Waterloo Medal : Private Thomas Rodwell, 33rd Regiment of Foot Accession Number: REL/06363

Description

Waterloo Medal with double silver suspension rings. The edge of the medal is impressed with the recipients details. Obverse: The profile laureated head of the Prince Regent with the legend 'GEORGE P. REGENT' around the edge and the designer's name 'T WYON' under the neck. Reverse: The winged figure of Victory seated on a pedestal and holding a palm branch in her right hand and an olive branch in her left; below the pedestal is the word 'WATERLOO' within a rectangle over the date June 18 1815. The word 'WELLINGTON' is in raised letters above the winged figure around the rim. A piece of 30 mm ribbon of crimson with dark blue edges is threaded through the suspension ring. The medal is impressed around the edge with the recipeint's details.

Contextual Description

Thomas Rodwell was born at Bolton upon Dearne, Yorkshire, England on 23 December 1794, the son of Thomas and Hannah Rodwell. He was employed as a labourer when he enlisted as a private in the 33rd Regiment of Foot at the age of sixteen. He served in northern Germany and Holland before taking part in the battle of Waterloo, which began on 18 June 1815. At the time of the battle, the regiment numbered 561 officers and men. During the four day battle, which resulted in the final defeat of the French under Napoleon, the regiment's casualties were five officers killed and several wounded; 49 other ranks killed and 162 wounded. Rodwell was one of those wounded, in his left shoulder, which left him unfit for further military service. He was formally discharged from the army on 6 June 1816. At that time he was described as being 5 foot 5 inches tall, with brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion.

In 1820 Rodwell married Agnes Curtis at Berwick on Tweed in Northumberland. He later joined the newly formed New South Wales Veteran Companies and came to Australia with his wife and children in 1826. More children were born in Australia.
Thomas Rodwell died on 31 August 1861 aged 71 years and is buried in Gresford Anglican Cemetery, NSW.

The Waterloo Medal was the first general medal to be issued by the British Government to all officers and men that took part in a battle. This campaign medal was also the first to be awarded to the next of kin of men killed in action, and was the first medal on which the name of the recipient was impressed around the edge by machine.