Jan 02 2012
Stop Press
LATEST NEWS
1st February 2012
An apology.
If some of you were expecting my usual monthly article to pop up this morning on my “Articles” page then I owe you an apology. Pressure of work, coupled with the demands of getting a new book manuscript to my publishers, have combined to put me into “overload”. So I am very sorry but there will be no article this month.
But by the time the next article is due on 1st March the pressure of work will be diminished and I can get back into my usual routine. Many thanks for our patience.
On a more positive note, if you go to my “Articles” page you will now find that there is a new presentation format which enables you to find, by title, any given article without having to trawl through page after page of material. The articles are presented in chronological publication date, but with a brief title and introduction only, after which you have the chance to read the full piece if you wish.
Also on the good news front: I have once again been booked again to give the lunctime lecture at the National Army Museum in London on 15th November this year. The lecture starts at 12:30, admission is free, and the title is: “Wellington’s Worst Scrape”. I shall be dealing with the failed siege of Burgos and the subsequent retreat. If you can come along I shall be very pleased to meet you. It is always good to talk to fellow enthusiasts of the Napoleonic era.
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2nd January 2012
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A question:
I notice from my Google Analytics programme that I have a good many hits from Leicester, and virtually none of those “hits” are from new visitors. I wonder, are you the person who is such a regular visitor to this website? Do you have connections with a local study group, maybe a local history or Napoleonic group? If so, I would be very pleased to meet you. You can contact me direct at: caroledivall@aol.com. Looking forward to hearing from you.
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New Year’s Day 1st. January, 2012
New Year greetings to all who visit this website. I hope that 2012 will be a good year and that you enjoy good health and prosperity. For my part I look forward to researching and writing more on the Napoleonic era, and I especially look forward to meeting fellow enthusiasts – there are a great many of you out there. When my next book, Napoleonic Lives, is published late in February I shall undertake some book signings, and through the year I like to attend various Napoleonic re-enactment events, so there should be plenty of opportunities for us to meet. I will post the relevent dates and locations here on the Stop Press page. In the meantime, enjoy 2012.
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Christmas Eve, 24th December, 2011
Firstly, and at this time most importantly, I send Christmas Greetings to everybody, wishing you peace and good health. Thank you for your interest in the past twelve months, and to the many people who have been in direct contact a profound thankyou for your continued interest. The coming year promises to be busy and exciting, and I hope you will all have an equally rewarding time.
I have been rather neglectful of my web pages recently, mostly because the second half of the year has been, to say the least, hectic.
In October I was in Spain to take photographs for my fourth book, which is about the failed siege of Burgos and subsequent retreat in 1812. Many of the critical points during the retreat featured actions at bridges and fords, and since the weather in 1812 was unseasonably wet a good many of the rivers were in spate. By way of contrast, when I was in Spain in October the weather was unseasonably hot, with temperatures between 25 and 30 degrees each day. Consequently, many of the rivers were dry! So early this month I went back to Spain and successfully obtained photographs of the rivers in a more appropriate state.
And while all of this was going on I have been involved in the final preparations of my third book, Napoleonic Lives, which Messrs. Pen and Sword plan to publish in February. This book is an attempt to detail the lives of individuals during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars, and at the end of each chapter I have added guidance for those wishing to research ancestors of the 19th Century who have a military background. When this book is published it will be my third in just under three years – life is hectic indeed! For a sneak preview of the cover, and to pre-order if you wish, go to: Amazon Napoleonic Lives
One of the high points of the year was an invitation from Alexander Mikaberidze (editor in chief) to contribute to the journal entitled Napoleonic Scholarship, which is the organ of the International Napoleonic Society. I have just received the finished product and I am delighted to have also received notification from Rowayda Guirguis, assistant to the President of the Society, J. David Markham, that I have been elected a Fellow of the Napoleonic Society. Recognition by one’s peers is a particularly gratifying experience. To find out more about the International Napoleonic Society go to: http://www.napoleonicsociety.com/
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20th August 2011
Right now I am working on my next book which deals with Wellington’s failed siege of Burgos and the subsequent retreat in the autumn of 1812. I was delighted to hear from Messrs. Pen and Sword that they want to publish it. I am rather hopeful that this latest book will be on sale late in 2012, to coincide with the bi-centenary of events at Burgos .
