THE IRON DUKE

There are many statues of Wellington as you travel around Britain, some have been ‘decorated’ with road cones or graffiti but there is no doubt that the countries of the United Kingdom thought it a fitting tribute to the man held responsible for the defeat of Napoleon, the Corsican Ogre!

Although this one had been well used by pigeons for target practise, I think that it embodies much of what I see as important for the character of Wellington, in command of the situation, unruffled and directing operations. I also consider the posing to be more than a passing resemblance to the famous painting of Napoleon crossing the Alps by Jacques Louis David, one final triumph over the Duke’s arch enemy!

So, it is with such statues and paintings of the great man in mind, I have my two characters, Fin and Thomo, sent on a special mission for their commander-in-chief to find out just how good the new-fangled weapon, the Rockets, really is. This takes the adventure back to England but then onto pastures new as they travel to be part of the Battle of the Nations, at Leipzig, Britain’s very sparse contribution to the victory.

It will not be until their fourth adventure ‘Good for frightening horses’ that the pair return to report to Wellington but ‘For Bravery in the Field’ has them fully occupied trying to survive the dangers of both land and sea as well as meeting famous characters from Britain’s colourful history.

Wellington may have been quoted as calling his troops the ‘scum of the earth’ but he managed them to perform prodigious feats under the most arduous of conditions. He also gave me the vehicle by which my characters were able to travel far and wide across Europe in the many battles against the armies of France!

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