Contrast that with the worst example of wardrobe uniform malpractice I've seen in a major motion picture: Channing Tatum's character Duke in _G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra_ (2009) who as a 28 year old US Army captain had not only 6 rows of ribbons (about twice as many as his peers in the movie) but some for conflicts from when he was a child like the Southwest Asia Service Medal for the 1991 Gulf War.
It seems likely that they did not put a VC on on Flasheart for two reasons. First, there is the very real and very understandable reverence surrounding that particular distinction. While Brits, bless them, are capable of taking the piss on just about anything, there IS a special aura to the VC, which means making it a part of a joke may be seen as unsavoury by some. Secondly, and more likely, if Flasheart had received a VC, he would've almost certainly introduced himself AS "Lord Flasheart, VC", and since not everyone outside the United Kingdom would know what that meant, it may simply have been avoided so as to not confuse viewers. Lord Flasheart, for all his undoubtedly SPLENDID qualities, is not a complicated man, after all. Lovely idea for an episode, though. Blackadder Goes Forth is still, in my absolutely personal opinion, the funniest comedy England has ever produced, and the most poignant, gutwrenchingly beautiful tribute to those who died in that awful war ever shown on TV. The last three minutes of the series has never ... and probably will never ... be surpassed.
I also think this was why G M Fraser's Flashman was such a coward. It made him an observer so he couldn't influence history. A clever move. On another note, I noticed you can't find Flashman in public libraries any more. They obviously confused a history lesson with their stupid agenda. Flashman is a gift to anyone wanting to get the zeitgeist of the times.
The finish of the final episode will never be topped by any 'comedy'..... or pretty much any tv show. The punch in the guts it still gives me today, really shows how damn good the writing of this series was.
It's not that accurate. They're not outright anachronistic, but there's no way someone Flasheart's age and seniority would be made GCVO. That's reserved for the most senior officers, politicians and royals.
What a tremendous asset to His Majesty's forces! Such a dashing cavalryman in Africa, India and probably in the BEF as well! Enlists in the Royal Flying Corps and distinguishes himself yet again! And preserved the honour and dignity of the Queen's lady-in-waiting too no doubt! Never a finer example of dashing manhood did ever roam the battlefields or banquet halls! Woof!
It will always be a mystery that this heroic man failed to get the Military Very Cross. "Am I pleased to see you or did I just put a canoe in my pocket? Down, boy, down."
As someone who started to collect medals when I was given my Grandfathers Great War medals at 14yo, including his MM as a stretcher bearer, I stoped when girls got in the way not long after and regreted it ever since. I find these tv and film investagations of the characters ribbons facinating as that is exactly what I look for and try to figure out my self. Keep up the good work.
@@RicardoD957 I don't think it was ever explained. But it is possible he was at the front and earned a decoration there. Maybe he was a career soldier too. After all Blackadder was one as well. And never expected anything but colonial wars with a high change of survival. I watched this several times but all I got about Darling was he was in the women's auxiliary Balloon corps, possibly tried to get into the RFC and was "hoping to get through the whole show, return to work for 'Patton and Sons', keep wicket for the Croydon gentlemen and marry (his girlfriend) Doris"
Productions with far greater budgets and supposedly more historical in nature than "Black Adder goes forth" did a much sloppier job. Well done indeed BBC costume department.
All of the officers in this series with the exception of Lt George were actually regular career officers. Lt George and Private Baldrick were volunteers who joined up during the war as part of the pals units.
Period correct medals in a comedy show, even if it of the level of this masterpiece, impresses me. In the US, most costume designers and writers as well as pretty much any person on the crew would just make the fruit salad look good regardless of whether the awards are period correct, placed correctly or even a real medal. Thus we get officers with NCO awards, foreign awards from a country that is a belligerent (Imagine Patton with a 3rd class Knight's Cross of The Iron Cross with oak leaves swords and diamonds above his Viet Nam service ribbon) I love this level of detail, and send them a hearty "WOOF!" even if they don't read this.
The accuracy is not surprising. Looking at the cast of Blackadder we can expect nothing less than outstanding attention to detail by the producers / props department. And the awars themselves are very fitting for this colourful character who "gets around" in more ways than just location.
One of the rare times the wardrobe people went for full authenticity. Well done. If you are open to examining another TV comedy character, how about Colonel Blair Toast from _The Toast of London_ who, in addition to wearing mess dress at all times and a chivalric breast star that switches between obsolete versions of the Order of the Thistle and of the Bath, also has a varying pair of medals, some of which don't appear to be British.
Really enjoyed this, and others in your channel! I am quite certain the late great Rik Mayall would be sniggering and some of your one liners... Get in! Snort! Well done 👏🏻 and thanks 😂
I was a volunteer curator at a small American WWII museum. One of my jobs was cataloging the mess of ribbons and medals in storage. So rather against my will I became pretty expert on US ribbons, and always pause a show to check the ribbons on any uniforms I might see. I also have an abiding interest in British military history, so this video is right in my wheelhouse, as it were. I also love Blackadder Goes Forth! Anyway, I have this to offer. Is not the ribbon for the Order of the Bath wider than the VC? That would be a way to tell them apart. Also, could not the Africa General Service been awarded for the Senussi Campaign? I doubt there was a clasp but I believe the medal could be awarded without one. Or maybe Flash was at Umboto Gorge? Viciously sharp slices of mango, you know.
