SUMMER NEWSLETTER.

The height of the season, and the sun is upon us, with a run of events recently upon us including a return to Ickworth just this weekend gone, and members of the 45eme facing redcoats at Sandhurst and up in the north of England at Alnwick castle, before which of course was the expedition to Malta and Quatra Bras.

A lovely shot from Alnwick.

Alnwick castle, where the army of the north tangled with the 68th.

Le Grande Armee at Sandhurst, if only they had been given a cannon each.

The 45eme view as the sound of battle and drift of smoke came up the slope at Quatra Bras, and below the farm gates.

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                                Malta, adventures in the middle of the Med.

It seemed ages ago that the announcement came that there would be an event in Malta next year, and then it was suddenly upon us!

From the gaggle of reenactors blocking up Air Maltas departure desk it was quite a full on experience. Sun, sea, sand and Cisk, and possibly a few blisters.

It was the biggest re-enactment event ever held on Malta and the organisers struggled valiantly in the face of several challenges thrown in their path at the last moment. The French forces encamped in the magnificent Fort St Angelo and the Maltese/British down the road in a hastily provided disused cinema.

Lifes a beach. A flurry of activity before General Bonaparte was invited to judge the sandcastle competition.

The battle of Mistra bay, rocks, thistles, ravines, more rocks, cliff faces, stubborn gnomes and a good long march to a village for drinks and dancing afterwards.

The battles were indeed memorable for the variety of terrain and scenarios going on, from the rocky slopes above to a hillside of pine trees and old walls, a battle on a sandy beach (which a few of the startled beach dwellers vocally opposed! Won't somebody think of the children!) and running through the streets, pausing for a car to pass before firing a shot off, to the siege and final surrender of a mighty fort.

Could almost be Eygpt, outside the ruins of the Opera house.

                           

The final defence in the face of food and ammunition shortages the valiant French had to surrender in the face of redcoats and a naval blockade, not to mention the locals up in arms over a few requisitions and un unpaid bar bill.

It wasn't all marches and muskets, food and drink keep the army happy and there were breaks in the schedule for sight seeing and for most units a whole day off in the middle with the festival of the sea celebrations and fireworks in the evening. Malta was a lovely place to be and hopefully the 45eme will march there again one day.

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LEIBERTVOLKWITZ.

prelude to the battle of the nations.

                                                 

        On the thirteenth of October, 1813, Marshal Joachim Murat was falling back to the southern  outskirts of Leipzig when the Emperor sent word to halt and retrace his steps, the ground to the south held a great view of the approaches with a low hill and marshes on the right protecting at least one flank. Hold the ground!

Murat, being Napoleon's commander of horse, had a wealth of cavalry under his command including the renowned, but depleted, Polish division and that of General Kellerman, although Kellerman himself was sick at this time. The artillery was placed on Gallows hill as the enemy approached.

That enemy was General Wittgenstein, who assumed that Murat's forces were a mere rearguard poised to hold up the advance of the Prussians, Russians and Austrians all under his command, as a vanguard they were also heavy on horsemen and what would follow on the 14th October, a day that began cold and foggy, was the largest cavalry battle of the age, or indeed any!

First to meet were the Grodno Hussars and French dragoons, veterans of Spain, an account left by a Russian officer describes the hussars charging home, all eager to break French skulls and indeed the dragoons fell back but in good close order so that the hussars switched to firing pistols into the closing ranks as they could otherwise not get amongst the foe, like many a scene that day it devolved into a swirl of horses and individual combats, kill or be killed! 

Waves of cavalry met on the open plain, it was good country for it although the rains had made the ground very soft and any stream had risen to its banks, as the day grew warmer the particularly muddy ground could slow down a cavalry charge.

The Marshal was in the thick of it, almost captured at least twice including a famous incident where a Prussian officer came within a lances length of Murat and called for his surrender as he spurred forward to deliver a sabre cut.. but one of Murat's staff fired a pistol into the Prussian officer and the blow never landed.

The initial melees seemed a stalemate, the French actually had greater numbers but their steeds were often in poorer condition. Then a massed attack was formed from the French centre, described by one Russian adjutant, Molostov:

'All shrank back from this glistening vision which embodied for us the magic that surrounded Napoleon's brows. The mass of riders, with the sun glancing from their weapons and helmets, formed one huge endless column which crushed all before it and hit the Prussians particularly hard.'

But the great column was outflanked on left and right and struck with fire from the enemy horse artillery.. together these threats brought the assault to a faltering halt, and then the Russian and Prussian horse counter attacked. Pushed back the village of Leibervolkwitz was captured by the  Erzherzog Karl (Austrian) infantry regiment after a gruelling two hour battle with Maison's 16th division. Losing ground Gallows hill with its commanding artillery position also had to be abandoned or be cut off.

