Napoleon in the English Channel

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We bought a section of land to build a house on from an elderly Cornishman, like most of his generation a fantastic story teller, my regret that I never had it on tape.

The following is one of those tales, passed to him by an elderly aunt.

Napoleon was in the English Channel, as the fleet came to their harbour it hoved to and one smaller vessel peeled off and headed inshore. The locals thought it was checking for an invasion site, no soldiers nearby so a plot was hatched. All the younger women headed up to the lighthouse, peeled off outer clothing exposing red petticoats, then marched around the lighthouse with broomsticks on their shoulders. The French vessel assumed it was a garrison, rejoined the fleet which sailed on.

Now my old neighbour could tell you the date, the name of the village, the time and the tide details etc. etc. I regret I do not remember. I often think history was changed that day.

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