I think you are right that Flash didn't have the VC, whilst it is not a formal requirement that VC bearers be saluted by their superiors, it is traditional, and at no stage in the series does anyone senior to him (or of the same rank) salute him.
@@ClaspsofCourage It makes you wonder how the programme makers and costume department researched this in the pre internet era. A trip to the National Army Museum perhaps or a letter to someone in the know asking for advice?
I recently saw a similar video about the medals of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army. He also had an Indian General Service Medal so I'd like to think they served together
Hang on a minute here, are you saying that Lord Flashheart, the greatest pilot and soldier in the history of warfare, didn't win at least One VC, have you even Seen the show? Flashheart is the kinda guy who would win more than one VC posthumously from different engagements
Not forgetting that in 1920 all those who participated in WW1 and met the minimum service criteria, were also awarded the British General Service Medal 1914 to 1920 and in 1919 the same applies with the award of the Victory Medal 1914 to 1919. So if nothing else he would have also gained these two medals post-war.
Someone else in the comments mentioned two likely reason why the production team avoided giving Squadron Commander Lord Flashheart the Victoria Cross. I have a third idea. Flashheart was inspired by Harry Flashman, who is a fictional VC winner, I believe for dubious actions during the Indian Rebellion. I think the production team decided against giving Flashheart the VC so not to draw too many parallels to Flashman and be accused on plagiarism.
Flashman is a terrific series of books. My father introduced me to them back in my early teens when they were only available on stone tablets. I very much believe that Flashman not only influenced Lord Flasheart but also Games Workshop’s Commissar Ciaphas Cain. Flashman and Cain, though always claiming to be very keen to engage the enemy, are actually doing their damndest to stay out of the line of fire. Yet both always end up in the right (wrong) place to turn the tide of battle and be seen as a hero. Basically as if Wellington had actually gone to Waterloo under the assumption that there was effectively zero chance that Napoleon would be anywhere nearby.
@@daniel_f4050 I've heard rumors that Charles and Diana named Prince Harry after Flash, as Fraser's books were one of the few things they both enjoyed.
I watched a recent BBC drama series called The Hour. I was amazed that a high ranking police officer was repeatedly shown wearing WW2 ribbons in the wrong order (upside-down). You would assume someone at the BBC had some basic knowledge of British WW2 campaign medals.
Just found this channel. I'm an American and I love collecting British medals. Now I'm at 129 Victorian Campaign medals. 116 20th Century, and 23 DSM, MC and DCMs😂
a Gulf Medal 1990-91 would be more appropriate, as there was a Camp Bob, Baldric Lines and even a new British Army shoulder flash of,,, a Black Adder lol ( AKA the "Ethnic Sperm") I know cos I wore one :P Look up 101 Logistics Bde XX
@@keithskelhorne3993 There were more. My father was with JSSUME, they were embedded with the US 2nd Marine Corps. Unit badge was black snake on white field, motto was 'We have a cunning plan' The unit shield is literally hanging in his living room, along with all the other unit shields he picked up in 36 years service with the British Army (Int Corps).
I have a hunch that the ribbons are a direct copy from either a family member of someone in the production as some kind of homage, or an homage to someone of note that someone was familiar with. I wonder who they got to consult on the military accuracy, because it seems like they've really tried in that regard
I’m not too certain that he would’ve been a Knight Grand Cross of the RVO, it may have been a senior RVO award but not as high as that. However “special services” to a lady in waiting would certainly be in keeping with his character, favourable words in the right ears and all that.. 😂
IT may be that BEn Elton is actually pretty good at things like this. I seem to remember Richard curtis talking about that in "The whole rotten saga". What about Darlings medals if he has any.
One of my favourite 'Medal' stories is when an old acquaintance called out a fake veteran - wearing a Franco Prussian war medal and a German 'Motherhood' medal from one of the World Wars.
Sometimes quirky combinations are quite genuine. Our family preserve a MM from Passchendaele and campaign commemorative medals from Prussian service in the Franco-Prussian War. 😉😊
I'm curious, why did you go with Knight Grand Cross for the RVO? We also don't know if he's a Knight Commander or Knight Grand Cross of the Bath. If KCB, then he's Knight Commander or Commander of the RVO (we know he's not a plain Member 4th/5th class of the RVO because it's before his DSO). But then even the lower still ranks of the Order of the Bath are out of his reach based on military rank alone.
