Worcester Re-enactors

During the Napoleonic Wars, the Royal Welch Fusiliers first saw action in 1801 when they led a party landing at Aboukir Bay in Egypt. Fixing bayonets the troops charged the French, which a contemporary writer describes: “ decided the victory and established a footing on the shores of Egypt…circumstances of glory never surpassed in the military annals of the world”. In 1809 the second battalion battled over the snow covered mountains to Corunna in Northern Spain. Here it formed the rearguard as the British army evacuated the town- the last to leave the town was Captain Thomas Lloyd Fletcher from the Royal Welch Fusiliers and his corporal who locked the postern gate to delay the advance of the French. The keys were taken back to Wales and are now at the Regimental museum in Caernarfon.

In 1810, the first battalion arrived in the peninsula from Nova Scotia, and were brigaded with the Royal Fusiliers, as part of Cole’s Division. On 16th May 1811 the Battle of Albuera took place. The French took the important high ground and fought off two counter-attacks by the British. Cole’s Division was brought up for one final attack and were met with a fearsome volley- Napier describes it “the fuzileer battalions, struck by the iron tempest, reeled and staggered like sinking ships-but suddenly and sternly recovering they closed on their terrible enemies, and then was seen with what strength and majesty the British soldier fights…Nothing could stop that astonishing infantry…their dreadful volleys swept away the head of every formation”. The 23rd was also at Waterloo (1815) where the Regiment lost its’ Commanding Officer Colonel Sir Henry Walton-Ellis,KCB during the final rout of the Imperial Guard. He had suffered a chest wound from a musket ball but remained in command until he grew so faint that he fell from his horse into a ditch. He was taken to a nearby farmhouse where he died on 20th June 1815. He is commemorated by a memorial in Worcester Cathedral and a plaque in the church at Waterloo.

The 23rd Foot Royal Welch Fusiliers Napoleonic Re-Enactment Society was formed in 1997 and now has over 20 members, and we are always looking to add to our numbers. We pride ourselves in being as authentic as possible in both uniforms and campsite. Men and women are welcome as redcoats and all the family are welcome to portray families in our authentic camp area. In recent years we have attended battle re-enactments in England, Wales, France, Belgium and Spain. During the winter we hold drill meetings in South Wales.