Monthly Archives: June 2020

On this day, 18 June, in 1815 the Great Battle of Waterloo was fought, a memorable date in our history. Within Southampton’s Old Cemetery, rest – or are commemorated – men who were present at Waterloo that day. Here are some of the stories. Captain (later Lt. Colonel) William Hewett was a junior Captain in the 3rd Battalion of the 14th (or Buckinghamshire) Regiment of Foot. His headstone records that, when he died in 1891, aged 96, he was the last of the English officers from the battle but he is regarded as the last of the British officers. Because of the young ages of a good number of the men of 3rd/14th in 1815, they were nicknamed ‘The Peasants’ but their ranks included many men who had had experience of military training. They were due to be disbanded in … Continue reading →