9 minute read
Service of Remembrance at the RGJ Memorial
from Swift & Bold 2020
‘Riflemen’ The History of the 5th Battalion, 60th (Royal American) Regiment 1797-1818
by Robert Griffith
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A worthy shelffellow to Mark Urban’s ‘Rifles’ and a hugely welcome addition as the early history and its contribution has been largely overshadowed by the 95th and the influence of Bernard Cornwell’s character, Richard Sharpe. 400 pages of pure quality, with Robert’s re-enactor’s insights and extensive research, beautifully illustrated with good maps, it’s as much about the blokes and what they got up to. ‘The Makings of a Rifles Officer’ The Life and Letters of Colonel George Miller, 95th and Rifle Brigade, 1768-1843, by Elizabeth Laidlaw. Elizabeth inherited a collection of over 150 letters from George to his brother but died before the book was ready for publication. Her husband, James, completed the work, producing this beautiful, immensely classy book in her memory. Some very interesting insights into, for example, the training of young officers. He may have suffered from a degenerative mental disease in his later life as his last memoir writings were in sharp contrast to what he wrote in contemporary letters, so providing the best example of the value of genuinely contemporary source material compared to later often time-corrupted memoirs. The Light Division in the Peninsular War, Volume I 1808-1811, Volume II 1811-1814, by Tim Saunders and Rob Yuill.
by Robert Burnham
A worthy shelf-fellow to Mark Urban’s ‘Rifles’ and a hugely welcome addition as the early history and its Saunders and Yuill cover the history of the Light Division in two volumes; Burnham’s is the first volume covering just 1810. All three authors are former officers, Saunders and Yuill Lightinfantrymen, Burnham a former US Army intelligence officer. They all bring great qualities to their work with Rob Yuill’s knowledge from re-enacting as both a 68th Lightinfantryman and a 95th Rifleman giving great insights into how it was done. Their Volume I devotes nearly half of its space to the early history with a particularly valuable account of the Corunna Campaign. Their knowledge of the ground shines through and their maps, illustrations and vignettes are excellent. A pity their publisher wouldn’t use colour and pay better attention to proof reading. Robert Burnham is the the most meticulous and exacting author I’ve worked with and the result is a superbly researched and well-constructed account of the first year of the Light Division. He has also made excellent use of previously unpublished primary source material which is very revealing and throws new light onto some of Craufurd’s more controversial actions such as that at Villar de Puerco on 11 July. A fabulous 400 pages! Beautifully illustrated although light on maps. ‘The Great Waterloo Controversy’ and ‘52nd Light Infantry Eyewitness Accounts of the Waterloo Campaign’ by Gareth Glover. Many of you will have seen these books promoted last year and bought one or both of them. Gareth Glover has done a remarkable job, pulling together and evaluating a huge mass of source material, including much very valuable previously-unpublished contemporary material, to produce the definitive, authoritative, objective and balanced account of the 52nd in the Waterloo Campaign and particularly in their crucial role in the rout of that part of Napoleon’s Imperial Guard which assaulted the Mont St Jean Ridge. There are also valuable insights into how much the 52nd contributed to the culture of the Regiment today. ‘All Will Be Well In Time’ The Letters, Diaries and Photographs of Ernest Thomas, OBLI in the Great War. A very poignant collection of the experiences of this young volunteer from Oxford who started as a stretcher-bearer aged 19 in 1915 winning an MM and returning as an officer in 1917 to be KIA leading his platoon at the Battle of Cambrai. Beautifully illustrated and produced.
The Making of a Rifles Officer, The Life and Letters of Colonel George Miller CB FRS (1786-1843)
Edited by Elizabeth Laidlaw
Letters and eyewitness accounts of officers and soldiers from the celebrated Light Division during the Napoleonic Wars are both plentiful and rich. Another set of letters from an officer in the 95th Rifles might be thought unlikely to evoke much excitement. But George Miller’s collection of letters to his brother, from 1804 to 1828, are a hidden gem and undoubtedly one of the significant discoveries for decades.
