Search Waterloo Roll Call 1815

Each record contains both a transcript and an image of the original entry in the Waterloo Roll Call. The information contained can vary but you could be able to find out the following about your ancestor:

• Name
• Rank
• Regiment

Often there is more information available in the image. You could find out further details including past and subsequent military service, civilian honours received, details of family and even date and the circumstances of their death.

The Waterloo Roll Call is a list of 3,999 men, mainly officers, who were present on the eve or morning of the Battle of Waterloo in Belgium on June 18th 1815. It contains the names of those serving in British Regiments, as compiled - and subsequently updated - by Charles Dalton in the second edition of his book, Waterloo Roll Call, 1815, published in 1904.

In addition to the officers' roll call this collection also contains a muster roll of the Scots Greys and a list of non-commissioned officers and men who served in the Battle of Waterloo and were subsequently commissioned.

British Officers who held commissions in the German Legion or other foreign forces are not included in the roll call. The Battle of Waterloo ended Napoleon Bonaparte’s rule as French Emperor. Britain and her allies, led by the Duke of Wellington joined with the Prussian forces led by Gebhard von Blucher to defeat Napoleon’s army in Belgium. Of the 68,000 Anglo allied forces, there were 17000 military casualties. The French suffered losses of 48,000 of which 8,000 were taken prisoner.

Some veteran Peninsular regiments like the 43rd Light Infantry, had been sent to America in 1814 and arrived too late to take part in the Battle of Waterloo. The Waterloo forces were therefore made up of a mix of seasoned veteran regiments, recent new recruits and foreign auxiliaries. There were 106,000 men in total, only 1/3 of the Anglo allied forces were British.

ADC - Aide-de-Camp

Bd - buried

Bt - Battery

Bt-Mjr - Brevet-Major

Btn(s) - Battalion(s)

Capt - Captain

CB - Companion of the Bath

C-in-C - Commander in Chief

D - died

Dau - daughter

Dns - Dragoons

Dsp - Died without leaving surviving issue

F-M - Field Marshall

Ft Gds - Foot Guards

GCB - Knight Grand Cross of the Bath

GCH - Knight Grand Cross of Hanover

Hon - Honourable

hp - half pay

HRH - His Royal Highness

k - killed [when after an officer’s name]

KCB - Knight Commander of the Bath

KCH - Knight Commander of Hanover

KG - Knight of the Order of the Garter

KGL - King’s German Legion

KH - Knight of Hanover

KMB - Knight of Maximilian of Bavaria

KMT - Knight of Marie Theresa of Austria

K St A - Knight of St Anne of Russia

K St G - Knight of St George of Russia

K St V - Knight of St Vladimir of Russia

KTS - Knight of the Tower and Sword of Portugal

KW - Knight of Wilhelm of Holland

LI - Light Infantry

Lt - Lieutenant

Lt Batt - Light Battery

Lt-Col - Lieutenant-Colonel

Lt Dns - Light Dragoons

M - married

Maj - Major

Maj-Gen - Major General

NCO - non-commissioned officer [lower-ranking]

Pa - Peninsula

Par - Peninsular

Retd - retired

RH Gds - Royal Horse Guards

Rl - Royal

Unm - unmarried

w - wounded [when after an officer’s name]