Why is it said the Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing field of Eton?
Wellesley, who would later be honoured as the Duke of Wellington, would be remembered for all time to come for that cryptic comment that “The Battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton.” It was a comment which would inspire future generations of colonialists to do their bit in war and peace for King and …
Who said the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing fields of Eton?
The Duke of Wellington
The Duke of Wellington is alleged to have said that the battle was won on “the playing fields of Eton”. No, it was not – unless that school took a lot of foreign students. Many of the “British” soldiers at next week’s three-day “Waterloo 2” – as re-made for TV – will be Dutch or Belgians or Americans.
Was won on the playing fields of Eton?
The battle of Waterloo
In his book The Lion and the Unicorn (1941), the novelist George Orwell wrote: ‘Probably the battle of Waterloo was won on the playing-fields of Eton, but the opening battles of all subsequent wars have been lost there.
Who was the Battle of Waterloo fought between?
Napoleon’s French
The Battle of Waterloo was fought on 18 June 1815 between Napoleon’s French Army and a coalition led by the Duke of Wellington and Marshal Blücher.
Where was the Battle of Waterloo won?
Belgium
Battle of Waterloo
| Date | 18 June 1815 |
|---|---|
| Location | Waterloo, Netherlands (now Belgium)50.680°N 4.412°ECoordinates:50.680°N 4.412°E |
| Result | Coalition victory End of the Seventh Coalition Final defeat of Napoleon End of the Napoleonic Wars |
How many died at Battle of Waterloo?
Of the 68000 Anglo-Allied armed forces, there were 17000 military casualties, 3,500 killed outright, 3,300 missing and over 10,000 wounded, however this compared with French losses of at least 24000 killed and up to 8000 soldiers captured according to war service records.
How many horses died at Waterloo?
| Battle of Waterloo | |
|---|---|
| Casualties and losses | |
| Total: 41,000-42,000 24,000 to 26,000 casualties, including 6,000 to 7,000 captured 15,000 missing | Total: 23,000-24,000 Wellington’s army: 17,000 3,500 killed 10,200 wounded 3,300 missing Blücher’s army: 7,000 1,200 killed 4,400 wounded 1,400 missing |
| Both sides: 7,000 horses killed |
Could Napoleon have won the Battle of Waterloo?
Yes, Napoleon could have won at the battle of Waterloo had several things not taken place. First, Napoleon needed his confidence to win, and in this battle, he lacked it. After his Russian defeat and exile, he became inconfident. Although, if Napoleon had won the battle, he would’ve lost eventually in the end.
What happened to the bodies at Waterloo?
Historian John Sadler states that “Many who died that day in Waterloo were buried in shallow graves but their bodies were later disinterred and their skeletons taken. They were ground down and used as fertiliser and taken back home to be used on English crops.
What happened to the Scots Greys at Waterloo?
In all, the Scots Greys suffered 104 dead and 97 wounded and 228 of the 416 horses. Following the victory of Waterloo, the Scots Greys pursued the defeated French Army until Napoleon’s surrender and final abdication.
How many horses died in Lord of the Rings?
27 animals
Four animal wranglers involved in the making of The Hobbit movie trilogy told the Associated Press that as many as 27 animals—horses, goats, chickens, and sheep—died during the production of the Lord of the Rings prequel.
What would happen if Napoleon didn’t lose at Waterloo?
Napoleon after Waterloo. Even following a victory at Waterloo, Napoleon could not have been as offensive as he once had. “Whereas previously he had been an emperor, in 1815 he wasn’t,” says Forrest. The beaten Duke of Wellington probably would have played no further part in the ongoing fight against Napoleon.