Interesting Developments

Weight update - 14 stone and 12 lbs (goin' the right way)

This Weekend:
John and Ruth visited, back from honeymoon. Both looked fit and well and seemed to have had a great time in the Peak District. Sarah had been to a ball at theOxford Golf Club. Interesting people my children and their partners. John is off to Amsterdam for a conference whilst Sarah is preparing to jet off to Mexico. But enough of that.

There was a programme about Wimpole Hall on TV last night. A friend of mine, Jenny Armstrong, works there on a voluntary basis. I mention Wimpole Hall because I once visited and found a contemporary map of the Battle of Waterloo in one of the rooms. Also, coincidentally, I visited Mont St John and climbed the Lion Mound Monument with Jenny and some other friends (Ian and Gillian, Derek and John). So I spent a fruitless hour watching hoping to see her. No luck. Then guitar practice - not much progress there. Well at least the weight is going the right way.

Oh yes, and my long lost half sister (Dawne) tried to contact me through Genes Re-United. I don't usually check my messages left there. I even found a message from Sarah left for me in 2003 which I hadn't opened. Cheeky young thing asked to borrow a fiver!!! I wonder what that is worth with 4 years of inflation.

Nearly Waterloo......I wonder what Wellington's 'infamous army' was thinking about now. Napoleon had sacked Europe for about 18 years and then about 1 year before Waterloo he had been defeated and exiled to Elba. The British had lived in fear of invasion for all that time and then suddenly they were safe. What must they have felt to hear that Napoleon had not only escaped, in March, but had, in record time, raised an army and regained power in France? There was no choice but to raise an Army and defeat him again. Europe united against him with armies from Germany, Russia, Austria, Prussia, Holland and the British. However, Napoleon moved with such speed to the Belgian border that only two armies, spread over a wide front, could move to meet him in time. Wellington's command was a mixture of 1/3 British, with the rest Dutch, Belgians and Germans. The other army were the Prussians under Marshall Blucher.

Napoleon having raised an army in northern France moved to divide the two armies and destroy them piecemeal. On 15 June the Armee Du Nord, which had collected in secrecy on the Belgian border crossed and thus began the Waterloo Campaign. As Napoleon advanced Wellington and Blucher were off guard. Wellington was writing a despatch to the Czar of Russia saying that he intended to take the offensive at the end of the month and Blucher was writing to his wife saying that 'we shall soon enter France. We might remain here for another year, for Bonaparte will never attack us'. Napoleon gathered 124,000 men almost within cannon shot of the allied outpost unsuspected

On 16 June he attacked both armies simultaneously, and defeated, the Prussians at Ligny whilst Marshall Ney attacked Wellington at Quatre Bras. Wellington held against Napoleon's Second in Command and withdrew to the ridge Mont St Jean near the village of Waterloo.

So Blucher retreats towards Wavre with 30,000 troops of Marshall Grouchy in pursuit. Napoleon moves to face Wellington. His army is divided - ironically the very state he sought to inflict on the allies.

Mercer's Battery (The Horse Artillery 'G' Troop was made up of 80 gunners and 84 drivers who drove 226 horses) formed part of the rearguard in the retreat to Waterloo from Quatre Bras. Thunder rolling over their heads and the French Cavalry charging their rear. He records being given the order to cover the retreat by Major M'Donald....'The Major looked rather conscience stricken as he made this avowal,so, to relieve him I begged he would give the devil his due and me mine. Accordingly all the others marched off.........just at this moment an amazing outcry arose amongst the infantry at he farm, who were running towards us in a confused mass, shouting and bellowing, jostling and pushing each other. I was sure that the enemies cavalry had made a dash amongst them, especially as the fire of the skirmishers became thicker and apparently nearer, when the whole thing was explained by a large pig, squealing as if already stuck, bursting from the throng by which he was beset in all directions. Some struck at him with axes, other with butts of their muskets, other stabbed at him with bayonets. The chase would have been amusing had it not been so brutal: and I have seldom experienced greater horror than I did on this occasion when the poor brute, staggering from the repeated blows...was at last brought to the ground by at least half a dozen bayonets plunged into him at once.

All this time the retreat was going on very quietly.....I had ample leisure to contemplate the scene of desolation around me, so stangely at varyance with the otherwise smiling landscape. Everywhere momentoes 0f yesterdays bloody struggle....the corn trampled down...plentifully sprinkled with the bodies of the slain ...... just in front of the farm of Quatre Bras there was a fearful scene of slaughter-Highlanders and cuirassiers lying thickly strewn about..................As I pushed through the thickets my horse, suddenly coming to a stand, began to snort, and showed unequivical symptoms of fear. I drove him on, however, but started myself when I saw, lying under a bush the body of a man stripped naked. This victim of war was a youth of fair form, skin delicately white, and face but a little darker, an embryo moustache decorated the upper lip and his countenance, even in death was beautiful. That he was French I conjectured... Seldom have I experienced such despondency, such heart sinking, as when standing over this handsome form thus despoiled and neglected, and about to become a prey to wolves and carrion crows-the darling of some fond mother, the adored of some fair maid.'

I've just found another blog interested in a movie of 'Waterloo' at http://jcminiatures.blogspot.com/2007/01/happy-new-year-waterloo-movie.html

'References:

Waterloo. A Near Run Thing. David Howarth. 2003. Windrush Press

The Battle. Alessandro Barbero. 2003. Atlantic Books

Wellington's Men. W H Fitchett . 1900. Smith Elder and Co