Informally known as the Black Watch, the 42nd's Waterloo started on the 16th June 1815 at the Battle of Quatre Bras. Two days later they were involved in some of the most intense fighting at the Battle of Waterloo.

An interesting and excellent condition, engraved Waterloo Medal to James Watt, drummer with the 42nd Regtiment of Foot. The Waterloo  Medal retains the original impressed stars (start  & end) , then engraved wording James Watt, followed by a blank area (being where the word 'Drummer' has been removed), followed by '42nd Regt.Foot.'

Although the Waterloo Medal is engraved, (not impressed), we believe this is Watt’s original Waterloo Medal. Close examination shows some slight trace elements of the original impressed name, with parts of letters conforming to the name 'James Watt.'  It is most possible  the Waterloo Medal  was engraved when the word ‘Drummer’ was removed. The word 'drummer'  had negative association at the time of the Napoleonic wars, primarily due to the term ‘drummer boy’ implying inexperience; many 'drummer boys' were infact  seasoned soldiers.

Other Waterloo Medals conferred to 'drummers,' with the word ‘Drummer’ removed, are known. The Waterloo Medal conferred to  John Killan, Drummer with the 27th Regtiment of  Foot shows the engraved wording ‘Soldier’ as a replacement.

The Watt Waterloo Medal has a pleasant age darkening overall, and retains its original steel clip and ring suspension (ribbon missing). The price for this Waterloo Medal reflects the ‘engraved’ c.f. ‘impressed’ naming.

Note: Photocopied papers from the National Archive for James Watt are included with the medal. The papers confirm Watt joined the 42nd Regt. Foot as a drummer at the age of fourteen (1804). He served  in Gibraltar, Flushing, then the Peninsular, and the Battle of Waterloo. Watt served as a drummer for twenty-six years being discharged from the Army in 1830.

Provenance: The Waterloo Medal was acquired through family inheritance in 2011 (found in a jewellery box). The family were unaware of the nature of decent (i.e. through the female side), or 'Watt' lineage.