Napoleon's great army threatened the peace of Europe once more at the weekend, although the turn out was a little short of the 74,000 French who battled an allied force of 67,000 in 1815.

On the Belgian battlefield, the 1,200 uniformed "soldiers" who had come from all over Europe prepared to meet their fates.

About 100 cavalry went galloping off, sabres drawn; the gunfire started and the infantry advanced, howling horribly.

The outcome was of course the same as in 1815, except for the loss of 12,000 men in battle.