Battle

Of

Waterloo

Project

Contents

1-About Private John Belcher

2-Significance of my Ten objects

3-Why I choose these mini-themes or theme

4-How the objects link to my solider

1- About Private John Belcher

I am honoured to research this solider and I feel glad that this solider has

fought our country and our lives to let us live and that give me lots of respect to

him and to his family.

Private John Belcher was born in 1764 in Berkhampstead. I am sure that

he had siblings, one of them was Henry Belcher who stole a necklace in

October 1828. John Belcher joined the army in 1815 and he survived

through the battle and I don’t know if he was injured or not. In the army

his positions were 3rd Battalion 14th Foot and he served in 14th Foot

Regiment in the Royal Marines and was discharged aged 52. John

Belcher was in jail at Trinity in 1816 but we don’t know what he was in

prison for. In 1819 he had a court case which was Delegal v Belcher and

he was the defendant and his wife was also a defendant.

On the 23rd December 1822 he was convicted in Lewes for felony. John

became a surgeon after the war, perhaps because he was inspired by the

traumas he had witnessed during the war. In July of 1832 he became a

surgeon. It is possible his time spent in prison gave him the opportunity

to decide to go into the field of medicine. I am suggesting that the

reason why he went to prison for which could be that he was in debt and

had to pay 3 shillings and 6 pence in 1832. Also I think John Belcher came

from a crime family.

2-Significance of my ten objects

British Light Cavalry Sword Military Whip Waterloo Medal Roll

Bread Biscuits Private solider Waterloo medal Wellington’s Field Marshal’s Baton

The reason why …….

British Light Cavalry Sword is significance to me because each

soldiers in the Waterloo Battle was given one and had to carry it to

help fight off the enemy.

The military whip is significance to me because the officers would

use this to discipline and punishments on its own soldiers. Also this

whipping was used for office or private solider for various offences.

Waterloo Medal Roll was significance to me because it shows us

which medal the soldiers was awarded for.

Bread biscuits was significance to me because it shows us that it

was the main basic food eaten by the British Army. The main foods

that were issued to the British Army were bread, in one form or

another, fresh or salt beef or pork, small beer, wine, spirits, peas

(old word for dried peas), rice and other vegetables, with oatmeal,

raisins, cheese and butter,

Private soldiers Waterloo medal was significance to me because

this links to the Duke of Wellington’s waterloo medal. I think this

was his first medal because I think he got it when he joined in the

army and during that course in the army,

Camp Kettle Battlefield Injuries Illustrated by

Charles Bell

King’s Shilling

Duke of

Wellington’s

Waterloo Medal

Wellington’s Field Marshal’s Baton was significance to me because

it was presented to duke of wellingtons for his military successes

against Napoleon’s Army. Also it shows and symbolise to us that

the soldier who fought were very brave.

Camp Kettle was significance to me because it shows us that during

that time the soldiers have small amounts of food which are called

rations. Soldiers were meant to eat their food quickly because it

was during battle. There were little resources to cook the food with

so it had to be easily accessible to the soldiers in camp.

Battlefield Injuries Illustrated by Charles Bell was significance to me

because it shows us how the solider was injured and traumatised

during the Battle of Waterloo.

King’s shillings was significance to me because it was symbol of

recruitment for the British Army at the time of Waterloo Battle. It

signifies the soldiers who were recruited to fight for their countries

during the battles.

Duke of Wellington’s Waterloo Medal was significance to me

because I think that was his second medal which I think he was

present and the actions at Quatre Bras and Ligny. Also this was

issued to all of the British soldiers who was present at the Quatre

Bras and Ligny. That why I think he was one of the solider who was

present at Quatre and Ligny.

3 – Why I choose this theme or min-themes

I have picked ‘battle’ and ‘soldier’ as my mini-themes. I picked the ‘battle’ theme

because it allows me to see what belongings the soldiers received and what life

was like inside their camps. I picked ‘solider’ as my other mini-theme because

this also links to how this solider fought through the battle and what they did

and what they had at the camp.

4-How the objects link to my solider

I think the object links to my solders because:

British light Calvary sword was his weapon to fight off the enemy.

Military whip was use on him as a punishment if he did something wrong

which I presume he had scars on his back after he was discharged.

Bred Biscuits and Camp Kettle are linked together because he had a hard

time with fewer food and had to eat quickly during the battle. Also I

presume that he probably didn’t have a lot of nutrients from the food. The

Bread Biscuits was probably the only basic food he had.

Private Solider Medal and Duke of Wellington’s Medal are linked together

because during that course of the battle he was present and fought very

hard for our country.

King shillings because I presume that when he got the coin he had to join

in the army of the Battle of Waterloo

Wellington’s field Marshal Baton because it shows us that he fought

bravery and that his military success was hard work to win against the

Napoleon’s Army.

Waterloo medal roll because I presume that his name is in there and the

medal he got for his hard work in the army.