On This Day ... in 1811 & Others
Marshal Massena, attempting to relieve the besieged town of Almeida, attacked Wellington's army at Fuentes de Onoro. The French VI Corps did well and was on the verge of breaking Wellington's right wing when the British Light Division arrived on the scene after a forced march and reversed the situation, despite a considerable French superiority in numbers. Massena was forced to withdraw to Salamanca, and Almeida fell to Wellington within the week.
1858: Colour-Sergeant Gardner of The Black Watch won the Victoria Cross during an Indian Mutiny action when he rescued his Commanding Officer who had been dismounted and lay at the mercy of a group of rebels.
1941: Haile Selassie returned in triumph after five years to his capital in Addis Ababa after British and Ethiopian forces defeated the Italians.
1942: British forces launched an attack - Operation Ironclad - on Diego Suarez in Vichy-held Madagascar, to secure control over the convoy routes around Africa to Suez. HMS Anthony ran the gauntlet of shore batteries to land Royal Marines on the quayside itself, while infantry landed on beaches close to the port.
Comments
Didn't the Light Division later also march off the ridge onto the flats to cover another division that was in square and surrounded by cavalry.
This one is one of my favorites among Wellington's defensive victories....along with offensive victories at Vitoria and Assaye.
Posted by: bjbarronb | May 5, 2006 6:27 PM