The Siege of Burgos, by Francois Joseph Heim
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14th July 2011
ATTENTION MILITARY HISTORIANS AND WARGAMERS!
Garry David Wills, who I first met at one of my lunchtime lectures at the National Army Museum, has written and published a book, Wellington’s First Battle, which is a detailed account of a less well known event in Wellington’s career. The book is profusely illustrated and thoroughly researched. As well as maps and pictures Garry also uses wargaming models and ideas to illustrate the text, giving the book an additional sphere of interest. More details at: caseshotpublishing.com
13th July 2011
On Thursday last week, 7th July, I gave the lunchtime lecture at the National Army Museum. My subject was “Crime and Punishment in Wellington’s Army”, and the large audience in the picture gallery, a superb venue for any lecture, seemed to enjoy the event.If you were there and you have a question to ask then please feel free to contact me at : caroledivall@aol.com
A canon at the entrance to the National Army Museum
In case you have not been to such an event I can tell you that admission is free (as it is to the museum itself), the range of topics on offer is very broad, and the one hour lectures take place on Thursdays, in the picture gallery, starting at 12:30. For more information go to: http://www.nam.ac.uk/whats-on/lunchtime-lectures
BUSY TIMES INDEED!
Life has been hectic this summer. In May we went to the Waterloo battlefield for the annual event where we met a lot of old friends, saw some wonderful sights, and sold a lot of books. After arriving in what looked like a cloudburst, complete with a thunder storm, the weather for the whole weekend was typical, historically accurate even, in that there was a great downpour the day and night before the battle.
Waterloo weather!
We also had some sunshine between the showers and at other times hailstones coming down so thick that the ground in front of our tent became quite dangerous. At the end of the weekend we sold our faithful old bell tent to a man who made an offer we could not refuse, and we have ordered a new, larger, square tent which will be large enough to offer visitors a degree of hospitality.
Troops prepare to resist cavalry
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RECENT EVENTS
On Saturday 30th April I was at Red Kite Books in the George Centre, Grantham. This book shop is a new venture and since the closure of the “Buy the Book” is the only specialist book shop in Grantham. Jacqueline and Oliver Tasker who run the shop (open on Fridays and Saturdays only) are helpful and a mine of information when you are looking for a particular book. While there I met and chatted with fellow Napoleonic enthusiasts, always a pleasure.
Newstead Abbey, Nottinghamshire
On Sunday and the May Bank Holiday Monday I was at Newstead Abbey in Nottinghamshire where there was a re-enactment weekend by units from the Napoleonic Association. These events are always very much family orientated, they are entertaining and informative. It’s a good way to see what it was like to be a soldier in the Napoleonic era and is especially good for youngsters who always enjoy a good battle. On this particular weekend teh management of the venue set the admission price to the grounds at only £5 per car, meaning that a whole family could have a great day out without breaking the bank. If only more venues would adopt a more family friendly approach! Newstead Abbey itself is an interesting place and, once you in the grounds admission to the re-enactment activities is free. For more information go to: www.newsteadabbey.org.uk
Tuesday 19th April 2011
More on my new book, Inside the Regiment, which has now been available for just about three weeks. I have two very good reviews which I thought you might like to take a look at:
The first is by Pam Norfolk, books editor for the Lancashie Evening Post, and she says:
“…Carole Divall, an expert on the history of the British Army during the Napoleonic wars, has all the answers and more in a fascinating new book which gives us the inside story of a typical infantry regiment 200 years ago.
Rather than a detailed account of the 30th Foot’s military actions and campaigns, Inside the Regiment is a superbly entertaining and revealing exploration of its organisation and traditions, its rigid hierarchy, the ethos that held it together and, of course, the soldiers who fought and died under its colours.”
