Skip to main content

Belgium ht The positions of the Anglo-Allied, French, and Prussian forces during the Battle of Waterloo. Hougoumont farm was converted into a strongpoint on Wellington’s flank, while a field hospital was created to the rear at Mont-St-Jean. to cover his right, centre, and left. The battle raged from morning to night, and – had it not been for the arrival of what was left of the Prussian army – might have gone Napoleon’s way. It was, as Wellington said, ‘the damn-nearest run thing you ever saw in your life.’ Today, the Waterloo Uncovered project is well known for bringing archaeologists together with serving personnel and veterans (SPVs), many of the last having suffered physical and/or mental trauma as a result of their service. It has been recognised that archaeology can serve as a therapeutic pursuit, and Waterloo Uncovered has earned its place as a leading practitioner in the nascent field of ‘veteran archaeology’. What makes this project unique, however, is its long-term focus on a single site, and one that has been the scene of past conflict. Our project has allowed veterans to engage with a historic battle, which in some cases saw their own units in action, and indeed it was founded by a veteran of and a serving officer (Mark Evans and Charlie Foinette) in the Coldstream Guards, a regiment that proudly carries Waterloo on its colours. Waterloo Uncovered is a l s C o m m o n s / G i a i m e d i k : W I M AG E partnership that includes universities and archaeological units, but key to its success is the collaboration with AWaP, which is the Wallonian state agency with responsibility for heritage and archaeology (see the ‘Further information’ box on p.35). As part of the archaeological team, SPVs learn new skills, and some have gone on to study archaeology at university, but they have also been known to provide insights from their own military experience. It is a relationship that works well and, perhaps counterintuitively, exposure to a site of conflict, albeit one over 200 years old, has overwhelmingly been found to have a positive impact on the well-being of those who have themselves been scarred by war. From the ashes Up until 2019, the attention of the Waterloo Uncovered project had been focused on Hougoumont, the chateau and farm complex on Wellington’s right, which was turned into a temporary fortress. Napoleon intended an attack there to draw men from elsewhere on Wellington’s line, and thus allow him to l a s s Gi l y : E m I M AG E s www.world-archaeology.com Excavating the remains of the barn to the east of the north gate at Hougoumont. The feature in the centre of the trench was a pit into which waste from the demolished, burnt-out building was deposited, including roofing slate (the roofs are often portrayed as being ceramic tiles or even thatched). The figure in shorts is Phil Harding, famous for his appearances on BBC TV’s Time Team. Among the demolition debris the team found this Scots Guard (3rd Foot Guards) button; another lay back to back with it, directly beneath it ( abov e ). CurrentWorldArchaeology 31

My Bookmarks

Skip to main content