Archaeologists uncover ‘unique’ trench at Waterloo battlefield site

Archaeologists and military veterans have uncovered a “unique” clearance trench on the site of a field hospital on the Waterloo battlefield.

Veteran support charity Waterloo Uncovered is carrying out a targeted excavation at Mont-Saint-Jean farm in Belgium, which served as the Duke of Wellington’s field hospital during the battle in 1815.

A previous excavation at the same site in 2022 found the remains of horses, amputated limbs and a lone soldier laid to rest together in what is now the farm’s orchard.

A week of excavation this month has now uncovered a purposefully dug pit which experts said was likely designed to quickly clear the hospital of gore after the battle.

It contains deposits of human and animal remains separated by a barrier of ammunition boxes stripped from soldiers’ leather satchels.