for

The Richard Holmes Memorial Prizes 

Two prizes, which are to be awarded annually, from at least 2013 to 2016, are each to be designated the ‘Richard Holmes Memorial Prize’, in memory of Professor Richard Holmes OBE, TD, who was an iconic figure in military history. Sadly, he died in 2011.

Background: In 2015, Britain and Europe will commemorate the 200^th anniversary of the end of the Napoleonic Wars  (1792-1815). The war more or less ended with a clash of giants – on one side the Allied armies, led by the First Duke of Wellington, the Prince of Orange and Prince Marshal Blücher and on the other the army of Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte – on the fields of what was to become Belgium, south of a little village called Waterloo.

The Waterloo Association supports study of the Battle of Waterloo and a myriad of allied issues. It was founded by the 8^th Duke of Wellington and others, in 1973. Waterloo200, an offshoot of the Waterloo Association is the official body, set up to support, network and advise on the bicentennial commemorations.

The Waterloo Association is to award prizes for two submissions by school students;

FIRSTLY, a project design competition for 11-14 year-olds (KS 3), which should consist of an article of around 2,500 words suggesting ideas/proposals for the use of a reconstructed derelict chateau (Hougoumont), as a memorial to the British Army, also a visitor and education centre. This farm was a key defence area for the Duke during the Battle of Waterloo.

SECONDLY, an article/essay written by a student of 16-19 years (KS 5) of around 5,000 words, on an unusual, controversial or novel aspect of the Battle of Waterloo.

Prizes of £150 (for 2012/13/14) and £200 in 2015 for the KS 3 project and £200 for the KS 5 essay (for 2012/13/14) and £300 in 2015, will be awarded for the best submissions by the two groups.

The judges for both submissions have been selected from historians and teachers. The winners of the first prizes will probably be announced in the 2013 Summer Journal of the Waterloo Association and the winning submissions published therein.

Entries for either competition should be original in research and ideas. They will be judged by people who know these subjects well.

Application forms can be obtained from MKH Crumplin, Education Lead for Waterloo 200 <mickcrumplin@doctors.org.uk> and entries must be submitted in electronic form to him, at the same address, by Christmas Day, 2012.

A surgeon’s small instrument set as would have been used on the battlefield.

Mick Crumplin, a retired surgeon and authority on medicine of the Napoleonic era has a superb collection of artefacts of the period, and these items form the centrepiece of the exhibition. For more information go to: Wrexham Military Exhibition

If you have never seen a group of re-enactors in action then you might like to see members of the Napoleonic Association as they bring the Napoleonic Wars to Nottingham over the coming Bank Holiday weekend, 6/7th May. The event is at Woollaton Park, very close to the centre of Nottingham. These events are informative and entertaining, and a great day out for the family, and the really good news is that admission is free – you pay only for car parking.

For more information on the event go to: Woollaton Park event, and for information on what the Napoleonic Association does, take a look at: Napoleonic Association

There is a petition you can sign up to if you want to see the integrity of the collection maintained. To see the petition click on the link: save the Raglan collection

The Belgian Regional Minister for Tourism, Paul Furlan, has announced on Twitter and Facebook that the Walloon Government has agreed to finance 27 million euros for redoing the Waterloo Butte du Lion (the lion mound) site in view of the bicentenary of the Battle of Waterloo in 2015.

The project aims to construct  a memorial, partly underground, at the foot of the Butte du Lion.

There is, however, one cautionary note to bear in mind: Work will start in the coming weeks. In October 2010 it was hoped to start the work in November of that year, bearing in mind that the building permit for the project runs out on the 18th May. If by this date work has not started, it will be necessary to re-apply for a new permit.

This information comes from an article on a Belgian website, and if your French is up to it you can read the complete piece by clicking the link: Belgian Government money for Hougoumont

You might want also to take a look at the Waterloo200 website where you will find an earlier article on this same project. Go to: waterloo200.org – battlefield facelift

To see the whole Telegraph article click on the link: Daily Telegraph – Raglan Collection

Towards the end of the article there is a link to a campaign started by a lady called Bettina Harden, former chairman of the Gateways Garden Trust. The campaign went “live” last weekend and you can visit the website at: raglanrescue.co.uk

Clive Stewart-Lockhart is surprised by the decanter box when asked for his appraisal.