Maybe Murat should have withdrawn then, having given a halting blow and still holding the part of his original position that barred the way to Leipzig. But the flamboyant Marshal called up another attack and the surprised allies fell back. Liebervolkwitz was recaptured at the bayonet and the last Austrians held out, defending the Church until they died almost to a man.

At around six o'clock Prince Schwarzenburg arrived and ordered no more attacks that day.

Who won the battle is still debated today, it is at best a stand off. Murat still held the important approaches to Markkleeburg and the city but he had squandered much of the cavalry whose horses were hard to replace and Napoleon's cavalry would continue to suffer without the ability to follow up any victory like in the grand old days. What is sure is many a cavalryman dinned off his exploits that day for many years to come!
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Ickworth!

The 7/8 of June saw a return to the grounds of Ickworth house, usually synonymous with chilly nights this one saw very hot days instead.
First off.. drum roll.. for our very much loved Serge Dubonnet (nee Stuart) whom in the presence of the Emporer was promoted to Sergeant! Very well deserved indeed.

Also one of our new recruits, Duncan, acquitted himself well and received.. a pull on the ear! 

It seems some sporting event on the Saturday may have lowered the turn out both of public and troops but it did mean the skirmishing could go off piste and let it's hair down, fighting up a slope of tall grass and firing off a lot of shots en tirailleur.

Seeing the day was lost one of the more capable British officers sees the colours are secured.

The evening was quite fruity in camp with Phil impressing everyone with his tequila sunrise.

Sunday further demonstated that It's a hard life serving the Emporer. ZzzZzZzZz.

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Pauline Foures.

Napoleon's Cleopatra!  Like the Emporers other famous mistress Marie Waleska, there are many tales and as many opinions on the ladies life and motives but for the sake of number one fan girl, Carolyn Tobin, we shall try to be kind! 

Pauline was the daughter of a clockmaker and resided in the South of France, born in 1778. It was there she met and fell for a wounded soldier, Jean Fourés, who had been fighting in the Pyrenees. No sooner were they married as her husband was summoned to take part in the Egyptian campaign but not to be parted (and women banned from boarding ship) she disguised herself as a hussar (or more likely a chasseur as her husband doubtless had more access to such  a uniform) and remained incognito for the whole 54 days of the voyage, only donning civilian clothes again in Cairo where she soon became popular in society and enlivened many a dinner party or soiree.

Napoleon at this time had finally accepted the fact that Josephine was carrying on an affair and was reportedly in the mood to throw himself into adultery with abandon, summoning six local girls for his inspection but liking none of them! Rubens cast offs he apparently exclaimed.

He had by now heard of this popular lady, Pauline, and when he saw her immediately planned his next conquest, but was rebuffed. Legend has it a certain Brigadier Lasalle (yes that one) got similar short shift.

What changed is not clear but poor, now Lieutenant, Jean-Noel Fourés found himself sent off to France with a message.

At a dinner party Napoleon was highly attentive and then, accidently or not, a jug of water got poured on Pauline and she had to retire to General Bonaparte's next door bedroom, he followed after and they spent some time doing the laundry. This sounds like Napoleon who also used to 'accidently' spill wine over dresses that Josephine bought if he didn't like them. 

Monsieur Foures however did not get far as his ship was intercepted and flew into a rage when he returned and found out the truth, this lead to a divorce. Although in the Simon Scarrow novel 'The generals' he rides into the desert and is never seen again.

For months the two were an item, living a life of banquets and requisition but when Napoleon had to return to France he seems to have left Pauline to General Kleber, whom shared in his lack of a proper goodbye. So the two took comfort in each other for a short time.

She returned to France but never saw Napoleon again, he though seems to have ensured that her two future husband's were always well appointed.

She voyaged to south America several times, partly to escape her second husband and traded in French made furniture and returning with exotic timber. She was also known as a passable painter and had three novels published.

In these later years she was still seen as scandalous, frequenting military clubs, smoking at the bedroom window and taking her dog into church. Her self portrait hangs in the national gallery in Paris under the name Madame de Rouchoup (her husband who had been a Captain in the Imperial guard, died in 1826) and art works she collected were donated to the gallery at Blois on her death in 1869, although she is probably still at a party somewhere.

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Rogues gallery.

Belgium, the start of the great paper plane war of 2018.

Caporal Tobin patrols the streets of Valetta.

Another event, another Frenchman in distress with his trousers.

The other Ickworth, the soggy one.

'you just can't get the staff these days!'

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Next newsletter probably end of season, late September, as usual message/e-mail/shout anything you might want in the next installment.   Rhandolph/Gandalf.