Well done, all except the Royal Victoria Order were correct. Yes , it is the Royal Victorian Order but you mentioned it was a knight grand cross. At that time , it would have been exceptionally unusual for someone of his rank to be made a knight grand cross. Most likely he would have been awarded a member grade fourth or fifth class. 😊
It would have been exceptionally unusual for someone of his rank but Flashheart was an exceptionally unusual man. And given that admission to the order is at the sole discretion of the monarch, who can say what distinguished personal service Flashheart may have rendered to him or other members of the royal family? [ _Insert WOOF! here if appropriate_ ]
@@dlxmarks True but as the order in which the ribbons are displayed puts the Bath before the GCVO that shows the Bath ribbon must be for a GCB which was usually reserved for Generals or Field Marshals. Even General Melchett 'only' had a KCB. As you indicate this makes Lord Flashart an truely exceptional person... Perhaps we can agree that it was a lovely little video and I hope @ClaspsofCourage makes many more. 👍
The order in which medals or their ribbons appear on the left breast is quite complicated. The DSO was also also frequently awarded for personal gallantry and outranks the MC hence it would appear before it. The Royal Victorian Order and the Order of the Bath would precede them both. The only bravery medals that would appear before them are the VC and GC, If you're wearing either of them etiquette requires any serving soldier, irrespective of rank, to salute the recipient first. So, General Smith should throw a salute up to Private Smith VC who should then politely respond. The VC and GC are very, very special. Not an expert by any means, but that's my understanding.
@@gwtpictgwtpict4214 In the same way a subordinate salutes the commission not the individual 'tradition' not Kings Regulation dictates that the award is saluted. Saluting can also be regarded as a gesture of respect; there is nothing stopping an officer saluting a subordinate if it is deemed appropriate.
The medal accuracy is impressive in the show. They got it wrong with the 1914 Star ribbons though. The medal wasn't authorised until November 1917 and the ribbon available for issue in early 1918. In the final scene Darling says "the great war of 1914 to 1917". It's nit picking for sure and a very subtle error, whoever was in charge of the costumes clearly knew that the 1914 Star was issued before the War and Victory medals and the only ribbon that could have been worn during the war. They were just a year early.
Maybe I missed it, but the blue ribbon of the Order of the Bath reads "Ich dien", which is German for "I serve" - realtions between England and Germany haven´t been always as bad as in the first half of the twentieth century.
I have a small question about the order of the medals. I was under the impression that to wear medals 'properly', they should be worn in order of merit, with the highest on the top left as you face the recipient and the lowest/foreign issued on the lowest right. So Lord Flashheart should be wearing his MC on the top row at least, if not top left (as I don't know where the Order of the Bath would fit in merit) followed by his DSO, rather than the bottom row left. They 'appear' to my uneducated eyes, laid out in a rather slapdash fashion, which for Flashheart would be out of character. So is he displaying his awards correctly, or was there no formal way of 'ranking' them at the time and it's been ordered more recently?
If his Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order is correct, then he is Lord Flashheart, GCB GCVO DSO MC ( the Order of the Bath is superior in rank to the Royal Victorian Order - so the Bath ribbon preceding the Victorian Order ribbon indicates that the class of the Bath award is equal to or greater than that of the Victorian Order. With the Victorian Order being Knight Grand Cross, the Bath must also be Knight Grand Cross! In full dress uniform or full formal civilian attire (white tie and tails) Lord Flashheart would wear two breast stars and the sash of the Bath.
The military version was graded, like the Order of the British Empire is, so no. At his rank it would have been a Companion of the Bath. Ribbon precedent in the case of Orders is dependent on the seniority of the Order, not the level of the Order. So you could be say a Companion of the Order of the Bath, but a Knight of the Order of the Empire, but the ribbon of the Order of the Bath would come first as it is the senior Order. Victorian Order was established after the Order of the Bath, so the Order of the Bath would precede the Victorian Order ribbon even if Flashheart was only a Companion of the Bath but a Knight of the Order of Victoria... Of course in full parade he would be wearing the actual medals and not the ribbons, so the difference would be obvious then, but not in Ribbon order....
The very fact that the Royal Victorian Order ribbon is worn senior to the DSO shows that it is at least a CVO (grade 3) BUT I am not sure you're right about the Order of Bath. He is only a Squadron Commander (a junior rank and a junior appointment) even now such a junior officer would not even get the CB. but if you were right, it could be GCB or KCB because he wouldn't use title of 'Sir' (because he is a peer of the realm) ditto for the Royal Victorian Order it could be GCVO, KCVO, or CVO. The most plausible explanation for his receiving the CVO is work as an equerry or kings messenger -even a peer of such junior rank would get nowhere near any lady-in-waiting -this was the time of KG5 & Queen Mary. Re your suspicion of a VC, I think this is the best possible deduction, remember before & during WW1 the mini VC emblem was not worn on the ribbon bar.
Lord Flasheart could be the courtesy title of the eldest son or grandson of a duke or marquess, and while the Bath seems a bit much, the top-rank VO isn't entirely implausible for a duke's son or grandson who might have served as Page of Honour or some such.
@@nusbacher if it was a courtesy title he would have been Lord [Christian name] Flasheart, so he has inherited his peerage already. We know it is at least CVO(grade 3) so the service honoured must have been be a bit special/serious, my guess he is no longer a regular army officer and has been recalled to the colours after a distinguished army career earlier in life. Owing to his junior rank ('Squadron commander' - or Major) my guess is he was king's messenger in the years after leaving the army in his twenties. Someone of his age and generation would have been at least on the staff, if not a brigadier, if he had been a regular career officer.
