Waterloo to be recreated in game for veterans’ support

The Battle of Waterloo is to be re-staged in a massive table-top war game to raise funds for archaeology and veterans’ support

Organisers are looking for war gamers, schoolchildren, artists, military personnel and veterans to get involved in the event being staged in Glasgow in June 2019.

It will involve more than 20,000 figures, with every battalion, regiment and battery involved in the real 1815 battle represented at the Kelvin Gallery in the University of Glasgow.

The university is working with charity Waterloo Uncovered, which has been excavating the Waterloo battlefield since 2015 with a team of professional archaeologists working alongside veterans and serving personnel, many of whom suffer from a range of physical and mental injuries as a result of the their service.

The figures for the recreation will come from the more than 80 war game collectors who will be needed to replay the Battle of Waterloo. It is also hoped sponsors will lend collections while schools and members of the public can volunteer to take part in a massive painting club in the months leading up to the war game.

University of Glasgow archaeologist Professor Tony Pollard has led the Waterloo Uncovered project, and said: “History tells us who won a battle or a war. Projects like this help to bring history out of the pages of books and to a wider audience.

“The Battle of Waterloo is one of those iconic battles involving the famous historical figures of Napoleon Bonaparte and the Duke of Wellington.

“Many Scottish regiments fought under Wellington’s command at Waterloo.

“Indeed Wellington has become an iconic and much loved part of Glasgow’s cityscape after a traffic cone was placed on his statue’s head a few years ago in the centre of the city. So it seems fitting to do this event in Glasgow.

“This is for a great cause but we need the public’s help to make this one-off charity event a success.

“No matter your level of expertise, we need as many people to help with our painting club and you can volunteer via our website - www.waterlooreplayed.com. We hope people from all over the UK and beyond will get involved in supporting this superb event.”

As part of an education and community project, military figures and veterans will work with those actually playing in the recreation.