The fact that the Duke of Wellington’s cheque was in the box leads experts to think that the decanters belonged to the Duke himself.

For the full story click the link: Antiques find: Wellington’s decanters?.

Are you watching this, BBC, ITV, et al….?

The Chicago Tribune on 20th February reported that a major French commercial TV company is planning a three-part mini-series on the Battle of Waterloo to be screened in 2015. 

The Chicago Tribune reports:

PARIS — AB Group, France’s largest pay TV group, is beefing up its production activity and acquisition of premium content. The company, which operates 16 channels as well as brokering TV rights, is developing “Waterloo,” an English-language historical three-parter, which will be produced with international partners. Richard Maroko, AB Group’s head of programming and acquisition, said he is in talks with ZDF Enterprises, the distribution arm of the German pubcaster, and French pubcaster France Televisions to come on board. The miniseries is budgeted between $10 million and $15 million. The Battle of Waterloo, which took place in 1815 near Brussels, saw the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte take on the British-led allied forces, commanded by the Duke of Wellington. The defeat of the French army put an end to Napoleon’s reign. ” ‘Waterloo’ will be packed with epic battle scenes and will be very ambitious in terms of reconstruction, decor and costumes,” Maroko told Variety. It will be delivered in 2015 to mark the 200th anniversary of the battle.

To read the full article click the link: Chicago Tribune

The Forgotten Fallen of the 51^st

The 51^st Regiment of Foot was present at the Battle of Waterloo more by accident than design.  Wellington had ordered the Allied 4^th Division to march to Grammont then Enghien then Braine le Comte then Nivelles during 15-17 June 1815.  As a result, the 4^th Brigade (i.e. the 3^rd Btn 14^th Foot, 1^st Btn 23^rd Fusiliers and 2^nd Btn 51^st Foot) found itself leading the Division and under orders to march on Waterloo.  It was the only Brigade of the Division to see action at Waterloo.  At the Battle, the 51^st played only a minor role on the extreme right flank overlooking Hougoumont Farm.  Nevertheless, at least seven of its ranks were either killed in action or died of wounds received (see note 1).  The Waterloo Medal Roll is the primary source of names of British soldiers who fought at Waterloo.  The Waterloo Medal was the first British service medal issued to all officers and men present.  It was also to be awarded to the next of kin of those killed in action (see note 2); however, the new rules on issuing the medal were not uniformly implemented.  In particular, at least six casualties of the 51^st Regiment of Foot at Waterloo are not recorded in the Waterloo Medal Roll – and their sacrifice thus overlooked.

The Casualty Return of the 51^st Regiment of Foot for May-June 1815 records the following deaths:

Bt Major William Thwaites’ Company:

Private Thomas Kelly, born Tuam Galway, labourer, DoW Waterloo 19 June

Capt John Ross’ Company:

Corporal Daniel Pound, born Margate, carpenter, KIA Waterloo 18 June

Private Thomas Turner, born Bristol, lamp lighter, KIA Waterloo 18 June

Bugler Stephen Quin, born Galway, labourer, KIA Waterloo 18 June

Capt Samuel Beardsley’s Company:

Corporal Samuel Winslett, born Farnham Surrey, labourer, KIA Waterloo 18 June

Private Joshua Seaton, born Whitechurch Yorkshire, labourer, KIA Waterloo 18 June

(See note 3.)

All were probably buried in the mass graves at Waterloo, none is listed in the Waterloo Medal Roll.

Later Casualty Returns record a Private Hart dying 24 July 1815 en route to England of wounds received at Waterloo, and Privates Collins and Wilson being “severely wounded at Waterloo, not heard of, believed dead” (see note 4).  The Waterloo Roll for the 51^st Regiment includes men with these surnames but further research is needed to ascertain whether they are the same persons.

Little else is known of most of these men except for the following (somewhat tentative) details.

Daniel Pound was probably baptized on 10 Oct 1794 at St John’s Margate Kent, the eldest of five children of Daniel Pound and his wife Martha Perciful (or Percival) who were married on 24 November 1793 at St John’s (see note 5).

Thomas Turner was possibly baptized either on 19 September 1790 at St Phillip & St Jacob’s Bristol Gloucester, the son of Thomas Turner and his wife Mary; or on 8 February 1782 in Bedminster Bristol, the son of William Turner and his wife Rachel (see note 6).

