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| Waterloo Medal 71st Regt Foot |
| A Waterloo medal officially impressed & presented to Henry Wilmott 1st Batt. 71st Regt Foot.
The 71st played a full part in this great battle at Waterloo. Assigned to Adam’s Light Brigade (along with the 1/52nd and 2/95th)on the right of the battlefield, they first endured over two hours of intense artillery fire. When they moved, they left many dead and wounded on the ground. They then repulsed seven cavalry charges, during one of which the Duke, attended only by his trumpeter, took refuge in their square. Towards evening, following the example of the 52nd and with the 95th in close support, they charged the Guard and drove it back. Leading the final advance, the 71st assaulted the Guard’s reserve positions and captured a battery, one of whose guns they turned around and fired at the retreating enemy. This is thought to have been the last shot of the battle. An original painting of this incident entitled ‘ The Last Gun at Waterloo’ is in the Regimental Museum..
No battle honour inscribed upon the Regimental Colours of the British Army has been harder fought or better deserved than ‘Waterloo’, in the course of which the 71st lost 16 officers, 11 sergeants and 187 other rank and file.
After the battle, General Clinton, who commanded the right flank, wrote : "The manner in which the several regiments, 52nd, 71st and 95th discharged their duty was witnessed and admired by the whole army".
It is interesting to note that the 71st actually suffered the 11th (out of 58) Highest total casualties of any British or KGL Regiment at Waterloo and Officer casualties ranked them 6th! - however the size of their Battalion was particularly large on the day which accounts for their lower percentage of casualties (25%) as opposed to much smaller Regiments, or ones that suffered the vast majority of their casualties at Quatre Bras.
Condition: VF
Research paperwork included.
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£2950
(convert currency)
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