Some of them yes. The pre war medals certainly. When the Royal Flying Corps was established in 1912 they attracted an odd and eclectic group of volunteers, but Cavalry officers were fairly common. Most were independently wealthy, so either owned motor cars (rare at the time), or in many cases owned early aircraft!!!! The Military Cross and DSO were likely war time awards, and the 1914 star was DEFINTELY a war time award as only men who had served in 1914 at the start of the war were eligible for it. The two Orders could be either, but the Victoria Order is a stretch in my opinion as if I recall its one of the few awards the Royal Family can bestow themselves, without Government involvement. The Order of the Bath would be another one that would be highly unusual for an officer of his rank.
No one is trying to 'justify' anything, rather the video is looking at the ribbons on Lord Flashhearts chest to see if they make sense for the character. The answer is yes, ok?
Have you considered it’s a foil allowing the discussion of the medals and there origins, especially as they are quite obscure and unlikely to be widely discussed otherwise?
The blood… the noise… the endless poetry.
Well done to whoever sorted out the uniforms for Flasheart, ensuring the medal ribbons were correct for the period.
Well...... With Baldrick onboard, i couldnt see anything but historical accuracy.....
Contrast that with the worst example of wardrobe uniform malpractice I've seen in a major motion picture: Channing Tatum's character Duke in _G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra_ (2009) who as a 28 year old US Army captain had not only 6 rows of ribbons (about twice as many as his peers in the movie) but some for conflicts from when he was a child like the Southwest Asia Service Medal for the 1991 Gulf War.
What?
Flashheart did it himself.
He earned them.
RIP.
@@dlxmarks
He was that good
The most accurate and impressive movie ribbon rack belongs to Admiral General Aladeen.
It seems likely that they did not put a VC on on Flasheart for two reasons.
First, there is the very real and very understandable reverence surrounding that particular distinction. While Brits, bless them, are capable of taking the piss on just about anything, there IS a special aura to the VC, which means making it a part of a joke may be seen as unsavoury by some.
Secondly, and more likely, if Flasheart had received a VC, he would've almost certainly introduced himself AS "Lord Flasheart, VC", and since not everyone outside the United Kingdom would know what that meant, it may simply have been avoided so as to not confuse viewers. Lord Flasheart, for all his undoubtedly SPLENDID qualities, is not a complicated man, after all.
Lovely idea for an episode, though.
Blackadder Goes Forth is still, in my absolutely personal opinion, the funniest comedy England has ever produced, and the most poignant, gutwrenchingly beautiful tribute to those who died in that awful war ever shown on TV.
The last three minutes of the series has never ... and probably will never ... be surpassed.
Yes it was a classic series and unforgettable. Thanks for your comment.
I also think this was why G M Fraser's Flashman was such a coward. It made him an observer so he couldn't influence history. A clever move.
On another note, I noticed you can't find Flashman in public libraries any more. They obviously confused a history lesson with their stupid agenda. Flashman is a gift to anyone wanting to get the zeitgeist of the times.
You should have seen "Dads army" ...But indeed, Capt Blackadder is a gem,, ( talking about himself joining the army..)
The finish of the final episode will never be topped by any 'comedy'..... or pretty much any tv show. The punch in the guts it still gives me today, really shows how damn good the writing of this series was.
@@alistairwhite2906”The Great War… 1914 to 1917…” You are right, it was incomparable.
Impressive accuracy. Makes me love the show even more.
Yes but not for all characters in the series
It's not that accurate. They're not outright anachronistic, but there's no way someone Flasheart's age and seniority would be made GCVO. That's reserved for the most senior officers, politicians and royals.
@@tomkandy Fair enough. I appreciate the effort being made, however, unlike most lazy TV.
@@Dilley_G45 Fair enough, but, I appreciate the effort.
What a tremendous asset to His Majesty's forces! Such a dashing cavalryman in Africa, India and probably in the BEF as well! Enlists in the Royal Flying Corps and distinguishes himself yet again! And preserved the honour and dignity of the Queen's lady-in-waiting too no doubt! Never a finer example of dashing manhood did ever roam the battlefields or banquet halls! Woof!
Thank you for this.
I wish Rik could have seen it.
Me too, Thank you, I appreciate your comment.
I wonder if he was aware that his (Flashheart's) ribbon was historically accurate.
So from the African Service Medal we can deduce that Flashheart knew they don't like it up 'em.
The history chap did a video on the military career of Cpl Jones. I highly recommend it
Great Video! Woof!
Thanks much appreciated, Im glad you enjoyed it.
It will always be a mystery that this heroic man failed to get the Military Very Cross. "Am I pleased to see you or did I just put a canoe in my pocket? Down, boy, down."
“Military Very Cross”. 😂😂😂
As someone who started to collect medals when I was given my Grandfathers Great War medals at 14yo, including his MM as a stretcher bearer, I stoped when girls got in the way not long after and regreted it ever since. I find these tv and film investagations of the characters ribbons facinating as that is exactly what I look for and try to figure out my self. Keep up the good work.
Thanks.
Squadron Commander the Lord Flashheart KB, GCVO, MC, DSO
@@freddiespreckley6324 The DSO is the senior decoration and would be put before the MC
Thanks for checking that.
I consider the Military Cross one of the most attractive medals.
