For three centuries, British schoolchildren have been forced to memorize the acronym BROM - to refer to the four great victories of the Duke of Marlborough, at Blenheim, Ramelies, Oudenaarde, and Malplaquet, during the 18th century War of the Spanish Succession. The Battle of Oudenaarde, on 11 July, 1708, was actually a loose series of engagements fought over a broad rectangle of hills and villages, with the city and the Scheldt River as the general objectives. From their forced march to get here (armies moved like snails in those days) to their brilliant encircling movements, Marlborough and his generals proved conclusively that they deserved every accolade showered upon them by a grateful British nation. This was a rougher day for the French, with one opportunity after another squandered by Louis, the royal Duke of Burgundy. In the end, neither his excellent troops, nor the able commander Vendome, could save the French King's grandson from the ill effects of his own decisions. While the future King George II of England was having one horse after another shot from under him, Louis hemmed and hawed and gave up the field along with 15,000 troops. Today, this battlefield has all but disappeared. With a history text or two, you can trace the armies' movements, but there are no plaques, memorials, vantage points, or graveyards to commemorate the day, no Marlborough hotels or Cadogan and Argyle pubs. This might be a good thing, but it is unusual in this perennially war-torn country. We were photographing the French positions along the Norken River one afternoon, when a Flemish cyclist rode up and asked what we were up to. We told him that a battle had been fought here. He thought for a moment, then said, "Oh, the ancient British." read more

Oudenaarde Battlefield - Funeral Services & Cemeteries Near Me