Rossome Farmhouse at Waterloo is not well known for two reasons: first, it burnt down and is now completely eradicated with no trace of the building. Secondly, it was a long way behind the front line. And yet it is important to the Waterloo story because it was here that Napoleon spent most of the day, or at least on the heights of Rossomme immediately to the east from where he could see both the British position and Plancenoit.
My diorama shows the battle at 1800hrs, by which time Napoleon had moved forward to La Belle Alliance. The farm is therefore shown with the Imperial Rear HQ – some of the 11 carriages that Napoleon is known to have had at the battle, plus some staff and Larrey's field hospital.
There are no known images of the farm and I am entirely reliant on some blown up pictures from the Siborne model which show the buildings in good detail.
The Siborne farm by kind permission of the National Army Museum:
The basic model:
Field Forge:
Most of the figures from here on are by Liam:
Two Gendarmes by Hagen:
This beautiful carriage is scratch built by Liam:
The interior of the farm:
Some gate guards. One of the Red Lancers has lost his pennant.
3D printed carriage painted by Liam:
There will be much more to follow. I am pleased that I have been able to bring this lost building back to life with the help of the Siborne model.
takes the plunge!