Flash lives on! Thank you for the fascinating history lesson.
Glad you enjoyed the video, I appreciate the comment
Re the medals awarded to the Blackadder officers, another notable fact is the Captain Darling had actually won the Military Cross!
As had George.
He wasn't always in the staff then.
@@Dilley_G45I think Darling's backstory was he had somehow wormed his way onto the staff, kind of explains Blackadder's animosity towards him.
@@RicardoD957 I don't think it was ever explained. But it is possible he was at the front and earned a decoration there. Maybe he was a career soldier too. After all Blackadder was one as well. And never expected anything but colonial wars with a high change of survival. I watched this several times but all I got about Darling was he was in the women's auxiliary Balloon corps, possibly tried to get into the RFC and was "hoping to get through the whole show, return to work for 'Patton and Sons', keep wicket for the Croydon gentlemen and marry (his girlfriend) Doris"
@@Dilley_G45 Most staff officers had, I think, seen service in the front line - and often been wounded.
Productions with far greater budgets and supposedly more historical in nature than "Black Adder goes forth" did a much sloppier job. Well done indeed BBC costume department.
All of the officers in this series with the exception of Lt George were actually regular career officers.
Lt George and Private Baldrick were volunteers who joined up during the war as part of the pals units.
And they were the last survivors of their units
Period correct medals in a comedy show, even if it of the level of this masterpiece, impresses me. In the US, most costume designers and writers as well as pretty much any person on the crew would just make the fruit salad look good regardless of whether the awards are period correct, placed correctly or even a real medal. Thus we get officers with NCO awards, foreign awards from a country that is a belligerent (Imagine Patton with a 3rd class Knight's Cross of The Iron Cross with oak leaves swords and diamonds above his Viet Nam service ribbon)
I love this level of detail, and send them a hearty "WOOF!" even if they don't read this.
Contrast that with the jbohn Wayne films where nearly everything is out of period especially in comancheros.
Yeah. And then there are nerds like me who even make sure their RPG characters have plausible ribbon bars… 😂
The accuracy is not surprising. Looking at the cast of Blackadder we can expect nothing less than outstanding attention to detail by the producers / props department.
And the awars themselves are very fitting for this colourful character who "gets around" in more ways than just location.
What a splendid idea for a film!
Fantastic review, thank you.
Thanks for watching my video, much appreciated.
One of the rare times the wardrobe people went for full authenticity. Well done.
If you are open to examining another TV comedy character, how about Colonel Blair Toast from _The Toast of London_ who, in addition to wearing mess dress at all times and a chivalric breast star that switches between obsolete versions of the Order of the Thistle and of the Bath, also has a varying pair of medals, some of which don't appear to be British.
Really enjoyed this, and others in your channel! I am quite certain the late great Rik Mayall would be sniggering and some of your one liners... Get in! Snort! Well done 👏🏻 and thanks 😂
I was a volunteer curator at a small American WWII museum. One of my jobs was cataloging the mess of ribbons and medals in storage. So rather against my will I became pretty expert on US ribbons, and always pause a show to check the ribbons on any uniforms I might see. I also have an abiding interest in British military history, so this video is right in my wheelhouse, as it were. I also love Blackadder Goes Forth! Anyway, I have this to offer. Is not the ribbon for the Order of the Bath wider than the VC? That would be a way to tell them apart. Also, could not the Africa General Service been awarded for the Senussi Campaign? I doubt there was a clasp but I believe the medal could be awarded without one. Or maybe Flash was at Umboto Gorge? Viciously sharp slices of mango, you know.
You know your stuff. Well done.
Thank you, much appreciated.
Nice one! It took me only one video to subscribe😄👍🏼
I'm glad you enjoyed the video. Thanks for subscribing, much appreciated.
I think you are right that Flash didn't have the VC, whilst it is not a formal requirement that VC bearers be saluted by their superiors, it is traditional, and at no stage in the series does anyone senior to him (or of the same rank) salute him.
Doesn’t the VC ribbon have a small effigy of the medal mounted in the middle?
@@mjspice100 That seems to have been a later addition (sometime post WW1).
And do you think the writers ( including Ben Elton) would know that rather obscure fact??
@@spudgunn8695 It isn't that obscure a fact, so it is quite possible that one of the writing team was well aware of it.
nice.. you have earned my subscription sir.
Thank you for subscribing, much appreciated
Yes! This was the video I needed. Bravo!
Much appreciated, glad you enjoyed my video.
@@ClaspsofCourage It makes you wonder how the programme makers and costume department researched this in the pre internet era. A trip to the National Army Museum perhaps or a letter to someone in the know asking for advice?
Woof woof!!
I recently saw a similar video about the medals of Corporal Jones from Dad's Army. He also had an Indian General Service Medal so I'd like to think they served together
Thank you, a really interesting video, Cheers
Glad you enjoyed it, thanks.
My Hero.
I'm surprized they didn't do the gag "What did you get your medals for?", 'About a tenner for the lot down the local market.'
Hang on a minute here, are you saying that Lord Flashheart, the greatest pilot and soldier in the history of warfare, didn't win at least One VC, have you even Seen the show? Flashheart is the kinda guy who would win more than one VC posthumously from different engagements
I suspect he would have got a VC for his heroic rescue of Blackadder and Baldric killing the Red Baron in the process.
