Happy Waterloo Day - Napoleonic Wars Badges
 

A Happy Waterloo Day to all,

Whilst I appreciate that badges and militaria from this era will be excessively rare and correspondingly expensive I wondered if Forum Members had any items in their collections from this period they could show. The only items I have are a few Militia buttons which are from the immediate pre Napoleonic War period and these seem to be fairly accessible to the Collector although again, some can be expensive. (Roy's collection showing some superb examples).

I know a number of Regiments celebrate Waterloo Day, my own, The Coldstream Guards, 'Hang the Brick' later in the year in commemoration of the deeds of Sergeant Graham, 'The Bravest Man at Waterloo'!

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_..._Army_soldier)

Anything out there or details of how the various Regiments commemorate this day?

Simon.

Hi Simon ,one of the Rifle Brigade belt plates that im looking for has the Angel from the reverse of the Waterloo medal on the top.

Hanoverian Waterloo Medal to a member of Feld Battaillon Lauenburg, part of the 6th Hanoverian Brigade of the 4th Division which was commanded by Sir Charles Colville.

Soldat Friederich Grindler was spectator rather than active participant at the battle.

Happy Waterloo day to you too.
A nice thread to start, looking forward to some interesting bits and bobs.
Chris

Though not Waterloo era, the cap badge of my old Regiment, the eagle of the French 45th Regiment, captured by Sergeant Charles Ewart of the Royal North British Dragoons.
Chris

My old regiment (as the V, VI, VII and XX Regiments of the time) managed to avoid the unpleasantness at Waterloo.

Leigh,

Stunning medal, many thanks for showing it to us. Is it difficult to research Hanoverian Forces involved in the Napoleonic era?

Simon.

Mike

A wonderful and quality belt plate and particularly fitting for this thread with the addition of the Angel, awarded to the Brigade as a form of Battle Honour recognition for Waterloo I assume?

Simon.

Chris,

Thanks for the image, remember reading about Sergeant Ewart as a lad, obviously held in the same esteem by the Regiment as Sergeant Graham is with The Coldstream.

Simon.

It was difficult for me to research back whenever I last tried but that would've had a lot too do with me not knowing what to do, where to look, so I havnt learned anything about the man.

I should have a bronze medal but don't know where its is and I'm not sure if it it's definitely the Prussian medal or if it actually had the date "1814" rather than "1815".

Another notable Waterloo cavalryman, Cpl John Shaw of The 2nd Life Guards - got tanked up and fighting mad on gin, couldn't wait to have a crack at the French and took off at them.

A prize fighter, just over 6" tall and built like a brick outhouse, he would've stood out in the crowd at a time when the tall men of the 1st Foot Guards were 5'8".

Must've been a heck of a character - but I don't think I've wanted to share a barrack room with him.

Apparently the Grenadier Guards did most of the graft, on the 18th. Just saying.....
Andy:D

Thanks for the link Leigh, very interesting. Had never heard of Corporal Shaw until now and found this link regarding him.

https://ageofrevolution.org/200-obje...ral-john-shaw/

Simon.

Sorry for the slow reply Simon, the Regiment was awarded the battle honours Waterloo and Peninsula in 1815. It was felt that Waterloo was so important that the Angel was used as the top decoration on the belt plate.

Thanks Mike,

So many famous Regiments distinguished themselves in the various Campaigns of the Napoleonic Wars and gained their various Battle Honours and Regimental distinctions. An absorbing part of this hobby of ours for me is the study of these various distinctions and how they changed the badges and emblems of The Regiments as further Campaigns and Honours were fought and won.

Simon.