21eme Regiment de Ligne
   
 
  John Szestowicki

John Szestowicki died on 23rd  January 2013. 

He was a large figure in our Regiment from its very beginning until he retired on account of ill health few years ago. John was also known as; That grumpy old sod, chef de camp exquisite,breakfast being his particular specialty. 

John Szestowicki Muncaster Castle 1985.

Those who knew John can easily imagine how Napoleon's old grumblers sounded  (grognards).  Much to everyone's amusement John never stopped grumbling about anything!!
 
John started as chasseur of the guard in the Sabre society in 1972 took part in a big display of battle of Waterloo in Lichfield in I think 1073/4 where the old guard attacked the British in a massive column of 50/60 men all wearing plastic cross belts and backpacks made of plastic or painted canvas filled with foam. Most guns were wooden then, with percussion cap. The bearskins were man made fibre.

 I met John in the Chasseurs of Derby when I joined in 1974 for regular musters on the farm on the way to Ashbourne. John then followed the group from Derby including Allan Fagg and Clive Constable when we become Voltigeurs of the newly formed line regiment 21eme de ligne 1978. He and I travelled to the events together often because John did not drive. We travelled together to most events for nearly 21/23 years.

Waterloo 1985

John Szestowicki
John had not attended our events for a few  years on account of declining health. For those of us few veterans who knew him he will remain in an indelible memory and like the 7 men of Gascony when the drums play l'assemble he will be there with us on the march.
RIP (dormir en paix) John
 
Christopher Perko
 
Colonel Lamotte

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Commanding Officer
 
Chris Perko
Algrave Hall
Hassock Lane North
Shipley
Derbyshire DE75 7JB
The Adjutant
 
Chris Durkin
7 Lowcroft Crescent
Chadderton
Oldham OL9 9UU
Position of the Regiment
 
25th May
1790 Regiment Guyenne at Lyon
1792: Journal militaire:1st battalion arrived Besancon
1793 Landau, siege until 28th December.
1794 At Nice, General Kellerman formed a Polish battalion with men found in the 21eme demi-brigade, 9 companies of 3 officers and 70 men.
1796 Evening, Massena's division (21e) along left bank of the Ellero, from Mondovi to the Tanaro.
1798 Into garrison at Amiens, 2nd battalion at Nantes (formed March 1797), 3rd at Dunkirk
1799 Magnano, towards Brescia.
1800 Pas de Suse, and town of Suse.
1801 Battalion expeditionnaire formed on the Ile de Re, with 140 of the 21eme, 106 56th Line, 59 5th Light, 58 Colonial depot Ile de re, 28 legion Loire, 119 cannoniers 5th Foot artillery, on the frigate l'Africaine.
1803 Bruges Camp/Ostend, 3/4 battalions Flessigne until July 1804.
1804 3rd and 4th battalions to Cologne.
1805 Crossed the Danube at Pressberg, one battalion at Bruick, other in villages of Regelbrun, Arbestal, Collesbrunn, Willfersnauer, and Schadendorf, until 5th January 1806.
1806 Division Kreus Munster
1807 Division at the Hohenstein camp until 5th June.
1808 Juliers
1809 Division left Ebersdorf for Vienna
1810 Brunswick, until October.
1811 Stade
1812 Division Thorn
1813 Order to form 1st Corps, 1st division, 33rd Provisional demi-brigade (2/12, 2/21) forming near Erfurth, united into corps at Wittenberg.
1814 Bergen op Zoom
1815 Lille









1815 Between Quatre-Bras and Waterloo.
Waterloo 1985
 
Boulogne 1991 on the Video page.
 
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