Infantry officer's Pattern 1796 sword, Ensign Charles Simpson, 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards, 1815

This sword was carried at Waterloo (1815) by Ensign Charles Simpson of the 3rd Regiment of Foot Guards. The grip of the weapon is not wire bound but pressed on metal strip. The relatively cheap blade is probably German. Simpson was serving in No 4 Company, and as joint ensign of the company would have been carrying one of the regiment's colours. He was killed by a cannonball.