Waterloo 2015 - Part 3 - The Reenactment show

Did you read parts 1 and 2 of my Waterloo 2015 report:

http://montys-caravan.blogspot.de/2015/06/waterloo-2015-part-1-allied-camp.html

and

http://montys-caravan.blogspot.de/2015/06/waterloo-2015-part-2-french-camp.html
 

As usual click on the pictures to enlarge.

In the late afternoon we had finished our visits at the Allied and French bivaucs and we decided that there's probably not enough time the visit Napoleon's camp as well. It would have been a walk of at least a mile and of course we had
to go back to the reenactment area in time for the great show. Thus we took a break and had a nice - though expensive - cup of coffee in a cafe nearby. A welcome chance to rest our tired limbs. After that we started our way back to 'La Haye Sainte' where our stand was next to. But obviously we were not the only spectators heading to the scene of events:

Countless visitors on their way to the stadium.

Finally there we caught a glimpse of the massive battlefield. I don't know its size but it was enormous:

The huge area for the reenactment show.

Then we had a small dinner with French fries and fricandel and finally took our seats half before the battle was to start. Enough time to enjoy the view of the huge battlefield and to watch the French army approaching. Unfortunately the British took position rather far away from us. Fortunately we had our binoculars and a telephoto lens with us. Without them we had been completely lost:

French staff enters the stage.

Parts of the French 'Grande Batterie'

British and KGL riflemen as pickets.

French infantry columns advancing.

A limbered artillery piece - Reinforcements for the 'Grande Batterie'

The guns take position.

Manhandled artillery.

More columns and two gendarmes dashing along.

A forward deployed gun.

Then finally the preparations for the battle ended. Both armies had their initial positions and the stage was set for the supreme commanders. Unfortunately we didn't get a clear view of the 'Iron Duke' but Napoleon couldn't resist riding a victory lap before the battle even had started:

The Corsican.

Thus the highlight of our trip started. But rather soon we realized that scarcely anything happened in front of our stand. At the beginning we had the Grande Batterie in front of us and saw them shooting and reloading but we didn't see anything of the five large infantry columns whose approach we witnessed. As soon as they started their advance towards the British line they disappeared behind a slope and all the fighting seemed to take place somewhere at the valley bottom. Although we enjoyed the overall experience of the depicted battlefield we got increasingly disappointed of our point of view. Honestly I suppose that organisers installed more stands then appropriate for this area and most the spectators at the standing places had a much better view than us. Although I don't begrudge them this I'm feal treated rather unjustly for paying a lot more money for seeing worse.

Anyway I was able to capture some impressions with a teleskopic lense. They give an idea of how we experienced the show since I took them with full zoom:

The British guard at the beginning of the battle with first clouds of gunsmoke.

The guards in line formation.

French infantry disappearing behind the slope.

French skirmishers in front of the guards.

A small number of attackers compared with the columns we observed before the battle.

Several lines of Allied soldiers. Don't ask me for details...

British redcoats firing.

The guards form square and the French cavalry has to veer.

Royal Horse Artillery firing.

At 10 pm. the show was over and we went back to the car. Traffic guidance was perfectly organised and a lot of Belgian policemen and policewomen cared for the smooth flow of the leaving visitors. Thus we found our way back to the motorway rather fast and headed home. After a three hour drive I was finally at home about 2 am. and a wonderful day found its late ending.

Overall the trip was perfect to me. It was a great day with two dear friends and there were a lot of interesting things for Napoleonic enthusiasts like us. The morning in the Allied camp was awesome and I would have love to slip into a red coat instantly. Afterwards the get-together with Carl was pleasant beyond comparison and although the French seemed a bit tired their camp was an interesting place as well. The show was a bit disappointing because our perspective but altogether that doesn't spoil that day. Somewhere I read that they're planing to organise a similarly large event in ten years so my schedule for June 2025 is set!