James Wolfe (1727–1759) was a British Army officer who, from a young age, took part in major 18th-century conflicts. During the War of the Austrian Succession (1740–1748), he was posted as a junior officer to the Flemish front, where the British army fought alongside allies against French forces. He saw action at battles such as Dettingen (1743) and Lauffeld (1747), with Flanders serving as the backdrop for prolonged sieges and campaigns between the great European powers. In 1745, Wolfe was recalled to help suppress the Jacobite Rising in Scotland. After the decisive victory at Culloden, he returned once again to Flanders, gaining further combat experience during the final stages of the war. Later, in the Seven Years’ War (1756–1763), his theatre of operations shifted to North America. In 1759, he led the famous assault on Quebec, where he was mortally wounded during the Battle of the Plains of Abraham. His death made him a national hero in Britain and a key figure in the conquest of Canada.

A.G. Bradley

Wolfe