Visit the 5th/60th Rifles, an active re-enactment group, in their 1815 Living History Camp. Around 1pm there will be a drill and firing display demonstrating the tactics used by line infantry at the Battle of Waterloo, two hundred years ago. The 5/60th was one of only three battalions of British Infantry ever-present in the Peninsular Wars. All their equipment is reproduced based on surviving sources and examples, and their drill is taught from original drill books of the period 1808-1814. The Rifles will be giving informal talks throughout the day in the camp, and if you’re ready to take the King’s shilling, they will also be recruiting!
And when you have visited the camp, take time to visit the current Manuscripts and Special Collections Weston Gallery exhibition in The DH Lawrence Pavilion at Nottingham Lakeside Arts. ‘Charging against Napoleon – Wellington’s campaigns in the Peninsular Wars and at Waterloo’ runs until 6 September and reflects on the conflict in its later stages, from the Peninsular Wars in Spain and Portugal in 1808 to the end of hostilities seven years later, culminating in the Battle of Waterloo.
Drawing on material from The University of Nottingham’s collections, the exhibition assesses the nature and impact of the war and its consequences. The displays describe key moments in the conflict, chart the rise to prominence of military commanders such as the Duke of Wellington and reveal Nottinghamshire’s contribution to the war effort.