The Rag and Bone Boys Quatre Bras and Waterloo

On the 1st March 1815, Napoleon Buonaparte returned to France and all Europe observed ongoing events with growing anxiety. Even more so when, nineteen days later, he is carried bodily up the steps of Les Tuileries, Louis XVIII has fled and Europe again feared the tramp of French boots. All regarded war as inevitable and so armies gathered with the aim of once more removing Napoleon and restoring Louis to his throne. The tragedy for the English was that the old, invincible, Peninsular Army was now scattered around England's dominions and so barely half was available to march to confront Napoleon's latest throw of the dice.
That half includes the 105th Wessex Foot, The Prince of Wales Own, in barracks when the disturbing news came, considering anxiously what the future may hold, perhaps Ireland, Canada, or, most likely, disbandment. However, instead, they are ordered to march to Dover, join Picton's Fifth Division and cross The Channel to be part of an army that was gathering in Belgium under Wellington, as much Dutch/Netherland as it was British. The Prussian Army was alongside, led by Blucher, but surprising both with his audacity, Napoleon advanced between the two armies and confronted the Prussians at Ligny, which meant that Wellington's forces were required to concentrate quickly at a crossroads called Quatre Bras to prevent a powerful flanking move led by Ney against the Prussians.
In the heat and the high corn in the vast open fields around the village was then fought a chaotic and bloody battle as Allied units arrived as individual Brigades and were committed piecemeal to a desperate fight. Without the momentous battle of Waterloo occurring two days later, Quatre Bras would be recorded as one of the most heroic battles ever fought by the British Army. The French were held back from the crossroads by the Dutch/Belgians for most of the morning until reinforcements arrived, Picton's Division being the first of the British and from Noon until sunset, heavily outnumbered, they fought to frustrate the French. The arrival of the final Division, the Guards, gave Wellington enough strength to push the French back from the very walls of Quatre Bras itself and so Ney's attack was held, albeit at dreadful cost, but the Prussian defeat at Ligny required a retreat back to Waterloo.


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