THE BRITISH ARMY ON THE CONTINENT OE EUROPE. 
161 
the most appreciative audience you can get; you will find it a very different thing 
when you get to the Staff College.” I think that Staff College audiences are not 
as unappreciative as might be inferred from that officer’s remark, but it was right 
no doubt in so far that the rank and file of our army do take great interest and 
that time is well spent in giving instructions in military history—I mean, of a 
character suited to their requirements; and it was with that in my mind, as a 
practical officer engaged in the training of troops and looking out for ideas, that 
I came to this lecture of Dr. Maguire’s, which has given me great pleasure to 
hear and for which I am very much indebted to him and the Royal Artillery 
Institution. 
Colonel F. A. Yorke, R.A.—Gentlemen, I only wish to say, with regard to 
one point that was mentioned by Dr. Maguire in the course of his very interesting 
lecture, that the battery of artillery which look part in the great battle of Yaux, 
17th April, 1794, he referred to is now, I believe, No. 5 of the Western Division. 
It is mentioned in Colonel Duncan’s book that after that battle was over the Duke 
of York formed up the whole of the army and made the battery march past him 
in recognition of its great gallantry. In this battery, which I had the honor of 
commanding for five years, we purchased a silver shield, to which all the officers, 
non-commissioned officers and men subscribed and on it was engraved all the 
battles. This battery had taken part in over 50 battles and sieges. The shield 
was kept in the sergeant’s mess and on Christmas day and general’s inspection it 
was put in the sub-division that had the best marksmen and on guest nights it 
was placed on the officers’ mess-table. The other day I got a letter from India 
saying that the centenary of the battle (a short history of the battery has been 
written by Major W. Tilden, R.A.) had been held. Then the lecturer mentioned 
the politeness that was displayed between the two armies at Fontenoy. An officer 
who was in the Army of Occupation had a quarrel one night with a French officer 
and it was settled that they should fight a duel. The English officer did not know 
anything about fencing, but they went out to a quiet place the next morning and 
the seconds put them in position. The French officer, in the usual manner, bowed 
to the right and then to the left and the English officer took that opportunity to 
run him through. The French second said he had acted unfairly, but the 
Englishman replied he was very sorry, but he thought the gentleman had begun 
(laughter). 
Major E. S. May, R.H.A.—General Maurice and brother officers, when Dr. 
Maguire asked me to-night to add to what has proved so singularly interesting a 
lecture some gleanings of my own as regards the actions in which our artillery 
have particularly distinguished themselves during the last two centuries, even 
though he limited me to Europe, he really set me rather a difficult task. 
Recause, if I may say so without undue pride, guns have been in the thick 
of the fight so often and in so many places during that period, and have so 
frequently distinguished themselves that selection from amongst their achieve¬ 
ments is by no means an easy thing to undertake. During the past century, 
however, there were some deeds done by artillerymen which, I believe, I may 
hold up to special admiration without fear of any critic gainsaying me. The 
career of Albert Eorgard belongs to that period, is full of shining and instructive 
examples for us and is identified with much of which one may be proud. The 
expedition to Cadiz in 1702 marks the opening years, and we should note that one 
too which sailed for Spain and the bombardment of Yigo in 1719, because that 
was the first occasion on which batteries, or rather companies, were engaged as 
units of the one great Regiment, which had just been created and which we call 
“ our’s ” still. The year 1727 is identified with the name of Colonel Jonas 
Walton and the siege of Gibraltar, in 1743 was fought Dettingen, and in 1746 
