Waterloo Medal 1815 awarded to Thomas Bird, 1st Dragoon (or Royal) Guards

Silver medal, designed by Thomas Wyon, with a portrait of the Prince Regent on the obverse, with the inscription, 'George P. Regent'. On the reverse the figure of Winged Victory seated on a plinth, surmounted by the word, 'Wellington', with, 'Waterloo', and the date of the battle, 'June 18 1815', below. The medal is suspended from a Crimson ribbon with blue edges.

The Waterloo Medal was awarded to any soldier who had taken part in one or more of the following battles during the 100 Days campaign; Ligny (16 June 1815), Quatre Bras (16 June 1815) and Waterloo (18 June 1815).

At Waterloo, the 1st Dragoon Guards took part in the famous charge of the British heavy cavalry brigades against Marshal d'Erlon's infantry and their supporting squadrons of cuirassiers. Initially successful, the two brigades broke the attacking French, but they then lost cohesion and advanced too far. Both the Household Brigade (including the 1st Dragoons) and the Union Brigade were subsequently badly mauled by French lancers.