Arthur Elliott's Waterloo Medal, 1815

The Battle of Waterloo was a decisive battle held on 18 June 1815 in modern-day Belgium. A coalition army of European powers, led by the Duke of Wellington (1769-1852), defeated the French army of Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821). It permanently stopped the French emperor’s attempts to dominate the continent, and ushered in a period of relative peace in Europe. The battle continues to captivate people, and is still the subject of literature and blockbuster movies, such as Napoleon (2023).

This display focuses on a Waterloo Medal, acquired by the Irish Linen Centre & Lisburn Museum in 2025. It was awarded to Lisburn farmer, Private Arthur Elliott, in 1815. He fought with the 6th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Dragoons and was severely wounded at Waterloo. Alongside the medal, we have other objects on display and a special screening of Waterloo’s Warriors, exploring the role of Irish and Scottish soldiers in a battle that changed the course of European history.  Waterloo’s Warriors (2015) is shown by kind permission of Stephen Rooke, Tile Films, Dublin