Flashheart was a hero.
It’s me, hooray!
I am disappointed the medals did not include the San Serafino Order of Purity and Truth...
Probably did not have authority to wear that foreign decoration!
So Flasheart had a long military career with service in Africa and India. Impressive.
Not forgetting that in 1920 all those who participated in WW1 and met the minimum service criteria, were also awarded the British General Service Medal 1914 to 1920 and in 1919 the same applies with the award of the Victory Medal 1914 to 1919. So if nothing else he would have also gained these two medals post-war.
Owsome thank you 😊
Someone else in the comments mentioned two likely reason why the production team avoided giving Squadron Commander Lord Flashheart the Victoria Cross. I have a third idea.
Flashheart was inspired by Harry Flashman, who is a fictional VC winner, I believe for dubious actions during the Indian Rebellion. I think the production team decided against giving Flashheart the VC so not to draw too many parallels to Flashman and be accused on plagiarism.
Flashman is a terrific series of books. My father introduced me to them back in my early teens when they were only available on stone tablets.
I very much believe that Flashman not only influenced Lord Flasheart but also Games Workshop’s Commissar Ciaphas Cain. Flashman and Cain, though always claiming to be very keen to engage the enemy, are actually doing their damndest to stay out of the line of fire. Yet both always end up in the right (wrong) place to turn the tide of battle and be seen as a hero. Basically as if Wellington had actually gone to Waterloo under the assumption that there was effectively zero chance that Napoleon would be anywhere nearby.
@@daniel_f4050 I've heard rumors that Charles and Diana named Prince Harry after Flash, as Fraser's books were one of the few things they both enjoyed.
I watched a recent BBC drama series called The Hour. I was amazed that a high ranking police officer was repeatedly shown wearing WW2 ribbons in the wrong order (upside-down). You would assume someone at the BBC had some basic knowledge of British WW2 campaign medals.
As a fellow historian and Medal buff you sir did an outstanding job well done bravo good sir.
Thank you for the kind words, much appreciated
7:56
Imho the Distinguished Service Order is the prettiest among the enameled British medals! 😃 Itmis such a looker!
2 years long service, 4 years long service, 6 years long service, 8 years long service.
If your referring to Red Dwarf... its 3, 6, 9 and 12 years, long service😁
Should do a video on Captain blackadder himself
Lieutenant The Honourable George Colthurst St. Barleigh MC, had won the Military Cross and the Belgium Cross of War
your video is interesting and enjoyable. what was that book u had were showing 1 of the medals
Thank you. The book I was showing was the Medal Yearbook 2024 by Token Publishing . It's a great reference guide.
Woof woof!
Just found this channel. I'm an American and I love collecting British medals. Now I'm at 129 Victorian Campaign medals. 116 20th Century, and 23 DSM, MC and DCMs😂
Wow that's a very impressive collection! Thanks for watching my video
I wish they had added a Falklands service medal as an in joke.
a Gulf Medal 1990-91 would be more appropriate, as there was a Camp Bob, Baldric Lines and even a new British Army shoulder flash of,,, a Black Adder lol ( AKA the "Ethnic Sperm")
I know cos I wore one :P
Look up 101 Logistics Bde XX
@@keithskelhorne3993 Unfortunately Blackadder goes forth was filmed in 1988-89.
@@keithskelhorne3993 There were more. My father was with JSSUME, they were embedded with the US 2nd Marine Corps. Unit badge was black snake on white field, motto was 'We have a cunning plan'
The unit shield is literally hanging in his living room, along with all the other unit shields he picked up in 36 years service with the British Army (Int Corps).
@@junior602002 it was being shown on BFBS (the British Forces Braodcasting Service) in mid to late 1990,,,,, :) xx
@@alganhar1 I deployed as 7 Bde, ended up as part of the FMA at ASP2 working with a USMC ammo coy part of 2MSSG.
RAOC 17 years, good luck to you!
I have a hunch that the ribbons are a direct copy from either a family member of someone in the production as some kind of homage, or an homage to someone of note that someone was familiar with. I wonder who they got to consult on the military accuracy, because it seems like they've really tried in that regard
I’m not too certain that he would’ve been a Knight Grand Cross of the RVO, it may have been a senior RVO award but not as high as that.
However “special services” to a lady in waiting would certainly be in keeping with his character, favourable words in the right ears and all that.. 😂
Interesting to see Hindi adopted the word kaisar separately via Persian. What irony to have a medal with a British Monarch on it and the word kaisar.
Good video, but I'm curious. What would his post nominals have been?
Very interesting!!!
Corporal Jones from dad's army would be a good one to do.
He has a serious set of medals!😊
Great idea, thanks. I haven't thought of him. Judging by the amount of medals he has it may be a very long video!
IT may be that BEn Elton is actually pretty good at things like this. I seem to remember Richard curtis talking about that in "The whole rotten saga". What about Darlings medals if he has any.
One of my favourite 'Medal' stories is when an old acquaintance called out a fake veteran - wearing a Franco Prussian war medal and a German 'Motherhood' medal from one of the World Wars.
