Battle of Waterloo

[Hockham Admiral]

200 years ago to the day, a few minutes ago at 10.42:

 

10:42

Napoleon dictates his attack order. The main assault will be led by Marshal D’Erlon, who is to take his infantry and strike Wellington’s centre to the east of La Haye Sainte.

[BroadScot]

Hi John,

 

I've been to Waterloo, a very nice Rotunda Museum there. I was however, unable to climb the hill to the Lion, well the Bier was good and the coach driver never gave us enough time to do it all!

 

 

 

Iain

 

 

 

[Hockham Admiral]

It was a history changing battle, Iain........... you and I might both be speaking Franglais had Blucher not arrived in time.

 

Here's what was happening 200 years ago:

 

16:30

One French cuirassier division, charging at full tilt, is forced to ride straight through the allied chequerboard. They take withering fire from all sides. Cpt Delafosse recalls seeing “men and horses slashed down…covered in blood, black with mud.” Only 30 or 40 of them make it back.

16:25

As the French horsemen get within 30 yards of the first English squares, they fire. Devastating overlapping volleys from several squares at once rake each cavalry squadron. Ensign Macready remembers:

Quote The effect was magical. Through the smoke we could see helmets falling – cavaliers starting from their seats with convulsive springs as they received our balls, horses plunging and rearing in agonies of fright and pain.

16:20

The French are expecting to be shot at, but Wellington’s squares hold fire. This is actually even more alarming.

The leading cavalry squadrons lose their nerve and wheel to the right and left, flowing around the allied formation – or through it, between the squares.

[BroadScot]

Hi John,

 

There was a French School Party there when we were, me being me, said to the teacher who spoke very good english, err do the kids know you lost!

 

When you have seen the lay of the land there, the Duke was not stupid.

 

 

Iain.

[Hockham Admiral]

Hi John,

 

There was a French School Party there when we were, me being me, said to the teacher who spoke very good english, err do the kids know you lost!

 

 

Iain.

 

But did she understand you Iain?  "Och aye the noo' ".............  :shocked

[BroadScot]

Best telephone voice John,   as my pigeon French is less than half a fag packet!

 

 

Iain.

[Polly]

Two readable accounts of the battle are in Thackeray's 'Vanity Fair' and Heyer's ''An Infamous Army' I'm just now reading Johnny Kincaid''s rifleman memoirs.. An interesting primary source on the Peninsular War, he was at Waterloo too but I haven't got that far. His laconic accounts could have been Griff's great great granddad talking.