Southampton: Memorial service for two Waterloo veterans

Southampton Old Cemetery is the final resting place of Lieutenant-Colonel William Hewett, who was the last surviving English officer to have fought at the battle.

Private John Russell, who also saw service at Waterloo, is buried nearby.

Geoff Watts, of Friends of Southampton Old Cemetery, beside the perfectly preserved grave of William Hewett (Image: Newsquest.)

His grave has been restored by the Napoleonic & Revolutionary War Graves Charity, which was represented at the service on Saturday.

Other guests included the soldier's great great grandson, Colin Russell, 68, of Fair Oak, and other members of the family.

Colin, who hopes to visit the battlefield, said: "The grave used to be all dirty and grey but now it looks absolutely fantastic. It's amazing what a difference they've made."

Waterloo witnessed the final defeat of Napoleon Bonaparte and is regarded as a key moment in European history.

Members of the Scots Guards Association at the grave of Private John Russell (Image: Newsquest.)

Private Russell was a member of the 3rd Regiment of Foot, now the Scots Guards. After helping to defend Hougoumont Château he was married in London in 1818 and went on to have nine children.

In 1841 he moved to Southampton, where he worked as a cabinet maker. The business became Russell and Sons, which continued trading until the 1960s.

John Russell lived in an era when diseases such as cholera and typhoid were rife.

He highlighted the need for a decent water supply and also called for public baths to be opened to improve people's hygiene. He was living at Clifford Street when he died aged 78 in 1864 after a bout of bronchitis.

Some of the other graves at Southampton Old Cemetery (Image: Newsquest.)

The second part of the service was held beside the grave of Lieutenant-Colonel Hewett.

He also survived the battle but witnessed the terrible toll it took on many of his fellow soldiers. Following Napoleon's defeat he was sent to Paris as part of the Army of Occupation.

During his final years, he lived at East Park Terrace, Southampton, dying aged 96 in 1891.

The service was hosted by Friends of Southampton Old Cemetery and took place the day before the 208th anniversary of the battle in which an estimated 20,000 men were killed.

Guests included members of the Scots Guards Association and the Lord Mayor of Southampton, Cllr Valerie Laurent.

She said: "It's to your credit that you preserve the graves of these two brave men. With this ceremony, they live on."