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Osborne offers donation for restoration of Battle of Waterloo site Osborne offers donation for restoration of Battle of Waterloo site
(about 4 hours later)
The site of the battle of Waterloo, south of Brussels, will be restored in time to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Wellington's defeat of Napoleon in June 2015, a battle George Osborne cheerfully described as "a great victory of coalition forces over a discredited former regime that had impoverished millions."The site of the battle of Waterloo, south of Brussels, will be restored in time to commemorate the 200th anniversary of Wellington's defeat of Napoleon in June 2015, a battle George Osborne cheerfully described as "a great victory of coalition forces over a discredited former regime that had impoverished millions."
For years the site of the British and Prussian victory, close to the Flemish-Walloon border, has been neglected, from the victor's point of view at least, with cafes and souvenir shops dominated by the former French emperor.For years the site of the British and Prussian victory, close to the Flemish-Walloon border, has been neglected, from the victor's point of view at least, with cafes and souvenir shops dominated by the former French emperor.
The chancellor's offer of money reflects wider plans to commemorate past British military engagements — including other victories over the French. Ministers also want to remember the anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, where Henry V beat the French, on 25 October, 1415. The chancellor's offer of money reflects wider plans to commemorate British military engagements – including other victories over the French. Ministers also want to remember the anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, where Henry V beat the French, on 25 October, 1415. However, it is not a matter of gloating over the French, the Foreign Office was quick to point out. "Waterloo was the last major battle between Britain and France", it said. "Since then we have been close military allies – including through two world wars and in Nato." The Wellington Museum is in a modest building in the village of Waterloo hidden from the battlefield. There are memorials to British officers who died at Waterloo in Brussels but no British memorial to all the other men who died at Waterloo of whom Wellington is said to have remarked: "I do not know what they'll do to the enemy, but by God, they frighten me."
However, it is not a matter of gloating over the French, the Foreign Office was quick to point out. "Waterloo was the last major battle between Britain and France", it said. "Since then we have been close military allies – including through two world wars and in Nato." Funds to restore the site of the 1815 battle will be partly provided by the FO. A separate £4.2m Project Hougoumont, named after a large farmhouse, a key site in the battle, has been paid for by Belgian authorities with private contributors. The number of dead and wounded in the battle is estimated at 50,000.
The Wellington Museum is situated in a modest building in the village of Waterloo hidden from the battlefield. There are memorials to British officers who died at Waterloo in Brussels but no British memorial to all the other men who fought and died at Waterloo of whom Wellington is said to have remarked: "I do not know what they'll do to the enemy, but by God, they frighten me." However, the Foreign Office further emphasised the importance of a current entente cordiale. A spokesman said that Britain and France were: "the closest military partners in the EU as was shown in Libya and Mali. There is therefore no contradiction between our celebrating British military heroism at Waterloo and our close military relationship with France, which has held through two world wars and continues to this day."
Funds for restoring the site of Waterloo, fought in 1815, will be partly provided by the FO. A separate £4.2m Project Hougoumont, named after a large farmhouse which was a key site in the battle, has already been paid for by Belgian authorities with private contributors helping. The number of dead and wounded in the battle is estimated at 50,000.
However, whatever the past conflict, the Foreign Office further emphasisd the importance of a current entente cordiale. A spokesman said that Britain and France were: "the closest military partners in the EU as was shown in Libya and Mali. There is therefore no contradiction between our celebrating British military heroism at Waterloo and our close military relationship with France, which has held through two world wars and continues to this day."
The official continued: "Also, this was not just about Britain and France. Wellington's forces included Belgians, Dutch and Hannoverians. Blucher's Prussians played a decisive role at the end of the battle." That the British were helped by the Prussians and others has always been emphasised by French commentators.The official continued: "Also, this was not just about Britain and France. Wellington's forces included Belgians, Dutch and Hannoverians. Blucher's Prussians played a decisive role at the end of the battle." That the British were helped by the Prussians and others has always been emphasised by French commentators.
The chancellor shares his name with a vain and self-centred character from William Makepeace Thackeray's Vanity Fair who meets his demise in the Battle of Waterloo.
The fictional Osborne is ashamed of his best friend William Dobbin because of his lower social background. He is later disinherited after marrying his betrothed after her father is declared bankrupt.
He is described as having "an air at once swaggering and melancholy, languid and fierce. He looked like a man who had passions, secrets, and private harrowing griefs and adventures." It is said of the character that "he does die in a good cause, defying a mad man trying to build a single European state".