Wellington’s Dress Waterloo Medal

The Waterloo Medal was the first British ‘campaign’ medal, issued to all soldiers present at an action. It was also the first medal on which the recipient’s name was impressed around the edge. The tradition of campaign medals has continued to the present day.

There was great resentment from those soldiers who had fought in earlier campaigns, particularly those who had fought in the Peninsular War. They had received neither a medal nor the two-year pension enhancement given to Waterloo men. These veterans had to wait until 1848 and the issue of the Military General Service Medal (MGSM) for their service in earlier battles to be commemorated.

It is believed that the Duke of Wellington obtained several medals, probably three. This was presumably to avoid having to move medals between different uniforms. This one was probably his principal dress medal as its suspension ring is gold rather than the usual iron. It is impressed around the edge with the inscription: ‘Field Marshall The Duke of Wellington KG GCB’.

The 33rd Regiment of Foot had been granted the title ‘The Duke of Wellington’s Regiment’ by Queen Victoria following the Duke’s death in 1852. He had been its commanding officer for nine years, and it had served under him during his formative years as a military commander in India. The 33rd Foot also fought under him at Waterloo.