This painting by South African-born artist, Jason Askew, has been commissioned by The Royal Green Jackets (Rifles) Museum to mark the Bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo.

It is 7.50 p.m. on Sunday, 18th June 1815. A column of French Imperial Guard has just been repulsed by the 1st Foot Guards of Major-General Maitland’s brigade (top left, and red uniforms, colours flying). The final column of advancing chasseurs (centre, middle ground) is about to be attacked in the flank by the 52nd Light Infantry of Major-General Adam’s brigade (bottom right).

Colonel Sir John Colborne, commanding the 52nd, who, on his own initiative, ordered his Regiment to move forward and attack the Imperial Guard in the flank, is shown on his horse with his sword raised (bottom right). Ensign William Leeke, aged 17, who survived and wrote a vivid account about the manoeuvre, ist to his left carrying the 52nd’s Regimental Colour. (Ensign Nettles carrying the King’s Colour was killed earlier in the day and the Colour is not recovered until the following day.)

The 2nd/95th Rifles (bottom left), commanded by Captain Logan, on foot carrying a sword, are providing fire support for the 52nd with their Baker rifles. The Imperial Guard, with an Eagle and Tricolour prominent in the centre of the painting, is facing outwards to oppose the 52nd. On the hill (top left)  the Duke of Wellington on horseback is surveying the scene, accompanied by Baron Tripp, 60th Regiment, aide-de-camp to HRH the Prince of Orange.

Within minutes the Imperial Guard is routed under the sudden impact of the 52nd’s musketry and a battalion charge, bayonets fixed. Wellington then orders his army to advance and the Allied victory at Waterloo soon follows.*

*Information next to the painting in The Royal Green Jackets Museum

We were staying right next to Alnwick’s Catholic church and I loved hearing the chime of the church clock overnight. Breakfast was enjoyable and we got chatting to another couple about local history and Hadrian’s Wall. After breakfast we went straight to Alnwick Garden arriving just as the gates opened. This meant the garden was quiet and we could enjoy it in relative peace and quiet. We particularly enjoyed visiting the poison garden, the cherry orchard with its swing chairs, the serpent garden and the labyrinth. We watched the grand cascade as we took lunch outside the restaurant.

After lunch we visited the state rooms in Alnwick Castle. There was an excellent exhibition on the 200th anniversary of Waterloo where we saw and learned things that were new to us such as Major Henry Percy,  ancestor of the Duke of Northumberland, who was tasked by the  Duke of Wellington with the great honour of carrying news of the victory at Waterloo to the English Prince Regent. There was also an exhibition on WWI.

After the castle we made our way to Barter Books so that we could have proper look around. It was then time to return to the B&B so that we could put our feet up before dinner. We dined in a local pub which looked promising but didn’t quite deliver and my Dover sole wasn’t up to scratch. After this slightly unsatisfactory experience we stopped off in a nearby pub before returning to the B&B.

Waterloo 200

I was lucky enough to be able to visit the battlefield of Waterloo on the 18th June 2015, that date being the 200th anniversary of one of Europe’s most important battles. Waterloo, for those unfamiliar with the battle, saw the end of Napoleon Bonaparte’s reign as Emperor of the French 1st Empire and led to far reaching political changes throughout the continent.

The anniversary was marked by a re-enactment which that took place over two evenings (the 19th and 20th June). This evening arrangement did not fit my itinerary so I elected to be present on the anniversary day itself.

Initially, I had some trouble getting on to the battlefield because official ceremonies were taking place. However, this was not a complete disaster because at the site off the battlefield, the Scots Greys re-enactors were doing a film shoot which I would not have seen had the battlefield been open.

I found my way (circuitously) to the Lion Mound, which is the main memorial to the battle and encountered many re-enactors in the cafes and bars and in the tented market that was there to tempt the public into buying books, mugs, games, models and re-enactment equipment including muskets, leather riding boots and even reproduction saddles.

The battlefield opened to the public at 3pm and I walked along the ridge that the Duke of Wellington’s forces had defended arriving at the chateau of Hougoumont which saw some very heavy fighting throughout the battle, until the French eventually withdrew. It was interesting to see the terrain and to note how close the two armies would have been to each other. Napoleon’s headquarters, the coaching inn called La Belle Alliance, was clearly visible as I passed along the British position.

Hougoumont is not as large as I thought it would be but I was still impressed by it and gained a good appreciation of the difficulty the French would have had trying to assault it through awkward tree lines and up steep slopes. In my mind’s eye, I could imagine the heroic efforts of soldiers on both sides as they struggled for supremacy at this key site.

The photographs are of various re-enactors I encountered whilst at Waterloo on the 18th June and also, obvious from the building and cobbled streets, of some additional re-enactors that happened to march past as I was sightseeing in Brussels next day. I was amazed by the historical accuracy of the costumes they wore and equipment they carried.

Guest post by T.A.G.

I have only included a few of the photographs so I recommend you look at the full photo gallery here. Just click on any photo to enlarge it and scroll through the gallery.