On 25 October 1415, Saint Crispin’s Day, a small English army led by King Henry V faced a French force up to four times its size, determined expel the invaders. Yet, despite the numerical disadvantage, the English forces overcame the odds and won a famous victory, leaving Agincourt Battlefield littered with casualties.
One of the key factors involved in the English victory on Agincourt Battlefield was the quality of the English archers, whose decisive role would help to eliminate the threat from the heavily armoured French knights.
A more controversial aspect of the Battle of Agincourt was Henry V’s decision to slaughter the French prisoners. The main reason for this was that there were more prisoners than there were English soldiers to guard them, posing the threat that the prisoners would rise up against the English, however this has been a source of contention for centuries.
Agincourt Battlefield itself is mostly a grass covered area with no great marks of the long-ago fought battle. There is a small obelisk memorial at Agincourt Battlefield (pictured on the map) as well as several explanatory plaques.
For those wanting a history of Agincourt Battlefield and the battle itself, the Centre Historique Médiéval of Agincourt is a museum of French medieval history and does have exhibits about the Battle of Agincourt. It also offers audio guides for a tour of the battlefield or an English-speaking guide.
If driving from the Calais Ferry or Channel Tunnel, take the E15 and head towards Paris.
Follow the L’Autoroute des Anglais E15/A26 for 11 miles then take the exit. At the end of the slip road turn right onto the D217, under the L’Autoroute des Anglais and then turn right onto the D943 towards Nordausques. Follow the D943 for 6.5 miles to a roundabout.
At the first roundabout take the first exit and continue on the D943 for another 2 miles to a second roundabout. At this roundabout take the second exit onto the Rocade Saint-Omar-Arques D942 and after 2 miles take the slip road to the D928, turn left onto the D928 at the junction.
Follow the D928 for 2.5 miles to a third roundabout at which you continue straight on, second exit. Follow the D928 under the L’Autoroute des Anglais E15/A26 to the fourth roundabout and continue straight on, second exit, remaining on the D928. After a furhter 0.75 miles continue straight on, second exit, at the fifth roundabout. A the sixth roundabout continue straight on, third exit, remaining on the D928 for a further 4.5 miles to the seventh roundabout. At the seventh roundabout continue straight on, second exit, for a further 2 miles to the eigth and final roundabout. At this roundabout continue straight on, second exit. After a further 1 mile turn left into Azincourt leaving the D928 on the Rue Charles VI and follow this road to the Agincourt Visitor’s Centre and Museum.
A good place to begin your visit to the Agincourt battlefield is the Agincourt Visitor’s Centre and Museum called the Centre Historique Médiéval Azincourt. The Agincourt museum has a carpark.
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Aisne-Marne, established in 1918, is a cemetery that contains the graves of American soldiers. It’s located at the bottom of the hill where one of the bloodiest fights of World War I took place: the Battle of Belleau Wood. The Battle of Belleau Wood saw American marines stop the German army from crossing the Marne River, halting their progress and securing the area. In honour of the marines who fought in this battle, the woods were renamed “Woods of the Marine Brigade.”
During World War Two, in 1940, heavy fighting took place near Aisne-Marne and the chapel sustained some damages. Since then, it has been completely repaired save for one bullet hole as a reminder of the events that once occurred there.
There are 2,289 graves at Aisne-Marne American Cemetery, mostly belonging to soldiers who fought in the area and 250 of which are unnamed. Several memorials to the Battle of Belleau Wood surround the cemetery, including a memorial chapel, battle markers and a memorial to 1,060 missing soldiers. There is also a visitor centre and there is a guide on site when Aisne-Marne American Cemetery is open.
Aisne-Marne American Cemetery lies south of the village of Belleau, France, six and a half miles northwest of Château-Thierry. There is rail service from Paris (Gare de l’Est) to the train station in Château-Thierry. The journey takes about one hour. From Château-Thierry to Belleau, the trip is a 15-minute ride via taxi. This no bus transportation available.
To travel by car, From Paris travel via toll autoroute A-4. Take the Montreuil-aux-Lions exit (#19), then travel via N-3 (also called D1003), following the cemetery signs to “Lucy-le-Bocage” and proceed via D82 through Belleau Wood to the cemetery entrance.
The Battle of Albuera almost resulted in defeat for the allied armies, but ended largely inconclusively with terrible losses on both sides. Albuera Battlefield is now an open space with few obvious signs of its history, but there is a memorial to the battle in the town of La Albuera.
