Carradice, Phil Britain's Last Invasion. The Battle of Fishguard 1797

The history of Britain has been shaped by those who have invaded this small isle: the Romans, Vikings and Norman Conquest all moulded our society and culture. Surprisingly, the last time mainland Britain was ever invaded was not Duke Williams victory at Hastings in 1066 or even the Bloodless Revolution of 1688. It was, in fact, in February 1797 when 1,400 drunken and out-of-control French soldiers from the Legion Noire landed on the north coast of Pembrokeshire near Fishguard. With Britains Last Invasion dive in to the Battle of Fishguard, a military invasion of Great Britain by Revolutionary France. The little-known invasion consisted mainly of drunken Frenchmen rampaging around the area, burning churches and terrorising the locals. The role and courage of the women of Fishguard is revealed: when the men fled, the women stayed fast. Learn how the town cobbler Jemima Nicholas armed with only a pitchfork - captured twelve enemy soldiers. The attempted invasion lasted just three days, but had ramifications that we are still dealing with today. Following the attempt, the government recognised the need to strengthen the British fleet, a policy that lasted for over a hundred years and almost certainly helped prevent Napoleons later planned invasion.

This little-known 'invasion' of the British Isles consisted mainly of drunken Frenchmen who roamed the area, burning churches and terrorising the locals. The role and courage of the women of Fishguard is revealed to the reader: When the men fled, the women stayed behind to defend their homes against the French soldiery. As a result of this minor raid, which in fact only lasted three days, the British government decided to significantly reinforce the Royal Navy to prevent such incidents or more serious invasions in the future. A decision that was to have consequences for the future.