Cavalry Charge: La Haie Sainte & Plancenoit - The French and Prussian Attacks

In 1800, as Napoleon Bonaparte rises to power in France, a rivalry erupts between Armand and Gabriel, two lieutenants in the French Army, over a perceived insult. For over a decade, they engage in a series of duels amidst larger conflicts, including the failed French invasion of Russia in 1812, and shifts in the political and social systems of Europe.

In David Grubin's NAPOLEON watch Napoleon's rise from obscurity to victories that made him a hero to the French people and convinced him he was destined for greatness. Learn of his love for Josephine Beauharnais, and his rise to Emperor. Witness his extraordinary achievements and ultimately his fall, his final battles, his exile to Elba, and his defeat at Waterloo. For nearly two decades he strode the world stage like a colossus - loved and despised, venerated and feared. From his birth on the rugged island of Corsica to his final exile on the godforsaken island of St. Helena, NAPOLEON brings this extraordinary figure to life.

After defeating France and imprisoning Napoleon on Elba, ending two decades of war, Europe is shocked to find Napoleon has escaped and has caused the French Army to defect from the King back to him. The best of the British generals, the Duke of Wellington, beat Napolean's best generals in Spain and Portugal, but now must beat Napoleon himself with an Anglo Allied army.

Based on the novel by Bernard Cornwell, "Sharpe's Waterloo" brings maverick British officer Lt. Col. Richard Sharpe to his last fight against the French, in June of 1815.

This film shows the kit and equipment that the 42nd of Foot, The Black Watch wore and used at Waterloo. The Battalion was in 9 Bde of Picton's 5th Division and fought at Quatre Bras and Waterloo. The 8 British Battalions in Picton's Division were all Peninsula Battalions and most probably the most relaible in Wellington's Army. Hence their use at Quatre Bras and their position at Waterloo. The Division lost 43% of its men as casualties at Waterloo including Picton himself, Wellington's greatest fighting general.

This final part takes us through the dramatic events when Wellington’s Anglo-Dutch Army aided by Blucher’s Prussians defeat Napoleon. The French army was outfought and Napoleon was out-generaled by Wellington. At Wavre Grouchy beat the Prussian rearguard before retreating to France. Meanwhile, the Anglo-Dutch army counted the bloody cost of the previous days fighting while Wellington wrote his controversial Waterloo Dispatch and the vengeful Prussians pursued the French towards Paris, leading to Napoleon's abdication and the occupation of the city by the Allies.

Following on from Ligny and Quatre Bras, Part II starts by focusing on the concentration of the Allies on the ridge of Mont St Jean and the plans of the opposing armies. While the guns of the Grand Battery thundered in the centre, French columns bore down on the Hougoumont chateau and farm complex, which protected Wellington's flank held by the Guards and their German allies. Thus began an epic 'battle within a battle' that sucked away valuable troops from Napoleon's main attack, causing Wellington to declare that 'the battle turned on the closing of the gates at Hougoumont'.Meanwhile D'Erlons Corps attempted to bludgeon its way through Wellington's centre, not knowing that the British and Dutch line was in waiting on the reverse slope. Upon seeing the French advance, the British released a disciplined volley of musket fire that checked the French. A further brilliantly timed charge by the Household and Union Cavalry Brigades finally saw the French off.

Passionate romance, brutal treachery, and selfless nobility are set against the background of Napoleon’s 1810 invasion of Portugal.

An insider’s look into the gritty reality of building the local live music scene, Rock This Town brings to life the exciting history of rock music concerts in KW from the 1960s & ‘70s. Rock stars come and go but live music is here to stay!

95th Rifles 1809 to Salamanca is the second DVD in 95th Rifles trilogy of films and part of The Peninsular Collection from BHTV . The DVD explores the history of the 95th Rifles, who were masters of the battlefield and particularly skilled in skirmishing. Held in high esteem by the French and Allies alike, they played a momentous role in the outcome of the Peninsular War. Following the events set out in the Salamanca DVD, this film serves as a prequel to explain the years leading up to the Battle of Salamanca, starting with the aftermath of Sir John Moore’s retreat to La Corunna in the winter of 1808/1809.

After the victory at Salamanca Wellington's Army had mixed fortunes and by the the winter of 1812/3 was back in Portugal. Wellington took advantage of the winter to re-equip and retrain his army for his final master stroke in Spain. In June 1813 Wellington launched his whole army in a rapid push NW towards the Spanish/French border outflanking the French. At Vittoria he beat the main French Army on 21st June and pushed the remainder into the Pyrenees on The French border. He was now able to prepare for the invasion of France. In all these actions and leading the Army were the Light Division containing the 3 Battalions of the 95th Rifles. It was during this period that they had some of their toughest and bloodiest actions that showed them to be an elite formation.