Hanoverian Waterloo Medal

The Hanoverian Waterloo Medal, like the British Waterloo Medal, has a profile and laureate head of the Prince Regent to the right, with the legend "GEORG. PRINZ. REGENT, 1815", round it.^[1]

On the reverse are two branches of laurel and a breastplate, with two spears and two colours crossed on either side; underneath is the date, "WATERLOO JUN. XVIII.", and, above, in Roman letters, "HANNOVERSCHER TAPFERKEIT" (lit. 'Hannoverian Bravery'). Round the rim are the soldier's name, regiment, etc.^[2]

This medal was founded by George, the Prince Regent in December 1817, and was awarded to every soldier in the Hanoverian Army who was present at the Battle of Waterloo. It is suspended by a crimson ribbon with light blue borders, and the owner was permitted to wear this ribbon without the medal, contrary to the rule which prevailed in Britain.^[3]

Unlike also the custom in Britain at the time it was issued, the medal remained the property of the soldier, and if he left the military service, he was still allowed to wear it. It could not, however, under any circumstances, be transferred from one soldier to another, but after the death of the first recipient of it, it was ordered that it should remain in his family as an heirloom. The Hanoverian troops, excluding those of the King's German Legion, present on the 16, 17 and 18 June at Battle of Quatre Bras and Waterloo, under the command of General Charles Alten, amounted to almost 16,900 men, equivalent to 18% of Wellington's Allied Army.^[3]

Hanoverian Waterloo Medal

History

Gallery

Recipients

See also

Notes

References

Wikiwand - on