Sometimes quirky combinations are quite genuine. Our family preserve a MM from Passchendaele and campaign commemorative medals from Prussian service in the Franco-Prussian War. 😉😊
Woof!!!
How about doing a video of Captain Darling, from what I've seen it looks like he has a M.C.
What about Blackadder himself?
👍👍👍
I'm curious, why did you go with Knight Grand Cross for the RVO? We also don't know if he's a Knight Commander or Knight Grand Cross of the Bath. If KCB, then he's Knight Commander or Commander of the RVO (we know he's not a plain Member 4th/5th class of the RVO because it's before his DSO). But then even the lower still ranks of the Order of the Bath are out of his reach based on military rank alone.
Well done, all except the Royal Victoria Order were correct. Yes , it is the Royal Victorian Order but you mentioned it was a knight grand cross. At that time , it would have been exceptionally unusual for someone of his rank to be made a knight grand cross. Most likely he would have been awarded a member grade fourth or fifth class. 😊
Thanks for your feedback, I appreciate your comment.
It would have been exceptionally unusual for someone of his rank but Flashheart was an exceptionally unusual man. And given that admission to the order is at the sole discretion of the monarch, who can say what distinguished personal service Flashheart may have rendered to him or other members of the royal family? [ _Insert WOOF! here if appropriate_ ]
@@ClaspsofCourage I liked the video and just trying to be helpful, amazed that you actually read the comment ha ha. Good luck with the next one 😁
@@dlxmarks True but as the order in which the ribbons are displayed puts the Bath before the GCVO that shows the Bath ribbon must be for a GCB which was usually reserved for Generals or Field Marshals. Even General Melchett 'only' had a KCB. As you indicate this makes Lord Flashart an truely exceptional person... Perhaps we can agree that it was a lovely little video and I hope @ClaspsofCourage makes many more. 👍
The costumer found the jacket of a warrior at the thrift shop that fateful Tuesday.
Your name’s Darling? The last person I called “darling” was pregnant 10 minutes later!
However, are the ribbons in the correct order? I'm not an expert but surely the MC should be closest to right being a gallantry medal?
The order in which medals or their ribbons appear on the left breast is quite complicated. The DSO was also also frequently awarded for personal gallantry and outranks the MC hence it would appear before it. The Royal Victorian Order and the Order of the Bath would precede them both. The only bravery medals that would appear before them are the VC and GC, If you're wearing either of them etiquette requires any serving soldier, irrespective of rank, to salute the recipient first. So, General Smith should throw a salute up to Private Smith VC who should then politely respond. The VC and GC are very, very special.
Not an expert by any means, but that's my understanding.
@@gwtpictgwtpict4214 In the same way a subordinate salutes the commission not the individual 'tradition' not Kings Regulation dictates that the award is saluted. Saluting can also be regarded as a gesture of respect; there is nothing stopping an officer saluting a subordinate if it is deemed appropriate.
Was I pleased to see this video or did I just put a Canoe in my pocket!
The medal accuracy is impressive in the show. They got it wrong with the 1914 Star ribbons though. The medal wasn't authorised until November 1917 and the ribbon available for issue in early 1918. In the final scene Darling says "the great war of 1914 to 1917".
It's nit picking for sure and a very subtle error, whoever was in charge of the costumes clearly knew that the 1914 Star was issued before the War and Victory medals and the only ribbon that could have been worn during the war. They were just a year early.
Interesting points, thanks for the comment
@@ClaspsofCourage Yes, the R.N.D. received their 14 Star ribbons in March 1918.
I want to know who Major Garrison was? Did he serve with Flashheart in India?
Up the Khyber...With the3e foot and mouth.
Maybe that special service for the Lady in Waiting was giving her something to hang her towels on.
🤔
All the ladies love an MC 😁
I wonder if the uniform came from the TV series Wings? en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wings_(1977_TV_series)
Maybe I missed it, but the blue ribbon of the Order of the Bath reads "Ich dien", which is German for "I serve" - realtions between England and Germany haven´t been always as bad as in the first half of the twentieth century.
I have a small question about the order of the medals. I was under the impression that to wear medals 'properly', they should be worn in order of merit, with the highest on the top left as you face the recipient and the lowest/foreign issued on the lowest right. So Lord Flashheart should be wearing his MC on the top row at least, if not top left (as I don't know where the Order of the Bath would fit in merit) followed by his DSO, rather than the bottom row left. They 'appear' to my uneducated eyes, laid out in a rather slapdash fashion, which for Flashheart would be out of character.
So is he displaying his awards correctly, or was there no formal way of 'ranking' them at the time and it's been ordered more recently?
How about doing Sir Sidney Ruff-Diamonds awards? VC, KBE, BBC ITV....😂
If his Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order is correct, then he is Lord Flashheart, GCB GCVO DSO MC ( the Order of the Bath is superior in rank to the Royal Victorian Order - so the Bath ribbon preceding the Victorian Order ribbon indicates that the class of the Bath award is equal to or greater than that of the Victorian Order. With the Victorian Order being Knight Grand Cross, the Bath must also be Knight Grand Cross! In full dress uniform or full formal civilian attire (white tie and tails) Lord Flashheart would wear two breast stars and the sash of the Bath.
