NAM.1986-12-38-120

Order book format diary of the period, 6 Oct 1746- 3 Jul 1747, covering Maj Gen Alexander Dury's service with the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards in Germany. The 2nd Bn 1st Regiment of Foot Guards, many of them drunk, marched from the Savoy Barracks to Dartford, 28 Jan 1746, where they were joined by the 2nd Bn 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards who were very riotous and fired in the street. The two battalions embarked from Gravesend the next day and sailed on the 31st. They reached Williamstadt on 1 February from where the 1st Regiment of Foot Guards marched to Tilburg which was reached on the 9th. Here there were a succession of field days and inspections and Dury often served as Field Officer of the day. He noted the positions of the German, Dutch, and Austrian armies on 23 February. He attended a court martial on the 27th and describes the army's movements 24-17 June when they were reviewed by the Duke. On 17 June there was an engagement with the French at Doorst in which both sides sustained considerable casualties. They moved off on 18 June and were near Gelick on 30 June. The next day the opposing forces were close together, the British occupying La Val which they then set on fire. There was fighting for the possession of La Val and Lauffeld which changed hands several times. The Hanoverians 'did wonders' but the Hessians and Guards were less successful because of their previous long marches. Eventually, 'not sustained by the Dutch Cavalry who behaved shamefully ' some squadrons were forced to retire. The allies lost 5-6,000 men killed, wounded and missing and the French 12-15,000. The allies retreated through Maestricht and were not pursued by the French. The entries close on 3 July.

Lauffeld, Battle of, 1747 (War of the Austrian Succession 1740-1748)