Stanley Gibbons letter to customers about the sale of some Battle of Waterloo medals:
Let me take you back a couple of centuries as I prepare to offer you something rather special…
In a rain sodden field to the south of Brussels a man, the "Monster of Europe" stands surrounded by his officers, 74,000 of his imperial troops and his 250 "Belle Filles" – his "beautiful daughters" as they are affectionately known - his beloved cannons.
To the north on a low ridge stands the enemy, a ramshackle army of men from many nations. 23,000 English, Scots, Welsh and Irish affectionately known by their commander as the "Scum of the Earth" are supported by 44,000 Germans, Belgians and Dutch, hastily formed into battalions from local militia units.
Many of them are in battle for the first time. Others less than a year ago were fighting on the side of the enemy…
At the head of this Allied army is a man, unbeaten in battle who had driven from the field every army the "Monster" had ever thrown at him, yet they had never faced each other as they would today.
He knows that unless his men can stand against the inevitable oncoming onslaught the day will be lost; his hopes rest on a promise…
A promise by a 72 year old Prince at the command of an army of battle weary Prussians that had been defeated by the "Monster" three days earlier.
The promise was a simple one - if you stand and fight I will come and join you - the problem was that they were 30 miles to the east, separated by boggy countryside and impassable roads.
So the scene is set, what happens over the next six hours will decide the history of Europe and become the stuff of legend.
The historic defence of a small chateau by the allies, where a few thousand men outnumbered more than 10 to 1 hold firm will help decide the battle.
The allies hold firm, even when the chateau becomes a blazing inferno, ammunition is running low and the enemy has broken through the outer gates and they are fighting hand to hand.
Two cavalry charges, one from each side both heroic beyond the call of duty and both equally self destructive in result just add to the drama.
The Prussians arrive just when all seems lost as the drummer boys beat out their fateful rhythm accompanied by shouts of "Vive la France" and "Vive L'Empereur". The Imperial Guard, the crack troops of the Emperor of France, never beaten in battle, take to the field.
All the allied soldiers had been asked to do that fateful day was stand. Stand is exactly what they did. Hour after hour as thousands of their comrades fell, torn to pieces by shot and shell.
Now was their chance to do what they did best - fire, volley after volley into the approaching French attack, three rounds a minute until they were driven from the field.
And driven from the field they were. The "Monster" was defeated and the rest, as they say, is history.
No, this not the script of the latest Hollywood blockbuster. I am of course talking about the Battle of Waterloo - the epic end to the tyranny of Napoleon, his quest for European domination and his defeat by the allied armies led by The Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher, which took place on that rain sodden field 197 years ago today.
I read a great line on a British battles website that said this about the Battle of Waterloo:
For Britain, Waterloo is not just a battle. It is an institution.
Now you can become part of that institution.
Every British troop that fought in the Waterloo campaign was given a medal. I have a selection of those very special medals for you today.
We only have six available for you, but they will not break the bank as they range in value from £2,950 to £9,750.
Of course, the 200 year anniversary of the battle is just 3 years away. You could see the prices of memorabilia relating to the Battle of Waterloo rising steadily as we move towards this key date.
Let me take you back a couple of centuries as I prepare to offer you something rather special…
In a rain sodden field to the south of Brussels a man, the "Monster of Europe" stands surrounded by his officers, 74,000 of his imperial troops and his 250 "Belle Filles" – his "beautiful daughters" as they are affectionately known - his beloved cannons.
To the north on a low ridge stands the enemy, a ramshackle army of men from many nations. 23,000 English, Scots, Welsh and Irish affectionately known by their commander as the "Scum of the Earth" are supported by 44,000 Germans, Belgians and Dutch, hastily formed into battalions from local militia units.
Many of them are in battle for the first time. Others less than a year ago were fighting on the side of the enemy…
At the head of this Allied army is a man, unbeaten in battle who had driven from the field every army the "Monster" had ever thrown at him, yet they had never faced each other as they would today.
He knows that unless his men can stand against the inevitable oncoming onslaught the day will be lost; his hopes rest on a promise…
A promise by a 72 year old Prince at the command of an army of battle weary Prussians that had been defeated by the "Monster" three days earlier.
The promise was a simple one - if you stand and fight I will come and join you - the problem was that they were 30 miles to the east, separated by boggy countryside and impassable roads.
So the scene is set, what happens over the next six hours will decide the history of Europe and become the stuff of legend.
The historic defence of a small chateau by the allies, where a few thousand men outnumbered more than 10 to 1 hold firm will help decide the battle.
The allies hold firm, even when the chateau becomes a blazing inferno, ammunition is running low and the enemy has broken through the outer gates and they are fighting hand to hand.
Two cavalry charges, one from each side both heroic beyond the call of duty and both equally self destructive in result just add to the drama.
The Prussians arrive just when all seems lost as the drummer boys beat out their fateful rhythm accompanied by shouts of "Vive la France" and "Vive L'Empereur". The Imperial Guard, the crack troops of the Emperor of France, never beaten in battle, take to the field.
All the allied soldiers had been asked to do that fateful day was stand. Stand is exactly what they did. Hour after hour as thousands of their comrades fell, torn to pieces by shot and shell.
Now was their chance to do what they did best - fire, volley after volley into the approaching French attack, three rounds a minute until they were driven from the field.
And driven from the field they were. The "Monster" was defeated and the rest, as they say, is history.
No, this not the script of the latest Hollywood blockbuster. I am of course talking about the Battle of Waterloo - the epic end to the tyranny of Napoleon, his quest for European domination and his defeat by the allied armies led by The Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher, which took place on that rain sodden field 197 years ago today.
I read a great line on a British battles website that said this about the Battle of Waterloo:
For Britain, Waterloo is not just a battle. It is an institution.
Now you can become part of that institution.
Every British troop that fought in the Waterloo campaign was given a medal. I have a selection of those very special medals for you today.
We only have six available for you, but they will not break the bank as they range in value from £2,950 to £9,750.
Of course, the 200 year anniversary of the battle is just 3 years away. You could see the prices of memorabilia relating to the Battle of Waterloo rising steadily as we move towards this key date.
No comments:
Post a Comment