Following October of 1810, the French Marshal Masséna was stuck in a hopeless stand-off with Wellington’s Allied forces. Napoleon ordered Marshal Soult in early 1811 to lead a French expedition from Andalusia to Extremadura to hopefully draw away the allies. However, Napoleon’s information was outdated and Soult’s move came too late as Masséna’s starving army withdrew to Spain from Portugal.
Soult did manage to capture the Badajoz fortress, strongly garrisoning the site on the Spanish-Portuguese border. After hearing of Masséna’s withdrawal from Portugal, Wellington sent a strong force to retake the border town and siege Badajoz. Soult amassed a new army from French forces in Andalusia and marched to Badajoz’s aid.
Unfortunately for Soult, the Spaniards had already combined with an Allied army of British and Portuguese troops – the French information was once again incorrect. His troops were outnumbered and out-planned as the opposing armies met at the Spanish village of Albuera.
During the conflict both sides suffered massive casualties but the French withdrew on the 18 May. The Allies were too battered to pursue them. Despite Soult’s failure to relieve the siege, the battle had little strategic gain for the allies who lated abandoned the siege as the French regrouped.
In 2001, the then Duke of Wellington unveiled a memorial to 3 of the Princess of Wales’ Royal Regiment predecessors who fought in Albuera, on the 190th anniversary of the battle. The monument was placed in the centre of a garden in La Albuera village.
Today, Albuera Battlefield is just that – a wide and open field set against the endless Spanish blue sky. Visitors can go on walking tours of Napoleonic Battlefields if you take the short drive from Badajoz to La Albuera village (about 15 miles). In La Albuera’s town square you will find the memorial to the casualties of the battle; a grand white stone arch topped with a marble crown and decorative columns.
You can follow the road where the French forces approached, crossing the river Albuera on a bridge that still remains. The ground before you is flat and featureless with no sign of the battle that raged.
From Badajoz, La Albuera and the battlefield is a half hour drive via the N-432. If using public transport, catch the L3 bus from Plaza La Libertad to the Autobus Station, then from Badajoz get the 0014 to La Albuera. This journey takes around 50 minutes.
]]>By this time, much of southern France was already within the Roman Empire, having been annexed in around the 2nd Century BC, but other regions were still holding out.
At Alesia, Caesar met and defeated one of his most formidable adversaries, the Gaulish Chieftain, Vercingetorix, leader of the Gauls’ uprising against the Romans. Yet, whilst Caesar was successful, he only won after a long siege, known as the Siege of Alesia.
The enormous measures taken during the battle were impressive. In only six weeks, Caesar’s troops built a ring of fortifications 15 kilometre long (circumvallation) around Alesia and an additional ring 21 kilometre long around that to stop reinforcements (around 250,000 men according to Caesar) from reaching the Gauls.
The remains which have been uncovered in Alesia show that it became a prosperous Gallo-Roman city by the first century AD. Visitors to the Alesia archaeological site can see the ruins of several houses as well as public buildings and areas such as a theatre, a Roman administrative centre (basilica) and shops, all centred on a forum. It is worth noting that there have been debates as to whether Alesia is the true site of this battle, with some historians claiming it occurred elsewhere.
Also part of the Alesia site is the statue of Vercingetorix erected under the orders of Napoleon III in 1865, showing how this leader perceived this historic figure.
Today, an impressive interpretative centre and archaeological museum has recently opened on the site of the siege in antiquity. The museum is built of stones, similar in look to the town buildings, but with contemporary technology, and is buried partially into the hill so that from above it appears as an extension of the landscape. Visitors may go to the roof to view the surrounding landscape from the position that the Gauls did two thousand years ago.
Two kilometres from the interpretation centre, not far from the remains of the Gallo-Roman town, a gigantic statue of Vercingetorix by the sculptor Aimé Millet stands at the top of Mount Auxois. From up there, you can see stunning views of the surrounding landscape!
Alesia is located in Burgundy, France. The address of the site is 1 Route des trois Ormeaux, 21150 Alise-Sainte-Reine, France. The closest town to Alesia is Dijon (roughly 55 kilometres away). If travelling from here, take the D971 northbound and exit onto the D104 just before Darois. Continue on this route (merges into D10) until you reach Alise-Sainte-Reine.
]]>The battle occurred on February 23, 1847 near the town of Angostura: American forces under the command of General Zachary Taylor. had invaded north-eastern Mexico, taking Monterrey and Saltillo. Mexican forces commanded by General Antonio López de Santa Anna marched north from San Luis Potosi to fight the invaders. The forces clashed outside the town of Angostura, and despite being massively outnumbered, heavy American artillery fire saw off the Mexican defence. The Mexican army suffered a heavy defeat and retreated, dispirited, during the night
Today a small memorial marking this important battle can be seen just off the main road in Angostura. There is also a museum dedicated to the battle in nearby Saltillo.
