Battle of Roucoux 1746
Battle: Roucoux
War: War of the Austrian Succession or King George’s War.
Date: 11th October 1746
Place: Outside Liege on the west bank of the River
Meuse in Flanders (Belgium).
Combatants: 120,000 French against 80,000 British,
Hanoverians, Austrians and Dutch.
Generals: Marshall Saxe (French), Prince Charles
of Lorraine (Austrian) and General Sir John Ligonier
(British)
Size of the armies: 60,000 French. 40,000 Allied
troops.
Winner: French
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"Grenadier of the 8th King’s Regiment of Foot” |
British Regiments: Roucoux is not a battle honour for any
British regiment. The following regiments were present at the
battle: Royal Scots Greys (2nd), 6th and 7th dragoons, 8th, 19th,
33rd and 43rd Foot.
Account:
During the Jacobite rebellion, which had brought almost all the
British regiments back to Britain, Marshall Saxe continued with
his invasion of Flanders, capturing Brussels, Antwerp, Namur and
Charleroi. He now threatened to invade Holland. The Pragmatic
Allies were forced to take up a position outside Liege where
Marshall Saxe attacked them. The Allied right, resting on the
River Jaar, was entrenched and strongly held by the Austrians.
The Hanoverian foot and four English battalions stood in the
centre. The Hanoverian and British cavalry extended the line to Roucoux.
The French gained access to Liege in the Allies’ rear.
The French then
attacked the Dutch on the left and launched fifty-two battalions
against the resisting several attacks the eight battalions were forced
back. Finally the Dutch were forced to retreat across the rear of the
British and Hanoverians, while General Ligonier held the French off
with his British cavalry and the 19th and 43rd foot formed a
rearguard. The army crossed the Meuse to safety.
Casualties: The Pragmatic Allies lost around 5,000 men. The
French casualties were said to be around 10,000. The British regiments
lost 350 killed and wounded of whom around 200 were lost by the 43rd
Foot. The French captured 8 British and Hessian guns.
General Sir John Ligonier
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