Two items today.
First is this interesting link on a recently new visitor centre for the Battle of Lauffelt. It's a Dutch site from 2008 featuring the composer of the soundtrack used in the centre. Scroll down a bit and there is an English version of the text.
The MP3 has Dutch, French, English and German commentary in that order, so listen to the whole thing!
Diagram of the visitor centre at Lauffelt from the website
I think I can definitely say that the next time I find myself in Europe I'm going to be putting a visit to Lafelt/ Lauffelt on the itinerary.
Oh, and to complicate matters even further, I discovered that the Battle of Lauffelt was also known as the Battle of Val. While battles can often be known by more than one name, I wonder how many others have such a severe identity crisis to deal with as does, apparently, the Battle of Lauffelt.
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The second item I'm going to leave as a bit of a cliffhanger.
I'm sure we've all had that experience of searching the Internet for information one one subject only to be sidetracked by another, related snippet of information that holds our attention.
I'm sure we've all had that experience of searching the Internet for information one one subject only to be sidetracked by another, related snippet of information that holds our attention.
Well, this happened to me last week. Not related directly to the War of the Austrian Succession, but the person in question was indeed contemporary to it. I was looking for information on a certain artist- who is probably well known to anyone with an interest in 18th C. military history- and while doing so came across this.
Warning, while only a sketch it is rather gruesome.
Now I'm no ghoul, but neither am I particularly squeamish. My father was a policeman; he had many books on forensic medicine in the house, and as I was an inveterate snoop when it came to books, I soon got used to seeing this kind of thing.
But this picture fascinated me because of who it was, when and how he died, the circumstance in which the drawing was made, and the subsequent fate of his remains.
But this picture fascinated me because of who it was, when and how he died, the circumstance in which the drawing was made, and the subsequent fate of his remains.
The story may not be new to others out there, but it is the first time I have heard of it. If anyone does know, or if someone wants to hazard a guess to who the subject of the drawing may be, the battle in which he fell, and the artist, feel free to comment.
All shall be revealed in due course, and I'll post more information and some links in a few days time.
Suffice to say for now that he was one of those people of his time who evidently lived life to the full.
All shall be revealed in due course, and I'll post more information and some links in a few days time.
Suffice to say for now that he was one of those people of his time who evidently lived life to the full.
2 comments:
This does not ID the casualty but may help to narrow down the search? White uniform suggests possibly French or Austrian but decoration centre looks like an eagle? If the Prussian Order of the Black Eagle, this and hairstyle might suggest a soldier of the WAS. As for uniform, it is known that white was used for Prussian dragoons in the WAS. Also, Prussian cavalry staff wore white.
I have visited your blog site a number of times waiting for the answer to the mystery! By the way I have really enjoyed reading your entries on the Dutch Army of the WAS. I plan to embark on a similar journey once I have completed my Jacobite Rebellion armies. Please continue blogging!
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