allegorical program of battle honours, presumably in order to compensate for the loss of idealism and make it more *acceptable*. And yet most definitely not good enough, as we learn, for Punch Magazine's rather more lefty art critic when asking the ultimate question whether traditional art was, generally speaking, in any case still fit to represent or commemorate the disturbing and complex realities of modern warfare. Today we all know who lost that battle, or do we?

After 30 years of peace in Europe, there was plenty of incompetence on all sides of this dreadful conflict.

Thank you. I will write in due course. Excellent and enjoyable.

This simply add to my long held distrust of those who claim to know better but obviously don't, the British aristocrat and their politicians.

Erected in memory of those brave soldiers who fought and died for us. A truly thought provoking piece of statuary.