As rain fell on Hougoumont farm on 11 September 2017, the Waterloo Uncovered team was setting up a pop-up museum inside the gardener’s house. A WU team of four were staying in Belgium for a couple of days, while the Help for Heroes Big Battlefield Bike Ride was in town. Help for Heroes have been supporting Waterloo Uncovered participants since 2015, and their presence at Waterloo was a great occasion to tell them about the work WU is able to do with their help. On Monday 11th September, the cyclists departed from Lille, to finish the day in Brussels. On the way there, they had a brief stop at Waterloo, below the Lion Mound, for a small respite before the day’s final cycling effort, through wind and rain, to a hotel in central Brussels. Battlefield guides were at the Lion Mound to give them a talk about the Battle of Waterloo, but the group from Waterloo Uncovered was on hand to give additional information, with a walking tour of Hougoumont and a display of posters and finds from WU excavations. The team was made up of Mark Evans (WU’s CEO), Rachel Willis (serving soldier and July 2017 participant), Midge Spencer (veteran and July 2016&2017 participant), and Alex Cauvi (WU’s communications officer). Help for Heroes support Mark, Rachel and Midge.

Rachel with the finds display.

Midge with one of the posters in the WU display.

While the walking tour of Hougoumont had to be cancelled due to the apocalyptic weather conditions, the team was able to present their exhibition of posters and finds to those brave enough to make their way to the farm that afternoon (and to a few curious tourists). But whether they came to Hougoumont or not, the BBBR cyclists, a group of roughly 250, were all present at dinner in their Brussels hotel that night, and so was Waterloo Uncovered. And between pudding and a well-deserved night’s sleep, Mark gave an introduction to the project and Rachel recounted her experience of the July 2017 excavation. The WU team then mingled with the H4H cyclists, showing them finds, and chatting with those who had been unable to meet us at Hougoumont.

Mark tells students at the College Jean XXIII about the Battle of Waterloo, and the work of Waterloo Uncovered.

Before the class, Midge catches up with Eva, archaeologist with WU and history teacher.

Being in Belgium was also a great opportunity to talk to a different type of audience: a class of 17-year-old students. One of our archaeologists and supervisors, Eva Collignon, teaches history when she is not doing archaeology. She invited us to take over one of her classes on 12th September at the College Jean XXIII in Brussels, to tell her students about Waterloo Uncovered and its work. The teenagers showed interest in archaeology and enjoyed getting a more unusual lesson, and a glimpse into the world of archaeology. After Mark gave a short presentation about the Battle of Waterloo, the work Waterloo Uncovered, and particularly the archaeology, the students were able to look at and handle some finds, and to have a more informal chat with veterans Mark Midge and Rachel. Both finds and veterans were obviously of interest to the students — and an occasion for them to interact with worlds they don't often encounter. And the WU team greatly enjoyed interacting with the group of bright, curious students, whom we hope have now gained an interest in archaeology, and veterans' issues.