The battlefield memorial lies just south west of Saltillo, off Ruta 54. It’s most easily accessed by car, although you could get a taxi, colectivo or bus from Saltillo.
]]>Part of the Maryland Campaign and the Confederate Army’s first incursion into the North, led by General Lee, the Battle at Antietam raged for twelve hours and ended with a Confederate withdrawal, though only after a long, inconclusive, mutually destructive day’s fighting. The total cost to both sides was estimated to be upwards of 23,000 casualties.
It was far from a conclusive victory for the Union, but strategically, they had the upper hand following the Confederate abandonment of their invasion. The battle also provided enough political cover to allow President Lincoln to move forward with his preliminary Emancipation Proclamation.
Antietam Battlefield National Park commemorates this battle and is a goldmine of information about the War. With so many activities and tours, one could spend days there. However, those with limited time can visit the Antietam Battlefield visitors centre to see their exhibits, enjoy a battlefield talk by one of the Park Rangers or embark on an 8½ mile self guided tour of the Antietam Battlefield by car, bicycle or on foot.
The Antietam Battlefield tour has eleven stops and audio/CD guides are available at the park’s bookstore. There are also audio-visual experiences, one of which is introductory and runs for half an hour and the second an award-winning hour long recreation of the battle. Antietam is widely believed to be one of the best-preserved Civil War battlefields in America.
Note: the visitor centre is currently closed until Autumn 2022 for refurbishment.
The battlefield is located just outside of Sharpsburg, Maryland. If you’re travelling on Interstate 70 (Washington/Baltimore area), you’ll want to take exit 29 onto Route 65 (South) – it’s a further 10 miles, and the visitors centre is on your left. If you’re travelling from the north (Philadelphia) or south on Interstate 81, take exit 1 onto route 68, followed by Route 65 for another 5 miles.
]]>The Anzac Cove landings were part of the Gallipoli Campaign, an effort by the Commonwealth and by the French to remove Turkey from World War One. The troops were meant to land elsewhere but were erroneously dropped at Anzac Cove, which was a steep and difficult terrain.
Today, there are several memorials at Anzac Cove and it is the site where the dawn Anzac Day ceremonies are held.
The 600 metre-long cove, surrounded by headlands (one of which known as Hell Spit), became famous when ANZAC (Australian and New Zealand Army Corps) troops landed there in April 1915. The troops’ first priority was to set up a protected area of beach where supplies and troops could land.
The cove was also within 1 kilometre of the front-line and the range of Turkish artillery at ‘Beachy Bill’ or the Gaba Tepe battery, meaning the ANZACs were continually bombarded by enemy fire. Although this did not stop 2 field hospitals and an enormous supply store being established at Anzac. Nor did it prevent soldiers from indulging in their one luxury while without chances to wash: swimming in the water.
Anzac Cove continued to be the main base of Australian and New Zealand forces throughout the 8 month campaign until Allied forces were evacuated from Gallipoli in January 1916, having failed to take Turkey out of the conflict. In 1985, the name ‘Anzac Cove’ was officially recognised by the Turkish Government and at North Beach, a commemorative site was built.
Over a century since troops landed at Anzac Cove, the now quiet rugged coastline is a reflective spot for visitors interested in the history of World War One. The trenches still exist at the cove’s neck.
Just around the corner from where the ANZAC troops landed there is a memorial cemetery. It is worth hiring a local tour guide to give you a fuller view of the landings and activity at Anzac within the wider context of the Gallipoli campaign.
The easiest way to reach Anzac Cove is driving from Canakkale via the D550 and E87, which takes 48 minutes.
]]>The Battle of Averasborough took place on 15 and 16 March 1865. Part of the Carolinas Campaign of the American Civil War, the Battle of Averasborough was fought between the Unionist Army of Georgia led by Major General Henry W. Slocum and a Confederate army led by Lieutenant General William J. Hardee. The Union army, under General Sherman, had begun to march north – the Confederates acted swiftly in order to try and delay and damage the Union army’s progress northwards.
Sherman decided to split his troops at Cape Fear River, with those under General Slocum going via Averasboro and Bentonville. General Hardee was ordered to delay Slocum’s troops to allow General Joseph E. Johnston to amass troops at nearby Bentonville: he did this by engaging them at the Battle of Averasborough.
