I am currently rereading – for about the fourth time – the Arthur books, and Sharpe’s Waterloo. (This sparked an interest in military history of the period). The story of the fattest man in the Prussian Army being entrusted with the news of the French invasion has long intrigued me, but yours is the only book I have read that mentions the episode. Does this man have a name, or where else can I find out more about the story?

Geoff Brown