Waterloo Quiz Challenge - How Much Do You Know? | War History

Answer: Arthur Wellesley

Arthur Wellesley, born in Dublin in 1769, joined the British army in 1787 as an ensign (second lieutenant). He was rapidly promoted to colonel (thanks to some financial support from his family, as it was not quite uncommon in those days to "buy" a promotion).
Wellesley had already proven to be a worthy opponent of Napoleon's troops in the campaign in the Iberian Peninsula. Now his army was relocated to Belgium, trying to join forces with the Prussians and so outnumbering the French.
In 1814 Wellesley was rewarded for his various military achievements with the hereditary title Duke of Wellington, the name he is better remembered by.
John Churchill (1650-1722) was the first Duke of Marlborough. He won several victories against the French.
Henry Somerset (1629-1700), the first Duke of Beaufort, was a politician. He held a position in the House of Commons during many years.
Edward Seymour (1500-1552) was the first Duke of Somerset. After the death of King Henry VIII, Seymour served as Lord Protector (or regent), until Edward VI reached majority and was crowned.

Answer: He was old and severely injured

Blücher was born in Rostock in 1742 and started his career as a Hussar (light cavalry) at age 16. When Blücher marched his troops through the southern part of the Netherlands (nowadays Belgium) in June 1815, he was already 73 years. His battle experience was quite impressive: prior to 1815, he commanded Prussian armies against the French in at least nine battles, with diverse outcomes. On June 16, 1815, the Prussian army encountered the French army near Ligny, a small village about 10 miles south of Brussels. During the Battle of Ligny, Blücher was severely injured and the Prussians were forced to retreat.

But Blücher had his wounds nursed, took some "medicinal" brandy and commanded the Prussians back south - in time to reach Waterloo on the evening of June 18th.

Answer: La Belle Alliance

La Belle Alliance was an inn a few miles south from Waterloo. Blücher's suggestion was rejected by Wellington, saying it wouldn't be fit to name a famous victory after the headquarters of the losing opponent.
Pavlov's house was an apartment building in Stalingrad during the Battle of Stalingrad.
RAF Uxbridge was a command center of the RAF during the Battle of Britain.
Wolfsschanze (Wolf's Lair) was the eastern headquarters Hitler used during the invasion of the Soviet Union.

Answer: Hougoumont

The Battle of Hougoumont started in the morning of June 18th. The French tried to capture the farm with a small expeditionary force, hoping to lure a large part of the British right flank into an open battlefield and to shell them with artillery.
But things didn't go as the French had planned. Not only did the British hold the farm for several hours (until all of it was burnt down), but the French dedicated more troops to this site than the British. So the diversion effect was turned against the French.
Olomouc is a Moravian city near Austerlitz, site of one of the iconic Napoleonic victories (December 1805).
Auerstedt is a village near Jena, the site of another Napoleonic battle (a French victory in 1806).
Shevardino is a fortification near Borodino, the site of yet another Napoleonic battle (a Russian victory in 1812).

Answer: Henry Paget, Earl of Uxbridge

The Earl of Uxbridge rushed off in a wild charge - too wild, thought Wellington at the time. But the heavy armoured horsemen had some advantages over the French infantry (including the fact they charged downhill - usually a great advantage).
During the charge, Uxbridge was hit in the leg by grapeshot. He later called out to Wellington "By God, I have lost a leg" - to which Wellington would have responded "By God, so you have".
Montgomery, Eisenhower and Bradley were active during the Second World War, and are especially associated with the invasion of Normandy.

Answer: Marshal Michel Ney

Michel Ney was born in 1769, in the Saar region (near the Franco-German border). He tried a job as a notary, but decided in 1787 to enlist in the French army as a Hussar.
Ney was promoted to Field Marshal (Maréchal d'Empire) as soon as Napoleon took the Imperial crown. Ney was one of the best trusted of Napoleon's marshals.
At Waterloo, Ney charged up hill against the British centre. But Wellington had his infantry form small squares, a battle formation quite resistant to cavalry charges. Wellington's gunners sought shelter within the infantry squares, and as soon as Ney regrouped, the gunners manned their cannons and fired upon the French. Ney didn't achieve anything against this tactic.
Foch, Pétain and Joffre were French field marshals during the First World War.

Answer: Von Bulow

Friedrich von Bülow (1755-1816) enlisted in 1768. He reached the rank of lieutenant-general in 1813.
In June 1815, he led Prussian reinforcements. He did not fight during the Battle of Ligny, and so his IV Corps arrived at Plancenoit (the right flank of the French army) without any casualties.
Kellermann, Lobau and d'Erlon were French marshals present during the Battle of Waterloo.

Answer: La Haye Sainte

La Haye Sainte was a farm surrounded by a defensive wall. The King's German Legion (two battalions of German expatriates serving in the British army) took up defensive positions in this farm. These troops had the Baker rifle, a more powerful shotgun than most of the other British troops.
Throughout June 18th, several French attacks on La Haye Sainte were repelled. But when the King's German Legion ran out of ammunition, they had to retreat and leave the fortification to the French.
The Imperial Guard of the French army then installed several artillery pieces near La Haye Sainte, but British snipers took out the gunners, so the artillery was to no use.
Bronkhorstspruit, Potchefstroom and Drakensberg are sites in South Africa where military actions during the First Boer War took place.

Answer: The Dutch Crown Prince William

A few years after the Battle of Waterloo, King William I decided to erect this monument in honour of the injury his son sustained at the battle. Alas, in order to erect this monument the topography of the battlefield was thoroughly modified. Whereas the natural topography of the battlefield was something Wellington used decisively to his advantage, modern tourists can't recognise the ridge that the British used. Over 300,000 cubic meters of earth have been displaced to build the vast artificial hill on which the Lion overlooks what is left of the battlefield. Nelson (1758-1805), Maria Theresa (1717-1780) and Czar Paul (1754-1801) were already dead when the Battle of Waterloo took place.

Answer: Louis Dumoulin

The Panorama is a huge painting: about 110 meters wide and 12 to 14 meters high. It depicts one of the most intense charges during the battle: Ney's cavalry charge at Wellington's infantry squares. To add to the impression, the painting is set in a circular building, and shows the battle as if you are in the midst of it. Moreover, sound effects have been added.
Louis Dumoulin (1860-1924) was a French painter.
Monet (1840-1926), Van Gogh (1853-1890) and Seurat (1859-1891) were Impressionist or Post-Impressionist painters who worked in France. Van Gogh was Dutch, the other two were French. None of them has made any remarkable rendering of a military action.