Page 63 - History of War - Issue 01-14

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DESTINATION

WATERLOO

Napoleonic Wars: It was one of the bloodiest encounters in
history – and now, as Paul Dimery discovers, you can witness
the Battle of Waterloo fi rst-hand on an anniversary tour

APOLEON BONAPARTE WAS ONE OF been wounded (the Duke of Wellington, upon
the greatest Generals of his age, visiting the area some years after his victory and
a brilliant tactician who modernised seeing the consequences of the Mound, was
the French army and was victorious heard to cry, “They have ruined my battlefi eld!”).
in numerous military campaigns. So And cars and lorries now drive past on the
why was he defeated and forced to Brussels to Charleroi highway, oblivious to what
surrender at happened here two
Nthe Battle centuries ago. But apart
of Waterloo? Perhaps THE LANDSCAPE HAS BARELY from that, the landscape
the best way to fi nd has barely changed, a
out is to visit the CHANGED, A POIGNANT poignant memorial to the
site and witness this many thousands of men
bloodiest of clashes MEMORIAL TO THE THOUSANDS who lost their lives on
for yourself. No, we that fateful June day.
haven’t invented a WHO LOST THEIR LIVES The years leading up
time machine – it’s all to 1815 had been a
part of the experience period of turmoil. With
on an organised battlefi eld tour. the ambitious Napoleon hellbent on conquering
Certain aspects of the Belgian site have Europe, numerous battles – the Napoleonic
changed since 1815, of course. Shortly after Wars – had been fought between his Grande
the battle, a landscape-altering manmade hill – Armée and various European coalitions,
Lion’s Mound – was built to commemorate the the majority won by the French. However, a
spot where Prince William of Orange, later King disastrous excursion into Russia in 1812, where
William II of the Netherlands, was said to have Napoleon’s army was left dilapidated by

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