WELLINGTON AND ALLIES HEADQUARTERS RENOVATION ONE YEAR LATER

February 10, 2015

During 18 June 1815 the walled farms of Hougoumont was attacked seven times by Napoleon’s infantry and was defended with tenacity and resilience by soldiers of the light companies of three British regiments of Foot Guards under the leadership of the Duke of Wellington, soldiers of the 1st Nassau Regiment and the 1st Hanoverian Brigade.

For the bicentenary of the battle in June 2015 this farm should be renovated and be a memorial in honnor of the Wellington and his alleys soldiers.



Old paintings of the battle around the Hougoumont farm



In 1945 the farm started to detoriate



in 2012 it looked even worse



When I went there in March 2013 it looked  like this, the works could start !



I came back in March 2014 and indeed the works had started



and one year later it looks like this ! I couldn't see very much as the entrance was closed. But from the little I saw I sincerely started to doubt if it would be finished in June !









There was still a lot of work to do to repair the walls





Only one commemorative plaque had been cleaned



The rear side looked only slightly better





At least the big door had been repaired and apparently inside there had been some progress









But the surroundings looked like a big mess



Only the battle field looked renovated, because there was nothing to be done ! 



And here is the maquette how it should look when it is finished ! I think a Harry Potter team is badly needed !


A link to a video made by Peter Snow (UK) is here