One of the most iconic incidents of the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 was the charge of the Scots Greys, a crack cavalry regiment, into the heart of the French army. It was a moment of supreme daring and horse-riding skill, and Sergeant Ewart of the Greys succeeded in snatching one of Napoleon's coveted eagle standards. However it was also a military blunder. The Greys were quickly surrounded by enemy cavalry and cut to pieces. Of the regiment's 442 officers and men almost half, 198, were killed or injured. In the end the battle was won by the British and their allies and the eagle of the French 45th regiment is now on show in Edinburgh Castle. Iain Gale brings the bare outline of this legendary military exploit to life, giving the stories of the men involved and reconstructing the prelude, the aftermath, life in the Greys and the Battle of Waterloo as a whole. It is a uniquely exciting story of courage and military tactics in the heat of war.

The Battle of Waterloo in 1815 was a turning point in European history. The British and their allies led by the Duke of Wellington faced the massed forces of Napoleon. It was the French emperor's last throw of the dice after escaping from exile on Elba. One of the most iconic incidents of the battle which followed was the charge of the Scots Greys, Scotland's only cavalry regiment, into the heart of the French army. It was a moment of supreme daring and horsemanship, which helped to turn the battle in favour of Wellington's side, and Sergeant Ewart of the Greys succeeded in snatching one of Napoleon's coveted Eagle standards. The Scots Greys' prize and success came at a terrible cost. Of the regiment's 391 officers and men who charged, more than half, were killed or injured. Drawing on contemporary accounts and describing the experiences of actual participants in the charge, Iain Gale takes us headlong into the furious heart of the battle - unforgettably evoking the terror and the heroism of the soldiers, the savage butchery of hand-to-hand combat, the death and the glory.