About
The Duke of Wellington's Regimental Museum is housed within Bankfield Museum in Halifax, occupying dedicated galleries within the splendid Victorian mansion that serves as Calderdale's principal museum complex. The regimental museum tells the story of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) — one of the most distinguished infantry regiments in the British Army — from its formation in 1702 through over three centuries of service until its amalgamation in 2006 into the Yorkshire Regiment.
The regiment was raised in 1702 as part of the vast expansion of the British Army during the War of the Spanish Succession. Named after the Duke of Wellington following the great victory at Waterloo in 1815, the regiment accumulated a battle-honour record spanning virtually every major British military campaign across three centuries. From the sun-baked plains of the Peninsular War and the carnage of Waterloo, through the Crimea, the Indian Mutiny, and the Boer War, to the industrialised slaughter of the First World War and the global conflict of the Second, to Korea and the Falklands — the regiment's story encompasses the full breadth of British military history.
The collections assembled in these galleries are of outstanding quality and historical importance. The uniform collection spans the full evolution of British military dress from the scarlet coats of the 18th century through the introduction of khaki to modern combat uniform. The medal collection includes Victoria Crosses, Distinguished Conduct Medals, and campaign medals covering every major conflict in which the regiment served. Regimental silver of exceptional craftsmanship documents the social and ceremonial life of an officer's mess across two centuries. Paintings, portraits, personal correspondence, and individual soldiers' mementos humanise the institutional story.
The museum is an important resource for family historians researching ancestors who served with the regiment, and the regimental archive held here is available for research by appointment. Admission to the regimental museum galleries is included with Bankfield Museum admission — which is itself free of charge. The museum is managed by the regimental association in partnership with Calderdale Council.
Categories:
Highlights
Uniform Collection — Three Centuries of Military Dress
The uniform collection traces the full evolution of the regiment's dress from the scarlet coats and powdered wigs of the early 18th century through the increasingly functional uniforms of the Victorian wars to the khaki introduced during the Boer War and the modern combat dress of the Falklands campaign.
Each era of uniform reflects not only changing military technology and tactics but the social world of the army — the class distinctions between officers' elaborate dress uniforms and the simple tunics of other ranks, the impact of industrialised warfare on military clothing, and the symbolic importance of regimental identity.
Medal Collection — From Waterloo to the Falklands
The medal collection is one of the museum's most emotionally powerful holdings. Spanning every major British conflict from the Napoleonic Wars to the 1982 Falklands campaign, the medals represent both institutional achievement and individual courage. Victoria Crosses — the highest military honour — are among the most significant items, each accompanied by the citations that describe, in the restrained language of official military prose, acts of extraordinary bravery under fire.
The collection makes tangible three centuries of service by West Riding men and women.
Regimental Silver
The regimental silver on display represents the ceremonial and social life of an infantry regiment's officers' mess across two centuries of service. Silver presentations, trophies, dining services, and commemorative pieces record the regiment's history in metal — gifts from campaigns, presentations from allied regiments, and trophies from sporting competitions.
The quality of craftsmanship is outstanding, and the pieces provide a fascinating window into the elaborate social rituals that bound officers together in the close community of regimental life.
The Battle of Waterloo
The regiment's distinguished service at the Battle of Waterloo in 1815 is a central thread of the museum's historical narrative. After Waterloo, the regiment was given the unique honour of being named after the victorious commander — the Duke of Wellington — a distinction it carried with pride for nearly two centuries.
Displays on Waterloo include maps, personal accounts, weapons, and equipment from the campaign, bringing to life one of the decisive moments in European history in which the West Riding regiment played a notable part.
Collections
Three Centuries of Service
Chronological display of the regiment's history from formation in 1702 to amalgamation in 2006
Uniforms and Equipment
Evolution of military dress and personal equipment across 300 years
Medals and Citations
Campaign medals, Victoria Crosses, and individual service records
Current Exhibitions
No current exhibitions. Please check the museum website for updates.