Samuel Winslett (or Winslade) was probably baptized on 20 September 1792 at St Andrew’s Farnham Surrey (the same day as twin? Francis), the eldest of four children of Samuel Winslade and his wife Sarah Draper who were married on 6 December 1788 at St Andrew’s.  Samuel married Ann Piggott (~1778-1853) on 6 October 1810 at St Andrew’s (both signed X) and had children Samuel (1811-1874) and Mary Ann (1812-).  The son Samuel had at least nine children and probably has living descendants (see note 7).

Joshua Seaton was born on 3 June 1792 in Whitkirk Yorkshire and was baptized on 1 July 1792 at Rothwell Yorkshire, the youngest of five children of Jonathan Seaton and his wife Mary Wodson who were married on 23 November 1779 at Rothwell.  Joshua married Hannah Heward (or Howard) (1794-1838) on 12 April 1813 at St Mary’s Kippax Yorkshire (both signed X).  Joshua was recruited in England and joined the 51^st in the Pyrenees France on 15 February 1814.  He served with Capt Samuel Beardsley’s Company (10th, 2nd Btn).  After the Battle of Orthez on 27 February 1814, Joshua was at the Brigade Hospital in March/April 1814 (possibly a battle injury).  Presumably, he embarked with the Regiment at Bordeaux for Plymouth aboard Zealous on 17 June 1814 and remained with the Regiment in Portsmouth until it sailed for Belgium on 23 March 1815.  Joshua was reputedly the father of (widow) Hannah’s child Mary (~1816-1897) who has living descendants (see note 8).

Further information on these men or corrections of any details would be welcomed.

Richard Ollerton PhD

r.ollerton@hotmail.com

Feb 2012

Notes:

1 Col HC Wylly & Lt Col RC Bond, Regimental History of the 51^st Regiment of Foot, in History of the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry – to 1918, London: Lund Humphries, 1926-1929, Vol. 1, from p.282.

2 Maj LL Gordon, British Battles and Medals, 5^th Ed, revised by EC Joslin, London: Spinks & Sons, 1979.

3 51^st Regiment of Foot Casualty Returns 25 May to 24 Jun 1815, National Archives WO 25/1848.

4 Regimental History of the 51^st Regiment of Foot, op. cit.

5 www.familysearch.org searches.

6 www.familysearch.org searches.

7 www.familysearch.org searches, parish registers, censuses, death indexes, family tree,  RootsWeb.com

8 Parish registers, censuses, 51^st Regiment Muster Rolls, Regimental History of the 51^st Regiment of Foot, op. cit., The King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (Leonard Cooper, London: Leo Cooper, 1970, pp.26-35), family lore.

Professor Ollerton is grateful for this additional material, unearthed by Roger E Nixon, a Military and Naval historical researcher:

The Forgotten Fallen of the 51^st – further information

Additional information on the Waterloo casualties of the 51^st Regiment of Foot has come to light courtesy of military and naval researcher Roger E Nixon – Military & Historical Searches, London www.pro-search.co.uk.

The Casualty Returns of the 51^st Regiment of Foot record the following Waterloo-related deaths in addition to the six listed in the May – Jun 1815 Return (1):

Capt Peter Smellie’s Company, Aug – Sep 1815 Return (2)

Private John Hart, born in the Regiment, died on passage to England of wounds received at Waterloo

Capt James Henry Phelps’ Company, Dec 1815 – Jan 1816 Return (3)

Private Michael Collins, born Rahoon Co. Galway, shoemaker, severely wounded at the Battle of Waterloo, not being since heard of, supposed dead

Capt Samuel Beardsley’s Company, Dec 1815 – Jan 1816 Return (3)

Private William Wilson, born Kilmacan Co. Cavan, labourer, severely wounded at the Battle of Waterloo, not being since heard of, supposed dead.

Intriguingly, these three men are listed in the Waterloo Medal Roll whereas the other six 51^st Regiment casualties of Waterloo are not.

Further information on any of these men would be welcomed.

Richard Ollerton PhD

r.ollerton@hotmail.com

Apr 2012

Notes:

1 51^st Regiment of Foot Casualty Returns, National Archives WO 25/1843, 25 May to 24 Jun 1815.

2 Ibid., 25 Aug to 24 Sep 1815.

3 Ibid., 25 Dec 1815 to 24 Jan 1816.