Commemorating Waterloo | A Remarkable Relic of a Defining Battle

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On 18 June 1815, British and Allied forces under the Duke of Wellington met Napoleon’s army on the fields of Mont St. Jean in Belgium, culminating in one of the most significant military victories of the 19th century.

Among those present that day was Lieutenant-Colonel Henry D’Oyly, who commanded a company in the 3rd Battalion of the 1st Foot Guards. His regiment played a central role in the fierce and decisive fighting that ultimately turned the tide against Napoleon’s Imperial Guard.

Throughout the afternoon, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 1st Foot Guards held their position on the reverse slope of the Mont St. Jean ridge, forming the centre-right of Wellington’s defensive line. Repeated cavalry charges by elite French units, including the fearsome Red Lancers of the Imperial Guard, were repelled through disciplined square formations - a hallmark of British infantry tactics.

As the evening wore on, Napoleon launched a final assault. At around 8 p.m., the Imperial Guard Infantry advanced in a desperate attempt to break through. Rising from their prone positions, the 1st Foot Guards delivered a devastating series of volleys into the advancing French. Despite the chaos and confusion - with smoke obscuring visibility and the Chasseurs of the Imperial Guard mistaken for Grenadiers due to their bearskin caps - the British line held firm. With additional pressure from a flanking manoeuvre by the 52nd Light Infantry and Dutch artillery fire, the French advance faltered and ultimately collapsed.

This moment was not only a turning point in the battle but also in the history of the British Army. In recognition of their valour, the 1st Foot Guards were granted the prestigious title "Grenadier Guards" by the Prince Regent - the only British regiment to be named in honour of a specific battlefield achievement.

_{A silver mounted inkwell, inscribed 'The Ear of Bos', 19cm high. From the Collection of Nigell and Heather D’Oyly (£300-500)}  

Lieutenant-Colonel D’Oyly’s horse, Bos, was shot from beneath him, and he sustained serious injuries in the fall. As a poignant reminder of that day, Bos’s ear was removed, mounted in silver, and repurposed as an inkwell - a deeply personal and unique memento that has remained with the D’Oyly family ever since.

This extraordinary object - steeped in history and memory - is a striking reminder of Waterloo’s legacy. It will be offered in the Homes & Interiors sale on Tuesday 1 July, where it stands not only as a rare artefact but also as a powerful symbol of courage, sacrifice, and the enduring human connection to the past.

Homes & Interiors

Tuesday 1 July | 9.30am 

homesandinteriors@sworder.co.uk | 01279 817778

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