Of Living Valour

The Story of the Soldiers of Waterloo

Barney White-Spunner

• Publisher: Simon & Schuster UK
• Year: 2015
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781471102943
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

Publishing to coincide with the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, for the first time a modern British history tells the story of the against-the-odds triumph through the accounts of the regimental officers and soldiers whose bravery and resolution achieved victory. The author has used many unpublished sources, letters and diaries of ordinary British soldiers, in the vein of Stephen Ambrose's highly successful Band of Brothers..

With a concise, fast-moving account covering, ex-Commander of the British Army Barney White-Spunner tells the story through the experiences of those who fought there and their families, offering his unique perspective on the events. The story focuses on mens' personal feelings and their relationships, with each other, their families, their leaders and their enemies. It tells the stories of their lives, what they had left behind and why and what they went back to. It vividly captures their daily routine, their life in camp and how they fought at first hand, their fear, excitement and exhaustion.

The Battle of Waterloo was one of the most significant ever fought by a British army, but it was also one of the most bloody with about 50,000 men losing their lives over three days. What was it like for those who fought and for their families waiting at home? This is their story.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-title page
• Also by Barney White-Spunner
• Title page
• Copyright page
• Dedication page
• Epigraph page
• Contents
• List of Maps and Illustrations
• Prologue: The Day After
• The British Army in 1815
• 1 January–March 1815
• 2 April–June 1815
• 3 12–17 June 1815
• 4 18 June 1815: Morning and Afternoon
• 5 18 June 1815: Afternoon and Evening
• 6 19 June 1815 and Afterwards
• The Battlefield Today
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Acknowledgements
• Index