The continuing story of the Waterloo Medal and the two names engraved on its rim

The Waterloo Medal

I am back with the Waterloo Medal and a story which is one of those that if you made it up people wouldn’t believe you.

The medal was issued in 1816 to every Officer, Non-Commissioned Officer and soldier of the British Army, including members of the King's German Legion who took part in the battles of Ligny, Quatre Bras and the Waterloo.

And this particular one comes from the collection of David Harrop who acquired it some years ago and discovered that the original name had been substituted for another.

We can only speculate on how a treasured medal came to have two names but I suspect the most obvious is that it was sold and then bought by a veteran of one of the battles who had lost his own.

It will be possible to trace the new owner whose name was engraved on the rim and we will be able to find out his rank, regiment and a bit about his life after Waterloo.

Sadly the name of the original recipient was obliterated but I suppose one out of two is not bad.












Picture; the Waterloo Medal, 1816, courtesy of David Harrop

*The Waterloo Medal, http://chorltonhistory.blogspot.co.uk/search/label/The%20Waterloo%20Medal