The military version was graded, like the Order of the British Empire is, so no. At his rank it would have been a Companion of the Bath. Ribbon precedent in the case of Orders is dependent on the seniority of the Order, not the level of the Order. So you could be say a Companion of the Order of the Bath, but a Knight of the Order of the Empire, but the ribbon of the Order of the Bath would come first as it is the senior Order.
Victorian Order was established after the Order of the Bath, so the Order of the Bath would precede the Victorian Order ribbon even if Flashheart was only a Companion of the Bath but a Knight of the Order of Victoria...
Of course in full parade he would be wearing the actual medals and not the ribbons, so the difference would be obvious then, but not in Ribbon order....
Recipriant?
Recipient is what he was looking for...
@@alganhar1 Yes, but he went looking and didn't find it... repeatedly.
Who knows? WOOF!
Wondering if the costume department copied the medals of an actual WW1 British Aviator from 1917? If so, then I wonder who's medals they copied?
I don't think Flashheart as a Squadron Leader (Major) would be awarded the Grand Cross of the RVO. That's more for generals and statesmen
If Flashheart wears the WW I Star ought he not to also wear the WW I Medal and the International Victory Medal?
It was set in 1917. This is before the victory of 1918.
The very fact that the Royal Victorian Order ribbon is worn senior to the DSO shows that it is at least a CVO (grade 3) BUT I am not sure you're right about the Order of Bath. He is only a Squadron Commander (a junior rank and a junior appointment) even now such a junior officer would not even get the CB. but if you were right, it could be GCB or KCB because he wouldn't use title of 'Sir' (because he is a peer of the realm) ditto for the Royal Victorian Order it could be GCVO, KCVO, or CVO. The most plausible explanation for his receiving the CVO is work as an equerry or kings messenger -even a peer of such junior rank would get nowhere near any lady-in-waiting -this was the time of KG5 & Queen Mary. Re your suspicion of a VC, I think this is the best possible deduction, remember before & during WW1 the mini VC emblem was not worn on the ribbon bar.
I think the implication was that he had gotten near to a lady-in-waiting late one night and into the next morning, bang zoom!
Interesting point about the VC emblem on the ribbon bar. Thanks for your feedback.
Your talking Flasheart here, he would have been intimate with every lady in the Palace, including the Queen.
Lord Flasheart could be the courtesy title of the eldest son or grandson of a duke or marquess, and while the Bath seems a bit much, the top-rank VO isn't entirely implausible for a duke's son or grandson who might have served as Page of Honour or some such.
@@nusbacher if it was a courtesy title he would have been Lord [Christian name] Flasheart, so he has inherited his peerage already. We know it is at least CVO(grade 3) so the service honoured must have been be a bit special/serious, my guess he is no longer a regular army officer and has been recalled to the colours after a distinguished army career earlier in life. Owing to his junior rank ('Squadron commander' - or Major) my guess is he was king's messenger in the years after leaving the army in his twenties. Someone of his age and generation would have been at least on the staff, if not a brigadier, if he had been a regular career officer.
As the royal air corp did not exist until WWI, would all those medals be for Army service then?
On 13 April 1912 King George V signed a royal warrant establishing the Royal Flying Corps.
Some of them yes. The pre war medals certainly. When the Royal Flying Corps was established in 1912 they attracted an odd and eclectic group of volunteers, but Cavalry officers were fairly common. Most were independently wealthy, so either owned motor cars (rare at the time), or in many cases owned early aircraft!!!!
The Military Cross and DSO were likely war time awards, and the 1914 star was DEFINTELY a war time award as only men who had served in 1914 at the start of the war were eligible for it.
The two Orders could be either, but the Victoria Order is a stretch in my opinion as if I recall its one of the few awards the Royal Family can bestow themselves, without Government involvement. The Order of the Bath would be another one that would be highly unusual for an officer of his rank.
Note that the Royal Flying Corps was part of the army, so all awards would be for army service until April 1918. Unless a RNAS pilot of course.
RecipRient...? 😐
He is still a prat....
I think will find that Flasheart provided "personal" services to the Queen, Princesses, Ladies in Waiting and Ladies Maids at the Palace!
Nice of him to take their mail to the post office.
Woof, Woof!
@ClaspsofCourage Please stop calling them badges, anyone can get a badge, few earn medals.
what no victoria cross.
Or vc
Considering this is blackadder and lord flashheart .....its more likely to be a VC just as a joke 😂
WOOF
nothing worse than decorating a fictional character with real honours
When a characterisation is so over the top that it immediately moves from the category of comedy to the category of plain old stupid.
Get a real job.
Flashheart is a make believe character for gods sake. How on earth can you try and justify fake ribbons.
For fun and profit!
Explanation isn't justification.
A sense of humor?
No one is trying to 'justify' anything, rather the video is looking at the ribbons on Lord Flashhearts chest to see if they make sense for the character. The answer is yes, ok?
Have you considered it’s a foil allowing the discussion of the medals and there origins, especially as they are quite obscure and unlikely to be widely discussed otherwise?
Woof!!!!