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Travels with Teras – Episode 3

April 5, 2021 by FBN Leave a Comment

In 2015 I had the destinct pleasure of embarking on a voyage to the battlefields of Waterloo. Geek Nation Tours took over 30 people on a signature battlefield celebration of the 200th anniversary of one of the most important battles of European and British history.

With me I had two trusty co-hosts, Dave Taylor of Dave Taylor Miniatures, who would oversee painting seminars while on our tour. And thus would allow us to explore the geeker aspects of our interest in Waterloo - toy soldiers!

and Barry Hilton of the Leage of Augsburg, Beneath Lily Banners, Republic to Empire, and Donnybrook - would be joining us on our tour as battlefield guide. His in-depth knowledge of the area would allow us to delve deeply into the historic period as he walked along beside us.

For the next part we tried to follow the engagements in chronological order starting with Ligny, where Napoleon first clashed with Blucher and the Prussian army. We visited the Gerard Museum there and arrived early enough to see the troops that had garrisoned themselves in the nearby field. From there we went to Quatre Bras and on to Genappe and the Caillou Museum which was Napoleon's bivouac the night prior to the main battle.

Perhaps one of my fondest memories of the tour. Upon arrival we discovered the very table napoleon planned Waterloo on. Dave Taylor and I immediately desperately looked for dice, and soon after were rolling dice on that very historic table like a bunch of giggling schoolboys.

We of course made the 226 stair hike up the Butte Du Lion or Lion Monument for the magnificent view of the battlefield. Barry was sure to point out in detail the positions of both forces and the battle started to come alive before our eyes.

We even met several re-enactors taking in the same view as us.

To further immerse us into the history and the battlefield itself we visited the famous Waterloo panorama - painted by Louis Dumoulin and first seen in 1912. Somehow one of our group made it right into the bloody midst of the carnage. I am not sure how this was arranged but I wonder if he will ever be thte same again.

I still often think of my experiences while standing just outside of La Haye Sainte. It was here that the German and British troops held the attacking French at bay and in doing so, secured Wellington's center. It is perhaps one of the most important sites of the Waterloo battlefield and one of the keys to the allied victory. Really though, for me it was one of those times that I understood what Geek Nation Tours really is. One of my tour participants made the treacherous crossing to place his hands on the gates of the farmhouse itself. Keep in mind that this was most likely the busiest street we encountered ouside of Brussels and thus, it was a bit harrowing to see hime cross. It brought a smile to my face however, to see him place his hand on the gate. When we returned we continued our travels and I asked hime about the encounter.

He told me that when he was young, his mother ordered him the Airfix Battle of Waterloo Farmhouse from the UK. At that time, it was no small feat to get such models and miniatures across the world and it took months to arrive as it traveled across the ocean. When it finally did come, his mother took him into his living room and set the boxes down in front of him. He was enamoured with the sets and still remembered his mother's eyes looking down at him as he soaked in something that he would be interested in his whole life. As it turned out, prior to the tour he had lost his mother and the physical connection with La Haye Sainte allowed him a connection with not only his hobby and his interest in history, but with his mother herself. I couldn't help but tear up when he told me the story.

It was then I truly understood what Geek Nation Tours was, and how important travel is to the human spirit. One's journeys clearly connects people to those places that are history itself, and travel allows them the tactile realization that those places - so long held within their minds - are indeed real. It can also bring them closer to those left behind and allows them to journey with those that are lost to the annals of history or to those more recently past. It is a truly amazing experience to share those times with a group of people and to realized that each of us are sharing the same experience.

Of course, the main highlight of the tour was not only the many days we took to walk the battlefield but also the re-enactment. It was a truly amazing sight as the salvos of musket and cannon fire were exchanged and the smoke from the same created a fog of war that so enveloped the thousands of re-enactors as the leave a chill down my spine.

The muzzle flashes were marvelous to behold and the roaring of the cannon silenced the onlookers. It was of course, just a recreation of the memory of the battle, but sitting there with the bass of the cannon fire deep in your chest and the flash of musket fire in your eyes, you could easily place yourself in 1815. There was some hilarity as well, as when the red walls of the faux hougoumont fell the crowd burst into laughter which was followed by cheers as the soldiers within propped them up again.

There were of course commanders on horseback, soldiers screaming and flags flapping. The effects so grand that the fields themselves seemed to share the excitement of the day.

The tour included two days of viewing the re-enactment from two different angles... One better to see Napoleon's machinations and the other to better see Wellington's stragety. Each day tour participants were given VIP treatment right on the battlefield.

I must confess however, a short hour before this photo was taken, I was not yet convinced that we indeed had tickets at all. Months prior I had forwarded the funds to what seemed like the correct Belgian tourist board address, but because of printing delays I flew across the pond with no tickets. Further, the receipt that was given was just a bank notice - a 'Yes we have your funds' - but no real indication of who had GNT's funds or for what. I must say it was with no small relief when the gate keepers let us into the VIP stand staging point.

Such is the life of tour operator. You plan and go over the details over and over again, but you don't know until you are there if all will move forward as dreamed of. I am glad to say Waterloo was a complete success.

 

 

 

Episode 3 Travels with Teras. Photos 1,13,14,15,16 courtesy of Annette Flynn. Photo 9 courtesy of Peter Kite.

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  • Travels with Teras – Episode 4
  • Travels with Teras – Episode 2
  • Travels With Teras – Episode 1

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Travels with Teras

Travels with Teras

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