He was an owner of thoroughbred racing horses, including a record equalling five winners of the Epsom Derby ( Blenheim, Bahram, Mahmoud, My Love, Tulyar ) and a total of sixteen winners of British Classic Races.

The Battle of Blenheim ( referred to in some countries as the Second Battle of Höchstädt ), fought on 13 August 1704, was a major battle of the War of the Spanish Succession.

The French right rested on the village of Blenheim near where the Nebel flows into the Danube ; the village itself was surrounded by hedges, fences, enclosed gardens, and meadows.

The Allied commanders agreed that Marlborough would command 36, 000 troops and attack Tallard's force of 33, 000 on the left ( including capturing the village of Blenheim ), whilst Eugene, commanding 16, 000 men would attack the Elector and Marsin's combined forces of 23, 000 troops on the right wing ; if this attack was pressed hard the Elector and Marsin would have no troops to send to aid Tallard on their right.

The French commanders were, however, divided as to how to utilise the Nebel: Tallard's tactic – opposed by Marsin and the Elector who felt it better to close their infantry right up to the stream itself – was to lure the allies across before unleashing their cavalry upon them, causing panic and confusion ; whilst the enemy was struggling in the marshes, they would be caught in crossfire from Blenheim and Oberglauheim.

At 13: 00, Cutts was ordered to attack the village of Blenheim whilst Prince Eugene was requested to assault Lutzingen on the Allied right flank.

Whilst these events around Blenheim and Lutzingen were taking place, Marlborough was preparing to cross the Nebel.

" Palmes, however, attempted to follow up his success but was repulsed in some confusion by other French cavalry, and musketry fire from the edge of Blenheim.

As Tallard consulted with Marsin, more of his infantry was being taken into Blenheim by Clérambault.

By 16: 00, with the enemy troops besieged in Blenheim and Oberglau, the Allied centre of 81 squadrons ( nine squadrons had been transferred from Cutts ' column ), supported by 18 battalions was firmly planted amidst the French line of 64 squadrons and nine battalions of raw recruits.

The French infantry fought tenaciously to hold on to their position in Blenheim, but their commander was nowhere to be found.

By now Blenheim was under assault from every side by three English generals: Cutts, Churchill, and Orkney.

" Nevertheless, although the war dragged on for years, the Battle of Blenheim was probably its most decisive victory ; Marlborough and Eugene, working indivisibly together, had saved the Habsburg Empire and thereby preserved the Grand Alliance from collapse.

A large open plain, just over 1 mile (~ 2 km ) wide, lay between Taviers and Ramillies, but unlike Blenheim, there was no stream to hinder the cavalry.

Cavalry was important at Blenheim ( 1704 ), Rossbach ( 1757 ), Eylau and Friedland ( 1807 ), remaining significant throughout the Napoleonic Wars.

The 7th Duke of Marlborough was the paternal grandfather of the British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill ( who was born at Blenheim Palace on 30 November 1874 ).

They inflicted a few resounding defeats to the French army ; the Battle of Blenheim in 1704 was the first major land battle lost by France since its victory at Rocroi in 1643.

Visitors come to visit Howe Caverns, Secret Caverns, The Carrot Barn, Vroman's Nose, the Old Blenheim Bridge ( which was destroyed by Hurricane Irene in August 2011 ), and the Old Stone Fort.

Notable aircraft produced by the company include the ' Boxkite ', the Bristol Fighter, the Bulldog, the Blenheim, the Beaufighter, and the Britannia, and much of the preliminary work which led to the Concorde was carried out by the company.

Bristol's most important contribution to the expansion of the RAF at this time was the Blenheim light bomber.

The Beaufighter was derived from the Beaufort torpedo bomber, itself a derivative of the Blenheim.

However, the main event followed on 13 August when Marlborough – assisted by the Imperial commander, the able Prince Eugene of Savoy – delivered a crushing defeat on Marshal Tallard's and the Elector of Bavaria's army at the Battle of Blenheim.

This was followed by another, more severe stroke in November, this time at a house on the Blenheim estate.

The effective collapse of Bavaria as a French ally and the capture of its most significant fortresses followed Blenheim by year's end.

They were married nine years later on 17 May 1997 in a civil ceremony at The Dorchester Hotel in London, England, followed by a chapel ceremony at Blenheim Palace in Oxford.

After the war the RAF had a policing role in Iraq, for which it was re-equipped with DH. 9As but by 1929 these in turn had been replaced by Westland Wapitis followed by Hardy's in 1935 and Blenheim Is in 1938.

