SPALDING GENTLEMEN'S SOCIETY

Stuart Orme is one of those lucky people who, very obviously, loves what he does, and what he does is bring really interesting lesser known historical detail to life. The fact that a British Army fought the French in Spain and Portugal in what is known as the Peninsular War is general knowledge; but the fact that the British success was based largely on their General having a superior Intelligence Service is not so well known. Stuart proceeded to tell his audience in the most entertaining way about a network of spies who willingly and audaciously assisted the British. He told of how the British broke the code used by the French military in their written despatches and apparently the French never discovered that this was happening. There were tales of derring-do about lone officers bluffing their way across enemy countryside. Perhaps it was the real life exploits of the British that prompted Conan-Doyle to write his stories about Brigadier Gerard?