Waterloo Day
18th JUNE 1815
In 1793, Arthur Wellesley, later to become the 1st Duke of Wellington, joined the 33rd and subsequently commanded it in the Netherlands and India as Lieutenant Colonel until 1803. He succeeded as Colonel in 1807 and held this post until 1813.
With the escape of the old enemy, Napoleon Bonaparte, the Grande Alliance was reformed. The Duke of Wellington was placed in command of the allied forces in Belgium and there his old regiment, the 33rd, joined him as part of the 5th Brigade. In June, 1815, Napoleon began his advance on Belgium where the Allied forces were distributed along the frontier. On 16th June the French attacked them at the Quatre Bras crossroads. The 33rd was heavily involved, suffering significant casualties as a result of a combination of cannon fire and cavalry charge, but it played its part in ensuring the safe withdrawal of the British force to Waterloo.
There, on 18th June, was fought the battle which was forever to be associated with the name of Wellington and generally considered to be the greatest of battles fought by British troops. The battle lasted all day and, despite repeated attacks, the British squares held firm against the massed attacks of the French cavalry. Napoleon, frustrated, is reported to have said 'These dogs of English never know when they are beaten'. Finally, Wellington aided by the Prussians under Blucher, drove the French from the field and the long period of wars against them came to an end.
The Duke of Wellington, or 'The Iron Duke' as he became known, due to the installation of steel shutters on the windows of Apsley House, his London home, died in September 1852. The following year, on the 18th of June, the first anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo following his death, the title of 'The Duke of Wellington's Regiment' was conferred on the 33rd, as a tribute to the Duke's long and close personal connection with the Regiment and a fitting testament for one of the army's most persistently successful Regiments of Foot.
Each year The Regiment, especially the 3rd Battalion of The Yorkshire Regiment (Duke of Wellington's) celebrate the 18th June, the anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo, as one of our Regimental Days. The Deputy Colonel of the Regiment is the 8th Duke of Wellington - Brigadier, His Grace, The Duke of Wellington KG LVO OBE MC DL.
The Battle of the Waterloo was also a battle honour for the West Yorkshire Regiment (14th Foot), their 3rd Battalion having been reprieved from disbandment to face Napoleon's invasion of Belgium.
Visit the
Waterloo 200 website to see how they will coordinate events leading up to the bicentenary of Waterloo in 2015.