Battle of Waterloo Skeletons Found in Attic!

Dan Snow's History Hit

History Hit

History

4.7 • 12.9K Ratings

🗓️ 24 January 2023

⏱️ 21 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Waterloo was one of the bloodiest battles in European history, yet until now only two bodies have ever been found on the battlefield. The remains of 10 British and Prussian soldiers who died in battle have just been discovered by the Belgian-German team Waterloo Uncovered; some skeletons had been resting in an attic for more than 40 years. The bones bare the brutality of the battle with marks from bladed weapons, one skull showing horrific damage caused by bayonet thrust or sword blow.

Historian Rob Schaefer and Researcher Bernard Wilkin from the Belgian State Archive who made the discovery, both join Dan on the podcast to break the news of the astonishing find. Dan hatches a plan to get over to the lab in Belgium asap to see the bones for himself and what they can tell us about the grim, violent reality of the 50,000 men who were killed or injured on the battlefield on 18th of June 1815.

Produced by Mariana Des Forges and edited by Dougal Patmore

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0:33.5	All right, everyone.
0:38.3	Welcome to Dance Nose History.
0:39.3	It got a big episode for you today.
0:40.9	It's more breaking news over here at History Hit.
0:42.9	We're working with colleagues in Europe to bring you the very exciting news that bodies
0:47.5	have been discovered on the battlefield of Waterloo.
0:51.7	The great clash in June 1815, the final definitive end of Napoleon's reign over France and over
1:00.9	much of Europe, the battle that it was a watershed in early modern European history.
1:07.4	That battle, despite looming so large in people's consciousness, has never produced much
	...

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