You can find the complete review in the Lancashire Evening Post at:
http://lep.co.uk/lifestyle/book_review_inside_the_regiment_by_carole_divall_1_3276523
The second review is by Keith Oliver, who reviews for the Napoleonic Association. Of the book he says:
“…Using primary records including pay rolls, inspection returns, court martial reports and pension records, as well as personal biographies, Carole has pieced together the life of the Regiment which is so often overlooked in the official histories which deal solely with the campaigns and battles, but which make up only a small proportion of the activities of any Regiment.
The book looks in detail at the officers, non-commissioned officers and privates, as well as examining how the regiment maintained discipline, dealt with its sick and wounded and even how regimental families were accommodated.”
The full review will soon be posted on the Napoleonic Association web site, and at that time I will provide a direct link for you to follow.
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19th March 2011
My new book, Inside the Regiment, published by Pen and Sword, is now in the shops. There is more information on my website page “The new Book”, and the book is available from Amazon, see:
If you would like more information, or if you read the book and have a comment or a query then I would be very pleased to hear from you. My e-mail address is: caroledivall@aol.com
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6th March 2011
Live in the studio with Howard Leader
This afternoon I was interviewed on BBC Radio Lincolnshire by Howard Leader. My publishers had sent an advanced copy of my new book Inside the Regiment to Howard and we spent a very pleasant twenty minutes or so chatting about the publication. Howard is a real pro. – it was clear that he had read the book and the questions he asked me showed that he knows a good deal about the subject matter. If you missed the interview or if you would like to listen again then go to: http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/radio/bbc_radio_lincolnshire, find Howard’s programme for today, then select the “listen again” function at the top right of your screen. The show runs from 3pm every Sunday and my interview was at just after 4pm, about an hour into the show.
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1st March 2011
If you enjoy a good read of Napoleonic story then you might care to take a look at a friend’s new book. Here is the book jacket design:
Adrian is better known as an expert on Roman matters. This is his first foray into the world of fiction and follows the activities of the (fictitious) 106th Regiment of Foot as they experience the initial stages of British involvement in the Peninsular War (Roliça, Vimeiro). With a fascinating range of characters and meticulous attention to historical detail, this is a tale which will give pleasure to anybody with an interest in the Napoleonic Wars. To find out more visit Adrian’s web site by following the link on this page.
Another friend, Peter Youds who, like Adrian Goldsworthy, writes fiction set in the Napoleonic era has just published his third book in the Ties of Blood series. You can visit his web site by following the link on this page. He has also written a summary of events in the Peninsula for each of the years 1808, 1809 and 1810, and thse will appear very shortly as articles on the Waterloo 200 web site (see www.waterloo200.0rg).
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8th February 2011
FOR YOUR URGENT ATTENTION
Anybody who has ever read about the Battle of Waterloo will know that the Chateau Hougoumont is a site of major importance. The Chateau itself was destroyed by fire during the fighting but the gardener’s house, the barn and the chapel still stand and there is a plan to restore the site and to make it into a study centre.
In the chapel, which has been partially restored stood a crucifix, a 15th Century work of art which testified to the ferocity of the battle. The feet were burned off but the rest of the sculpture survived.
Notice I say “stood”, for now we hear that this work of art has been stolen. Nobody is quite sure when it was taken, but whoever did it managed to take the “oak Christ” and leave the chapel seemingly intact. Surely, nobody steals this sort of artefact “on spec”, and the conclusion must be that it was probably stolen to order: this crime was commissioned.
Let us hope that the authorities both, Belgian and international, can apprehand without delay the perpetrators of this despicable crime.
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6th January 2011
If you are into blog sites and your interests lie in the Regency/Victorian eras then you might care to have a look at:
http://onelondonone.blogspot.com, where you will find a good mix of material to interest you, quite varied in content and very nicely presented.
