British ''Waterloo'' Medal

By Crusader1307

The ''Waterloo'' Medal was a British Army Award – first authorized for issuance by The House of Commons (under authority of Prince Regent George IV) in 1816. The Award was devised to be issued to those Officers and Enlisted Men who had served in The Waterloo (Belgium) Campaign of The Napoleonic Wars. In addition to the final and epic Battle (Waterloo), service at Ligny and Quatre Bras was included. In addition to The Medal, all participants were ''given'' an additional 2 years of service (free) and counting towards their Retirement Pensions. It is estimated nearly 40,000 such Medals were issued.

The Medal was a circular Device, which featured the profile of The Prince Regent (George IV). Silver in color, The Reverse bore the engraving of ''Seated Liberty'', with the inscriptions ''Wellington'' (in honor of Campaign Leader The Duke of Wellington) and ''Waterloo'' (named of The Campaign which in essence, ended The War). The Ribbon was a Dark Red, which was flanked by a Dark Royal Blue Stripe present on both perimeters). The importance of The ''Waterloo Medal'' was from it's design production – all future British Service Medals were based.