The Cavalry that Broke Napoleon The King’s Dragoon Guards at Waterloo

by Goldsbrough, Richard; Wales, Prince of

• ISBN13: 9780750992107
• ISBN10: 0750992107
• Edition: 2nd
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2019-08-22
• Publisher: The History Press

Summary

ON 18 JUNE 1815, Napoleon and Wellington took to the fields of Waterloo for one final, decisive battle – a battle that would put an end to over two decades of warfare and determine the fate of Europe. Yet, little is known about the significant contribution made by the 1st or King’s Dragoon Guards who ultimately helped deny Napoleon victory. As a regiment, the KDG was the greatest contributor to the charge, made by the British heavy cavalry, fielding nearly half of the Household Brigade’s sabres – but it also made the biggest sacrifice. In successfully repelling the main French assault of the day, it paid a heavy price: of the 540 men who bravely fought, only 13 were still standing at the close of the battle. Here, Richard Goldsbrough tells the remarkable story of the KDG before, during and after the Battle of Waterloo.

Author Biography

Richard Goldsbrough was educated at Shrewsbury and Exeter University. After graduating he spent four years serving a short-service commission in the 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards. He is the author of 1st The Queen’s Dragoon Guards: A Brief History of the British Army’s Senior Regiment of the Line and has been published in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research.