Sunday, February 10, 2008

British mapmakers battle-scarred by blunder

LONDON (AFP) - The Duke of Wellington's descendants could be forgiven for wanting to put the boot in after blundering mapmakers said he led the 1066 invasion of England, newspapers reported Saturday.

William the Conqueror is usually credited with leading the Norman invasion and winning the Battle of Hastings.

But locals in Battle, near Hastings on the southern English coast, got a surprise when they got their hands on the new Battle Town Map And Guide.

The guide said it was Britain's 1815 Battle of Waterloo hero the Duke of Wellington who fought king Harold II's forces.

"I'm obviously living in the wrong place or time," said Fred Carver, from the Battle Museum of Local History.

"Or we have been rather misguided in thinking William the Conqueror ever came here. How it occurred I have no idea," he was quoted as saying in The Daily Telegraph.

The town council did not get the chance to proof-read the guide before it went to print and only found out about the historical howler when they and advertisers received copies this week.

"We are aware there is an error on the Battle map and guide," said managing director Les Ball.

"We will be going to press shortly, with any errors rectified accordingly."

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