Alors, je ne sais pas si cela sera confirmé par notre expert maison (Bruno Masson), mais j’ai trouvé quelques éléments en grattant dans la série Sharpe où je me souvenais avoir vu une Rocket Troop.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o3H9U8mu ... ure=relmfuAllez directement à 2’ 30 et vous verrez un tir d’entraînement prenant place dans l’épisode.
Pour les fanas «anglophiles» il y en a un autre, épisode 11 je crois, où l’on voit les mêmes «rocketeers» écharper un bataillon français... mais c'est trop horrible... et pas réaliste !
Quelques échanges relatifs :
Richard Sharpe: [examining the Rocket Troop]
Very consistent, Lieutenant. Ten salvos and you've missed every time.
Wellington: You think there may be something in those rockets, Sharpe?
Richard Sharpe: Not as to accuracy, sir, but they play merry hell with the morality of poorly led men, sir. The sound is shocking.
Wellington: Scared you, did they?
Richard Sharpe: I was terrified, sir.
Et un texte explicatif :
Congreve Rockets
One of the more bizarre weapons featured in the episode is the Rocket artillery invented by Sir William Congreve (1772-1828). The Prince-Regent of England (the future King George IV) was so awed by these weapons that he insisted on sending a troop of them to the Duke of Wellington's Peninsular Army. But since neither Congreve, nor anyone else had any concept of aerodynamics, the rockets had no fins, or other stabilizers attached, and thus were wildly inaccurate.
The rockets were sporadically used in British Army engagements in the following years, including during the War of 1812 against the United States, inspiring the phrase "the rockets' red glare" in "The Star-Spangled Banner."
Bon, c'est en anglais, mais comme cela n'intéresse pas les Français (sauf Denis qui parle couramment anglais) c'est aussi bien, non ?
Diégo Mané