There is debate as to whether Hardee succeeded in delaying the Union army for as long as he required. Overall, the Battle of Averasborough resulted in over a thousand casualties, with 682 on the Confederate side and around five hundred Unionists. However, given Union forces outnumbered Confederate forces 3 fold, many believe they should have had a crushing victory.
Many see the battle as setting the stage for the major clash at the Battle of Bentonville, shortly afterwards, which was the last major clash in the Western American theatre of war.
The battlefield and accompanying museum and visitors centre are run by the Averasboro Battlefield Commission today – a non-profit organisation who have also restored the nearby Chicora Civil War Cemetery. The site is open Tuesday – Saturday, 10-3 normally, although it’s worth checking ahead of time. Look out for living history and battle re-enactments, which run semi-regularly. They’re a bit bonkers but quite fun, and definitely bring the place to life.
Averasboro is about 45 minutes south of Raleigh, and 25 minutes north of Fayetteville on the I-95. If you’re coming from Fayetteville, take exit 65 and move onto Highway 82 WEST, which is a scenic route through the heart of some of the most important territory from the Civil War. If you’re coming from Raleigh, take Exit 73 at Dunn and then follow signs for the battlefield and museum.
It was at the Ayn Jalut Battlefield that the Bahri Mamluks of Egypt defeated the Mongol Empire and prevented them from further expanding at the time (the Mongols would go on to capture Damascus and Gaza). Today, what remains is simply a set of fields with nothing to mark the battle site.
Expanding further westward, the Mongol Empire armies of Hulagu Khan captured and sacked Baghdad in 1258 and shortly after, the Auuybid’s capital Damascus. Hulahu demanded that Islamic ruler Qutuz of Egypt surrender, but instead he killed the envoys and put their heads on the Bab Zuweila gate of Cairo. Hulagu returned to Mongolia with most of his army, leaving behind 10,000 troops under General Kitbuqa.
Hearing the Mongols had departed Qutuz advanced quickly with his warrior-enslaved Mamluk army from Cairo to Palestine. It was at the Spring of Harod that his forces met with Kitbuga, and using hit and run tactics combined with feigned retreat and impressive flanking manoeuvres, the Mamluks pushed the Mongols back towards Bisan.
After a final attack, Kitbuqa was killed and the Mongols defeated – prevented for the first time from expanding their influence. This was also the first time a Mongol army did not return to avenge the defeat.
Today, the site of the Ayn Jalut Battlefield is situated within Ma’ayan Harod National Park and a kabbutz (housing compound) in modern Israel. As there are no surviving detailed descriptions of the battle, it is in fact difficult to place the exact spot of the battlefield and therefore to preserve it.
Make sure to take plenty of water and wear comfortable footwear, as Israel is very hot between April and November, and the ground is uneven with the path often covered in weeds and hard to find. The Spring of Harod is also nearby to visit.
You can reach Ayn Jalut Battlefield via the 71 road, a 35 minute drive from Nazareth. There is parking within Gid’ona. For public transport, the 67 bus stops at Gid’ona and runs every 2 hours on the hour.
]]>The Crimean War was fought between 1853 and 1856, ostensibly to preserve the rights of Christian minority communities in the Holy Land (which was then part of the Ottoman Empire). In 1854, Britain, France and the Ottoman Empire were attempting to capture the port of Sevastopol, a Russian naval base, and had established camps nearby as part of the Crimean War. They were besieging Sevastopol, but their siege lines were weak: the Russian plan was to break these siege lines and recapture the port of Balaklava.
Russian forces attacked Balaklava on 25 October 1854, in what became known as the Battle of Balaklava. Famously – or perhaps infamously – the battle ended when the British Light Brigade charged into the “Valley of Death”, the area between the Causeway Heights and the Fedyukhin Heights. This dramatic incident is now known as the “Charge of the Light Brigade” and ended in significant losses for the British. It was immortalised in a poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson.
Despite its fame, the Battle of Balaklava ended in something of a military stalemate, with roughly equal losses on both sides. This defeat also set the stage for a much bloodier subsequent battle – the Battle of Inkerman.
Today, the Balaclava Battlefield is mostly made up of vineyards, however the town of Balaklava has many monuments to the battle. There are also the remains of a Genoese fortress in the town.
Several tour companies run specific Crimean battlefield day trips and tours in the area: without one of these, you’ll need to do some serious research and use your imagination to come anywhere close to imagining what the battle would have actually been like. The town of Balaklava has a museum dedicated to its history, including some material on the battle.
Balaklava itself is a small settlement on the Crimean Peninsula, not far from the city of Sevastopol. The actual battlefield is located slightly north of town, just off the Krestovs’koho St. Wear good shoes to reach the actual sight!
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