First published in 1996 and now in 2015, this history of the 1815 Waterloo campaign provides not only an account of the confrontations, but in addition, also acts as a guide to the battlefields and related sites. The authors have divided the battlefield of Waterloo into three distinct sectors, one each for the three armies involved. This approach offers the reader the opportunity to follow the fighting from three different perspectives and helps gain an objective understanding of the course of the battle. The authors make use of eyewitness testimonies, drawn from participants in all three armies.

Previously unpublished letters from British officers, the recollections of a Dutch-Belgian staff officer and the memoirs of a French colonel of cuirassiers all contribute to an understanding and appreciation of what it must have been like to fight in this crucial action. As well as covering Waterloo, this title looks at the tense situation in Brussels as the French draw near, the aftermath of the battle, the fight at Wavre, the Prussian pursuit and Marshal Grouchy’s defence of Namur.

There are 55 monochrome illustrations, 23 diagrams and drawings, plus 32 maps. Further there are three appendices, one listing the orders of battle of the three armies engaged in the 1815 campaign, the second listing museum addresses and opening times, the third lists the sources used. Finally an index to the text is provided.

Overall, an excellent and concise work – if you missed it first time around, it is strongly suggested that the omission is rectified with this reprint.

Stuart Asquith, Author