The Royal Green Jackets

It was somewhat of a relief but not, I am glad to report, an anti-climax when the long-heralded ‘With the Rifl es to Waterloo’ Bicentenary Exhibition was declared open by the Duke of Wellington on 25 March 2015. During the previous 18 months the Exhibition Project Steering Group had laboured hard to meet the deadline originally set when the Museum submitted its £100,000 grant application to the Heritage Lottery Fund. There were moments when it looked as if the little green man, Murphy, would have the better of us and, if things could go wrong, they would, but in the end and, as it sometimes felt, against the odds, we were able to host 90 invited guests at the opening.

The exhibition opening was remarkable not just because it marked the launch of our Waterloo exhibition, but because it was the day on which Colonel George Smythe, President of the London Branch of the Association, unveiled Jason Askew’s painting of ‘The Rout of the French Imperial Guard at Waterloo’ featuring the fl anking attack of the 52nd Light Infantry, supported by the 2nd/95th Rifl es. The Branch, under the inspirational leadership of its Chairman, Gary Driscoll, who was also present at the unveiling, raised the challenging sum of £10,000 to pay for the commissioning of the artist. I was always worried thereafter that the membership might not like it as new paintings are notorious for failing to please everyone. This one, however, seems to have been particularly well received by nearly all who have seen it

hanging in the Museum’s new Kincaid Gallery. (You have to see it ‘in the fl esh’ to appreciate its size (6’ x 4’) and the detail.) Professional photography of the painting has just been completed and it is hoped to have prints available for sale in the Museum shop and on-line very soon.

The Duke of Wellington and General Wallace discuss the Museum’s Waterloo diorama.

Readers of previous E-zines will know that the Museum was heavily dependent upon an Appeal to raise the funds to part-fund the exhibition. The initial target of £100,000 was steadily raised, for one reason and another, to £200,000. As recorded in the most recent edition of the Association Journal Swift and Bold published at the beginning of March, the £200,000 target was successfully achieved thanks to the generosity of around 200 individuals, a dozen trusts and grant from regimental funds.

Since the exhibition opened, the Museum has been running a full events programme of talks, seminars and

children’s activity days which will continue through to 30 September. The word has also got around that the exhibition is a ‘must see’. Nearly every visitor seems to think it is ‘marvellous’, ‘fantastic’ and ‘not to be missed’ with some returning days afterwards to visit again, usually bringing someone new with them. As a result the Museum has enjoyed a 45% increase in visitor numbers in April and May, breaking all previous records for each of these months. ‘Overthe-counter’ shop sales have also increased by over 100%. If the current momentum is maintained through to the end of the year, there is every prospect that the Museum will meet its declared target of 15,000 visitors in 2015, which, too, will be a record. Readers familiar with the Museum will know that outside the Museum there is a statue of John Colborne, 1st Baron Seaton, who commanded the 52nd Light Infantry at Waterloo and initiated the fl ank attack that routed the French Imperial Guard. He was educated at Winchester College and on 3 June the Headmaster and a contingent from the College CCF, together with their Colours, paraded in front of the Museum to pay a fi tting tribute to Winchester College CCF with their Colours march on at the start of the garlanding of Sir John Colborne’s statue outside the Museum on 3 June. the gallant Colonel 200 years on by placing a garland of laurels around his neck. And, on that happy note, and if you have not already got the message, let me assure you that the exhibition is proving a winner. If you have not yet seen it, I strongly recommend that you do and that you bring your wives, girlfriends, mums, dads, grandparents, in-laws, aunts, uncles, nephews, nieces and friends with you! Lt-Gen Sir Christopher Wallace Chairman, RGJ (Rifl es) Museum Trustees