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It is the 24th March in the Julian calendar (OS), that's old New Year's Eve. It's financial New Year's Day - because we forgot to keep in synch with the Julian calendar when it slipped by a day in 1900. Hope you did all your taxes and pension stuff!
It is also the anniversary of the capture of Badajoz (Baddahoff) from the French on April 6th, 1812.
Lt James MacPherson climbed the ladder, only to find it was too short. So he told the men beneath him to lift up the ladder so he could scale the walls.
He climbed over, and was shot. But luckily, French musket balls were no match for a British officer and gentleman. But the impact resulted in him plummeting off the ramparts. But luckily, Spanish terra firma is no match for a British officer and gentleman.
Ignoring his two broken ribs, he climbed the ladder again, captured the fortification's keep and tore down the French tricolour.
It was at this moment that the most horrendous, ghastly reality of his situation hit home - he didn't have a Union Jack to raise in its place. How was he to signal that he'd captured the keep?
He removed his tunic and raised that up the flagpole. Thus it was known that the city was taken.
Today, I attended an annual commemoration of the victory.