The book is edited by Elizabeth Laidlaw who inherited the letters from her cousin in 1972. Tragically, Elizabeth died in 2016 leaving the topping and tailing of this work to her husband James. There are 162 letters covering Miller’s military career as a founding officer in the newly created 95th Rifles, covering his early service and experiences in the ill-fated operation to Buenos Aires in 1807, the unfortunate retreat to Corunna (Miller was with Edward Paget’s rearguard, and not with the Light brigades sent to Vigo), the disastrous 1809 expedition to Walcheren, a spell at the new Military Academy at High Wycombe (the forerunner to Sandhurst) before travelling to Gibraltar and Cadiz to provide military staff support to the Spanish Cortes, his arrival coinciding with the battle of Barrosa, then in 1813, after the Battle of Vitoria, to join Wellington’s magnificent army for the final stages of the war in Spain and southern France. Thence to Paris where Miller provides some unique insights into post-war France and the precariousness of the peace ruptured by the return of Napoleon following his escape from Elba in early 1815. At Waterloo he commanded the 2nd Battalion before being carried wounded from the field. The final letters cover the period in the coalition army of occupation in northern France, his travels undertaking the Grand Tour in 1817 and, lastly, his posting to Ireland on peacekeeping duties. A colourful canvas, even by the standards of his better-known comrades in arms from this extraordinary regiment (Ben Harris, Ed Costello, Will Surtees, Johnny Kincaid, George Simmons, Harry Smith, Will Green, Jonathan Leach, et.al.). One could be forgiven for thinking that a new set of letters would add little, but George’s letters are clear, concise and full of rich, and in some cases, unique detail. They provide a sustained and intimate correspondence between these two brothers. George is honest and direct in his assessment of his senior and brother officers, the men, the battles in which he fought, the support and ability of other armies and of the support received by the hostnations in which he found himself and/or fought. Quite simply, these letters are an amazing discovery and an absolutely invaluable to anyone interested the 95th Rifles and in Britain’s crusade during this difficult and exciting time.
This book is only available from the publisher via email: burngrangepress@gmail.com
by Ian Fletcher
This is Ian Fletcher’s long-awaited biography of ‘Black Bob’ Craufurd. It’s a magisterial 450 pages and likely to remain the definitive insight into this remarkable but deeply flawed and troubled leader who contributed so much to the ethos and standards of the Light Division he commanded until his death at Ciudad Rodrigo in January 1812. I’ve only had sight of the manuscript and maps as well as the list of illustrations, so I hope the quality of production matches that of the narrative.
To be published on 30th April, pre-publication discount from Pen & Sword Books.
by Stephen Horsley
Stephen Horsley borne out of wedlock, an unwanted child, who’s formative year spent in a small ‘private’ children’s home, in Ramsgate Kent, from within days of his birth in Chelsea on 1 March 1935. At the age of four years, evacuated ‘privately’ to a Smallholding, near Stevenage, owned by Mrs Moss, a mother and daughter. At the age of six, Stephen became too much of a handful! His mother was told to remove him. This resulted in Stephen being farmed out in and round London, with no fixed abode until April 1946, when placed in Dr Barnardo’s Homes, leaving at the age of 17 years. 1952 a place of work and lodging were found for him, by Barnardo’s. Stephen having been institutionalised, found life out in in the wide world difficult. ‘National Service’ was a lifeline for him, spending 22 years in The Rifle Brigade and Royal Green Jackets, retiring as a WO2.
1976 Shephen spent 18 years as General Manager Under the ‘Centre Director’, as the administration team, of the first ‘out of Town’ Brent Cross Shopping Centre – North London. Retiring and taking up reasonability for the Romsey Royal British Legion Club Ltd, until 2015, to look after his wife, who suffered from ‘Dementia, needing 24/7 care.
Despite a difficult start, fatherless and with a mother who denied his very existence, he travelled the world, saw countries whose names are resigned to history books and experienced conflict and much love – not bad for a stray.
The book is on sale in the Regimental Museum.
‘Over the Hills and Far Away’ The Adventures of Bugler George Milton
This is the story of how this book series came to be. So, you may ask, how come the Regiment found itself publishing a children’s book? You can also ask what do you mean by the Regiment? Do we mean the Fifth Column of The Rifles, the Community of followers? Most certainly, with the author, Stephen Petty, illustrator, Christa Hook, and co-financier and former RGJ(Rifles) Museum trustee, Dick Tennant joining me when this project had run into the sand after the death of Lt Gen Sir Christopher Wallace.
The story began with the RGJ (Rifles) Museum Waterloo Bicentenary Exhibition. General Christopher, terminally ill with an increasingly and massively debilitating condition, had moved mountains to ensure that the Exhibition would be outstanding. He wanted something for the young visitors to take away and further fire their enthusiasm for the period, its history and its relevance today for them. His meeting with Stephen Petty at a Wellington Conference was the catalyst for the book. Most important, was the pact Christopher and Stephen made – from Christopher to Stephen, a commitment to publish his stories, from Stephen, the commitment to write them. Fortunately, Dick Tennant was witness to this and has provided this vital continuity as well as his financial support.
Stephen and I were both recruited by General Christopher to help with the Waterloo Exhibition and first met at a seminar in the Spring of 2015 which Christopher organised to debate the controversial Waterloo question of the role of the 52nd in the rout of that part of the Imperial Guard which assaulted the Mont St Jean Ridge in Napoleon’s last throw of the dice to achieve victory.
The project fell into abeyance after Christopher’s death. I took on Christopher’s project and, like Stephen and Christopher, also saw its potential to encourage young people’s interest both in military history and the Napoleonic era’s part in shaping our and Europe’s history. Stephen and I believe in the power of history to help understand the present and that storytelling is a great medium for communicating the message in a fun and interesting way.
Stephen was born and brought up in Winchester and very soon came into contact with the Band and
