During the Battle of Waterloo (18 June 1815), the farm of Mont-Saint-Jean served as a field hospital for the Allied forces led by the Duke of Wellington. In 2019, as part of the ‘Waterloo Uncovered’ project, researchers already found the remains of three amputated legs, after which the work was halted due to the corona pandemic.
Excavations have been resumed since this year and they yielded results last week. In an orchard adjacent to the farm, the researchers found a human skeleton and the bones of horses or mules.
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Dealing with the wounded in these battles, which caused more than 10,000, was a huge challenge.
“What we see here is the reality of war,” explained Tony Pollard, a professor at the University of Glasgow and one of the project’s leaders. “Handling the wounded in these battles, which caused more than 10,000, was a huge challenge. There was no great ritual or sign of respect. The grave that was uncovered makes it clear that the bodies were simply left here.”
In addition to the farm of Mont-Saint-Jean, this year also excavations took place in Plancenoit, where the bloodiest battles took place during the Battle of Waterloo. In particular, a hundred musket balls were found there.