"The Welsh women who fought Napoleon" Topic

"But if he found "these men" terrifying, equally intimidating must have been the legions of Welsh women who had followed The Royal Welch Fusiliers (23rd Regt of Foot) ever since the earliest days of the Peninsular War – when Britain, Spain and Portugal faced Napoleon.

At times their amusing antics foreshadowed the so-called Wives And Girlfriends (Wags) who are alleged to have distracted from England's 2006 football World Cup campaign.

However for many of the wives, daughters, and even opportunistic cooks, washer women and prostitutes, the reality of life on the front line often proved tragic beyond belief.

Swansea University historian Dr Gerry Oram explained: "Officially six women were permitted to travel with each company of a hundred men; these were drawn by lot…"
Full article here
link

Amicalement
Armand

"Some – such as Jenny Jones of Talyllyn – are even believed to have fought alongside their men."

So, in the entirety of this fluff piece, this is the only reference to any of these women, Welsh or otherwise, fighting Napoleon.

Yawn…

The suffering and exploits of the women who accompanied the British Army in Portugal and Spain deserve recognition – and there is a wonderful model in the National Army Museum in Chelsea of Biddy Skiddy carrying her sick husband Dan on her back, as recorded in the memoirs of George Bell.

But Welsh women have no particular monopoly in this matter – unless you count those who deceived the French into thinking they were British soldiers at Fishguard in 1798!

Arthur1815

and there is a wonderful model in the National Army Museum in Chelsea of Biddy Skiddy carrying her sick husband Dan on her back, as recorded in the memoirs of George Bell.

Gerry Embleton's Time Machine renditions are excellent. His French drummer boy freezing on the retreat from Moscow, the 95th Rifleman sniping from around a tree in the Peninsula, the recruiting sargeant bedecked with coloured streamers, cain in hand. The KGL heavy dragoon in wet weather campaign dress and of course 'imo' the best of all at the N.A.M, and as you say, the Biddy and husband Dan on the retreat to Corunna. absolutely excellent!

I've got illustrations of some of them and others in museums from around the world, in an early issue of Military Illustrated, but unfortunately, not the one of Biddy

Paul :)

"The suffering and exploits of the women who accompanied the British Army in Portugal and Spain deserve recognition…"

Totally agree!

Amicalement
Armand