In 1937 / 1938, two squadrons of the new Bristol Blenheim bomber arrived, followed in 1939 by two more squadrons with Spitfires and Avro Anson support aircraft, forming the No. 1 Camouflage Unit RAF.

Blenheim and then Prince George did the same in succession.

In most English houses today these rooms have usually become a meaningless succession of drawing rooms and the original intention lost, this is certainly true at both Wilton House and Blenheim Palace.

During 11 August, Tallard pushed forward from the river crossings at Dillingen ; by 12 August, the Franco-Bavarian forces were encamped behind the small river Nebel near the village of Blenheim on the plain of Höchstädt.

On the right of these French and Bavarian positions, between Oberglauheim and Blenheim, Tallard deployed 64 French and Walloon squadrons ( 16 drawn from Marsin ) supported by nine French battalions standing near the Höchstädt road.

Lord Cutts ’ column – who by 10: 00 had expelled the enemy from two water mills upon the Nebel – had already deployed by the river against Blenheim, enduring over the next three hours severe fire from a heavy six-gun battery posted near the village.

Part of the Battle of Blenheim tapestry at Blenheim Palace by Judocus de Vos.

The Battle of Blenheim by Joshua Ross

* Battle of Blenheim animated battle map by Jonathan Webb

The Duke of Marlborough had intended the 1705 campaign – an invasion of France through the Moselle valley – to complete the work of Blenheim and persuade King Louis XIV to make peace, but the plan had been thwarted by both friend and foe alike.

Spurred on by his growing confidence in his ability to out-general his opponent, and by Versailles ’ determination to avenge Blenheim, Villeroi and his generals anticipated success.

The battlefield of Ramillies is very similar to that of Blenheim, for here too there is an immense area of arable land unimpeded by woods or hedges.

Anne further honoured Churchill, after his leadership in the victories against the French of 13 August 1704 near the village of Blenheim ( German Blindheim ) on the river Danube ( Battle of Blenheim ), by granting him the royal manor of Woodstock, and building him a house at her own expense to be called Blenheim.

Ramillies And The Union With Scotland has fewer high spots than Blenheim and much less of its dramatic unity.

Several battles are considered classics in history, notably the Grand Alliance victories at Blenheim ( 1704 ) and Ramillies ( 1706 ), which drove the French forces from Germany and the Netherlands, or the French victory at Almansa ( 1707 ).

Becoming de facto leader of Allied forces during the War of the Spanish Succession, his victories on the fields of Blenheim ( 1704 ), Ramillies ( 1706 ), Oudenarde ( 1708 ), and Malplaquet ( 1709 ), ensured his place in history as one of Europe's great generals.

This oil sketch shows Marlborough, victor at Blenheim and Ramillies, in triumph.

He gained a series of military triumphs including victories at the 1704 Blenheim, the 1706, Ramillies, the 1708 Oudenarde and the 1709 Malplaquet battles.

After becoming a captain in the 10th Foot on 10 February 1703, he commanded a company at the battles of Schellenberg in July 1704 and Blenheim in August 1704, and was present at Menen ( where he led the storming of the covered way ) as well as Ramillies in May 1706, Oudenarde in July 1708 and Malplaquet in September 1709 ( where he received twenty three bullets through his clothing yet remained unhurt ).

** Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malpaquet, Dettingen, Guadelope 1759,

During the War of the Spanish Succession, the regiment fought at the Battles of Schellenberg and Blenheim ( 1704 ), the Battle of Ramillies ( 1706 ), the Battle of Oudenarde ( 1708 ) and the Battle of Malplaquet ( 1709 ).

* Tangier 1680, Namur 1695, Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Louisburg, Havannah, Egmont-op-Zee, Egypt, St Lucia 1803, Corunna, Busaco, Salamanca, Vittoria, San Sebastian, Nive, Peninsula, Niagara, Waterloo, Nagpore, Maheidpoor, Ava, Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Taku Forts, Pekin 1860, South Africa 1899-1902

** The Regimental Colours < sup > 1 </ sup >: Tangier 1662-80, Namur 1695, Gibraltar 1704-5, Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Dettingen, Minden, Louisburg, Guadeloupe 1759, Quebec 1759, Belleisle, Tournay, Barrosa, Martinique 1762, Seringapatam, Maida, Corunna, Talavera, Albuhera, Almaraz, Vittoria, Peninsula, Punniar, Moodkee, Sobraon, Inkerman, Sevastopol, Lucknow, Taku Forts, Pekin 1860, New Zealand, Afghanistan 1879-80, Nile 1884-85, Burma 1885-87, Relief of Ladysmith, Paardeberg, South Africa 1899-1902, Korea 1950-51

* Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Suakin 1885, Defence of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899-1902

** Namur 1695 ; Gibraltar 1704-5 ; Blenheim ; Ramillies ; Oudenarde ; Malplaquet ; Dettingen ; Louisburg ; Guadeloupe 1759 ; Quebec 1759 ; Maida ; Monte Video ; Vimiera ; Corunna ; Arroyo dos Molinos ; Tarifa ; Badajoz ; Salamanca ; Vittoria ; St Sebastian ; Pyrenees ; Nivelle ; Nive ; Guadeloupe 1810 ; Java ; Bladensburg ; Niagara ; Waterloo ; Bhurtpore ; Candahar 1842 ; Cabool 1842 ; Maharajpore ; New Zealand 1845-47 ; Alma ; Inkerman ; Sevastopol ; Canton ; Delhi 1857 ; Lucknow ; New Zealand 1860-68 ; Abyssinia ; Ahmad Khel ; Afghanistan 1878-80 ; Defence of Kimberley ; Defence of Ladysmith ; Relief of Ladysmith ; Afghanistan 1919 ; Korea 1952-53 ; The Hook 1953

: Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenaarde, Malplaquet

** Namur 1695 ; Blenheim ; Ramillies ; Oudenarde ; Malplaquet ; Dettingen ; Louisburg ; Quebec 1759 ; Bellisle ; Martinique 1762 ; Havannah ; St Lucia 1778 ; Martinique 1794, 1809 ; Tournay ; Mysore ; Seringapatam ; Ally Ghur ; Delhi 1803 ; Leswarree ; Dieg ; Corunna ; Guadaloupe 1810 ; Java ; Nive ; Peninsula ; Waterloo ; Bhurtpore ; Alma ; Inkerman ; Sevastopol ; New Zealand ; Abyssinia ; Afghanistan 1879 – 80 ; Tirah ; Relief of Kimberley ; Paardeburg ; Relief of Ladysmith ; South Africa 1899 – 1902 ; Afghanistan 1919 ; Korea 1952 – 53 ; The Hook 1953 ; Iraq 2003

* Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Beaumont, Willems, Talavera, Fuentes d ' Onor, Salamanca, Vittoria, Nive, Peninsula, Waterloo, Bhurtpore, Ghuznee 1839, Afghanistan 1839, Maharajpore, Aliwal, Sobraon, Suakin 1885, Relief of Kimberley, Paardeberg, Siege of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899-1902

Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Dettingen, Warburg, Beaumont, Willems, Salamanca, Vittoria, Toulouse, Peninsula, Waterloo, South Africa 1846-47, Balaclava, Sevastapol, Tel el-Kebir, Egypt 1882, Defence of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899 – 1902.

Pre-War ( Battle Honours for predecessor regiments ): Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Dettigen, Warburg, Beaumont, Willems, Salamanca, Vittoria, Toulouse, Peninsula, Waterloo, Balaklava, Sevastopol, Defence of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899 – 1902

* Blenheim, Ramillies, Oudenarde, Malplaquet, Dettingen, Bellisle, Martinique 1794, Bladensburg, Alma, Inkerman, Sevastopol, South Africa 1879, Burma 1885-87, Tirah, Relief of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899-1902

: Blenheim < sup > 1 </ sup >, Ramillies < sup > 1 </ sup >, Oudenarde < sup > 1 </ sup >, Malplaquet < sup > 1 </ sup >, South Africa 1846-7 < sup > 2 </ sup >, South Africa 1877-8-9 < sup > 2 </ sup >, Relief of Ladysmith, South Africa 1899 – 1902

The 26th was later authorised to carry the battle honours " Blenheim ", " Ramillies ", " Oudenarde ", and " Malplaquet ", for its four most prominent engagements in the war ; however, these were not authorised until 1882, a year after the regiment had been amalgamated into the Cameronians ( Scottish Rifles ).

The battle honours " Blenheim ", " Ramillies ", " Oudenarde ", and " Malplaquet " were also granted to the 26th, but not until 1882 ; as such, it was only ever borne by its successor, the Cameronians ( Scottish Rifles ).