I was invited to contribute to the blog, and you can find my piece by scrolling down the page until you find a picture of my book “Redcoats against Napoleon”. Alternatively, http://onelondonone.blogspot.com/2011/01/researching-30th-regiment-by-guest.html#more will take you directly to the article I wrote for the blog.
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1st January 2011
To everybody who has visited this site in the past year, may I wish you a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.
On a personal basis 2011 promises to be a good year. My second book “Inside the Regiment” is with my publishers, Messrs. Pen and Sword, and scheduled for publication in February/March. If you look at my profile on the Amazon web site you can see what the book will look like, in fact I understand that Amazon are already taking advance orders. While all this is going on I am currently working on a third book, details of which I will publish when everything is in place.
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A DATE FOR YOUR DIARY.
On Monday 10th January 2011 I shall be speaking to the Grantham Local History Society, and for my subject I shall be taking a close look at the siege of Badajoz of 1812 and trying to establish exactly what happened at that decisive siege and assault. I hope to convince my audience that the accepted account might not be quite as exact as it is generally assumed.
The event is at Grantham Museum, starting at 7:30pm. Admission for non-members is £2.
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As promised, my monthly article went on line on 23rd December. This latest piece is about how soldiers in Wellington’s army spent the festive season I thought it appropriate to publish immediately before Christmas, rather than wait until the 1st of January which would usually be the date for publication. This article is entitled “Christmas in Wellington’s Army” and is largely a collection of quotations from soldiers’ journals of the period. I wonder how they will compare with soldiers’ journals of today, when they are looked at in a couple of hundred years’ time?
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On 9th December I had the pleasure of delivering the lunchtime lecture at the National Army Museum in London. My subject was the Egypt campaign of 1801 and, despite the adverse weather conditions, people turned up in numbers. If ever you find yourself in London on a Thursday then these events really are worth a visit. There you will find a very knowledgeable audience of military history enthusiasts! Admission to the Thursday lunchtime lecture, which starts at 12.30pm, is free, as is the case with the museum itself.
My thanks to all those who atended my lecture; I hope you enjoyed it, and many of you have been in contact subsequently. I am always pleased to hear from people, either through my website or directly by e-mail: caroledivall@aol.com
The latest entry in my “Diary of a Regiment” feature is now on line. This feature is updated on the 1st and 15th of each month, and on the 1st of each month I also publish an article. My next article, “Christmas in Wellington’s Army” would normally appear on 1st January, but I thought a seasonal touch would be appropriate, so this next article will appear on Christmas Eve, 24th December.
If you want to see a first class demonstration of how a musket is fired, then take a look at the latest addition to my video page. There you can see in high definition Corporal “Tapper” Eeles, a re-enactor with the 33rd Foot, going through the full drill.
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RECENT EVENTS
I have recently returned from a battlefield tour of Spain and Portugal organised by the Friends of the Queen’s Lancashire Regimental Museum in Preston. The tour numbered about 30 of us and was led by Lt. Col. John Downham, who is the nearest thing I can imagine to a walking military encyclopedia! If ever you want to go on such a trip then I suggest you contact the museum, see the link here on my web pages. It is worth noting that the tours organised by the friends cover a wide range of campaigns, for instance next year’s projected tour covers the events at Arnhem in WWII.
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BOOK REVIEWS
You may have seen the link on my web site to “The Napoleon Series”, which is a vast archive for students of the Napoleonic era. On that site Robert Burnham has reviewed my book: “Redcoats against Napoleon” and, very briefly, this is what he writes:
Redcoats against Napoleon superbly illustrates the problems that a 2nd Battalion on active service underwent…
and he goes on…
Ms. Divall should be commended for bringing back to life the history of a regiment with a proud record of accomplishments during the Napoleonic Wars. Redcoats against Napoleon is an enjoyable read and I recommend it to those who are interested in the British Army.
For the full review go to: http://www.napoleon-series.org/reviews/military/c_Redcoats.html
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