Napoleonic Newsdesk

Battle of Corunna
190th Anniversary Parade

by Napoleonic Association
na.ltd@virgin.net

Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst

Sandhurst 1999: The 2nd Regiment of Foot posing on the steps of the Old College Building

In 1808 a British Army was sent to the Iberian Peninsula to aid the Spanish and Portuguese in resisting the French invaders. In late 1808, this force was under the command of General Sir John Moore who made bold advance from Salamanca to Sahagun in December in the hope of taking Marshal Soult's forces by surprise. When Moore realised that Napoleon was leading an army over the Guadarrama Pass from Madrid to trap the British, he ordered a retreat to Corunna.

The British troops suffered appalling hardships during the winter retreat, suffering over 5,000 dead. By 11 January 1809, the remains of this force arrived at Corunna to wait for the arrival of the Royal Navy who would take them back to England. The embarkation of the army began on 14th but the following day saw the arrival of Soult's forces.

Sandhurst 1999: 95th Rifles

The Battle of Corunna was fought on the 16 January. This hard-fought action resulted in Moore fighting Soult to a standstill and giving the Brtish time to evacuate the remains of their forces, although with the cost of 900 casualties, including Sir John Moore himself, who was hastily buried at Corunna. A total of 27,000 British troops safely reached England.

    Not a drum was heard, not a funeral note,
    As his corpse to the rampart we hurried.
    Not a soldier discharged his farewell shot
    O'er the grave where our hero we buried.

On Sunday 24 January 1999, 190 years after the event the 2nd (Queen's) Royal Regiment of Foot hosted a parade by units of the Napoleonic Association in the grounds of the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Here was a wellorganised example of how the Association's re-enactors pay their respect to their counterparts of the Napoleonic period, and remember those who fell in at great conflict. It was as much a memorial ceremony to the common soldier of the British Army, as it was to Sir John Moore himself.

    We buried him darkly, at the dead of night,
    The sods with our bayonets turning,
    By the struggling moonbeam's misty light,
    And the lantern dimly burning.

The early afternoon saw an impressive contingent of British troops marching onto the parade ground at the Academy, to have a photo-call outside the Gran Entrance to the Old College. This even led to a further parade and inspection prior to marching to the Chapel. Here occurred the memorial ceremony proper when a roll-call of all the units was read out. There was an inspection by the Brigade Staff, followed by our Honorary President David Chandler, taking the salute. It was good to see David looking so well after his recent illness, and to have an eminent historian such as himself involved was very much an important part of the days proceedings.

Following the parade the units entered the Chapel led by their officers who laid a wreath at the altar in memory of Sir John Moore. One minutes silence was observed before Carol Brown read the Ode to Sir John Moore.

    Few and short were the prayers we said,
    And we spoke not a word of sorrow;
    But we steadfastly gazed on the face that was dead,
    And we bitterly thought of the morrow.

Sandhurst 1999: Ed Parker, David Chandler and Wagg Jones - the Roll of Honour, Corunna 1809

Mike Lindsay then gave an address in which he emphasised that this ceremony was also about remembering the common soldier, even though the battle had been fought 190 years ago. We remember the dead of two World Wars, WE should also remember the dead of conflicts long ago. They fought and died for their country as well.

    Slowly and sadly we laid him down,
    From the field of his fame fresh and gory,
    We carved not a line and we raised not a stone,
    But we left him alone with his glory!

This was an event that showed that the Napoleonic Association has respect fo the period it portrays. All those involved in this ceremony showed the Association at its best.

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