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Thursday, 17 June 2010

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Don't I remember that Wellington despatched rather a lot of troops to his right to intercept a flanking motion that he thought Napoleon should have attempted (but didn't)? Or will that be in tomorrow's news?

Quite right, 'DM', although he didn't so much despatch them as keep them more or less where they were. He had about 17,000 men at Hal, some 6 miles to the west, in case of an operational 'left hook' by Napoleon which might have cut him off from the sea. Also he had 7,000 men of a Netherlands division posted a 1,000 metres further off from his right wing just in case 'Boney' tried a tactical 'left hook' round the far side of Hougemont Farm. Overly cautious? Perhaps, but he did not wish to underestimate one of the greatest Captains of History. Also, he was confident that in time Blucher would arrive from the east.

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