Abstract Toulouse is well known as probably the biggest European aerospace concentration with such names as Aerospatiale, Dassault, Thomson, MATRA, CNES, Air France and many others. What is less known, however, is that nearly two centuries ago an early rocketry pioneer, William Congreve, had his rockets used in anger during the Toulouse battle. Even more interesting, he later happened to stay in the Languedoc capital while trying to find his way to Nice on his boat: death caught him there before he could reach his final destination. This paper explains the significance of the use of Congreve rockets during the Toulouse battle, which was actually the last Napoleonic combat before exile. It also elaborates on the research trying to clarify the many unknowns about Congreve's stay in Toulouse at the end of his life. This includes a search for his grave since the original one has been displaced with the disappearance under the builder's axe of the original Protestant and Jewish Cemetery in the town centre.


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    Title :

    Congreve and toulouse


    Contributors:

    Published in:

    Acta Astronautica ; 19 , 6-7 ; 631-648


    Publication date :

    1989-03-07


    Size :

    18 pages




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Electronic Resource


    Language :

    English



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